I consider myself low-maintenance when it comes to fashion and beauty. Whether I make it to the gym or not, most days I wear exercise clothes and zero makeup. So friends of mine were surprised a few years ago when I got eyelash extensions. But they are actually the perfect solution if you’re low-maintenance but still maybe a tiny bit vain. My natural lashes are really stubby and straight and
Skincare & Haircare: Good, Bad, and Sneaky
Safe Mascara Guide
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure page. Mascara is kind of magical, especially if you’re like me and are hashtag-blessed with stubby, pale, stick-straight eyelashes. I don’t often wear makeup, but with just a couple of swoops of a mascara wand, I look and feel refreshed and more put together. I guess I’m not alone, because many readers and clients have
Sunscreen With Vitamin D & What Sunscreen I’m Using This Summer
With temperatures feeling distinctly summer-like in much of the country, I'm not surprised that many of you are asking about my top sunscreen recommendation, and what I put on my own children. Here's the truth: my kids don't wear sunscreen every day, even in the summer. Of course, if we are at the beach or even at the park for hours, I slather them up. But I'm convinced that some vitamin D is
Natural Eczema Treatment for Babies & Kids
I hear from a lot of desperate parents whose babies and kids suffer from eczema. An estimated 10-20% of infants and kids have eczema nowadays. Maybe there is more awareness about it now (when I was a kid, we probably often passed it off as a bad case of “dry skin”), or maybe it is occurring more frequently in the population. Regardless, eczema is driving many of you crazy, and the eczema
Get Your Skin Ready for Spring and Summer
This has been a long winter for us on the East Coast and finally it feels like spring (or even summer) the last few days. I love this time of year with the return of plants, flowers, sunshine, and warmer temperatures. But the whole truth is that I also get a little intimidated by the opportunity to shed winter layers and bare more skin! Thanks to winter conditions, my skin is pale, dry, and
Finally, a Non-Toxic, Paraben-Free Make-Up Brand!
I’m not big on makeup. I believe the cliché that true beauty comes from within. I also believe that beauty can be enhanced greatly by healthy eating, sleep, and movement. Also, I am rather lazy when it comes to beauty routines. I don’t use a lot of products and I don’t spend much time on my hair or makeup. My daughter, Maia, has followed my example, for better or for worse! Even though we are
Is Ava Anderson Sneaky Stuff?
Over the last few years, many of you have asked for my thoughts on Ava Anderson products, and I've always replied honestly that while I have a knee-jerk negative reaction to multi-level marketing ("pyramid scheme") companies, the ingredients in Ava's skincare and cleaning products are fine, and I've enjoyed the samples I'd been sent over the years. As it turns out, Ava Anderson products
UPDATED Nontoxic Deodorant Roundup
Deodorant is probably the very toughest product for me to source for my clients. If you're going to switch to safe, natural deodorant products, you're going to have to accept the fact that none of them will work as well as Secret. I am not a big sweat-er, so natural deodorants work fine for me--I use baby wipes to freshen up once or twice throughout the day, after which I reapply whatever natural
Spotlight on 1,4-dioxane
What is 1,4-dioxane? 1,4-dioxane is a stabilizing agent and is classified as an ether, as well as a probable human carcinogen. Where You’ll Find It You can be exposed to 1,4-dioxane contamination in the air, water, and cosmetic and cleaning products. 1,4-dioxane has been found in groundwater sites in the United States and can be inhaled through indoor contamination, particularly in the shower
Spotlight on Phenoxyethanol
What is Phenoxyethanol? Also known as Ethylene Glycol Monophenyl Ether, phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative used in consumer products and pharmaceutical drugs. Where You’ll Find Phenoxyethanol & Why It’s Sneaky You’ll find phenoxyethanol in personal care products including makeup (e.g. eye shadow, foundation, and mascara) and moisturizers as well as skin- and hair-care products for
