Green Beauty Cheat Sheet.

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This is a compilation of the natural beauty, skincare and personal care items that I have discovered and tested during my Green Beauty Trials. I wanted this information to live in a place where it could serve as a quick-reference guide for those of you that are looking to clean up your beauty routine. This way you can see what I've used, my personal rating, and links to any blog posts that features that item or topic. My rating system is simply 1 - 5, 1 being least performing and 5 being best performing! I checked all these products for their clean levels and toxicity on the Think Dirty app and the EWG app/site. You can always reach out to me if you have specific questions about a product, I am happy to share! I hope this is helpful to you :)

** This guide has been updated as of June 2019.

Concealer:
Currently Using: W3LL People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer in "Light" 5+++++

I've Tried:
- RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up 4
- Beautycounter Concelear Pen 3

I want to Try:
Nothing! I love what I'm using so much!

* I shared about my concealer here.

Blush:
Currently Using: ILIA Multistick in "A Fine Romance" and "At Last"

I've Tried:
- RMS Lip2Cheek Tint in "Beloved" 4
- Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in "Blossoming" 5+
- ILIA Multistick in "I Put a Spell On You" 3

I want to try:
W3LL People Nudist Cream Stick in "Nude Rose"

*I shared about blush here.

Highlighter:
Currently Using: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer 5

I've Tried:
- Galaxy Milk Illuminate Beauty Oil 4

I want to try:
- Becca Cosmetics in "Champagne Pop"

*I shared about highlighter here.

Personal Care

Hair:
Shampoo & Conditioner:
Currently Using: Innersense Color Radiance Shampoo & Conditioner 5 along with DoTERRA Melaleuca essential oil 5

I've Tried:
- Josh Rosebrook Nourish Shampoo & Balance Conditioner 3
- Rahua Color Full Shampoo & Conditioner 4

Dry Shampoo:
- Little Barn Apothecary Dry Shampoo 5

Style:
- Innersense Refresh Dry Shampoo 3
- Yarok Feed Your Hold Hairspray 5
- Innersense I Create Hold 5

I want to try:
Nothing! I love what I'm using so very much!

*I shared about shampoo & conditioner here

Toothpaste:
Currently Using: DoTERRA OnGuard Natural Whitening Toothpaste 5

I've Tried:
- Toms of Maine Clean Mint Toothpaste 1

I want to try:
- N/A (at the moment, at least!)

This page will continue to be updated as I test products! Please feel free to reach out if you have questions about specific products - I want this to be a helpful resource to you! And also, be on the look out for sun care, nail care & kid's sections coming soon! xx

 

Rosy Cheeks, Warm Hearts.

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It's that time of year! The most wonderful, and also, the time when the weather likes to bite as it says "top of the morning to ya!" We spent some time up in New York last week, and after a few hours playing outdoors in Central Park, our entire family's cheeks were blasted with a good wind-whipped chapping.

Add in some runny noses, because as we've already established, it's that time of year. #virusleavemyhousehold #itsalliwantforchristmas

Oh, and then factor in Daxton's teething predicament. This kid likes to cut teeth at least 2 at a time - which is exactly what he was up to while we traveled last week! I thought he was just mad at me for the excessively cold weather...

Needless to say, our family has had a lot of drippy noses and wet cheeks and wind-burned knuckles (southern kids don't know how to keep mittens on) - so what's a mama to do?

Baby Face Nose + Cheek Balm.
It's no surprise that we are into natural remedies over here - I've been on a journey to find natural and non-toxic solutions that actually work for my family (you can check out my Green Beauty Trials posts for more info about this journey.) I've tried a lot of products, especially over the past year. Which is why it was a no-brainer when we were sent this Earth Mama Organics Face, Nose & Cheek Balm - I slathered my kids (and husband!) with this stuff and I must say, we are hooked. I've gushed about my love for Earth Mama Angel Baby products before (remember this postpartum must-haves post?), and now that the company has rebranded as Earth Mama, there are several new high-performing products being added to the family of products, and I am stoked. This balm in particular is an an all-purpose remedy that is 100% organic and formulated without parabens, petroleum, preservatives or artificial fragrance. Instead it treats skin vulnerabilities with a rich calendula coconut balm, one that has been formulated specifically for use around a baby's mouth. It's so safe, technically you could eat this balm. It's probably Whole30 compliant ;)

Check out the cutest little video clip about this Face, Nose & Cheek balm! I want to take that little girl home with me ;)

NEW! Baby Face Organic Nose & Cheek Balm: Petroleum jelly has met its organic herbal multipurpose match. Babies and toddlers have to battle drool chap, dry chin and runny red noses, not to mention red, grumpy skin from colds and teething.

Also, I want to say something quickly about the new packaging - isn't it beautiful? The new logo and color scheme is sleek and warm and I just LOVE it - it suits the products better than the previous packaging and as someone who cares about packaging... I am amped about this new look and feel to the brand.

As for the balm - it has been in constant rotation in my household over the past few weeks. I want to share a few of my favorite ways to use this balm, not just on my baby, but on my toddler, my husband AND myself!

My Favorite Uses:
1.) BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE: Slather thickly across the cheeks, on the lower bridge of the nose, underneath the nose (if my wiggly children let me!) and over the curve of the chin. This balm acts like a protective layer while kiddos (or adults!) are outside in the elements, whether riding in the stroller or running around playing.

2.) BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE: Rub on the tops of hands (mine, as well!) - over the knuckles and fingers. Even if I'm wearing gloves, this seriously helps keep my hands from drying out and cracking. Bloody cracks in the hands just aren't cute.

3.) AFTER BATHTIME: I like to coat my kids' faces from the nostrils down in this balm. It insulates the skin and protects against dryness from the heat in the house and the bath. It seals the skin and promotes a restful evening of sleep.

4.) ON DIAPER DUTY: This balm even works as a natural diaper rash cream! After applying on my son's sore bottom and then checking it again just 1 diaper change later, his rash was cleared up! You really can't ask for more in a balm.

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This multi-purpose balm is quickly becoming the swiss army knife in my medicine cabinet. In fact, the other day my husband asked me for some lip balm, and then immediately found the Face, Nose & Chin Balm and said, "Oh never mind, I got it."

I love having products in my home that are so safe and so high-performing that THIS mama doesn't have to work quite as hard to do everything for everyone. I also love the feeling of this product replacing several other products in one fell swoop - no need for dozens of babycare products when this one ticks so many boxes for our family needs. Plus, I really love snuggling my little babes just after we've applied this balm - watching them tumble around, goof off and play with their ruby, well-oiled cheeks gleaming, well I can't help but smile. It is, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year.

Shop My Favorites:

Thank you for supporting brands that make this blog possible. Happy Christmas week to you, my friends!

The Body Oil I'm Using Everyday (+ a Giveaway for you!)

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As many of you know, I've been on a green beauty journey over the past 6 months or so. I've been testing everything from mascara and shampoo to serums and toners. It's a lot to take on at once! But I've just gotten to the point where I want to decrease the toxic load in my home (and on my body!), so the research and trial-and-error is all worth it. While I've found some face oils that I am loving lately (which I will include in a separate post, because I didn't want to overwhelm with too much information here), I kept striking out when I was looking for a premium body oil. I wanted it to smell good (duh), be super moisturizing but not greasy, free of toxic ingredients and instead made with safe botanicals and essential oils. You all know how much I love my Doterra oils... so, the bar for a stellar-performing body oil was set rather high.

Which brings me to Little Barn Apothecary.

The Discovery.
I discovered Little Barn when I was celebrating my 30th birthday at Serenbe this past September. They have locations at Serenbe, Westside Provisions in Atlanta and down in Watersound, Florida at The Hub on 30A. Shannon took great care of me in the store, explaining the LBA philosophy (which totally resounds with me) and proceeded to load me up with some incredible samples. I went home to try the body oil and I was honestly overwhelmed. I had found the one! I ran out of this remarkable sample oil in like 3 days because I couldn't stop basically bathing in it. Even Stevie came home from work and said, "Whoa, you smell really good. Like really, really good... what is that?" I tried to pass it off as my naturally alluring scent, but we've known each other far too long for that to work on him. He was like, "no for real - what is that??"

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So let me just tell you a little about this heavenly Honeysuckle + Grapefruit Body Oil. Formulated for all skin types, this oil is best used just after you get out of the shower, when your skin is still damp. It is a daily moisturizer that is non-greasy and quickly absorbs into the skin to give you an all-day glow. It also smells super indulgent, like you've been bathing inside the nectar of a flower and then spritzed with a squeeze of citrus juice. Which is #lifegoals, am I right? I imagine this is what Tinker Bell smelled like, that lucky lass.

I love that Little Barn Apothecary believes in the power and healing of all-natural ingredients, centering each of their products around the simple focus of being a safe, pure alternative to the chemical-laden self care products in today’s market. This has been my mission with my Green Beauty Trials, to find companies just like this one! Score!

The Story Behind the Brand.
Little Barn Apothecary founders Joshua and Brad started the brand in their kitchen after realizing there was a void in the market for handmade, uncomplicated self-care products. The beauty market is flooded with chemical-laden products that wreak havoc on the body, and they were passionate about creating alternatives. After sharing some of the items with friends and family, they were met with enthusiastic requests for more and decided to expand their line. In 2015, Little Barn Apothecary was debuted to the public with the promise that the product line is “simply simple”, meaning that the botanical ingredients in each product is 100% natural and selected by hand. All products are hand crafted in small-batch apothecary tradition and sold in recycled glass bottles with minimal packaging. Every product is 100% vegan and organic, containing wild-harvested ingredients whenever possible. All the products are free of synthetic ingredients, artificial colors, parabens or any sort of “fillers”. Little Barn takes inspiration from the earth to provide hand made formulations designed to evoke a simple feeling of well-being.

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Discount for YOU!
Well, whatever they're doing, it's working. Stevie keeps trying to steal my body oil, that rascal. If you want to snag your own, you can shop here and receive 15% off any purchase by using the code KRISTENH at checkout. Stock up on Christmas gifts, my friends! I am also a huge fan of the Ginger + Rosemary Hand and Body Wash and the Lavender + Frankincense Original Oil (amazing essential oils for supporting overall skin health!) I love dropping an extra drop or two of my Doterra essential oils in these products for added potency. Hurray for all the oils!

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Giveaway!
I'm super excited to partner with LBA to give away a "Glow For It" kit to one of you! This amazing set contains contains my beloved Honeysuckle + Grapefruit Body Oil, the Sweetgrass + Lavender soap and the Jasmine + Geranium Polishing Scrub. Jump over to my Instagram (@oykristen) for your chance to enter! Winner will be selected and notified on 11/22, Thanksgiving eve!

More about the Kit:
The “Glow For It” Body Kit comes in a limited edition box, complete with three items to help you achieve a natural, healthy glow, even in the dead of winter. First, cleanse skin with the Sweetgrass + Lavender Soap Bar, an organic, gentle soap made for all over body cleansing with essential oils to create the perfect aroma in your shower. Next, exfoliate with the Jasmine + Geranium Polishing Body Scrub, perfect for dry skin. This scrub uses pure, organic cane sugar and organic, skin loving oils to scrub away dead skin and reveal a softer, more youthful glow. After stepping out of the shower, pump a small amount of the Honeysuckle + Grapefruit Body Oil, and massage over still damp skin. This luxurious daily moisturizer is non-greasy and formulated for all skin types. It quickly absorbs deep into the skin to give you an all-day, glistening glow while sending you on an indulgent journey of sun-drenched blossoms, lightly kissed by delicate pink citrus. The “Glow For It” Body Kit is priced at $70 with a retail value of $80 and is available online at littlebarnapothecary.com and at select retailers.