GreenBeautyLooter has MOVED!

I'm excited to announce--I have moved to www.greenbeautylooter.com! I have migrated all of my posts, so you will be able to find everything there too. Please stop by there to take a look around--I've added a few new posts to that site. :)

Trifecta French Toast Recipe (Gluten-Free, Healthy & Easy)

I found a recipe online months ago, and I'm having trouble finding the original recipe (I know, I'm terrible) because I wanted to give the original recipe credit. I've tried this recipe several times and each time it's delicious! The best part is that it's soooo easy….even for beginner cooks, this is a home run.

Ingredients:
1 egg
2 slices of gluten-free bread (I used Udi's wheat bread)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1.5 tsp honey (I used the organic honey from Trader Joe's)
cinnamon (to sprinkle on top)
coconut oil (as frying oil)

1. Mix egg, vanilla and honey together.

2. Put each slice of bread in the mixture for a few minutes on each side to soak up the deliciousness.

3. Put some coconut oil in the pan and cook it on the stovetop on each side until it's a golden.

4. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top of each slice and enjoy!

Gluten-Free French Toast, Turkey and a Banana-breakfast of champions

Green Protein Smoothie

I've been trying to eat healthy for the past 1.5 years and have had some really great successes and some complete fails. One easy, foolproof idea is to blend your own smoothies. The key here is to have the right tool: a high-speed blender (I recommend a Blendtec or a Vitamix). I have really abused my trusty Blendtec and promise to love it until it poops out on me. It's been my most useful purchase of 2013 and I would recommend getting one.  I've made smoothies, soups, sauces, salad dressings and different types of flour. It can even make ice-cream, but I haven't ventured there yet. Yes, it's loud, but it has to be because of it's strong motor and the non-sharp blades (you won't cut yourself on it, ever). Because of it's safe, non-sharp blades + crazy horse power = fluffy smoothies (veggies have no chance of surviving and being chunky).

I've been doing the Daniel Plan with my small group and tried this protein-filled, green smoothie and it tasted great!

I blended together:

3/4 of a ripe nectarine or peach
1 c almond milk (vanilla)
1 scoop protein powder (vanilla)
1 small ripe banana
3 dinosaur kale leaves

I press the "whole juice" option and walked away. Less than a minute later, came this beauty--fluffy and delicious! This yielded about two large servings, so I saved the second one for breakfast the next morning. Try blending different combinations of stuff in your Blendtec/Vitamix, you'll quickly see how addicting it is.

Tip: I would recommend always putting a ripe banana in your smoothies, because that will sweeten it up and make anything you blend taste better. You can also try adding a few drops of liquid stevia if your smoothie isn't as sweet as you'd like it to be. Happy blending!

My Current Skin Care Routine (Non-Acid)

I'm posting my current skin care routine because I've gotten a lot of questions about what I use. Please note, I have sensitive, break-out prone skin, but this stuff regulated my skin over time and now keeps clogs in check. Check out my current skin cocktail:

AM Routine:

Eye products and not.a.sponge not pictured.

Cleanse: 302 Sensitive Cleanser Rx -Super gentle and doesn't leave your face too dry. Sometimes I actually feel it drawing out hard clogs (sorry if that grossed anyone out there, but it's true). I rotate this cleanser with my 302 Acne Cleanser Rx to prevent/treat clogs.

Tone/Hydrate: 302 Calming Mist Rx (has green tea so it's got antimicrobial and antioxidant properties) followed by 302 Remedy Rx (hydrates and provides SPF 15).

Eye cream: Aurelia Revitalise and Brighten Eye Dew (which I just found out was the WINNER of the beauty shortlist awards for 2014!). See full review here.


PM Routine:

Cleanse: 302 Sensitive Cleanser Rx

Tone: 302 Calming Mist Rx

Treat: Rotate 302 C-Boost (Mon/Weds) with 302 Drops Rx (Tues/Thurs). C-Boost is my vitamin C serum--I use it because my skin seems brighter and nicer the next morning. The 302 Drops Rx I use as a preventative for wrinkles. At my age, it's about prevention, because once the wrinkles make their home on your face, it's hard to get them evicted.

Hydrate: Thin layer of Remedy Rx on top of serum. On nights I'm not using a treatment (Fri-Sun), Calming Mist Rx and Remedy Rx (yes, even Remedy Rx at night--it's naturally got SPF from the zinc oxide, but it makes for a great moisturizer because it hydrates and is thte only moisturizer that doesn't break me out on my all-too-sensitive chin).

Eye Cream: Aurelia Illuminate and Smooth Puff Reduction Eye Cream

Additional treatments:

-Revive Rx on the days I have breakouts (typically from trying new makeup that doesn't agree with my skin--the price I pay for being a beauty product junkie).

-302 Treatment mask once a week when I need it.

-Not.a.sponge konjac puff 2-3x a week for exfoliation.

Ilia Gloss, RMS Products and Quick Makeup Tips

WAHOO!! I discovered a brick and mortar store in south orange county that carries a lot of green brands I've been dying to try--Roots: The Beauty Underground in Laguna Beach. There are a few other stockists scattered around orange county, but I figured after green makeup shopping, I could walk around and enjoy the beach afterwards.

Who works there: hair stylists and a makeup artist I adore! Her name is Alise and she was super helpful and sweet. Woman knows her makeup and how to apply it. I probably could've stayed there for days talking makeup and skincare with her.

What is it: It's a hair salon in the back and a green makeup and skincare store in the front.

When: I visited this place twice last month and they let you try on all the makeup you want.

Why did I go: You can't really tell makeup colors online, nor the texture. I had to try the stuff on in-person to make sure the colors looked good and that the stuff didn't break me out. Once I figured that out, it was easy to walk out with some products.

Remember my motto about trying stuff before you buy it?? This store is a dream come true for me because most green make up lines are sold online and not in stores. Colors are never as accurate as you hope they are and my biggest concern is breakouts. I've had some bad experiences with some natural makeup lines, so this was and still is my biggest challenge.

I went there and loved a few things--here is what I ended up getting:

1. RMS Un-Powder:

This is the green version of the Makeup Forever HD Powder. It's 100% silica powder, and it's non-nano. Nano particles are a problem because they are small enough to penetrate cells. Studies have also found them to be dangerous if inhaled because particles that are too small (nano-particles) can actually get stuck in your lungs. AH! To learn more, read this. I like RMS because they don't use nano-particle-sized anything in any of their makeup, so I can feel good about using their products. This powder is supposed to keep oil at bay. I don't really wear face makeup, so this is my powder and finishing powder in one. I'm still on the fence about this this purchase, but will write more about this one again in a few months. It wasn't a purchase I instantly fell in love with like the others….so we'll see. 

2. RMS Living Luminizer:

WOW. Cream-based makeup used to freak me out because of the increased break-out risk factor, but this stuff didn't break me out at all. I use my fourth-finger, swirl it in the pot 5-6 times and pat it on top of the cheekbones. The castor and coconut oils in the luminizer highlight the area nicely and gives the illusion of an "inner glow." It doesn't last all day, but definitely lasts for many hours. The jar is small and the price is high, but the stuff will last forever, so I would gladly purchase this again.

3. Ilia Lip Gloss in Heartbeat:

I love this gloss. Looks bright red in the tube, but provides just a sheer layer of glossy, light redness to the lips. Can be layered on for more depth of color. Does not feel sticky either, pure awesomeness.

Another great makeup brand is Vapour--I really loved trying on some of their stuff! Their stuff also didn't break me out. I'm excited to write reviews about them soon. 

Some quick makeup tips:

An interesting makeup tip we picked up from the makeup artist at Roots: bronzers and blushes make great eye shadows. Since those two products are designed to go well with a multitude of skin tones, they also make for great eye shadows. I've been using my bronzer as an eye shadow for the past three weeks and I've been loving it. 

She even used an Ilia lipstick with an eye shadow brush as eye shadow on my friend and she looked fabulous! Genius, I tell you. 

Take a look in your makeup bag for these multiple use products! It's nice knowing your makeup can multi-task, isn't it?

Update: Non-acid skin care regimen (2.5 years and going)

**Warning: You are about to read a LONG post.  But there is lots of information and details for those that are interested!**

It's been almost 2.5 years since I started my new skin care routine that required removal of acids (lactic, glycolic, salicylic, tretinoin, etc.) and I'm glad I made the switch.  Here's an update of my progress that's been long overdue.

Let's see….in my last "non-acid skin care" post, I left off at about 3 weeks into my new 302 skincare routine.  

Here's how my skin has been doing for the past 2.5 years since the change: grrrrreat (I used to love those Frosted Flakes commercials).

I started off by changing my entire skin care routine, which required me to SIMPLIFY everything.  I used to be one of those girls that took 30 minutes to get ready for bed, because I had such a complicated evening skin regimen.  It's crazy how easy it was for me to put a ton of product on my skin in hopes of making it better. Now, I use very few products, managed to cut my evening routine in half and my skin looks better than it did when I was loading it with products.

So what did I do exactly?  I started by weaning my skin off of acids or any other strong ingredient.  The 302 line wants you to get your skin to baseline before you start adding in anything with active ingredients to ensure you don't get any bad reactions or bad breakouts. Oftentimes, our skin gets addicted to ingredients in the products we use, so this weaning process will vary from person to person.

Two weeks of no retinol, glycolic or salicylic acids, and I was scared of breaking out. Strange thing was, I didn't break out during the weaning phase. Typically, if I stopped any anti-acne treatment, I would break out. I attribute this to the quality of the products I was using (even though most of those products were very high-end). My skin did get extremely tight and dry, which was a sign my skin was addicted to products I was using.

During the weaning process, I used just three products in the 302 skincare line:  Sensitive Cleanser Rx (cleanser), Calming Mist Rx (toner made primarily of green tea), and Remedy Rx (a micronized zinc oxide cream).  I got the Rx versions of everything because the Rx versions are free of essential oils and I didn't want to add anything in that could potentially aggravate my skin.  This was my routine for day and night for about 2 weeks.  After then, I started on their A-Boost, which is their non-acid vitamin A serum, by applying it as a pre-wash 1-2x/week (I'll write a separate post about what a "pre-wash" is, or if you can't wait, feel free to send me a message and I'll happily respond). After a week of that, I began adding in the 302 serum in the evenings on Mon-Weds-Fri only.  The 302 serum contains the Avogen molecule the 302 company is known for, and is supposed to renormalize cells (Avogen is a lipid found in certain avocado varieties). One month later, I added in their A-boost once a week on Tuesdays in the evenings as a leave-on treatment to keep acne away.  The evenings I wasn't using the A-Boost or 302 Serum, I would use Remedy Rx. This company doesn't advocate using actives daily, because they say it weakens your skin and makes it less effective when used daily (skin stops reacting to strong products if over used, as a self-protective mechanism). Their ideal evening recommendation involves rotating 302 serum/drops (Mon), A-Boost (Tues), C-Boost (Weds) and giving your skin a day to rest on the 4th day (Thurs), then using the three items again. None of the boosts should be more than 3x/week or used on consecutive days. Interesting stuff--most companies try to get you to use their stronger products every night, so this was an interesting concept for me to accept.

The most unexpected thing happened--over the next few months, my skin became less oily, less congested, less sensitive and more supple.

Before the change, I used to get congestion around my chin and forehead.  Every esthetician said that the chin congestion was "hormonal" and that there was nothing I could do to help it. I tried every night treatment to put on these monthly bigger zits that would appear--I also liked the burn that came with these overnight treatments because I thought that meant it was "working." I thought I had to accept this because it was hormones, right? No, I don't believe that anymore.  A few months into this program, my chin was no longer congested.  Even now, I hardly get any big, red pimples (*knock on wood*), unless I try some new makeup and anger my skin. 

Progressively, people started commenting on how "nice" my skin was.  Since my skin was less oily, I blotted less often and the area around my nose became less red.  For many years prior, I was using Retin-A Micro or a different form of retinol, and I think this really thinned out my skin, contributed to the redness around my nose, and lead to super dry lips. I'm REALLY glad I'm stopped using this stuff.

It's been 2 years since I started and my skin has balanced out immensely.  It looks healthier, feels thicker/more supple, oil production has decreased, and zits are kept at bay. I had no idea simplifying my routine and finding this brand would help change my complexion so much.  I've never stuck with any skincare line for longer than a year, so 2+ years is a pretty big deal for this skincare junkie.

I still get the occasional spot, but they're not typically the big, ugly ones--they're completely manageable. 

I love the line so much I asked if I could carry their line when I open up a green beauty shop. I have tried most of their products, but I won't be selling all of them-- just the ones that I use and really do love. Go to www.greenbeautique.com to see the 302 products I carry. Use code buy302 to access the 302 products page.

Please please ask me if you have any questions! It's a professional line and products must be used as directed to be effective. If you have a particular skin care concern, let me know and I can recommend some things.

pps. A word about the weaning process: 302 will warn you that the transition process varies from person to person…some have no problems with the transition, others have to battle initial dryness, and some break out for a few weeks/months before their skin normalizes and gets better.  I have read blogs of others who broke out for 3 months before their skin normalized and their breakouts went away! Yikes.  I was lucky enough to only get dryness for the first 2 weeks (skin felt tight like I got a face lift) with no new breakouts. Every person is different, just throwing that disclaimer out there. 

I'll be posting about my CURRENT skin care regimen in a few weeks for those of you who are interested! Thanks for reading. :)

Handy Beauty Tools: Muji Acrylic Cases and Benjabelle Brush Tree (Daisy)

Muji Acrylic Case

Photo courtesy of muji.us

I broke down and purchased this for myself late last year--every vlogger owned at least one of these acrylic cases, so I had to jump on the bandwagon. I purchased the two drawers with a flip top lid ($26.75) because I needed a home for some of my larger makeup brushes. I hate the thought of leaving them out in the open because eventually tiny dust particles will settle into them, and I hate dust. I bought this for myself last christmas and I love it! I'm also eyeing this 3 drawer one to segregate some of my green makeup.

Measures: 25.5cm x17cm x 9.5cm


Benjabelle Brush Tree - Daisy

I purchased this brush tree ($19.95) a few months ago because I learned that brushes should be dried at a downward angle, if not upside down. Did you know that? It's because the ferrule (the part of the brush that crimps the brush hairs down and connects to the brush handle) contains glue, and getting it wet can mess with the glue that keeps those brush hairs together. This can lead to loss of brush hairs and a shorter life span of your expensive makeup brushes. Also, if you dry it upside down, the brush dries a bit faster since it can dry all around. This brush tree can accommodate 6 large brushes and 8 smaller brushes to dry at once. They have other brush trees that can hold more brushes, but I found this one was perfect for me.

Photo from Amazon.com

Either would also make perfect gifts--at under $30 each, these handy gifts are practical, yet fun to own.

W3LL People Mascara and Universalist Colorstick #8

  Two months ago, I went to a green beauty event in LA that featured a green skin care line (Arcona), a green hair care line (Briogeo), and a green makeup line (W3LL People). Most green makeup lines aren't carried in stores, and this makes it difficult to find the right shades for your skin tone. With this in-person event and knowing I could see/try these items in person, the inner beauty junkie took over and signed up immediately. I HAD TO BE THERE. The event was great--there was some green beauty Q&A and we were off to check out all the brands at the event.

  I ran off to W3LL People. I had been eyeing a few products from their line and wanted to see how the colors looked. I knew I'd be in trouble after I spoke with a rep from their line, and 10 minutes later, I was off to check out, having purchased more than I thought I would. I ended up leaving with their Universalist Multi-Use Colorstick in #8, Hedonist Mineral Bronzer in #52, Altruist Mineral Foundation in #16, Expressionist Bio-Extreme Mascara in Black, their soft kabuki brush, and a freebie clear lip gloss. I also left with a Briogeo Blossom and Bloom thickening conditioner .

  Today's review is about their Universal colorstick and mascara, since I've had a chance to use both items for two months.

Universal Colorstick #8: I was confused about how to wear the cream colorstick as a blush over my mineral veil, but after I figured out I could layer it over my mineral veil, it soon won me over. I swipe it 3-4 times on my index finger and dab it on to each cheek, blend and voila: coral-y tinted cheeks! Love the color on my medium toned skin. I found it gave me a few clogs the first week, but they went away afterwards and now just adds a nice touch of color to my face. It does give me a few small clogs if I use it it too many days in a row, so I can't use it too many days consecutively. 

EWG Skin Deep Score: 4


Expressionist Bio Extreme Mascara: This mascara definitely is in the same league as my 100% Pure mascara--this one lengthens and volumizes. With two coats, it gives my lashes great length and good volume. This formulation is less dry than the 100% Pure mascara and the brush is made of injection molded rubber, so it separates lashes very well. But, don't make me pick between the two, because they are both REALLY great mascaras.

EWG Skin Deep Score: 4

Best Beauty Find of 2014: The Konjac Face Puff-Better than my Clairsonic

I found my favorite green beauty find of 2014 this past January--the Not.a.sponge konjac face puff (white puff--In the Raw). They have a few others available, but I really love the original white puff.

I had read several reviews about this on green bloggers sites, and was curious to see how this simple product would fare against my Clairsonic face exfoliator. Now that I've been using it for several months, I feel like I can write a fair review on it. If I were to sum it up in a few words, I would say: I LOVE IT, more than my Clairsonic! It's natural, extremely soft, exfoliates gently, leaves my face feeling smooth and is biodegradable.

The first time I used it, I thought it was too soft to do anything for me--I was used to my Clairsonic and other harsh exfoliators that were abrasive. It's that old mentality that it has to burn or be rough to exfoliate, right? Wrong. After my first few uses, I had random people telling me my skin looked nice. I thought about it and realized the only new thing I added to my regimen was this Not.a.sponge. YES!! I rarely add things to my skin care regimen because I'm happy with it, but this addition was welcome.

Here's a quick breakdown of the Not.a.sponge face puff:

What is it: It's a fibrous, super soft vegetable that grows off a Korean island rich in volcanic soil. It's filled with tons of vitamins and minerals like Vitamins A, C,E, D, B1, B2, B6, B12, Zinc, Protein, Folic Acid and Iron. It also stimulates new growth of skin cells and encourages blood circulation. 

How to use it: Wash your face. Saturate the puff with water until it becomes a soft, spongy puff. Squeeze out excess water and gently massage around your face. Splash water on your face and pat dry. Follow your typical skin care routine afterwards. Rinse the puff under water, squeeze out the excess and hang dry (it comes with a string attached for hanging). I use it 2-3x/week, but I know some people who use it daily.

Why do I like it more than I like my Clairsonic? 

First, it's very affordable ($10). They recommend replacing it every 2-3 months, or until it starts cracking. With my Clairsonic, they recommended I replace my brush head every three months, which was $27 a pop. Plus, the device itself is pricey to start (I got mine when it first came out and it was $200 back then). 

Second, even the softest brush head for my Clairsonic was too rough for the area around my nose--it was always red after each use.  I have since stopped using my Clairsonic and use the Not.a.sponge--no more redness, just soft, happy skin.

Third, it's biodegradable. 

Have you ever liked something so much you wished you could sell it? I've only felt this way about a few things in my life:

• Trader Joe's Cookie Butter
• 302 Skincare
• Garlic Dip from my local farmers market

I've since added this to my list and….decided to open up a tiny online boutique! I only carry the green beauty products I love, so it's small right now. :) Come visit at www.greenbeautique.com. Get 15% off for the month of June using a friends and family discount code: frfam15. Happy green shopping!

Sick of Plastic Water Bottles? Try a Glass One

When trying to go "green," I found one of the hardest things for me to give up was plastic water bottles. They're so convenient, portable, light. I would force myself to forget that if it's left in your car for an afternoon, it's no longer drinkable, for fear of plastic leaching into your life source. One day, I saw my sister with a pretty, glass water bottle with a silicon sleeve and I wanted, no, NEEDED to try one for myself.

I did my research and decided to buy a Life Factory water bottle. The mouth of the bottle is wider than the standard glass water bottles, which I like for ease of washing.

I've had my Life Factory 22 oz. glass water bottle for over 6 months, and I love it. No more being scared of drinking water that's left out in the heat, no more fear of drinking water with some plastic leached into it, no more contributing to plastic waste. All things to feel good about.

**Edit: I did want to mention why I prefer Life Factory over other cuter water bottles with smaller mouthpieces/openings/whatever you want to call the piece that's covered by the top: it's much wider than most other brands. I like this because it makes it easier to clean. If you purchase one that's smaller, you have to buy a baby-bottle-cleaner-device to get inside the bottle to clean it. To me, this is a hassle, so I stick with my beloved Life Factory.

There are, however, some cons with a glass water bottle:

1. It is glass, so it's considerably heavier than a plastic water bottle. When my 22oz. water bottle is filled up, it's a mini weight.

2. It's glass, so it's also easier to break. There is a silicon sleeve surrounding the bottle, except on the mouth of the bottle. I've gone through two different glass water bottles due to me breaking the glass on the mouth of the bottles. I've learned to be VERY careful when I wash my bottle and take great care when pulling my water bottle out of the dishwasher. Both times I broke the glass on my water bottles, it was from taking the bottle out of my dishwasher and it brushing up against a ceramic dish. DOH.

3. It's not cheap. It runs about $20 for a 22oz. bottle.


Click on the bottle and it'll take you to the site on Amazon!

Graduation from the Kiddie Pool--True Red Lipstick (but it's Green)

I wrote a post a few months ago about dipping my toe into the red lipstick pool by starting off with Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner….then a month later, I decide to take the plunge and hang with the people in the grown-up pool by trying REAL red lipstick. I love it. Sounds sarcastic, but I'm being completely serious.

It started at Sephora. I only wanted to look at Bite Beauty because it's formulated without all the junk that I'm trying to avoid (parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic dyes, synthetic fragrances and petrochemicals) and made with food grade ingredients that are supposedly edible. I think this is important because, let's face it--if you wear lipstick, you will inevitably eat a little bit of it. If that's the case, you may as well purchase one that's safe enough for consumption.

As I perused, their many shades of red, the saleswoman helped me decide on trying Bite Beauty's Lush Lip Tint in Cherry. I instantly liked it--it was the first time I found myself thinking I could actually pull off wearing a bold lip color. It's a bright, light red color that's surprisingly hydrating. It contains argan oil and fruit butters, but the best part is the white "B" in the center of the lip tint--it contains Resveratrol, the same antioxidant found in red wine.

Of course a few days later, I wanted a BOLDER red lip…maybe something a bit darker. Since I'm a bit tan, I knew I had to look for a red with a blue undertone (opposed to an orange one), as reds with a blue undertone tend to be flattering on any skin type (yep, found this out researching red lipstick). I found exactly what I was looking for in their High Pigment Pencil in Tannin, described as a "deep, poppy red." And when I combine the Tannin with the Cherry Lip Tint? A unicorn appears! It's the best color combination and it actually makes you feel more bold. I've gotten so many compliments on it from both men and women, it's been really difficult not to wear more often. Seriously, if a man notices and compliments a lip color, it's gotta be decent.

If you're hesitating on trying a bold red, I say DO IT--go to Sephora and take someone with you who will give you an honest opinion.

**I did want to mention one strange thing I noticed with wearing red lipstick--when combined with my Dr. Bronner's lip balm, I got a strange allergic reaction that resulted in incurable dry lips for a week. My lips felt like sandpaper yet felt very sensitive. I was initially depressed because I loved my new red lipsticks and thought I was just allergic to them. I decided to give it another go with a different lip balm by chance, and I was fine. Since I'm a glutton for punishment, I tried the red lipstick again with Dr. Bronner's lip balm and got the same allergic reaction. This may not happen to you, but user be ware.


Score Card from EWG Skin Deep (click on the name of the product to see the report):

Bite Beauty Lush Lip Tint in Cherry: 3

Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Tannin: 3

My Natural Under Eye Concealer: Alima Powder Concealer Review

I've always had a love/hate relationship with under eye concealer. I know I have to use one, but it was tough finding an ideal one--many were too drying, cakey, didn't provide enough coverage or weren't the right color.

I sort of gave up trying to find a good concealer because everything I tried fell into one of the above categories. I tried tons of different concealers: true concealers, foundations as concealers, brightening luminizing pens, but I didn't love any of them. The only type of concealer I didn't try was a powder concealer, because I didn't think it could really do much for me. Then a few months ago during a trip to Toronto, I purchased a few Alima items at a boutique, including a powder concealer. I played around with this concealer to use on my under eyes and voila, new concealer found!

My under eye circles aren't the worst…it really depends on the day. They're not black, is all I'm saying. I don't need super heavy coverage, so you may need to add more powder or try something else that's a bit heavier if you have very dark under eye circles.

Here's how I use it:

1. Make sure your under eye is very hydrated by using a good eye cream. I use Aurelia's Probiotic Eye Duo (review here).
2. Take a soft concealer brush and lightly dip the brush in the powder.
3. Tap the powder into the lid of the concealer and swirl it into the brush (I bought mine in the color Amber).
4. Lightly brush the powder on the desired area.
5. Using your fourth/ring finger, lightly tap the powder into your under eye to soften and blend the powder.
6. Your under eyes are a little less racoon-y.

Pros:
-Scores a 1 on the EWG Skindeep website
-Provides coverage that is not cakey or drying
-$14
-Since you only use a little bit at a time, seems like it will last a long time

Cons:
-May need to layer up on coverage for those with very dark circles

Click here to review the EWG Skindeep report.

Aurelia Probiotic Eye Cream Review

It's a sad day when you realize you're not "young" anymore. Several things happen before this dawns on you: you no longer enjoy late nights out, sleeping in doesn't feel productive, healthy food actually starts tasting good, late night eating=belly in the morning and the dark circles under your eyes no longer go away. Oh, and the wrinkles that appear when you smile, decide to stay AFTER you're done smiling. AHHHHH.

I've been using eye creams since my early twenties.  A saleswoman once told me "with eyes, prevention is key," because once the wrinkles come, they don't go home. I've tried TONS of eye creams over the past decade (La Mer, Guerlain, Origins, Restorsea, Perricone, Kinerase, DermaDoctor, etc.) and liked some of them to varying degrees and didn't care for others. I don't think I appreciated the prevention they provided since I was younger and the skin around my eyes was younger too. I'm graduating out of my early thirties into "mid-thirties" soon, so a good eye cream is essential. Now that I've transitioned everything over to cleaner skin care, I found my biggest challenge was finding a good eye cream. 

I did my research and decided to try Aurelia Probiotic Eye Duo--this comes with two separate eye creams (one rollerball serum eye dew for AM and an eye cream for PM). The duo was about $140, which is a lot more than I typically would spend on an eye cream (except for my La Mer and Guerlain splurges), but then I divided it by two, since you get two eye creams out of it, and this made my decision a bit easier (I often trick myself like this to justify buying things I want to try). Seventy dollars is still expensive, but I was really curious to see what this eye cream could deliver.

I've been using this duo for a little over two months and I do really enjoy the products. I like the PM eye cream more than the day serum, so sometimes I'll use the PM cream in the AM over the serum. It's very hydrating and softens up the lines under my eyes, at least for a little bit. I can't fight nature and I'm not going to stop smiling, so this is the best I can do for now. Did I mention it has a lovely smell? Not like scents matter much if the thing works, but it's a nice benefit.

Pros:

-cream is very hydrating
-uses actives, botanicals and probiotics to help fight wrinkles and dark circles
-rollerball has a cooling effect
-pleasant scent

Cons:
-price

EWG Skin Deep Score:

PM Illuminate & Smooth Puff Reduction Eye Cream: 3

AM Revitalise & Brighten Eye Dew: 3

Here's a blurb from their website about the products:

Supporting the skin’s defence system with supercharged levels of probiotics and peptides is essential for radiant and youthful skin. Aurelia Probiotic Skincare’s technology uses immune modulatory glycoproteins to generate targeted impulses within the skin, balancing stress-damaged skin whilst stabilising the skin’s defence system. Aurelia works to protect against skin ageing, regenerates cell metabolism, prevents cellular DNA damage and is proven to counteract the effects of UV damage to collagen and elastin.

Our eye complex has been scientifically proven to result in an age correction improvement of 5 years in just 28 days of use. Specifically targeting wrinkle depth, the potent complex adds to Aurelia’s powerful scientifically proven technologies. Aurelia Probiotic Skincare prides itself on its beautiful mix of science and natural luxury. All products are free from synthetic fragrances, parabens, mineral oils, silicones, sulphates, propylene glycol, phthalates, GMO, PEGs, TEA and DEA. We never tested on animals.

Low Poo- Two Months and Going

So…by week 4, this low poo thing was proving harder than I originally anticipated. The week after I hennaed my hair, my hair and scalp were looking fantastical. I was able to go about 2-3 days without washing my hair and not have it looking like I didn't wash my hair--AWESOME. My hair felt 90% clean. I was continuing to use my Morrocco Method shampoos with no conditioners, because they indicated a separate conditioner wasn't necessary. Then my scalp started to get dry. WHAAAAT? Why?? I decided to try moisturizing my scalp with some argan oil for the first few days, then continued to moisturize with a green conditioner I purchased not too long ago made by Briogeo (full review of this product to come). I only did this once or twice and will not make it a habit to condition my scalp (it's not necessary for me), but just condition the middle of my hair to the ends. This seemed to do the job and scalp was dry no more.

I've been doing this low poo-ing for about 2 months now and I think I'm going to stick with it. My hair seems to produce less sebum/oil and I like that I'm using less chemicals in my hair. Don't get me wrong, I'm still shampooing every other day, but the second day doesn't look as bad as it did when I was using regular shampoo. One thing I will miss? The delicious smells of my old chemical-y shampoos. Man. Oh and that feeling of having 100% clean hair--when you low poo, it's hard to get that feeling when you have a low sudsing shampoo. It does feel 90% clean, which is a percentage I can live with. I'll post again in a few months to let you know how my hair does and if I can actually stick it out. Wish me luck!

**Update: I cheated on my low-poo regiment….I'm starting to try natural shampoos with no bad ingredients because I missed that feeling of 100% clean hair. I feel terrible, but I'm determined to get the best of both worlds. I'll keep using my super low-poo shampoo and rotate with more natural shampoos that also give me some lather. Sorry low-poo.

Henna yo hair - the natural way to dye hair

*Be warned, this is a very long post about dyeing hair with henna. If you're interested, keep reading.

I gave up dyeing my hair years ago, and the breakup was painful for me because I used to dye my hair every three months and I loved it. I decided I had to give it up a few years ago because I thought it was making my hair more brittle and thinner. I never thought I'd be able to have fun and color my hair again, especially once I jumped on my green train, until I discovered henna. I dyed my hair with henna a month ago, and I would say it was a success. It's very subtle, just how I wanted, with the few white hairs I had, now a reddish-coppery highlight. The rest of my hair has a slight glint of auburn in it, but looks dark brown indoors. But best of all, my hair is shiny and was extremely soft for the first 2 weeks. Soft like….kitten hairs soft. Or like, I used a ton of leave-in conditioner. If there was a "like" button for my hair, I would've clicked on it myself (and I normally dislike my hair). I thought I would change it up during my whole "no poo/low poo" challenge by hennaeing because I heard henna was good for your scalp, and boy, did it need help during this detox. I did this the first day of week 4 into my low poo-ing (sorry, I know it just sounds wrong).

Hennaing your hair is no easy task. There are lots of steps and it is time intensive, but it's a great investment in time if you want to dye your hair naturally (or with less chemicals). First, it's time intensive. You have to mix up the henna with something slightly acidic to enable the henna to release the dye and let this mixture sit for 10-12 hour period. Once that's done, you have to apply it, which is no easy feat for one person. I did this by myself and wasn't able to section out my hair, so I just sort of put it on everywhere and prayed I didn't miss any obvious chunks of hair. Before you apply, you have to cover the ground with towels (I used a giant piece of shipping paper I got from one of my many Amazon purchases), wear some old grungy clothes you don't mind staining for life, and 2 towels dedicated to hennaeing (one to put around your shoulders to catch the henna that falls the the second to go around your head). And don't forget to wipe it off IMMEDIATELY if it gets anywhere, because henna stains. The only place it's really safe is in the shower with the glass and the ceramic. 

Once you've managed to put henna all over your head, you have to put seran wrap over your hennaed head, then I put a towel over the seran-wrapped layer to keep the henna warm (keeping henna warm helps the hair uptake the color) and as an added layer of protection to catch any henna that decides it wants to jump ship. Then put the second towel around your shoulders just in case you have a henna accident, that way the towel is there to catch it and it doesn't land anything not henna-proof. After all that, you need to leave it in your hair for a few hours. 

At around 2.5 hours, I started to get henna drips down my forehead, which had to be immediately wiped off (henna stains skin), and was not pretty. Do this by wiping it off with a napkin wetted with water. When you wipe off henna with a napkin, the napkin looks like you just wiped up baby poop. I was afraid to throw this napkin in our community bathroom trashcan for fear of my roommate thinking I took a #2 and unnecessarily and rudely, threw toilet paper in the trashcan.

How do you mix henna you ask? There are a ton of different recipes out there, depending on what your current hair color is and what color you want it to be. I would check out this page, which compiles a number of different recipes with pictures of the resulting hair colors:

http://www.hennaforhair.com/mixes/index.html

I ordered my henna from Morroco Method International and from mehandi.com, but my order is on backorder with mehandi.com, so I used the Morrocco Method henna first. I purchased a "Light Brown" and a "Red" henna from them.

Here's my recipe:

-2 heaping tbsp. Light Brown Henna
-4 heaping tbsp. Red Henna
-less than 1 c. black tea (black tea steeped for 15 mins.)
-juice from 1/2 lemon
-a few drops of argan oil (they actually tell you not to do this, since oil won't help the henna stick to hair, but I did it because I was afraid the henna would be difficult to remove from my hair)

After I mixed the henna, I covered the mixture with sedan wrap and let it sit for 12 hours on my kitchen counter (make sure it's away from heat). My mixture was a little more watery than I wanted it, so make sure you add in the liquid slowly. I also realized 6 tbsp's wasn't enough for my shoulder-length, fine hair, so if you have super thick hair or it's longer than this, use more. You need enough to thickly cover your head with henna--like you're frosting a cake. Don't be stingy with the mixture--coating it thickly is the way to go. I let the mixture sit in my hair for about 3 hours and rinsed the henna off in my shower. The easiest way to do this is to fill your tub up with water and dunk your head in there to help rinse it off or to put a giant bowl in the tub, fill it with water, and dunk your head in there to help ease the henna out. I opted for the second option and to my surprise, most of the henna came out easily. I finished with a shower and didn't wash my hair with shampoo or conditioner, and it was the softest it's been in a long time. I did have an orangish-tannish tint along my hairline from the henna doing it's thang on my skin too. Didn't bother me much and it was gone after a shower or two.

A few things I'll be doing differently next time:

1. I'll be using more than 6 tbsp's of henna--this wasn't enough for me. I think I'll be using 200g= 10 tbsp.

2. I may not mix it with the Light Brown--I'm curious to see if it'll turn my hair a bit more dark auburn. I wouldn't mind seeing it a bit more red.

3. I want to try just mixing with lemon juice and distilled water instead of tea.

Here's a great resource if you're interested in dyeing your hair with henna (it's kinda long, but really interesting and contains good info):

http://www.hennaforhair.com/freebooks/hennaforhair.pdf

Dry Brushing - What is it and why do I like it so much?

Before I fell down the crunchy rabbit hole, dry brushing was one of the things I'd heard and read a lot about, but was completely not interested in…until now. Upon doing more and more research, the pros seemed to outweigh any cons (which was mainly laziness). Dry brushing does provide you with a lot of benefits, but I personally don't believe in everything I've read about it (it claims to help with cellulite--I wish it was as easy as dry brushing to help with that). Since skin is your largest organ, it makes sense that you should take proper care of it. Here are some of the claims that I do believe:

1. Increases circulation to skin, which encourages your body to get rid of cellular waste
2. Stimulates the lymphatic system, which helps get rid of toxins in your body
3. Sloughs off dead skin cells, which results in smoother, softer skin

*Information referenced from here and here.

Pretty cool, right? The first time I tried dry brushing, it was first thing in the morning--I felt nauseous for 15 minutes afterwards. This probably wasn't the best time of day to do this, since I'd been sleeping for 7 hours and my circulation probably wasn't at it's best. I'm guessing the brushing stimulated my lymphatic system and started moving the toxins around (but of course, this is a theory at best). I've dry brushed both in the evenings and mornings since then and haven't felt nauseous since. Also, be warned--the first time you dry brush, it may hurt (or at least, it did for me), so start off lightly. After dry brushing a few times, I can use a bit more pressure and it actually feels good. I read a lot of bloggers saying this, and I completely believe them now.

At the end of my first month of dry brushing, my skin was noticeably softer, the little bumps I had on the back of my arm lessened in number, and the number of ingrown hairs on my legs decreased.  For this kind of softness, dry brushing is something I would continue to do. Did it get rid of cellulite? Uh, no.

How DO you dry brush?

1. Buy a natural bristle brush--do NOT buy a synthetic hair brush. The bristles shouldn't be too soft. I picked mine up from Whole Foods, but I could've gotten one cheaper on Amazon, like this one:
Sublime Beauty® Original Skin Brush or
Fantasea Natural Bristle Body Brush.

2. Dry brush IN the shower prior to showering. Don't turn the water on until after you're done, because, it's dry brushing.

3. Dry brush toward your heart in long strokes starting from your feet. Don't brush so hard that it hurts, start lightly at first. Once your skin adjusts, you can brush a bit harder, but it should feel comfortable and not hurt (although the first time I dry brushed, it did kind of hurt). You can google different images of the directions you should dry brush the various body parts. I just dry brush my arms and legs towards my heart and brush downwards on my back. Make sure you do NOT brush open skin, rashes or wounds. Once you get accustomed to dry brushing, you can brush a little bit harder and it actually feels refreshing.

4. How often? I've read different things, but most of my research says to dry brush once a day. I dry brush 3-4 times a week.

5. After you shower, moisturize. I use a Sweet Almond Oil to moisturize and, not trying to brag here, but my skin has never been smoother.

Low poo - Week 3

I made the mistake of trying this no poo thing exactly 2 weeks before my boyfriend came to visit me from out of town. I guess I secretly hoped I would be the small percentage of lucky people who would go through the detox/transition period in 2 weeks…turns out, I wasn't.  I ended up washing my hair straight for 3 days just for that weekend so he didn't have to suffer during my crunchy journey.  I digress, on to what I did for week 3!

I heard baking soda was no good, then castile soap was no good. DOMME. I researched some more and settled on a pH balanced, low-poo, no junk-toxic-stuff shampoo.

Photo Courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.com

I decided to try Morrocco Method shampoos, which are raw, wild-crafted and gluten-free shampoos. They're free of the nasty chemicals that are commonly found in typical shampoos SLS, phthalates, propylene glycol, etc.).  They have several different shampoos to try (5 of them), and they believe in rotating the different shampoos to ensure that your hair never gets used to any one shampoo and retains good results. I purchased the sampler kit, the Earth and Apple Cider Vinegar shampoos and a Zen Detox hair mask. I confirmed with them first that their shampoos are pH balanced--whew.

I started off with the Earth Essence shampoo. Let me preface with this: I was in the middle of my detoxing period where my hair was pretty gross and oily. My scalp wasn't regulating itself and the oil production was just straight gross. By the end of the first day, my hair felt like it needed a good scrub down--only, when you're trying to go no/low poo, you need to try to space out your shampoos less frequently. UGGGGH. Lots of bloggers will just put their hair in a ponytail during this dreaded phase to get over it, as they see the benefits of their scalp regulating itself as worth this short time of feeling dirty. I'm unlucky in this way because if I put my greasy hair in a ponytail, it looks like greasy hair in a ponytail. So I did end up showering every other day like normal, and this was my plan until after my hair got out of the transition phase. I was told the Zen Detox hair mask would help clean my hair during this dreaded detox, which is the reason for that purchase.

First, the shampoos don't smell THE best. They smell ok, not terrible, not wonderful, just ok. I'm willing to use shampoos that smell just ok for the benefits. Especially with this being pH balanced, contains natural products, and scores very low on the EWG Skin Deep website, the pros outweighed the cons. It seemed to smell like a not-as-good-version of a spa. More of a very earthy smell (which some of you may love).

Directions are to mix 1 tablespoon of shampoo with 1 cup of water (this helps to dilute and help spread the shampoo) and to shampoo twice--once to get the grease out and the second to let the good ingredients work in your scalp.

I did this for the first week every two days, and my outer hair looked fine, but hairs underneath felt gross. At this point, I decided to also buy a bristle boar brush (oftentimes labeled "BBB" on green bloggers sites--I had to look this one up, and bam, here it is for you) to help brush out and condition the rest of my hair. Sebum is a naturally occurring oil that comes from your scalp. This helps keep the hair from looking TOO gross closer to your head. Check out this post from Almost Exactly if you want to learn more about BBB-ing.

Still going through the detestable detox process, but I'm determined to make it though to the other side. I've been reading a lot about Henna so I decided to henna my hair in the middle of this detoxing process because I heard it was good for your scalp and makes your hair shiny and voluminous. And the best part? It's natural. I'll be posting about that experience soon.

No Poo - Week 2, Baking Soda May Not Be Good for Hair?

End of week 1 and what happens? I continually research and find out that baking soda is not the best thing for your hair. Upon further research, I read a lot of blogger feedback with comments like "made my hair soft at first, but now it's brittle," "fried my hair" and things along that line. WHAAAAA?

Let me explain. Baking soda is alkaline and has a pH of about 8-ish. The natural pH of your scalp is slightly acidic (called the acid mantle), at 4.5 - 5.5. Water is neutral with a pH of 7. So what does this mean? You want a shampoo or conditioner to be pH balanced, which should be as close to the natural pH of your own scalp as much as possible. Your scalp is on the acidic side to prevent fungus and bacteria from making a home there. When you use solutions that are too alkaline, you alter your acid mantle and make it less protective from what it's designed to do--keep bad bugs out. Also, when your hair is washed with something too alkaline, it damages the disulfide bonds in your hair, which is what makes it feel "softer." With this version of no poo-ing, you bring your hair to an alkaline state with the baking soda, then do an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse to bring the pH back down.

Issue number 2 is with Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV): this has a pH of 3.0, which is more acidic then your own scalp. If you dilute it properly, 1/2 teaspoon to 8 oz. of water, this dilutes it to closer to the scalp of your pH (info referenced here). Problem is, most bloggers tell you to dilute 1 TABLESPOON to 1 cup of water, which would still leave your hair in a more acidic state than at its baseline (4.5-5.5).

What did I do next? I scoured the internet for alternatives to baking soda and ACV, which a lot of other bloggers did. Turns out, several of them were on to this baking soda thing not being good for them. I discovered another recipe using homemade coconut milk and Dr. Bronner's castile soap. I liked this recipe because it also gave me a nice bit of sudsing.

But then what did I do? I went online to do more research, and found this video that told me castile soap's pH is even more alkaline than baking soda. HUH?? WHY internet, WHY?

Off I went, researching more….to find a better alternative.

I really liked the way this vlogger demonstrates the various pH's of commonly used "no-poo" solutions using litmus paper. She has shown me the light and was the inspiration for me to keep searching for a good no-poo solution that was a bit more pH-balanced.

And here's a great post from Empowered Sustenance about no-poo not being healthy for hair.

"No Poo" - What IS that? Week 1

Not sure if some of you have heard this or not, but there's something called a "no poo" movement (which sounds unhealthy and gross, but has nothing to do with poo-ing). This really means "no shampoo" but "no poo" for short. People are becoming more aware of the chemicals that are in everyday products and have decided to switch from using shampoo to using: water only, washing with various natural products, or "low poo" (store-bought shampoo with less chemicals in them). Turns out that also using commercial shampoos can remove too much oils from your scalp, and when your scalp is too dry, it will produce MORE oil. This creates greasiness in your hair sooner than it should, makes you want to shower more often, and this unhealthy cycle repeats itself. I decided to try "no poo" for several reasons:

a) I heard that after a 2-6 week adjustment/detox period, your scalp balances out, becoming less oily and requiring less washing (just hair washing, because you would still want to shower and wash your body)
b) most bloggers indicated their hair never looked shinier and healthier after the adjustment/detox period
c) some bloggers even said it made their hair grow faster
d) I like the idea of using less chemicals on my face and body, period

I read several different blogs about this process and decided to go with the below measurements for my first "no poo" trial:

Shampoo substitute: 1 tablespoon of baking soda in 1 cup of filtered water

Conditioner substitute: 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 1 cup of filtered water

Some things to note before I move on to my "no poo" journey:

1. I emptied two Smart Water bottles with the sports lid to hold and apply my "no poo" shampoo and conditioner mixtures.

2. It's sort of a process to make the mixtures. From what I've read, baking soda becomes "active" the minute baking soda and water mix, so I made it fresh prior to showering, and this may be a hassle for some of you (or at least, this was the part that I found to be inconvenient). I think you could make the apple cider vinegar mixture ahead of time and be fine.

3. It takes some getting used to washing your hair with just a watery mixture--it doesn't feel like you're doing anything but massaging your scalp. You will get used to this feeling over time. I think it's harder for us women because our hair is longer and you really need to get in there with your fingers with the baking soda mixture to clean your scalp.

4. The smell of apple cider vinegar doesn't stay in your hair when it dries (whew!!). I was worried about smelling like a pickle once my hair dried, but your hair just ends up smelling like….hair.

5. Make sure you rinse thoroughly in between the mixtures! Remember that science experiment you did in elementary school where you mixed baking soda with vinegar in your home-made volcano? You don't want that fizzing to happen on your head in the shower.

Week 1: After my first shower, I LOVED IT. Forget the fact that I managed to get both the baking soda and vinegar mixtures in my eyes (which burned less than the shampoo I get in my eyes from time to time, but stung nonetheless), my scalp never felt cleaner and my hair actually had more texture to it. It felt clean for 2 whole days, which is unusual for me (I typically need to wash my hair every other day). But after the second and third washes, my hair was starting to feel gross underneath the top layers--it just didn't "feel" clean. I'm not sure if this is my scalp transitioning during the dreaded "transition/detox period" or if I just didn't do as good of a job as I did the first time. Last shower of the week, I REALLY got in there with the baking soda mixture and it seemed cleaner than it did those other two days, however the next day, it felt as grody as the day as it was washed. I want to give up and have clean-feeling hair again, but I don't want to quit. Must.keep.going. I hope I can survive this transition/detox period so I can start seeing the benefits.

**Sooo, I did more research, and it turns out that baking soda isn't the best for your hair with regular use. Next week I'll be posting about the hazards of using baking soda as shampoo, stay tuned!**

My Trip Down the Crunchy Rabbit Hole

This month, I thought I'd blog about something different--this is my blog month of "jumping down the crunchy rabbit hole." I've been experimenting with some green DIY recipes, no poo-ing, dry brushing and dyeing my hair with henna. It's been up, down and sideways with some of these experiments and I thought I'd blog about the results this month. We're going back to more natural, just like this guy in the picture.

I'm the type of person that needs to ease into change. My healthier eating? Had to ease into it, one recipe at a time. Green makeup? Had to ease into it, one product at a time. I've been researching like mad, often leading to some late nights, perusing the good ole web for easy recipes and how-to's, easing into crunchiness over the past month. There's so much more I can do and change, but I'll be making these changes incrementally so it's sustainable.

Tune in to see how these green adventures/misadventures turn out! First stop down the crunchy rabbit hole: no poo-ing!

Green Eye Primer? Yes, please. Gabriel in Warm Beige

I purchased this at my local Whole Foods when I made the mistake of perusing the makeup and skincare section (the skincare and makeup junkie in me HAD to stop by "just to look"). One of the few things I'm missing is a natural eye primer and a good eyebrow powder/pencil in my makeup bag (90% of my makeup has been transitioned over to cleaner make up). The packaging isn't fancy, just simple. What sold me was the short list of ingredients--I took a quick look and didn't see any ingredient that raised any red flags. 

Please ignore the lint on the lid of the eye primer (how good is the camera on my S4??).


I got this in "Warm Beige," which seems to be the perfect color for me. I've used it several times over the past few weeks and I LOVE IT. My eye shadows looked more vibrant and had greater staying power. I had no idea how much more the colors would show using the same amount of eye shadow, but with a natural eye primer as the base. I'm now a convert. This doesn't last all day like non-natural primers, as I did get creasies after a few hours.

I did also notice that cream eye shadows (I use natural cream shadows), didn't last so long with this primer. I'm guessing it's because they both had oils as the bases (and like dissolves like-remember that from chemistry?), the staying power wasn't as good compared to the powder shadows.

The thing I love most about it is that they don't sell you based on the packaging--it's simple packaging, not fancy, but what's inside it WORKS. Like they say, don't judge a book by it's 80's looking cover.

All in all, still a primer I will keep re-purchasing until I can find something as clean with better staying power.
Pros:
-$14.99, which makes it pretty affordable in my book (I'm used to buying the more expensive primers)
-Makes eye shadow colors pop
-Extends the life of the eye shadow on your lid (# of hours depends on how oily your lids are)

Cons:
-still got some creasies after 3 hours, but the shadow colors remained in place anywhere away from my crease
-packaging is simple
-less hygienic than primers that come out of a tube (this one comes in a little pot that you have to use your fingers to get the product out and apply on your eyelids, similar to a potted concealer)

EWG Score: 2

Click here to read the EWG report.

Natural Inika Eye Pencil Vs. Urban Decay Eye Pencil

I have mixed feelings posting this blog, because after I did my research on EWG Skin Deep, turns out, the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil has a lower score than my Inika Organic Eye Liner (EWG Skin Deep scores of 1 and 2, respectively). It's tough because the ingredients in the Urban Decay pencil aren't organic or as natural, and each pencil contains ingredients that rate at a 3 based on various things (please note that just because an ingredient is "natural," doesn't necessarily make it "good" for you--poison ivy is a natural plant, but is toxic right?). There are pros and cons of each pencil, so I'll go over that. How you choose to decide on the pencil is up to you.

The typical complaints of a green eye liner are: color isn't as pigmented as traditional liners and they don't have great staying power. With the Urban Decay liner in Perversion, these problems don't exist--it's also the blackest black liner I've ever used. I personally loved this liner before I decided to clean up my makeup bag and go green. In fact, it works so well you have to put a little elbow grease into removing it at night.

Since I've switched over to cleaner make-up, I tried this Inika eye liner pencil based on good reviews in the green beauty community. It doesn't create a drag when you apply the pencil and does go on fairly smoothly (which is good because eye liners that tug your eye lead to accelerated eye wrinkles-no bueno). My only complaint is of the staying power and lack of dark pigment (both of which I knew about prior to purchasing, so this isn't fair for Inika, right?). I just have to keep the pencil on me and re-apply before I go out at night, and this does the trick. Or I can line my eyes with a gel liner (I use the one from Tarte) to give you a more dramatic look. Another cool thing about this pencil is that it comes with its own sharpener, which is nice- gotta love a free stuff.

Click here to view the Inika report, vs. the Urban Decay report here.