Recital on the Green

This weekend was my daughter Megan's dance recital.  This is a very exciting time for the girls.  All of their hard work displayed for their families.  The costumes.   And, of course, hair and makeup.

In the past we've always gotten by with a little blush and lipgloss.  But they really like them to wear eyemakeup on stage, and now that Megan is older she won't let me get by without it.

We created a look that she loved, using all-natural, toxin-free cosmetics, which I loved.

Here is what we used:

Lavera Eye Shadow in Slate -- I used this powder shadow as an eyeliner, just dab a slightly wet brush or sponge into powder and apply.  And it lasted for four plus hours.

Lavera Mascara in Black -- This is the mascara I use daily.  It has a smooth consistency and just added a layer of color and length.  No clumpiness.

Revolution Organics Beauty Balm in Blushed -- You've heard me go on here about these marvelous creamy blusher sticks.  This one is bright pink, perfect for little girl cheeks.  And a little dab'll do ya'.

Revolution Organics Lipgloss in Hot Pink-- This gloss matches the blush and looks like lipstick with a clear coat, but very natural.  She applied the stuff about 50 times while waiting to go on and I got to show her the "corners and tip of lips" trick. 

We loved the way her "look" turned out, and it was a great opportunity to teach her about washing her face afterward.  Which she could not wait to do.

Hope you all are having a fantastic weekend too!

Images copyright Liz Thompson 2010

Buta'I Cosmetics – Natural Anti-aging

Re-posted from Feelgood Style

Organic and natural skincare is seeing more terrific new brands all the time. I recently had the pleasure of sampling one such line out of Israel called Buta'I. Buta'I Cosmetics are anti-aging skincare products that rival the conventional department store brands, but are 100% safe and natural.

A common misconception is that you have to give up truly effective anti-aging ingredients when going chemical-free. Absolutely not so, and Buta'I is here to prove it. This line includes super natural anti-agers CoEnzyme Q-10, Pomegranate oil, Sepilift, Green tea, and Vitamins C E.

Mini Crash Course in Natural Anti-aging Ingredients:

• CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ10) is a substance naturally produced by the body to support cell function. Our natural levels of CoQ10 decrease as we age and our skin loses its firmness and elasticity. CoQ10 also helps to fight free radical damage brought on by sun exposure, toxins and other environmental factors.
• Sepilift (ubiquinone) works to stop collagen from breaking down, improving the skin’s texture and appearance. This powerful anti-aging ingredient may not sound so natural by name, but is actually a plant-derived amino acid.
• Green tea has long been touted as a health-hero, and rightly so. Its high levels of polyphenols hold super-antioxidant power, helping to stop DNA damage from free radicals, which can lead to premature aging and disease. Great in skincare and drinkable too.
• Vitamins C and E sound healthy enough, but also hold anti-aging benefits. Vitamin C, found in Rose oil and Tangerine peel oil, builds collagen and reduces inflammation. C also helps to regulate melanin production, keeping pigment even. Vitamin E is highly antioxidant and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, scars, stretch marks and spots.
• Pomegranate oil is rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants. This rich oil improves tone and provides a healthy glow, while delivering healthy nutrients to the skin.

 

I tried three products from the line, Hydra E day, Nutri L night, and Lift N eye. Let me just start by saying that all three products have a very soft and smooth texture (not greasy or sticky whatsoever) and a super delicate scent.

Hydra E day Cream is the perfect daily moisturizer for warm/hot/humid summer months or for those with normal to oily skin. This day cream delivers light hydration, skin is left soft and silky and not the least bit tacky. Perfect under makeup or on its own.

For those who need a bit richer hydration, or a moisturizing night treatment, Nutri L night is the ticket. This soothing, deeply hydrating night cream delivers intense moisture without being greasy or heavy. That is the thing about Buta'I Cosmetics, they are light as air yet leave skin soft and supple.

Last but not least… Lift N eye. Who doesn’t love a great eye cream? And since the delicate eye area is one of the first places we tend to see lines and wrinkles, a possible solution is always well received. What most women want from an eye cream (at least one used during the day) is a hydrated, smoothed-out effect, with no oiliness to work into eyes or mess up makeup. Well that is exactly what you get with this eye cream. Eyes are softened, brightened, and smooth as a dream.

Let’s just say, I can’t wait to try the Buta'I products for body.

Image:  Nature of Beauty

The Little Things

Today let's veer slightly from the organic beauty theme and talk about what is on alot of our minds.  The month of May.  It may be almost over, but it is a doozy.

Every year May really wears us out around here.  School activities ramp up toward the end of the year, out-of-school activities culminate into a grand finale of one type or another, we feel the urgency of being able to fit into our summer attire.  And all of this hustle and bustle is going on while our minds are dreaming of laying in a lawn chair, soaking up the warm weather.  I guess that is what they call "Spring Fever".

Yes, it can be overwhelming and exciting all at once, but steppping back and realizing you can't get it all done can be hugely relieving.  I always look forward to checking out what Lauren Liess is up to on her home design blog Pure Style Home.  Not only is her design aesthetic pure lovely, but she really lays it all out there in a funny and personal way.  And it helps to know that even the most creative among us have a messy home or piles of un-done laundry.

So, for today, I am not going to think about the kids' activities, or the laundry, or upcoming obligations.  Instead I am going to do one of the things I love best...write about organic beauty.  Promise to have something on the subject to share with you in the next couple of days.  I have been sampling lots of great new products and can't wait to bring them to you!

Natural Anti-aging Ingredients

We all want to stay looking our healthiest, best and (let's face it) youngest.  The best way to go about this is awareness of what you are putting into your body.  Let food be your first step.  As Dr. Pratima told me in our interview, your diet is always the best place to start with any skin issue or concern because it is one of the most physical things that we can control.

Are you getting enough fresh fruits and veg?  How about whole grains?  And then there is the water issue...

By becoming more aware of what you eat you are not only benefitting your body with healthy vitamins and nutrients from food, but also from the awareness itself.

Then there are the other obvious elements -- exercise and sleep.  If you are not getting adequate amounts of both of these, it is going to show up on your skin. 

You may be wondering how much skin care can do to keep your skin looking youthful.  Some believe only the hardcore chemical variety can actually have an effect, while others don't believe in anti-aging skincare at all. 

Well, there are several natural ingredients that have some amazing anti-aging benefits.  These two articles on the Lavera blog will fill you in on which ones they are, where they come from and how they work.

I am doing some research right now on natural spot-lightening ingredients (yes, I have become more speckly over the years) and will let you know the outcome later this summer.

Ok, I must also say that while there are many effective natural anti-aging products out there, the one thing that keeps us looking our best is straight-up liking ourselves.  It may sound cliche but don't write me off just yet.  Instead, check out this article I wrote not long ago on the subject for Feelgood Style and let me know what you think.

Have some natural anti-aging secrets of your own?  Please share them with us!

Image:  Vermin Inc at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.

Happy Day!

Ok, so I do believe the site to blog switch is all taken care of, up and running as planned.  With a couple of exceptions and more (good) changes to come.  Feels good to have Organic Beauty Source safely in its new location.  Things still need a little fine tuning around here.

First of all, my blogroll has disappeared.  So, to all of you whose blogs were listed here, they soon will be again.  I just need to re-enter all of the info.

Secondly, the Weekly Green Beauty Tips are on hold until I set up my new newsletter.  Since the technical side of stuff is not my true love, I may put this off until next week as all of this has kind of put me over the edge on set-up and the like. 

BUT...if you would like to be added to my email list for the upcoming GBTs and any sale/info emails I will be sending in the near future, go ahead and email me with your info at liz@organicbeautysource.com.  And if you already were on my list, you still are, so thanks for that!

There may be things I have missed, or not thought of yet, but thanks again for bearing with us during this transition.  I know it will all be worth it in the end.

Image:  Scarleth White at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.

OBS Makeover

That's right, Organic Beauty Source has received a makeover!

The past few weeks I have been eagerly awaiting my new blog design, and here it is in its pink and green gorgeous glory.  I love it!

The design work was done by Jennifer Stuart of Jennifer Stuart Design.  I simply told her the colors I like and a couple other little things, and the rest was up to Jen.  So really, I had completely no idea what it would look like and could hardly wait to find out.  Jen did such a terrific job, I couldn't be happier with OBS's new look.

So, this little blog is undergoing  some pretty big changes.  Not only does it have a brand new look, but it will be the new home of OrganicBeautySource.com.  Yep, rather than having a website and blog, I have decided that having everything in one spot is the best way for me to bring you the most green beauty news, in a timely fashion, without eating up lots of my time on "techie" stuff.  The truth is, I love to research, write and review natural beauty products, news, ingredients, etc and simply felt that the other stuff was taking up too much of my time.

While we are in this transitional phase (switching from site to blog, new newsletter system...) things may not be quite as efficient around here -- though I am hoping it will be as smooth as possible.  Please bear with me.

I hope you like the OBS makeover as much as I do.  If you have any comments or questions please leave them in the Comments section below.  Thanks!

How to Get a Bright, Dewy Complexion

Question:

I have been experimenting with different organic skin care lines but none have made a difference in my skin...do I have to use these products for a longer time than non organic lines? My complexion just seems dull no matter what I do...can you recommend products to help gain a brighter and more dewy complexion? Thank you.   ~Frances

Answer:

Hi Frances, Regular exfoliation will rid your skin of dry, dead skin cells and will help to brighten up your complexion. A mild exfoliant used once weekly should do the trick. There are many gentle and effective exfoliating products on the market, but my fave is a simple milk and sugar mixture. Mix a couple of tablespoons of organic milk into about a quarter cup of organic sugar. Apply gently to face and body in soft, circular motions. Rinse and cleanse as usual. This will lend a freshness to your skin and make it unbelievably soft.

The next step in achieving a smooth, dewy complexion is to make sure your skin is receiving enough moisture. Are you over cleansing and sapping skin of natural oils? Are you using too light a moisturizer? Start by answering these questions.

I assume you skin is on the dry side if it is looking dull, and recommend a creamy cleanser to cleanse without stripping the skin of vital oil. My favorite is Lavere Anti-aging INTENSIVE Cleanser. A similar, less expensive option to try is Weleda Almond Cleansing Lotion. And, unless skin is actually dirty, skip the cleanser and use a mild toner (I like chilled, brewed green tea) in its place. Cleanse to remove makeup and dirt at night, and simply rinse the skin with warm water in the a.m. and follow up with the tea toner.

A rich, yet non-greasy, moisturizer is Lavera FACES Calendula Balancing Cream. The perfect amount of hydration, day or night, and does not leave a shine behind. Another one I like is Weleda Almond Moisture Cream. Your makeup fluid can be mixed into either of these moisturizers to add coverage without drying the skin.

Try dabbing Primavera Organic Rosehip Oil around eye area. This will add moisture (and keep delicate eye skin from looking crepe-y) and I like the subtle sheen it gives to eye makeup. Youthful!

To answer your question about having to use organic skincare longer to see results – Nope, you should see results with organic skincare right away, if you are using the right products for your skin.

I’d also like to add (and this may sound cliché) what you eat truly does show up on your skin. Be sure you are consuming fresh fruits and veg and getting plenty of filtered water daily. This will help to keep skin hydrated, body functions regular and provide antioxidants for healthy skin and body. Too much sugar, caffeine and alcohol will sap skin of moisture, and sugar even breaks down collagen causing wrinkling (!). Regular exercise, sleep and stress reduction all help too. And, of course, avoid smoking.

So, mild exfoliation, a healthy lifestyle and sufficient moisturization should keep skin fresh, smooth, plumped and perky. Let me know if this works for you.

Image:  AJU Photography at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.

Dr. Hauschka Receives High Ranking from EWG

Many of Dr. Hauschka's products have a high hazard rating on [Cosmetic Database].  I just stopped using it as I am a cancer survivor and some of the ingredients are linked to cancer. I'm upset at this info as I loved using this product. I always like to read as much as I can before believing the study results, so I'm going to keep researching to see if I can find some more info.

Answer:

While the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Cosmetic Database can be a valuable tool in researching ingredients, it is not flawless in determining a product’s safety.

First off, let’s take a look at how the Cosmetics Database operates. Ingredients are submitted voluntarily through an online submission form, leaving the accuracy of ingredients and percentages up to the person submitting the information. This leaves room for huge discrepancies.

One huge grey area in the database is definitely “fragrance”, and here is why: Synthetic fragrance is banned in the use of products created under the Europe Union Directive. Because of this restriction they suspect consumers will automatically assume the product is free from synthetic fragrance when purchasing products with such certification.

But the database does not differentiate between fragrance comprised of synthetic ingredients (usually phthalates) or natural essential oils, so all receive a high hazard ranking.

But it is different here in the US. Since cosmetics are so under-regulated by our government it is important to be sure fragrance comes from natural sources (like essential oils) when not listed on the label. And, no, many manufacturers do not list their “trade secret” fragrance combinations on their label, and are not by law required to do so.

Another data gap is in the area of essential oils. Because they have not been researched to the extent of many chemical ingredients, there is much that is not known about them, often times resulting in a higher ranking from EWG.

And, yes, it does seem European cosmetics manufacturers are affected by this glitch more often than North American manufacturers, most often due to labeling guidelines and how they translate here in the US. This is quite concerning, especially since Europe is further along in regulating cosmetics for safety than the FDA.

Dr. Hauschka skincare line is BDIH certified and the company works very hard to maintain safe practices and produce high quality, nontoxic products. The reason for the high ranking in the Cosmetics Database for some of their products is due to the “fragrance” issue and is not a true depiction of Dr. Hauschka product safety.

Terri Bly, of Nature of Beauty, has written a terrific guide to effectively using the EWG database. For now the database is a good start, but should not be relied upon entirely to determine a product’s safety.