Confessions of a Greenophobe

I’m going to start this post off with a little honesty-I’m not really an “organic” person.  I’ve never been one to stray toward non-chemical products and in the grocery store, the label “pesticide-free”  waving at me from a pile of apples tends to send me running in the opposite direction, and I tend to binge eat overly processed candies on a cyclical basis.  Why do you ask?  It’s not that I’m an earth-hating, GMO-toting, Grinch (hey, I recycle); I just carry the wide-spread fear that in buying natural products, I pay more and sacrifice effectiveness. 

BUT-it is springtime; that means new year’s resolutions are still hanging in there, not to mention Lent, and with the added bonus of the beauty of nature popping up all around me; I decided there’s no better time to turn a new life and go natural…err…at least try it out.

Lucky for me I have an awesome downtown Athens apartment, and there is a just as awesome natural body care shop just down the street (corner of East Clayton and College to be exact).  So I took a stroll to Keeping It Natural (walking gives me “green” bonus points, right?) and took the plunge into their soap-filled world of earthy and organic products. 

Keeping it Natural had EVERYTHING-even things I didn’t know existed, like black soap (ironically clean) and bars of lotion.  And it smelled really good.   We’re talking yankee candle meets a candy shop in a field of lilacs good, none of that dirty, gritty stank that I imagined all natural products carried with them.  So there I was, in a cute little green and brown store, surrounded by hundreds of products that I was tempted to eat while I read their labels, just a tad bit overwhelmed by choice. 

Luckily, the store owner, Melissa, was there to save me.  And with her guidance and expert knowledge of all of her products, I navigated my way through the shelves of locally produced and organic temptations until I settled on a couple of products that were 1-not the super expensive, overly trendy items I was anticipating 2-pretty perfectly suited for my life.  BONUS: the labels were adorable and I got to play pretend photographer with my Instagram later.  I know, I know, I’m so artsy.

Clovertree Apothecary Deep Cleansing Face Wash was perfect for my not-so-perfect skin, and easy to fit into my lifestyle; I already wash my face, so I just substituted my regular bar soap for something a little less chemical-ly.  Let me tell you something-I am NOT a morning person.  I cringe at the idea of waking up before dawn and find myself burying my head in pillows at the sound of that hauntingly familiar iPhone ringtone.  This stuff didn’t exactly make me want to get up in the morning, but it definitely made it a teensy bit more bearable.  It had just the right balance of citrus to wake me up, with a little honey balance to ease me into the waking world.  Super refreshing.  The smell alone would keep me using this stuff on the reg, but the fact that it actually works is an added bonus.  It keeps my skin super clear, without slathering on scary sounding things, like sodium laureth, yikes.

Face wash is great and all, but I wanted to get something fun to, and to my surprise, found out there was local, natural make up, too! SallyB’s Skin Yummies is located right in Atlanta and Melissa helped me to find a really cool gel-like charcoal eye shadow from her line to dress up my organic experience.  I’m not a big fan of the harsh black raccoon-eye look, so the fact that this went on in a less gothic manner made me really happy.  Not to mention, I just switched from a thick eye shadow brush to an angled one and boom-instant eyeliner!   Plus, look at the packaging; it’s kind of adorable and even has a little mirror on the inside for on-the-go application (or general vanity, your call).  And guess what guys-it’s not expensive!  We’re talking like half of the price of all of the department store face cleansing regimes and makeup pieces.  And this is coming from a jobless, constantly-broke, extremely stingy college student. 

 So what are this springtime’s realizations:  Natural products work just as well, if not better, than their chemical-laden counterparts.  AND they actually smell good, like really good.  Keeping It Natural has about a million options for anyone looking to go natural, and Melissa offers fantastic prices and an incredible knowledge about organic and natural products.  Needless to say, I know where I’ll be frequenting for body wash needs and cute little presents in the future.  I’m not going to get ahead of myself here and pretend that I will be growing my own organic carrots or housing a colony of compost worms in my kitchen anytime soon, but this girl’s life may have gotten just a little more natural.

All this talk about yummy smelling organics has me daydreaming about twizzlers; I think those might be processed?  Baby steps……….

- Guest Blogger: Katie Bazemore, University of Georgia Student

MIX IT UP: B Smoothed Mud Mask Recipe!!

Whip up a super hydrating B Green Mud Mask to repair dried and chapped skin, offering it a quick boost of moisture for instant relief. For those of you who have been hitting the slopes or indulging in afternoons spent outside on these unusual springtime like days, treat yourself to an at-home spa night and a made-from-your-pantry Mud Mask to refresh your skin and keep it healthy and looking its best. 

B Soothed: Hydrate and soothe while reducing redness!  This recipe is great for a girls night in since it makes 4 masks.  Adjust accordingly or store unused portion in refrigerator up to one week!

1 tblsp. Sally B's B Green Mud Mask

1 tblsp. Olive oil

1/2 ripe avocado

1/2 ripe banana

Mix all together in food processor or by hand.  For extra cooling/sotthing place in refrigerator for a few minutes before applying.  Apply evenly  to freshly cleansed skin and let sit 20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.  Follow with toner and moisturizer!  Your skin will thank you!!

MyChelle Ultimate Lash & Brow Serum!

WOW!!  This one works great! Wanted to try a lash serum for awhile but was afraid of the nasty side effects so I was thrilled to find this one from MyChelle.  When I was younger I didn't need to wear mascara but as I got older the need grew!  Then I noticed a gap in my lashes on my right eye and would dab eyeliner at the base so it wouldn't be as noticeable.  Hoping that the ducts hadn't closed up I decided to try this serum and am so glad that I did!  It took a solid 3-4 weeks to see "sprouts" in my gap and within 3 months the area was completely filled in.  I stopped using for about a month to see if they would go back to the way they were before I started using this serum but they didn't.  Now I just use several times a month and my lashes look great! The best part is that this serum is half the price of Latisse and doesn't have any of those nasty side effects!!  The only thing I noticed after using every night for the 3 months was a small dry patch on one lid which went away with a little extra moisturizer.  It only happened one time and may not have had anything to do with the serum but worth the mention.  All in all I highly recommend this one if you have ever wanted to try Latisse but didn't want the side effects.  Not much to lose and just beautiful lashes to gain! Any questions just drop me a line!

Southern Comfort Food for the Skin??!

Now for those of you who know me know that I'm not a grits lover but thanks to HollyBeth I have a new appreciation for this southern staple!! Grits & Honey facial scrub!!! HollyBeth mixes this family recipe up in her loft in Atlanta, Ga..   LOVED this scrub the first time I tried it.   I believe in exfoliating the skin on a regular basis to keep it young, fresh & smooth and this one does the trick.  You can use this scrub on dry skin for maximum exfoliation or dampen skin for a lighter touch.  You'll find the right combination for your skin.  The scent is sweet, fresh & natural. Rinses off to reveal healthy, glowing skin that's soft and smooth to the touch! Now that's a true southern treat for the skin!!


Some benefits of regular exfoliation include but are not limited to:


* Brighter, smoother complexion
* Increased blood circulation
* Removes dead skin cells and encourages growth of new skin cells
* Deep clean pores


All of HollyBeth's products are:


Hand made in Atlanta with love and passion
Certified USDA organic
Artisan-Crafted from family recipes
Environmentally Sustainable
HollyBeth’s Natural Luxury is a line of refreshing USDA-certified-organic products for face, body, hair and home. Each product is handmade in small, artisanal batches in an old cotton warehouse in Atlanta.

All the products  start – and end – with simple, easy-to-pronounce natural ingredients. Just as her grandmother would have made them.


Give them a try you won't be disappointed!

Sally B's Skin Yummies! Our newest find!

Sally B’s Skin Yummies blends organic, natural and wild-crafted ingredients into luxurious skin care and cosmetic products that are both people and planet friendly. Developed by hand, all of Sally B’s products are nourishing, effective and, most importantly, non-toxic and Paraben-free. While Sally B’s principal focus is personal care products for both men and women, their overarching goal is to provide education and resources for well-being and to serve as an advocate for full and balanced living. 

Check out what Kimberly Snyder has to say about them!  She is a highly sought after nutritionist for many of the entertainment industry's top celebrities and author of the best-selling book, The Beauty Detox Solution. 

How to Get Pretty, Youthful and Healthy Lips and Skin

Everyone wants to look their best, and skin products can help you to do that. Unfortunately, so many beauty products contain all kinds of ingredients that just aren’t conducive to good health, and I believe they actually can keep you from looking your best. Many conventional products contain petroleum-based ingredients, and others may use plants that are grown conventionally with pesticides and other chemicals. How can that be healthy?

Lip products have always presented a conundrum for me. Like all of us girls, I want pretty lips, but most lipsticks and glosses contain petroleum-based ingredients, which can break down collagen over time. Since your lips are part of your skin, collagen is essential for keeping them plump and youthful looking. Not only that, but given the proximity of my lips to the rest of my mouth, ingesting a little bit of the product I use on them is a given. There is no way I want to swallow petroleum or other toxins, even to keep my lips looking pretty.

That’s why I was so thrilled to stumble on Sally B’s B Glossy Lip Gloss. I discovered the gloss when I was dong a film in Atlanta. It was in a gift bag they gave to the actors in the film, who often ask me to try products to see what I think. It turns out that this stuff is absolutely amazing – it’s almost become a daily obsession for me. It comes in four gorgeous colors: Ruby’s Red, Copper Penny, Every Blond’s Pink, and Primrose. Not only are the colors pretty, but this lip gloss moisturizes my lips, as well. My favorite color is Ruby Red, which I use almost daily. I also really like the Copper Penny.

The lip gloss comes in liquid form with a wand. The cost is $18 for a 7-gram wand, which will last you quite a while, even with daily use. It contains organic, natural ingredients including organic beeswax, vitamin E, organic castor oil, organic shea butter, organic carnauba wax, organic lecithin, micas, and organic essential oil of peppermint. A full 95 percent of the ingredients are organic, and they contain no chemical preservatives or artificial colors that will diminish your natural beauty.

Best Self Atlanta l December 2010

Posted by Sally Larsen on December 09, 2011.

Natural Alternative to Latisse

Luxe Lashes, No Rx Required

by Cheryl Fenton  |  February 21, 2011

Not exactly batting a thousand when it comes to your lashes? Fear not: thickening-mascara spider eyes and pricey single-lash extensions aren't your only alternatives. Now there are options galore for taking matters into your own hands and growing them long and lovely.

Celebs like Brooke Shields and Claire Danes don't let anyone come between them and their Latisse, the first and only FDA-approved prescription treatment for growing longer, fuller, and darker lashes. But not all of us have our derms on speed dial (or $120 in our pockets to spend on the latest beauty craze). Still others are scared off by the potential side effects of Latisse's main ingredient, bimatoprost, which may cause darkened skin and irises. And so began the eye-popping onslaught of over-the-counter lash enhancers.

From high-end players like Peter Thomas Roth and Trish McEvoy to drugstore beauty addicts' faves like Wet n Wild and L'Oréal Paris, dozens of companies are debuting lash enhancers, often promising results within four to eight weeks of nightly usage. Even Whole Foods, not usually known for glamour gear, will be carrying an all-natural lash enhancer starting this April. (MyChelle's Lash & Brow Serum)

"Boston has been lash crazy for many years now, using both OTC and prescription lash enhancers," says Dr. Ioannis P. Glavas, an oculofacial plastic surgeon known as "Boston's eyelid specialist." From his Newbury Street office, he writes about five Latisse scripts weekly.

The eye-opening question: can something you get at a beauty shop create the same effect as doctor-sanctioned meds? Some say yes, others no. If you want to give them a try, there are few things to know about OTC lash builders.

Eyes on the Prize

Pretty packaging can't change what's in (or not in) a formula. When choosing a lash enhancer, read the ingredient list. Look for polypeptides, proteins, minerals, and vitamins.

"Biotin is vitamin B, which is known for its effectiveness on the nails and hair," says Dr. Glavas. "It has been used successfully in treating hair loss when someone has vitamin deficiency." He also recognizes peptides as promoters of healthy cell growth. "They promote growth and longevity of cultured human fibroblasts [as] proven in clinical studies."

The recent onslaught of Latisse commercials may make it easy to forget, but the quest for luxe lashes is nothing new: more than 5000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians were using kohl to darken their lashes. Fortunately, we've progressed a bit beyond formulations made from charcoal and crocodile dung —  you know that there's a bevy of new OTC lash enhancers arriving on shelves near you. Here's one more product pick that promises to have you batting a thousand in no time.  


MyChelle's Ultimate Lash & Brow Serum:


With unique, clinically proven breakthrough peptides and nourishing botanical conditioners, Ultimate Lash and Brow Serum naturally improves the appearance of lash length, darkness and volume to make eyelashes look noticeably longer, lusher and lovelier than ever before.
Our proprietary Myracle Peptide Complex combines cutting edge peptide technology with restorative Apple Fruit Stem Cells to promote healthy lash and brow formation and protect hair follicles. Moisturizing Cactus Flower banishes brittleness while a synergistic blend of phytonutrients improves the strength and density of lashes and inhibits hair loss.

Lash enhancement is now one of the fastest growing categories in beauty and personal care. As part of their interest in age defense, customers are actively seeking new solutions for thinning brows and sparse, brittle or stubby lashes. Ultimate Lash and Brow Serum delivers proven, dramatic results without prescriptions, irritation or unwanted side effects.


Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17 (Myracle Peptide Complex) stimulates production of keratin, the proteins that form eyebrows and lashes. In clinical trials, it increased eyelash length and thickness by 25% in only 2 weeks and 72% after 6 weeks.

Apple Fruit Stem Cells (Myracle Peptide Complex) stimulate and protect hair stem cells, supporting hair growth and inhibiting graying.

Copper Peptides (Myracle Peptide Complex) increase the flow of blood and nutrients to the follicle and help extend hair's growth phase.

Tricholastyl(tm), a blend of healing flavonoids, inhibits the damaging glycation reaction that ages hair follicles and actively helps reduce hair loss.

Anageline(r), from the lupine plant, improves follicle thickness and prevents hair loss.


Apply once daily to base of upper lashes (where eyelashes meet skin) from the inner corner to the outer edge.  Apply to eye brow area.  Do not apply in eye or to lower lid.

Stress Relief Benefits of Lavender

The stress relief benefits of lavender are safe, gentle and dependable. Lavender has been used by herbalists for hundreds of years. It has a mild pleasant gentle aroma. It is easy to grow and is therefore relatively inexpensive.

Lavender flower is calming and relaxing both physically and emotionally.

• Lavender is particularly useful for easing tension headaches, and other physical aches and pains.
• It is very useful for easing the digestive upsets and gas which often accompany stress.
• It has been used to ease depression.
• Lavender is said to be very helpful for people who are “stuck” in repetitive patterns of thinking about a particularly stressful or traumatic event or circumstance in their lives.
• It is also often used for encouraging deep restful
  sleep and stress relief.
• Lavender soothes the respiratory system, making
  breathing for stress relief easier.

The physical constituents of lavender thought to be the source the healing benefits of lavender include: flavonoids, coumarins, triterpenes and of course volatile oils for which lavender is famous.

How to Use Lavender

Making lavender herbal tea - some herbalists suggest taking ½ to 1 teaspoon of the dried flowers per serving. Place the lavender flowers in a cup, pouring boiling water over the herb. Then cover the cup and letting the tea steep for 10 to 15 minutes before drinking. This can be done a couple of times a day and is generally considered quite safe. (It is suggested to avoid using large amounts of lavender during pregnancy.)

Lavender is often used in the form of an essential oil. It is sometimes considered to be an almost universal remedy which helps bring the body to a state of balance.

The benefits of lavender oil are similar to those of the herb. But the process of using the oil is different. Since essential oils are generally purchased in small bottles, they are very portable and convenient.

There are many varied uses for lavender essential oil.

• With lavender essential oil one might place a few drops on the pillow case at night to promote restful sleep or toss a lavender sachet under your pillow.
• Apply a few drops of lavender oil to temples or some other part of  head to ease a tension headache or eyestrain. (Please keep the oil away from the eyes.)
• The oil is well known as helpful burn remedy. It can be applied directly to the skin.
• Lavender essential oil can also be applied directly to aching or painful muscles or joints.
• The benefits of lavender oil include relaxation from overwork, one of the main causes of stress. Try rubbing a few drops of the oil between the palms of your hands and then bringing your palms to your face and breathing deeply of the scent. It can bring soothing relief.
• Even adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to the washing machine can also add a soothing fresh aroma to the laundry room and clothes and help make routine housework more enjoyable. It's another example of the diverse benefits of lavender.

Please remember, this page is informational. It is not intended to be medical advice. It is always wise to consult with a trained health care professional for appropriate recommendations for your situation.

Sources:
Hoffmann, David. 1987, 1988, 1998. The Herbal Handbook A User’s Guide to Medical Herbalism. Rochester Vermont: Healing Arts Press
Hoffmann, David. 2003. Medical Herbalism The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester Vermont: Healing Arts Press
Higley, Connie and Alan. 1998. Reference Guide for Essential Oils. Olathe, KS: Abundant Health
Winston, David and Maimes, Steven. 2007. Adaptogens Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press