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DIY Lavender Chamomile Cleansing Oil / Makeup Remover

Oil cleansers are one of my favorite products to DIY because they're just so darn easy to make!  I concocted this particular blend about two months ago and after whipping up a new batch this morning, it seemed like a good time to share the recipe here.  

 Almond oil makes up the bulk of the cleansing oil, chosen because it's supremely gentle and nourishing, and wonderful for sensitive and reactive skin.  Castor oil is an oil cleansing classic that's fantastic for balancing oil production and really deeply penetrating into the pores and removing any debris or build up.  Rosehip oil adds an extra boost of vitamins and antioxidants and is excellent for evening out skin tone and fading scars.  

 Chamomile and lavender essential oils give the cleansing oil a beautiful and relaxing scent, perfect for winding down at the end of the day.  Both are also fantastic all-round skin oils and, again, great for sensitive skin.  Carrot seed oil is an anti-aging superstar with strong regenerative properties.  [As always, I'd stress that you make sure you're using high quality, unadulterated essential oils -- I have an old post covering some of the most important things to look out for HERE.]

I use cleansing oils to remove my makeup and as a first cleanse, and that's exactly how I use this one.  You could absolutely use it by itself to.  It's a non-emulsifying oil, so whether or not you use a second cleanser, you'll need some kind of face cloth or sponge to properly wipe the oil off your skin.  

You'll Need:
2 oz. Almond Oil
1/2 oz. Castor Oil
1/4 oz. Rosehip Seed Oil
6 drops Roman Chamomile Essential Oil
6 drops Lavender Essential Oil
3 drops Carrot Seed Essential Oil

 Combine all ingredients in a (preferably glass) jar and shake gently to combine.

 To Use: Massage oil onto a dry face and softly work into skin for 1-2 minutes.  Gently wipe oil off with a warm damp washcloth, konjac sponge, or face wipe.  Follow with another cleanser if desired.

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Holiday Gift Guide #2: Gifts for the Green Beauty Lover Who's Tried It All

Last week's gift guide covered gifts suitable for introducing a newbie to green beauty and today, I want to flip to the complete other end of the spectrum: shopping for the experienced green beauty lover.  She's already a clean beauty devotee and has sampled the gamut herself.  In a lot of ways, I think this is one of the most challenging giftees to shop for, but I've put together a good mix of new releases and lesser known companies and products to help you out.  
Rachel's Plan Bee x kimberlyloc Limited Edition Body Oil
A collaboration between Rachel's Plan Bee and Kim of kimberlyloc.com, this limited edition body oil features two types of jasmine, rose, vanilla, and sweet orange.  The company's original body oil is a firm favorite of mine that hydrates like a dream without leaving your skin feeling greasy or coated, and I have no doubt that the jasmine-infused oil is equally beautiful for jasmine and floral lovers.  

 Henné Organics Luxury Organic Lip Balm
USDA certified organic, made with minimal ingredients, and packaged in beautiful and luxe Miron glass,  Henné Organics lip balm epitomizes elegant simplicity and is just the thing for the tough-to-shop-for green beauty lover.  After all, who doesn't love a good lip balm - especially in the dead of winter?

 Ilia Beauty Fall/Winter Collection
Ilia recently expanded their collection to include eyeliners, shadow sticks, and liquid foundation.  I'm swooning over the idea of twist up liners - virtually unheard of from natural brands - and the shadow sticks look great too!  I haven't heard a lot about the foundation so far, but so long as you're confident in your ability to color match your recipient's skintone, it could make a lovely gift too.

 NCLA Nail Lacquers
I don't see NCLA talked about a lot, but these 5-free and vegan lacquers are one of my favorite nail polish formulas.  They dry quickly and wear well, and with tons of colors, multiple finishes and several different gift set options, there's lots to choose from!

 A Fantastic Face Mask
What beauty junkie doesn't love a good face mask?  Pictured above are Balanced Guru's Calming Masque - a favorite of mine that equally detoxifies and soothes the skin - and two that are new to me: Corpa Flora's berry-packed Caviar Rouge and Consonant's multitasking (exfoliating, detoxifying + moisturizing) DHE Mask.  All three brands have excellent products but tend to fly slightly under the radar in the green beauty community.  

 An Essential Oil Diffuser
Essential oil diffusers are great for scenting your home, setting a mood, and purifying the air.  Pictured above is Young Living's Dew Drop, the one I'm currently using.  I like it because it's quiet and it creates enough of a scent throw to be noticeable throughout a large room or even an entire floor.  Because it uses water to create a cool mist, it also acts as a small-scale humidifier, so it's great for keeping skin hydrated too.  

 Napa Organics Plum Oil / Océopin Maritime Pine Seed Oil
Any green beauty devotee is sure to have tried their share of oils, but they may not be familiar with these two lesser-known beauties.  Both are harvested in limited quantities - in California and southern France, respectively - and are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that are great for cell renewal and maintaining the skin's elasticity and barrier function.  Napa Organics' Plum Kernel Oil has a light almond/cherry scent and is excellent for balancing oil production and minimizing the appearance of scars and fine lines.  And, Océopin's Maritime Pine Seed Oil, which uses a patented cold extraction method to extract oil from the pine cones of organic Maritime pine trees, has an extremely high antioxidant content that actively protects against skin aggressors and free radicals. 

 What would you suggest when shopping for a fellow green beauty lover?  

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Easy DIY Witch Hazel Aftershave (No More Razor Bumps!)

Come summer, many of us are a little more vigilant about hair removal.  I love the warmer temperatures, but one thing I could do without is the ongoing struggle with irritation, razor bumps and ingrown hairs.  I've tried a few different home remedies in the past, but nothing's has worked as well as I'd hoped.  This year, after consulting the ingredients of a few hyped up conventional products, I decided to try my hand at a DIY version using only clean, natural ingredients.  And I'm happy to say, it worked out splendidly.

Ingredients varied across products on the store shelf, but what they all had in common was that they were astringent formulas generally containing some combination of alcohol, witch hazel, and/or salicylic acid.  For the base of my DIY version, I used a witch hazel astringent with 14% alcohol.  (It's important to use a traditional, alcohol-based witch hazel here.  Alcohol free options will not be as effective.)  I chose not to add any additional alcohol, though doing so would probably put your formula closer to the on-the-shelf varieties.  I added lavender essential oil and zinc oxide for their skin soothing properties and glycerin to compensate for any drying effects of the witch hazel.  The menthol content of eucalyptus essential oil imparts a mild, cooling sensation.  

Witch Hazel Aftershave
4 ounces witch hazel astringent
1/2 teaspoon vegetable glycerin
6 drops eucalyptus essential oil
6 drops lavender essential oil
1/8 teaspoon zinc oxide

 It really is one of the simplest DIY's ever.  Just add everything into a (preferably glass) bottle and shake to combine.  For simplicity's sake, as well as ingredient purity, I didn't include an emulsifier, so both the essential oils and zinc oxide do separate.  Give it a good shake before each use and you're good to go.  I recommend using it right after shaving or waxing and for at least one or two consecutive days after.  

 Let me know if you give it a try!
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5 New Things (Isabella's Clearly, Yosh Konjac, Silk Naturals + More!)

In spite of not spending much on beauty products these last several months, I've still managed to get my hands on a few new items.  Here are five new things I've been trying out recently, both from new-to-me brands and old favorites:


 Isabella's Clearly Wave*
Wave blends together Himalayan sea salt crystals and a base of jojoba and olive oils, creating a unique texturizing oil that's a hybrid between a sea salt spray and a regular hair oil.  I don't recommend dousing your hair in the oil - like you might with a watery texturizing spray - but a conservative amount run through the lengths of the hair helps define curls and minimizes frizz without weighing down hair.  The scent - a mix of jasmine and basil essential oils - is sweet and floral, with just a hint of earthiness from the basil.

 Silk Naturals Brightening Concealer
A recent release, the Brightening Concealers are loose powder concealers with a soft focus, subtly radiant finish.  I've used Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar for years and these seem similar, only amped up a little.  They're still sheer, but offer a little more coverage than Sleep in a Jar and do a great job softening and blurring fine lines and small blemishes.  Made with silica and ceramic microspheres, they also feel buttery and blend into the skin very easily.  

 I've been testing out a sample of #2 - advertised as a dupe for Anastasia's Banana Powder - which is a little too dark for me, though it still works okay.  Priced at $6.50, the concealers are crazy affordable and I'm already planning to order full sizes of both #1 and #2, as I suspect the two mixed together will make my perfect shade.  

 Young Living Carrot Seed Oil
Carrot seed oil is extracted from the dried seeds of the wild carrot plant, also known as Queen Anne's lace.  It's most often recommended for mature skin and anti-aging, but with a high antioxidant content, natural SPF, antiseptic properties, and radiance boosting effects, carrot seed oil should appeal to virtually everyone.  I've only mixed it into face masks so far, but I'm curious to try it other ways too and I'll report back once I've done a little more experimenting.

 Andalou Naturals Lime Blossom and Clementine Hand Creams
After seeing Andalou's hand creams recommended by both Mary (Makeup by Mary B) and Nicole (Live It, Love It, Green It), I ordered the Lime Blossom and Clementine varieties from iherb, where they're currently on super sale for $3.99.  The two have slightly different ingredients, but both feel nourishing and absorb quickly without any greasy or oily residue.  The scents are pretty light, though I'm still surprised how much I love the sweet, tropical scent of the coconut water-infused Lime Blossom.  It's not at all a sunscreeny coconut, but it does smell like summer in a bottle with a mix of coconut, lime, and mint.   The Clementine is a bright citrus scent and a little more subtle than the Lime Blossom.  

 Yosh Konjac Cherry Blossom Konjac Sponge*
As soon as I return to cleansing with a konjac sponge, I always wonder what took me so long!  The biggest change I notice is just how clean these vegetable fiber sponges keep my pores.  Yosh Konjac is a new company to me, but I like that they're Canadian and that the sponges are completely natural, cruelty-free, and free of artificial coloring and preservatives.  The Cherry Blossom Sponge is handmade in Japan with 100% pure konjac fibers infused with cherry blossom leaf essence and pink clay and is suitable for all skin types and said to encourage skin revitalization and luminosity.  

 What new products have you tried recently?
*Press sample
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Mid-Winter Favorites

I've never been very consistent about writing favorites posts, but I really want to do better this year.  I'm not going to promise weekly or even monthly favorites, but I hope to do a favorites post at least every two or three months.   Starting today!  Keep reading for a look at some of the things I'm currently loving...

Andalou Naturals Brightening All-in-One Beauty Balm
I included Andalou's BB Cream in a wishlist post when it first launched, but when reviews and swatch photos started cropping up, I mentally scratched it off for being way too dark and orange for my fair skin.  When I got my hands on it two years later in a goodie bag from a Goodness Me! blogger event, I almost passed it on unopened, but thankfully my curiosity got the better of me.

As you can see, the color is legitimately pretty orange and not remotely close to my skin tone.  (Mere technicalities!)  I'm not sure how, but a thin layer somehow manages to blend in and actually work on my ultra pale, middle-of-winter skin.  I end up looking tanned - but not orange - with super glowy, fresh skin.  Coverage is very minimal, although it does even out some discoloration.  The finish is also a little dewier than I prefer, so I like to lightly dust over it with a powder, which takes down the dewiness, adds a little extra coverage, and helps the color look a little more seamless and natural.  

 The other incredible thing about this product is its effect on pores.  Conventional makeup usually relies on silicones to manufacture a barrier that gives the appearance of poreless skin, but somehow, this silicone-free option also manages to minimize the look of pores and lends them a similar filled in appearance.  AND, it's not just a temporary, makeup thing - my naked pores actually look smaller and more refined after a few days of using this product.  When I stop using it, they gradually go back to normal, and then when I use it again, they become noticeably smaller within a few days.  Pretty impressive!

 Crazy Rumors Plum & Peppermint Lip Balm
I like the formula of Crazy Rumors lip balms, but the individual flavors are very hit or miss for me.  Plum & Peppermint is a total hit!  It's super fruity and brings back memories of BonneBell Lip Smackers, although it doesn't smell fake the way those do.  To my nose, there's a hint of peppermint, but the predominant scent is definitely the plum.  I've been alternating between this and the Rocky Mountain lip balm I wrote about earlier this week, and my lips have stayed super soft and protected despite how cold it's been.  

 Meow Meow Tweet Lavender Deodorant Cream
You may recall my attempt to make Schmidt's deodorant work for me, and while this time playing kitchen chemist did eliminate the burning and rashes, I ended up with twice as much of a deodorant that I still don't crazy love.  I've been putting off buying any new deodorant until I work through all that, but when Meow Meow Tweet's Lavender Deodorant Cream came in the December Petit Vour box, I decided it was okay to take a break from my never-ending Schmidt's to try it out.  The formula is very creamy but dry on your skin, which I love.  I find most cream deodorants tend to be either hard or oily, so I really appreciate how soft the Meow Meow Tweet Formula is without feeling greasy on the skin or leaving oil stains on your clothes.  The company's Baking Soda Free deodorant has gotten a lot of love recently, so I think that will be my next purchase (months down the road when I finish the Schmidt's!) but the baking soda in this original formula also hasn't caused any irritation for me.  

 Young Living Oregano Essential Oil
I've blogged about my difficulties getting rid of build up on my scalp and reviewed several clarifying hair products over the years, but when I came across this blog post on It's An Itchy Little World, it hit me that maybe what was going on wasn't product build up, but rather a very minor case of seborrheic dermatitis.  Jennifer's post has a lot more information, but in very short summary, seborrheic dermatitis is a yeast overgrowth in the body that causes increased oil production.  I've successfully managed my scalp by using a homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse a couple times per month, but once this new information presented itself, I wanted to try to eliminate the cause - systemic yeast overgrowth - as opposed just treating the symptom.  

 I was already taking probiotics and I decided to incorporate oregano essential oil in addition.  Oregano is most well-known for immune-boosting, but it's also has anti-fungal properties that are effective on yeast and candida.  I started out with 5 drops of oregano in a veggie capsule twice daily, but gradually increased the dose to 12 drops twice daily.  A lot of the oregano oils you buy are diluted, but Young Living's is not, so I diluted it myself with olive oil, since straight oregano can burn your stomach.  The results have actually been pretty amazing!  I noticed within the first couple days that my skin looked better, and that's only gotten more true as time has gone on.  It's taken longer to see results on my scalp and I've just recently started to notice a real difference after 2-3 months of taking the oregano.

 I've also read that seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp is quite similar to cradle cap, and when I was talking about this with my mom, she mentioned that I was born with a bad case of cradle cap.  It's fascinating how these kinds of things connect!  Also interesting is how this experience has made me more aware of other factors that were affecting my scalp.  I eat a very clean diet for the most part, but during these three months, there was a night I had Swiss Chalet and another time I went out for cheap thai food and both times I noticed a flare up on my scalp by the next day, which I'm attributing to these more processed, sugary foods that were probably also full of chemicals and preservatives.  

 I'm not a medical professional or attempting to give any sort of medical advice, just sharing what has worked for me.  Before purchasing any oregano oil to take internally, please make sure you're buying a high quality oil by reading my 3 Things You Should Know Before Buying Essential Oils.  

 BareMinerals The Perfect Storm Ready Eyeshadow 2.0
BareMinerals is what I consider a somewhat natural brand, but I feel comfortable with the ingredients in most of their powder products.  I placed a Sephora order a few weeks ago - my first Sephora purchase in nearly three years according to their records - and got this eye shadow duo as a free gift with purchase.  I've wanted to try the Ready Eyeshadows for a while, and while I wasn't super excited about the colors in the duo to start with, but I ended up loving both of them!  Cumulus is a satin white that sheers out into the perfect brow bone highlight and Tempest is a great taupey grey that works beautifully in the crease with virtually any eye look.  The duo isn't something I see myself using much by itself, but both shades are incredibly useful and I'm very happy to have them.  The shadows are soft, smooth and pigmented and I'm impressed all around.  

I can't find The Perfect Storm duo for sale anywhere, but as of today, you can still get it free with a $30 Sephora order and the code "READY" 

What have you been loving lately?

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Beyond the Label: 3 Things You Should Know Before Buying Essential Oils

I've wanted to write a series of posts on essential oils for quite some time, but I've somehow never actually sat down and done it.  I don't have any formal training, but I grew up in a very essential oil-friendly household with two Certified Aromatherapists - my mom and older sister - and I also received some essential oil training while I was working at the health food store, so I have a pretty good knowledge base to draw from.

For this first post, I want to talk about a few things I think you should know before buying any essential oil.  There is currently no legal standard or governing body for essential oils, which means companies can basically bombard you with claims without ever needing to actually prove or back them up.  Similarly, laws - at a minimum, those in North America - do not require full ingredient disclosure on essential oil labels. 


You all know I love a bargain, but essential oils are one area where I think it's generally worth spending a little more.  Here's why -

 1. Growing Conditions
The most basic thing to look for is organic oils.  Essential oils are a highly concentrated plant product, so if the plants being distilled are not organic, any essential oil produced will also contained a concentrated amount of whatever pesticides, herbicides or insecticides have been used on the plants.  

 Also consider issues of sustainability - are the plants being grown with sustainable farming practices that protect the environment, public health, human communities and animal welfare?

 2. Extraction Methods
There are numerous ways to extract essential oils, but basically you want to look for oils that are distilled at low temperatures, low pressures, and without chemical solvents.  Steam distillation is generally good, and much like with olive oil, essential oils from the first distillation are preferable to those from the second or third or "complete distillation," which refers to a blend of the three.  

 Solvent extraction - the cheapest, quickest method and the one with the highest yield - is also very common, so if a company does not credit another method, it's very possible they are using solvents at some point in the distillation process.  

 Those looking for vegetarian and vegan products should also keep an eye out for enfleurage distillation which can involve distilling oils in animal fat.  

 3. Ingredient Transparency: Additives + Misleading Ingredients 
Obviously we are looking for pure oils, but with the lack of supervision and governing,  that can be harder to confirm than you might think.  A couple things to keep in mind:

 Is the oil diluted or cut with chemicals?  
Disingenuous companies have been shown to "stretch" essential oils with other ingredients.  Whether to make them smell better to the average consumer or just to increase profit margins, fillers can include nasties like propylene glycol and synthetic fragrance components.  Look for companies that do external, third party testing to ensure that oils have not been diluted, cut, or adulterated. 

 Does the chemical (INCI) name match the common name on the label?
There are a lot of related plants out there and sometimes companies will take a cheaper relative and sell that oil in place of a more costly one.  While the replacement plant likely has a similar scent, it can be problematic because it won't necessarily have the same medicinal properties.  

 Lavender is a common culprit for this and is one of the essential oils that is most often falsely labeled and/or adulterated.  Take this example:  The health food store I used to work in sold one of the more expensive and well-thought of essential oil brands on store shelves and said brand offered ten varieties of lavender.  My store only stocked two: "True Lavender" which was real lavender and "Lavender Hybrid" which was lavender's close relative, lavendin.  The two share a similar scent profile and both are great for relaxation, however lavendin does not have the same skin healing properties as lavender.  Lavender is great for healing burns, but lavendin - which contains camphor - can actually aggravate them and make them worse.  Lavendin is, however, a whole lot cheaper.  

The Bottom Line
Essential oils can be wonderful, powerful, healing things, but I think it's so important to make sure you're buying high quality ones.  Whichever oils you decide to use, the main point I want to stress is to DO YOUR RESEARCH.  Not everything on the shelves is honest, so you really need to take it one step further and research beyond what's on the label.  A reputable company with nothing to hide should be able and willing to answer all your questions.

 There's a lot of push/pull about specific essential oil brands out there, which is one of the reasons I've mostly refrained from writing about this topic in the past.  I don't need to start a debate over which oils are best, but personally, I choose to use Young Living.  I've used these oils for years now and in pretty much every way imaginable - for aromatherapy, neat (undiluted) and even internally - and I'm very happy with them.  I've gotten a number of emails over the last few months asking for essential oil recommendations, which is why I'm putting it out here publicly.  I started with Young Living purely to get the products for personal use, but as I'm sure many of you already know, it is an MLM company.  If you decide to join, I'd love it if you used my member/sponsor number: 954496.  

 Would you be interested in more essential oil-related posts?  Are there any specific topics/questions you'd like to see addressed in upcoming posts?
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Review: Young Living Valor Bar Soap

As I mentioned in my Boswellia Wrinkle Creme review, over the winter I changed up my entire skincare routine.  The soap I ended up really liking is also from Young Living, but thankfully, at around $10, it is a lot more affordable than the Wrinkle Creme! 

Young Living's bar soaps aren't specifically intended as a face wash, and even though I don't generally like bar soaps a whole lot, this one has become a favorite.  Occasionally I do find it slightly drying, so it might not be ideal if you have very dry skin to begin with, but followed by a moisturizer, it has been working really well for me. 

Valor is one of Young Living's essential oil blends and is a mix of spruce, rosewood, blue tansy, and frankincense.  It is sold as an essential oil and also used to scent this soap.  Young Living's bar soaps come in a number of other scents, but Valor is my favorite - it smells amazing and I find it more moisturizing than some of the other scents.  If you're looking for a new bar soap, I'd definitely recommend checking this one out!


         

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Splurge Review: Young Living Boswellia Wrinkle Creme

Backstory
Since I've been in school and not working full time, I've been reluctant to spend a lot on beauty and skincare.  One product I think is completely worth splurging on is Young Living's Boswellia Wrinkle Creme.  Considering that, at 23, I'm not very concerned about wrinkles, the fact that I'm willing to spend so much on a wrinkle creme is even funnier.  

Usually I have normal to oily skin, but this past winter, after struggling with breakouts, I changed up my entire skincare routine.  I was a lot happier with it overall, but I ended up with a few dry patches.  I tried more affordable moisturizers, but didn't get any significant results, so one night, I decided to try my mom's Boswellia Wrinkle Creme in place of a moisturizer.  It absorbed quickly and left my skin feeling soft and moisturized.  The next day, my skin still felt great and the tightness and dryness I'd been experiencing hadn't come back.  

Product Claims
Young Living claims that ... "Boswellia™ Wrinkle Cream nourishes skin for a smoother, more youthful appearance. Its primary ingredient methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) supports collagen to improve skin firmness and minimize fine lines. Essential oils of geranium, myrrh, sandalwood, and ylang ylang soothe and soften the skin, while frankincense and wolfberry oil enhance collagen formation."

Does it live up to its claims?  Results after 1 Month+
Yes, I think it does.  Not only did the creme help with dryness, but it also helped clear up the breakouts I'd been struggling with.  I also noticed an improvement in a few spots where I had hyperpigmentation from old acne breakouts and my skin is smoother and softer overall as well.  I've also got two lines on my forehead, between my eyebrows - I think just from the facial expressions I tend to make.  After about a month of using this, I noticed they were less visible, and after 2-3 months use, they're almost completely gone!  They aren't really wrinkles, per say, but they were pretty visible lines, and with how amazingly the Boswellia Wrinkle Creme worked on them, I'm pretty confident that it would be effective on wrinkles as well.

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