I’ve always heard that unrefined coconut oil is the way to go when it comes to cooking, and this makes plenty of sense.  Apparently the polyphenols in coconut oil, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, are damaged during the refining process. I’ve also read that the proteins/minerals are significantly diminished after being refined.

 But because it was the cheaper option at the health food store, I’ve been moisturizing my body with organic refined coconut oil for the past couple of weeks. Common sense tells me that since my skin is  my largest organ, I might be better off opting for unrefined coconut oil when it comes to moisturizing, but frugality tells me to get over it. After all, it is still organic, expeller pressed, and processed under the same guidelines as any USDA organic product. Like I said, I’ve found plenty of information that would be helpful if I were cooking with it (one & two)…but not so much related to putting it on my body.

Any helpful input is encouraged. : )

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Today I’ll be reviewing Stark Skincare’s Grapefruit Cleanse+Hydrate Balm. If you’re not already aware of how much I love multi-use products, then you’re about to be. Sit tight!

Ingredients (provided by Jessica and soon to be up at starkskincare.com)- “Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) Fruit Butter, Cocos nucifera (Virgin Coconut) Oil, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Glycine soja (Soybean) butter Candelilla (Euphorbia cerifera ) Wax, Camellia oleifera (Camellia) Seed Oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Maranta Arundinacea (Arrowroot) Root Powder, Citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel wax, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), pure essential oils/huiles essentielles pures.”

The preliminary report I created for this product in the Cosmetics Database gives it a low hazard score of 1; the only individual ingredient with a hazard score above a 2 is unspecified oils, but I’m not worried about this since they’re essential oils.

Some great things about this product:

1. It’s free of synthetic dyes, fragrances, preservatives, and surfactants.

2. It’s vegan and cruelty-free.

3. Like the others, this product comes in a reusable glass jar.

4. The soybean butter used is non-GMO.

Product Description(provided at starkskincare.com)- “This water-less balm has the unique concept of being both cleanser and hydrator! Similar to the “oil cleansing method” popular in Europe or cold-creams our mothers and grandmothers used, this balm can be used to melt away daily grime and dirt, replenishing your skin with healthy, antioxidant-rich plant-derived oils and butters! Next, the balm can be used as a moisturizer, alone or with Stark’s CYPRESS Purity + Defense oil (an especially luxurious treat for a night-time ritual). Use on dry elbows, parched lips or fly-away hair or as a great after-shave balm! ”

Price- $40 for a 2 oz. jar. While $40 isn’t exactly cheap for a moisturizer or a cleanser by itself, I can much more easily justify paying that price for a product I could use as both (especially since only a small amount is needed to get the job done).

Performance- A couple of months ago, I tried the oil cleansing method with success, but I’d be lying if I were to say I had high hopes when it came to cleansing my skin with a balm. To my surprise, my skin reacted beautifully. After a little over a week of using this product, my face was clearer than ever, extra soft, and remarkably hydrated. I used this balm to cleanse in the morning and as a moisturizer at night, and in doing this I seem to have struck some sort of magical balance. I continued cleansing with my Karen’s Botanicals Gentle Cleansing Lotion at night, and I followed the A.M. cleansing balm with Stark’s Cypress Purity+Defense Oil as a moisturizer (review to come tomorrow). Since it’s a multi-purpose product, this balm would be perfect for traveling  (my goal is to eventually carry less than three toiletry bags with me on weekend trips).

Scent- Did someone say Fruit Loops? I did, because that’s what this lovely product smells like. SOLD.

Rating- 10/10.

Clean Hair, Clean Teeth

Soft Hair, Toned Face

Clean Body, Clean Hands (Bonus:Clean Dishes)

Clear Skin, Healthy Hair

Soft, Hydrated Skin

If I were allowed to splurge, then I'd buy a little bottle of this stuff to add to the argan and coconut oils. Lavender is a dream come true.

Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar, Castile Soap, Argan Oil, Coconut Oil, Lavender Essential Oil.

What products can’t you live without?

Also, if you haven’t entered the mantra perfume giveaway then you probably should. ; )

After seeing a recipe for homemade makeup remover on the Green Beauty Guide Blog, I decided to make my own version with the ingredients we had on hand. I typically use coconut oil to remove my eye makeup, but I’m almost out of my current stash…so trying something new seemed appropriate.

This makeup remover is super simple, and it gets the job done!  It doesn’t leave quite as much of an oily residue as coconut oil does, which is nice.

To make this product, I used:

• 1 oz of green tea
• 1 oz of grapeseed oil (you could probably use olive oil if you don’t have grapeseed!)
• 1/2 oz of vegetable glycerin

I simply funneled the above ingredients into an empty bottle I had lying around. The bottle has a pump, which is especially convenient for applying only a small amount of the product onto a cloth or cotton ball.

The oil/glycerin and the tea separate, so be sure to shake this product before using it (if you decide to make your own batch)!  I’m keeping my remover in the fridge, as the Green Beauty Guide Blog suggests. : )

I’m crazy about Etsy for too many reasons to count, but the excellent customer service that tends to accompany a small business is probably the greatest selling point for me. When I contacted Rebecca from Wash The Day Away to request a product to review, I was delighted by her quick and friendly response, as well as her willingness to also do a giveaway on Turby and John. Check back next week and see how you can win your own jar of the lovely body butter I’m about to review. Trust me, you’ll love it!

Ingredients (provided on the product page)- “Coffee Butter, Organic Cocoa Butter, Rice Bran Oil, Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Emulsifying Wax, Optiphen, Cocoa Absolute.”

The preliminary report that I created in the Cosmetics Database gives this product a hazard score of 2. The only ingredient I couldn’t locate in the Cosmetics Database was coffee butter.

Some great things about this product:

1.It’s free of parabens and fragrance.

2. It contains organic ingredients.

Product Description(provided on the product page)- “Mocha Body Butter is a great skin conditioner. Treat your skin to a dose of anti-oxidants, Vitamin E & D, Fatty Acids and Proteins. Mocha Body Butter will nourish and keep your skin touchably soft all day long with the help of nature’s richest and most moisturizing ingredients.

The scent of Mocha Body Butter is just like a mug of hot Mocha Cafe Latte. Coffee, Intoxicating Dark Chocolate. Yum! A wonderful way to start each morning!”

Price-$12.00 for a 4 oz. jar.

Performance- The light, whipped consistency of this body butter left me with unbelievably silky skin. After allowing the product to dry for around 5 minutes, my skin didn’t feel the least bit greasy. It did, however, feel thoroughly moisturized all day long. Now that’s impressive!

Scent- This product has a lovely, deep, rich scent; it’s reminiscent of coffee and dark chocolate. However, it isn’t so overpowering or lingering that it’s a problem.

Rating- 9/10. I subtracted 1 point for the less than perfect hazard score, but this product is otherwise pretty remarkable.

We recently picked several peppers, a few tomatoes, and a pretty eggplant from our garden.

Using an Ezra Pound Cake Recipe, homegrown basil/tomatoes, and farmer's market mozzarella, Danielle made a delicious tomato pie on Tuesday night.

• Guide to Cooking Oils- Who knew corn oil was linked to breast and prostate cancer? Jeez!
• 17 Cool Treats for Your Dog- I’d never even considered freezing chicken and beef broth in ice cube trays for my sweet dogs, but I’m definitely going to now!
• And here’s the Fresh Tomato Pie with Basil Garlic Crust recipe.

Monday night, I made the dreamiest body scrub using a modified version of Adrianna’s recipe over at A Cozy Kitchen. It smells delicious (actually, it smells a lot like my current deodorant + some coconut), and it’s just what my dry, itchy skin needed. My knees, elbows, and feet have never felt better! I knew this scrub and I were meant to be the moment I saw the word grapefruit. My sweet neighbors across the street have given us permission to take advantage of their grapefruit tree, so we usually have a steady supply of those guys that is both free and delicious.

My recipe differs from Adrianna’s slightly in that used Olive Oil instead of Grape Seed Oil. Sadly, the latter was nowhere to be found in Lake Charles. I also halved the amount of grapefruit zest because two large grapefruits seemed like plenty (and my arm was tired after zesting the first two). Check out the full tutorial here, and please share your thoughts/suggestions if you make your own batch!

Image Courtesy of albabotanica.com

Ingredients (provided at cosmeticsdatabase.com)- “Organic ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, brassica campestris/aleurites fordi oil copolymer, oleic/linoleic/linolenic polyglycerides, silica silylate, coconut flavor, soybean glycerides, organic beeswax, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), silica, organic cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, ammonium glycyrrhizate and tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E).”

This product receives a hazard score of 2 on the Cosmetic Safety Database, with tocopheryl acetate being the only ingredient with a hazard score above a 3.

Some great things about this product:

1. It contains organic ingredients.

2. It’s free of preservatives.

3. Alba Botanica cares about the environment.

Product Description (provided at albabotanica.com)- “Tropical fruit extracts and certified organic emollients are blended together to create exotic lip glosses that best reflect the beauty, vitality and spirit of the Hawaiian Islands for soft, shimmering lips.”

Price- $4.95 for .42 oz.

Performance- I’m more of a chap stick wearer than a lip gloss wearer (which is why this tube has lasted over a year), but I usually grab this stuff when I’m in the mood for lip gloss. It’s glossy without being sticky, and it doesn’t make my lips look ridiculously shiny. It stays put for a pretty long time as well, assuming I’m not licking my lips constantly. It smells like it would taste delicious (see below), but it doesn’t really have much of a taste.  When I’m feeling fancy, I like to add a little red lipstick underneath. Plus, my lips are way soft after using it.

Scent- This lip gloss smells almost exactly like a sample that I have of Coastal Classic Creations Sand Waves Perfume, which is kind of a great thing.

Rating- 8/10. I subtracted 2 points for the ingredient with a hazard score of 4. Shouldn’t a product that I put on my lips, and accidentally end up eating a lot of, have the best and safest ingredients possible?

Would I purchase this item again?- I might try to find something with a lower hazard score next time, but I definitely don’t regret purchasing this product.

I knew I'd probably like these eye shadows the minute I saw those adorable little birds.

When I received a sample set of Alima Pure’s Rainforest Collection in the mail, I felt both privileged and excited: privileged because it’s not every day that I get the chance to try and review something before it’s actually available for purchase, and excited about the lovely shades that would soon adorn my eyelids.

Ingredients (provided on product packaging)-Mica (CI 77019),  Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Ultramarines (Cl 77007).

These specific products are not yet in the Cosmetic Safety Database, so I linked to the ingredients individually. There are no ingredients with hazard scores above a 3, and it’s probably safe to assume that the overall hazard scores of these products would be around a 3 since there is an Alima Pure eyeshadow in the database with very similar ingredients.

Some great things about these products:

1. All of Alima Pure’s products carry the BDIH “Certified Natural Cosmetics” seal.

2. These products are cruelty-free.

3. $2 from each Limited Edition Collection purchased will be donated to Rainforest Action Network.

Product Description (provided with product packaging)- “Alima Pure pays homage to the “jewels of the earth,” the Rainforest. Between 40 and 75% of the world’s species are indigenous to rainforests. Important to the health of both the planet and to individuals, rainforests remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and recycle water; and one-quarter of the natural medicines in the world come from rainforests.

Bromeliad- this sparkling light green will refresh your spring color palette.

Jaguar- a slinky, golden-brown shimmer that pairs with anything.

Macaw- as vibrant as the tropical bird, a light, shimmering teal.

Kapok- a deep, dark brown sparkle to provide depth to your look.”

Price (provided with product packaging)-  $30 for a set of 4 eye shadows (a $44 value).

Application/Performance- I usually don’t bother with eye shadow unless I’m going to a wedding or something comparably formal, and even then I tend to stick with a safe shade of brown that I’ve had for years. I wore it almost daily in the early years of high school (mostly in unflattering shades of pink and orange), and I think I grew tired of it at some point. Needless to say, I felt particularly out of practice when preparing to apply this stuff. To my surprise, they were much less messy than I’d imagined and required a minimal amount of effort, which involved using  a damp brush to apply and then blend (advice given by Jena, whose blog I adore) and a damp cotton swab to correct my many mistakes.  Since I don’t wear concealer, I simply wiped away the bits of shadow that ended up on and around my under eye area with a damp cloth. I’d advise anyone who wears concealer, powder, or foundation to apply this eyeshadow before applying the aforementioned. Once applied, these eye shadows did an impressive job of staying put and sparkled just enough that I felt feminine and pretty but not like someone with an bizarre fairy obsession. These shadows come off easily with a little coconut oil, as I’m sure that they would with soap or any eye makeup remover.

Rating-9 out of 10 seems like an appropriate rating for this collection; I subtracted 1 point because the ingredients aren’t entirely hazard free. As far a performance goes, I am beyond satisfied!

Would I purchase this item again?- Well, since this collection is being offered only for a limited time, I probably won’t have the chance. However, I do plan to buy several samples (which are only $1.50 each!) of colors that are sold year round.  Of the Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadows, I have my eye on Azure, Ombra, and Gold Dust. From the Pearluster group, Viola and Champagne are my picks. The loveliest of the Satin Matte shadows are Juniper, Fawn, and Wedgewood.

*These products were courtesy of Alima Pure. The opinions are all mine.

Here are a couple of pictures of me trying out my new eye shadow:

Left Eye: Macaw & Jaguar, Right Eye: Bromeliad & Kapok

Wearing eyeshadow makes me feel fancy, and I plan to do it more often.

Thoughts:

• The article suggests removing makeup with olive oil, but I prefer taking off my eye makeup with coconut oil, because it comes off with much less effort (and everyone knows that the less you scrub the sensitive skin under your eyes, the less likely you are to get wrinkles).
• I can’t wait to try that Greek Yogurt and Papaya Enzyme Conditioning Mask. It’s at least tenth on a long list of masks that I need to try, and I mean it when I say need.
• I had no idea what Kefir was before reading this article.
• I’m definitely going to put honey on my heels the next time I clip my toenails and exfoliate my feet.
• Egg yolk might prevent hair loss? I have some balding friends that could definitely benefit from that information.
• Since dark chocolate makes skin less prone to dryness, I’m off to eat some of the dark chocolate-covered strawberries that Kirby made for me. It has very little to do with them being absolutely delicious. Not!