Talk About It - Waxelene

Beauties, I'm madly and passionately in love with a superb product called Waxelene. Never in my life have I been more impressed with a beauty product, and that is saying a lot. Waxelene is a petroleum jelly substitute (cute play on the name, right?) that I'm literally obsessed with.

In the past I always had to have a jar of Vaseline handy, but upon reading the label and embarking upon my green journey I have retired the petroleum jelly from being a staple. This is where Waxelene comes in handy – it works for everything you would use the other stuff for but it's 100% natural with only organic soybean oil, beeswax, vitamin e oil, and organic rosemary oil.


Waxelene was born out of experience in resource conservation and organic foods, as well as a life-long commitment to health and the environment in addition to a desire to be more sustainable every day. The company uses only recyclable glass jars, natural and organic ingredients, and energy efficient practices. They believe in simple, natural and organic ingredients that are beneficial. Waxelene is completely eco-friendly, biodegradable, and cruelty free.

My addiction to this stuff is completely justified by how amazing it is. You can use this product for so many different reasons – I can't even begin to cover the entire list. I especially love this on my lips, and I cover them each and every night with it before bed. I wake up with the most supple and smooth looking lips that feel soft and healthy. You can also use this for moisturizing feet, body, hands, cuticles, face, eye lashes, and anywhere else you need a little moisturize. It's not at all greasy and it's even water and sweat resistant.

Anyone and everyone can benefit from this product in some way; if you are a Mommy, this would make an excellent baby balm for diaper rash or irritation and if you're an outdoorsy type of person you can use this to protect your skin from wind and sun burn. Beauty junkies can even use this on cheekbones to add a dewy highlighted look and on lids for a glow, which is something I have been doing often. It even functions as a makeup remover!

Here is a neat little beauty trick - If you want to turn a mineral shadow or old crumbled cosmetic into a cream makeup, all you need to do is mix the powder with a little Waxelene. When you combine the two you'll have a brand new cream eye shadow, blush, or gloss.

I highly suggest you check Waxelene out for yourself. You won't be sorry! The Beauty Editor of Lucky Magazine even loves this stuff as well as celebrity makeup artists. The 2 oz jar only costs $6.99 so it's a worthwhile and affordable investment. You can purchase Waxelene online here  or you can find a retail location near you by clicking here.

Talk About It - Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Mascara

If you ask women who wear cosmetics to pick their one absolute makeup must have chances are at least half of them would answer mascara. Would you?

Mascara dates all the way back to approximately 4000 BC when Ancient Egyptians lined their eyes, covered their lashes, and coated their eyebrows with a mixture of kohl, water, dung and honey. They used bone and ivory to apply the kohl mixture. The eyes were considered to be the windows to the soul so they used it to ward off evil spirits and bad energy. Men and women alike wore mascara.

Mascara was used throughout the centuries (women experimented with their own mascara concoctions at home) but it wasn't until 1917 that the first mascara was born.

The founder of Maybelline, Eugene Rimmel, created and marketed a formula that was made of petroleum and black coal dust. Luckily for us, mascara and cosmetics as a whole have come a very long way in the past 94 years.

These days there are tons of options, and the world of green and natural mascara is constantly expanding. One of the best natural mascaras I have found and used is from a company called Honeybee Gardens. Their Truly Natural Mascara is truly amazing.



Honeybee Gardens was started in 2005 and they never test on animals, package their products in recyclable materials, and use the highest quality natural and organic ingredients they can. They strive to, "Create pure, all-natural bath and body care products made from only the finest organic ingredients, offer them at a reasonable price, and treat every customer like a friend."

I love their mascara. It doesn't clump, flake, or irritate my eyes. It's extremely lightweight which is a must have for me. I've noticed that some natural mascaras feel heavy, thick and uncomfortable on my lashes but this one keeps them looking and feeling soft and weightless.

This mascara makes my eyelashes look longer, more voluminous and separated. I don't ever have a problem with my curl not holding so I can't attest to curl hold-ability. It is not waterproof, but that makes me happy because I'm not a fan of waterproof mascara formulations. It is water-resistant and safe for contact wearers. I find that it doesn't smudge throughout the day or travel. The brush is a pretty standard brush with regular bristles, but the formula is incredible.

The price could not get any better. It's only $10.99, which is comparable to drugstore mascara prices. It comes in 3 different shades – black magic, espresso (black/brown), and chocolate truffle (brown). This 100% natural mascara is fantastic and you can find it online by clicking here.

(FTC: The company so generously provided this mascara to me for review consideration. I am not being compensated to write this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own and honest.)

Pumpkin Body Moisturizer

Since we've talked about how skin can get dry and flaky when the seasons change from warm to frigid, I figured we should talk DIY Pumpkin Moisturizing Body Treatment. In addition to being delicious when baked in a pie, pumpkin is really beneficial for your skin! It's got tons of enzymes and antioxidants that nourish skin and help get rid of dead skin cells.

What you need:
½ cup of pumpkin puree
½ cup of coconut oil (for moisturizing)
½ teaspoon of cinnamon (this acts as an anti-bacterial)

Take all of the ingredients and mix together until smooth in a jar or an old body butter or lotion container. I always keep old packaging so I can make and store new beauty products in them. Apply the mixture to clean skin and massage to work in. Let the treatment sit for at least 10 minutes then rinse with warm water and pat dry.

If you have any mixture left it should last for about 3-5 days before you need to toss it.

This will leave your skin feeling smooth, soft and hydrated with the added benefit of smelling like a delicious pumpkin treat.

Enjoy!

Talk About It - Painted Earth (Part 2: Cosmetics)

Happy Thursday, Beautiful! I'm excited to be here to bring you part 2 of my Painted Earth special. Today were talking about their cosmetics, so lets get started. If you missed part one you can click here.

My new daily foundation is their Perfect Every Thyme Baked Mineral Foundation. This product is a baked mineral foundation that provides just enough coverage to look naturally flawless. I've been using it every day and I couldn't be happier with it. I have the color Dover Beige and it blends perfectly into my skin. It doesn't settle into lines or just sit on top of my face. It looks like it melts into my skin to help minimize the appearance of pores and even out my skin tone. I prefer lighter foundation, so this is perfect for me. It is build-able but I feel like those of you who prefer heavier coverage won't enjoy this as much as I do.



It makes my skin feel so soft and it applies like a dream! It's so easy to use and it's got a lot of great ingredients including mica, jojoba and safflower oils, lavender, thyme, green tea, vitamin e, rosemary and magnolia bark. This would be perfect for any skin type from oily to dry and even sensitive. It doesn't clog my pores or make me look "made up". This product lets my skin breathe and lets it look like my skin, only better. The compact comes with quite a bit of domed product too, so it will last a while, even with daily use.

The Ultimate Volume Mascara is a fantastically awesome mascara. It is a fiber-based mascara, which means that the formula has fibers that attach to the ends of your lashes to make them longer. My lashes aren't particularly short and stubby but they aren't super long and luxurious either, however, when I wear this mascara you would never know that. This stuff makes my lashes look like falsies and I love it! It's great for adding length and drama.



To finish up Part 2 of Painted Earth we are going to talk about the Loose Mineral Eye Shimmer that I have in Tan-Talizing, a color that I would call a gold/copper hybrid. I really like this color, for the simple fact that it makes my blue-gray eyes look very intense and vibrant. It's a gorgeous, highly pigmented shade and the shadow is really soft and blendable. It wears well and lasts all day. If you pat the color on there is hardly any fall out and it's milled so finely that it's got a subtle shimmer as opposed to chunky glitter. This is a very nice mineral eye shadow.

If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments section and if you're curious about any Painted Earth products check them out online.
(FTC: These products were so generously provided to me for free by the company. I am not being compensated to write this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own and honest.)

Pumpkin Mask for Dry Skin

If your skin is looking a little dry and dull today's beauty recipe will be perfect for you. Like I mentioned on Monday, pumpkin is a perfect complexion enhancer because of it's ability to nourish and exfoliate. We all want a gorgeous, glowing look and pumpkin will help us get what we want. It's got tons of vitamins like A and C, zinc, and alpha-hydroxy acids.

What you need:
½ cup of pumpkin puree
¼ cup of oil (you can use jojoba, olive, or softened coconut oil)
2 tbs honey
2 tbs heavy cream (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together until blended and spread the mixture over your clean face. Leave it on for about 20 minutes before removing with warm water and a soft wash cloth.

Your skin will look refreshed, brightened, and renewed!

Talk About It - Painted Earth (Part 1: Skin Care)

The topic of Today's Talk About It is Painted Earth Skin Care and I'm so in love with this company and their products that I'm going to make this is a special with two parts. Today is going to feature Painted Earths skin care products and part 2 will be posted on Thursday with my thoughts on their cosmetics. I absolutely adore everything I was so fortunate to try from this company. I'm going to be broken hearted when I run out of them, and I look forward to trying more of their products in the future.

Painted Earth offers a very wide array of high quality and innovative skin care and cosmetics that are made with natural and organic ingredients. Their products are made in the United States in an FDA registered lab. They use only the best ingredients that are completely safe and they never tested on animals. That alone is great, but their products really speak for themselves.

Like I said, I love each and every product I tried but I would have to say my most favorite is Fresh New Eyes. This is a light, non-greasy, clear, fragrance-free gel that I have been using on my under-eye area twice a day. I have seen such a difference in my usually very dry under eyes. My dark circles have improved as well as the puffiness that usually accompanies them. I'm only 24 so I don't have wrinkles yet but I do have fine lines around my eyes and I feel like this plumps them up so they're not noticeable. It doesn't irritate my eyes or cause those small, irritating bumps (Milia) that some eye creams can do. It even works well under makeup and doesn't cause foundation or concealer to crease. This is one of my favorite beauty products ever and I would dare go as far to say that it's perfect, at least for me.



Fresh New Eyes is 99% natural and 72% organic. It comes in a .5 oz tube and a little goes a long way. I've been using it twice daily for nearly 2 months now and it is still half full. It has some really great ingredients like aloe and fruit extracts like kiwi, grape, strawberry, as well as a lot of other beneficial ingredients.



I also got to experience the joys of the Blueberry Cranberry scrub, which is one of the scrubs I use each and every week. This scrub is 98% natural and 72% organic. It makes my skin look incredible and it feels even better than it looks. It's deeply cleansing and exfoliating while still being gentle enough to not irritate my skin in the slightest bit. It's got an all-star ingredient list featuring blueberries, cranberries, rhubarb, pomegranate, dandelion, aloe, jojoba beads, hibiscus buds and olive. It decongests pores, softens, rejuvenates, and provides the skin with the nutrients it needs and desires. This scrub is more than amazing, and I couldn't be happier with it!



Next up is a product that I was initially a bit nervous to use because of its warning label stating not to use on sensitive skin but I finally broke down and tried it. The product I'm talking about is a facial mask that has been added to my weekly skin care routine because of its ability to keep my skin clear and bust breakouts in their tracks. Painted Earths Pumpkin Masque is a superstar. It's got a lot of great things in it like pumpkin, bilberry, sugar cane, sugar maple, orange and lemon extract, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger rosemary and neem oil. It smells just like pumpkin puree. It tingles and is a bit uncomfortable upon first application but settles down. I do this mask once a week, or if I feel a breakout coming on. I apply a thin layer on clean skin and let it sit for 5 minutes before washing off. I owe this mask a lot because it keeps my skin looking clear and smooth as well as luminous and bright. People have been complimenting my skin and asking me what I am using.



Speaking of pimples, lets move on to Boo Boo Gel which is an ointment made with essential oils that helps ail many different things like blemishes, bug bites, cuts, sores, sunburns, razor burn, large pores, bruises and whatever else might be bothering you. This is a gel like product that my family and I have been using for everything since we got it. It's an inflammatory and antibacterial that really helps clear up everything that I mentioned. It's my go-to for bug bites (I'm allergic to mosquito bites, so this really saved me a few times) and pimples. It's great, cooling, and smells good!

I hope you can tell how passionate I am about Painted Earth and their wonderful products. On Thursday I'll be sharing my thoughts on the makeup items I got to try with you (I love all of them too!). If you're interested in checking out their website or their products you can find them online. To read my review of Painted Earth's Cosmetics please click here.

(FTC: These products were so generously provided to me for review consideration by the company. I am not being compensated to write this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, and my own and honest.)

Easy Pumpkin Pie Bath Salts

Lately I have been completely obsessed with any and every thing pumpkin spice scented or flavored. I start my day off with a homemade pumpkin spice coffee drink, work with my pumpkin spice candle lit near my desk, and snack on pumpkin spice bagels. When I said obsessed I really mean addicted. This week we'll be discussing pumpkin beauty recipes and tomorrow and Thursday I even have a Talk About It on a company who makes and sells a pumpkin mask that I adore (as well as many other phenomenal products).




This recipe makes a great holiday gift for someone you love, a friend, or even as a special treat for yourself. It's such a simple recipe but it smells delicious and you can package it in cute little glass bottles or jars that you decorate.

What you need:
1 cup of Epsom salts
½ cup of baking soda
1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (depends on your personal tastes)

Combine all of the ingredients together and use a funnel to pour the bath salts into your bottle or jar. Run as much as you desire under running water, soak, and relax.

Talk About It - La Isha Orange-Coconut Skin Polish

You beauties know how much I enjoy a good facial scrub. Nothing means clear, clean skin more than a good exfoliation session to me. I have a very set skin care routine, meaning that I wash my face twice a day, do a scrub twice a week, and a facial mask once a week. Today I'm going to introduce you to one of the scrubs that I use– La Isha's Orange-Coconut Skin Polish.



La Isha is the type of company I love– a company with a touching and powerful story behind it. Sharon Gnatt Epel began the company after a very scary and potentially devastating experience in her teenage sons life occurred.

In June of 2005, her son got to travel to Costa Rica to take part in a summer Rainforest Program, unfortunately his trip was cut short when illegal, and toxic, chemicals from a nearby plantation made their way into the river after a heavy rainfall. Her son waded into the water and his hands and knees came into contact with these chemicals.

Within hours of exposure small blisters began to form on his skin, and continued to grow until he was taken to the hospital. Aaron was diagnosed with second-degree burns and sent back to America, where Sharons friend who also happened to be a doctor, told her that he suspected it was chemical burns. He suggested that they treat his burns with medical-grade essential oils as opposed to typical burn treatment, which would have left his hands scarred for life.

They only used essential oils on Aaron's hands and nothing else. His hands are now better and are totally clear of any scarring or discoloration. The improvement she saw in his hands led Sharon to learn more about essential oils, wondering what they could do for people with wrinkles, age spots or even sun damage which in turn led to the creation of La Isha, the only natural anti-aging skin care line developed exclusively for women "who refuse to be defined by their age".

I love their story and I love what their products stand for. La Isha products are formulated with only pure, essential oils of the highest quality and are 100% natural. All of their products are vegan and PETA certified as well as gluten free. The products they offer are highly effective and pure. They offer a holistic approach to beauty.

The Orange-Coconut Skin Polish is wonderful because it can be used on your face, body, lips, and even under your eyes. It smells like something I want to eat by the spoonful and it leaves my skin superbly smooth and supple. This scrub is a sugar-based exfoliant with medical grade essential oils as well as neem oil, rosemary, vitamin E, coconut oil, and pomegranate.

I think sugar based scrubs are my favorite because the sugar granules melt which helps me not over-exfoliate (which is highly probable). Using this is the perfect way to keep my healthy glow. It hydrates, de-flakes, and plumps up my skin for a smoother look. I love using it on my lips too because it leaves them looking great. It takes just a small scoop massaged over damp skin to get the effect that is desired.

It's a bit on the pricey side at $50 for 4 oz. but the smell is uplifting and the product works really hard to make your skin looks it's best. You can find more information about La Isha and browse their products at http://www.la-isha.com/

(FTC: These products were so generously provided to me for review consideration by the company. I am not being compensated to write this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, and my own and honest.)