How to go NonToxic at your Local Nail Salon

Good Morning Beauties! Today I’m talking about our manicures ladies! I don’t know about you but for me once upon a time weekly manicures were a must. I felt girly and put together. Then they took a back seat after having my son. All you mamas feel me right?!?!? I started my green beauty journey around 5 years ago and thought that my manicures would have to go out the window. I mean do we even need to talk about what is in conventional nail polish?? Formaldehyde (a known human carcinogen), toluene (linked to respiratory toxicity), DBP (DIBUTYL PHTHALATE – in the phthalate family that is a known endocrine disruptor), to name a few of the toxic ingredients in conventional nail polishes.

There wasn’t much out there as far as non toxic nail care and no way were there any non toxic nail salons where I live. Also, I stink at doing my own nails and it’s so nice to be pampered every now and then. In time a non toxic salon opened in CT but it is an hour away from my house. Not doable for weekly at all! What is a girl to do?

What’s Good??

Bring the Green to your local nail salon! One brand that I have tried is Karma Organics which is actually a spa and nail salon in New Jersey. They have their own line of beautiful non toxic nail polishes that you can find at Whole Foods and Amazon. I have grabbed a few over the last few years and I really like them. I would love to take a road trip and visit their salon one of these days. They also have a nail polish remover made with 3 ingredients that I love. It’s the only one I have been using for a while now.

Aila is another brand that I have been using. They have a base coat, top coat and lots of great colors. Aila has been on the scene since 2013 and are constantly improving their product. They are a 15+ free of the toxic chemicals that are commonly found in conventional nail polish. I recently got the color House of Paine. For some reason I thought it was a dark blue when I ordered but its black. Aggressive but looks great on. It stayed on too which is hard to do with nail polish! They also have a color remover with argan oil which I haven’t tried but I have tried their 3-in-1 soy-based nail color remover individual cloths. Perfect for on the go.

Nail Tools

So you have your polishes to bring! What about the nail tools?? You can totally bring your own. Earth Therapeutics is a good brand that you can find at Amazon, CVS, Whole Foods, WalMart, etc. They have a whole manicure and pedicure set. If you have a salon that you love you can have them keep your kit there in a box with your name on it. A lot of places do that for people. Another tip that I have learned is not to have your cuticles cut or let your hands be soaked in water. Both practices will cut down on infection. Also not soaking your nails helps keep the polish on longer.

Glass Nail File

Has anyone tried a glass nail file?? I recently discovered glass nail files. OMG! They are so good. I read an article about how they are better for your nail itself. I noticed my nails were not jagged and didn’t feel rough. The emery boards are sandpaper attached to cardboard. They do more harm than good, leaving your nails weak. The glass file leaves your nails smooth. The glass actually seals your nail tip which prevents water and dirt from getting in. Another major perk is that a glass nail file is non porous unlike an emery board. This means that it is hygienic. No bacteria can grow on the surface. You can sanitize it by washing with soap and water. Can’t do that with an emery board! I found mine at T.J. Maxx for $4.99!! Other places you can find one is on Amazon and Sephora. Trust me when I say you will not regret getting a glass nail file. It comes with its own little care to keep safe from breaking. Add it to your to-go kit for nail salon visits. I brought mine to my latest manicure and the tech loved it!

Non Toxic Nail Polish Brands

Priti NYC – 8 Free|Gluten Free|Vegan|Cruelty Free
TenOverTen – NYC Non Toxic Nail Salon with their own nail polish and nail care line. I had a chance to go and get pampered. If you are in NYC go and visit, it is a treat!
Piggy Paint – Nail polish specifically for little ladies. They have the cutest colors. Best part is that you don’t have to go far to find. I found these at Target and bought for a friend who has a little girl. Again nail polish is not something I would do often on the little ones but if she insists try this brand.
Ella & Mila – 7-Free Nail polish which just launched their collection in Target making cleaner nail care available to everyone. They have a cute mommy & me collection.
Lauren B. Beauty – 7-Free Nail polish I had been wanting to try so I was glad to see this in a green beauty box last month. I noticed that it doesn’t stay on as well as other polishes. But then again I’m hard on my nails. So it may depend on your nails.
Dazzle Dry – Ok so this polish is a game changer to the die hard gel fans. 🙂 I was so impressed when I had a Dazzle Dry manicure at the most adorable salon in Washington, CT called Byrde + the B. Debbie is the in-house manicurist. I took my mom last summer. Her manicure stayed on for 2+ weeks. Mine stayed on about 2 weeks. It is a 4-step process. Best part…dries in 5 minutes. Say what?!?! They have a great selection of colors. A few of my favs are At First Blush, Anticipation and a great summer one for my toes is Blueberry SnoCone.

At the end of the day nail polish isn’t organic or totally clean but there are brands who are trying to do better. They are making it safer for us to still have our manicures. As I’ve said before and I’ll say it again I am not a purist so painting my nails is something I will do. You can make that choice for yourself. If you do try one of these brands out and let me know what you think! Thanks to all the brands out there that are cleaning up nail polish!

Check out other green beauty products that I love here.

*Affiliate link used. Opinions and thoughts are always my own!

4 Green Beauty Boxes Worth Trying in 2019

Good morning friends! January was forever wasn’t it?!?!? I have been MIA a little bit. I’m back!! I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while. The topic is GREEN BEAUTY BOXES!! YAY! It is so fun to get these boxes in the mail. You have the chance to try something new or a collection of things new. I have tried 4 different green beauty boxes. As a result I’ve had the chance to get my hands on some pretty incredible brands. Let’s get to the goods!

1) The Detox Market Box

About a year or so ago I signed up for The Detox Market Box. I had seen several green beauty boxes and never took the plunge mainly because for a lot of boxes you have to make a 2-3 month commitment. The Detox Market Box is a month to month box that you can skip or cancel at any time. I love this set up!! The price? Wait for it, is $55 a month which includes shipping! If you know that you want to subscribe for 3 months or 6 months you can prepay. But if you are like me and want to choose, then you can do month to month.

What’s Inside?

So the question now is what comes in the box?!?!? Each month the detox box features one brand. Included in the box is at the very least $90 of green beauty. It ships the first week of the month or when you order. Also you earn Detox Points when order a box. Win Win! Ok great so we have all the details down but now you want to know what have past boxes looked like right??

December 2017 featured three Dr. Alkaitis products!! I love Dr. Alkaitis and this was a great box. Great to try new things and past favorites too. It was a $143 value.
February 2018 featured a new to me brand…SkinOwl. There were three products that I really enjoyed a lot. It was a $115 value.
May 2018 featured One Love Organics! You know I love my OLO. There were 2 products that I had never tried which was great! The box was a $133 value.
July 2018 featured Osmia Organics! Yay!! This was a great way for me to get addicted to the Purely Simple Face Cream which I have reordered since then and the Nectal Vital Rose Drops. I have recently used my last few drops, cue crying!! This was a great value of $158.
August Box featured Vapour Organic Beauty. I am a fan of Vapour foundation so I was happy to try their multi-use stain and Velvet Lip Gloss. The box featured 3 products at a value of $111.
October 2018 featured Innersense!!! This box featured not 3 products but 5!! What an amazing value of $132.
November 2018 featured Odacite. What a great box!! It included 3 products which I loved all of them. All-Embracing Serum, Crystal Contour Gua Sha and a travel size of Black Mint Cleanser. I hadn’t tried any of these but have really enjoyed all of them. A awesome value of $147.
December 2018 featured Pai Skincare. Such a great way to end the year. The box included 2 full size products and 2 sample sizes. I had recently ordered the Camellia & Rose Cleanser and here came this box. Perfect timing! The value was $110.
February 2019 features Fit Glow Beauty. I have been eying their mascara but didn’t take the $38 plunge! LOL! But with 2 other products for $55 it’s a win-win. The value of this box is $166. Grab it while it lasts.

So that’s it for a recap for the Detox Box! It is a great box for the well seasoned green beauty lover or the commitment-phobe (like me). An awesome bang for your buck!

2) BOXWALLA

Last year I received my first Boxwalla Beauty Box! Holy cow!! I was super impressed. This box is $49 (free shipping) every 2 months! Cancel or change at any time. Again no commitment. Yay!! What a line up of luxurious brands that have been featured! “A Beauty Box for the luxury loving skincare nerd, this box lets you experience the most effective and nutrient-rich beauty products we have experienced, exquisite products that harness the potency of plant-based ingredients. Always cruelty-free.”

What’s Inside?

June 2018 Mosaic Box featured two FULL SIZE products from MOSS Skincare. Talk about luxury!! MOSS specializes in healing complicated skin types and adult acne naturally, teaching radical self-care and uses Ayurvedic and holistic medicine to reveal an inner glow and maximize outer beauty. The box included the Beurre Céleste Honey Antioxidant Infusion Recovery Mask in Cleansing Balm ($70) and the Illumina Vitamin C Perfecting Treatment Intensif ($145). Such a great value for an amazing brand!
August 2018 Lean on Me Box featured African Botanics!! Just when I thought this box couldn’t get any better. Wowzer! This brand is an “eco-luxury skincare collection driven by ancient African phytochemistry and rich botanical pharmacology.” Lux to the max. This box included their cult favorite, Fleurs D’Afrique Intensive Recovery Face Oil ($250). Say what now?!?! I’ll repeat this again, the box is $49!! You can’t beat it. I can’t say that I would have jumped on buying a $250 face oil but when I saw that it was going to be featured in the Boxwalla I was beyond excited.
October 2018 The Intrepid Pattern of Plants featured another African Botanics product!!! Resurrection Cell Recovery Serum ($160) Another crazy value!!
December 2018 Forest Bathing featuring the brand EarthWise Beauty. I had never heard of this brand so I was glad to try it. It included two FULL SIZE Resiliency Face Serum ($64) and Yasuni Face Balm ($110) both of which were created for acne prone skin.
February 2019 Frangipani Fables and Black Rice Tales featured Siam Seas.

3) Clean Beauty Box

This is the box previously known as The Art of Organics. I had seen various bloggers talk about this box but didn’t try it out til this past spring. They have a box every other month. This is a change from a box every month. I like that it’s not every month because then products starts to build up and you can’t possible use everything at once. I would like if the subscription is month to month. You know I have commitment issues when it comes to subscriptions. LOL! But if you don’t mind, the subscription is for 2 or 6 months. 2 months is $83.90 and 6 months is $239.70. This box is similar to the Boxwalla in that the products selected are luxurious. Each month there is a new theme to the box. Pretty much all of the products I received I had never tried before. Founder Claire Molyneaux was so sweet to offer my readers a 10% discount off your first box subscription and store orders with code GREENGLAMGIRL10. Here is a little glimpse of the past few months and the boxes I recieved.

What’s Inside?

April 2019 Balance featured Wabi Sabi Botanicals!! The Giver Illuminative Ritual Cleanser $60 value – full size and the Balancing Act Intensif Serum No. 2 $52 value – full size. I have really enjoyed The Giver oil cleanser. You can use it to remove makeup as well as a hydrating facial oil. The coffee smell alone will make you come back for more. This box had a $122.
June 2019 Sacred Sky featured “two brands by one genius mastermind“, Moss (Modern.Organic.Sacred.Skincare) and Ambar (“sky” in Sanskrit). I have tried a couple of Moss products which I have really liked. In fact Moss was featured in a Boxwalla box before. So when I saw that I would be getting to try another Moss product I was excited. Potenci is an Intensive Dermal Repair Hydrating Emulsion. It did not disappoint. I’ve been using all summer and now and I love it. It’s so light but so hydrating! It was a full size at the value of $145. The Ambar product was their Micellar Cleansing Essence. This micellar water is great for traveling. It is a cleanser and toner in one. No need to rinse. I use it to remove stubborn eye makeup! It is a 2 ounce size for $29. So the total value of this box was $174!!
August 2019 Pink Light featured the new to me brand Pink Light Botanicals. The smell of these two products are heavenly. The Crystal Facial Tonic is a facial oil that is rich in healing botanicals and antioxidants to boost healthy cellular renewal. It was a full size valued at $80. The Rose Petal Enzyme Masque is a wonderful brightening treatment that smells like roses!! It’s a gel masque that exfoliates, tones and evens your complexion. My skins feels so soft afterwards. This was a deluxe travel size valued at $40. The entire box value is $120! Another great box.
October 2019 Transformative featured FlowerSpice Modern Apothecary and Henné Organics. Just in time for change of seasons. I can’t wait to try out FlowerSpice Instant Glow Calming Exfoliator ($98). The little card that each box comes with describing every product says it is “the perfect pre-event product when your skin needs an instant boost.” Bring on the glow!! Henné delivers on their Lip Serum ($45) that I’ve heard about for a while now. It smells like berries. No shock because it has ingredients like arctic cloudberry seed oil and lingonberry seed oil. The packaging is beautiful. Its in a black glass tube with a 24k gold plated rollerball. WHAT?!?! The “Rolls Royce of lip serums. This box is valued at $143

4) Petit Vour

I had heard about the Petit Vour Beauty Box a while ago but just started subscribing a of months ago. Don’t know what I was waiting for! You get some great products at such an affordable price. Again as with the other boxes, no commitment necessary, cancel at any time and it’s $18 a month for $45-$60 value!! What?!?!

What’s Inside?

A few brands that have been in the box have been Lily Lolo, 100% Percent Pure, Juice Beauty, Axiology, Clove + Hallow and True Moringa.

I like this box a lot. This is a perfect box for those who are new to green beauty and want to try a few things to help make the switch from conventional products. Also this is a great box for teenagers who want to start experimenting with clean makeup and skincare.

As a special thank you for being here Petit Vour is giving my readers 25% off your first box when you use the code FIRSTBOX. It is a great gift for your bestie, daughter or yourself. She will love it, I promise!

Conclusion

So that is it for my roundup of 4 green beauty boxes. There are other boxes out there but I haven’t tried them all. Now if you are asking what my favorite box would be it would depend on budget and if you are new to green beauty. If you are new I would go with the Petit Vour. If you are an OG green beauty lover and love all things lux then go for the Boxwalla or Clean Beauty Box. The Detox Box is a great box for your tried and true favorites. If you have tried any of these boxes or others let me know what you think in your comments below! As always thank you for being here! xoxo

If you liked this review of Green Beauty Boxes, check out other clean beauty products I love here.

*Some Affiliate links used. Opinions and thoughts are always my own!

Teens Gone Green – Green Beauty for the Next Generation

Happy Thursday Ladies! I hope everyone is having a good week. Today I want to talk about what has been in the news lately. This topic has actually been on my mind for quite some time. The subject is teenage girls and personal care products! I say girls specifically because it is us women who are the primary consumers of personal care products like shampoo, deodorant, makeup, feminine hygiene products, perfume, etc.

Right around 13, maybe even a little younger girls are introduced to shiny lip gloss, scented and glittery body lotions, fragrance sprays (i.e. remember dousing yourself in Pear Glacè from Victoria Secret 20 years ago or was that just my friends and I) and the list goes on. Teenage girls may be at particular risk since it’s a time of fast reproductive change and development. Research shows that they use more personal care products per day than the average adult woman. Some say up to 14 products per day!! Think back to that time for yourself and what you were using! Or maybe don’t, it may be too scary to think about.

What’s all the fuss about?

Recently there has been studies and more talk about the correlation between early puberty and the ingredients in the personal care products that young girls use. My friend Janis Covey of Kosmatology sent me 2 articles about this subject when I told her this would be the subject of my next post. The study out of UC Berkeley and Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas shows how even a short break from makeup, shampoos and lotions with toxic ingredients can lead to a significant drop in levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the body.

The study did an analysis of urine samples before and then after a three-day trial in which the girls used lower-chemical products. They saw a drop in toxic chemicals like parabens (found in hair care, body lotion, & makeup), phthalates (found in fragrance), oxybenzone (chemical found in sunscreen), and triclosane (found in antibacterial products) in just 3 days! WOW!! That’s crazy!! All of these chemicals are feared to be natural hormone disruptors.

The article in the Guardian mentioned that “over the past 20 years studies have shown that girls and possibly boys have been experiencing puberty at progressively younger ages.” With that comes the link between early puberty and a ‘increased risk of mental illness, breast and ovarian cancer in girls and testicular cancer in boys’. I was thinking too of all the young women nowadays in their late 20’s, early 30’s experiencing difficulties in getting pregnant. It makes you stop and think if nothing else. Of course this all raises more questions and more research is needed. The point is we need to be aware that there are toxic chemicals in our personal care products that are messing with hormones in our bodies, in our kids bodies!

Now what if it’s never introduced in the first place?!?! What if girls (and boys) can just be exposed to products that are devoid of these chemicals?!?! Is it possible? ABSOLUTELY!

Affordable Green Beauty

If you have been reading my blog you know one of my favorite quotes that can be applied here “When we know better we do better.” That can be said of us moms with our kids, girls and boys! In my case I have a son but a few of my friends have girls that are at that puberty stage, some experiencing it early than their moms had. It’s the perfect time to start changing personal care products over.

Now you may be thinking, ‘this is great and all but I don’t have the resources to pay crazy prices for organic products for my kids’. I feel you girl! You’ve come to the right place because thankfully you don’t have to. I’ve been trying and researching a few brands that are perfect for mom and daughter but don’t have the big price tag. Let’s talk about a few of my picks.

MAKEUP

1. Clove + Hallow

From concealer to beautiful lip products you can’t beat the clean ingredients and the price. Founder Sarah Biggers has knocked it out of the park. They recently came out with their eye shadow palette which I just got! Let me tell you…GORGEOUS! The Sunrise palette is $34 and comes with 6 different shades – 4 shimmers and 2 mattes. For an added boost, an antioxidant complex of Rosemary, Rice Bran, and Sunflower extracts soothes and protects the delicate eye area, so you can feel good about wearing your makeup all day long. 100% cruelty-free and vegan. I am hooked. So will you and your girl. I haven’t mentioned their lip velvets which I’m obsessed with. At $18 this is one of the best lip products I own! Not being dramatic. LOL! I love the C&H Clean15 Guarantee which is No cheap fillers or unnecessary fluff. Just the good stuff, delivered in 15 or fewer ingredients per base formula. Their products are between the price range of $15-$34. Amazing value for such a great brand

2. W3ll People

This brand has been one of my favorites in green beauty. Founded by a makeup artist, a dermatologist and a wellness entrepreneur this company is making amazing, clean products at an affordable price. W3LL People can be found at many Target stores. We know your teenage loves that beauty isle at Target! A couple of my favorites is the Expressionist Mascara ($21.99) not only is it non toxic but it delivers on making those eyelashes sing! My go-to especially during the summer is their Bio Tint Multi-Action Moisturizer SPF 30 ($28.99). It is 3-1, moisturizer, sun protection and a little coverage. I love this stuff. Always have it on hand. It’s really great year round too. Perfect for the on-the-go teenager!

3. Honest Beauty

For me Honest was the first that I tried in cleaner beauty. They are super affordable and can be found at Target and Amazon. You can’t beat the price of $14.99 (sometimes lower) for a clean mascara that everyone has been raving about lately. Also their eyeshadow palette that I personally just received. When Honest Beauty first launched I tried all of their eye shadows and I have to say this palette is bigger and better and at $18.99 on Amazon it’s a homerun for mom and daughter!

SKINCARE / PERSONAL CARE

1. Cocokind Skincare

Now if you aren’t new to Green Glam Girl you know that I love Cocokind since discovering them at Whole Foods Market. Founder Pricilla Tsai and her team have done an incredible job of creating a clean, conscious, and accessible skin care line that performs! I have been using Cocokind for a little while now and obsessed is an understatement. Also, you know by now that I haven’t been a teenager for quite some time 🙂 But I think it’s the perfect product for your teenager (boy or girl) and their ever-changing skin. From the Organic Rose Water Toner ($17) to the Mymatcha All-Over Moisture Stick ($9) they are all delicious and amazing products.

Let’s talk for a minute about the price point! So affordable. Nothing is more than $25 and Pricilla is determined to keep prices down but quality top-notch. The products that I have in my bathroom is: The Turmeric Spot Treatment Stick ($9) and Raspberry Vinegar Toner($16) for those pesky breakouts. The Rosewater Toner for all day long moisture. The Facial Cleansing Oil ($9.80 on Amazon) is a great way to remove makeup and dirt from the day. I love the Chlorophyll Mask ($13.70 on Amazon) which is great for calming breakouts and detoxifying the skin. Last but not least I am never without the Organic Skin Butter ($14)! Then there is the Macabeet Tinted Moisture Stick. This is a great product for your budding makeup enthusiast. It’s makeup and skincare with beetroot to tint and maca root to create smooth and even skin. You can even use it as a lip tint as well. Perfect touch of pink! Such minimal ingredients in all of their products. You and your teen will love. All of these products you can find at your local Whole Foods Market.

2. Schmidts

Deodorant is one of the first personal care products that should be non toxic. Conventional deodorant contains many ingredients you don’t want going on your skin but one of them is aluminum zirconium . There is much conflicting things out there about aluminum and more research is needed. For my family we have decided to stay away from it! Another thing to keep in mind even if research isn’t very conclusive regarding aluminum being carcinogenic, is that it prevents perspiring.

What’s the big deal about that you may ask? Well sweating is our body’s natural way of eliminating what it doesn’t need. Messing with that whole process can have negative health consequences. Which makes sense when we stop anything the body should be doing naturally. Schmidts ($17.49 for 2) is an easy to find, affordable and clean deodorant. Most importantly it works!! And that my friends is a hard combo to find in green beauty! In fact it is the one that my 10-year-old son has started to use and the one my husband can’t be without. As I mentioned in my last post, this brand can be found at Target and even TJ Maxx.

3. Acure

Check out my post about chemicals found in hair care products. It will make your hair stand up. Pun intended! One good brand that I started with is Acure ($9.99 or less). You can find at Whole Foods Market, Amazon, Target, Pharmaca (love) and even TJ Maxx. I love that these clean brands are so accessible and affordable. One more thing about this brand is that they have bath and body options too. Have fun trying!!

The Next Generation of Natural

So now for the really fun part! DRUM ROLL PLEASE!! I collaborated with my good friend and super talented local photographer Kelly Ann Long Photography. We put clean beauty and photography together and boom we have a beautiful photo session with our gorgeous model Naya who is 16 years old. She is wearing all green beauty. Style and makeup by Kelly.

If you are local to Fairfield, New Haven or Hartford County, Kelly is the one for you. She specializes in children and teens modern portraiture. I am so excited to share with you this photoshoot. So proud to call Kelly my friend. Check her work out for yourself. Her pictures are gorgeous. Thank you for being here and following my journey. My hope is that I’ve helped you in your journey in one small way. xoxo

Please see below all the make-up details and click on the links to find! For more check out my Products I love page.

#4 blog — Picture by: Kelly Ann Long Photography

#9 web — Picture by: Kelly Ann Long Photography

#2 b web — Picture by: Kelly Ann Long Photography

*Affiliate links used. Opinions and thoughts are always my own!

MAKEUP DETAILS –

Face Cleanser ~ Cocokind Facial Oil Cleaner

Concealer ~ W3ll People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer in Medium

Foundation ~ W3ll People Bio Tint Multi-Action Moisturizer SPF 30 in Medium

Cheeks ~ Cocokind MACABEET Tinted Moisture Stick

Eyeshadow ~ Clove + Hallow Sunrise Pressed Pigment Palette & Honest Beauty Palette

Lips ~ Cocokind MACABEET Tinted Moisture Stick & Kari Gran in JEANNIE

Mascara ~ Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara + Primer

#8 blog — Picture by Kelly Ann Long Photography

7 Affordable Green Beauty Products For An Easy Switch

Good morning lovelies! Currently fighting the beginnings of a cold. Ugh! So I’m laying low. I was thinking about how overwhelming the switch from conventional products to non toxic can be. At least I felt very overwhelmed at first. One of the reasons I started Green Glam Girl was to make that journey for someone else less stressful. I put together a list of 7 easy to find green beauty products that replace conventional ones. The best part of this list is that you can find them all at your local grocery stores. Because lets get real girls, sometimes we need it now and don’t have time to wait for the postman to deliver. No online shopping necessary!

1. TOOTHPASTE

Most conventional toothpastes contain ingredients like carrageenan and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). If you have any issues with skin like perioral dermatitis, SLS is a no go. Try Dr. Bronner’s All-One Toothpaste. You can usually find in your local Whole Foods Market, a neighborhood natural health store and online at Target. A few times I even found Dr. Bronner’s at T.J. Maxx. If you want to try another green toothpaste that you can find at Whole Foods, Auromere Herbal has great ingredients. Affordable and great non toxic toothpaste.

2. SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER

When I first started out on this journey my go to hair care products were ACURE. The price was amazing! One of the great things about this brand is that you can now find them at Target and of course Whole Foods. Another brand that one of my favorite bloggers, This Organic Girl likes is Andalou Naturals. This is going on my must-try list when I’m back to Whole Foods, they are on sale to boot! 2 for $10!

3. BODY LOTION

This one I have a few favorites that I like. My newest favorite that you can find at Whole Foods and Target is Weleda Skin Food. Wow! Perfect for this changing weather. I keep one on my night stand and a mini in my purse. Another one I love is Cocokind Organic Body Butter. Made with only 4 ingredients. It’s $14 and will last you a long time. I think I’m on my 3rd jar. You can find Cocokind at your local Whole Foods Market.

4. DEODORANT

Now this one is a toughy! My hubs and I have gone through a few natural deodorants in the past years. This was the first ever product that we changed over. Remember the panic years ago about aluminum in the deodorant?? Well we quit the conventional stuff. The only thing on the market that you could find back then was Tom’s of Maine and maybe some crystal stuff. But performance wasn’t happening. So for a while my husband gave up and went back to conventional.

The deodorant that seemed to work and didn’t break the bank was Schmidts! Then they sold their company to Unilever which brought on different emotions from some in the green community. The upside of Schmidts being sold to Unilever is that it is accessible to all. Personally, as long as they don’t change the ingredients I will continue to use. It doesn’t break the bank at all and can be found at stores like Target and Whole Foods. Again I even found it at T.J. Maxx.

5. BODY WASH

I had a hard time finding one in the grocery isle that I liked and that had clean ingredients. For the exception of Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap. They are in so many different scents including unscented. By scents I mean essential oils! There are many different uses as you probably already know. My favorite one to use in the shower is the peppermint. Great for decongesting a stuffy nose too. All you need is a squirt or two. You can find Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap in Target, Whole Foods and again even T.J. Maxx.

6. FACE TREATMENT

Yes it is possible to find good clean and affordable skincare at the grocery store. If you haven’t tried Cocokind, you need to get on board. Not only is it so affordable but it preforms. Such a great brand for all skin types especially sensitive skin. My favorite products that I use regularly are the Rosewater Facial Toner, the Raspberry Vinegar Toner and the Chlorophyll Mask (I love this mask). Their other products which I’ve tried are the Sea Moss Exfoliator (super gentle), Facial Cleansing Oil (great taking off makeup), Turmeric Stick (spot treatment) and the myMatcha All-Over Stick. Guess what?!?!? You can find the whole skincare line at your local Whole Foods Market.

7. LIP BALM

Ok so its taken a lot of work but I think I may have broken my husbands habit of Burts Bees. LOL! I get it, before Green Beauty I grabbed lip balm from CVS or wherever was convenient. Behold!!! You can find a non toxic and fabulous lip balm at CVS, Walgreens and Whole Foods. MORACCAN MAGIC! WOOHOO!

So the next time you are at the store for milk and eggs and you realize you need shampoo or toothpaste, don’t panic! You don’t have to settle for conventional in a pinch. Grab one of these green finds! Let me know what you have found in the grocery isle that is non toxic and green! We learn from each other.

All Natural Luxury Shampoo Worth The Splurge!

[dropcap]Hello[dropcap] Beauties! I’m back with another part of our bodies that we can make the clean switch from conventional products! HAIR!! Yes ladies if you don’t know already but the shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, gel and whatever else we typically put in and on our hair, can contain scary toxic chemicals. So let’s chat!

Sometimes we focus a lot of our attention on skincare. Which of course is great. But we often neglect our skin’s distant cousin…hair care! Also, the fact of the matter is hair care needs just as much attention.

We have pores on our scalp so what goes on our hair goes into our bodies. Plain and simple!

Common Chemicals in Hair Care

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) identified chemicals in hair care products that may be detrimental to human health and the environment. For example, I read recently that many hair products that are marketed toward African-Americans contain ingredients like parabens, phthalate, or DEP, they are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, early puberty and preterm birth. WHAT?!?! That is not ok! So what are some of these ingredients to look out for and avoid??

1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate

2. Coal tar hair dyes and other coal tar ingredients

3. Propylene Glycol (active ingredient in antifreeze)

4. Phthalates

Thankfully there are products out there without the nasty ingredients that harm your health and also perform. Check out my following review of a natural luxury shampoo and conditioner worth splurging on!

My Choice For All Natural Shampoo

Evolvh SmartColor Shampoo and Conditioner

Holy Cow is this stuff amazing! I have curly, thick and dry hair. So for my weekly blow outs its an hour appointment and lots of heat to get my mane flat. I know I know! I haven’t embraced the curls. Maybe 40 will be the year I do. Anyway that is for another blog post! A few weeks ago my mom and I attended the grand opening of The Detox Market in NYC and met Boris Oak, founder of Evolvh. He is such a lovely person. We talked a lot about hair and products obviously. He told me of their new products SmartColor shampoo and conditioner. So they very generously gifted me a package of goods to try.

I’ve been bringing the shampoo and conditioner to my hair stylist Kayla to use on my hair for the past few weeks. She is always so sweet to use whatever new non toxic products I have. Which brings me to the subject of bringing your own products to the salon. Absolutely!! I’ve been doing that for a few years now. Lately I have brought in a few different brands for Kayla to use on me but Evolvh SmartColor really stood out.

My hair was visibly softer and blow drying time was cut dramatically.

So I have been highlighting/dying, getting blow outs and flat ironing my hair for a long time. Longer than I’m willing to admit. Kayla and I were amazed. Evolvh delivered on performance! Which can be hard to find in green beauty. It’s like the ‘white whale’ in my husbands words. LOL!

This is an eco-luxe natural shampoo and conditioner that gently cleanses color treated hair and prevents fading by infusing vital nutrients deep into every strand for supreme color retention, eliminating breakage and frizz, and restoring every strand to optimal health with soft, smooth texture, sublime hydration for bounce and movement, and gorgeous shine. Yes I’m serious your hair will be singing! I had my friend next door try it out. Because I was thinking “is this just me?” “Am I being dramatic?” Nope! She came over today to return the products and she was blown away. Her hair is similar if not a little more challenging type then mine. She was hooked. Her hair looked and felt so soft. It’s truly a winner! These are luxury items definitely worth splurging for.

Lets talk about the ingredients. The key ingredients are:

✓ Kiwi Seed Oil hydrates hair without weighing it down.

✓ Amino Acid Tyrosine increases color retention.

✓ Almond Oil improves the shine and strength of your hair.

NOT Made with:

❌ Silicone

❌ Sulfate

❌ Paraben

❌ Panthenol

❌ Phthalate/musk

❌ Petroleum/mineral oil

What is Evolvh SmartScent?

Full disclosure time! When I saw that there was ‘Parfum’ in the ingredient list, not going to lie but my eyes bugged out! So I inquired because that was a red flag to me. I want you to have all the information as well and be informed. Thank goodness for Chrissy at Evolvh for putting up with all my questions. According to Evolvh the scent in their new products is the SmartScent: “SmartScent contains a blend of natural essential oils and clean aroma molecules, and was developed by EVOLVh in partnership with the leading natural fragrance and essential oil producer to create what we believe is the cleanest and most sustainable approach to scent in hair care. These signature scents are used in EVOLVh products only, and we are proud to be at the forefront in developing healthy approaches to scent in hair care.”

Also they are conforming to all international labeling guidelines now, which require them to label scent either “fragrance or “parfum”. They will be updating their website soon with more scent information, but in the meantime you can read about SmartScent below. With that said this may not be the product for the purists among you. That is ok with Evolvh and that is ok with me! We all have to make our own decisions on what we will use and what we absolutely won’t. So for me I’m ok with these products and will continue to use.

SmartScent Facts:

✓ Made using natural ingredients/essential oils

✓ No Parabens

✓ No Phthalates

✓ Not tested on animals

✓ No GMOs

✓ No Biohazards

✓ Safe ingredients (IFRA compliant and CA Prop 65 compliant)

✓ Petroleum-Free

✓ Made in USA

Where to Buy Evolvh?

Their other lines of natural shampoo and conditioner from Evolvh are UltraShine and SmartCurl. So now they are a full service hair care company! Covering all of your needs. You have to check them out for yourself. SmartColor is available on their EVOLVH WEBSITE and you can SAVE 15% OFF by using discount code: GREENGLAMGIRL15

Also, check out other clean beauty products I love here.

*Affiliate links used. Opinions and thoughts always my own!

4 Affordable Non Toxic Organic Mascaras

[dropcap]I’m[dropcap] not sure about you but I wasn’t always into mascara. I know shocker for a self-proclaimed glam girl! Don’t worry nowadays I don’t leave home without it! 🙂 A friend of mine asked me why I didn’t wear it years ago. No reason really. So I started wearing mascara, you know the pink tube kind. Also, I think I would get it at CVS for like $6.00. So cheap right? Yup and so toxic!

Bad Ingredients in Mascara

Since you may not have thought about mascara as being toxic, here are some ingredients in a popular pharmacy mascara:

Imidazolidinyl Urea (Formaldehyde Releasing Agent),
Formaldehyde (carcinogen),
Methylparaben/Propylparaben (Parabens that have been known to be endocrine disruptors), etc.

So by now you are probably assuming you have to head to your local mall and find good mascara. Right? Wrong!

I looked up some ingredients in those higher end mascaras that you find at the mall department store beauty counters and they still had the same ingredients. Toxic!

$35 to put chemicals on my eyes? No thanks! So now you may be thinking, “do i have to spend a lot of money for a good non toxic organic mascara?” The answer is no. I have tried some great clean beauty mascaras and I didn’t break the bank. So without delay, here are 4 of my favorites!

Non Toxic Organic Mascaras

1. 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Ultra-Lengthening Mascara ($26)

My first non toxic mascara that I ever tried on this journey of green glam! I love this mascara! Not only are the ingredients legit but the performance is amazing!

This mascara lengthens and separate lashes without clumping, smudging or flaking. For real! Natural pigment from black tea, berries and cocoa is used. Delicious at $26!

2. Lily Lolo Natural Vegan Mascara ($20)

The UK based company is knocking it out of the park with this amazing mascara that is made with organic and natural ingredients.

Free of all the harsh chemicals, parabens, dyes, fragrance, preservatives and any other questionable ingredients. Also, it gives your lashes volume and the color lasts all day! At $20 it won’t bust the budget. GREENGLAMGIRL saves you at www.choosychick.com.

3. Lily Lolo Big Lash Mascara ($22)

Big Lash is the newest of Lily Lolo. The brush is an hourglass shape giving you the fullest, longest and biggest lashes.

It’s vegan friendly and better than faux lashes. I’ve been using this girl all week and I am obsessed! $22 a small price for big lashes!

4. W3ll People Expressionist Mascara ($22)

I was really impressed with this mascara. The brush is their new high tech design, with injection molded rubber and a unique cascade shape, that separates the thinnest, shortest, hard to reach lashes scooping up and lengthening each one.

As with the other mascaras this is no different, no harsh chemicals that can irritate the eye area. 100% cruelty-free, petroleum-free, paraben-free, coal tar-free and aluminum-free. Not only can you find here online but you can find at select Target stores at $22. How cool is that?!

Also, check out other clean beauty products I love here.

5 Non Toxic Lipsticks You Will Love

[dropcap]Hello[dropcap] Beauties! Elizabeth Taylor once said in part, “Put on some lipstick and pull yourself together.” I couldn’t agree more. Lipstick is what pulls together a whole look or even is your whole look. It can take you from drab to fab. LOL! So you guessed it, today we are talking non toxic lipsticks, lip gloss, lip stain, whatever you want to call it. Some of us girls can not be without it. If you are like me you have at least 5 tubes in your purse. So I want to know what lipsticks are in your makeup arsenal.

“You may be surprised to know that it’s possible the lipsticks in your purse are making you sick.”

How you may ask? Hidden ingredients like…

Methylparaben (preservative that is restricted in Europe, linked to cancer, disruption to the endocrine system, etc.)
Retinyl Palmitate, (when exposed to UV rays it’s dangerous at the skin) Lead (neurotoxin linked to miscarriage and reduced fertility)
Fragrance ( carcinogenic, endocrine disruptor, etc.)

Grossed out yet?? I hope so! The list goes on. I relay this not to scare you or freak you out, but to shed some light on the subject, so that you can do your research and make healthier choices. Think about the age when you started wearing lip gloss or lipstick. For me it was probably pre-teen age. So let’s protect our young girls and ourselves by making these changes. It can be overwhelming but that is what I am here for! Let’s talk about the healthier choices for non-toxic lipstick, lip gloss and even lip balm. I’ll show you what is in my makeup bag currently.

Non Toxic Lipsticks and Lip Balm

1. au Natuale High Lustre Lip Glossn (in the color Slip)

This lip gloss has become on of my favorites. Formulated without animal bi-products, synthetic preservatives, nano particles, gluten, parabens, fillers or toxins. This lip gloss is 100% natural, cruelty-free, vegan and made in the USA.

2. Kari Gran Lip Whip (in colors Jeannie and Rosie Gold)

I love these lip whips. Talk about doing everything. Its a lip balm and lip gloss in one. They nourish and hydrate your lips while providing a beautiful pop of color. No compromising health for beauty. The ingredients are amazing.

3. Kosås (in the color Electra)

Look no more you’ve found the perfect red lip! It’s the quintessential red lipstick. Talk about luxurious! Kosås is free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, synthetic fragrance and is never tested on animals. Instead they use ingredients like mango seed butter, cocoa seed butter, rosehip seed oil and jojoba oil.

4. Sappho New Paradigm (in the color Hazey)

Sappho’s vegan liquid lipsticks have been made with pure organic moisturizing oils, butters, and waxes. This gloss is the newest in my collection. I got to try Sappho at the grand opening of The Detox Market in NYC a couple of weeks ago. I love this color. It’s a soft blue-based mid pink. I was hooked!

5. Erin’s Faces Fair Trade Tinted Lip Balm

I LOVE this tinted Lip Balm!! When you need moisture and color this is the one not to be missed. I am obsessed. With ingredients like Organic Castor Seed Oil, Organic Beeswax and Organic Fair Trade Coconut Oil, this super healthy formula hydrates lips while Organic Fair Trade Cocoa Seed Butter heals dry lips. Organic Peppermint Oil and Vanilla gives it an amazing aroma. My favorite color is Crushed!! Erin’s Faces is a woman owned and run small business and local to the tri-state area in New Jersey. I love supporting this company. You will love Erin too!!

Where to Buy | Choosy Chick

In my last post I mentioned an online green beauty store that I really like. Of course, I will never recommend something I don’t love or believe in. So I want to talk about another site I love. The Choosy Chick is run by another wife and husband duo, Margot and Joe. They created The Choosy Chick out of a personal quest to find safe and effective health and beauty care products. Like most of us here in this community they were shocked to find that the ingredients we have been using on our children, on ourselves have such contained toxic chemicals. I am so glad to have been introduced to Margot through this journey. She is ever so kind and most helpful. Best of all she is local to here in CT.

Margo was so sweet to create a code for our readers, GREENGLAMGIRL. So pop over to the site and check out her great selection of products including a great lineup of non toxic lipsticks. Green Glam Girl approved!

Also, check out other products I love here.

*Affiliate links used. Opinions and thoughts are always my own!

Best Organic Makeup Remover For Sensitive Skin

[dropcap]So[dropcap] I’ve been getting a few questions about organic makeup removers and I thought this would be a good opportunity to talk about one of my favorite products I’ve been using and loving. That product is 2016 Glamour Beauty Award recipient One Love Organics Vitamin B Enzyme Cleanser.

It is a cleansing oil and makeup remover! What a combo!

Talk about multi-tasking winner.

Best Organic Makeup Remover

So I’ve been using One Love Organics Vitamin B cleanser for about 2 years now. I was instantly hooked right out of the gate. Truth be told that I was a little iffy at first. I had been struggling with 30′ something acne and the idea of cleaning my face with an oil?!?! WHAT?? I was looking for a non toxic cleanser that was strong enough to remove makeup but gentle on my sensitive skin. The Vitamin B Enzyme delivered on a few levels. Also, not only does it cleanses gently but it removes the toughest of make-up, I’m talking eye make-up specifically. Most cleansers sting my eyes but not the Vitamin B cleanser. This non-stripping, clean-rinsing formula features papain, a fruit enzyme that helps to exfoliate and soften, and a natural Vitamin B complex to detoxify and tone. Use it by itself or the first step in double cleansing. I like to apply it at the end of the day, then use a warm cloth to remove. It gives you a light exfoliation and deeper cleanse.

Above all One Love Organics is free of all toxic ingredients. I inquired recently about the “fragrance” ingredient and they got back to me right away. Here’s what they said…”It is third-party certified by ECOCERT to be 100% natural. It is derived from essential oils, isolates and aromatic plant extracts only.” It smells like an island paradise in a bottle.

Where to buy?

Finally, I’m guessing your next question for me is where can the best organic makeup remover be found? Look no more, Integrity Botanicals is an online green beauty store founded by Terri and her husband Marc Hall. After the birth of her son, Terri devoted herself to the Green Beauty industry and helping to educate customers on beauty products that were healthy, luxurious and full of integrity. She truly has done that!

Thank you for stopping by beauties! ~ Francesca

Check out other clean beauty products I love here.

Clean Green Skin Care Part II – Interview with Kosmatology CEO

HELLO FRIENDS! I’m back with Part 2 of Clean Green Skin Care. It’s been a busy and short summer as you all can relate especially those who live in the north east. I personally live for summer. Soaking it all up! As promised here is my interview with founder of Kosmatology Dr. Janis Covey. She was so kind of sit down and talk clean and green! Also, she is dishing all the deets on clean skin care!

The Interview

Francesca: How did you first come up with the idea for Kosmatology?

Janis: So I never ever set out to start a skincare line and actually went to school to become a pharmacist. I have my doctorate in pharmacy and it wasn’t until my daughter was born, my youngest daughter who is now 8 years old. She had really bad eczema at 3 months old, so I’m taking her to the pediatrician and they are giving her steroid creams, I am not happy with that as a choice for her, she was so tiny to begin with. So I felt that covering her with steroid cream wasn’t the best choice for her.

Francesca: Yeah mother’s instinct.

Janis: So I started to do research, I started changing my diet to affect her, changed laundry detergent, bought a chemical free line of detergent, then a really clean brand, nothing was working. I’m thinking it has to be something else. When I went back to researching I noticed that a lot of the organic lotions I was buying had alcohol in them and I’m thinking maybe this is irritating her skin or maybe instead of helping alcohol is drying the skin and making it worse and not better. That’s when I started playing around with ingredients and came up with what is now our Grapefruit Lotion Bar.

Francesca: Which by the way is my favorite! I had developed chicken skin on the back of my arms and when we met you said try the Grapefruit Lotion Bar and I was skeptical but those bumps were gone. Like magic. I was amazed.

Janis: Grapefruit essential oil is great for soothing and so calming to the skin, really helps with all the irritations like eczema, chicken skin and prickly heat in the summer. It’s a great essential oil. It also has some antimicrobial properties to it. So for example with eczema when the skin opens up and can get infected it will help try to prevent that.

Francesca: Wow! All of the ingredients you use in your products, you can’t beat them. How do you determine them and where do you source them from?

Janis: So I like the formulas to be as simple as possible. I want minimal ingredients but high quality so I only have 3 companies that I work with and source my bulk ingredients from. They are highly reputable, you ask for any paperwork on any product it comes right over, all of my certificates of analysis, where it came from etc. I’d rather spend more on reputable ingredients from reputable sources.

Francesca: You get what you pay for! People may say well it’s expensive and I can go to the brand super store and get a soap for so much less. But look at what’s in your conventional soaps!

Janis: Exactly! I’m sure most of these conventional brands can make their hand soap for 4 cents a bottle. Many companies say that you should spend more on the packaging than the ingredients. I am the opposite, more goes into the ingredients than my packaging.

Francesca: I love that your packaging is simple and it is what it is! Why do you feel that your products are healthier or better alternatives to what is on the conventional market?

Janis: They are healthier in more than one way. Lets take for example shea butter, it has vitamins and nutrients that help your skin like vitamin A, vitamin E, and essential fatty acids, all that helps with nourishing your skin, collagen production. Mineral oil and petroleum oil does not give nourishing benefits to the skin. It may give you a nice slip but that’s it. That’s the difference between clean skin care products that use olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil, all of these great plant based oils that have the vitamins and fatty acids versus the conventional that are filled with mineral and petroleum based ingredients.

Francesca: Now in your professional opinion as a pharmacist, a scientist, what should we be avoiding on the largest organ of our body and why?

Janis: Antimicrobials, like triclosan, which is highly potent. The U.S. government is getting better about these ingredients. But the truth of the matter is they are not good for us at all. We are having a huge problem here in the USA with superbugs and antibiotics are starting to fail us. The fact is we need germs in our lives. There is research that says the cleaner you are and your environment is, the more likely to have seasonal, animal, and food allergies. We tend to be germaphobic and overly clean.

Francesca: Totally agree!

Janis: Also, there is a great study out there that says that when we let our kids eat without washing up after playing outside in the dirt is so good for them and builds a healthy immune system. Children that live on farms around lots of different animals and people who live in apartment buildings with a lot of other people, like a human petrie dish, they have great immune systems because their immune systems know what to react to and what not to because it was built properly.

Francesca: I was raised in NYC, maybe that’s why we never got sick as kids. LOL!

Janis: Yes. I have really bad seasonal allergies. I tease my mom because she was constantly cleaning, vacuuming and then I had my kids and we had a dog, hair everywhere, kids outside playing in the dirt. I didn’t have a fit if they didn’t wash up. But out of the 2 girls, only 1 of them have minor allergies. So it makes a difference.

Francesca: Is there anything specific that you know now that you wish you knew before you started this whole journey?

Janis: There is so much. But you have to move forward. Your body heals itself. You can start from today to make small changes. So you can’t be the crazy mom at a party where there are Goldfish and you cringe when your kids dive for the bowl.

Francesca: LOL! I love that. I agree with that. Make small changes everyday. As a mom and boss, what do you do for self-care time?

Janis: Oh I should take more time! So the girls are at a point where they don’t want me to read to them anymore. But I will curl up with them at the end of the day and we all have a book to read for at least 20 minutes. Loving that time.

Francesca: I love that you are local to us here in Connecticut. We are a little behind the green beauty trend here on the East Coast. Where do you see this green beauty industry going?

Janis: I think we are going to see more and more cleaner products on the market. Even mainstream companies are starting to reformulate their products. So companies will come and go but the ones who do it right will stick around!

Francesca: I read that you have preferred to grow your business slow. Where do you see Kosmatology in 3-5 years?

Janis: My ultimate goal is to open a store front. I would love to move out of our facility now, have manufacturing in the back and a store in the front, have a physical address where people can come see us. We would carry other green beauty items and clean household items. I want to continue with our website and get into some other green retailers.

Francesca: Sounds amazing Janis! I can’t wait. My last question…what is your favorite product that you make that you can’t live without?

Janis: I have 2…the lotion bar for one! It has been a lifesaver. And the travel size hand soap has been amazing. After 2 days of using public bathroom soap my youngest daughter’s eczema flares up. No more with our travel hand soap!

Francesca: That travel hand soap was brilliant! So thank you! Thank you for all you do to make this community better.

Where to Buy | Clean Green Skin Care

Well that wraps up my interview with Kosmatology maven Janis Covey. Take it from me she’s the sweetest and so are her products! I have personally been using the Grapefruit Lotion Bar, Mint your Feet, Hand Soap, Hand Sanitizer and I can honestly say they are amazing products. No drying out or nasty chemicals ever used! Summer is winding down so go check out all the clean skin care products at www.kosmatology.com. An added bonus for my readers, a discount code GREENGLAMGIRL.

Clean Green Skin Care Part I – The Big Reveal

[dropcap]So[dropcap] let’s get real people this topic of clean green skincare has been pretty hot lately, which is great. Rewind a few years ago and people would think you were crazy. What’s that?? 10 years ago when I gave birth to my son Lucas I was like every other new mom, wanted to give my baby the very best.

I figured the very popular, been around for 125+ years old company would be the “best”.
To my shock it wasn’t.

The Scary Stuff

But where were the clean skin care products? We had already known of the “dangerous deodorant/antiperspirant’ scare of the 2000’s. Tom’s of Maine probably never saw such a surge in sales at that time. But that is for another time! Anyway, my point is no one was really talking about the products that we put on the biggest organ of our body…skin! Honestly it wasn’t until Jessica Alba. 😉 For me she got the conversation going.

Parabens – Clean Skin Care?

Let’s talk about parabens briefly. Well and Good put out a really good article about this subject. It referenced Dr. Darbre’s research study of parabens found in breast cancer tissue. The study was originally done in 2004 and then again in 2012 on a larger scale. There were 160 samples tested. Parabens were detected in 99% of the tissue samples. Specifically methylparaben was found in 95% samples. Wow! Dr. Darbre concluded, “The take-home message was that we validated the earlier study with a much more substantial study. Parabens are getting into the breast, and they’re getting in in significant amounts,” . Food for thought!

The Good Stuff

Enough of the scary stuff. One of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou is “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” You get the point. So the question is, “Where do I find clean skin care products that are non toxic?” Well fortunate for you, you’ve come to the right place! I wanted to create somewhere I could share what I’ve learned these past few years and also share what I love. I had the great privilege of meeting Dr. Janis Covey of Kosmatology last year at The W.E.L.L Summit. Yes you read right, she is a Compound Pharmacist turn clean beauty maven when she saw a great need. I had seen her products on the green beauty blogs and only tried one product, which I loved. But then at The W.E.L.L Summit I tried more and needless to say I was hooked. Janis was incredibly kind enough to let me interview her for Green Glam Girl’s first series of beauty blog posts! Stay tuned for part 2…my interview! You are going to love it! Thanks for stopping by ~ xoxo