Who doesn't love fruit strips?

Peach Frozen Yogurt and Kiwi might not be an ideal combination, but that didn't stop me from devouring it.

Making this tasty sangria was super easy! I just mixed a large bottle of dry Malbec, a cup of unbleached sugar, a sliced apple, a sliced orange, and a splash of lime juice.

Barbecue Soy Crisps & Pink Grapefruit Sparkling water are two of my new favorites.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this new (to me) flavor.

Don’t worry; I haven’t been surviving on frozen yogurt and sparkling water alone. I also had this salad:

Sprouts make any salad twice as awesome.

I’ve been using Danielle’s homemade bottle of sea salt spray for the past couple of weeks, and I’m loving the results. My hair has extra body, the dreamiest waves, and it even smells nice thanks to the lavender essential oil she added. I can’t wait to whip up a batch of my own! Maybe I’ll even add a little argan oil as the ReadyMade article suggests. The longer my hair gets, the more of a problem split ends are becoming. It’s disheartening, really.

What are some of your favorite summer songs?

Remember last week’s sunscreen post? Well, I ended up buying the Loving Naturals Sunscreen mentioned in that post. Unfortunately, and even though I opted for two day shipping with my Amazon Prime account, I didn’t receive the sunscreen in time for vacation. Since my first choice was no longer an immediate option and I needed something to prevent sunburn, my mom had a bottle of Alba Botanica Green Tea Sunblock waiting for me when we arrived at the condo Saturday night. She’s kind of the best.

Ingredients (provided at albabotanica.com)- “Homosalate 10.0%, Octocrylene 10.0%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5.0%, Titanium Dioxide 2.0%, Aqua (Water), Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice(1), Calendula Of cinalis Flower Extract(1), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract(1), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract(1), Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract(1), Cetearyl Olivate, Polysorbate 60, Silica, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol(1), Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium BenzoateCitronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool, Fragrance (Parfum).

(1)Certified Organic Ingredient

The old formulation of this product receives a hazard score of  5 in the Cosmetics Database, and I couldn’t locate the current formulation in the database.

In the formulation change, the following ingredients were removed from the product: Oxybenzone 6.0%, Avobenzone 3.0%. ingredients: isopropyl palmitate, VP/eicosene copolymer,  cetyl phosphate, steareth-21,  steareth-2, carbomer,  tocopherol (vitamin E).

The following ingredients were added to the product: Octocrylene 10.0%, Titanium Dioxide 2.0%, Cetyl Alcohol, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Polysorbate 60, Silica, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol(1), Ethylhexylglycerin,  Sodium Benzoate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool.

In the current formulation of this product, the ingredients with hazard scores above a 3 are Fragrance (8), Benzyl Alcohol (6), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (6), Polysorbate 60 (3-6), Tocopheryl Acetate (4), Citronellol (4), Geraniol (5), Hexyl Cinnamal (4), Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde (5), Limonene (6), and Linalool (4).

Some great things about this product:

1.  It’s free of parabens.

2. It contains organic ingredients.

3.  It’s water resistant.

4. It’s cruelty-free.

5. It provides both UVA & UVB protection.

Product Description(also provided at albabotanica.com)- “Perfect for daily wear, our non-greasy Green Tea Sunscreen, with antioxidants and certified organic aloe vera, absorbs quickly and effectively with a light, fresh scent.”

Price- $9.95 for 4 fl. oz.

Performance- I applied this sunblock to my body and face the first few mornings of vacation before heading to the beach. Unfortunately, after a couple of days of applying this product to my face, I noticed a small rash made up of tiny, unsightly bumps on my chin, nose, and cheeks. For the rest of the week, I applied the sunscreen to only my body and wore a straw hat to protect my face. The rash quickly disappeared, and my body never got a bit of sunburn. After using only the hat to protect my face, though, my nose did get a little pink toward the end of vacation.  Still, if you ask me, a pink nose is always preferable to a face rash. It’s probably important to note that I only applied this sunscreen once a day (in the morning), and after spending a few hours in the sun reading or playing in the ocean I’d retreat to the shade of the nearest large umbrella, where I’d remain until heading back up to the condo. I did this daily and intentionally to avoid having to apply sunblock twice a day. One application is time-consuming enough!

Scent- This product has a very pleasant scent that’s pretty fleeting and isn’t easy to describe. It doesn’t smell like green tea at all, but it does smell a lot like Burt’s Bees Green Tea & Fennel Seed Shampoo. After the initial pleasant scent fades, which takes no more than 30 minutes, it begins to smell like regular ol’ sunscreen. I find this neither pleasant nor unpleasant, and it’s subdued enough to be easily ignored.

Rating- 6/10. I’m subtracting 2 points for the questionable ingredients and another 2 for the rash that occurred on my face.

Would I purchase this item again? This product smells nice and it definitely kept me from getting sunburned, but I will probably never buy it again. I’m much more likely to go with a safer option, like my late to arrive Loving Naturals.

Image Source

Below are some of the tastiest dishes and treats I’ve been allowing myself to enjoy this week.

I ate this straight from the pouch by squeezing it into my mouth. I'm unashamed of that fact.

This pizza was somethin' else.

Tiny gelato for everyone!

This artichoke & jalapeño was too hot for 90% of my family, but I managed to eat an embarrassing amount of it.

I always have the pleasure of drinking Community Coffee when I'm with my parents; God bless 'em.

I could never say no to a popchip (or 10).

The piquant sauce covering the tilapia in this picture is a winner.

Oh yeah! Danielle and I did manage to make the Mango Lime Virgin Margaritas I mentioned in yesterday’s post.

So. Good.

As per use, here are a few food-related articles I found interesting:

• FDA Reopens Food Dyes Debate- Why can’t we be smart like the British and dye our orange soda with pumpkin and carrot extract instead of petroleum-based dyes?
• The Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods to Eat Organic- I’ve linked to an article like this before, but it only concerned produce. Reading about 12 different pesticides being in milk made me thankful that we alternate between buying strictly organic milk and unsweetened almond milk. Also, I’m pretty sad about the high number of pesticides used to grow blueberries because we can never find the organic variety.
• The Clean 15: Foods You Don’t Have to Buy Organic- This list isn’t entirely current, but it’s much more uplifting than the previously mentioned article. Also, recipes are provided with each fruit/veggie that makes the list.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! I plan to thoroughly enjoy my last couple of days at the beach.

Interested in making your own mocktail or virgin drink? Here are a few recipes I’ve had my eye on:

• Citrus Mint Cooler
• Mango-Lime Virgin Margarita
• Baby Bellini

I’m sure I will be making (and have probably already made) at least one of the above on this year’s family beach vacation.

Do you have a favorite mocktail recipe to suggest? If nonalcoholic isn’t your cup of tea, then what’s your favorite grown folks mixed drink?

This Becca bikini in mint is made from soy pulp, a byproduct of tofu production that would otherwise be discarded.

These Ocean Minded Sandals are made with recycled materials and water-based adhesives.

This handmade notebook from Faye Dodges Zombies is full of unlined pages, perfect for beach doodling!

Doodling without a writing instrument is impossible, and this organic, recycled cotton pencil case is both functional and ocean themed (not to mention adorable)!

For carrying important beach supplies like sunglasses, books/notebooks, cute pencil cases, chapstick, and water bottles, this organic cotton fireworks tote is absolutely ideal.

Sources: Bikini, Sandals, Notebook, Pencil Pouch, Tote.

After realizing that all three of my bottles of sunscreen were expired, I began looking for a safe and affordable replacement to bring with me to the beach. I researched my past purchases (the first three below) and several other sunscreens I’ve yet to try. Below are my findings, made (for the most part) incredibly easy by the Environmental Working Group’s 2011 Sunscreen Report.

Burt’s Bees Chemical-Free Sunscree (SPF 30)- This sunscreen has excellent stability and good UVB protection, but the merely moderate UVA protection and the presence of fragrance and sodium borate in the ingredient list might be future deal breakers.

Price- around $15.00 for 3.5 fl oz.

Nature’s Gate Aqua Block (SPF 50)- Excellent and good UVB/UVA protection (respectively) seems promising, but the high hazard score of Oxybenzone, one of the active ingredients, is quite alarming.

Price- around $8.99 for 4 fl oz.

Alba Botanica Facial Sunblock (SPF 20)- This sunscreen has been reformulated at least once since I bought it, and it might even have a new bottle.  The current formulation provides only moderate UVA and UVB protection, so I probably won’t be repurchasing it.

Price- around $9.95 for 4 fl oz.

Kiss My Face Cell Mate Facial Creme & Sunscreen (SPF 15)- While the link and the picture are specific to the SPF 10 version, I actually have two small free samples of SPF 15. Still, I cannot imagine their performance and ingredients being terribly different from one another.  And while I do still plan to use my free samples, the poor UVA protection and presence of Oxybenzone are not at all ideal.

Price- around $21.oo for 1 fl oz.

Kiss My Face Oat Protein Complex (SPF 30)- I have two free samples of this sunscreen as well. Perhaps its decent ingredients and excellent stability will overshadow its moderate UVA protection.

Price- around $12.95 for 4 fl oz.

And now for those that appear to be the safest (unfortunately, affordable products with entirely exceptional ingredients aren’t as easy to come by):

Badger Unscented Sunscreen (SPF 30+)- With low health concerns, good UVB protection, and excellent UVA protection, this sunscreen seems like it might be a winner. For something a little fancier and for the same reasons, I’d also like to try the Badger Lightly Scented Lavender Sunscreen.

Price- around $16.00 for a 2.9 oz tube.

Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Unscented Sunscreen (SPF 30+)- Good UVA/UVB protection? Check! Excellent stability? Double check! Low health concerns? Triple check!

Price- around $13.67 for 4 fl oz.

Loving Naturals Sunscreen (SPF 30+)- This sunblock has excellent UVA protection and stability. Additionally, its UVB protection is good and its health concerns are low.

Price- around $18.99 for 5 oz or $9.99 for 2.7 oz.

True Natural Cosmetics All Natural Sunscreen (SPF 40)- This sunscreen has fantastic ingredients, excellent UVB protection and stability, and good UVA protection.

Price- around $17.99 for 3 oz or or $7.49 for 1 oz.

Tropical Sands All Natural Sunscreen (SPF 50)- The UVA/UVB protection and stability of this sunscreen are all excellent, and the health concerns are low. It seems pretty great all around.

Price- around $19.95 for 5.4 oz.

I hope you guys find this information as useful as I did! I’ll let everyone know which choice I made with a product review in the near future.

If for some reason you feel like none of the above sunscreens would work for you, then you might wanna check out the full list of Top Sunscreens.

Image Sources: Burt’s Bees, Nature’s Gate, Alba Botanica, Kiss My Face Cell Mate, Kiss My Face Oat Protein Complex, Badger, Aubrey Organics, Loving Naturals, True Natural Cosmetics, Tropical Sands.

Have you ever read the ingredients on a bottle of cheap nail polish? If you’re lucky enough to have them listed (and are capable of reading the tiniest words you’ll probably ever encounter), then you might be shocked by what you see. It wasn’t until just before throwing out my old polishes and remover that I forced myself to look at the ingredients. One of the few recognizable ingredients on each bottle was formaldehyde resin. The remover was no better. Think acetone, parabens, and artificial colors that hardly seem necessary in a polish remover.

I avoided doing research on the horrible ingredients hiding in popular polishes for a very long time; I knew my findings would cause me to make a possibly expensive change. I’ve had several natural polishes on wishlists in the past, but I was never able to justify the initial high cost on top of shipping. When I saw Piggy Paint* at Pink & Blue Avenue, a local gift shop for babies and new mothers, I took it as a sign that it might be time to make the switch. I thought it over for a few days, and when I returned to the store I bought a bottle of Piggy Paint in Sea-quin (which is free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone)  as well as a bottle of Piggy Paint acetone-free nail polish remover. My next move was getting rid of all my Sally Hansen, Petites, and Essie products.

I feel pretty great about my purchase, and I consider it $20 well spent. I’ll be heading to the beach for a week on Saturday, and my toes will look great without being covered in formaldehyde. A post on achieving beach-ready feet at home is on its way! I’ll talk more about the performance of these lovely products in said post.

*I know, I know. As the name suggests, this product was created for kids. However, as the website states, “Piggy Paint is a natural, eco-friendly nail polish designed for fancy girls.”

I was a fancy girl at 7, I’m a fancy girl at 21, and I’ll still be a fancy girl when I’m 50. Count on it!

And for something unrelated:

I’ve been searching for the tastiest dark chocolate around lately.  I’ve only tried two so far, and neither is perfect.  The first was a little too bitter, and the second was too sweet for my liking. Does anyone have a favorite dark chocolate that they would recommend? Here are the two that I’ve already tried:

I made several friends and family members try this chocolate, and I am one of the few who did not hate it. It reminds me of black coffee.

The amount of sugar and milk in this chocolate bar make it hard for me to justify eating it.