So I thought that, today, in the spirit of Christmas, I would share a few of my favorite things will all of you! So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite thinnngggsss…. Beauty and Style Edition
I love using natural products on my body. Skin is one of the biggest organs on your body, so I think what you put on your body is just as important as what goes in it. My favorite beauty products are as follows:
Body
Yes To Carrots
Yes to Grapefruit Daily Facial Scrub is my go to in-the-shower facewash. It smells like heaven and works better than other products because it actually feels rough on my skin, which is a good thing because I tend to get really bad blackheads, so this product is great for someone who doesn’t want to use a facial cleanser with a ton of hard-to-pronounce ingredients, but really needs a thorough facial clean. I also don’t wear a lot of makeup, so I am able to cleanse my face throughout the day. Normally I use facial wipes. My favorite are the Yes To Carrots Fragrance Free Wipes. They clean your face without leaving behind a fruity smell or a weird baby wipe smell.
Burts Bees
Burts Bees has been my go to for lip balm for years now, but I didn’t discover their other products until recently. My favorite product by them is the Maximum Strength Spot Treatment Cream . Any time I break out or have the smallest sign of a pimple, I just put a little bit of the cream where it is needed. Overnight my pimples shrink significantly or disappear. I honestly didn’t think a natural product could work so well, but this one is beyond any regular one I have used. I will admit that the price seems high for such a small bottle, but I swear to you it is totally worth it.
I have also used the Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream. I am not a fan of the tingly feeling it gives my face and the minty smell (I hate mint). It also made my skin red and sensitive for long periods of time. But don’t take my word for it, try it yourself!
This is going to sound weird, but I also sometimes might use natural deodorant. I KNOW I KNOW. Weirdo! Whatever. Normal deodorant releases aluminum into your body which is linked to alzheimers. Anyhow, I really like the Natural Skincare for Men Deodorant. It smells like a man, which is totally rad, and is clear, so no white marks. The main problem I have found with natural deodorant is that it doesn’t really last all day. So, when I use it, I like to carry it around with me. I wouldn’t recommend using it if you’re planning on hitting the gym either. If anyone else knows about a better, long-lasting natural deodorant, leave a comment so I can check it out.
Ology
Ology is a product only sold at Walgreens (as far as I know). Basically I LOVE LOVE LOVE their body soap because it smells good and the bottle is huge. I have had my current bottle of Lavender Pure Castile Liquid Soap for about six months now and I still have a fourth of the bottle left. Their lotion is great too, but right now I am in love with….
EO Products… specifically their Coconut and Lemon Lotion. It smells like heaven, and the bottle is also huge, making it another product that I can continue to use for the next six months.
Now on to HAIR PRODUCTS
I am such a lazy bum when it comes to my hair. In May I cut it off to about my shoulders so I could donate to Locks of Love, and ever since then I barely touch my hair. This is partially due to the fact that I really want it to grow out, and I believe the less product and heat used on my hair, the better. But I will try my hardest to give you guys an overview of what I use (or don’t really use that often) to get my hair in tip-top shape.
On a wavy day I normally wash my hair using Organix Coconut Milk Shampoo and Australian Tea Tree Conditioner. I tend to get tired of the same smell of hair products quickly, so the bottles are the perfect size for me. I run out of conditioner in about three weeks and it takes about a month and a half for me to use up all my shampoo. The Organix Tea Tree Mint products smell great, as well as the Argan Oil of Morocco line. I definitely notice a difference now that I use natural hair products. My hair is healthier than ever before and grows EXTREMELY quickly. The only non-natural product I use to do my hair is the Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Styling Mousse. I have found that this styling product works best for my hair type. I have wavy hair and it is really easy for me to just throw in some mousse and get on with my day. The mousse dries fast, smells like heaven, and doesn’t make my hair hard or shiny like gel does.
When I want a straight hairdo, I use my Argan Heat 1 1/2″ Ceramic Straightening Iron. I have had it for about two years now, and it still does the job just as well as when I first bought it. It gets up to 450 degrees (great for crazy hair like mine), makes my hair shiny and super soft. I have used a Chi before and can honestly say that I like Argan better.
Like I said, my hair gets dry, especially in the winter. Instead of doing an off-the-shelf hot oil treatment, I use virgin organic coconut oil (I didn’t provide a link, because my choice in coconut oil differs depending on where I shop and prices). I just heat about a spoonful of oil up in the microwave for about a minute (until melted) and then apply it to my hair. Then I saran-wrap the hair for an hour and then shower it all out. The result is shiny, hydrated hair. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT GET THE OIL ANYWHERE ON OR NEAR YOUR SCALP. Most people are oily near the crown of their head anyway, so adding more oil to the area just creates a gross oily mess that is impossible to wash out. I made that mistake the first time and looked like a wet dog for two weeks.
MAKEUP (Or naw)
Like I said earlier, I normally reserve makeup for work or for times when I know a lot of pictures will be taken. So my knowledge of makeup isn’t fabulous. I apologize profusely and assure you that I am working on perfecting my makeup game. (It’s actually on my 2015 resolution list which I will share soon.) But, I will share my fave products anyway.
As far as natural makeup products go, I am a sucker for Physicians Formula. Their Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio Nude Collection is my favorite because there are three color options.The brown is my favorite for my bottom lash line because I feel as though black liner is too harsh on my eyes and makes them look smaller than they already are. I always have a hard time finding mascara that doesn’t irritate my eyes but the Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Fakeout Mascara makes my lashes look longer and doesn’t irritate them at all. That’s about it as far as daily makeup goes (if any). I plan on writing more makeup posts once I start my research and youtube video watching!
If you have any questions or product reviews go ahead and post a comment!
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Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by any products nor am I sponsoring any products mentioned in this article. The statements are purely my opinion.