Shave this...

Let’s talk about shaving. We all have a love hate relationship with shaving, we love smooth skin but hate razor burn. There are a lot of new razors on the market designed specially for women. I bought and tried three of them, Billie, Flamingo and Joy, and here is what I think:

Billie - https://mybillie.com/pages/razor
Shaving companies have always been created for men which may explain why we're still overpaying for women's razors and referred to as goddesses for shaving. Our razors are built for a better shave: 5 sharp blades, encased in 360° of charcoal shave soap, with rounded edges to help you navigate those curves. Our products are free of toxins and bad additives — we only use premium, healthy ingredients. How it works? Your Starter Kit consists of a Billie handle, the mag(net)ic holder and two 5-blade razor cartridges for $9. Ongoing, we’ll deliver four replacement blade cartridges to your door for $9 (at a frequency of your choice) so you never run out of supplies. As always, free shipping. 

Flamingo - https://www.shopflamingo.com/products/razor/

We’ve been a part of the Harry’s family for a while, so naturally we started with body hair. Since Harry’s launched in 2013, over a million women have used and loved the products, including us. We set out to design something better. The result? A line of quality products, for all the places you count on quality, meet Flamingo. Our custom cut Gothic Arch shaped blades are made at our very own factory in Germany. Using the highest quality Swedish steel, our blades give you a close, smooth shave every time. We added a flexible hinge and rounded edges to work with your body — knees, bikini line, you name it. And our hydrating Aloe Vera strip makes for the most comfortable shaving experience. The razor is $9 and the blades come in a 5 pack for $16. Only available at Target.

Joy - http://www.joyshave.com/
In the wake of direct-to-consumer shaving startups like Flamingo and Billie, Joy is the latest player that's getting real about women's body hair — and making the products we actually want to use to deal with it (if we choose to do anything at all). As a shaving line, the most important product is probably the razor, which comes in a light pink or teal . Joy's version has five sharp Gillette blades and a Lubrastrip, which work together to give you a clean shave sans irritation. The non-slip grip handle makes it easy to hold, so you don't have to worry about dropping your razor. For $8.97 you get the razor handle and two blade refills. A set of four refill blades costs $8.97, while a set of eight refill blades costs even less per blade at $15.97. Only available at Walmart.

I have been using Billie for over a year. I’m happy with the razor but having razor blades only available via auto-ship, is not convenient. I cannot tell you how many times I ran out of blades and had to wait a week for new ones. It’s too stressful. I bought the Flamingo because two friends told me how great it was. My feeling, meh. I don’t think I get a close enough shave and I hate how flexible the blade head is. I recently bought Joy after seeing an ad. I wish I would have bought it months ago. It’s hands down the best razor have ever used. All summer I have been shaving my legs every other day. With Joy, I can go every two days because it gets such a close shave. Joy is definitely the winner, Billie is a close second if there was an alternative to auto-ship and Flamingo was my least favorite. 

ella+mila

If you are looking for a great chemical free nail polish, I found one! ella+mila is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after nail polishes. This line of lacquer was born from the simple idea of creating an eco-friendly yet high-end product. With a passion for color and dedication to healthy beauty, the founders strive to provide fashion-forward beauty products without compromise. These polishes are chip-resistant, quick-dry and high-shine. ella+mila nail colors do not contain toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), xylene and camphor making it a 7-free product. These polishes are also PETA-certified, cruelty-free and vegan.

I went directly on the ella+mila website and ordered five polishes. All About the Base (base coat), In a Rush (top coat), and three colors; Pinkterest+, From Rio XO, and I Pink I Love You.

I cannot believe how fast these polishes dry. It's unreal that your nails are completely dry in less than five minutes. They go on smooth, the colors are vibrant and the top coat definitely provides high-shine. I highly recommend this polish. You can purchase them directly on the ella+mila website and Target just picked up the line. My local Target says they will be available in store on March 26th. I can't wait to buy more colors!

If you missed this article in the New York Times, it's definitely worth the read. 

Do You Know What’s in Your Cosmetics?

Thousands of chemicals, in billions of dollars worth of products, are being governed by regulations that haven’t been updated in decades.

Read the full article here

According to the article, The American cosmetics industry is a $70 billion-a-year behemoth. The Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors has an annual budget of just $8 million and 27 staff members. The laws governing the office's authority run just two pages long and have not been updated since 1938, when they were first enacted. Such meager tools leave federal officials nearly powerless to regulate the makeup, lotions, toothpastes, deodorants and other elixirs that often are applied to the most intimate parts of the human body.

As I always say, you have to protect yourself. The cosmetics industry has not been regulated since 1938. Manufacturers are free to use any ingredients they want, without any warnings for you. Learn how to read labels or download the EWG app and scan your products for safety before you buy. 

Bite Beauty Lip Products

Anyone who knows me, knows that I always have on bright bold lipsticks. I don't wear eye makeup so I can get away with lips that pop. I'm obsessed (as you can see below) with Bite Beauty lip products. 

Bite Beauty is a Canadian cosmetics company specializing in lip products. Founded by Suzanne Langmuir in 2011, launched in 2012, and acquired by Kendo in 2014. The brand is carried exclusively at Sephora and on their website. Bite was founded on a simple premise: what you put on your lips should be as good as what you put in your mouth. They created their own lab to develop products with natural and organic ingredients that also have luxurious textures and big-pigment color. They have lipsticks, liquid lipsticks, lip pencils, lip crayons, lip gloss, lip masks, lip scrubs and lip balm. 

All Bite's products are made with food-grade ingredients. These natural ingredients provide creamy, long lasting hydration that nourish and revitalize lips. These products are free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrance, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMO, and triclosan. Because you eat what you put on your lips, Bite Beauty uses real ingredients.

Babo Botanicals

I decided to try a new shampoo and conditioner from Babo Botanicals. I haven't heard of this company but I found them on the EWG website. I went with the Berry Primrose Smoothing Shampoo & Wash and the Berry Primrose Smoothing Conditioner. I'm obsessed. I honestly don't think I will ever use another brand of shampoo & conditioner ever again.

First, let's start with the scent. It smells so good. I can't get over it. I get whiffs of it throughout the day and love it. As i said, I got the Berry Primrose but they have a few other scents as well. They have Oatmilk & Calendula Shampoo, Lavender & Meadowsweet Shampoo, Cucumber & Aloe Vera Swim and Sport Shampoo, a Lice Shampoo and a Fragrance Free Shampoo. I can't wait to try the lavender one.

Second, let's talk about how soft it makes my hair. It's loaded with evening primrose oil, shea butter and cocoa butter which smoothes and softens the hair. It's also enriched with Babo's Nutri-Soothe Complex, rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants. My hair has never felt so soft.

Lastly, it's free of all the bad stuff. It does not contain SLS, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, silicone, synthetic fragrance, dyes, sodium chloride, formaldehyde, mineral oil, MEA, DEA and TEA. This amazing formula does contain tree nuts, coconut and shea butter. Babo Botanicals is a Certified B Corp, Cruelty Free, and Vegan Friendly.

I highly recommend Babo Botanical products. The founder, Kate, originally started the line for babies and children. In fact, she named the company after her son's security bunny, Babo. Kate graduated from Harvard, joined the Peace Corps, then landed a job as a skincare product developer. She worked for L'Oréal, LVMH, Avon and Redken. When she got pregnant with her first child, she went searching for safe, natural products for her new baby. Her entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and Babo Botanicals began. The products perform so well, they are perfect for babies, children, teenagers and adults.

             

Top 5 New Year Skin Care Resolutions

1. Ditch your lotion and use oil - Don't be afraid of oil, it's the best thing I ever did for my skin. Lotions are filled with toxins like parabens, fragrance, petrochemicals, alcohol, and oil emulsified in water. The only ingredient in lotion that provides any moisture to the skin is the oil. One of the basic principals of chemistry is like dissolves like. If you have oily skin, you should be using oil. Plant oils are excellent for all skin types. They are very similar to the oil our skin naturally produces (sebum) so they are easily absorbed into the skin, don't clog pores and promotes skin cell function. Some of my favorite oils are avocado oil, apricot oil, marula oil, grapeseed oil, argan oil, jojoba oil and rosehip oil. You can use these alone or make your own oil mixture. Just get a glass dropper bottle, choose your plant oil, add some vitamin E oil and add a few drops of essential oil. Lavender, cedarwood, lemon and frankincense are a few . If you don't have the patience to make one, grab one of these Acure Marula Oil, EO Argan Oil, or Dessert Essence Oil. 

2. Wash your face every night - Never go to bed with makeup on. Makeup can trap dirt and environmental pollutants inside the skin which results in premature aging. Sleeping in makeup also clogs your pores which leads to acne. Lastly, it interferes with the natural shedding process of the skin which results in duller, drier complexion. Get a good chemical free face wash like these, Acure Cleansing Stick and Acure Brightening Cleansing Gel

3. Get a chemical free shampoo - a good chemical free shampoo can be life changing. Ingredients in shampoo contain lots of chemicals. These chemicals can cause flaky skin, persistent itching & irritation, asthma, sinusitis, allergies and even cancer. They strip moisture and natural oils from our hair causing rashes, hair loss and dandruff. Invest in a chemical free option like one of these, Babo Botanicals and Avalon Organics

4. Moisturize after showering - keep a body oil right in the shower. Warm water strips our skin of natural oil and we need to replenish. Apply the oil right after you shower while your skin is still damp. Try one of these, EO Body Oil and Shea Moisture Body Oil

5. Make Vitamin C your new best friend - Vitamin C is not only necessary for collagen production and maintenance, but it is also a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals in the skin. Environmental aggressors such as UV rays and pollution create free radicals that cause premature signs of visible aging. Vitamin C creates a brighter complexion, evens out skin tone and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It improves hydration and keeps your skin looking younger. I use both of these every day Avalon Organics Vitamin C Serum and Avalon Organics Vitamin C Antioxidant Oil. 

Avalon Organics Intense Defense

After trying the Avalon Organics shampoo, I decided to look into their other products. I went with two items from their Intense Defense line, the Facial Serum and the Antioxidant Oil. This entire line is formulated with vitamin C, which is not only necessary for collagen production and maintenance, but it is also a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals in the skin. Environmental aggressors such as UV rays and pollution create free radicals that cause premature signs of visible aging.  Studies show that antioxidants can neutralize these damaging free radicals. Intense Defense balances vitamin C, white tea and lemon bioflavonoids to defend skin and support its natural renewal cycle. 

Facial Serum - targets sun spots, fine lines and wrinkles by energizing skin and supporting collagen and elastin production for a smooth, even, more lifted complexion. When applied twice a day to problem areas after cleansing and before moisturizing, trouble spots receive an intense infusion of protective antioxidants.

Antioxidant Oil - features a blend of Apricot, Raspberry and Argan Oil that absorbs quickly, reinforcing skin's natural lipid barrier, which locks in moisture and protects skin against environmental stressors. Just a few drops massaged over freshly cleansed skin will reinforce skin's natural resilience.

Both products score low on the EWG app. The serum ranks 3 and the oil ranks 2. If you are not familiar with the EWG Healthy Living App, download it ASAP.  EWG ranks products on a scale from 1-10, the lower the number, the safer your product is. You can scan product barcodes or simply type in the product name. I highly recommend both the serum and the oil. You can buy them directly on the Avalon Organics website, on Amazon or at Wegmans (if you live by one). 

Brush your way to healthy hair

Did you know you should give your hair a good brush every morning, before every shower and every night? Proper brushing can eliminate waste materials that build up on the scalp. Brushing three times per day helps evenly distribute sebum (the oil your scalp naturally produces) through your hair to retain moisture and keep shiny locks. Brushing also prevents hair loss by increasing blood circulation in the scalp and transporting oxygen and nutrients to the hair stem, root and bulb. Brushing also helps balance the sebaceous gland, which produces sebum. Over or under production of sebum is often to blame for hair loss.

Don't forget to get yourself a good brush. You should only brush your hair with natural bristle brushes. Synthetic bristles can actually harm your hair. They cause breakage which leads to frizzy hair. Yuck! Boar bristles brushes are the way to go. They are the most similar to human hair and they evenly distribute the sebum. When you brush with a boar bristles brush, you allow the sebum to evenly coat the whole strand rather than staying concentrated at the scalp. Always brush your hair when it's dry and use a comb when it's wet.

Lastly, make sure you are using a good chemical free shampoo. I've tried a bunch of chemical free shampoo, Shea Moisture, Juice Organics, Perfectly Posh, Acure, Dr Bronners and Monet. I liked all of these brands but I found one I like even better, Avalon Organics. This brand has EWG's stamp of approval. You can buy this shampoo in lemon, lavender, tea tree, coconut, peppermint, rosemary and apple cider vinegar. If you are lucky enough to live near a Wegmans, you can grab the shampoo there for $7.99. You can also buy directly on their website or on Amazon. Always shampoo your hair twice, the first time lifts the dirt and the second time washes it away. Only put conditioner on your ends, never on your scalp.

Chemicals Banned For Use In Cosmetics

Who regulates cosmetics in the United States? NO ONE. In 1938 the cosmetic industry was granted self-regulation. Nothing has changed since 1938. The FDA isn't even authorized to approve cosmetic ingredients. The U.S. Federal Government doesn't require health studies or pre-market testing on personal care products. Manufacturers are free to use almost any ingredient they choose. As a result, we are exposed to thousands of harmful chemicals that are banned in other countries.

So what can you do? 

Read labels - you can't bank on the what the bottle says. Unfortunately in this country, we have issues with label laws too. If a product has one natural ingredient, added to 10 chemicals, they are legally allowed to label the bottle as "all natural". Be sure to always read the label and read every ingredient.

Familiarize yourself with chemicals  - you need to know what chemicals to stay away from. Refer to the Dirty Dozen list that highlights the 12 most common toxic & carcinogenic compounds found in cosmetics.

Take advantage of EWG - Environmental Networking Group is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. If you click on the EWG Verified tab, they review thousands of personal care products and give their approval on products that meet their strict standards. 

Splurge vs. Steal

Beautycounter's cleansing balm is one of my all time favorite products. It's a light, airy balm with a hint of cranberry oil to give it an amazing scent. Deemed as the balm that does it all, you can use it as a cleanser or a moisturizer. Made with sunflower seed wax and a mix of oils, such as, avocado, jojoba, sweet almond and raspberry. Formulated without items from their Never List, you are guaranteed safe ingredients. It comes with a hefty price tag of $80 and you have to buy it from a Beautycounter rep.

Acure also launched a cleansing balm. Also a light, airy and pepperminty fresh balm that comes in an easy to use stick. Made with rose hip oil, sea kelp and cactus flower. I just got this and I'm very impressed with it. Although it doesn't have a dual purpose like the Beautycounter, the cleanser works quite well leaving your skin super soft. 100% vegan, paraben free, sulfate free, phthalate free, mineral oil free, petroleum free, silicone free, and cruelty free. This comes with a very reasonable price tag of $9.99 and available at your local Target.