Shampoo is better!

For the past few years I have bee using Arrojo's daily shampoo.  I picked it up at the salon where I had my hair done & instantly loved  it.  It is great for my really fine hair, it did not weigh it down, or dry it out.  It was safe for color treated hair.  Well now I have to find a new shampoo (insert frown face),  Arrojo received a score of 7 on the EWG Skin Deep database=bad.

I did some research and here are some brands that have been recommended for people with fine hair & also did well on the EWG skin deep database:

Nuture My Body- score of 0
Hugo-score of 1
Kiss My Face-score of  2
Avalon Organics Rosemary-score of 3
Keranique-score of 3
Yes to Tomatoes-score of 3
Be Kind Be Gentle Green Tea Shampoo- score of 3
And I want to also mention, Honest Shampoo- score of 1(It is not volumizing, but I do love their conditioner)

I haven't tried them all yet,  I am slowly working on them.  Please let me know if you have tried any and tell me what you think.

These were recommended for fine hair, but did not score as well.

Dry Bar Texas Tea, 4
Alterna Bamboo, 7
Phytovolume Shampoo, 5
Peter Thomas Toth volumizing, 5

I recently tried these:

Rahua Shampoo received a score of 2  and it is amaaaaazing!  It smells incredible.  I was skeptical when I lathered up, because well it doesn't really lather.  I was worried it was going to dry my hair out (like many volumizing shampoos do) but once I brushed and blow dried my hair, the results were instantly fabulous.  Only downside is the price. $32.  I get the feeling one bottle may last awhile, 'll let you know how quickly I go through the shampoo.   I cannot get enough of this shampoo, I am so happy with it. I am seriously considering paying $32 to try the conditioner.

I also tried Acure Organics Pure Mint & Echinacea Stem Cell Shampoo because it was much more affordable at $10. It received a score of 1,  bonus!  I love the minty smell & it is almost as fabulous as Rahua.  It is a perfect cheaper version & i have been alternating with the two shampoos with great results.

For a while, in our house, we were using burts bees volumizing 4, another affordable option at about $8.  My boyfriend loves. I did like it short term, but I don't think it's safe for color treated hair and it was a little drying.

I have Used in past:

bumble & Bumble-score of 3, volumizing, but drying
living proof full: 6, bad score  & weighed my hair down
Oscar Blandi Instant Volumizing, drying, score of 4

My favorite dry shampoo is:
Oscar Blandi Volumizing, scored a 3
I also love their regular dry shampoo, which scored a 1

Perrrfect Stocking Stuffer: Lip Balm

My favorite lip balm is Burt's Bees Mango Butter, a great friend gave it to me as a gift & I've been obsessed ever since. I am glad to see it scored well: 2.  They also have a pomegranate flavor, which scored a 1, but I don't like the flavor as much as the mango, it tastes a little fake to me.

Image by: Beut.ie

The Burt's Bees original flavor is a wonderful gift option too and it scored a 1.  It minty & it tingles your lips a little bit!

I've never tried Burt's Bees shimmer lip balm, but it scored a 2.  I also haven't tried their lip gloss, but it scored a 4 so I may avoid it.

Another of my favorites is: Egyptian Magic skin Cream.  I received it in my June Birchbox and now I use it every morning on my lips, its almost the consistency of petroleum jelly except not sticky.  It lasts forever, because I think I have half of the 0.5oz sample they sent me.  It has a strange, but not unpleasant flavor that fades.  It contains royal jelly, oh la la, haha.  It scored a zero! Yay! I have yet to try it on my face because it is so thick.

You may want to avoid the Chapstick brand lip balms, their scores ranged from from 4- to -6.

Weleda is a brand I've heard of.  I recently tried their hand lotion and liked it, but I haven't tried their lip balm, but it scored a zero!!! So great!

I bought S.W. Basics Lip Flight for someone last year & they loved it and it scored a zero!

If you want to exfoliate those lips try Suki exfoliate foaming cleanser, it tastes yummy, like lemons, totally ok to lick!  Its for you face too! I use it once a week to rub off my dry skin and as ofter as I remember on my lips.

I only spoke about products I'm familiar with, but please message me any products you want me to review/score.

Try Birchbox's Ingredient Conscious picks for your Holiday gifts this year.  They have a variety of lip balms I did not mention.  (I have no affiliation with Birchbox, I just love their website, the products they pick & their return policy)

Quick tip: If I can't find lip balm or lotion I just use coconut oil!!!  I love the way it smells & tastes & feels and it is a fabulous moisturizer.  I know quite a few people who use it on their face & hair.

In Need of Some Motivation to Workout?

My friend Lizzy recently came to visit and we were talking about how hard it is to work out in the mornings on our days off.  It is so difficult to make yourself get out of bed, especially when you are going alone!  We agreed on the days we had worked out in the morning we had so much energy to get things done.

This morning I woke up and did a 5 minute workout with Erin Stutland, alone!  And now I'm motivated to blog, haha!  She is doing a workout challenge where you do a 5 minute video every day with her that includes motivational mantras, like "letting go of something that doesn't serve you".  She emails the workout to you every day in the month of December.  This is todays workout.  ...And this is how you join the whole challenge.  I totally recommend it.

While Lizzy was here we ended up going to a Dance Fit class and doing some Acro Yoga and we felt great after!  It is so much easier to work out when someone is supporting you.  I want you to know, I have your back!  Send me a message or comment what you did this week to workout!

Here are a few pictures of me trying acroyoga.

With the weather being so cold, I will be blogging this week about which chapstick & hand lotions are safe.  They also make great sticking stuffers, because I think you can never have enough chapstick or hand lotion. :)

Eslor Firming Collagen Day Cream.

I received a sample of this cream in my Birchbox and I love the way it feels on my skin.  I assumed, since it looked fancy with it's "firming, collagen" label, it had to be unhealthy.  I should not have been so quick to judge.  I added it to the Skin Deep Database and it received an amazing score of 1 !  It only has nine ingredients, including ginseng, aloe vera, avocado oil, etc.

I have a tendency to break out from creamy products, but not this one!  It is not oily and dries quickly leaving no residue.  There were some reviews on Birchbox that criticized the way it smelled, but I don't think it smells like anything.  Maybe some people prefer a more floral scent?

Here is the product's website

In the future I plan to do a comprehensive review of moisturizers.  Are there any specific products you'd like me to blog about?

PS I think I'm really stepping up my selfie game

Things I learned by taking selfies

Today I learned: Lip selfies are really hard!! And can look really creepy.  Also, my lips are kind of small, like two earth worms, small, ok maybe I'm exaggerating, but compared to Angelina Jolie...

Image by: fansshare.com

Also, without under eye concealer I look kind of like a serial killer, hahahah

In  conclusion, despite some minor imperfections, overall I am a fan of myself, this new bronzer and lip color!!!!! I am loving Laqa & Co Lip Duo and the W3ll People Hedonist Bronzer, both received low scores from EWG Skin Deep* (low scores=good! Safer ingredients!)

"Is that a mustache?"(Eye brow raise)

More Bronzers!

             I found this link on Pinterest & I may need to try as few of these bronzers as well! 

         ( I reviewed them from left to right, top to bottom)

Original Review & Image by: Jessika Barber, www.polishinsomniac.net,  via Pinterest

I don't think I mentioned before, if the Skin Deep database does not have the product you want when you search, you can add it to the database yourself and they will score it! All you need it the brand, product name, and  the ingredients.  Sephora.com often lists the product ingredients.  

I made a score for Benefit Hoola & it received a score of 8!!! Eeeeek!

I want to try the Too Faced Sun Bunny Bronzer since it has a score of 2. It's a little pricey at $30.

I will avoid both Too Faced Chocolate Solei Bronzers because they have scores of 5.

Butter London Cheeky did not have a score, I formulated one, but one of the ingredients Glycerl Dihenate wasn't on their list of ingredients, the product received a 2, but I am not sure if that is accurate.  

Tarte Matte Bronzer score of 4

The two Physicians Formula Bronzers scored 5, much higher than some of it's other bronzers

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder received a 3, I'm considering trying it because I love Bobbi Brown products.  I think they last & work very well

Jouer we talked about in the last blog

Sheisido Bronzer, oil free doesn't have their ingredients on Sephora & I could not seem to find them on their website

Bronzer

I've been "blessed" with fair skin, so bronzer is a necessity for me year round. Translation: I'm really really pale.  For years I've used Lorac's Bronzer TANtalizer, it's awesome and gives me a natural glow.  Unfortunately, as part of my recent transition to using more natural, safer products, I looked up all of my current makeup and Lorac Tantalizer Baked Bronzer scored a 4 on a 1-10 scale.  (1-being the safest to use, 10-the worst)

FYI: To look up products I've been using, check out a large cosmetic database called Skin Deep,  which is compiled by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).  This organization is dedicated to reviewing cosmetics, cleaning products, food, being awesome, etc.  They have scientists on staff and use an extensive collection of research to rate product's safety.

Anyway, my go to bronzer didn't get the best score for many reasons, a major one being it contains multiple parabens.  Time to find a new, safer bronzer!

And another FYI: There are mixed reviews on parabens, the FDA says they're okay (based on a study from 1984).  However, Europe has banned the use of parabens in cosmetics.  Why are they considered safe in the US?  Im confused.  After doing further research (aka google searching) I noted multiple organizations that are not fans of parabens.  You should look for yourself, but here is just one I found: The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.  I plan to look into this further.

Now, on to my quest for a new Bronzer.  First I did a search on EWG for "bronzer"  Physicians Formula seemed to be a brand that scored well.  Sooooo I went to CVS and perused the Physicians Formula section (PS they have about 50 types of bronzers, so overwhelming).  I decided on their Organic Wear Bronzer($15).  Fail.  I am not a huge fan of the scent and it doesn't have a noticeable glow on my skin.  On the bright side, it did receive a EWG score of 2.  I considered trying other PF Bronzers, but internet shopping is way more appealing today.

Today, after receiving an email for $10 at Birchbox I am going to buy W3ll People Hedonist Mineral Bronzer.  I am a sucker for coupons.   It's $23 and received good reviews from consumers and has a EWG Score of one!!!

If I don't like the W3ll People Bronzer, I will send it back (boo yah 90 day return policy) and try:
Cargo's Waterproof Bronzer.  It's $29 at Birchbox, with an EWG Score of 2.  Though, can someone tell me why one would need a waterproof bronzer and post it in the comments?  I just can't seem to think of a reason.  I thought it was interesting that Cargo's non-waterproof Bronzer received a higher (worser haha) EWG Score of 3.

I decided not to try Alima Pure Bronzer.  Some users said it was too dark for them and that could be very dangerous for me! If you have a darker skin tone, you should try it and let me know what you think, it's $20 at Birchbox, and has a EWG Score of 2.

Here are a few of the other bronzers I looked up on Birchbox that did not make the cut:

Jouer Mattifying EWG Score of 5

Laura Geller's Beauty Bronze & Highlighter with an EWG Score of 6.

Stila's Set & Bronze and One Step Bronzers had EWG Scores of 6 as well.

Reviews and pictures to come! Or maybe just reviews..