Hair dyes made with only natural ingredients could be on the market within two years, according a research team at the University of Leeds.
Now, Advanced Cosmetics offers a 100% plant-based permanent hair color system. I haven't used it personally so can't state for sure about the ingredients, but might be worth looking into until the fully all-natural option comes around.
You will very rarely find a recommendation for sea salts on OBE because more often than not, companies simply buy sea salts bulk and jack up the price more than 200%, offering 8 ounces for $25. What a rip off!
In my practice, especially after I give someone a deep tissue massage, I often suggest they take a hot bath with salts to reduce the pain and relax their muscles. The sea salts from Adovia, however, offer more than two pounds of muscles loosening goodness for just $20 bucks. Seriously? Oh yeah!
The newest addition to the Adovia Dead Sea Salt family offers the addition of acai berry oil. "The pulp of Acai berries has been used for centuries by the natives of Brazil for its unmatched healing and nutritional properties. The Acai berry is abound with essential fatty acids such as Omega 3, Omega 6, and Omega 9. There are also many other vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, E, and C and minerals such as Phosphorus, Calcium, and Potassium, as well as polyphenols, anthocyanins, and phytosterols," says Alex Keyan, President of Adovia Mineral Skin Care.
Like nothing else, these salts will warm & relax your muscles, stimulate circulation and are effective for the relief of eczema, acne, psoriasis & pain.
A danish journalist faced big punishment recently because of an idea. Lisbeth Kloester went on live TV to showcase the dangers of using everyday products like shampoo. That these products are toxic to our health.
To prove this point, she added anti-dandruff shampoo to a tank full of fish. Twelve of the 13 fish died and she was charged with causing unnecessary cruelty to animals after a viewer complained. This happened in 2004, though the case just came before the court late May. Because of this, the journalist was found guilty, but was not sentenced because of the delay the case took in coming to court.
I don't know... is no one else calling BS on this? Sucks that she even came on charges, but her demo was silly to begin with. Fish would probably die if you put baking soda in their water. It's agreed that some ingredients need a second look, but this was kind of silly.
Having mastered the art of glowing skin and to-die-for hair, LUSH is ready to tackle the ultimate bathroom battle against cellulite and those dreaded dimply bits! In true LUSH fashion, LUSH is fighting the fight in its own innovative way with two brand new solid Sugar Scrubs. Sugar, sodium bicarb and cream of tartar together make for a gorgeous solid exfoliator for the shower and one that is free from the modern constraints of packaging. The new scrubs launch July 2009.
LUSH Sugar Scrub :: Sugar
Scrub uses exfoliating Fair Trade sugar to scrub away dead skin cells,
tackling cellulite and invigorating sluggish skin for a fresh start
this summer. Its stimulating blend of fresh fennel and fennel oil acts
as a great tonic for the skin, while lavender oil has a healing effect
on the skin and warming ginger kicks the circulation up a notch. All in
all, a great way to get your body polished in preparation for summer
exposure! (Vegan) $4.95.
LUSH Sugar Babe :: Sugar Babe is tough on the outside but don’t let that fool you – this
super scrub is filled with a soft, soothing center that will leave skin
refreshed and rejuvenated. The Fair Trade sugar exfoliates skin for a
smooth result – it’s perfect for those dimply bits on thighs, stomach
and upper arms. As the sugar melts away, the nourishing center of extra
virgin coconut oil is revealed. The light, protein rich oil softens and
moisturizes the body, while beeswax absolute, a natural antiseptic,
soothes and protects. Skin is seductively scented with mimosa absolute
and ylang ylang making your newly smoothed and sexy skin even more
irresistible. $4.95
Call me a cynic. Call me jaded. But as a woman who loves scents, creates perfumes, lives by aromas and knows a thing or two about blending, perhaps I am expecting more of natural scents for my money than the average.
Products reviewed ::
Tsi La Organics Mini Eau de Parfum Collection, $95
INGREDIENTS :: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride(coconut) Oil, Natural Fragrance (No
synthetic fragrance, preservatives or artificial colors. 100% pure
plant essences), Cymbidium Grandiflorum (Orchid) Flower Extract,
Limnanthes alba (MEADOWFOAM) SEED OIL, Tocopherol
Number of times used :: 20+
Overall :: This mini collection offers the four scents in 4ml roll bottles. While the packaging is nice, the scents could be so much more. For example, Fleur Savage combines some of the most erotic scents available, Jasmine, Tuberose and Neroli and what I experienced is an utter letdown. These specific oils should tantalize the nose, tickle the brain and allow me just a moment of olfactory orgasm. What I got what equal to an aromatherapy blend, which is a nice scent, but no full body experience, which is what I desire from my perfumes.
If you want exploding scent and professional perfume blends, suggest Aftelier Perfume Miniatures. While they offer less perfume by volume, they more than make up for it longer lasting and unique scents.
Avocado oil has been praised for its therapeutic value and is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, D, E as well as other essential fatty acids. Sponge Skincare were first used with the pregnant patients of the founder Dr. Costas Tympanidis. All Sponge Skincare products are based in olive oil and mixed with organically grown herbs.
Product reviewed ::
Ladi Avokanto, 1.7 oz, $100
Number of times used :: 10+
Overall :: This oil is exquisite. It's moisturizing and smells divine and is the perfect oil to use under makeup and before heading to bed. However, $100 for a little under two ounces is absurd; especially considering that you can go to any beauty wholesale site like From Nature with Love or Essential Wholesale and buy avocado oil (sometimes organic) for about $10 bucks. You do the math and follow your budget sense.
New from Jaime Earl :: Ootanga Body Oil. Pressed from fresh Kalahari watermelon seeds, Jaimeearl’s Ootanga Body Oil is on-greasy, penetrating and great for all skin types. The composition of essential fatty acids in Kalahari seeds helps to nourish, moisturize and restore elasticity to the skin. This fast-absorbing body oil is light but packs incredible moisturizing ability.
Jaimeearl’s Ootanga Body Oil is lightly scented with organic pink grapefruit essential oil. It is wonderfully uplifting and also a great astringent for balancing oily skin and hair. 4 oz, $32
INGREDIENTS :: citrullus vulgaris (watermelon) seed oil, citrus paradisi (organic pink grapefruit essential oil)
Nine Naturals is hosting their biggest ever natural beauty give-a-way. The new product line is giving $200 in natural beauty products to ONE lucky winner. To enter, just type in your email address on their site.
It's a great way to introduce the newest natural products, as the give-a-way features not just the Nine Naturals brand but some of the best in the market.
The giveaway launches today and winner will be announced July 22!
According to the 2001 Census, the UK has approximately 3.6million people of Black African/Black Caribbean/Indian/Pakistani minority. Orissa Cosmetics is hoping to offer a perfect match for women with darker skin tones.
Hand made in the UK using natural minerals, Orissa Cosmetics is specially developed for ethnic women with darker skin tones. Founding directors Bhimal Hira and Mona Parekh state that “women with dark skin tones are not being adequately catered for by the mainstream beauty industry, leaving many ethnic women using makeup product’s that does not suit their skin type”.
The Orissa range includes carefully selected shades of foundations, blushers, bronzers and eye shadows that dramatically enhance and perfectly match darker skin tones. What’s more, the entire range is hand made using crushed natural earth minerals that is easy to apply, allows skin to breath throughout the day, does not require constant re-application, has a natural UVA/UVB protection (SPF 15-20) and is highly water and humid resistant.
I was first introduced to this product last summer during a facial I received at Barney's Beverly Hills. Previously, due to my tendency toward oily skin, I was a bit leery of a straight oil facial cleanser. Not anymore!
Product:
Nude Cleansing Facial Oil, 200 ml/6.76 oz, $52
INGREDIENTS: glycine soja (soybean) oil, polyglyceryl-4-oleate
(vegetable oil), squalene (olive oil), tocopherol acetate (plant
sources), natural fragrance (parfum), benzyl benzoate (essential oil),
linalool (essential oil), eugenol (essential oil)
Number of times used : 20+
Overall : A bit pricey in terms of ingredients, but offers great results and is nourishing and moisturizing without being greasy. Works well as an after cleanser when using medicated washes or other products that may tend to dry your skin.
Wow! First, thanks to all the readers who emailed their entries to win the new kit. It was a terrifically difficult decision to choose just one.
But choose I did and congrats go out to OBE reader Amber H. And here's the winning entry ::
I used to have really nice skin, but 5 years ago I was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder called Hypothyroidism, which means that my thyroid doesn't function properly. Well, let me tell you, it wrecks havoc on your hair, nails, and skin. Especially your skin! I once had clear skin, now my facial skin is really quite dry and flaky. I also have redness that is *very* hard to cover-up. It's taken a huge toll on my self-esteem, and is very embarrassing to always have to wear cover-up and re-apply it several times daily just to make my skin tone look even.
I never realized how lucky I was to have healthy skin before! I wish I could get my nice skin back. I know that the Clarisonic not only improves the texture and feel of the skin, but it also reduces redness and that alone would be a blessing! I'm sure other girls who enter have good reasons to want to win also, but if I *do* win I would be so so thankful!
Eco-friendly pigments that can instantly change colors may be the wave of nail color future, according to current research going on in California.
'Iron oxide particles embedded in microscopic polymer beads can be made to change color with the application of external magnetic fields, according to the team led by Yadong Yin at the University of California.
“Unlike many conventional approaches, the instantaneous color change occurs with no change in the structure or intrinsic properties of the microspheres themselves. What changes instead are the magnetic fields acting externally on the orientation of these microspheres,” explained Yin.
The magnetic field makes the particles line up in ordered arrangements. Changing the field will change the order of the particles leading to different diffraction colours, according to the study.'
A new book claims compelling evidence that links rising cancer rates to carcinogenic chemicals found in personal care products.
'Entitled No Family History, the book has been written by Sabrina McCormick, PhD, of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Pennsylvania, and aims to make a link between the rising rates of breast cancer and increased exposure to everyday products containing numerous chemicals.
As well as the personal care industry, McCormick also chooses to target household cleaning and food products, claiming that by simply avoiding the cancer-causing chemicals used by many manufacturers, some cases of breast cancer might be prevented.'
Articles courtesy CosmeticsDesign.com
June 23rd marks the launch of Sabon Organic from Sabon NYC. The new line is paraben-free, sulfate-free, certified by ECOCERT® and environmentally friendly by not testing on animals and using recycled packaging.
Sabon Organic product line offers:
Organic Hand Cream, 2.11 oz, $18
Organic Foot Cream, 2.11 oz, $15
Organic Face Serum, 1.05 oz, $49
Organic Eye Lifting Serum, 1.05 oz, $39
Organic Body Scrub, 8.79 oz, $30
Organic Butter Cream, 7.04 oz, $39
Organic Day Cream, 1.75 oz, $39
Organic Olive Oil Soap, 3.5 oz, $10
Based on the ingredients of the Face Serum that I have, Sabon Organic looks like it will be a viable option for those of you looking for pure skin care. Launches on the 23rd and should be available for purchase online by the end of June.
First Five Ingredients (Face Serum):: Aloe leaf juice, macadamia seed oil, dill extract, marrubium, clary seed oil
98.86% of the total ingredients are of natural origin; 90.05% of the total ingredients from organic farming
Say “thanks, man” to your favorite father today. Choose your message, personalize your gratitude with a free Father’s Day e-card, and enter to win gift sets from Aveda for you and your favorite father too. Along with the e-card, he’ll receive a free Aveda Men sample offer and a chance to enter and win the Aveda gift set giveaway for you both.
by Gina Rafkind
I love getting these hair care packages delivered to me. Not only is it
fun just getting the packages, but I’m always curious as I open the box
whether what’s inside is going to be a hit or not. Read on to see what
discoveries I made this time…
Products reviewed:
Hydrating Moisturizing Shampoo, 13.5 oz. $9.95 US
Hydrating Moisturizing Conditioner, 13.5 oz. $9.95 US
Amplifying Volumizing Shampoo, 13.5 oz. $9.95 US
Amplifying Volumizing Conditioner, 13.5 oz. $9.95 US
Hair Polish, 1.7 oz. $9.95 US
Fibers Molding Paste, 4 oz $9.95 US
Volcanic Ash Sculpting Clay, 4 oz. &9.95 US
Number of times used on myself: 12+
Number of times used on various clients at my salon: 8+
Review:
David Babaii’s products are free of sulfates, parabens, petrochemicals and animal products. And they are also cruelty free. Some of their key ingredients are vocanic ash, cupucacu butter, blue algae, wild orchid, kiwi, mango, jojoba seed and Dead Sea salt.
Overall I liked all the products – of course I had a favorite – keep reading you’ll see which one ☺.
The products are scented with fragrance oils which I usually don’t care for, but I have to say the scents of these products are light and clean. The scent of the Fibers Molding Paste and Volcanic Ash Sculpting Clay were the only two scents that I wasn’t a big fan of, but they grew on me a little.
by Tracey
I have short, stubby, stick-straight lashes. A makeup artist told me I should use a heated eyelash curler for my lashes. So you can imagine how excited I was to receive LashMantra, a 100% natural eyelash growth serum.
Products Reviewed: LashMantra (.05 oz $48)
Number of Times Used: 40+
Overall: Tried and true!
Review:
The packaging isn’t fancy, but it is what’s inside that counts. LashMantra contains 18 cold pressed oils, vitamin E oil and no artificial ingredients. The website says to apply it at night either with your finger tips or with the enclosed mascara wand. The first night I started with the eyedropper squeeze on my finger tips and rubbed it at the base of my lashes and along the length of the lashes. Not bad, but I definitely over-applied and ended up with oily eyes.
The next night I used the mascara wand and that was even worse. My technique was obviously bad and the wand packaging doesn’t have a mechanism to remove excess oil. So I went back to the finger tip application and perfected my technique. I did this for weeks and then one morning while applying my mascara, it hit me. My lashes really looked longer and thicker. They really did! Fantastic! Longer, but still stick-straight. If they had started to curl, that would be lash miracle.
A girl can’t get everything in one bottle. I’m just happy that LashMantra has given me more to work with!
from release
Knowing what is in your sunscreen is just as important as using it! Studies show that chemical sunscreens (the majority of what you see on shelves today) may have undesirable side-effects. The chemical compounds in sunscreens can accumulate in body fats and mimic estrogen, inducing hormonal activities in your body.
What is the difference between chemical sunscreens and mineral based sunscreens?
Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays and are themselves absorbed into the skin and into the body. Effective after 20-30 minutes, only against UV B rays.
Mineral based sun blocks reflect UV rays—they build a physical protection layer on your skin and work immediately when applied. Effective against UV A & B rays.
Lavera is the leader in “truly natural” skincare. Bringing the strict European standards to the lenient U.S. regulations, Lavera is educating consumers that pure is best when it comes to your skin care needs. They use 100% natural mineral pigments to deliver effective UV-A, B and C protection in their SUN product line. Mineral pigments create a physical shield that sits on the surface of the skin to block UV rays and do not in any way affect the healthy functioning of internal organs or the normal balance of reproductive hormones.
All Lavera products:
Now available at select Target stores nationwide and online at Lavera.com.
INGREDIENTS :: Water, Glycine Soja Oil*, Caprylic Triglycerides, Grain Alcohol*, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Ricinoleate, Tricaprylin, Canola Oil, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed Oil*, Jojoba Oil*, Magnesium Sulfate, Vitamin E, Almond Oil*, Calendula Extract*, Rose Water*, Lavender Extract*, Xanthan Gum, Beeswax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Betaglucan, Vitamin E, Alumina ,Vitamin C ,Stearic Acid
Natural Oils: Citral, Coumarin, Geraniol, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool
Natural Mineral: Coated Titanium Dioxide
Boots' organic line, Botanics Organic is an affordable, eco-friendly collection that makes it easy to green your beauty routine. With packaging made from recycled materials and products such as Smoothing Face Polish, Rosewater Toner & Body Butter, Botanics Organic is not only good for your skin and the environment, but also for your wallet!
All products in the line are under $25 and are available at Target.com! Here's some summer suggestions::
Boots Botanics Organic Smoothing Face Polish, $8.99
Boots Botanics Organic Rosewater Toner, $7.99
Boots Botanics Organic Body Butter ($13.99); 81% Certified Organic
INGREDIENTS (Body Butter) :: Aqua, Astrocaryum murumuru butter*, Butyrospermum parkii butter*, Olea europaea oil*, Prunus amygdalus dulcis oil*, Cetearyl olivate, Glycerin*, Alcohol denat.*, Sorbitan olivate, Cetyl alcohol, Glyceryl stearate, Cera alba*, Xanthan gum, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Citrus aurantium bergamia oil*, Citric acid, Pelargonium graveolens oil*, Rosa damascena flower oil*, Citronellol*, Geraniol*
* Certified organic ingredient
I've recently admitted to be having a skeeve peeve. As a mother and massage therapist, I know where where my fingers have been recently and so using them to apply my beauty products off the cuff, have recently made me hesitate.
Just last week I starting rubbing my lip balm pot over my lips instead of having to dip my fingers in. Think about it. How much crap are we touching every day? Doesn’t the idea of using your finger to dab on your favorite lip balm now sound a little…funky?
Thankfully, eos has bridged the gap between the typical pot lip balms with the launch of their new, affordable Lip Balm Smooth Spheres. Now you can moisturize your pout, GERM-FREE, with these USDA certified organic and all natural unique balms.
If a stick is more your style, you’ll also love the new Lip Balm Smooth Sticks made with the same eco-friendly formulation.
INGREDIENTS: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit
Oil, Beeswax (cire d'abeille)*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed
Oil*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea
Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol.
*ORGANIC
Certified organic by VOF.
NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS
by Tracey
Simply Organic products will make you smile. It’s that simple.
Products Reviewed:
Number of Times Used: 20+
Overall: Simply put, this product line is just wonderful.
Review: This product line made me smile…just opening the box of goodies I felt happy. I started with the lip balm. I’m a sucker for a good lip balm because my lips are always chapped and dry. My first impression after applying the lip balm was “yummy”. It had a great texture and the scent was a delicious orange-vanilla. My lips felt fabulous, soft and smooth. I’ve used the lip balm every day. It’s always in my purse and I reach for it frequently.
The moisturizing body lotion passed my test with flying colors. If I apply lotion in the morning, I test whether I feel dry and look ashy by my evening workout. I was still moisturized and feeling soft 12 hours after application. It rubs in easily and makes you feel smooth. The scent of the lotion is also a yummy mandarin orange-vanilla. Love it.
I haven’t used bar soap in over a decade for three reason words – slimy, filmy, goopy. The Simply Organic bars have made me think beyond shower gel. The bars lather well without leaving a film coating on your body. The bars don’t get messy, slimy or goopy. The lemongrass, lavender and rosemary bars are nicely scented, but not overpowering at all. They have a light, fresh scent that do not compete with your perfume or cologne. The bars last a long time. I used the lemongrass bar twice daily for showers for close to 3 months.
The final item in my Simply Organic goody box was the rose candle. When you open the soft pink box, you have an elegant glass container with a light rose-scented candle. It burns cleanly and lasts a long time. The secret is the beeswax instead of paraffin. It’s a wonderful eco-friendly way to set a relaxing mood. A combination of the lotion, soap, lip balm and a candle would be a lovely hostess, bridal shower or bridesmaid gift that anyone would love to receive.
Thank you!
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