For any last minute shoppers, here are some gift ideas that are great for any green beauty lovers and newbies:
Winter Skin Saviors
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After living in London and in New York, I’ve come to appreciate our mild California winters. It doesn’t mean that my skin doesn’t get any less irritated or dry around this time of year, but at least I don’t have to worry about wind chill or snow. These are some of my favorite natural, non-toxic products that have been saving my skin this winter:
Fall Beauty Wishlist
The year is almost coming to an end and there have been so many new green beauty products on my radar recently. If you’re planning to do some green beauty shopping for the holidays, these items would also be great gift ideas:
Battle of the Beauty Boxes
If you love green beauty as much as I do, then there’s a high possibility that you’ve either heard of these beauty subscription boxes or are already subscribed to them. When I first started transitioning into green beauty, I didn’t really know where to start. Sure, I could’ve explored my local Whole Food or Sprouts to pick up some products, but I am the kind of person that loves to do my research before investing in any product. I used Google to find blogs to get some suggestions and reviews on brands that I had never heard of and were only available online. Now, the search for cruelty-free, non-toxic beauty products is simplified with beauty box subscriptions that allow you to try samples or full-size products that have been curated for you based on certain criteria. With so many beauty box options, the hardest part is choosing which beauty box is right for you.
New Green Beauty Releases
{Source: 100% Pure}
Finally! More pressed eyeshadow palette options in the green beauty world! While we do have some from Jane Iredale and Lily Lolo, a girl can never have too many palette options. These palettes are super cute and if they’re anything like the Pretty Naked palette (which I own), then the pigmentation is going to be amazing. They even have cute names like Sex Kitten, Punk Princess, and Mermaid.
The Fall Favorites Tag
I just saw l’amour et la musique‘s The Fall Favorites Tag video and thought it would be fun to do the tag on my blog. Fall is probably my favorite time of the year because I just love fall fashion like wearing cable-knit sweaters, warm coats, cute jackets, soft scarves, and boots. I like layering when it comes to putting my outfit together and even though I live in California, I always struggle to find summer appropriate clothes in my closet whenever the temperature rises. We’re actually still having random heat waves in October, which I am not thrilled about. I think I’ve probably accumulated a lot of winter clothing from living in New York and London, so as soon as the weather cools down, I can finally get some use out of them. 🙂
September Green Beauty Deals
There were a bunch of beauty sales last Labor Day weekend but there are few that are still going on right now. 100% Pure has a Free Gift with Purchase ($155 Value) with 50% of the proceeds going to Leaping Bunny, which helps in promoting and advocating for “cruelty-free” shopping:
My Top Repurchased Items
When it comes to green beauty products, I love trying new products as much as the next beauty blogger but when I find products that I love enough to repurchase, I know that I’ve found something special. The products pictured above are products that I have repurchased the most for either myself or my family in the past year.
Summer Sales
This past year, I’ve been trying to get my family to join the “green” side and switch to more natural body products. My mom is currently obsessed with Desert Essence‘s shampoos and conditioners and her current favorite is the Coconut scent (she previously used the Raspberry one). She just stocked up on the shampoo and conditioner, which are now on sale at Vitacost for $3.97 each! The body wash was on sale for $5.29 and I picked it up for my mom to try as well. It will be interesting to see how this compares to the 100% Pure Coconut Body Wash, which I think is a bit too pricey for me but my mom loves the scent. I think that the Desert Essence products are a great budget-friendly option, especially if you’re looking to transition into green beauty products. If you are a huge coconut scent lover, you should quickly pick these up while they’re on sale!
The coconut shampoo and conditioner each score a 4 on EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database due to the fragrance ingredient. So, if you’re looking for a product that has a lower EWG score but is still affordable, Acure Organics is probably your next best bet. Right now, my family is still in the transitional phase, so they’re not quite as picky when it comes to EWG scores. I typically try to only use products that score between 0-3, but I’m not a purist so I am willing to use products that score a little higher depending on how often I use it and if it is being applied to a larger surface of my skin.
According to Vitacost’s website, the Desert Essence products are free of: “parabens, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, phthalates, artificial colors, silicones, EDTA, glycol, petroleum-based ingredients, wheat, gluten, animal testing, and animal ingredients.”
Have you tried the Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo, Conditioner, and/or Body Wash? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
♥ If you’re new to Vitacost, get $10 off your first purchase of $30 here.
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Here are some other green beauty summer sales that are going on right now:
100% Pure – From July 13-July 15, use code #FOOTSIE for 20% off footsie products.
The 20% off applies only to products selected for the Foot Facial promotion and cannot be used towards any other items in your order. Please enter discount code #FOOTSIE when checking out. Online only. Offer is valid until Wednesday July 15th, 2015 11:59 PM PST.
Dermstore – Select Jane Iredale products are 25% off. *Sale ends 7/14/15 11:59 PM PT. Not valid with other offers.
Pharmaca – 20% off $50, $25% off $75, 30% off $100; Code: STOCKUP
*STOCKUP coupon code valid through 7.14.15 9:30am MST only, only for merchandise at pharmaca.com. All discount promotions exclude Avene, Bluebonnet, Clarisonic, DeVita, Doctor Greens, Dr. Hauschka, evanhealy, GroVia, Herb Pharm, Integrative Therapeutics, jane iredale, John Masters, Jurlique, Klorane, Max Green Alchemy, Metagenics, Mrs. Meyers, Natura Health Products, NeuroScience, New Chapter, Nordic Naturals, One Love Organics, Paula’s Choice, Pharmax, Pure Encapsulations, Sanitas, Sigma-Tau, Suki, Sun Warrior, Thorne Research, Vega One, Vibrant Health or Vital Nutrients, gift cards, prior purchases, shipping, products that currently have a Buy One, Get One Free offer or purchases at Pharmaca stores. Not redeemable for cash or combinable with any other offer or discount.
**Orders over $35 ship FREE via Standard Shipping. Orders must total $35 before tax (and after any promotional discounts) to qualify. Surcharges for large items may still apply. Some exclusions apply; see Shipping page for details.
Natural Beauty: Fresh Perspective
Summer is here and although I’m not looking forward to the 100+ degree weather, I am excited about all the new green beauty summer releases. There have been a ton of items on my wishlist and the ones above are just a small sampling of them. Let me know what’s on your summer wishlist and if you’ve tried anything mentioned in the list below. 🙂
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- Josh Rosebrook – Lift Hair Texture & Volume ($22) – Ever since I got my Josh Rosebrook Shampoo and Hydrating Accelerator from Integrity Botanicals, I’ve been obsessed with this brand. The ingredients are lovely and the scents are not too “herbally” (if that makes any sense). I’m a fan of sweeter scents and while the Rahua Voluminous Spray that I own is effective, I don’t really enjoy its scent. I’m curious to find out how Josh Rosebrook’s spray compares to the Rahua spray.
- Kypris Beauty – Antioxidant Dew – ($67) – This is definitely on the higher end of green beauty and the packaging is just gorgeous! I keep seeing Kypris Beauty products all over instagram and I would love to sample some of the products from the line. I’m currently interested in the Antioxidant Dew and the Moonlight Catalyst serums.
- Meow Meow Tweet – Deodorant Cream ($14) – I love Meow Meow Tweet’s colorful graphic packaging! I got a sample size of the Lavender version in a Petit Vour box and ever since then I have been hooked on this stuff. I want to try the grapefruit version, which is also baking soda free for anyone who is looking for a baking soda free alternative. I don’t have any particular allergies to baking soda but I’ve heard a lot of good things about this scent. I still love Schmidt’s deodorant but I like the creaminess of Meow Meow Tweet’s deodorant cream. Also, it’s a little easier to use for me when I’m on the go since I don’t have to warm up the product in my hand before using it.
- Nudus Lipstick – 27 Kisses ($34) – This is arguably the most expensive natural lipstick on the market and it is constantly sold out! The ingredients are ridiculously impressive and the packaging is very luxurious. I just got a sample of this and I have yet to try it out, but we will see if it lives up to the hype. It is also gluten-free and cruelty-free. Here is the website description: “Handcrafted in Australia, Nudus brings long lasting, richly pigmented lipsticks blended with certified organic, nourishing ingredients. Colors are formulated from bioactive extracts of flowers, fruits, herbs and minerals. 27 active ingredients, including vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K and antioxidants such as pomegranate, raspberry and kiwi cold pressed oils protect against environmental stress. Shea butter and avocado, coconut and argan oils leave lips soft, hydrated and moisturized. Free from parabens, petro-chemicals, lanolin, hydrogenated oils, fd&c and lake dyes, nano-particles, gmo, pesticides and fungicides.”
- LVX – Nail Lacquer – Laguna/Laguna Sky Blue ($16) – I got a full-size of the LVX Nail Lacquer in Lolli (a bright pastel pink) in a Petit Vour box a while back and the packaging reminds me a little bit of Chanel. I love that all the colors are runway-inspired and on trend. I love pastel and jewel tone colors the most and LVX has a wide range of colors for anyone looking for a higher-end vegan (cruelty-free + 5-free) nail polish.
- Kimberly Sayer – Ultra Light Facial Moisturizer -SPF 30 ($32) – I first heard about this product from Youtuber cloudyapples and since then I’ve seen countless bloggers rave about how light-weight and moisturizing this is in comparison to other natural sunscreens. I still have a lot of sunscreens that I have to go through before needing to purchase another, but this is definitely on the top of my “to try” list along with Pratima sunscreen.
- Antonym Cosmetics – Noisette Eye Shadow Quattro – certified organic ($39) – Along with being cruelty-free, “Antonym products are free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, petrochemicals or phthalates. Each product is certified by Ecocert which ensures that the ingredients are natural and also serves as quality control standard for manufacturing, packaging and storage.” The only other green beauty brand that is as luxurious as this is probably Kjaer Weis. The bamboo packaging is so cool and I love that the compacts have a mirror inside! I have the Copper blush and the baked foundation in Light. I’m still testing them out but so far, I really love the blush. It’s easily my favorite blush that I’ve tried all year. I heard that they currently carry this brand at Sephora but only in Australia. 😦 I hope they will eventually start to carry it in the US because it really is a great brand to try, especially for anyone who is transitioning into green beauty but doesn’t want to sacrifice their love for great packaging and design.
- Kjaer Weis – Dazzling Bronzer ($58) – Like every other green beauty junkie, I kind of want everything that Kjaer Weis makes whether I need it or not. The packaging is still eye-catching and I’ve seen it hundreds of times before on countless blog reviews and instagram posts. It just never gets old. I’ve been waiting out on purchasing a bronzer because I can never decide if I want the RMS Beauty Buriti Bronzer, the W3ll People Bio Bronzer Stick, or a pressed powder bronzer like the one by Studio 78 or 100% Pure.
- Gressa Skin – Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation ($54) – This is basically the HG of skincare and make-up rolled into one product. I’ve been wanting to try this since I first heard about it months ago and I’m happy to see that they’ve extended their color range, so hopefully it will be easier to find a better color match. I don’t wear a lot of makeup on a daily basis, so I’ve been holding off on purchasing it partly due the high price point and difficulty in choosing a color match. I have a feeling I might be a 2.5 or 3.
- Mun – No.1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum ($95) – With just 3 ingredients: prickly pear seed oil, argan oil, and rose oil, this serum is supposed to be more potent in its anti-aging properties. According to the website: “Prickly Pear Seed oil instills radiance and resilience, while Rose and Argan oils transform the appearance of your skin.” I feel like every green beauty blogger has raved about this. I might try buying a sample of it or wait until a big sale before trying this oil. I have a lot of oils in rotation at the moment and I’m not in any particular rush to start using anti-aging products, but I just wanted to try this since everyone seems to rave about it all the time. Also, I’m a sucker for cute packaging, especially if it has a moon on it.
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What’s on your summer wishlist? What are your current summer favorites?
jessmeandering 