John Masters Organics Bare Unscented Body Lotion Review

Good morning everyone! Yesterday, I made a trip to Whole Foods to restock some beauty goods and decided to give a few new ones a try. Obviously, I haven't been able to give them all a whirl yet so all this week, I'll be blogging reviews about them and other products that have yet to be shared with you lovely readers :)

To get started with my Review Week, I'm going to start with John Masters Organic Bare Unscented Body Lotion. I absolutely adore this stuff! I've only had it for less than 24 hours and I already know that it's gonna be a staple in my bath and body routine. I'm a tad bit obsessed with keeping my skin super soft, especially during the harsh winter. And if I'm gonna slather stuff on my entire body, I really prefer for it to be unscented. But sometimes, unscented smells...well, kinda gross. But not this one. This is what unscented should smell like. It's so light and non-greasy     it literally disappears into my skin without any residue. And this morning, I woke up to baby smooth skin. Everything I want in a body lotion.

Okay, so $16.50 may be rather pricey for a body lotion, but I swear to you, it's a luxury that's totally worth it. Made with 9 certified-organic extracts and oils such as sunflower, coconut, and lavender, this body lotion is equipped to handle the driest of skin types.

So there you have it, the first of many reviews. So far so good. I hope all of my other purchases are just as good as this one. Stay tuned for more reviews from brands such as Tarte, Acure, Josie Maran, and Evan Healy.

Celebs Going Green: Emmy Rossum at Global Green Pre-Oscar Party

If there's one show I'm hopelessly addicted to, it's E! News. The other night, there was a segment on the 9th Annual Pre-Oscar Party hosted by Global Green on February 22, 2012. One star that caught my eye was Emmy Rossum, star of the Showtime series Shameless, who rocked a pastel yellow dress made of hemp and pineapple fibers (courtesy of designer, Oliver Tolentino). I thought she looked absolutely fabulous in the 50's inspired silhouette.

Her make-up was done by Amy Nadine, who used Tarte products. "Inspired by the sweetness of the dress’s color and form, I chose a color palette of sherbets and bubble gum, perfectly suited for spring,” says Nadine. The whole look really came together wonderfully    a great representation of eco-friendly being chic.

Watch the other celebrities who attended the party talk about Global Green and the environment here.

Quarterly Delivery From No More Dirty Looks

Okay, so this post is long overdue. Back in October, I signed up for an auto-delivery service called Quarterly Co. So what exactly is it? Well, in simple terms, "Quarterly Co. is a subscription service that lets you receive awesome things in the mail." Here's how it works: you choose a contributor that interests you. Contributors consist of all types of influential people: writers, designers, food gurus, entrepreneurs, etc. What they do is, every three months, they send you a package of items of their choosing. "Each product should reflect on the person who selected it, and help inform your understanding of them." The goal is to reconnect with the tangible in a world obsessed with digital.

I chose to subscribe to the lovely ladies of No More Dirty Looks, Siobhan O'Connor and Alexandra Spunt. For those of you who've never heard of them (you're totally missing out, btw), Siobhan and Alexandra wrote the clean beauty bible, No More Dirty Looks. They also have a blog that goes by the same name (definitely subscribe, it's wonderful).

Anyway, I received my first package in January and I was absolutely delighted with the products. They included a dry body brush by Hydrea London, a Leap Organics lavender bar soap, and a sample of Soapwalla Deodorant Cream. All three have been introduced into my daily routine and I'm so happy, especially with the deodorant. I really admire the Soapwalla company (on Etsy). Made in Brooklyn, all of the products are handmade with organic, vegan ingredients. Best of all, the deodorant cream rocks. I swear it works better than traditional antiperspirants.

My only complaint was the delay on the first shipment. Because Quarerly Co. is a new company, it took them a little while to get organized. Hopefully, my future shipments will be more on schedule. Stay tuned for a post about the next batch of goodies :)

If you want to subscribe to No More Dirty Looks on Quarterly Co. click here! For $25, it's a great way to sample some eco-friendly beauty products.

Showing Love For Our Planet! Eco-Friendly Valentine's Day Gifts

Maybe I'm being a bit materialistic about Valentine's Day, but seriously: I found some sweet goodies that'll put you in the holiday spirit. There's just something about hearts, roses, and chocolate that can turn a girl into mush... but be careful! Traditional V-day gifts have a bad rep for being wasteful and/or harmful. Flowers sprayed with pesticides? Illegal diamonds? Chemical-laced perfumes? Okay, you get the picture. Whether you're buying for someone else or just for yourself, try to make a conscious effort to buy from responsible retailers. Our planet needs some loving, too!

Here are some of my favorite picks that will make your Valentine's Day eco-fabulous. Enjoy! :)

1. Heart Cluster Cuff by Kris Nations - $85.00
made in the USA from recycled 14k gold overlay.


2. One Dozen Rich Pink Roses by Organic Bouquet - $49.95
sustainably grown, these gorgeous organic roses are fair trade certified.


3. Osaka Necklace by Hovey Lee - $118.00
beautiful locket made from vintage brass.


4. Marielle Clutch by Mar Y Sol - $120.00
handmade using raffia, cotton, and carved wood.


5. Gourmet Vegan Organic Assorted Chocolates - $25.00
the title says it all... delicious!


6. Ilia Pure Lip Care in Bang Bang - $24.00
a sheer romantic red that conditions lips naturally. perfect for v-day!


7. Vivienne Westwood for Melissa Lady Dragon VIII Heeled Sandals - $215.00
Melissa's signature eco-plastic shoes paired with Westwood's bold style.


8. Red Doves Tote by Apple & Bee - $34.95
organic cotton complete with an adorable print.

What I'm Loving: Valentine's Day Dresses by Annie Greenabelle

Now, I'm usually no fan of pink (just ask my pink-obsessed best friend, Jess). But these dresses by Annie Greenabelle have me seriously reconsidering the super girlie hue. Just in time for Valentine's Day, these organic cotton dresses are absolutely lovely. Best of all, they won't break the bank. All three pictured below are no more than $60.

Check out the rest of Annie Greenbelle's holiday attire here.
And stay tuned for more eco-friendly Valentine's Day ideas!

Going Undercover: A Guide to Natural Foundations/Concealers

Whether you're going the natural route or searching for a conventional one, a good foundation is always tough to come by. One size does not fit all and the hassle of finding your perfect color is enough to drive anyone crazy. And when you're hunting for a natural one, the search gets even harder. But trust me, it's worth the hassle. Natural foundations can do wonders for your skin. You'll have yourself wondering why the hell you ever thought of putting that other crap onto your face.

I've had acne for years and it's been a mission of mine to find a good, eco-friendly foundation to help fake the skin I wasn't born with. Over time, I've sampled a bunch--- everything from tinted moisturizers and concealers to mineral and liquid foundations. Here's a little guide to help you sift through the cover-up jungle.

1. Physicians Formula Organic Wear Loose Powder - $13.95

This has become a mainstay in my routine. I use it to set my foundation and get rid of shine. The coverage is too translucent to be used alone, at least in my opinion. But it gets the job done for a great price. The kabuki brush included is pretty much worthless. I use one from Eco Tools that is far better.

2. Physicians Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer - $9.95

This was one of the first natural cover-ups that I tried, simply because you can find it in most drugstores and it has a price tag of under ten bucks. Provides light coverage and leaves my skin looking fresh. However, this would probably be more suitable for dry skin, considering all the lovely moisturizers that it contains.

3. Alima Pure Matte Foundation - $22
I was originally a Bare Minerals kind of gal, but after learning that bismuth oxychloride, an ingredient in the popular foundation, may be linked to breakouts, I decided to ditch it. As an alternative, I came across Alima Pure to satisfy my mineral foundation needs. It provides awesome, light coverage without irritating my skin or being too chalky. Finding my color was pretty easy, thanks to their awesome shade selection.

*Alima Pure is currently having a 20% off sale on their matte foundation through February 13th*

4. RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up - $38

Sampled from Spirit Beauty Lounge, this concealer is absolutely fabulous. It's made with only the best ingredients, providing superb nourishment for skin. The coverage is really great, too. Just a little dab on top of a blemish does the trick. Best of all, my tiny little sample lasted forever. A little definitely goes a long way. Hopefully, more shades will be added in the future--- only four shades exist at the moment.

5. Dr. Hauschka Pure Care Cover Stick - $21.95

As the newest addition to my make-up routine, this little stick covers up those pesky pimples that peek through your foundation. Not only does it hide them, but it also treats the blemish with tea tree and manuca oils. I'm slowly starting to realize that I can't live without this product. Definitely worth the money.

6. Dr. Hauschka Translucent Make-Up - $31.95

Currently a staple in my make-up routine, this foundation has a similar texture to Nvey Eco's: light, water-like, and very blendable. Dr. Hauschka is known for infusing soothing plant extracts and oils into their cosmetics, making it a great choice for sensitive skin types. Covers my breakouts nicely while evening out my skin tone. Although the tube is a bit small for the price, it lasts a long time. Just a small dot of foundation goes a long way.

7. Nvey Eco Moisturizing Fluid - $42

This foundation has been hailed as one of the best natural foundations out there. It's used by many professionals which means that it comes with a professional pricetag. I sampled some shades from Spirit Beauty Lounge and was pretty impressed. Despite having a light, water-like texture, this product provided some great, natural looking coverage. Choosing a shade was a bit difficult. Definitely sample some shades before committing to this purchase.

8. Vapour Soft Focus Foundation - $48

After being hailed as the best foundation by Fig & Sage's beauty awards, I had to give this one a try. I ordered some samples directly from their website. The shade selection was very nice. They certainly try to provide products for the very pale, the very dark, and everyone in between. I was satisfied with the medium to heavy coverage; it never looked cakey. However, the texture was a bit odd. It had almost an oily feel to it that was a little hard to blend.

Hope these helped!

What's your favorite natural foundation? Have you ever tried any of these?