Wednesday, January 30, 2013
I
recently discovered a facial cleanser that melts away impurities,
moisturizes, removes dirt and makeup, and leaves me with a healthy,
youthful glow. It's called extra-virgin organic olive oil.
No,
I'm not kidding.
Like
many people, I've gone through countless beauty products over the
years in search of the one that would make my skin radiant and movie
star flawless. This has led to nothing but disappointment and a lot
of money wasted. In fact, most of the facial cleansers I purchased
from the drug store actually made my skin worse than when I started!
Anything
marketed as an anti-breakout cleanser makes my skin so dry it feels
like it might crack from smiling, whereas the so-called
'moisturizing' cleansers are usually so full of perfume they give me
an instant headache and leave me feeling itchy and irritated.
So
this year I'm making it my mission to convert to as many natural
hygiene and beauty products as possible, starting with my facial
cleanser.
Oil.
Friend of Foe?
People
who suffer from acne are often reluctant to put anything on their
face that includes oil. But according to TheOilCleansingMethod.com,
acne is largely attributable to hormones, bacteria and dead skin
cells. You'll notice that oil is nowhere to be found in this list.
That's because our skin actually needs oil to be healthy, otherwise
it wouldn't produce it.
The
problem with mainstream cleansers is that they remove the oil from
our skin which then forces the largest organ in our body to repair
itself by producing more oil, which it needs. Did I mention that our
skin needs oil? Oil is our friend.
The
other thing to remember is that oil dissolves oil, which is key to
why the oil cleansing method works so well. Essentially, the
oil used to cleanse your skin will dissolve the oil that may be
trapping dirt, bacteria, or dead skin cells deep within your pores.
What You'll Need.
In my research I've come across many
different ways of using the oil cleansing method. Some folks
recommend castor oil, others use olive oil, and some use a blend of
different ingredients. The recipe I'm using includes:
- 2 ounces of organic extra-virgin olive oil (60 grams),
- one ampule of pure vitamin E, and
- one single drop of tea tree oil to help counter breakouts (you can replace this with chamomile oil if you're not prone to acne).
Simply mix these three ingredients together in a clean pump bottle, give it a good shake and you're ready to go.
The Method.
Once you have your concoction put
together, the rest is really simple.
- Massage your face with enough of the mixture to form about the size of quarter in your palm.
- Do this for about a minute until your entire face and under-chin area is completely saturated, making sure to pay special attention to any problem areas (do not be afraid to use the oil on breakouts).
- Next, wet a clean wash cloth with hot (not scalding) water and place it over your face for about a minute to steam open your pores.
- Finally, wet your wash cloth again with hot water and use it to gently wipe away the excess oil, making sure not to scrub.
If your skin feels dry afterwards you
can either massage a tiny bit of olive oil into your face, or if you
have a natural moisturizer that's free of parabens, fragrances, etc.
then you can use that. I clean my face with this oil mixture every
night before bed and in the morning I simply splash some warm water
on my face while I'm in the shower.
What You Can Expect.
I've been doing this for about two
weeks and I'm loving the results. I'm not going to lie and say that I
wake up every morning looking picture perfect and ready for closeup,
but my skin tone is noticeably more even, softer and smoother,
and I've had less breakouts. I also attribute part of this to my new
lemon water regimen, which you can read about here.
It's possible that your skin may go
through an adjustment phase within the first few days by producing more oil than usual but this shouldn't take
long to balance out. The new oil is actually the result of your pores
being clean and clear of blockages, which is a good thing
(TheOilCleansingMethod.com).
Bear in mind that I'm not a dermatologist so I can't
guarantee that this will work for everyone. But there are tons of blog posts out there made by people like me who have seen great results using the oil cleansing method. If you're unsure in any way though you should speak to a professional.
If you have any success stories with
oil cleansing I'd love to hear about them. Perhaps you've tried oil
cleansing with castor oil or some other combination. What were the
results?
Monday, January 28, 2013
Just in time for Valentine's Day,
BioME5's “Owl Love You” toddler tees and onesies are now
available for purchase through Stylish Organic Family Living. What
better way to say 'I love you' than to provide your kiddo with the
gift of 100% certified organic cotton clothing?
According to NetMums.com, standard
cotton garments can cause skin allergies to flare up, especially
among kids who have chemical sensitivities. And if your little one
suffers from eczema or psoriasis then organic, chemical-free clothing
may be part of the solution to happy and healthy skin (NetMums).
So why not show your love this Valentine's Day in eco-friendly and health-friendly fashion? Your little sweetheart will certainly be happy that you did!
*Sorry Canada. This item is currently only available in the US. We're working on changing that!
*Sorry Canada. This item is currently only available in the US. We're working on changing that!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
I was telling my friend about this new development in my morning routine the other day, and to my surprise she was genuinely stumped as to why I would bother. In case you're wondering the same thing, I've put together a short list of the main reasons I drink lemon water.
Boosted immunity - Lemons are packed with vitamin C which is great for boosting your immune system, especially during the cold and flu season (Reference: 10 Reasons Why You Should Drink Lemon Water in the Morning). Nineteen days into the new year and I haven't been sick yet (knock on wood!). Hopefully I can keep it that way.
Clearer skin - The vitamin C in lemons not only helps fight off colds and flus, it also helps reduce inflammation, which is one of the contributing factors to acne breakouts (Reference: Drinking Lemon Water for Acne). Some sources also reference lemon water as a great defence against wrinkles (Reference: 7 Reasons You Want to Drink Lemon Water in the Morning).
Weight management - Lemon water can actually speed up weight loss (Reference: Weight Loss Myths: Will Drinking Lemon Water Help You Lose Weight?). Lemons are high in something called pectin fiber, which has the effect of reducing hunger cravings. It also helps clean out built up waste in the colon, which is another sure fire way to lose weight.
Those are the three main reasons why I'm sticking to my new lemon water habit, but there are plenty of other health benefits that I haven't even mentioned. All I know is that I've been feeling great since I started!
Do you drink lemon water in the morning? If so, how is it going?
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Because bamboo is technically a grass,
it grows much faster than a tree and requires little to no pesticides
to thrive. It is also very hard – even harder than maple rock,
meaning less dings and dents in your furniture over time and results in a
product that is much less likely to break since the culm is split and
not sawn.
Another great feature about Legaré furniture
that I'm sure you'll appreciate is that there is absolutely no
hardware. All of their furniture can be assembled in a matter of minutes and
without the use of any tools.
Their panels use a patented locking
design so there are no screw holes to line up and no complicated
instructions to follow. Plus, the modular design allows you to lock
multiple units together to form a single, rigid
workspace. For example, the 31” Peninsula can easily be added to
any Legaré desk for a larger work space and it won't come apart until you take it apart!
So if you're looking for stylish, affordable, sustainable and quality office furniture, start and end your search HERE.
So if you're looking for stylish, affordable, sustainable and quality office furniture, start and end your search HERE.
Monday, January 14, 2013
If you're like me then you've got a ton
of jewelry lying around that is forever disorganized. Earrings in
particular can be hard to keep track of, but there is hope!
Yesterday I decided to take charge of the situation and put some order to my clump
of 'jewels'. My solution? An upcycled earring holder made from an old
picture frame and a worn out pair of nylons. All I did was cover the glass
section of the frame with the nylon (making sure it was pulled tight) before I secured it into the frame.
Voila! An easy and cheap solution to
all those tangled earrings.
P.S. The red pair in the top left
corner is available for purchase here.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
With Valentine's Day just over a month
away I thought it would be a nice idea to host a little giveaway to
thank you all for your continued support for
StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com.
Jewelry has always been a popular gift
choice among Valentine sweethearts so that's exactly what we're going
with! We're giving away one pair of handcrafted earrings from Revy
made from refinished coconut in Valentine's Day pink (colour may vary slightly from the photo below). Win them for
yourself or share the love with that special someone.
These earrings are extra sweet because
they were handmade by the fair trade Women's Coop of Jovenes
Esperanza, which translates to 'young hope' in English. The artisans
in this El Salvadoran coop reside around the capital city of San
Salvador and work together to create jewelry from natural and
recycled items. The income they generate can make a big difference in
their lives and can serve towards a better future for their children.
Revy is an American company that works
with several El Salvadoran coops like Jovenes Esperanza to develop
jewelry which appeals to U.S. and Canadian markets. At
StylishOrganicFamilyLiving.com we're very proud to be a distributor
of these beautiful designs!
For a chance to win these stylish earrings please use the Rafflecopter widget below. The giveaway will end on Thursday,
January 24, 2013 and the winner will be chosen at random through
Rafflecopter. He or she will be announced here and will also be contacted through email within 48 hours of the contest closing. Please note that prize winnings can only be mailed within Canada and the U.S. mainland. Good luck!
Don't want to risk it? Click HERE to buy the earrings now.
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
A word that's been creating a lot of
buzz amongst eco-fashion lovers lately is 'upcycling'. If this is
your first time hearing about it, Upcycle Magazine defines it as
“taking an item that is no longer needed or wanted and giving it
new life as something that is either useful or creative.”
Upcycling and recycling are somewhat
similar in that they both involve the reuse of the original product
except that the former generally tends to involve a physical process
whereas the latter almost always involves some kind of chemical
procedure.
Take, for example, the hand crafted earrings below. Instead of sending their empty plastic bottles to a
landfill or a recycling facility, the talented artisans affiliated
with Revy Direct used them to create this unique and eye catching
design. While recycling is good, sometimes upcycling is actually the
eco-friendlier option of the two because it doesn't require any
chemical alterations.
The best part about upcycling is that
anyone can do it! All you need is motivation and a little bit of
creativity.
Last night I made a carrying case for our e-reader using
the scrap material from an old pair of jeans, velcro
and an iron-on applique for a bit of flair. Check it out!
Do you have any upcycling projects on the go? If so, we'd love to hear about them!
Monday, January 07, 2013
One of my personal
resolutions for the new year is to spend less time inside and more
time outside enjoying nature (even during the winter). Yesterday I
got off to a good start by embarking on an hour-long snowshoeing
adventure through the wooded area near my house.
These pictures
don't even begin to capture the natural beauty of the snow-covered
landscape but they give an idea. Although it's cold, I feel very
lucky to be surrounded by such magnificence.
How are you making out with your new year's resolutions? Are you planning
on doing more outdoor winter activities as well?
Guys, be sure to
check out our selection of eco-friendly long johns, perfect for
sports like skiing, skating and snowboarding.
Ladies, don't forget to layer. Slip on one of our Eco Turtlenecks under your favourite wool sweater for added warmth.
Most importantly, have fun!
Ladies, don't forget to layer. Slip on one of our Eco Turtlenecks under your favourite wool sweater for added warmth.
Most importantly, have fun!
Thursday, January 03, 2013
Did you resolve to be more
environmentally friendly this new year? Let's start with the very
basics, shall we? I'm talking about your undergarments, of course!
That's right, ladies! Now that all the
gift giving is done it might be time to treat yourself to some of our
sleek and sexy lingerie & sleepwear, designed by eco-fashion extraordinaire Jonäno.
All of the items featured below are made from a luxurious blend of Triexta (corn derived), Viscose (from organic bamboo) and a hint of Spandex. The result is touchably soft and extremely alluring.
Lace Slip Dress
Slip into this fun and flirty slip dress trimmed with a delicate stretch lace for the ultimate in comfort and style. Pair it with the matching boy shorts for an adorable sleep set.
Lace Boy Shorts
(available in black, raspberry, blue, green, zebra & white)
Lace Boy Shorts
(available in black, raspberry, blue, green, zebra & white)
Going green never looked so good! This adorable pair of boy shorts is trimmed with a delicate stretch lace for a great 'no pinch' fit that is both comfortable and sexy.
Lace Cami
(available in black, raspberry, blue, green, zebra & white)
Jonäno’s flirtatious camisole can be worn as lingerie or layered under your blouse or sweater for just a hint of something lacy.
Lace Capris
(available in black, raspberry, blue, green & white)
You're sure to fall in love with these adorable capri length pyjama bottoms by Jonäno. Featuring a stretch-fit waistband for the ultimate in comfort along with an intricate lace trim for a hint of feminine style.
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