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Archive for October, 2008

On top of the fact that I need an intensive conditioner, I also need to put at least a detangler in my hair.  I wish I had the type of hair that allowed me to just comb and go, but unfortunately, my hair would be a giant fly away frizz ball.  I have the weirdest hair, and even my curls take primping.   I really hate having to put so much stuff in it.  Although, now that I’ve found safer products, I don’t feel as bad, but I’ll still complain about how long it takes for me to do my hair.

One of the other John Master’s products in my line up (stick around, because when I like a product, I load up on every single thing they own practically, and my supply cabinet runneth over) is the Citrus & Neroli Detangler.  I love anything with a citrusy smell, and this doesn’t disappoint.  It’s light and you only need a dime sized portion to run through your hair.  It leaves my frizzy hair feeling soft and manageable.   A bottle retails for about $16 and it will last you forever.  Some of the styling products I don’t use every day, just depending on the weather or the style that I’m going for that day, but this is one of those that I use every day because it makes getting a comb through my hair that much easier.

I realize that not everyone has the need for a detangler, but if you’re one of those that can’t live without it, I highly recommend this product.

Get It: You can this detangler and any of John Master’s products directly from their website.

And of course, don’t forget to keep reading for the big John Master’s giveaway announcement at the end of the week.

Just call me your resident hair product expert.   Much like Kathy, I was a Redken girl prior to waking up and realizing just how bad that stuff was for my body.  I have to tell you, it was really REALLY hard for me to make the switch to a chemical free conditioner.  My hair became much more unruly since the birth of my son last year.  I used to have fine waves and now I have these coarse curls that are nearly impossible to get a comb through.  So when I had to give up my Butter Treat conditioner, I was pretty lost.  It took me a good eight to nine months to find a conditioner that worked even remotely close to my old stuff.   And that conditioner is John Master’s Lavender and Avocado Intensive Conditioner.  There has been no other conditioner that has not ony stood up to my hair, but looked it square in the eye and told it who was boss.  After month and months of nothing but dry stringy feeling hair and a head that hurt from constantly trying to comb knots out, I was able to run a comb through it with almost no resistance.  And OH, how I did rejoice.  This is a really great conditioner for every day use if you have hair like mine, or as a once a week conditioner if you have normal hair.  A tube is not cheap, costing about $20 (which really, if you buy a salon quality shampoo, isn’t much more than that), but in my mind it is hands down worth the price you pay.  If you’re only using it once a week, it should last you, and even if you’re using it daily, it should still at least last you a month and a half, as you really don’t need that much.

Did I mention that this is my aboslute favorite conditioner ever?

Get it: You can order John Master’s products directly off their website.

Also keep reading for the big John Master’s giveaway contest at the end of this week.  Believe me, you DO NOT want to miss a chance at entering this contest.  This is one awesome giveaway.

Welcome to LovelyMama’s John Masters Organics Week!  We’ll be featuring at least one John Masters Organics product each day and we’ll lead up to a big fabulous John Masters giveaway on Friday.  Believe me, you want to win this.  It is taking massive amounts of will power not to keep it ourselves.  So stay tuned this week and be sure to pop back on Friday for the rad giveaway details.

To get us started I wanted to talk about their shampoo because one thing that was really hard to change for me was my shampoo.  I was a Redken woman for years and have curly (with frizzy tendencies) and also get regular highlights done.  (I know… but until they start making an eco-friendly salon in my area I refuse to stop).  So finding a shampoo that performs well on my hair is a challenge.  I also wanted something that was safe for color treated hair as well because let’s face it ladies, color treatments are not cheap.  So you want them to last until your next touch up and I’ll be damned if I’m going to wash out those golden low lights with a crappy shampoo.

I gave John Masters Organics a try and started with their Lavender Rosemary Shampoo for normal hair.  This shampoo is made with pure coconut soap (which evidently is also great for curls) with herbal infusions of periwinkle, sage leaves, chamomile flowers.   This wonderful concoction cleans well without leaving hair greasy or stripped.  John Masters doesn’t use Sodium Lauryl Sulfates in their products or synthetic ingredients so it doesn’t have that overly foaming quality which is usually the result of those kinds of ingredients.  However it does lather and does the job really well.  The herbal mix helps hair resist the stress of pollution, coloring and styling. Best yet? Totally safe for color-treated hair. Woo!

A bottle retails for about $16 but with this shampoo you don’t need a lot to get your hair clean and skipping a day is totally an option.  So you’re using less shampoo (which is always a key to making your beauty routine safer).

Get it: You can order any of their fabulous products from their website: JohnMasters.com

Have you seen the ingredients in a bottle of mainstream liquid foundation? Ew. I learned about Suki Pure Cosmetics from reading Gorgeously Green (which is a great read if you can pick one up).  The author Sophie Uliano raves about their cosmetics saying it has all the qualities of a high-end products but without all the gross crap they put in them.  Suki prides on their natural formulas and are all free of synthetic ingredients, GMO’s, parabens, fragrances, petrochemicals, don’t test on animals, etc.  Basically, you don’t have to suffer what we call “Cave Painting Syndrome™” that you sometimes get with natural products.  Many times they look and feel like clay, and smell like clay.  Ew.

We’ll probably feature several of their products as people write in with their “Help!  I need a good XYZ” pleas.  I’ll start with their liquid foundation since someone wrote in asking about those.  I’ve not used liquid foundation since I found mineral makeup years ago but I used it for many years before that.  SukiColor uses a slightly different approach in which they have 2 products that go great together to create an even but natural appearance.  The Suki Tinted Active Moisturizer acts as a moisturizing tinted barrier and glides on smooth and doesn’t feel heavy or thick.  Accompanied with Suki Liquid Formula Concealer you can achieve a really flawless look.   They have a natural SPF made with crushed minerals so you aren’t piling on some toxic gunk.  I will say that because I am out of the liquid loop, my application did allow the concealer to settle into fine lines… however I do think it’s avoidable with a better application than I achieved.  Suki has some great tools to accompany their make up, which might be key.  The Suki Pure Cream Stain (I tried Opal) and it gave me a nice glow.  I don’t typically use cream blush but this I would make an exception for.  It was that pretty!

SukiColor makeup isn’t cheap, but good cosmetics aren’t.  Suki knows what they’re doing and every product I’ve tried has yet to disappoint.   They are incredibly knowledgeable and are super stylish to boot.  Find the entire SukiColor line on Sukicolor.com or their fabulous skin and body care products on SukiPure.com.

Coming Next Week: John Master’s Week and a rad giveaway. Check back for more details!

I’d been on the hunt for a new soap for awhile.  A long time Cetaphil girl, I was looking to find something that would be safe, and also work as well on my face.  I’m leery of bar soaps, because they tend to dry out my face more than a traditional face wash, but I was having a hard time finding a liquid face wash that lathered enough to make my face feel clean.

I walked by the Dr. Bronner’s display quite a few times, eyeing it up cautiously before finally relenting and purchasing a bar.  And I really wish I hadn’t waited so long,  because I really love it.  I tend to have combination skin, and not the typical T-zone.   My face is both dry and oily, and the only way I can describe it, is to tell you that if I were to run into a window, you’d see oil and dry flakes in the same place.  Yeah, I’m an anomaly like that.

I can’t really talk up a bar of soap to make you think it was made by Jesus (but in this case, it may as well be for how much I love it), but the main things are that it lathers well, which is hard to find in a natural soap.  It lasts FOREVER.  I bought my bar of soap back in the spring and there’s still more than half left.  It cleans well, without stripping your skin of all of its features (my sister, whose face resembles the Exxon Valdese was skeptical, as she tends to prefer expensive chemically laden face washes, was very impressed) and best of all, it’s inexpensive.   You can’t beat the price for the quality of the product.

Also, their liquid soaps are great for a multitude of things.  And they also go a long way.

Dr. Bronner’s uses all organic ingredients and were recently certified USDA organic, as well as certified fair trade.  And they use minimal packaging, which I love.

We give all of Dr. Bronner’s soaps the LovelyMama Seal of Approval!

Get It: You can find Dr. Bronner’s products on Amazon, as well as most Whole Foods stores.

Coming soon: a John Master’s giveaway. Stay tuned for more details!

Lots of organic skin and body care contains coconut derived ingredients and some contain coconut oil.  Since I have started greening my beauty routines I have become far more interested in home made spa recipes.  One ingredient I found to be particularly awesome is Organic Coconut Oil.  You can buy a jar of it in the natural foods section of the grocery store (or online) and while yes, it is great for cooking (stir fry!) it is also a really moisturizing emollient.

Coconut oil is great for dry skin… and we’ve all had our bouts of the flakiness come winter months, while some of use suffer from more persistent dryness.  A coconut oil massage before a shower or bath can do wonders for your skin.  Some recommend using it on dry hair as a “mask” to restore shiny frizz free hair.  Some of us have dry spots in areas like cuticles, elbows, knees, lips and feet.

The nice part about it is, in the jar its in a solid form and only turns to oil once warmed up with your hands. One of my peeves with some body oils is the utter mess I make applying them.  Its on the floor, on the counter and all over the bottle.  Since coconut oil is in a sold state at room temperature applying it is considerably less messy.

Something else to note is the lack of fragrance.  When I bought a jar my immediate assumption was that I’d open the jar and smell the tropical no mistaking scent of coconuts.  Not the case.  It is completely odorless when bought this way.  (Extra Virgin Coconut Oil has that telltale coconut smell)

LovelyMama Moisturizing Body Scrub

• 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
• 1 cup organic raw sugar (or fine)
• 1-2 drops of lavender essential oil (orange oil works well for a day scrub)

Mix organic coconut oil, sugar and 1-2 drops of essential oil of choice (I like lavender but some people don’t so choose whatever strikes your fancy).  You can let this solidify a bit in the refrigerator if you want a solid scrub or use it as a warm oil scrub.  Scrub gently all over and rinse.

Edited to add: Lovely reader Rachael wrote in to remind us that coconut oil can also be used as a sexual lubricant!  Nice!  However not suitable for use with condoms and beware if you have any kind of coconut related allergies… that could get ugly.  Thanks Rachael!

This product isn’t really new news for many, and I’ve seen it mentioned on various beauty sites, but I couldn’t very well not dedicate a post to it considering the nature of this lotion.  I hesitate to call it that because when I think of lotion a certain texture comes to mind and Weleda Skin Food most certainly doesn’t fit that idea, and I’ll tell you why.

My creams, lotions and balms fall into 3 categories.  1) After-shower, 2) Desk worthy, and 3) Nightstand.  After shower potions need to be luxurious but not overly greasy, although I am known to indulge in body oil from time to time.  Desk worthy items need to be ultra moisturizing but MUST absorb fast because I don’t have time to wait during my peak 3 hours of alone/work time waiting for oils or butters to soak in.  Greasy keyboards are not cool.  Finally, the nightstand group.  This coveted spot goes to products that earned my love and devotion.  They can be thick and creamy and suitable for overnight moisturizer.  Weleda Skin Food falls into this category.

It comes out looking almost like some kind of epoxy used to glue things together but once its distributed it does actually feed your skin.  This stuff is great for stubborn rough spots, hands, cuticles, elbows, knees, etc. I recommend night use so it has a chance to soak in – but I am also known to use this on car trips when I’m not driving. (I like to do little spa treatments in the car on long trips).

Weleda is one of the few companies I trust 100% and feel better knowing that their products aren’t filled with parabens, phthalates, or synthetic ingredients.  They have a vast collection of products, many of which I use and love.  This one is no different.  This cream is like dessert for your skin.

Get Some: You can find small sample sizes and full sizes of Weleda Skin Food right now at your local Target, or online on Amazon.com, or direct from Weleda’s Online Store.  (I am just dying to try the Foot Cream now…)

I know people are curious about what we think of the Physicians Formula Organic Wear™ makeup that arrived in stores this year.  The line has some admirable qualities including being free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, GMO’s, synthetic colors,  synthetic fragrances.  They also claim it isn’t tested on animals.  Looking over the ingredient lists, they are indeed missing the telltale junk we normally avoid.  Physycian’s Formula, who’s main cosmetic lines usual score upwards of 6-7 in the Skin Deep Database has provided us with safer and much lower scoring cosmetics.  Not all of the Organic Wear products are in the database but the ones that are score around a 2-3 (the tinted moisturizer).

There is just one problem with regard to this line, for me, and that is that the Organic Wear products I have tried, sucked.  Big time.  On a whim I bought the Organic Wear Concealer Stick and the Organic Wear Blush in Pink Organics.  The blush, while I like the package and presentation did little or nothing for me in terms of an actual blush.  It also sat on top of my skin looking a bit like powder.  Perhaps I chose the wrong color for my skin but I was far from impressed compared to the many mineral blushes I’ve tried.

The Organic Wear Concealer Stick was an even bigger disappointment.  I had been optimistic that I found something natural I could keep in my bag for rogue zit cover up or “you look like hell, Kathy” under-eye pick me up.  Applying this concealer was equal to trying to color my undereye bags with a Crayola.  It was hard, stiff and waxy.  Only after I sanded the top of it to expose the center did I get anything usable out of it.

This line does have some other items that may be worthy of a try. I am still intruiged by the Organic Wear Eyeliner and Eye Shadow Duo‘s but I am not holding my breath for anything spectacular.

One of the first things I did when greening my beauty routine was look for a new deodorant.  Upon hearing and reading the dangers of putting aluminum, parabens and phthalates on my armpits every single day, I went looking for something safer.  I started off with the natural first step and that was Tom’s of Maine, which didn’t work so well for me, so I switched to JASON brand.  Then I read up on propylene glycol and decided to really go for the safest thing I could find.  I took a chance on Weleda Wild Rose Deodorant and am really happy with the results.

Statia weighs in: I actually have the Citrus scent and I like it.  One of the things that I DON’T like about this deodorant is that the first ingredient is alcohol.  It’s effective, but after awhile, it can be irritating to the armpits and if you’ve just shaved, stand back.  Overall, it’s not a bad deodorant, but I don’t use it that often.  The other drawback to this is that when I am wearing it, and I forget, I wonder where the hell the smell of booze is coming from, and I realize it’s not a mixed drink, it’s me! Maybe wearing this when you’re going to go out isn’t a good idea.  God forbid you get pulled over…

Weleda makes 3 scents of deodorant, Wild Rose, Sage and Citrus.  It’s a spray, packaged in a lovely glass bottle (if you’re ridding yourself of plastic this is awesome, some might not think so), not ever tested in animals they only use the safest natural ingredients possible.  The only small downside to this deodorant is that there is a sting factor if you’ve just shaved.  So far, this hasn’t been a big drawback for me… a little sting or pasting toxic chemicals on my pits.  It’s a fair trade off.

A few things to remember when switching to a safer deodorant:

Be patient. You’ll need at least 2 weeks to adjust, so if you go a couple days on a new deodorant and you smell this could mean your body is still ridding itself of toxins.  You might have to try a brand or two to find the right one for your body chemistry too, so give it some time.

Exfoliate. Its a good idea to GENTLY exfoliate your armpits once in a while to remove any dead skin blocking your sweat glands and pores.  Use a really soft washcloth and gently massage the area.  Don’t use scrubs or salts as this might damage the delicate skin of your armpits.

Sweat! The reason deodorant makers put Aluminum in their product is to prevent you from sweating.  There is a major problem with this in that you are supposed to sweat, sweating is your body’s way of ridding itself from toxins and impurities.   Once your body is used to not having antiperspirant it can actually regulate your sweating.  Since switching to Weleda I have not noticed being “wet” unless I am huffing and puffing on the treadmill, in which case who cares.  What matters is I don’t SMELL like sweat.

Let’s talk about B.O.  I have read that diet has an effect on your smell so pay attention to what you ate prior to discovering your pits smelling a little ripe.  Some say red meat is a culprit.  Being perfectly honest, once my body regulated and adapted to my new safer deodorant I rarely if ever smell.  Not even in the hot sun, not after I work out, and even if I skip a day showering.  For the sake of science, I’ll admit I skip a day here and there. (What, like you never did? Don’t front…)

Get It: You can find Weleda Deodorants in our Amazon store as well as on one of our favorite retailers Saffron Rouge.  Weleda deodorants comes in 3.4fl.oz  and 1 fl.oz bottles.

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