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5 Minutes to Looking Put Together (even when you have no time)

5 Minutes to Looking Put Together | The Organic Beauty Blog

A mama recently posted in one of the many FB groups I’m in that she feels like it’s impossible to look and feel put together with a baby and a toddler around.  Though I only have one of those to contend with, I sometimes feel like little M is both a sweet, needy little baby and a willful, naysaying toddler all rolled into one — so I can relate.  As moms or otherwise busy ladies strapped for time in the morning (or EVER, for that matter), it can be super hard to make time for seemingly meaningless rituals like hair and makeup.  BUT, feeling schlumpy is a big cause of the lowered self-esteem, motivation and sex drive that can come with motherhood (or super mega busy ladyhood).

To that, I say “No way!”

Feeling put together can mean the difference between a confident, radiant, and joyful day-to-day, and one that is, well.. not.  The effects of this one seemingly meaningless act of self-care reverberate across all areas of your life.

But fear not! I am certainly not of the camp of women who always look polished and manicured, and I definitely don’t want you to feel that pressure (unless you’re one of those women, in which case, kudos to you!).  So I have perfected a super quick, low maintenance approach to looking more or less put together that leaves me feeling like a sexy lady and not a frumpy mom who may or may not still be in yesterday’s undies.

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The purest makeup for every skin type

A girl’s makeup can sometimes feel like an ingrained part of our identity.  I know women who have literally used the same mascara brand since high school. We can get so attached to our makeup choices that it’s easy to totally overlook the safety of what we’re putting on our skin! I consider choosing to use the most non-toxic, purest makeup to be an act of self-care.  Not only are we choosing not to expose our skin (and therefore our entire system) to toxic chemicals, but we are also prioritizing the safety of our loved ones (I mean, our beaus eat up plenty of our lipstick when we smooch, and of course our kiddos are exposed to the products on our face and body with every hug, smooch, and snuggle).  So I love to discover new makeup brands that put a premium on purity and safety.

Omiana Talc-Free Natural Makeup | The Organic Beauty Blog

I first discovered Omiana over a year ago (when they were known as Epic Mineral Beauty), and was super impressed by their clean, talc and mica-free makeup that worked beautifully.  They’ve since rebranded and expanded their collection to include much more than just mineral makeup, and I have to say, the new line is even more impressive and definitely more luxe.

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Last Minute Beauty Gifts for the Naturalista + Giveaway

Leclisse-natural-makeup-holiday-gifts

As you can tell by the name of this blog, I’m pretty obsessed with all things organic beauty.  “Natural” and “organic” used to be synonymous with “ineffective” when it came to many makeup and beauty products back in the day.. not so anymore.  There are SO many amazing natural beauty products out there that not only work, but work wonders on your skin!

I believe anything we put on our skin should not only make it look better, but also make it healthier, so I get really pumped about natural makeup that promises and delivers just that. L’eclisse creates super high quality cosmetics using the finest minerals that are actually healthy for your skin.  Free of synthetic perfumes, dyes, fillers, or chemicals, the ingredients in their makeup work to soothe sensitive skin, heal and protect from environmental irritants, and hydrate without clogging pores.

If you have a natural beauty on your gift list, L’eclisse has you covered with their awesome holiday gift sets.  Easy peasy last minute gifts for a glowing goddess.

The Holiday Glow Gift Set ($59.99) includes:

  • The Pressed Mineral Blush is silky smooth, and is formulated without talc or fillers, and is loaded with skin protecting grapeseed oil and sunflower seed oil, as well as skin perfecting rosemary.  It comes in three flattering hues that provide beautiful, sheer coverage for just the right amount of glow.
  • The Blush Brush which is vegan, cruelty-free, and made from high quality hypoallergenic fibers for a soft and smooth application.
  • The Natural Lip Gloss made from lip beautifying organic, antioxidant-rich ingredients like coconut oil, carrot powder, rosemary and citrus extracts that heal, protect, and hydrate lips with the most beautiful shimmering shades.

The Mistletoe Kiss Stocking Stuffer ($39.99) features:

  • Three of the Natural Lip Glosses in three beautiful, universally flattering shades that look good with any complexion

Enter to win a Holiday Glow Gift Set!

L’eclisse Holiday Glow Gift Set Giveaway

Mineral Beauty That’s EPIC

Epic Mineral Beauty

Finding high quality, effective, and natural makeup can definitely be a challenge.  We have our few favorite brands that we resort to, and we’re always thrilled to discover a new product line to add to our mix, especially since the availability of high quality, natural products pretty much dictates what we do and do not use in our beauty routines!

Because of this, we had all but given up on using mineral makeup over the last year or two. Discovering safe mineral products that were free of skin irritants and toxic ingredients like mica, talc, and titanium dioxide had proven to be all but impossible! So you can imagine how pumped we were to discover Epic Mineral Beauty, a beautiful line of mineral makeup products that is free of literally every questionable ingredient on our list!

To boot, the mineral foundations, blushes and bronzers come in a variety of lovely hues to perfectly match your skintone, and the eyeshadows come in some luscious must-have basic tones. We found that our skin looked beautiful, natural, and clean, with buildable coverage that lasted.  Plus, no irritation, clogged pores, breakouts or skin drama whatsoever!

To find your perfect hues, order the sample sizes.


 

Enter our Epic Mineral Beauty Giveaway!

You’ll get one full-size foundation and one full-size mineral veil — an almost $60 value!

TO ENTER:

  1. Click here to sign up for our email list (don’t worry, we’ll never hound you with lots of emails!)
  2. Leave a comment below letting us know you signed up!

And our winner is: Aimee!!

GP: My Natural Beauty Skinspiration

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

A weird thing started happening when I reached my 30’s: Instead of layering on the anti-aging products and slathering on more makeup to simulate my teenage skin, I found myself opting for a much more natural makeup look and and a more simplified beauty routine.  Gone are my black rimmed eyes and foundations.  No more do I turn to multi-step systems with harsh cleansers, gels and creams.  And guess what?  Not only does my skin look way better than it did when I was 20, but I also feel way more confident that the products I do use are going to actually improve the health and quality of my skin, in addition to its appearance.

One of my icons in this transition has been Gwyneth Paltrow, who has long been the face of fresh-skinned, glowing, natural beauty.  You’ll seldom see her walking the red carpet with a heavy, done-up look.  She’ll typically focus on one area of her face to emphasize for a more dramatic look (bold lips, with muted eyes; or smoky eyes with a nude lips), but more often than not, she’s seen about town with gorgeous, natural-looking eyes, a peachy blush, and some lip gloss.  The epitome of natural gorgeousness.

I’ve taken a few pages from GP’s book in creating my daily skin care regimen. Check out my 6 daily steps to getting that natural, gorgeous glow:

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Natural Summer Makeup Essentials

jcrew summer makeup Summer heat, humidity and sun present an annual makeup quandary that can either leave us melting into an oily, streaky mess or going uncomfortably bare. Neither option is particularly alluring, and neither embodies that glowing je ne sais quoi  that we’re going for.

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Best Organic Beauty Products of 2012

It’s that time of year again!  We are so lucky to have been able to try some of the best in organic and natural beauty and self-care products, and we’re thrilled to present the Organic Beauty Talk Best in Green 2012 Award Winners, featuring so many of our favorite brands.  A lot of these products and brands are featured in our ebook, Four Steps to Naturalizing Your Life, which you can download for free by signing up for our newsletter!

Using healthy, natural products for your skin, hair, body, and home is just as important as what you eat and how often you work out.  And by using the products below, you don’t have to sacrifice effectiveness or ease of use!

Have a favorite from the list below?  Leave a comment and let us know!

Face

  • Best Natural Facial Line for Problem Skin – S.W. Basics (formerly Sprout Skincare, $24-$32)
  • Best Natural Facial Line for Normal & Dry Skin – Grateful Body ($22-$36)
  • Best Natural Facial Line for Sensitive Skin (can also be used on all skin types including blemish-prone) – Pai ($35-$55)
  • Best Holistic Facial Line for Normal & Dry Skin – Dr. Hauschka ($26.95-$89.95)
  • Best Organic Anti-Aging Facial Line – Intelligent Nutrients ($24-$55)
  • Best Organic Facial Line (including sensitive and blemish-prone skin) – Spiezia ($37.50-$85)
  • Best Natural Value Facial Line – Zum Face ($9.50-$24)
  • Best Up & Coming Natural Facial Lines – Sequoia Beauty ($24-$50) & Stark Skincare ($22-$48)
  • Best Natural Face Moisturizer – Tata Harper Repairative Moisturizer ($100) & Izlla Fresh Sweet Carrot Facial Day Creme ($29.95)
  • Best Organic Facial Scrub – HollyBeth Organics Grits & Honey Scrub ($25)
  • Best Natural Facial Mask – La Bella Figura ($60)
  • Best Natural Face Serum – Lina Hanson Global Face Serum ($85)
  • Best Natural Eye Cream – 100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream ($19) & Tata Harper Restorative Eye Treatment ($90)
  • Best Natural Facial Sunscreen – Erbaviva Sunscreen SPF 30 ($22)

 

Makeup

  • Best Natural Mineral Makeup Line – Alima Pure ($11-$22)
  • Best Natural Liquid Foundation – Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation ($48)
  • Best Natural Luxury Makeup Line – Kjaer Weis ($44-$54)
  • Best Natural Tinted Moisturizer – 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Tinted Moisturizer ($32)
  • Best Natural Bronzer – 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Bronzer ($25)
  • Best Natural Creme Blush – Youngblood Luminous Creme Blush ($27)
  • Best Natural Eyeliner – Lavera Soft Eyeliner ($14.50)
  • Best Natural Mascara – Josie Maran GoGo Instant Volume Argan Mascara ($22)
  • Best Natural Lip Color – 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip Glaze ($15) & Ilia Beauty ($24)
  • Best Organic Lip Gloss – Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Lip Delivery Antioxidant Gloss ($24)
  • Best Natural Lip Exfoliator – Ilia Beauty Balmy Nights ($24)
  • Best Natural Multi-Stick – Ilia Beauty ($34)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Makeup Brushes – EcoTools (6.99-$15.99)
  • Best Natural Makeup Remover – Desert Essence Jojoba Oil ($5.89)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Nail Polish – butter LONDON ($14) & Priti NYC ($13.50)

 

Body

  • Best Organic Body Bar Soap – Dr. Bronner’s Soap ($3.99)
  • Best Organic Luxury Body Bar Soap – Osmia Organics Handmade Bar Soap ($12)
  • Best Natural Body Wash – Patyka Absolis Body Wash ($45)
  • Best Natural Body Oil – Indie Lee Moisturizing Oil ($34)
  • Best Natural Body Lotion – HollyBeth Organics Geranium Jasmine Lavender Body Lotion ($37)
  • Best Natural Value Hand & Body Lotion – Jason Vanilla Hand & Body Lotion ($5.79)
  • Best Natural Body Butter – Moksa Organics Body Butter ($16)
  • Best Natural Body Scrub – Indie Lee Coconut Citrus Body Scrub ($42)
  • Best Natural Hand Soap – Avalon Organics Glycerin Liquid Hand Soap ($4.89)
  • Best Natural Hand Cream – Weleda Pomegranate Hand Cream ($12.50)
  • Best Natural Value Body Care Line – Deep Steep ($6.95-$10.95)
  • Best Spa Private Label Line – St. Julien Spa
  • Best Natural Perfume – Tsi-La Organics ($38-$95)
  • Best Natural Solid Perfume – Ituri ($30)
  • Best Natural Deodorant Cream – Soapwalla Natural Deodorant Cream ($12)
  • Best Natural Deodorant Spray – Blissoma Natural Deodorant Spray ($10.99)
  • Best Natural Sunscreen – Soleil Organique ($18-$55)
  • Best Natural Cure-All – Pratima Healing Neem Oil ($29)
  • Best Natural Essential Oils – Mountain Rose Herbs Essential Oils ($1.75-$45)

 

Hair

  • Best Natural Shampoo & Conditioner – Acure Organics ($10)
  • Best Natural Hair Styling Products – Intelligent Nutrients ($12-29)
  • Best Natural Styling Products for Kinky, Curly & Wavy Hair (including color treated hair) – Shea Radiance ($16-$18)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Must-Have Product for Curly Hair – CURL-ease ($19.99)

 

Men

  • Best Natural Facial & Shave Line for Men – John Masters Organics Men ($22-$28) & Ursa Major ($24-$36)
  • Best Holistic Organic Line for Men – Dr. Alkaitis ($40-$80)
  • Best Ingrown Hair & Bump Preventer – SheaMoisture Tea Tree Herbal Bump Preventer ($9.99)
  • Best Natural Fragrance for Men – Tallulah Jane Yiska Natural Eau De Parfum Pour Homme ($48)

 

Children

  • Best Natural Lines for Children/Baby – Erbaviva ($10-$22) & Weleda ($7-$17)
  • Best Natural Line for Ethnically Diverse Children – Cara B Naturally ($8-$10)
  • Best Natural Sunscreen for Children/Baby – Erbaviva Sunscreen SPF 15 ($22) & Alba Botanica Kids SPF 45 Sunblock ($5.16)

 

Fashion

  • Best Eco-Friendly Clothing Line for Men – Threads For Thought ($14-$268)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Basics for Women – Threads For Thought ($10-$48)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Fast Fashion Clothing Line – H&M Conscious Collection (prices vary)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Jeans – AG Denim ($148-$215)
  • Best Organic Work Dress – Elsa & Me ($240)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Casual Shoes – Toms ($44-$69)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Women’s Boots – Naya Shoes ($200-$265)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Underwear, Tees & Socks – PACT ($10-$30)
  • Best Eco-Friendly Jewelry – Kyler ($48-$138)

 

Home

  • Best Natural All-Purpose Cleaner (even cleans tough grime in bathtubs & can be used as a laundry detergent) – Savon Noir 100% Natural All-Purpose Olive Oil Soap ($20)
  • Best Natural Homecare Line – Seventh Generation ($3.99-$22)
  • Best Natural Aromatherapeutic Household Cleaning Line – Mrs. Meyers ($3.99-$15.99)
  • Best Natural Candles – Red Flower Petal Topped Candles ($34)
  • Best Natural Air Freshener – Intelligent Nutrients ($40-$68) & Neom Luxury Organic Room Mist ($26)
  • Best Natural Value Air Freshener – Pure Citrus Air Freshener ($4.97)
  • Best Natural Reed Diffuser – Neom Luxury Organic Reed Diffuser ($56)
  • Best Eco Savvy Paper Products – Ecojot ($4.75-$17)

Pet

  • Best Natural Pet Shampoo & Conditioner – John Masters Organics Lemongrass & Flaxseed Pet Shampoo and Conditioner ($20)
  • Best Natural Dog Spritzer & Deodorizer – Cloud Star Buddy Splash ($5.95)
  • Best Natural Dog Treats – Cloud Star Soft & Chewy Buddy Biscuits ($3.99)