Naturalla Beauty

Tomorrow marks the official start of fall, so it seems appropriate to wrap up summer today with a favorites post.  These are the standout products I've especially enjoyed using over the last few months.  As many of you know, I've been focused on using the products I already have this year, rather than mindlessly buy-buy-buying, so while there are a couple new things here, most are products I've written about before, although not super recently. 



Gabriel Cosmetics Vibrant Pink Blush*
I used to be terrified of wearing too much blush and looking like a clown, but I've gradually worked up to being comfortable with brighter and more pigmented blushes.  Vibrant Pink is a matte cool hot pink and I loved it this summer.  It gives the prettiest pop of pink without looking overdone.  The Gabriel blushes are quite pigmented -  so a light hand is key - but they're blendable and easy to work with, even if you're fair skinned like me.  

Balanced Guru Calming Masque
I've raved about this mask several times before and it really is a consistent favorite of mine.  Made with a blend of detoxifying bentonite clay and sea kelp, soothing calendula, marshmallow root, echinacea, and aloe vera, and nutrient dense rosehip, sea buckthorn fruit, and gingko, it strikes a perfect balance between drawing out impurities and nourishing the skin with healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  The mask is actually quite detoxifying, but it comes as a powder, which allows you to easily tailor the liquid(s) you mix in to best suit your skin.  I like to use water, in combination with a few drops of a face oil to prevent the mask from drying as firmly as it does with water alone.  I also often mix in a drop or two of carrot seed or frankincense essential oil as an extra anti-aging boost.  My skin is always left looking visibly clearer and brighter after using the Calming Masque and I feel like it's something I'll always keep stocked on my skincare shelf.  

Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash*
I really enjoy a lathering cleanser, but my skin can't tolerate how drying some of them are.  Happily there are products like the Fantastic Face Wash, which foams up nicely, rinses easily, and doesn't leave my skin feeling at all dry.  I first used it about six months ago but gradually drifted onto new things, as we do, only to rediscover it mid-August and fall head over heels all over again.  The scent is an invigorating unisex blend of spearmint and evergreen trees that's lovely and refreshing without being over the top.  The cleanser offers gentle exfoliation from sugar cane and fruit extracts, and a slight tingly sensation from the mint leaves skin feeling extra clean, though never dry or stripped.  

Pacifica Red Red Wine
I first saw this nail polish color in a Youtube video last fall and immediately set my sights on it.  It's taken me until the summer to actually get my hands on it, as even though a nearby health food store stocks the Pacifica polishes, they've been sold out of Red Red Wine every time I've been in.  The color is pretty much just what the name suggests: a classic dark red/wine color with a creme finish.  I wore it in the summer, but it's really a more traditionally fall/winter shade, so I don't foresee putting it away anytime soon.  The Pacifica polishes are 7-free and vegan, with a great, long-wearing formula.  

Brija Cosmetics You Know Who Highlighter
I used to prefer a matte complexion, but these days I really think glowing, luminous skin is the way to go.  To me, it just looks fresher, healthier, and more natural.  That said, I have some larger pores on my nose and cheeks and I've struggled to find a highlighter that provides the radiance I'm looking for without emphasizing or drawing extra attention to them.  But, I think I've finally found it in You Know Who, which gives a beautiful ethereal glow without any piecey shimmer or glitter.  It's a light, white/cream shade, but it doesn't look chalky or frosty on the skin.  It's also versatile in that it can be worn lightly for a subtle everyday look or built up to a more serious gleam for a dramatic highlight.  

Ora's Amazing Herbal All Purpose Salve*
This salve is great for lots of things, but my favorite use is on bug bites.  It works like nothing else on both swelling and itching.  We've got a good number of spruce trees in the backyard and plenty of mosquitos as a result, so whenever I'm out there with the dog, there's a decent chance of bites.  Just last week, I managed to get a bite right in the middle of my forehead, which, being in such an obvious spot, of course swelled up huge and looked like a goose egg.  I used the salve twice that night and it worked like a charm.  The formula has a grapeseed and coconut oil base and is packed with anti-inflammatory herbs like calendula, comfrey, chickweed, plantain, burdock, thyme, and St. John's wort.  It visibly starts to take down swollen bug bites within minutes of application, and within a couple hours, even the biggest bites are nearly gone.  With summer winding down, bug bites aren't as big of an issue, but I know I'll still keep this guy handy for its multitude of other uses.  It works well on other skin irritations and soothes everything from cuts and scrapes to pimples, chapped lips, dry cuticles, and rashes.  

Hope you had a fabulous summer and are looking forward to fall!

I hear time and time again how difficult deodorant is to switch over when transitioning to natural products, and I think it's very true.  First, you have to factor in that many of us come to natural products used to antiperspirants not deodorants and that no natural deodorant is going to stop you from sweating the way an antiperspirant does.  After this first hurdle, you come to the even larger problem of finding something that works without needing to be reapplied every thirty minutes AND doesn't irritate one's delicate arm pits.  

Baking soda is one of the best odor-absorbing ingredients out there, but because of how alkaline it is (a ph of 8.5, versus the 4.5-5 ph of the skin's natural acid mantle), it can cause skin reactions in a lot of people.  It really depends on the individual: some people can tolerate it fine, others not at all, and for others still - like me - it all comes down to how much is used in a given product.  

Schmidt's Deodorant is pretty popular around the blogosphere, so I was excited to get my hands on it over the summer.  It passed the smell test - all day odor protection - but it always managed to turn my armpits into an angry, red, bumpy battlefield.  Eventually I gave up and set it aside.  

You might know - if you've ever seen my empties posts - just how much I hate to waste products, so months later, I decided to try my hand at transforming this deodorant into something I could more comfortably use.  



Based off several different variations of homemade deodorant I've made, I combined:

7/8 of a jar of Schmidt's Lavender Sage Deodorant
An equal amount of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Sprinkle of Ora's Amazing Herbal Clay/Arrowroot-based Body Powder (arrowroot powder, cornstarch, or kaolin clay would work fine too)
5 drops Young Living Eucalyptus Radiata Essential Oil

I melted the Schmidt's and coconut oil together over a double boiler, then removed it from the heat and stirred in the last two ingredients.  After that, it's just a matter of pouring it into jars and waiting for it to cool.

The Results?

Today was my first day using it, but so far it's everything I was hoping for!  It hasn't burned or irritated my pits, and it still works well to keep any stink at bay.  As an added bonus, it's also a perfect creamy, buttery consistency now, where the Schmidt's was always very solid and required a lot more effort to work into the skin.  

I'll keep you guys updated once I've used it for longer, but so far, I'm really happy with how it turned out.

P.S. Check out my favorite, super simple DIY Deodorant recipe here.

I haven't done very many favorites posts over the years, but that's something I want to change.  I'm not sure about committing to monthly favorites, but I'm thinking every couple months, or at least seasonally.  Let's kick it off with five products I've been loving over the last few months...



Vice1960 Face Oil*
I reviewed this oil in May, and it's remained a staple in my routine ever since.  My skin isn't overly acne-prone to begin with, but even so, I've noticed it's clearer and generally happier since I've been using this product.  I usually mix one pump of the V60 oil with a couple drops of jojoba oil and the combination has a lovely, light texture that's perfect for summer and sinks into my skin quickly.  

Nourish Organics Coconut & Argan Body Wash (with Hibiscus)
You guys know how much I love Nourish's body washes, and the Coconut & Argan is my newest favorite.  From the name, I was expecting a coconut scent, but it's actually just coconut oil in here, not fragrance, so that's not the predominant smell that comes through.  Instead, it's a lovely, light, tropical floral that I don't even know how to describe.  I'm assuming what I'm smelling is the hibiscus, with just a hint of coconut.  I feel like this is what a midnight walk on a beach in Hawaii would smell like.

The All Natural Face Tequila Sunrise Blush
As much as I like cream products, my cheeks respond a lot better to powders, so a while back I decided to pick up the powder version of my favorite All Natural Face cream blush, Tequila Sunrise.  The powder is just as pretty as the cream and my skin likes it much better.  I've been wearing this blush almost every day since re-discovering it in my collection a couple weeks ago.
(P.S. I've swatched the cream version here and here.  The powder is a slightly lighter version of the same color.)

Ora's Amazing Herbal All Purpose Salve*
I liked Ora's Salve from the get-go, but this month it's really had a chance to shine.  We have cedar trees in our backyard, which means we are fully stocked on mosquitoes as well.  Usually I get good results from lavender oil on any bites, but when that wasn't working to relieve a couple fresh bites one night, I reached for this guy.  The salve, which is packed with soothing and anti-inflammatory herbs like calendula, comfrey, plantain, and chickweed, not only stopped the itching, it also took down the swelling and within 5 minutes, the bites were 90% gone!  

Stila 24A Blush and Powder Brush
I'm not sure if this brush is still being sold, but I received it in a swap this month and I couldn't be happier with it.  The bristles are soft and it's a great size for blush - small enough that you have a lot of control over where you're applying product, but big enough that it doesn't take you ten minutes to get your blush on.  I'm not usually one to spend a lot on brushes, but I'd be curious to check out more of Stila's brush line in the future.

How do you feel about favorites posts?  What have you been loving this spring?

Photo by David Zimand

Like a lot of natural formulators, Ora Assayag started making natural products for her family.  When her youngest daughter developed severe eczema and was prescribed steroids and antibiotics, Ora was confident there had to be a more natural, holistic route they could take and began researching alternatives.  In addition to diet, she looked to herbal medicine and developed a healing herbal blend to use in a salve.  After the first batch, she quickly learned that the salve worked not only on her daughter's eczema, but also on dry skin, cuts and scratches, and small kitchen burns.  One thing led to another and developed into Ora's Amazing Herbal, a family business that now sells salves, lip balms, and body powders.  Everything is 100% natural, made with only organic and fair trade herbs, and the business is committed to being run ethically and with social responsibility.  

I was happy to be sent a few products from the line to try out.  Keep reading for what I thought of everything...


All Purpose Salve
Since salves are what started it all for this company, I was most excited to see what this little  glass jar could offer.  It contains a powerful blend of herbs - organic calendula, comfrey, plaintain, chickweed, St. John's wort, burdock and thyme - infused in non-GMO grapeseed oil and blended with organic coconut oil, beeswax, vitamin E, and essential oils of rosemary, thuja, and tea tree.  

The very top layer was a little more firm, but once you break through that, it's the creamiest, butteriest salve I've had the pleasure of using.  It's also suprisingly non-greasy - unless you use a ton - and sinks in really easily.  And, it works super well too!  Dry, chapped hands were no match for the salve and itchy skin quickly fled as well.  It smells great too - fresh and herbal, but also a little sweet - and in a pinch, it even works as a lip balm.

Basically, just a good, all-around functional product to keep on hand!  The smaller, one ounce jar is the perfect purse size to carry with you too.



Ingredients: Grapeseed Oil (non-GMO) Infused With Organic Calendula, Organic Comfrey, Organic Plantain, Organic Chickweed, Organic St. John’s Wort, Organic Burdock And Organic Thyme, Organic Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Vitamin E And Essential Oils Of Rosemary, Thuja, And Tea Tree.

Chai Spice Lip Balm
I can't imagine a better fall/winter lip balm flavor than this Chai Spice, which is a yummy blend of cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and ginger.  The lip balm formula is ideal for winter too, as it's a thicker balm that does a great job protecting your lips against the elements.   And, if your lips are already chapped, it's a good choice too.  It contains the same herbal infusion as the salve and I've noticed it really speeds up the healing process, leaving my lips feeling soft and supple.  I will say that, personal preference, I wish the balm had a little more slip to it.  On the flip side, the thicker, waxier consistency is what helps it last so well on your lips, and it also means it's completely matte and shine-free, which will certainly appeal to some.  

Ora's Amazing Herbal's body powders leave out talc (which can be contaminated with asbestos), grains and corn starch (which have been shown to exacerbate some skin problems) and any synthetics.  Instead, they contain a gentle blend of kaolin clay, baking soda, arrowroot, and plaintain leaf powder.   The Vanilla one that I received also contains vanilla bean powder.  

One of the last "dirty" products I held on to was a vanilla body powder from The Body Shop, so I was extra excited to receive the vanilla-scented option here.  Perhaps because I had TBS one in the back of my mind, I was a little gutted to discover how lightly scented Ora's version is.  The vanilla really is barely detectable here. 

Scent aside, it's a great silky soft, finely milled powder with a multitude of uses.  I've enjoyed dusting it on top of other deodorants and I've used it as a dry shampoo too.  I imagine it would also work well for diapering, chafing, and anything else you'd use conventional baby and dusting powders for.

Ingredients: Kaolin Clay Powder, Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda), Maranta arundinacea (Arrowroot) Powder, Plantago major (Plantain) leaf Powder, Organic Raw Vanilla planifolia (Vanilla) Bean Powder. 

The Bottom Line
Ora's Amazing Herbal uses high quality, natural ingredients and sustainable, ethical business practices and is a company I'd feel confident recommending.  The salve was the star of the show for me, but I've enjoyed using the lip balm and body powder as well.   I do wish the powder had a bit more scent to it, but it isn't anything that will stop me from enjoying the product as is.  

The price point, across the entire line, is also very reasonable, with lip balms ringing in at $3.99, powders at $10.99, and salves at $8.99 (1 oz.) and $18.99 (4 oz.)



Disclosure: Product provided for my honest review.  I was under no obligation to write a positive review in return for free product, nor was I compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own.