Product Line: Welstar Organics

OK, warning: I'm about to gush. I stumbled upon Welstar Organics yesterday while I was running errands on Cape Cod with my mom. I saw the sign out front touting organic body care products and almost grabbed the steering wheel right out of her hands to pull over. Could it be? A place to buy healthy, safe & effective skincare products in Orleans?

Oh yes it could - and even better, they have a website where they sell their products online so you don't have to be on the East Coast to reap the benefits of Welstar's products!

The store is cozy and charming, and the proprietor/founder/herbalist/aromatherapist, Mahara Ashlie, couldn't be sweeter (or more knowledgeable). She walked us through each section of the store in detail and answered all my questions about efficacy and ingredients. Her line is extensive, with products ranging from facial care to topical therapeutics to baby formulations. My favorites (as you might have guessed from my earlier post about sunscreen and bug spray) were her "Outdoor Essentials," which include an insect bite reliever, a bug repellent, and an all-natural non-mineral sunscreen. My mom snapped up the Ruby Glow Lip & Cheek Tint and the Sinus Drops for my dad's neti-pot.

The products are natural, organic, and vegan (no beeswax even!), and some of the prices reflect that level of quality.

My insect bite reliever worked like a charm, and the bug repellent was amazingly effective too - although my friend Phoebe did have to ask whether I was wearing patchouli when we went out for cocktails later that evening. Not a scent with which I like to be associated. But most of the products are scented with much more pleasantly-smelling oils (...and, truth be told, I may have been a little heavy-handed on the bug spray. I've been getting eaten alive, for chrissakes!).

This place is a dream come true for anyone who's searching for non-toxic personal care products. Get thee to their website now! And if you're lucky enough to live on the Cape, stop in and tell Mahara I sent you.

Product Review: Sephora Collection Mineral Foundation Compact

Hunting around for an effective, non-toxic version of an everyday staple can be challenging. There are so many products on the market to consider, and lots of false advertising that requires a closer look. Yes, it's important - especially when it's a product you use on the daily - but it sure ain't easy.

That's why it's so exciting to find something that meets all your critera, or at least comes close. And so it is with joy that I share with you Sephora's Mineral Foundation Compact. With a 2 rating at the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Database, it's not completely non-toxic, but it's close enough for me (and seems much safer than the BareMinerals foundation I used to use, which gets a 7). Better still, this product works - it offers a solid coverage that can be layered as needed. It comes with a dual-sided sponge, but I use it with my BareMinerals brushes and I love the effect. It provides the matte finish and superior blend for which mineral makeups are revered. Highly recommend!

Ingredients:
Many of the ingredients in this compact are not researched or regulated, so data related to their safety is limited. I've provided links about each below in case you'd like to read more.
Mica
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Zinc Stearate
Silica
Phenoxyethanol
Sodium Dehydroacetate
(+/-) :
Ci 77491 (Iron Oxides)
Ci 77492 (Iron Oxides)
Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides)

Product Review: Badger Anti-Bug Sunscreen

I'm on vacation! And for me, that always entails heading to my childhood home on Cape Cod. Living in San Francisco, I never have to worry about sunscreen or bugs, but the Cape is an entirely different story. In preparation, I closely perused the Environmental Working Group's Safe Sunscreen Guide and headed over to my local Pharmaca.

I am a big fan of efficiency and multi-tasking, so I picked up this Badger Broad Spectrum SPF 34 Anti-Bug Sunscreen. Scented with citronella and cedar, it may be too fragrant for some but I personally like its light lemony aroma. Its power as a sunscreen is undeniable (I'm still as white as a sheet!) and so far, no bug bites. Score!

The formula uses the mineral zinc oxide as its sunscreen source, which is a safe and effective choice. When applying, the zinc creates a whitish cast that takes a bit longer than most sunscreens to rub in. If you can get past that annoyance (which you'll find in many non-toxic sunscreens), you'll find this to be a worthy contender for your beach bag. Surf's up!

Ingredients
Non-Nano Uncoated Zinc Oxide 20%
Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Certified Organic Beeswax
Certified Organic Castor Oil
Certified Organic Citronella Oil
Certified Organic Lemongrass Oil
Certified Organic Cedar Oil
Certified Organic Rosemary Oil
Certified Organic Geranium Oil

DIY Frizz-Ease Hair Serum

Summer is here, and on the East Coast that means humidity and crazy hair. Even the finest of hair can get frizzy in the summer haze. My mom stumbled upon this easy way to tame flyaways accidentally, and found that it worked better than any product she's tried. Here in San Francisco, we don't get too much humidity, but I've found that this simple serum doubles as a style setting serum - apply a few drops to the ends of your hair, curl away and voila! Your curls will set for DAYS. It's amazing!

Ready for the secret recipe?

Ingredients:
Oil, any type (my mom used Vitamin E oil w/ safflower, I use jojoba or olive or shea butter. Argan oil is all the rage at the moment for hair, but you really don't need to spend a fortune!)

Ummmm - that's it! Just go in your kitchen, take a few drops of oil & apply to the ends of your hair or wherever you need frizz control. Use sparingly - you don't want to be too greasy, and you can always layer it if you need more. If you want it to smell amazing, try using coconut oil or adding 1-2 drops essential oil to the mix.

Enjoy your newfound frizz-free locks!

What's So Bad About Parabens, Anyway?

Lately there has been lots of news about parabens - synthetic chemicals that are used as preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products. They're pretty easy to identify on ingredients labels - just look for the -paraben suffix, e.g., ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. According to the FDA, preservatives like parabens are "used in cosmetics to protect them against microbial growth, both to protect consumers and to maintain product integrity."

According to the Environmental Working Group, parabens are endocrine disruptors, which means that they can bind to hormone receptor sites in the human body and interfere with normal function. Currently there is a controversy over what constitutes an acceptable level of exposure to these types of chemicals (Dowdle, H., 2012). With parabens implicated in health hazards ranging from breast cancer to fertility to birth defects (EWG), more and more consumers are choosing to avoid them.

Natural preservatives do exist (think about how food has been traditionally preserved: salt, alcohol, pickling, freezing, etc.). And many cosmetic lines are now producing paraben-free products. As with food, reading labels is essential in selecting safe cosmetics.



Dowdle, H. (2012). Outside Job. Whole Living, 67. 103-107.

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner

Maybe it's just me, but I have to admit that I don't always clean my yoga mat after every practice. Those classes at Yoga Tree kill me, and after walking up 3 flights of stairs, I will often throw my yoga mat at the door only to pick it up the next day on my way out to my next class. Gross, I know.

Luckily, I found a great recipe for a yoga mat cleaner online and had an empty spray bottle lying around. I made a few tweaks to the recipe - I used eucalyptus instead of tea tree oil because eucalyptus is also antimicrobial. Now I have an easy, delicious-smelling way to clean my mat after every class!

Ingredients
A few drops eucalyptus essential oil
A few drops lavender essential oil
Filtered water

Mix in a spray bottle and voila! You're on your way to being a cleaner yogi. Namaste!

Product Review: Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap

I love making my own personal care products on the weekends. It's so fun to go into the kitchen and whip up a new deodorant, lotion or facial oil. But let's face it: like you, I'm a busy girl. As much as I enjoy it, I don't always have time to play amateur chemist in the kitchen. Purchasing products is a lot easier & more efficient. It's just figuring out whether they're non-toxic that can be annoying. One of the reasons I started this blog was to identify really good non-toxic products that actually work.

So I'm happy to report that Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap fits the bill. I love this stuff. It's all-natural and organic, contains very few ingredients, scores a 1 over at the Cosmetics Database, and best of all, it works. It has a nice lather when you use it with a loofah, and a little goes a long way. It's $16.99 for a 32-oz bottle - super affordable when comparing to somewhere like L'Occitane.

Dr. Bronner's also makes great scented liquid soaps - if fragrance doesn't bother you, I highly recommend those as well.

INGREDIENTS:
Water
Organic Coconut Oil*
Potassium Hydroxide** (lye)
Organic Olive Oil*
Organic Hemp Oil
Organic Jojoba Oil
Citric Acid
Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
*CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS
**None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin