Favourite product of summer

It’s been a pretty good summer, and now it’s come to an end. I tried a lot of new products this summer – well, some of them weren’t technically new, but they were ones I hadn’t tried before. My personal favourite is Aveda Lip Shine, which I got for half price ($20.50 – they are currently $44 at full price, but evidently were once $41) in the now discontinued shade Night Iris. It looks sort of red in the tube, but it’s more like a dark pink with some shimmer. Very moisturising and long-lasting, and it tastes good too!

Note: the lip shine pictured is not in the colour Night Iris. Also, I had said in another post that Aveda Lip Shine contains artificial colours. I was wrong about this; there are only natural colours in this product.

Nail Polish

When I first became interested in more natural beauty products, I assumed that there weren’t any ‘safer’ nail polishes around. There didn’t seem to be then (this was 2005), at least not in New Zealand (there probably were in other countries), but there are now. I don’t paint my fingernails very often, but during the warmer months of the year, I like to paint my toenails, and I have found some nail polishes which leave out some of the more potentially harmful chemicals.

Sparitual Nail Lacquers are vegan, and are free from formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate. I have two of them – Up at Noon, a bright pink, and Gold Digger, which is gold...obviously. Sparitual Nail Lacquers are available in 86 colours, and can be bought at Nature Unplugged for $25 and Bodyscape Day Spa for slightly more – about $28 I think. OPI nail polishes are also free of formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate, and are available in 231 colours. They are $25 each, and are available at Kirkaldies, Farmers, and various pharmacies. I’m keen to try the colour Brisbane Bronze – I like Brisbane (well, as much as you can like a city after only having spent one day there), and I like bronze.

Another option is SHE Australia Nail Varnish, which is free from formaldehyde and toluene, and available in fourteen colours. Sold at various pharmacies.

Body Oils

If you prefer an oil rather than a cream, lotion or butter to nourish your body, there are plenty out there, like Trilogy Aromatic Body Treatment Oil, $35 for 100ml, Antipodes Heavenly Body Oil, $38 for 100ml, and Dr Hauschka Rose Body Oil, $49 for 100ml, to name a few.

A lot of body oils have purposes beyond simply moisturising the skin, for example Living Nature Body Oil, $25 for 100ml, is good for warming up muscles before exercising, or for relaxing muscles after exercise, and Evolu Little Bottle of Silk, $47.95 for 60ml, is designed to refine the texture of the skin.

Some other options:

$25 and under:
Natralia Nourish Skin Oil 60ml $21 – Improves the appearance of damaged skin
Living Nature Tranquility Body Oil 100ml $25 – For relaxation and release
Living Nature Body Form Oil 100ml $25 – Helps skin feel fresh and smooth, promotes circulation

$50 and under:
Evolu Little Bottle of Calm 60ml $47.95 – Rescues skin from discomfort and soothes sensitivities
Evolu Little Bottle of Dew 60ml $47.95 – Revives moisture
Dr Hauschka Moor Lavender Body Oil 100ml $49 – Protects the skin from external stresses
Dr Hauschka Rosemary Body Oil 100ml $49 – Supports the body’s heat regulation
Dr Hauschka St John’s Wort Body Oil 100ml $49 – Calms and relaxes sensitive, irritated skin

Celebrate National Carrot Day

I'm not quite sure when National Carrot Day is, but check out this hilarious clip on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWTd0BMdtvg. It's very cute! There is also a link to a $2 off coupon for Yes to Carrots products. The coupon is only available for United States citizens, so I can't make use of it myself, but if you are a US citizen, go for it!

I have tried a couple of the Yes to Carrots products, and they are great! Carrots are not only good to eat, but also good for the skin. Yes to Carrots products are not available in New Zealand, unfortunately (I bought the products in Australia). Check the clip out anyway, it's great!

Products for pregnant women

Pregnancy, from what I hear (I have never been pregnant myself), can have quite a major effect on the skin. Fortunately, there are a lot of natural products which are designed to help with the effects of pregnancy upon the skin.

To prevent stretch marks, try an oil like Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil, $25.90 for 100ml, Living Nature Beautiful Belly Oil, $30 for 100ml, Natralia Nourish Skin Oil, $21 for 60ml, or Dr Hauschka Blackthorn Body Oil, $39 for 100ml. The Nourish Skin Oil and the Blackthorn Body Oil aren’t specifically intended for pregnant women, but I hear they are good for preventing stretch marks.

Alternatively, try a lotion like Earth Mama Angel Body Butter, $59.95 for 240ml, or Mahu Stretch Mark Lotion, $14.95 for 50ml, and $24.95 for 200ml.

Mahu also makes a Facial Balancing Lotion for pregnant women, $16.95 for 50ml, and $29.95 for 100ml.

Massage products

If you like to massage people (or be massaged), there are a lot good massage products available. Lush has a wide range of massage bars, including Amazonian, $19.90 for 200g, Each Peach (And Two’s a Pear), $17.90 for 65g, and Therapy, $17.90 for 65g.

Tui Balmes have a range of ten massage waxes, including Lavender, Unscented, and Herbal Lift. They are $5.85 for 50g, 8.21 for 100g, $20.25 for 300g, and $27 for 500g.

If you prefer massage oils, try Living Nature Body Form Oil, $25 for 100ml, or Tranquillity Body Oil, $25 for 100ml.