Zuzu Luxe Oil-Free Liquid Foundation

I received a sample of Zuzu Luxe Oil-Free Liquid Foundation in a shipment from The Nature of Beauty. Zuzu Luxe is a vegan cosmetics line. The Oil-Free Liquid Foundation comes in a range of 9 shades from L-03 to L-24. What? Exactly. There is no description of the colors, so I'll do my best to describe L-03, which is the shade I have. L-03 is the lightest shade available, and is perfect for my fair skin if I'm not wearing sunless tanner. It has cool undertones. The foundation has a great liquid texture, evens out my skin tone, and has a nice matte finish. I love that it's oil-free, since many Chemically Independent products contain plant essential oils. It is everything you'd expect from a traditional liquid foundation, with one exception: it dries quickly, making it a little difficult to blend. The ingredients list titanium dioxide, which makes me think it has some sun protection, but that is not advertised anywhere, so I'm not sure if it has SPF or not. Generally I'd recommend this product for those of you who don't like powdered mineral foundation or tinted moisturizer, since it's very similar to traditional liquid foundation and has a great matte finish.

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JASON Ester-C Ultra-C Eye Lift

JASON Ester-C Ultra-C Eye Lift is an eye gel with vitamins C & E, aloe vera gel, and rosehips. Claims from the box: brightens and lifts tired eyes, hydrates, and reduces the appearance of fine lines. This gel is a little sticky, presumably due to the aloe vera gel, and at first I didn't like that (I'm used to an eye cream, not an eye gel). However, after a couple of weeks of use I've come to appreciate the slight stickiness as it does seem to lift my eyes slightly and it doubles as an eyebrow gel to tame any wayward hairs. One thing I noticed immediately upon first use is that it seemed to make the skin under my eyes feel thinner, which kind of bothers me. I haven't noticed any dramatic changes in the few weeks I've been using it, but it does seem to have a lot of great ingredients so I will continue using at least until I finish this bottle. One big plus is that this is available at Ulta, so it's convenient!

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Zosimos Botanicals Eye Shadow Mineral Powder

Zosimos Botanicals is a small company that is completely Chemically Independent, cruelty free, and green (their plant is 100% wind powered!). Since they are really only available online, you can buy samples of nearly all of their products. I purchased 3 samples of their Eye Shadow Mineral Powder in the brown shades: Bronze, Natural Brown, and Branch. The samples are $2.00 each but you get a small zip-lock bag of product that lasts a long time--definitely long enough to decide whether you want to purchase the full size (and then some).

This eye shadow is AWESOME. It is highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way, and these colors are appropriate for either day or night depending on how much you apply. I really love the Bronze--it has a shimmer to it and makes my blue eyes pop. I have been using the Bronze or Natural Brown as an all over lid color with Branch for darker contrast color (it is a very dark brown). There is significant creasing after a few hours of wear, which I have noticed with other Chemically Independent eye shadows as well, so I'm starting to think there aren't any out there that are really long wearing. This would not deter me from buying the product though because it is in every other way fantastic.

Another great thing about Zosimos is that there are coordinating eye liner pencils and eye shadow sticks in the same colors. I'm definitely going to try the eye liner pencil in Branch. The eye shadow sticks are worth a look--I may have to try that next. Looks like a chubby crayon pencil for your eyes--seems like it would be a fast application.

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Honeybee Gardens Odorless Nail Polish Remover

Honeybee Gardens Odorless Nail Polish Remover really has no scent whatsoever. Woo hoo! No more being accosted by heavy fumes! I used this to remove my usual O.P.I. nail polish (as the Honeybee Gardens Nail Enamel just fell right off on its own--terrible). It was a little harder to remove the polish, especially at the edges, but the difference was barely noticeable. You can purchase a sample size for $2.99 to see if you like it.

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Honeybee Gardens WaterColors Nail Enamel

Ah, nail polish. My love. Back in the day I painted all 20 nails myself with multiple coats every week. For about 10 years. That’s a lot of toxic chemicals, girls! YES they are absorbed through your nails. I used to make jokes about how many brain cells I was killing with the fumes…sigh. Anyway, now I know better. I don’t usually paint my fingernails, but my toenails have to have some bright color on them or they just don’t look like my feet. Is anyone with me on this???

When I found that Honeybee Gardens had their WaterColors Nail Enamel in Manhattan on clearance for $1.99, I thought hey this would be a great time to try it. Their website states that they made a bad batch—it’s too thin, but once shaken it revs right back up to normal nail polish. So I was sucked in. WaterColors Nail Enamel comes with a full sheet of instructions—apply cuticle cream, use 2 coats, and let it dry overnight. I applied 2 coats, but the polish was seriously lacking shine, so I topped it off with a clear top coat of my usual brand. It was dry to the touch within the hour (took a little longer than my usual polish) and I let it dry overnight. After my shower in the morning I noticed the polish looked a little chipped, so I bent down with a fingernail to inspect, and lo and behold it WAS chipping! Then to my horror, I slid my fingernail underneath the polish and it slipped right off! The whole nail worth of polish! Just like peel-off polish! And toenail after toenail this happened. I had to completely re-do my pedicure with my trusty O.P.I. What a waste of time. Incidentally (as if it matters), the color was described as a “striking ruby red with real flecks of gold”, but it was more like dull redish brown. I wish I had thought to take a picture, but I was just so distraught by the whole experience I wasn’t in my right mind. ;-)

Honeybee Gardens PowderColors Eye Shadow

Although the Honeybee Gardens ShadowColors disaster was my first experience with Honeybee Gardens, their PowderColors Mineral Eye Shadow isn’t too bad. PowderColors are inexpensive ($4.99 ea) and stackable into little towers of crazy-colored powdered fun. You can purchase samples for only $0.50. I got samples of Passage to India (shimmery brown with red undertones) and Sedona (glittery bright gold). As far as colors go, these definitely don’t meet the requirements for daily staples, but Sedona is fun for evening. It’s definitely the most glittery eye shadow I’ve ever tried (I’m not into glitter, but love shimmer) and I didn’t like it at first, but it has grown on me. I think it would be especially spectacular on dark skin. Passage to India has too much of a red undertone in it (no one wants red eyes). I did notice creasing after an evening of wear. Fortunately, at these prices you really don’t have to take my word for it—go ahead and experiment yourself!

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Honeybee Gardens ShadowColors Eye Shadow

Honeybee Gardens isn’t totally Chemically Independent, but it looks like they are in the process of phasing out the nasties, so check the ingredients before you buy. They have their ShadowColors Eye Shadow on clearance for 75% off ($2.99) right now. I can only assume it’s because they are discontinuing this catastrophic attempt at liquid eye shadow.

I purchased ShadowColors Eye Shadow in Serengeti, a shimmery very dark copper color. The tube is like twist-up lip gloss (a la Stila Lip Glaze) and the applicator is a hard sponge tip. The lip gloss-like tube has the same flaws as when used for lip gloss—you twist and twist and nothing comes out and then all of a sudden a big glob of it squirts out. The applicator is impossible—you get a streaky application no matter how light you apply or at what angle you hold it. Even with fingers the application is blotchy and uneven, due to quick drying and zero blendability. The color is very dark (and applying it lighter is not an option—see blendability complaint), but would be pretty for a dramatic night look. This is not worth your $2.99, girls!

Tom’s of Maine Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control Plus Whitening Toothpaste

When it comes to my toothpaste I am very brand loyal. So when it came time to buy a new tube, I was hesitant to try something new. Since Tom’s of Maine is relatively easy to get at most drugstores and discount stores, I decided to take the plunge with Tom’s. Then I realized Tom’s of Maine makes about 14 different kinds of toothpaste! I landed on this one because it was listed as a frequently purchased item on drugstore.com, and it apparently takes care of plaque and tartar without fluoride and has an added whitening benefit. This one does have SLS in it, but Tom’s has formulations without SLS as well. (Next time I think I’ll try Natural Clean & Gentle Care SLS-free Antiplaque plus Whitening Fluoride-free Toothpaste—what a mouthful!)

I’ve tried Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control Plus Whitening Toothpaste in both Peppermint and Spearmint flavors; I prefer Spearmint since it tastes more like what I’m used to, but Peppermint is also good. This toothpaste seems to do the job—I have no complaints! Clean teeth, fresh breath, no unpleasant flavors. I haven’t noticed a whitening effect yet (after about 2 weeks of use) but I was using whitening toothpaste before as well as dentist-strength whitening trays, so I don’t expect to see a difference.

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Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer

Since I’m still on the hunt for the perfect Chemically Independent foundation and my experience with Organic Wear Duo Eye Shadow went OK, I couldn’t resist picking this up at Ulta the other day. It was so convenient—easily obtainable from a store that I frequent (with coupons, no less)—a far cry from all the work that’s required to research and buy (samples first) online from relatively unknown small companies, paying for shipping, waiting 2 weeks, and then discovering that the shade is a.) not even close to what it appeared on my computer screen and b.) not right for my skin tone. So while I was definitely discouraged when Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer also didn’t work for me, at least I am comforted by the fact that I can return it for a full refund just down the street. :-)

Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer is a very thin product that has very sheer coverage and leaves you very shiny. I was looking for light (instead of sheer) coverage, and while I do not expect tinted moisturizer to leave a matte finish, I don’t want to be THAT shiny. To make matters worse, the shade was too light for me, so it just made me look sickly. Did you get that—I found a tinted moisturizer that is TOO LIGHT for my skin! Write it down! In a world of 2 foundation shade choices, Organic Wear actually has 4 to choose from, and the lightest (Ivory to Fair) is light enough for even the most porcelain complexion. So if you have flawless porcelain skin and don’t want a matte finish, try this one! If your skin falls into the more average range, keep looking, you can do better than this.

Organic Wear Duo Eye Shadow

Organic Wear is a new cosmetics line from Physicians Formula that is Chemically Independent. It is the first ECOCERT certified organic cosmetics line in the USA. Organic Wear is available at drugstores and discount stores everywhere, so it’s really easy to find. I found the Duo Eye Shadow for 40% off at drugstore.com, so I thought I’d give it a try.

I purchased Brown Eyes, which is a duo of shimmery cream/linen and light brown (much lighter than it appears in the package). The packaging isn’t anything to rave about, although I rather like the easy and fast magnetic closure. The pigments are light, so great for those of you who are getting tired of heavily pigmented mineral eye shadow. I’m not impressed with the light brown, but the shimmery cream/linen is a great brow highlighter. Just be sure not to put too much on (tempting, as I said the pigments are light), as it can get kind of fish-scaly. Definitely drugstore quality, but a good budget option for those of you who like minimal eye makeup.

Ecotools Bamboo Eye Shading Brush

Chemically Independent girls should take into consideration the environment when buying their beauty products, and that includes beauty tools. Ecotools is an environmentally responsible line that donates 1% of their annual profits to eco-friendly organizations. The Bamboo Eye Shading Brush is made of cruelty free synthetic taklon bristles and has a bamboo handle (bamboo is a highly sustainable plant). Even the ferrule is made of recycled aluminum. This is a flat brush with a rounded end and is perfect for applying eye shadow. It performs better than drugstore brand brushes, but at the drugstore price.

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Suki Pure Cream Stain Lip/Cheek

I just started using cream blush last year, as I was always afraid it would make my combination skin look too oily or greasy. I was wrong—cream blush is awesome! Two of my sample packets from Suki were cream blush that double as lipstick, and they look so natural. I received Suki Pure Cream Stain Lip/Cheek in Dahlia, a redish mauve with brown undertones, and Opal, a shimmery pink. If you have blue eyes you simply MUST buy Dahlia immediately! It really brings out the blue. I am now convinced that I should not be so complacent with my blush choices, because this stuff is awesome. Both colors blend very easily and just enhance your natural skin tone. Opal is great as a highlighter. When worn as lipstick it really needs a layer of lip balm underneath, as it’s not so moisturizing on lips, but what an easy way to match your lipstick to your blush! No guessing! I haven’t worn it as lipstick enough to fully evaluate color and staying power, but stay tuned as I definitely plan to purchase a full size of Dahlia!

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Suki Triple Cream Eye Definer

Next in my 10-pack sampler was Suki Triple Cream Eye Definer in Amber and Smoke. Triple Cream Eye Definer can be used as eye shadow, eye liner, or brow filler. It is very creamy and easy to apply using your fingers. Amber is a light beige with a slight shimmer (wouldn’t recommend for use as brow filler because of the shimmer). It’s beautiful as eye shadow as a brow bone highlighter. Smoke is named very appropriately, as the color looks exactly like smoke and can be applied anywhere from light grey to deep dark grey depending on how much you layer. As eye shadows, I am disappointed in this product. An hour and a half after applying I looked in the mirror and was surprised to see very obvious creasing. This happens no matter how much product you apply, so it’s really only useful in areas where creasing wouldn’t be an issue (like the brow bone). I honestly expected better performance from the product considering the Suki name and the price tag ($41.95 per color). I didn’t try them as eye liners after that because I knew I wouldn’t be purchasing them, and I prefer creamy pencil eye liners to pot eye liners anyway (faster application).

Suki Liquid Formula Concealer SPF

I chose this concealer in Flax as one of my 10 packets of fun from Suki. Flax is very light with cool undertones and matched my skin tone perfectly. It covers red easily and is great for evening out your skin tone if you use a sheer coverage tinted moisturizer. It would probably be great for blemishes too, although fortunately I haven’t had any to try it out! :-) It’s a little too thick for the under eye area—it tended to clump a little and exaggerate fine lines. I’d definitely recommend this for covering areas of redness though, as it has fantastic ingredients to nourish and treat your skin as it covers, plus SPF. I may try this as a tinted moisturizer by mixing with the Intensive Brightening Cream since the shade matches so much better with my skin tone, but I’ll need to order another packet as there isn’t very much product in these tiny things and I’ve already used it up. I don’t know if I would buy it to use in that way though, since it costs $41.95 for 0.5 fl. oz. and I’m not sure if it would last long enough for the price.

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Suki Tinted Active Moisturizer SPF

In the past I have preferred light coverage foundation to tinted moisturizer, as I have found that most tinted moisturizers do not cover redness nor do they even out skin tone. Furthermore, there is the rather annoying fact that most tinted moisturizers come in a very narrow range of shades. However, finding that neither powdered mineral foundation nor Liquid Minerals was for me, I decided to give it a try as a last resort. Suki’s products are of the highest quality and I had read good reviews, so I began there.

I don’t have a retailer near me where I could obtain a color consultation, and didn’t want to buy the full sized product not knowing if I would like it (Suki isn’t cheap). Fortunately, you can buy a 10-, 20-, or 30-pack of sample sized Suki products for about $1 a packet. I bought a 10-pack, including Suki Tinted Active Moisturizer in Natural.

Suki Tinted Active Moisturizer comes in 2 shades: Natural and Bronze. Natural is for medium skin tones (see pic, #1) and Bronze is for dark. This is what it looks like straight out of the pack. The instructions say to mix with any Suki moisturizer for lighter skin tones. I mixed this with Suki Intensive Brightening Cream in equal parts, and the color was still too dark (see pic, #2). So I added more moisturizer until it matched my skin tone, but at that point it had thinned out so much that there was absolutely no coverage (see pic, #3). Additionally, this tinted moisturizer has yellow undertones, so those of us with cool undertones will never match the correct color, no matter how much moisturizer we add. I added a dollop of my usual light coverage foundation (see pic, #4) for comparison; you can see that it is noticeably pinker than #3 (the tinted moisturizer mixed with lots of moisturizer).

So unfortunately the search for foundation is still on. I think this would be a great product for those of you with medium or dark skin, as it combines everything that makes a great tinted moisturizer: evens out skin tone, contains antioxidants and good things for your skin, doubles as a moisturizer but doesn’t appear shiny on application, and SPF. Definitely give this one a try for medium or dark skin tones. Suki—how about offering this in a lighter shade???

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Jane Iredale Eye Highlighter Pencil

Highlighter is one of the most underused and versatile cosmetics out there. Highlighter can be applied to cheeks, brow bones, inside corner of the eyes, and center of bottom lip to give a subtle shimmer and the appearance of youth. Jane Iredale’s Eye Highlighter Pencil is great because it has a subtle pink color on one end (great for cheeks and lips) and white (great for eyes) on the other end. The highlighter is creamy and shimmery without being glittery, and is easy to apply from the chubby pencil (comes with its own sharpener). This is a wonderful product, and can totally compete with other highlighters from traditional department store cosmetic lines. If you aren't using highligher, YOU SHOULD! And you should buy this one!

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Jane Iredale PurePressed Blush

On the list of important cosmetics, blush is not something that I obsess over. I believe blush should enhance your natural flush, and as long as it compliments my lipstick and isn’t too obvious I’m easy to please. I purchased PurePressed Blush in Cinnamon, which is a matte neutral red with slight brown undertones. It is very pigmented, and a little goes a long way on light skin. It goes great with the aforementioned PureMoist Lip Colour in Rachel and PureGloss in Rum Raisin. NOTE: at my makeup consultation, I tried Whisper, a soft baby pink with 24 karat gold flakes. I had read good reviews. It is my opinion that the gold flakes are way too sparkly for daytime (and possibly nighttime unless you are a 14 year old girl). I prefer a subtle shimmer to my blush and highlighter (see next post).

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Jane Iredale PureGloss

I am always on the lookout for the perfect lip gloss. To me, the perfect lip gloss should be Chemically Independent (of course), contain SPF, taste and smell great, and be packaged in a tube that minimizes mess. It should NOT be sticky, gooey, or slide right off. The color should be fairly pigmented and it should be available in a wide variety of colors. Jane Iredale’s PureGloss satisfies most of these criteria. I'm in love with the packaging--it's small, so definitely tuckable into a pocket for day or a clutch for evening. And this is what's so awesome--the tube is squeezable, but you apply with a sponge wand. What a combo! Application with the sponge wand is no mess, and the squeezable tube lets you get out every last bit of gloss. The color is perfectly pigmented (not too clear, not too bright) and it's not too sticky or gooey. It tingles a little when you put it on, and smells a little weird at first but that goes away immediately. It's not SUPER overly shiny, but it's definitely glossy. The color has a tendency to settle into the natural lip crevasses a little bit, but it hasn't really been an issue so far. I purchased Rum Raisin, which is a bronze color, and I can't wait to try another color!

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Jane Iredale PureMoist Lip Colour SPF 18

PureMoist Lip Colour is a lipstick with sun protection, and I love products with non-toxic sun protection. I generally prefer a tinted lip balm or lip gloss instead of lipstick, but lipstick is always essential for long lasting coverage. PureMoist Lip Colour is definitely long lasting, but is not as moisturizing as I expected from the name. I wear LipDrink underneath and then it’s fine. I purchased Rachel, a warm red/bronze color. It ranges anywhere from a hint of nude color on top of lip balm to a brighter warm red when applying layers. Goes great with PureGloss for lips in Rum Raisin and PurePressed Blush in Cinnamon.

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Jane Iredale LipDrink SPF 15

After the Liquid Minerals debacle, I was a little disappointed with Jane Iredale, but I was right in not letting that experience taint my view of the entire line. I’d like to announce that I’ve finally done it. I have found the PERFECT lip balm!!! Jane Iredale’s LipDrink is smooth, moisturizing, and enhances the natural color of my lips—all without petroleum products or other nasties. It has a very pleasant lemon scent that isn’t intrusive, and has edible zinc oxide for SPF 15. The pretty blue metallic tube makes LipDrink look more like a lipstick than a lip balm. This is quite possibly the best all around beauty product I’ve tried since my newfound interest in non-toxic products. I’d recommend it to anyone.

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Jane Iredale Liquid Minerals Foundation

Matching foundation is a tricky proposition, and I’ve found that many natural and organic lines are small and don’t have the variety of shades to choose from that conventional cosmetics do. However, Jane Iredale is different. Jane Iredale cosmetics have been around for many years, and are sold in many dermatologists offices because they are very gentle and contain no harsh chemicals, but perform as well as traditional department store cosmetics. The look is Estee Lauder-ish, with sophisticated gold-colored accents catering to a more mature clientele (not really my style, but whatever). I was drawn to Jane Iredale’s Liquid Minerals Foundation because I’ve found it difficult to find non-toxic liquid foundation. It seems that the choices are either powdered foundation (which I’ve already decided I don’t like) or tinted moisturizer.

Since it’s really difficult to choose a foundation color online, I decided to get a consultation at my local retailer (see website for locations). However, the cosmetician did not know her product (I actually knew more about it than she did) which made the process less than enjoyable.

Liquid Minerals is a unique delivery system which takes small pellets of powdered mineral foundation and mixes them with a clear liquid (“a gel of aloe vera, lavender flower water, and vegetable glycerin”) when you pump out the product. You then must mix the powdered foundation pellets with the clear liquid on the back of your hand, mashing the pellets into the liquid. Unfortunately, you can easily end up with a product that is not consistent in color or texture from pump to pump, which makes it harder to create a smooth, flawless canvas. After my “professional” application, I ended up with a swipe of a different color on my forehead and tiny crusty crumbs of powdered foundation that hadn’t mixed well enough scattered about. The coverage was heavier than I like (I’d call it medium to full coverage) and felt kind of masky. I had to go home and wash it off immediately. Suffice it to say I did not purchase any. However, if you don’t mind having to mix your product and you are looking for full coverage, give it a shot.

Alba Terra Tints Lip Balm SPF 18

This was an impulse buy near the checkout counter at Whole Foods. I am totally addicted to lip balms and glosses, and must have something on my lips at all times. Perhaps this is due to the petroleum products that are in most commercial lip balms—they tend to feel great on but actually dry out your lips so you need to use more and more. Before you know it you’re addicted! Alba Terra Tints Lip Balm doesn’t contain any petroleum products and feels slightly cool and pepperminty on my lips. I purchased the Garnet tint, which leaves my lips a warm neutral bronze color. I also love lip balms with SPF protection. However, you can definitely taste the SPF or something like a crayon in there somewhere. It also doesn’t feel as moisturizing, slick, and glossy as petroleum-based products. I will use this up, but probably not re-purchase due to the crayon taste.

EO Hand Sanitizer

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer isn’t something that I suspected would be bad for me. It’s supposed to be GOOD for me! It’s supposed to kill germs and keep me healthy! While it does kill germs, there are other ingredients in some hand sanitizers that aren’t so great, like triclosan, propylene glycol, and artificial fragrances. EO Hand Sanitizer is made with organic alcohol and leaves out those nasty chemicals. I bought the unscented version, and it does the job without any artificial fragrances. It also doesn’t dry out my hands like some alcohol-based hand sanitizers. You will certainly pay for the privilege though--$9 for an 8oz. bottle! Considering I usually get my hand sanitizer at the dollar store that is a little much for me. Can anyone recommend a non-toxic hand sanitizer that is a little less expensive?

Burt's Bees Honey Lip Balm

I can't say too much about the effectiveness of this product because I couldn't stand to leave it on for any length of time--the smell was terrible. It has a honey scent, which apparently doesn't agree with me, and since my lips are right under my nose that was a huge issue. This is one of the very few products I have ever tried (organic or not) that has ended up right in the trash after only the 2nd try.

Chemical Confessional

OK girls. I know you are all trying to be natural, organic, and non-toxic with your beauty products, but sometimes there is just a certain body butter or mascara that you can't do without. Am I right? For these beauty faves, a Chemically Independent girl just has to make a few exceptions. The Chemical Confessional is where you can confess these toxic tendencies and admit you are only human. And I'm not talking about using up a product before moving on to something less toxic--I'm talking about full on, all out, purposeful purchase and use of a product containing tons of toxicity. Here's mine: I got a spray tan this week for a special event. Eeew talk about inhaling who knows how many chemicals, not to mention absorbing them from head to toe. But it looked awesome, and the pictures are flawless (thanks, Rebecca!). I'm not sure that I can give up the occasional spray tan, but since I only do it a few times a year, it's not so bad, right? So...what's your Chemical Confession???

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer

And now on to a brand that everyone is familiar with: Burt's Bees. I first tried Burt's Bees before my foray into green beauty simply because it was EVERYWHERE I looked. And with good reason, as so far the products I've tried have been good quality and reasonably priced. Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer is a peppermint lip balm that feels nice and tingly on my lips and goes on smooth. It keeps my lips moisturized and stays on for several hours. It is easy to apply from the thin twist up tube and portable enough to keep in my pocket. The packaging states that Lip Shimmers give "a hint of luminescent color", but I've found that they are much more pigmented than that statement would lead you to believe. Therefore, you can use them in place of your usual lipstick, which is great as long as you like the color. However, I think the colors need some work. Champagne is an atrocious white shimmer that doesn't even look good when applied over another color. Merlot isn't a deep wine, but a bright fuchsia. I do like Watermelon, but think it's named completely wrong since I would expect a sheer red, not a pink with purple tones. I also like Rhubarb, a brighter pink for when I want more color. It should be said though that I don't generally like a lot of color on my lips and tend to opt for lip gloss and tinted lip balm instead of lipstick. If you decide to try Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer, you won't have a problem finding it as it's sold practically everywhere--you can even get it at Wal-Mart!

Pangea Organics Bar Soap: Pyrenees Lavender With Cardamom

This is the matching bar soap to the aforementioned lotion and shower gel. One cool thing about it is that the packaging is totally recyclable--you just plant it, and the embedded seeds grow into pretty flowers! For the holiday season the boxes are made with spruce seeds. This soap is great and doesn't have a crazy amount of branches and dried flowers inside like some natural soaps. However, at $8 a bar, I think I'll just stick with my usual bar soap (Dove Sensitive Skin) since it only ranks a 3 on Skin Deep.

Pangea Organics Hand & Body Lotion: Pyrenees Lavender With Cardamom

This is the accompanying lotion to the shower gel that I love (see previous post). It smells great, but isn't very moisturizing. It's rather thin and has kind of a greasy or liquid feel. I'm not sure if this is a common thing among non-toxic lotions, but I prefer something a little thicker and more moisturizing. Get the shower gel, but keep looking for a better lotion!

Pangea Organics Shower Gel: Pyrenees Lavender With Cardamom

I received this as a gift before I knew anything about green beauty (thanks Amanda!). Pangea Organics is a great company out of Colorado. From the bottle: "ALWAYS: nurturing, handcrafted, organic, fair trade (whenever possible), cruelty-free. NEVER: petroleum, sulfates or detergents, synthetic preservatives, artificial colors or fragrances, GMOs." Sounds great, right?

This shower gel smells fantastic (love lavender) and lasts FOREVER. It is recommended for "thirsty to balanced skin", although I don't think it's particularly moisturizing. One little problem I ran across is that the bottle tends to get clogged so I have to unscrew the flip top to pour it out. Kind of annoying, but still a great product. It's pretty widely available--I've seen it at Trade Secret, drugstore.com, and Cost Plus World Market (you can also buy directly from their website). Availability and convenience is a huge plus! I was sniffing the bottles at World Market the other day and there is also a pine scent that seems promising.

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Lavera FACES Calendula One Week Starter Set

Lavera products have expiration dates, which I guess is because they don't use parabens and other preservatives. Lucky for us this means that they have a large clearance section of products that are about to go out of date. You can get really good deals on many of their products if it's something you plan on using right away. I got the FACES Calendula One Week Starter Set for $2.97 (regularly $9.90).

The set came with a cleansing gel, balancing cream, and exfoliating face wash in trial/travel sizes. The Calendula line is for combination skin, and the cleansing gel seemed to do the job. However, the SMELL was too much to bear. It has a very strong scent. I've never had calendula in my beauty products before, having never ventured into organic and natural products, but I think I just hate that scent. But even if you liked calendula, you'd have to REALLY like it to put up with how much this stuff stinks. Whew! Anyway, the balancing cream left my face looking quite shiny/oily and the exfoliating face wash had shards of olive pits in them that I knew would tear my skin, so the whole lot went in the trash. It is VERY seldom that I just throw something away, but this was that bad.

Lavera Silky Shimmer Lotion

I bought Lavera's Silky Shimmer Lotion on a whim to help reach my free shipping threshold when I bought the sunless tanner. It is a moisturizer with barely noticeable gold glitter in it. You really can't see the glitter unless you look for it, so if you're looking for something more obvious, keep looking. It is very moisturizing, much like the sunless tanner, but has a more prominent scent that I don't really care for. Since the shimmer isn't really noticeable there isn't really anything that sets this lotion apart from others, so I will use this up but not purchase again.