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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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Five Unconventional Beauty Products To Try

By Callie McBride

A woman’s beauty routine is often cherished, closely detailed, and dates back to the time that she first dipped her toes into makeup in the 7th grade. Once we find our holy grail products, we stick to them and seldom steer from the norm, because we think we have found what works for us. That may not be the case, though, especially with organic beauty products on the rise. Your drug-store or high-end makeup collection may completely satisfy you, but similar to food products with long and hard-to-pronounce ingredients, makeup can contain toxic chemicals that we would never want to apply to our face if we knew what they were. Just as your body doesn’t react well to a Twinkie, you may be completely unaware that your current beauty bag is causing beauty blusters such as breakouts or dry skin.

Organic beauty products offer a solution to the mysteries of makeup contents, as most brands offer products with only four or five common household ingredients (think coconut butter, shea butter, oatmeal extract, olive oil, beeswax).

Whether you’re a veteran natural beauty guru or just dabbling into the healthier makeup world, here are five products worthy of picking up for their all-natural ingredient labels and healthy benefits.

1. RMS Beauty Uncover-Up 11

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Celebrity makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift is behind this organic beauty line, which illuminates the skin instead of cakes it like many harsh and heavy foundations. Swift promises that her ingredients do not only create a beautiful effect on the skin, but even work to nourish and heal. This cover-up is packed with minerals, coconut oil, cocoa and shea butter, sunflower oil, and rosemary extract and is ideal for light and glowing coverage.

2. Soapwalla Deodorant Cream

soapwalla-deodorant-cream-v2A close friend of mine just introduced me to this interesting, slightly intimidating product-deodorant in cream form!? It sounds a bit off-putting to rub under your arms, but Soapwalla’s version currently has a wait list, giving some slight indication that women are satisfied. No questionable ingredients are on the label; what this cream does contain is vegetable powders and lavender and tea tree extract, so you can trust that it works throughout the day and leaves you smelling lovely.

3. Suntegrity Face Moisture

S_1313634_geThis chemical-free SPF-30 sunscreen is actually infused with youth-promoting antioxidants and acts as a 3 in 1: moisturizer, sunscreen, and face primer. Anti-inflammatory, cruelty-free, non-toxic; yes, yes, yes!

4. Sally B’s Skin Yummies B Green Mud Mask

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With a blend of French Green Clay and blended herbs that absorb excess oil and toxins from the skin, this certified organic and vegan mud mask brightens skin tone and improves the overall look of your skin. It’s also filled lavender extract and green tea to give your look a boost of healthy glow. Sally B’s entire line is worth checking out, with all-natural and organic products for both the face and body.

5. Egyptian Magic All-Purpose Cream

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This ultra-simple and straight-forward product has only five ingredients: olive oil, beeswax, honey, pollen, and royal jelly, and has been hailed as a true skin changer. Without any toxins or synthetic ingredients, it is Egypt’s worst-kept secret and favorite among beauty guru celebs such as Kate Bosworth.

With all your might, steer away from your beloved beauty routine to test out these products and see whether you reap the same amazing benefits that these product-hoarders do!

 

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