LiveMom Giveaway!!!

I've teamed up with LiveMom to give two lucky winners the chance to win a set of three yummy Juice Beauty lip balms each.

All you have to do is leave a comment there describing the ways you like to multi-task with your favorite beauty products.

Good luck!!!

ps: You don't have to be a mom to enter!

Natural Deodorant Tips!

*Note:
For some reason the font gets bold/wonky at the end of this post. I have this problem with this blog but not my personal one. It's driving me crazy but it's late and it's not letting me fix it. I apologize!


I have tried every natural deodorant I could get my hands on over the years in the search for the one that would do the trick for my body chemistry.

I have a specific approach for making sure I am protected all day. There is absolutely nothing worse than feeling self-conscious about body odor or worrying about having wet spots on your clothes. This takes quite a bit more effort than using conventional deodorant, but for me it was absolutely worth it and it does become second nature after a while.

First, find a deodorant. Like I said, I've tried a lot of them. These two are the only ones I would buy again. I currently have both on hand. (see below)

Next, apply a layer of body powder. I avoid baby powder--it's thick and made of yucky talc and makes everything feel gunky. I have two that I love and also a "recipe" in case you're in a DIY kind of mood. (see below)

Carry a package of baby wipes (I love the Whole Foods 365 brand. They are in a convenient travel pack and come in handy in general. Don't bother getting hand wipes. The baby wipes are stronger, softer and bigger) with you for emergency touch-ups for extra hot days or if you are wearing something made of synthetic fabric and it's not wearing well.

It's best to wear loose-fitting shirts made of natural fibers anyway, but definitely when you are making the transition to natural deodorant. I like wearing cotton and linen and there are all kinds of great, soft bamboo and other plant fibers on the market now.

Ideally you will have a second deodorant that you can stash in your bag (mine is huge so it's not a problem) in your car or at work. You should bring powder too, I put it in a snack-sized baggie but that could be awkward to explain if it falls out of your purse. ;)

A better way for on-the-go reapplication is to invest in a refillable powder brush.

Using a brush is the absolute best way I've found to apply it. It's best to apply before getting dressed. You can also apply it to areas that are prone to chafing or extra wetness like between the breasts or inner thighs.

The last thing you should do is go internal. Like everything, starting from the inside is the best way to support health and wellness on the outside.

Two good supplements to try are chlorella and probiotics.

The biggest thing to understand is that this is a process and well worth making it through. Your body has to adjust and you have to get used to changing the way you think about how deodorant is supposed to feel and work.

I once read somewhere that it takes one month for every year you have been wearing aluminum-based deodorants to transition, but I have no idea if that is true or not or even where I heard it. For me that would have been fourteen months. And although I felt comfortable after a few weeks, it was over a year that I didn't feel tempted to go back. At this point I would never consider using conventional deodorant again.

Best Deodorant:


Dr. Hauschka Fresh (spring/summer) Dr. Hauschka Floral (fall/summer)
$$: $19.95


Ingredients:
Water/Aqua, Alcohol, Triethyl Citrate, Glycerin, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Zinc Ricinoleate, Bentonite, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral, Benzyl Benzoate, Farnesol, Coumarin, Citronellol, Eugenol, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil (Jojoba Wax), Sucrose Laurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid


I prefer roll-on deodorants. Sprays tend to drip and sticks feel either chalky or sticky depending on the formulation. And don't even get me started on the idea of putting water on a giant rock of salt every day. The DH deodorants are a thick lotion-style formula and really make me feel like I'm getting a nice even application.

I first tried this deodorant when I was pregnant and it gave me a terrible rash. I put it away and forgot about it, then gave it another shot after I had my boys. I have never had another reaction.

The DH deodorants do take a bit longer to dry than my other top pick, but not by too much.


Naturally Fresh Liquid Crystal Roll-On
$: $3.99


Ingredients: Purified Water, Natural Mineral Salts, Xanthan Gum, Phyotphingosine, and chamomile extract


I first tried this deodorant for the first time when I was in Massachusetts for a Dr. Hauschka training, ironically. I was out of my trusty DH and had brought another brand that I had recently bought. What a mistake. I went to CVS and this was the only other option besides Tom's of Maine (which DOES NOT work for me) so I gave it a try.

It has a really nice, fresh fragrance and the thin consistency dries quickly and evenly. I feel like I can wear the DH alone but with the Naturally Fresh I definitely need to back it up with an application of body powder.


Body Powder:


Dr. Hauschka Body Silk
$: $32.95



Ingredients:
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Silk/Serica Powder, Silica, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Coumarin, Citronellol, Citral, Gentiana Lutea (Gentian) Extract, Quercus Robur (English Oak) Bark Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Diatomaceous Earth/Solum Diatomeae

Nutribiotic Body Powder with Grapefruit Seed Extract

$: $4.95

Ingredients:

• Treated Corn Starch - Heat treated corn starch to absorb a greater volume of moisture. You can actually eat this.
• Silicone Dioxide - A food-grade flowing agent added to prevent clumping of the powder. See above for further explanation.
• Grapefruit Seed Extract - Added for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Helps to curb yeast growth and support generation of healthy skin.
• Tea Tree Oil - Another all natural antibacterial, antifungal herbal oil.

DIY Recipe:

2 parts cornstarch :

1 part baking soda

A few drops of your favorite essential oil (lavender and tea tree are good bets for the anti-bacterial benefits) or perfume oil. Or you can leave fragrance free.

Mix together cornstarch and baking soda. Add a few drops of fragrance oil of your choice, making
sure that you do not add too much and that it doesn't come into contact with any plastic. Leave unopened for a few hours until the essential oils have dried, then break up any clumps with a spoon, stir well and enjoy!

*Other body powders using corn starch usually heat treat it to maximize absorption of wetness so this version won't work quite as well as a store bought, but pretty close!


Another Great Powder Trick:

Have you ever noticed how long it takes to get through a container of loose facial powder? I have had some that I have had for years.

The same ingredients that will absorb excess facial oil will also do a good job absorbing extra wetness. I would use a different brush for each purpose but if you have it around there's no reason not to multi-task. (my favorite!)

Just make sure it's translucent! (colorless)

Makeup Alley Board: Go Green!

I have never been very active on the Makeup Alley boards, but I am really interested in a new board they started called "Go Green."

It is described as:

Go Green Board: Related Topics of Green Products + Eco-Friendly Living

Check it out, there are already some pretty interesting topics on there!

Love Your Whole Body!

This month at Whole Foods Market online the Whole Body department will be featuring three podcasts.

This is a quick and easy way to learn more about Whole Body and what they have to offer.

If you need a last-last minute gift for Mom, head to Whole Foods and choose products to help her create a blissful spa experience right at home!
And don't forget the essential oils!

How to Build the Perfect Spa Basket

Most everyone enjoys the pampering and results of a day at the spa. Not everyone has the things they need to enjoy a similar experience at home any time. So, whether you’re gifting or stocking your own personal spa “toolkit” here’s a how-to walk-through, featuring quality natural products that provide benefits beyond the normal spa ahhhh. (Video)

Demystifying Aromatherapy

Have you ever wished you could enjoy a spa right in your own home? Listen and discover how easy it is to: create the perfect relaxing—or energizing—bath; make your own professional quality massage oils; and add aromatherapy to your lifestyle. You’ll also learn the benefits of pure essential oils, and what differentiates them from other oils on the market. Tim Blakey has been an aromatherapist and herbalist for 30 years. He travels extensively doing education and sourcing oils from around the world for Aura Cacia and Frontier.

(AUDIO)

Now that we are moving into the warmer months, it is the perfect time to re-evaluate your skin, diet and exercise level and tweak your daily regimen.

If you are new to natural skincare or are confused by all the choices, this podcast will be a great way to get started. If you need more help, contact your local store to see if they have an on-site aesthetician.

Many stores now have licensed skincare professionals on staff to do skincare consultations and makeovers. Even if your favorite store does not have a licensed skincare practitioner on staff, the Whole Body team is very well-trained on all products and can also help support the skin internally by suggesting the proper supplements.

Beauty truly does begin from the inside and I have seen dramatic results when pairing my favorite skincare with supplements such as B vitamins, Chinese herbs, anti-oxidants and probiotics-- just to name a few.

May 12th

Natural Facial Care for Your Skin Type
The natural facial care shelves are loaded with hundreds of products. Which ones are right for you? Holistic Aesthetician Traci Reazer guides us through a daily healthy skin care regimen for three common skin types. She discusses a variety of natural facial care products and the properties that make them effective. Take a fresh look at face care!

Summer Cocktail!

Momformation has again inspired me to write a blog entry!

Warm weather is upon us and I know lots of people who are STILL hiding their "winter legs" under jeans.

I have translucent, pasty skin and am prone to spider veins so I feel your pain, but there are ways to still rock a skirt or a pair of shorts.

(I don't personally wear shorts often, but skirts I can't live without!)

Don't hide your legs, add a touch of healthy color, moisture and glow instead.

Here is my personal favorite combination, although you can achieve a similar effect with any number of products that you may already have in your arsenal:

1. Dr. Hauschka Quince Body Moisturizer--two squirts
Quince is my absolute favorite both in the body lotion and day cream for the face. Even with the newest additions, Lemon Body Moisturizer and Rose Day Cream Light I still reach for the Quince. However, lemon is a great uplifting, fresh aroma for hot weather so I won't blame you if you use that instead.

2. Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronze Concentrate--this is the great part. This product allows you to completely control the amount of color you get. I do not go in for the whole 'sunkissed look' so I only add one squirt, but the color can go as deep as you like just by adding more concentrate.

3. Smashbox Artificial Light Luminizing lotion in Diffuse--one squirt. Just enough to give some subtle sheen, not enough to head to the disco!

This can also go on the face, even the body lotion if you like or you can use your favorite moisturizer or even better, sunscreen.

During my good-skin days I only use TBC with the SPF 30 and a touch of loose powder and that's it. I have enough color from the concentrate to soften the white from the sunscreen and also to cover any redness or or inflammation in my skin tone.

Featured Product: Dr. Hauschka Blackthorn Body Oil

This is my skincare/professional blog so I don't talk much about my "real life" but this particular product deals with both of my "professions": being a mom to twins and being a holistic esthetician.

When I was pregnant in 2004/2005, one of the very first books I picked up after finding out I was having twins informed me that I would end up with what is known as "twin skin."

This basically means really loose skin similar to what someone is left with after a gastric bypass surgery.

Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled at this prospect, but I made a commitment to myself in the beginning to eat well for my babies' sake and to try not to worry about the ways in which my body was starting to change. I figured I would deal with it once I was through breastfeeding and my body was "mine" again. (big joke on me, I'm still nursing!)

I was motivated to write this blog after reading this blog and also because I am a big fan of this website. I have been following The Shape of a Mother for a few years now, since I was pregnant and I see the dramatic way women's bodies change during normal pregnancies and childbirth. (I'm not convinced that breastfeeding will harm the appearance of your breasts. I know that the rapid growth that happens when your milk comes in will create stretch marks but I don't think that the act of lactation and breastfeeding will cause changes in your breasts that time alone wouldn't have created)

All of the products I work with in my line of work are "luxury" skincare items, meaning they are high-end ingredient-wise and budget-wise. I am lucky because I had been in the skincare industry for a number of years when I became pregnant so I had all of these products at my disposal. I had been selling Dr. Haushcka skincare for a number of years in the retail world so I told many a pregnant woman about the Blackthorn Body Oil to help with skin elasticity and preventing stretch marks. A lot of them took one look at the price ($26.95) and politely inquired about alternate products but some of them practically snatched the bottle out of my hands.

I had many, many women come back to tell me that although their mother's and their sisters and every other birthing female in their family had gotten severe stretch marks, they faithfully used the Blackthorn Oil and got not a one. I heard enough of these stories to reach straight for the oil when I became pregnant.

I started using it right before I found out I was having twins, right as I was entering my second trimester. Although my baby bump was still small, my skin was starting to itch like crazy. At that point I didn't care if it prevented stretch marks or not, I just wanted it to soothe the itching. And it did, immediately.

By the time I gave birth, at 37 1/2 weeks I had gone through nine bottles. Most pictures of me pregnant are of me sitting on the couch with a giant shiny belly with a bottle of Blackthorn Oil next to me.

I am a little embarrassed to admit, I didn't look at my tummy for two days after I gave birth. I just wasn't ready to face what it may look like.

When I finally did look I was pleasantly surprised. I had some pretty intense abdominal diastasis and my poor belly button got the worst of it (my mom was right when she said I shouldn't have pierced it!!) but other than that I didn't get any stretch marks. (see second tummy pic above to see the belly button damage)

I went back and forth trying to decide whether or not to write this blog. I didn't want it to come across as bragging or boasting at all because that is not at all where I am coming from. But I did want to get the information out there in case other moms want to hear of something that "worked."

I became an esthetician to help my clients understand and take care of their skin and this falls under that umbrella, so here is my story, for what it's worth. I felt like I had to post at least a couple of pictures as evidence. I have been too shy to actually post my story or pictures to SOAM so this is the next best thing.

Would I have not gotten stretch marks if I hadn't have used this product? Who knows, maybe I wouldn't have gotten them anyway, but I think probably would have. I have told several friends about this and they all have used it and not gotten stretch marks either, so that's enough evidence for me.

What is blackthorn?

Blackthorn is a rose (rosacea) family shrub, also known as sloe. Also in the rose family are quince, almond, apple and pear. Flower extracts of blackthorn are strengthening and rejuvenating. Both fruit and flower extracts are strengthening to connective tissue.

Ingredients:

Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil, Prunus Spinosa (Blackthorn) Flower Extract, Betula Alba (Birch) Leaf Extract, Hypericum Perforatum (St. John'swort) Extract, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, Citral, Coumarin, Farnesol, Eugenol

I Still Miss the Glass Ampules

What type of plastic is used for the Eye Solace and Rhythmic Conditioners? Does the plastic leach into the product?

A medical-grade high density polyurethane is used for Eye Solace and Rhythmic Conditioner ampules. Our tests show it does not deteriorate or leach any undesirable compounds into the product under conditions of normal usage.


I am a huge fan of the Dr. Hauschka Rhythmic Night Conditioner ampules.

I just finished up a 30 day round of the sensitive ampules recently, as a matter of fact. (I usually do them at seasonally.)

They really help when my skin starts to look sluggish and lifeless and really help soothe redness and inflammation.
The ampules are now packaged in a medical grade plastic, but not too long ago were packaged in glass.

You simply tapped the bottom of the ampule until all the liquid was settled, then snapped off the top and used like usual.

Apparently enough dummies people cut themselves on the glass (myself included, but only once or twice!) for them to decide to repackage the ampules, but only in the U.S. Last I heard, the ampules still come in glass in Europe and other parts of the world.

This doesn't surprise me, I have had more than one person during my retail days tell me that they applied the product by tapping the broken glass edge directly onto their skin.

I still have a mini-stockpile of the glass ampules but I will be very sad indeed when they are all gone.