Reports from clothing designers and fashion editors are that jewel tones are it this Fall.  Evident by unveilings at New York’s infamous Fashion Week, take your cue from rich colors like ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst and topaz this season.  This is especially hot for evening wear.  Think luxe fabrics and rich colors.  Accessorize with another big trend this year…flashy and bold metallics. 

Whether your anticipating your first day at a new college or a mama who is mentally preparing for the school year ahead, it is likely the idea may have you a little (or a lot) anxious.  Something that helps me, each and every day is my aromatherapy diffuser which can usually be found humming quietly in my office.  I use various essential oils depending on whether I need to focus, stay alert or calm my nerves.  I usually have this cool little device running all day long when I’m in the office (sits right on my desk). It’s about 8 inches tall and disperses essential oils without the use of heat, but rather by fan and with the right essential oil sprinkled on the cartridge, it will make your whole room smell delicious. You’ll feel a cool & quiet breeze when it’s on.  I received this as a birthday gift and I love it. I diffuse some of my favorite organic essential oils in it.  This is a very cool desktop or tabletop tool, makes a great gift for the health or planet conscious and a safe alternative to synthetically fragranced room fresheners. 

Here are some of my favorite essential oils and ideas for usage:  

To stay alert during or after an all-nighter: peppermint.

To calm thy nerves: lavender. 

Anytime you need to go to your “happy place”: sweet orange.

Great for a stuffy (and/or smelly) dorm room: lemon.   

I’ve always loved the designs & concepts from russell+hazel, a company who obviously adores paper and organization as much as I do. And as such, they realize that cutting down trees is not something they what to perpetuate, so each and every product they offer is made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials and most are biodegradable and/or reusable; from the spirals in their notebooks to the covers of their binders.

The ultra-stylish Audrey Tote is perfect for students to keep track of assignments and homework, teachers who take papers home to grade or any savvy business woman.  This tote allows you to stay organized on the go in style. 

We have enough to worry about.  We shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not we’re going to get cancer from the sun or from our sunscreen.  Soleo Organics Sunscreen has helped to solve that dilemma by formulating a sunscreen made of only organic or naturally sourced ingredients.  With a highly water resistant broadspectrum SPF 30, this sunscreen is great for all including chemically sensitive individuals and even babies.  Completely biodegradable and (ocean) reef friendly, you won’t find any chemical UV absorbers, synthetic preservatives, colors or fragrances in a bottle of Soleo.  So go ahead and soak up the sun, but do it safely!

Some ingredients to avoid when selecting a sunscreen include:

• Octyl Methoxycinnamate
• Oxybenzone
• Padimate O
• Benzophenone
• Butyl Methoxydibenqoyl Methane
• Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
• Diazolidinylurea

True to its name this ultra pure organic & biodynamic facial moisturizer is just what my skin craves. It hydrates & moistens, while making me look fresh, not shiny. Your skin will drink this up, while it nourishes, purifies & protects! A great choice for your summer skin care regiment. My very picky, combo skin loves the Rosemary Verbenone blend for Most Skin types and I love its fresh herbal aroma (from organic and/or biodynamic essential oils only). I can’t help but taking a deep breath after I’ve massaged it into my dewy-with-toner face. They also offer Neroli for Sensitive Skin and Ylang Ylang for Oilier Skin versions.  Considering it’s very concentrated, it’s highly affordable yet packed full of the purest ingredients sourced from around the world offering the best of the best ingredients. The 100% post consumer recycled amber glass bottles are imported from Germany and the French pump top has a locking system to keep the air out to keep contents fresh longer.

If you’re on a tight budget and asked me to prioritize organic skin care in order of importance, I would list facial moisturizer at the top. That’s not to say that I think cleanser & toner aren’t extremely important, but moisturizer stays on the skin for a long amount of time and is most definitely absorbed. So, in my opinion your moisturizer should be of the utmost quality (totally pure & organic); it should work well and make your skin feel fantastic! This is one of those products.

Benedetta Fresh Aromatherapeutics is located in Petaluma, California and was created by Julia Faller in 1996. Handcrafted in small batches using Certified Organic, Biodynamic, wildcrafted and/or ecologically harvested ingredients, Benedetta’s commitment is to produce holistic, vibrant & fresh products that not only meet a conscious standard for purity, but also deliver remarkable results. With their “From Seed To Bottle” approach, they take good care to ensure their ingredients are top notch and is evident throughout their entire line.

This is hands-down, without question, my favorite facial cleanser and I simply cannot live with it. It is the most effective and purest cleanser I have found (conventional or natural). It worked when nothing else did. I had very clear skin in my teens so you can imagine my disdain when I began to break out in my twenties. Let’s face it, it’s embarrassing and you just don’t feel as confident when you’ve got spots.

I tried countless “natural” products & some conventional ones; some would improve my skin slightly but then return to its old ways.  Suki Lemongrass Cleanser calmed my skin immediately and redness was reduced only after the first use! It is the perfect balance of exfoliation, cleansing power & moisture, not to mention it smells JUST like a Lemon Drop! It wouldn’t be right not to mention its two trusty assistants…enter White Willow Toner & Blue Chamomile Serum. I strongly believe these three products work in harmony with each other. The toner calms, soothes, hydrates and smells delicious. You may be like I was, that I thought it would be crazy to put serum (oil) on my oil-prone skin. Well, it’s time to throw out that misconception because if your skin is oily it’s because it is trying to create more moisture because it is actually dry. Yep, you read that right. The products you are using are drying it out and your face is saying “hey, you’re not hydrating me, so I’ll do it myself” and it is over-compensating for the fact it is dry, produces too much and thus begins the vicious cycle of oily skin (that or you need drink more water & eat more whole food). 

So if you’re looking for a facial cleanser that is both highly effective and truly pure, try it out for yourself.  This is that product you’ve been searching for and it may just be your new favorite too! 

I’ve yet to discover another company that makes entirely pure products to support the entire birth process: pregnancy, labor, postpartum and c-section recovery, breastfeeding, baby care and even loss of a baby.  Using the highest quality oils and certified organic herbs, these products are cruelty free, Certified Vegan & Kosher and 100% toxin free.  Earth Mama Angel Baby is a company dedicated to supporting moms and babies naturally creating completely pure organic products.  And you won’t find any phthalates, parabens, SLS, artificial preservatives, fragrances or dyes in any of them.  Feel good knowing you and your baby are using completely safe products with Earth Mama Angel Baby!  Here’s just a sampling of what they have to offer:

Pregnancy:

Happy Mama Spray

Anti-Stretchmark Oil

Heartburn Tea

Pregnancy Pampering Kit

Body Butter

C-Section Recovery:

C-Section Recovery Kit

After Delivery Recovery:

Sore Bottom Balm for Mama

Post Postpartum Bath Herbs

New Mama Bottom Spray

New Baby Care:

Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash

Angel Baby Lotion

Baby Bottom Balm

Related Post: BABYBEARSHOP for Organic Mamas & Babies

BABYBEARSHOP products were born out of necessity by a mother who could not find any product on the market that her allergic daughter could tolerate. She took matters into her own hands, literally, and now her products are gracing the bods of babes and mamas all over the world!

The Cheeky Baby Butter is an organic shea butter creme which is specially designed to protect and heal the most sensitive of baby bums although the list of uses doesn’t stop there!  It can be used anywhere on anyone who needs a little TLC on their skin (I personally love it for a hand cream). Chamomile, mandarin and lavender essential oils give the Cheeky Baby Butter a sweet, subtle smell that will make any baby smell delicious!

The Mama Belly Oil is a a fantastic way to make that mama-to-be feel pampered. It can be used daily to rub on a growing belly or for massaging those tired feet after carrying around another little human all day. It can also be used in the bath or for a calming baby massage.

These two products are perfect for mamas who want to know that what they are putting on themselves and their babies are absolutely pure - which means absolutely organic. BABYBEARSHOP products are 99% organic and 100% naturally derived and they are also 100% luxurious.

What an amazingly pampering gift for yourself or for that mama in your life!  Everyone who tries these products absolutely LOVES them!!!

 Related Post: Industrial Chemicals Found In Unborn Babies & Infants

Did you know that skin is the thinnest and most absorbent from 0 to 3 years of age?  Did you know that studies have found toxins in umbilical cords and in the urine of infants?  This means that while you are being conscious of what food you eat while pregnant to provide your unborn baby with as much nutrition as possible, it’s important to be aware of what you put on your body (i.e. lotions, shampoos, body wash).  60% of what we put on our bodies is absorbed and has shown to make it’s way to the precious little one growing inside your belly.  So what’s a Mama to do? 

1). Read labels.  If you can’t pronounce it, be weary of it and investigate further. 

2). Stay away from products with “fragrance” or “perfume”.  If it’s listed as “fragrance” it’s usually a synthetic concoction and their are no regulations in place for “fragrance”.  It’s considered a propriety ingredient so companies can list it on their labels and not have to give away their secret formula to competitors, but as consumers there is no way to know all the chemicals that go into it.  Synthetic fragrance can contain toxic “phthalates”. 

3). Avoid parabens, which are hormone disrupters.  Different types include: methylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, benzylparaben, isobutylparaben, and propylparaben.

4). Skip the synthetic colors (FD&C and Lake colors) as they can contain some pretty nasty ingredients including coal tar, lead acetate (toxic to the nervous system), petroleum and more.   These are typically found in cosmetics, body wash, shampoo, soap, shower gels, etc. 

 5). Look up products on the Skin Deep database. 

 6). Stay tuned to this week as I’ll be sharing with you some amazing products for Mama & Baby that are totally pure, non-toxic and eco-friendly.  

 Related Post: Every New Parent Could Use A Laugh!  A Perfect Baby Shower Gift

 Image credit: www.parris-studios.com

Effective August 1st, the majority of Badger products will bear the USDA Certified Organic seal.  They have been selling totally pure body products for more than a decade, but now they have made it official.  They offer a vast assortment of mostly balms but also offer body lotions, oil and bar soaps as well.  You may have seen their adorable tins or tubes featuring storybook scenes in your local store, but if not you can check them out here.  Featured in glossies such VOGUE, Esquire, Runner’s World & Vegetarian Times, these products are ultra effective and totally safe.  They make a balm for almost every imaginable need.  Here’s a glimpse of their collection:  

-Beauty Balms for Beautiful Beings: includes Evolving Body Balm, Foot Balm & Cuticle Care.

-Outdoor Gift Kit: 2 soap bars, Healing Hands Balm, Bali Balm, Anti-Bug Balm & SPF 15 Lip Balm.

-SPF 30 Sunscreen: Rated in the Top 5 Safest Sunscreens for ‘08 by Environmental Working Group.

-Bali Balm: Soothing After Sun Care

-Sleep Balm: A Calming Sleep Enhancer