Natural and Organic Hair Spray by Honeybee Gardens

Try this natural hair spray by Honeybee Gardens - an organic hair spray that really holds and smells fresh from natural essential oils!

Honeybee Gardens has long been a champion in the natural cosmetics industry. Being a stage performer, I had been on the look-out for an effective, natural hair spray for quite some time. I was very excited to try Honeybee Gardens’ Herbal Mint Alcohol Free Hair Spray because it has an excellent score on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep Database.

This organic and botanical hairspray smells fresh, with its clean aroma of peppermint, lavender and rosemary essential oils. It's alcohol free, so it doesn't dry out your hair. The spray is also free of parabens, phtalates, artificial colors, artificial fragrance, and gluten. I find the formula gives a strong hold, but leaves hair with a natural flexibility and shine. After washing my hair, it stays soft and hydrated, unlike when I used to use synthetic hair spray brands, which left my hair brittle and dry.

Just check out this impressive list of mostly organic ingredients: Aqua (Deionized Water), Octylacrylamide Acrylates, Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, *Organic Ethyl Palmate, *Organic Glycerin, *Organic Castanea Sativa (Chestnut) Extract, Panthenol (B5), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Lavandula Officinalis (Lavender) Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Sodium Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin (*Organic). 

Compare this list to the toxic and carcinogenic ingredients found in most popular brand-name hair sprays - and then try to convince yourself why you would ever continue to use the "popular" stuff.

Be sure to check out Honeybee Gardens Herbal Mint Hair Spray if you're looking to switch to natural hair products. I like to purchase mine at Pharmaca - a fantastic natural brand pharmacy that often offers awesome discounts for online purchases!

Get your classic red lip on with non-toxic red lipstick!

Here are some fabulous classic red lip options, using toxin-free and natural lipsticks! Check out some of these great green beauty brand red lipsticks!

                         Photo above by Krystyna Szluinska-Sadej. Lipstick: Bite Beauty in 'VIB Rouge'

Photo above by Justyna Szluinska. Lipstick: Silk Naturals Crimson and Zing (vegan lipsticks mixed together)

The classic red lip never goes out of style. We see it on red carpets and performance stages every day. And what better way to get your classic red lip going, than by getting it going without toxins and untrustworthy chemicals? Sure, I may be preaching the same thing in each article where I write about lip products - stop using toxin-rich makeup! - but for all those non-believers in natural alternatives, I urge them all to at least sample some of the brands mentioned in this article. There are natural beauty brands out there that have amazing products which last, are highly pigmented, and - above-all - are actually good for your lips.

Check out the images below of swatches, shown in various lighting (from top to bottow - indoor, sunlight, flash), for seven beautiful red shades of lipstick that are made by wonderful natural beauty brands. The colors I recommend are the following, from top to bottom:

Zuzu Luxe in "Sin"
Silk Naturals in "Hot Blooded"
Zuzu Luxe in "Vino D'Amor"
Silk Naturals in "Card Shark"
Silk Naturals in "Crimson"
Bite Beauty in "VIB Rouge"
Vapour Organic Beauty in "Ravish"

Both Zuzu Luxe's "Sin" and Silk Naturals' "Hot Blooded" fall more into the bronze-red category, especially when seen swatched next to the truer reds. The top two look very similar in the pictures, but "Sin" is definitely more opaque and matte upon application, albeit with a strong bronze sheen. "Hot Blooded" is shinier (wetter) and quite dark on the lips. 

Zuzu Luxe's "Vino D'Amor" is a beautiful, deep fuchsia red, with strong dark pink undertones. It's extremely pigmented and wonderful for dramatic lips. This lipstick performs just as well as MAC's high pigment lipsticks, but without the added non-benefits of carcinogenic ingredients!

Silk Naturals is my favorite natural beauty brand thus far, and the reason is not only because the prices are unbelievably reasonable, but also because the products rock! The eye shadows, mineral glows and powders are all amazing, and the lipstick formulas are just awesome. Two of my favorites are the vegan lipsticks in "Card Shark" and "Crimson". Both are gorgeous true reds (although "Card Shark" is a deeper, more vampy true red), they are super pigmented and apply evenly on the lips. The lasting power is also amazing.

Next to the "Crimson" shade is Bite Beauty's "VIB Rouge" limited edition red lip color, released in 2013. It is very similar to Silk Naturals' "Crimson", but with deeper, bluer undertones. This shade is probably the definition of "true red". I do find Bite Beauty's lipstick formulas to be slightly drying, especially when compared to the perfection of Silk Naturals' formulas, which are extremely moisturizing. However, the reviews that Bite Beauty gets really show how successful and in-demand this brand has become, and everyone should at least take a walk to Sephora to try Bite Beauty. Some of the colors this company has put out are really so vibrant and beautiful!

And finally we have Vapour Organic Beauty's "Ravish" lipstick. This is one of the first natural red lipsticks I tried. It is a gorgeous color. Vapour Organics prides itself on having produced these lipstick formulas that capture light in a unique way - allowing for a more vibrant reflection of color tones. This is not so apparent in photographs, but one can certainly see the vibrancy in person when applied on the lips. My one criticism of Vapour's formula is that it really needs to be re-applied often. I find that it only retains a really vibrant color for about an hour before starting to disappear. It is a different - feeling, lighter formula from the other companies I mentioned, so it's definitely worth a try. And the company has a terrific reputation and huge celebrity following. They also offer samples for purchase from their website, so it's very easy to try their products without spending a great deal of money.

All of these brands range in price from as low as $4.50 - $5.75 (Silk Naturals) to $24 (Vapour Organics and Bite Beauty). Zuzu Luxe lipstick has a middle-of-the-line price range at $18, although Zuzu Luxe fans should be aware that various websites, like Pharmaca.com, often have great sales on the brand, and the lipsticks can be obtained at just over $10.

For anyone who is looking to switch to natural cosmetics, these brands are good ones to sample. Everyone is a bit different, so different formulas are better or worse for some people. I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this. Please leave comments below about natural lipstick brands you've tried that are not mentioned above!

A natural, water-resistant and toxin-free sunscreen by Caribbean Solutions

Check out this sweet-smelling, wonderful sunscreen lotion from Caribbean Solutions, for another toxin-free sunscreen option!

Caribbean Solutions Sol Kid Care SPF 25 Lotion is an eco-safe, natural and biodegradable sunscreen option that is better for the planet and better for you! Our local drugstores and pharmacies do not yet do a great job at protecting us from chemical-laden, toxic body care products. The big corporations still have too much of a grasp on most chain stores, and we simply cannot trust what the stores are selling us. We must do our own research about every household cosmetic we buy, to avoid being exposed to an unneccessary amount of toxins and chemicals. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) made it easy for us last year, when they released a list of safest, least toxic sunscreens available on the market. One of the sunscreens that made it on that list is Caribbean Solutions.

I can’t say enough good things about this sunscreen. Other than being paraben-free, natural, biodegradable, eco-safe, reef friendly, and water-resistant, this botanical and mineral blend is also not processed using nano-technology (so, there are no nanoparticles present in this formula). 

Caribbean Solutions sunscreen also smells really nice, but thankfully there is no synthetic fragrance in the formula. The wonderful aroma comes from the hibiscus, cucumber and melon extracts, giving this sunscreen an appropriately “Caribbean” scent. This lotion also applies very easily; it’s not too thick like some natural sunscreen brands can be, and the formula spreads evenly.

The ingredient list for this sunscreen contains: Organic aloe vera leaf (aloe barbadensis gel); natural titanium dioxide; natural (transparent) zinc oxide; wild pansy extract (viola tricolor extract); green coffee bean extract (coffee arabica bean extract); hibiscus (hibiscus rosa sinensis extract); cucumber extract (cucumis sativus extract); melon extracts; organic sunflower oil (sunflower seed oil glyceride); tocopherol acetate (natural vitamin E from corn), organic jojoba oil (simmondsia chinesis seed oil, theobroma cacao seed butter, and cetyl alcohol.

Caribbean Solutions 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.

A natural shampoo and conditioner option that smells just like marzipan! Yummy!

Acure Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner Duo is delectably scented and super moisturizing!

I recently wrote a review for Acure Organics' Pure Mint and Echinacea shampoo and conditioner duo. Now I have to share an even better hair care duo from Acure - the 'moroccan argan oil and argan stem cell triple moisture repairing shampoo and conditioner' duo.

These are my favorite shampoo and conditioner to date! First of all, the formula smells like marzipan (since marzipan is one of my favorite deserts, I suppose I might have a bit of a bias), but the shampoo and conditioner also nourish the hair, leaving it voluminous, shiny, soft and detangled. The shampoo lathers and spreads easily too, which is sometimes not the case with natural brands.

Acure is a company that produces high-quality organic formulas, without the hefty price-tag of some of the other healthy and non-toxic "natural" brands. I would highly recommend for everyone to try Acure hair care, especially for those who are looking to replace more toxic shampoo brands. This shampoo and conditioner are vegan, color-safe, animal friendly, and are free of gluten, sulfates, parabens, and phthalates.

All you have to do is look at the ingredients, and you can see why this shampoo is awesome:

Organic Euterpe oleracea (Acai) Berry, Organic Rubus fruticosus (Blackberry), Organic Rosa canina (Rosehips), Organic Punica granatum (Pomegranate), Organic Fair Trade Certified™ Rooibos, Organic Aloe Barbadensis Vera Leaf Juice, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate (from Coconut), 100% Naturally-derived Betaine (from Sugar Beets), Vegetable Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate (from Coconut + Amino Acids), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (from Coconut + Amino Acids), Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (Sugar Conditioner), Sodium Levulinate (from Corn), Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (Guar gum conditioner), Potassium Sorbate (food grade preservative), Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil, Organic Fair-Trade Certified™ Olea Europea (Olive) Oil, D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (vitamin E), Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) seed oil, Organic Curcubita pepo (Pumpkin) seed oil, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Argania spinosa (Argan) Stem Cells, glycerophosphoinositol lysine (from sunflower), Almond Extract, Cinnamomum aromaticum (Cassia Bark) Oil

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 non-toxic and all-natural!

Aloe Vera Gel

Now Solutions has a great, soothing aloe vera gel - awesome, natural choice for sunburns!

Aloe Vera has long been a plant remedy for various ailments, skin problems, burn wounds and internal bodily imbalances. Since ancient times, the gel of the aloe vera plant has been cultivated and used medicinally, and has continued to be a dominant ingredient in alternative medicine and in the natural cosmetics industry. All one has to do is check the ingredients of all “natural” cosmetics, and aloe vera is an ingredient in at least a third of them!

My main gripe with most so-called “pure” aloe vera bottles sold commercially, such as are found at our local drug stores, is that the aloe vera tends to be bombarded with unwanted, carcinogenic chemical additives. Those common additives include the chemicals triethanolamine, tetrasodium EDTA (made from formaldehyde and sodium cyanide – yikes!), and parabens. To those my skin says, “No, thank-you!” I found it actually quite surprising how difficult it was to find a completely pure aloe vera bottle, aside from actually planting the plant myself and keeping one in order to get the gel right from the source. I have, in fact, began harvesting my own plant, but the healthiest and most viable gel comes from plants that are at least 5 years old. So, in the interim, while my plant matures, I need a healthy choice of aloe vera gel, available for purchase.

I chose Now Solutions Aloe Soothing Gel, which also contains a small amount peppermint oil, which is wonderfully soothing in the event of a sunburn. I found this aloe gel to be very effective for sun-burned and irritated skin. Check out the list of ingredients:

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis) Leaf Gel*, De-ionized Water, Potassium Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate, Phenoxyethanol, Cucumber (Cucumis sativis) Extract, Allantoin, Vegetable Glycerine, Panthenol (Provitamin B-5), Natural Vitamin E (from mixed tocopherols) (soy), L-Arginine and Peppermint (Mentha piperita) Oil. *Certified Organic

This aloe vera gel is a wonderful, more natural alternative to most of the brands one will find in a local pharmacy.

Non-toxic Sunscreen

Toxin-free sunscreen option: All Terrain AquaSport SPF 30 Lotion:

Sunscreens have been under scrutiny in recent months due to new data that suggests that Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), an ingredient found in most popular brand-name sunscreens, may in fact quicken the development of skin cancer when applied on the skin while out in the sunlight. But other than the newest research surrounding retinyl palmitate, there are also other toxic chemicals found in most popular brand-name sunscreens that should be avoided, such as parabens, oxybenzone and fragrance, among other questionable ingredients. All Terrain has proven itself to be a company worth checking out for anyone interested in toxin-free necessary household cosmetics, such a s sunscreen, hand sanitizer (previously reviewed), soaps, lip balms, and repellents.

The creators of All Terrain products specialize in outdoor (camping and hiking) products for people who live active, outdoor lifestyles, but who want to avoid the dangerous chemicals present in most cosmetics formulated to repel insects and to protect our skin in outdoor weather. All Terrain also partnered up with The Environmental Working Group (EWG) last year to create a safe, non-toxic sunscreen, after EWG launched a campaign to offer a free public guide to the safest sunscreens available. After all, why should we slather ourselves with carcinogenic chemicals, when we are trying to avoid cancer in the first place by wearing sunscreen? All Terrain's AquaSport SPF 30 sunscreen is the product of this mission to formulate an effective, natural sunscreen, without the negative risks associated with our skin absorbing a slew of carcinogenic ingredients present in so many big, brand-name companies' products (our porous skin does, after all, absorb up to 60 % of what we put on it).

All Terrain's AquaSport lotion is a unique, dry formula that absorbs quickly. It is not slippery like most sunscreens I have tried in the past, which works well for those who don't like a greasy feel to their lotions. The formula is also fragrance-free (no icky synthetic fragrance here!), water resistant for up to 80 minutes, and, of course, very effective!

The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database has become somewhat of a bible for figuring out what cosmetics are the safest and most natural options for our skin and bodies. The database, growing each day with new submissions, allows visitors to search for a particular cosmetic product and determine the product's safety score, according to the product's ingredients. So, for example, cosmetics that have in their ingredients chemicals that have been ruled as toxic or questionable, are given a higher score, depending on the number and amount of toxins present. Cosmetics that are safest and freer of toxins have a lower score. I would encourage everyone to use this excellent research database, and to do their homework before purchasing any makeup, skin care products, or household cosmetics.

Toxin-free and natural tinted daily moisturizer with SPF

The best SPF daily moisturizer: Andalou Naturals All-In-One Beauty Balm! 

Andalou Naturals beauty balm, SPF 30

Andalou Naturals is a wonderful natural cosmetics brand that produces quality, toxin-free products, with a commitment to the environment and fair trade through sustainable and charitable practices. More can be read about the company's mission here. Andalou's all-in-one beauty balm with SPF 30, is really a fantastic daily facial moisturizer. It is available in both a tinted formula and non-tinted formula. The tinted formula is actually a lovely daily foundation for those who want just a little bit of coverage, without the thickness and obvious caking effect of a full-on foundation. The best fact about this skin cream is that it is one of the highest rated daily moisturizers with SPF on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database.

Check out the awesome, anti-aging ingredients in this beauty balm: Aloe Barbadensis Juice*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) and Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oils*, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Fruit Stem Cells (Malus Domestsica, Solar Vitis) and BioActive 8 Berry Complex*, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Hyaluronic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract*, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Oil*, Algae and Cucumis Melo (Melon) Extracts, Magnesium Sulfate, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos), Hibiscus Sabdariffa and Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Extracts*†, Iron Oxide, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil* (*Organic, † Fair Trade, Non-GMO verified).

Although this balm contains natural sunscreen (zinc oxide), it sinks in very well, and leaves skin smooth and supple. I have found that with some natural zinc oxide products, the formulas take a while to sink into the skin or are very hard to distribute on the skin. Well, that is certainly not true with this facial cream! It glides on easily and absorbs with a few gentle pats. The cream also smells very nice, with top notes of citrus, from the sweet orange oil in the formula (yes, this balm is synthetic fragrance free!). Be sure to check out this amazing product, and the rest of Andalou Naturals' cosmetic line!

Non-toxic Hand Sanitzer

All Terrain natural antiseptic hand sanitizer - smells wonderful and a healthier choice for clean hands on the go!

The company All Terrain recently made a name for themselves by partnering with EWG (The Environmental Working Group) to create a truly natural sunscreen, free of harmful chemicals. Having been extremely impressed with All Terrain's "AquaSport" sunscreen (both by its effectiveness and natural ingredients), I decided to give their hand sanitizer a try. This is the best hand sanitizer I have tried to date! And, it's natural and toxin-free!

All Terrain’s hand sanitizer with aloe and vitamin E smells amazing! Although a fragrance-free version is also available, I would recommend at least trying the scented one, since the fragrance is from natural essential oils, and it’s so nice! The wonderful smell in this product comes from the grapefruit, orange, and lime seed oil complex in the ingredients. The formula is also non-drying and does a great job of cleaning the hands, thanks to the wood cellulose and vegetable glycerin that is used to thicken the formula. All Terrain prides itself on having formulated this hand sanitizer without the synthetic polymer known as “carbomer”; instead, natural wood cellulose and vegetable glycerin are used. I have to say that I love the feel of this “wood cellulose and glycerin” formula much more than any gel-like substances I have used that include carbomer in them.

Check out the full list of ingredients right here:

Active Ingredient: Ethyl Alcohol 62%

Inactive Ingredients: Purified water, hydroxyethyl cellulose (wood cellulose), vegetable glycerin, aloe vera (aloe barbadensis leaf juice), Vitamin E (DL-alpha tocopherol acetate), grapefruit/orange/lime seed oil complex, sea algae (food grade colorant).

All Terrain, based in New Hampshire, is a company that encourages active and healthy lifestyles. They make products that ensure natural protection (insect repellent, sunscreen, sanitizers, etc.) that may be used while exploring the great outdoors, hiking, surfing, and swimming. But they also make sure we are protected without harming the environment, or ourselves by using products that are toxic to us.

Amazing, toxin-free, all-natural deodorant by Schmidt's!

Schmidt's Natural Deodorant! One of the best natural deodorants that's effective, smells lovely, and lasts all day! 

Schmidt's Lavender + Sage Deodorant

One of the most important steps in "de-toxifying" our daily cosmetic routines is to eliminate aluminum and other toxic chemicals from our deodorants. Of course this is difficult to do because none of us wants to smell bad, or be THAT person with serious BO issues! A few months ago, I went on a personal mission to find natural deodorants that actually work. I've tried several non-toxic deodorants that work fairly well, but I wanted to showcase Schmidt's Lavender + Sage Deodorant, because it is the toxin-free deodorant that worked best for me. Schmidt’s proved its worth each day I have worn it, including on a long, grueling hike I did in Southern California’s hot mountains. This deodorant’s amazing all-natural formula keeps body odor completely under control, even while exercising hard!

I have heard some reviewers complain about the application of this deodorant, because you have to scoop out some of the product (with a small spatula included inside the glass jar) and apply it under your arms with your fingers. This was not something that bothered me, simply because the deodorant works so well; and, after application, the tips of your fingers also smell very nice until you wash your hands! And it’s not like the ingredients will do your hands or fingers any harm either. In fact, they may just be beneficial to them! 

Check out the healthy ingredient list: butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), maranta arundinacea (arrowroot) powder, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, salvia sclarea (clary sage) essential oil, lavandula (lavender) essential oil, tocopherol (vitamin E), humulus lupulus (hop) extract.

Other than the Lavender + Sage scented deodorant I have mentioned, Schmidt’s also produces deodorants in the following scents: Bergamot + Lime, Ylang-Ylang + Calendula, Cedarwood + Juniper, and fragrance-free for fragrance-sensitive individuals. It is important and awesome to note though, that all “fragrances” in these Schmidt’s products are natural (from essential oils included in the ingredients), and not synthetic fragrance (which should probably be avoided for health reasons; check out this article for more information about synthetic “fragrance”).

Schmidt’s is a company formed in Portland, Oregon in 2010. Their mission was to create a deodorant that was healthy to wear, but that also worked and smelled really good. They certainly have been successful in their mission, and companies like Schmidt’s really deserve to be recognized for such good work!

Review: Vegan and vibrant - all-natural lipsticks by Silk Naturals!

Vibrant, pigmented, moisturizing, natural, organic, vegan lipstick by Silk Naturals in the color "Wham". What a beautiful pop of color! 

Candid Shot in indoor light:

Although the radiant orchid lip color is becoming a bit last season, I have to give a shout out to Silk Naturals' natural, vegan lipstick in the color "Wham". I personally think that purple-hued lipstick shades should never go out of season. This lipstick shade is so vibrant and beautiful!

Silk Naturals is one of the natural makeup brands that never disappoints! They create effective, beautiful and natural products for a fraction of the price that high-end, toxin-rich companies like MAC and Chanel charge. For anyone looking to switch to natural makeup brands, Silk Naturals is a great place to start - and not-to-mention their prices are so reasonable, so it won't cost you a thousand dollars to buy some safe, healthy cosmetics to try.

But let's get back to this divine lipstick shade that is sure to add a punch to your night out! Unlike most super-pigmented lipsticks out there, this gorgeous blast of color will not dry out your lips. Silk Naturals makes their lip formulas extremely moisturizing! 

Just check out these amazing, hydrating ingredients: Organic Castor oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Organic Candelilla Wax, Organic Carnuaba Wax, Vanilla Infused Fractionated Coconut Oil, Mica, FD&C Color. This lipstick is also organic, gluten free and vegan. 

The best part? It costs only $5.75!

Silk Naturals products can be purchased directly on the company’s website.