A must-try awesome all-natural body wash by Beecology

Beecology Grapefruit & Lemongrass Body Wash:

NOTE: company has since changed name to Beessential

Beecology Grapefruit & Lemongrass Body Wash, by Beessential, is just another superb product by this all-natural skincare company! With its revitalizing scent of lemongrass and refreshing citrus aroma from grapefruit essential oil, this body wash is a real treat of aromatherapy in the shower. This is one of the few body washes that I've used that actually leaves my skin softer after use, unlike most shower gels that seem to strip the skin of moisture (despite claiming the opposite on their labels). I have previously reviewed Beessential's Peppermint Body Wash and Lavender & Bergamot Foaming Hand Soap, both of which I showered with compliments! The folks at Beessential have really formulated some amazing, moisturizing, and effective body care products that deserve greater exposure - because I can't imagine someone not liking the products.

This particular body wash is really wonderful. Along with its aromatic properties, the formula is very emollient and foams easily. It seems a bit watery at first, but that is because you only need a tiny bit, so I would caution people to be careful how much product they pump out of the bottle (one pump is certainly enough for one shower). And since you only need a little bit to take advantage of the sudsy, yummy-smelling goodness of this body wash, the 8 oz. bottle lasts forever!

Beessential is an Ohio-based natural skincare company, which produces lip balms, body lotions, body washes, soap, foaming liquid hand wash, hair shampoo and hair conditioner, using naturally derived ingredients that are healthy and safe for our bodies. Much like when choosing your groceries, it's usually best to choose products that have a relatively short ingredient list. Check out the simple and awesome list of ingredients that this company uses to create this fantastic body wash: the Saponified Oils of: Coconut, Olive, Hemp, Vegetable Glycerin, Aloe, Guar Gum, Honey, Grapefruit and Lemongrass Essential Oils, Rosemary Essential Oil, Citric Acid. It does not really get any more natural than that! And the best part – it actually works amazingly!!

Follow this blog to keep up to date with various natural beauty and healthy lifestyle tips and reviews. This blog is meant to be a helpful tool for people who are looking to switch to natural cosmetics, but who don't know where to start. I post positive reviews and articles about products that have worked well for me personally. Hopefully these articles are helpful to my readers, in helping them choose makeup and skincare that are toxin-free and all-natural!

The most gorgeous shade of lipstick ever - 'Queen Bee' by Honeybee Gardens!

Check out this simply gorgeous, all-natural shade of red by Honeybee Gardens. This vegan red by Honeybee Gardens is paraben-free and FD&C color free too!

Honeybee Gardens’ Truly Natural Lipstick in the shade “Queen Bee” is one of the most gorgeous shades of lipstick that I have come across. Queen Bee is a bright, warm red with pink undertones. This color is so vibrant and fresh, and because of the pink / blue undertones shining through this warm color, this shade does not make the teeth look yellow! Check out the photos below for a close-up look at the lipstick, and also photos of the lipstick on my lips in indoor and outdoor light. These photos show how the lipstick appears when swiped twice over each lip, without blotting.

The formula of the lipstick glides on easily, is quite pigmented, and is not drying at all. Actually, you can see in the pictures how shiny this lipstick is, which also gives away the lipstick’s moisturizing qualities. The lipstick does leave a very gentle, beautiful stain on the lips after hours of wear (and it does last for hours).

Here is the ingredients’ list for this vegan, paraben-free and FD&C color-free lipstick:

Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil *, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax*, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter+, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Oil, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenethyl alcohol. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI77891), Iron Oxide (CI77491, CI77492, CI77499, CI 45410) (*certified organic ingredients; + certified Fair Trade).

Honeybee Gardens is a veteran brand in the natural cosmetics industry. They have a huge range of products, from hairspray, to soap, to makeup. Visit Honeybee Gardens’ website for a look at all their offerings. I've always been impressed with whatever I have tried from Honeybee Gardens, and their products are also very affordable. The company also offers samples of many of their products, so customers can try small amounts before committing to buying full-size amounts. That’s always helpful for those who are trying to find the best natural brands for themselves.

Be sure to follow this blog for various natural beauty and healthy lifestyle tips and reviews. This blog is meant to be a helpful tool for people who are looking to switch to natural cosmetics, but who don't know where to start. I post do-it-yourself natural remedy tips, as well as positive reviews and articles about toxin-free products that have worked well for me personally. Hopefully these articles are helpful to my readers, helping them choose makeup and skincare that are healthier both outside our bodies and inside!

Acure offers organic, toxin-free facial skincare!

Check out this awesome toxin-free toning and moisturizing facial duo by Acure. All Acure products are sourced responsibly and made with natural ingredients. 

Acure is a new organic skincare company that has recently gained a lot of popularity with natural beauty enthusiasts. Not only are their products effective, but they are also reasonably priced and produced in an environmentally conscious way. This company has pledged to protect the environment.

But let’s get down to the effectiveness of Acure’s facial toner and day cream because, just like Acure quotes on its website, “It’s not enough to be natural… it also has to work.” And from my experience thus far, these facial skincare products work wonderfully!

Acure’s Facial Toner is good for normal skin and also oily problematic skin. I love that the toner is in a spray bottle, which is super convenient, and also reminds us that we don’t have to necessarily use facial pads each time we apply toner (quite wasteful if you think about it). The organic short list of ingredients is as follows: Fair Trade Organic Rooibos, Organic Calendula, Organic Chamomile, Organic Witch Hazel, Organic Bulgarian Rose Water (Hydrasol), Organic Glycerin. That is it! It reminds me of some of the toners my grandma and mother used to make from scratch, using simple, natural ingredients that refresh and tone the skin. The natural scent is also refreshing (not too strong for those sensitive to aromas). To me the strongest notes in the scent come from the rose water, chamomile and rooibos tea. I found this toner to be calming, and it definitely seems to help with reducing skin irritation and break outs.

Acure’s new Day Cream With Gotu Kola Stem Cells is just as awesome as Acure’s Facial Toner!

First off, let’s take a look at the skin-loving ingredients in this moisturizer: Organic Curoxidant™ Blend [(Organic Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Berry, Organic Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry), Organic Rosa Canina (Rosehips), Organic Punica granatum (Pomegranate), Organic Calendula Officinalis (Calendula), Organic Matricaria Recutita (Chamomile), Fair Trade Organic Aspalanthus Linearis (Rooibos)], Organic Aloe Barbensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Fair Trade Organic Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Organic Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate SE (Vegetable Derived), Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Infusion of Organic Calendula Officinalis Flower in Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Glucono Delta Lactone (Fermented Sugar), Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Stem Cell Culture, Marrubium vulgare (White Horehound) Stem Cell Culture, Echinacea Stem Cell Culture, Fermented Resveratrol Extract (Probiotic), Organic Argan Oil, CoQ10, Olive Leaf extract, Organic Chlorella Pyrenoidosa (Chlorella Growth Factor), Citrus Reticulata (Red Mandarin) Oil, D-Alpha Tocoperyl Acetate (Natural Vitamin E), Organic Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Bud Oil.

This day cream just about has it all when it comes to the best natural skin food! Acure has formulated its new skincare line with two main cutting-edge ingredients: chlorella growth factor and active stem cells, both clinically proven to help protect skin from aging. The formula of this day cream absorbs so easily into the skin, leaving a matte finish, which is unusual for facial moisturizers – especially natural ones! It also has a lovely, very light, citrusy and refreshing scent, with high notes of the red mandarin oil found in the ingredients.

For anyone looking for an awesome option for organic, all-natural, non-toxic skincare, Acure is a must-try! Follow this blog to keep up to date with natural beauty and healthy lifestyle articles and reviews!

Beautiful all-natural lipstick by Gabriel Cosmetics!

From vampy to berry-kissed, wearing Gabriel Cosmetics' lipstick in "Meritage":

 Gabriel Lipstick in "Meritage", in the tube

 Above: Gabriel Lipstick in "Meritage", applied in two swipes on lips, for a vampy, deep purple look! Photo: Andre Surma Fine Art Photographer.

 Above: Gabriel Lipstick in "Meritage", swiped on hand with natural light

Above: Gabriel Lipstick in "Meritage", blotted out with tissue, for a gorgeous berry hue! 

I love the natural cosmetics brands Gabriel Cosmetics and Zuzu Luxe (in case you are not familiar with either brand, Zuzu Luxe is actually a makeup line, also formulated by Gabriel Cosmetics)! I wrote two recent reviews praising Gabriel's amazing Marine Lip Treatment (click here to see the review), and ZuzuLuxe's awesome lipstick (click here to see that review), and this review is now going to praise Gabriel's gluten-free lipstick in the shade "Meritage". Meritage is a wonderfully versatile shade of lipstick because it can be worn thickly or lightly, for two very different looks.

When the lipstick is applied without blotting the color out, you get a deep, vampy, dark purple hue, for a very dramatic look. When blotted out after application, or if you simply apply the lipstick by gently tapping your lips with it (without sliding the lipstick across the mouth), the result is a gorgeous, vibrant berry shade that is one of my favorite renditions of the "radiant orchid" color that I have seen (I personally believe that the “radiant orchid” shade should never go out of season). If you check out the photos, there are pictures of the lipstick itself (which looks very purple in the tube), the shade swatched on my hand in natural light, the lipstick on the lips applied thickly, and the lipstick as it appears on the lips when gently blotted with a tissue.

This paraben-free, gluten-free and all-natural lipstick is super pigmented! The color also stays on for a long time and leaves a lovely stain on the lips after a few hours' wear (just a side note: the stain can easily be removed by applying some lip balm and wiping the lips). The formula of this lipstick is fairly thick, though I found it to be less thick than Zuzu Luxe lipstick (which I also adore). Also, comparing the Gabriel lipstick to Zuzu Luxe lipstick, I did find that Gabriel lipstick is slightly more moisturizing and feels a bit wetter; because of this, I don't need a lip balm underneath this lipstick. As can be seen in the photos, when applied thickly, this lipstick is quite shiny, but when blotted out, the subdued shade is matte, with just a bit of gentle, healthy-looking sheen.

Check out the Gabriel Cosmetics website for more information on this company's truly awesome products.

Follow this blog to keep up to date with various natural beauty and healthy lifestyle tips and reviews. This blog is meant to be a helpful tool for people who are looking to switch to natural cosmetics, but who don't know where to start. I post reviews and articles about products that have worked well for me personally. Hopefully these articles are helpful to my readers, in helping them choose makeup and skincare that are toxin-free and all-natural!

All-natural, chemical-free hair care - try Caribbean Solutions Shampoo + Conditioner!

Effective and all-natural hair care: Caribbean Solutions Shampoo & Conditioner:

Caribbean Solutions' Rainforest Citrus Mint Shampoo and Conditioner are a great all-natural hair care option, for those looking to switch to chemical-free beauty products! As with all of Caribbean Solutions’ products, which I have been super impressed with in the last few weeks, this shampoo and conditioner duo is free of chemicals, parabens, and sodium lauryl sulfate. The formulas are also 100 % biodegradable. After having tried many different natural brand shampoos and conditioners, this Caribbean Solutions shampoo and conditioner duo is my favorite thus far. When it comes to all-natural shampoos, I find it difficult to find a perfectly effective one. Without all those horrible synthetic chemicals that are found in most popular brand name shampoos, it’s become a new field of research for companies that produce all-natural cosmetics, to create products that are emollient and that lather easily. With some natural conditioners, for example, I have had trouble brushing out my hair, after washing, because of the lack of emollient substances in the ingredients. Caribbean Solutions has really created a shampoo and conditioner duo that leaves my hair soft, fluffy and de-tangled. The shampoo lathers very easily and the conditioner is very emollient. My hair literally gleams after using these products, without any added use of leave-in conditioners. The combined effect of fluffy and very shiny (but not at all greasy-looking) hair has left me very impressed, and not to mention that these hair products smell very refreshing – a gentle floral scent (all from natural essential oils) with stimulating hints of mint and citrus!

Gabriel Organics Marine Lip Treatment

An instantly soothing, organic lip treatment by Gabriel Organics:

Gabriel Organics Marine Lip Treatment (pictured above, with Gabriel Cosmetics’ divine 5-Free nail polish on my finger nails in the color “Raspberry”) is a fantastic lip balm to sooth irritated lips! After returning from the frigid cold of Canadian winter last week, I was able to put this lip treatment to the real test. For years I was using the popular medicated “Lip Medex Analgesic Lip Protectant” to sooth my lips from severe chapping, and it’s taken a while to find a proper organic, all-natural replacement. But I believe I have found something that works even better than Lip Medex for painfully chapped lips – and that’s Gabriel Organics’ Marine Lip Treatment.

The lip treatment has a lovely smell, a smooth application (albeit ever-so-slightly grainy, but not in a bothersome way), and seems to work instantly. The formula soothes broken skin on the lips immediately upon application, stopping the burning sensation common with dry, chapped lips. After being butchered and chapped by Canadian winter, my lips needed serious help last week. I applied the lip treatment immediately upon my return to California. My lips looked smooth, hydrated, and healed the morning after only one use, applied before going to bed!

Gabriel Organics’ Marine Lip Treatment is made from various amazing ingredients, including many sea-derived plants and minerals, which are known to promote healing and anti-aging. This lip treatment also has the added benefit of SPF, present in the formula via several ingredients that have natural sunscreen properties. Check out the list of ingredients in Gabriel’s Marine Lip Treatment: 

Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) oil*, prunus amygdalus dulcis sweet almond) oil*, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax*, calendula officinalis flower extract*, aloe barbadensis leaf extract*, glycine soja (soybean) oil, crithmum maritimum (sea fennel) extract*, glycerin, corylus americana (hazel) seed oil*, glycine, trace minerals, oenotherabiennis (evening primrose) oil*, cereus grandiflorius (cactus) flower extract, prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, arnica montana flower extract, persea gratissima (avocado) oil*, melissa officinalis extract, citrus aurantium dulcis (sweet orange) seed oil*, tocopheryl acetate, lecithin, retinyl palmitate, acorbyl palmitate, potassium sorbate (*Organic).

Gabriel Organics is the skincare line of Gabriel Cosmetics. Based in Seattle, Washington, Gabriel Cosmetics was founded by Gabriel De Santino in 1992 – a true venture of passion for natural alternatives and nature’s remedies. Influenced by his grandmother, who was a firm believer in natural alternatives, and by the sea, where he spent a lot of his childhood (on the coast of Mexico), Gabriel first began his company as a natural skincare line, producing products pumped full of natural ingredients derived from the sea (such as kelp and seaweed).

Follow this blog to keep up to date with various natural beauty and healthy lifestyle tips and reviews. This blog is meant to be a helpful tool for people who are looking to switch to natural cosmetics, but who don't know where to start. I post reviews and articles about products that have worked well for me personally. Hopefully these articles are helpful to my readers, in helping them choose makeup and skincare that are toxin-free and all-natural!

A great body and face moisturizer by Caribbean Solutions

Caribbean Solutions' Body Satin Moisturizer leaves skin silky smooth and hydrated!

I was recently extremely impressed with Caribbean Solutions' all-natural, non-toxic sunscreen, so I was pleasantly surprised to draw the same positive conclusions about one of this all-natural company's face and body moisturizer. I love the scent, the light application, and weightlessness of this lovely body and face moisturizer!

Caribbean Solutions "Body Satin" toxin-free and all-natural moisturizer is paraben and chemical free, and it's also bio-degradable. It is an easily absorbing, light formula that is perfect for spring and summer. The lightness in the formula makes this moisturizer effective for both the body and the face. I personally am in love with the fresh Caribbean scent, which comes from the natural essential oils, melon extract and cucumber extract in the ingredients (no nasty synthetic fragrance in these products!). The formula is also loaded with organic aloe vera, organic Hawaiian sea plants, kukui oil, organic jojoba oil, pink grapefruit peel oil, rosemary leaf extract and blue algae.

When it comes to our skin, which absorbs 60% of what we put on it, body care products are really something to think about. It’s very important to be aware of the ingredients in whatever products we choose to smother our skin with, since many popular brand-name body lotions and moisturizers contain ingredients we would never want to ingest (if we knew what they actually were). So why would be put those creams on our skin that absorbs such a large percent of what we put on it?

Companies like Caribbean Solutions make me feel like there is hope in the broken, profit-over-quality, greedy commercial world, in which most beauty product companies choose cheaper production options (including using toxic chemicals in their formulas) over the health of their customers. This is a really wonderful, eco-friendly company that strives to produce products of the utmost quality and effectiveness, whilst preserving our planet and protecting animals from unnecessary toxic chemicals.

Follow this blog to keep up to date with various natural beauty and healthy lifestyle tips and reviews. This blog is meant to be a helpful tool for people who are looking to switch to natural cosmetics, but who don't know where to start. I post reviews and articles about products that have worked well for me personally. Hopefully these articles are helpful to my readers, in helping them choose makeup and skincare that are toxin-free and all-natural!

Andalou Naturals' Facial Exfoliator

An amazing all-natural facial exfoliator option by Andalou Naturals!

Having been on the lookout for a toxin-free, all-natural facial exfoliator, I have been really impressed with Andalou Naturals’ 1000 Roses Pearl Exfoliator. Made up of mostly organic ingredients, this exfoliator (designed to be used once or twice per week) is gentle, smells wonderful, and leaves skin feeling extremely smooth, plump and refreshed. The scent is all-natural, derived from pure rose water and essential oil, both present in the ingredients.

Check out the wonderful, skin-soothing ingredients in this facial exfoliator:

Aloe Barbadensis Juice*, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Distillate*, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Juice*, Vegetable Glycerin, Pectin, Cyamopsis Tetragonolobus (Guar) Gum*, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) and Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Oils*, Allantoin, Jojoba Esters, PhytoCellTec (Alpine Rose, Malus Domestsica, Solar Vitis) and BioActive 8 Berry Complex*, Soothing Complex: [Hyaluronic Acid, Magnolia Officinalis Bark, Phoenix Dactylifera (Date) Leaf Cell and Boswellia Serrata (Boswellin) Extracts], Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) and Hibiscus Sabdariffa Extracts*†, Mannitol, Cellulose, Hypromellose, Iron Oxides, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) and Pelargonium Graveolens (Rose Geranium) Oils*, Rosa Centifolia (Rose) Oil (Non-GMO verified,*Organic, † Fair Trade).

I have been impressed with everything I have tried from Andalou Naturals thus far. Most importantly, this company rejects GMO’s, petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic colors, dyes, fragrances, triclosan, PEG, MEA, TEA, DEA, and parabens. They strive to produce products with ingredients that are certified organic, natural origin, bioactive, fair-trade, verified gluten-free, non-GMO project verified, vegetarian and vegan, and derived by using eco-friendly practices. Andalou Naturals also does not test on animals.