Talk About It - Grateful Body Skin Care

Writing the Talk About It features are so much fun for me and todays company spotlight is one I am very excited about. I am overjoyed to be able to introduce you to a wonderful, natural skincare line today called Grateful Body whom you can find at http://www.gratefulbody.com/. I have been using their products twice a day for a month now and I couldn't be any more thrilled with the results I have seen.

Grateful body is a skincare company that uses only the best, natural ingredients in their products. They are based out of Berkley, California and have been around since 1998. Their mission is to "bring you 100% natural skin care that is nourishing, effective and luxurious while supporting the health of your skin, your body, and your planet."

The company is a family business that started after the founder and creator lost two of his sisters to cancer. He then began to examine what chemicals we put in and onto our bodies in the name of beauty which led to Grateful Body skincare products. They use only the highest quality raw ingredients they can find, most of the time they even use things that have been grown locally, and do not include any of the yucky stuff like chemical fragrances or colors, synthetic preservatives, GMOs, petroleum or coal tar and the rest of the bad for your body ingredients that are often found in other beauty products. They are also vegan and cruelty free!

I love everything this company stands for and I really love their products. I was ecstatic about the opportunity I was given to try some of their products out. I was sent all 3 of the unscented Extra Gentle products – facial cleanser, toner and moisturizer – as well as the Clear Skin Treatment for acne and blemishes. The reason I chose the Extra Gentle line is because they are unscented and appropriate for those who are immune compromised. I have an illness so this was something that really made me excited. I'm very sensitive to scent so this was perfect for me!



Before I start talking about the actual product I want to be superficial for a moment. When the box arrived and I opened it I became speechless. The packaging is absolutely gorgeous! The cardboard tube the products come in is lovely as well as the glass bottles the product is in. They would look great sitting on any sink or vanity! I love each and every step of this set!



The cleanser is a lotion-y consistency that spreads smoothly over the face. It rinses off so easily and cleanly but leaves my face feeling clean without the stripped or dry feeling other cleansers can leave behind. At night I use my Olay Skin Cleansing Brush with it and my skin glows! As soon as I get out of the shower I spritz 2 sprays of the toner directly into my hand and then pat gently onto my face. I follow the toner with half a pump of the moisturizer, which is more than enough to cover my entire face (they even say on the bottle that you will probably need to use much less than you are used to!).
The Clear Skin Treatment is also really great, and has really helped to keep my hormonal acne from flaring up like it normally does once a month. The smell of this product is a bit strong (but not offensive) at first but when you get used to it's hardly detectable. It's also a spray and I apply it to my face much like I do the toner. I don't like spraying things directly onto my face, although I'm not quite sure why. You can use whichever method you prefer.



I cannot even begin to tell you how many compliments I have received about my skin since I've started using this line. My skin looks amazing! And it feels even better than it looks. It feels clean, hydrated, and like healthy skin should feel. I'm neither oily nor dry. Nothing is perfect in this world, but my skin is currently as close to perfect as it can be, and this is NOT an overstatement. I will forever be a loyal Grateful Body user from here on out.

Oh, and I forgot to mention how spectacular their customer service is! Mathea is the sweetest, and I really enjoyed e-mailing with her. I'm in love with this company and everything about them! I'm so excited they are letting me give one of you the opportunity to fall in love with them too!

They also gave me a discount code to share with all of you. If you want to place an order, just use the coupon code BAYAREA to get 15% of the products of your choice!

FTC: Grateful Body was so kind and generous to send me their Sensitive Skin Basics Set as well as the Clear Skin Treatment. All opinions are my own, and I am not being paid for this review. Thank you, Grateful Body!

Honey, please!

For hundreds and hundreds of years, people have been using honey for many different purposes, including as a food source and medicinal purposes. Honey is one of natures sweetest gifts, no pun intended. Not only is it cheap and readily available, it's also really great for skin. It's gentle enough for all skin types, and perfect for adding into your beauty routine.

Honey is a natural antibacterial, so it's great for dabbing directly on pimples. It helps shrink and heal them, quickly. Just dab a little on at night and rinse off in the morning.

Honey also makes a great facial mask. I spread honey evenly all over my face and let sit for half and hour before rinsing off. It makes my skin glowy and gorgeous. And don't worry, it's not sticky like you would think it would be!

If you have acne prone skin that is far from sensitive, try taking two uncoated aspirin, melt them with a couple drops of warm water, and mix it with a little bit of honey. Aspirin is a form of salicylic acid, which is commonly found in many acne medications and cleansers. This mask is great for problem skin.

You can also use honey as a hair conditioning treatment. Rub a little honey into your hair, cover with a shower cap and let sit for half an hour. After thirty minutes rinse and shampoo. Voila. Super soft hair!

Everyone deserves a sweet beauty treat once in a while to make themselves look and feel better than ever. I hope these tips help you enjoy all the benefits of honey!

Crazy For Kiwi

Happy Friday Beauties! I hope you have all had a wonderful week! Even if you're super busy this weekend, I have a really easy facial toner recipe and a face mask for you to make and try out featuring kiwi fruit.

I love kiwis, a lot! I eat a plethora of them throughout the year and can never seem to get enough of the flavorful, fuzzy, green fruit. In addition to being delicious, kiwis are an excellent source of Vitamin C. They also have Vitamins A and E as well as antioxidants and enzymes. Kiwis are good for the inside and the outside of our bodies.

When used for skincare purposes, Kiwi can help nourish and calm the skin, purify, reduce oiliness, and tighten the pores. It's a great thing to keep around!



Nourishing Face Mask - This face mask is so simple, hydrating, and soothing! Blend 1 kiwi that has been peeled, and half of a banana (be sure to eat the other half, because bananas are healthy and nutritious!) together and add 2 teaspoons of plain yogurt. Apply the mask to your clean face and leave on for 15-20 minutes before gently rinsing off with warm water. Follow with your regular toner and moisturizer.

Exfoliating Face Mask - If you're not interested in a nourishing mask and lean more towards exfoliating and deep cleansing masks instead, try mashing one skinless kiwi and applying the kiwi to your face. The tiny seeds in the kiwi will help exfoliate and the acids in the fruit will also help leave your skin cleansed and smooth.

Toner - If you're not a big fan of masks but want to harness the beautifying powers of the Kiwi, you can make a toner instead. For this recipe you only need 1 Kiwi and 2 teaspoons of lime juice. Add an equal amount of water and mix together until there are no chunks and it is completely blended. Just massage the mixture gently over your face with a cotton ball or cotton pad.

Make sure to store this toner in the refrigerator because it could spoil more quickly if it's kept elsewhere. Your toner should stay good for about 4-6 days.

Let me know if you try these recipes out or if you know of other ways to work kiwi into your beauty routine. Have a great weekend!

Talk About It Tuesday - Goddess Garden

Every year my family and I spend the 4th of July at a big, gorgeous small town park where a classic car show is held in our area. I can honestly say that every year my skin, as well as the skin of my family, turns a not so pleasant shade of red. Sunburns are anything but fun, which is why I'm so excited about todays Talk About It Tuesday featuring Goddess Garden sunscreen.

Goddess Garden makes chemical free sunscreen for the whole family that is 82% organic. It is effective, non-greasy, great smelling (or unscented!), vegan, gluten free, non-comedogenic, paraben free, and is biodegradable as well as reef-safe. It protects skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays and acts as a physical block against them. It's not heavy or sticky feeling at all, which is the number one thing I look for in an SPF. One of the coolest things about their products, in my opinion, is that they start working to prevent skin damaging rays immediately as apposed to the half an hour traditional sunscreens can take.

I have been using both the baby and the kids formulas which are equally amazing for me and my family. The baby formula is perfect for sensitive skin and noses (like I have) because it's completely fragrance free. There is absolutely no odor whatsoever and I'm very happy about that. I absolutely hate the smell of chemical sunscreen so this is a perfect product for me. The kids version has a nice, light lavender scent which both of my parents enjoy. I even like the smell and I'm highly sensitive to fragrance. Their website says that the only difference between the kid and adult variations is the scent; it's lighter in the kid version.

Instead of bad for you chemicals, Goddess Garden uses high quality natural ingredients like shea butter, aloe, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, as well as lavender. My skin loves all of these ingredients and has not been irritated in the least bit by any of them which is a must for me. My fair skinned Mom and I both used it on a day we spent swimming and it seemed to be very water resistant and lasted through the splashing and playing in the water. It only comes off with soap and warm water in the shower, which is exactly what any good sunscreen should do.

Goddess Garden packages their formulas in either a spray bottle or in a tube. I have tried both. The lotion is wonderful and probably my favorite method of applying my sunscreen but the spray version is nice as well. It's not a fine mist though so you have to spray and rub for the best results, which doesn't bother me much. It is faster and great for on the go. I tend to get sunburned on the tops of my feet so the spray is a great way to reapply.

They even have really amazing UV bracelets that change colors to let you know how strong the suns UV Rays are. Not only are they a very clever idea and a great way to teach kids about the importance of applying sunscreen but they are also adorable! They have cute little ladybugs on them.
I've been testing this out for about a month now and I have not had one sunburn, which is a miracle since I spend so much time outdoors in the warmer months. I'm very scared of skin cancer and wrinkles so I make sure to slather my body daily with SPF. I also have a medical condition that makes me extremely sensitive to the suns rays, which I'm going to talk more about in an upcoming post. I have fallen so in love with Goddess Garden sunscreen products and I think they're stuck with me as a customer from now on.

You can purchase Goddess Garden products online or you can check the locator on their website to find a store selling them near you. Go check them out at http://www.goddessgarden.com/default.aspx or friend them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/goddessgarden because I just know that you'll love their products as much as I do. My Dad (who was a surfer in Southern California and never wore sunscreen growing up) even loves it and has been wearing it everyday. I hope you found this review helpful. I highly recommend this product! Let me know what you think it you try it. See you tomorrow!




FTC: Goddess Garden was generous enough to send me some of their products for free to test out. A big thank you goes out to them! All opinions are my own.

Star Spangled Facial

Happy 4th of July! I'm feeling especially festive today so I came up with a patriotic facial mask recipe to share with all of you.

All you need are strawberries, blueberries and some sour cream. Grab a handful of both berries, around a half of a cup and throw in a tablespoon or two of sour cream.

I'm not giving you specific measurements because some people like thinner masks and others prefer thicker versions. It's totally up to you! Mash the berries with a fork until they are a paste like consistency.

Once you have your mixture all ready, just apply to a clean, dry face and let it sit for 15-20 minutes and then rinse off with warm water.

Blueberries are a superfood that are chocked full of antioxidants, in fact they have the highest known amount. Antioxidants are really amazing for skin because they help fight time and keep skin younger looking and healthier.


Strawberries are also wonderful for our skin because they have a gentle acidic property that helps to exfoliate and rejuvenate skin; this is because the fruit has natural Alpha Hydroxy Acids. This acid is often found in antiaging and acne products.

Sour cream has lactic acid which is a great gentle exfoliator and skin hydrator.

I hope you all have a wonderfully fun and safe Independence Day!

Nuts for Coconut

Coconut oil is a lot like butter in the aspect that it is solid when cold and liquid when heated. This property makes it extremely versatile! It has so many different purposes, from being one of the most heart-healthy cooking oils to moisturizing and replenishing skin, it's truly amazing and I'm absolutely in love with it.

Want to know how you can use coconut oil for beauty purposes? Continue reading to find out.

Hair – Coconut oil provides your hair with the nutrients and protein that it craves, making it an excellent hair product. You can use it in several different ways on your hair.

• Scalp Treatment - You can melt coconut oil so it's in a liquid state and apply it to your scalp as a treatment. It can help with itching or flaking. It's also very moisturizing and leaves your hair shiny. You can put the oil in a bowl and put the bowl into some warm water. It melts very quickly. Massaging your scalp with coconut oil regularly will keep it happy and healthy. Tip – Don't apply this the night before a big event as it can temporarily make your hair a bit greasy looking. 
• Leave In Conditioner – This is my favorite! After I get out of the shower, I take some coconut oil, while it is still solid and rub it between my hands to warm it up, and then apply it to my wet hair. I only apply it to the length of my hair, because I tend to get greasy in the roots. It makes my hair so soft and shiny! It also smells really great!

Skin – Coconut oil is so moisturizing, and it's effective for all skin types. Oily, dry, acne prone, or those suffering with skin conditions like eczema – you'll love using coconut oil!

• Hand cream - I like to smother my hands and feet with it after a bath or shower and apply mittens and socks. It heals my cracked, dry feet and hands leaving them soft and smooth! It also works well to soothe and smooth even the most ragged cuticles.
• Eye cream – I'm very picky about eye creams and I have yet to find one that I really, really love. I have very dry under eyes though, so lately I've been applying coconut oil to the area. It's so hydrating and does not irritate or bother my eyes at all.
• Body moisturizer – Try using it all over, instead of your regular bottle of lotion. It's wonderful. I don't know what else to say about this other than its so moisturizing!
• Eye makeup remover – I've been using this to take off my stubborn waterproof eyeliner and mascara every night. I just take a small amount in my fingers and rub, very gently, across my eye area. It gets every last bit of makeup off without irritating my skin. It also leaves my skin very moisturized.

Anti-itch cream – Bug bites have you feeling itchy? Just apply some coconut oil to the affected area. It will soothe the bite and ease that itchy feeling. I've also read that it can be used as a mosquito repellent, but I have yet to try that. If you know more about that, please share in the comments section. I'm very curious about it since I hate the smell and feel of traditional bug sprays!

Lip balm – Coconut oil makes the most amazing lip moisturizer. I've been using this a lot lately and my lips are so smooth. It tastes good too! I highly suggest this to anyone who hates dry, chapped lips. And, don't we all hate that?
Since a little coconut oil can go a very long way a jar will last you a very long time. It's a great investment, in my opinion, and a must have in my house. Like I said earlier you can also use it to cook with!

Color brightening tea rinse

Keeping on the tea trend from my last post, I want to talk about how tea can be used to brighten any shade of hair from red to blonde to brown. There is a type of tea that works for every shade.

Brunettes – Just brew two cups of strong black tea and use as a rinse for your hair after shampooing. Let it sit for 10 minutes. It will darken the hair a bit, so don't use this if you have very light brown that you want to keep light. Rinsing your hair with black tea will add shine and highlights to your beautiful brown locks.

Blondes (or light brown) – All you need to do is make a batch of chamomile tea. Just use 3 or 4 tea bags in about 2 cups of water. You need the tea for your hair to be a lot stronger than tea you would drink. Let it steep until strong. After shampooing wring the excess water out of your hair and saturate your hair with the chamomile tea. Allow the tea to sit for 10 minutes before rinsing. This will also lighten a bit and add shine. If you put chamomile in your hair before sitting out in the sun, it will add highlights.

Red heads – Lighter shades of red can use chamomile, but to bring out more red highlights you can use rooibos tea or hibiscus tea. Rooibos tea is a very lovely shade of red orange which is perfect for enhancing highlights for those with red hair. It also adds lovely shine. Just let the tea sit for 10 minutes after shampooing.

Tea can also improve the general health of hair and leave it in a much better condition. You can use a tea rinse once a week.

Lingering nail color? No problem!

I know I've posted a lot about the power of lemons in the past, and today's post is no stranger to the yellow citrus fruit that I love so much! In the Spring and Summer I never go bare – nail wise that is. I always have to have a bright, fun color on my toes and fingers. If you're like me, you may notice that sometimes bright, or even dark nail polishes can stain the surface of the nail and leave a not so pretty mess behind.

Well, lemons are the easy fix for stains. All you have to do is cut a lemon in half and stick your nails in it for 5 minutes. This trick will help brighten your nails instantly, leaving you with a stain free natural nail! Easy, huh? Now you can feel free to experiment with stubborn colors this upcoming season!

Oil, be gone!

Have you ever been out to dinner, running errands, shopping or at work and notice you're looking more like an oil slick than the chic glamourista you started the day out looking like? Forget caking on powder or blotting the shine with pricey oil absorbing sheets because I have an easier, cheaper solution for you. Just head towards any public restroom and grab a toilet seat cover. That material works exactly the same as mass marketed blotting sheets. Just dab the seat cover over your oily areas and voila! The matte look you love is back! Try it out – you'll love it! I promise!

Spots no more.

If you’ve been reading my blog since the beginning you know all about my adoration for honey and it’s magical healing properties. Honey is incredibly nourishing and beneficial for most skin types, especially oily or acne prone skin.

When you mix 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of wheat germ together you get a super face cleanser. Wheat germ in this case is used as an antiseptic and toner. This mask is amazing for those who have acne. Combine the two ingredients and get your face wet with warm water (warm water opens the pores). Just gently rub the mixture on your face with your fingers and leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and your skin will feel refreshed and clean.

If you don’t want to apply the mixture to your entire face, you can dab it directly onto blemishes following the same instructions as above.

Clean slate

Okay, today let's talk makeup removers. I can't even begin to stress how important removing your makeup at the end of the day is. So much harm can be done to your skin if makeup is left on before you go to sleep. Our skin regenerates during the night when our bodies are at rest so having clean moisturized skin is vital.

So many women use the excuse of being too tired or too exhausted to remove their makeup some nights, but no matter how tired you may be there is no excuse for not removing your makeup. Cleaning my face before bed time is a routine I never miss, and I do mean never. Okay, enough with the nagging now.

For the easiest, quickest way to remove your makeup just head to the kitchen and grab your handy bottle of olive oil. You can also use jojoba oil for this. Just massage your dry, made up face with a very thin layer of olive or jojoba oil before washing your face with your regular cleanser. It will get off all traces of foundation, eye makeup, and whatever else you may use. You can also put a few drops on a cotton pad or ball and use just to remove your eye makeup. Just wipe gently over your eyes until the makeup is all gone. Just remember to never tug or pull as the eye area is very sensitive.

Olive oil and jojoba oil are super gentle and nonirritating. They work for all skin types. They are also very affordable and easy to find!

What do you use to remove your makeup?

Want teeth that are berry white?

Oh gosh, I apologize for my lame joke in the title line, but it made me giggle! What doesn’t make me laugh though are teeth that aren’t as white as they can be. I hate when my teeth appear discolored and dull, as I’m sure you do as well!

I don’t want to skip my morning coffee in hopes that my teeth will no longer be exposed to the dark, staining liquid so instead I found something that works really well to practically erase stains.

Yes, strawberries – the delicious red fruit. Strawberries have malic acid which cleans and buffs away surface stains on teeth. I read somewhere that Catharine Zeta-Jones often rubs a strawberry on her teeth to keep them looking extra white.

Strawberries alone work well, but try mashing a strawberry and mixing it with baking soda until it becomes a paste. Baking soda is also a common and popular at home whitening product. Brush the mixture onto your teeth and let it sit for as long as you can handle, five minutes minimum. Brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste to remove the paste.

While this method doesn’t work as well as expensive dental office treatments it does its intended job well. Plus, it’s cheap and easy! Check it out, because it's definitely worth a try!