A Ladies Only Giveaway

Hi, loves!  I have been gradually changing out some of my household products and personal care items for more natural, organic ones.   I figured that I place so much emphasis on watching what I eat, what about what I put near my lady parts?

I found out about Veeda tampons recently and they were kind enough to send some to me to try out.  These tampons are made from organic, bleach-free cotton and are free of any chemicals or additives typically found in other feminine care products.

*Now here's your chance to be kind to your lady parts and try Veeda tampons!

Just comment below and leave your email address.  I will pick 2 winners on Saturday, July 19th. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was not paid to do this post. This product was sent to me by Veeda for review.

Share Your Journey to Wellness!

From Getty Images

 
Do you have a fitness routine, natural beauty regimen or lifestyle change that you would like to share?

I am looking for stories from ladies who have changed their lives by committing to changing the way they eat, workout or in the products that they use, in pursuit of total wellness. Maybe you were able to conceive naturally after adopting an organic diet or lost weight by working out consistently.  If this is you, send your stories to: candice.selby@gmail.com and be featured on Simplistic Chic!

Decisions, decisions...at Whole Foods

Whole Foods is one of my favorite stores to go to. I can find just about any natural/organic product or food I need there.  Things sure add up though!

So, you have only $35 to go on a Whole Foods run and you will not be able to shop in there again for the next month. What do you buy?

My list

Coconut oil

Almond milk

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner

Blueberries

Grapeseed oil

And The Winner is....

....Violet Poetry, founder of the blog, Curvy Eco-centric Recessionista!  You will be receiving the Cara B products for the product review! Congratulations and thanks for your help! Be sure to send me your shipping info. at candice.selby@gmail.com

Thanks to everyone else for participating also.  There will be more giveaways and opportunities for product reviews coming very soon!

Organic Mommies and Daddies Wanted!

The lovely people at Cara B, a company committed to making chemical-free, natural hair and skin products for ethnically diverse children, sent some of their products to me for a product review. 

Seeing that I do not have any babies to try them out on (yet...), I decided to reach out to all of my readers who are organic, natural mommies/ daddies! If you would be willing to receive these products for free and agree to send me your honest review of the products, then I need your help!

The Cara B products that you would receive include: shampoo/bodywash, leave-in conditioner, moisturizing hair mist, body lotion and baby bar soap.  ALL of their products are made with plant based ingredients, natural oils and are sulfate, petrolatum, and paraben free.  They also have NO artificial colors or fragrances so, they would be great for your child's sensitive skin and scalp.  They are also certified natural and allergen free.

If you are interested, all you have to do is leave a comment stating why you believe organic/ natural products are the best for your baby/ child!  I will pick one organic mommy/ daddy on Friday, August 20th to receive these Cara B products for review.

Good luck and thanks for your help!!

Crossing the Line between Natural and Just Plain Nasty?

I am a firm believer in the fact that the most natural and readily available products we need to sustain us were already given to us by God in nature.  However, after coming across a cookbook that contains semen-based recipes I started to think that there may be a fine line between natural and just plain nasty!  I mean...to each his own but, I really do not see how semen can provide any health benefits to someone. 

In case you are curious, the book it called, "Natural Harvest- A Collection of Semen-based Recipes".  It claims that semen is not only nutritious but, also provides a great texture to any dishes it is in. 

I'm sorry but, this just takes the phrase,"home-grown" to another level; a level that I will not be entering at all.  It makes my stomach to churn just thinking about it!


Would you try a semen-based recipe?  What is another "natural" product, remedy or technique that crosses the line for you?

Product Review: Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer

 Photo credit: Google Images

You may remember my post a while back with a list of the top five organic cosmetics (you can find it here).  Juice Beauty Green Apple moisturizer was on that list and I had heard so many great reviews about the product from some of my readers and others I knew.  Needless to say, I was dying to try it.  As luck would have it, I got the opportunity to do a review on this moisturizer recently!

Juice Beauty is an organic skincare product company that uses only certified organic ingredients proven to reduce radical skin damage, make skin smoother, softer and beautiful.  All of their products, not just a few,  contain "good for you" ingredients without the pesticides, parabens, propylene or butylene glycols, petroleum, sulphates, PEGs, TEA, DEA, phthalates, GMO, silicones, artificial dyes or fragrances that can often make skin irritated and blemished. As someone with very sensitive skin, this was extremely important to me.


An added plus about Juice Beauty is that they are working hard to protect the earth by supporting many organic farmers and by using recycled packaging and soy ink, manufacturing over 80% of their products with solar power.  They are the true definition of an organic company!

 

What I loved immediately about the Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 moisturizer was the packaging! It comes in a very sleek, cylinder pump bottle which makes for mess-free use.  I decided to use the moisturizer that same day and I was instantly pleased. In addition to a light citrus scent, the very creamy consistency felt almost like whipped cream as I smoothed it onto my skin!


This great moisturizer contains chemical-free, SPF sun protection with a brightening hydroxy acid complex of organic apple and lemon juices, alpha lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10 and vitamin antioxidants that help to revitalize and protect your skin. 

It did not have an oily feel like some of the moisturizers I have tried in the past and after about a week of using Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 moisturizer, my skin is glowing and very smooth.  My boyfriend even commented on it a few days ago (an added plus for me!). I loved this product so much that I will be using it as my staple moisturizer from here on out!

I would definitely recommend the Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 moisturizer to anyone looking for a great moisturizer chock full of organic ingredients that will leave your skin with the right amount of moisture, sun protection and give age-defying results!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are my own.

What Are Your Natural/ Organic Product Staples?

I have come to find that less is more sometimes.  The most pure and natural products often work so much better than the complex, manmade (not to mention expensive!) products on the market.

There are a few natural products that I live by daily and without them I do not know what I would do. My number one product right now is....coconut oil.  I cannot begin to sing enough praises about it!  I get mine from Whole Foods and I have to sit it in some warm water to get it to liquefy but, all of the preparation is so worth it!

I use it in my hair to add moisture and great shine.  I also use it right before I flat iron my hair.  Coconut oil is a must-have in my book! It leaves my hair so soft and silky with the right amount of shine.  I love the fact that my hair is not greasy or weighed down either.  My hair is left conditioned, moisturized and swingin' in the wind.

Coconut oil also works great as a skin moisturizer.  I use it on my feet at night to keep them baby soft!

Which natural or organic product is your staple?

{Bedroom Talk} Eco-Friendly Lovin'

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Product Review: Collective Wellbeing Charcoal Body Wash

The lovely people at Collective Wellbeing sent me a bunch of their natural products to use and I have decided to do a review.  I have used Collective Wellbeing products in the past so I already know how good they are. 

I started using the Collective Wellbeing Charcoal Body Wash a few days ago and I must say I was beyond pleased yet again with this company's products! The body wash contains active charcoal which is known as a natural antidote and detoxifier. It also contains zinc which helps to gets rid of blemish-causing germs and reduce inflammation.

You may remember when I wrote about the mysterious hives I've been having for the past few weeks here. (By the way, I STILL don't know why I have been breaking out for the past month...such torture!) Well, I was beginning to break out again the night that I received my package so I decided to take a cool shower using this body wash in an attempts to soothe my itchy skin.  

I was a little surprised by the black color of the body wash as I squeezed it onto my loofah but, I remembered that it contained charcoal.  I was okay once I lathered up and it changed to a clear, white color.  I also noticed the lemony scent it had since it also contains lemongrass, sage and juniper. 

When I was done and rinsed off, the redness of my hives had subsided and my skin was left moisturized and soft with a light lemony smell. I also love the fact that this body wash is sulfate-free! I may have to put down by Oil of Olay Ribbons body wash for this one.

If you are looking for an all natural body wash that will help to get rid of toxins and impurities and also leave your skin soft, I highly recommend Collective Wellbeing's Charcoal Body Wash. You won't be disappointed!

The Organic Beauty Now "To Mama with Love" campaign

 Mother's Day is coming up and I wanted to let you in on a great campaign going on from May 3 to May 9, called "To Mama with Love."  Organic Beauty Now and Epic Change have teamed up to honor moms across the globe, and raise funds for one remarkable mama to change the world.

They hope to raise $50,000 in just one week to fund a home for 50 children in Mama Lucy's village in Tanzania.  The contest starts May 3rd and ends May 9th, 2010.

Here’s how it works:

• Create a heartspace on tomamawithlove.org to show a mama your love, and donate $20 or more in her honor. You can include photo, video, writing, and artwork. 
• Send out a link to the heartspace you created.
• Organic Beauty Now will donate $1 for every tweet that mentions #tomamawithlove up to $2000 to fund the first room in the children's home.
• Organic Beauty Now will give away 5 gift cards worth $50 each. Anyone that follows @organicbeauties on Twitter during the campaign will be entered to win.
• You can view the tagged tweets and heartspaces on  tomamawithlove.org

  Also, if you would like to order any of the great organic beauty products on Organic Beauty Now they are offering all of my readers 20% off all products with the code TMWL20,  good May 3-15 at organicbeautynow.com

Take the opportunity to support this great cause and show love to your mama!!

Product Rave: Jurlique

There are very few skincare products that will not make me break out or have my face looking and feeling like an oil slick.  After years of spending money on fancy products, I have learned to stick to a more natural skin care regimen.  The only two things I use in rotation are the Oil Cleansing Method (which I wrote previously about here) and Jurlique skincare products.

One of my good friends raved about these products and I decided to head to the nearest Jurlique store in the mall to check it out.  The sales lady helped me pick out a cleanser, moisturizer and exfoliator that caters to the needs of oily and sensitive skin. After the very first week of using Jurlique products, my skin felt amazingly hydrated and soft without the uncomfortable, oily shine I was accustomed to.  Two years later, these eco-friendly products remain my skin care regimen staples.

I attribute my skin's love for these products with the fact that Jurlique is made with natural, organic ingredients--ingredients that encourage a healthy, even skin tone! Free of parabens and other chemicals typically used in other skincare products, Jurlique is a great choice for my fellow green heads out there.

What are some of your skin care must-haves?

Disclosure: Opinions stated are my own.  I was not compensated for this product review.