A Soapy Whole Foods Haul

For the past couple of months I've been using the small soap samples from my monthly subscription boxes. The samples are pretty small, and using them was getting annoying. I decided to stock up on a bunch of full-sized soap bars.

I want to buy natural soap, but I also want to purchase affordable soap. I went to Whole Foods and picked up the cheapest brands they had. I'll try these out and then re-purchase the one I like best.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps All-One Hemp Peppermint Pure-Castille Soap Made with Organic Oils

Ingredients: Organic coconut oil, organic palm oil, sodium hydroxide, water, mentha arvensis, organic olive oil, organic hemp oil, organic jojoba oil, organic peppermint oil, salt, citric acid, and tocopherol

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps All-One Hemp Almond Pure-Castille Soap Made with Organic Oils

Ingredients: Organic coconut oil, organic palm oil, sodium hydroxide, water, organic olive oil, organic hemp oil, organic jojoba oil, natural almond fragrance, salt, citric acid, and tocopherol

These are sold separately for $3.29 each. 

365 Vegetable Glycerin Soap French Milled Unscented

Ingredients: Saponified coconut and/or palm oil, vegetable glycerin

365 Vegetable Glycerin Soap French Milled Lavender

Ingredients: Saponified coconut and/or palm oil, vegetable glycerin, caramel color, fragrance & essential oil

These are sold separately for $1.99 each.

Verve Natural Moisturizing Bar Unscented

Ingredients: Sodium palmate (palm oil), sodium cocoate or sodium palm kernalate (palm kernel oil), aqua (water), glycerin (vegetable), sodium cocoyl isethionate and steric acid, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sucrose cocoate, titanium dioxide (natural color), pentasodium pentetate, sodium chloride

These are sold in packs of three for $3.99, or $1.33 each.

~ Susan

 

June 2012 Julep Maven

I got my June Julep Maven box. The Julep Maven program is a monthly mail subscription of nail polish/nail polish related things. There are several different sets of boxes that are sent out each month. This is the American Beauty set/box. American Beauty was the style assigned to me when I took the style quiz when I initially signed up, and I have to say that they really got my style down! However, each month there's the option to switch to whichever style you prefer. You can also choose to skip a month or send your box to a friend.

I adore the orange and yellow packaging. :) They also sent some pixie sticks. The food stuff they're sending is becoming a bit odd - I don't think of sweets when I think of nail polish. They also sent two extra nail polish caps/brushes because some people complained about the quality of those sent in last month's box.

My box contained:

• Courteney - green nail polish 
• Lily - pink nail polish

• Julep SPF 30 Daylight Defense for Hands & Face
• Julep SPF 15 Daylight Defense for Lips

 You can sign up for the Julep Maven subscription service here. Use the promo code "COLOR2012" in order to get your first box for only a penny!

~ Susan

Favorite Body Wash

I think I have found my favorite body wash. I like body washes that are thick enough that they don't slide right off, but thin enough that they don't clog up my razor or seem to cling even after the shower.

This one is perfect. It's creamy, but not too thick or thin. I feel clean after I use it, and it works well when I shave. :)

~ Susan

June 2012 Green Grab Bag

Green Grab Bag is a subscription service run by White Apricot, a website/newsletter about eco-friendly shopping.

Each month, for $15, you get at least six samples of eco-friendly products. These usually include skin/hair care products, makeup, and fragrances. You can also buy a year's subscription for $145 (20% off).

Brigit True Organics Magic Skin Balm

This healing herbal salve combats everything from bites to burns. I'll stick this with my travel supplies to take on vacations.

Pangea Organics Facial Scrub

Polish your skin with this award-winning scrub that scrub that is gentle enough for daily use. I just finished up my exfoliator, so the timing of getting this is perfect.

JourneysMother Lotion Pellets

The natural alternative to liquid lotion, these little pellets melt with skin's heat for major moisturizing. Cocoa lavender vanilla sounds like an interesting combination - I love lavender/vanilla stuff, so I hope I like this too.

Lily of Hawaii Hale O Moani Aromatic Balm

Bring the beauty of the islands to your beauty routine when you slather on this delicious smelling balm. I'm assuming this is the sample - all the container says is "Earthen Spice."

Glam Nation Natural Perfection Eye and Makeup Remover

This organic cleanser can tackle even the most stubborn mascara. This packaging is strange - it looks like there are supposed to be two other samples.

Organic Indulgence Lip Butter

Yummy chocolate mint flavored balm keeps lips lusciously soft and kiss-ably smooth with a blend of all natural ingredients.

I like this bag - there's a fair amount of stuff, the products aren't cheap, but they're also not so expensive that I know I'll never buy them.

~ Susan

My Favorite Teas

I just started out my day with a cup of tea. I like coffee, but I don't like the way I make it, lol. For me, steeping tea is much easier and harder to mess up than making coffee. I love black and green teas. My favorite varieties are chai teas and fruity green teas. For the past month, these have been my favorite teas:

Tazo Organic Chai

The spices give this tea a dessert-like flavor, making it taste like I'm drinking something full of calories even though I'm not.

Tazo Decaf Chai

I like drinking chai tea at night when I crave something sweet. However, black tea has caffeine, so at night I drink the decaffeinated version.

Yogi Green Tea Blueberry Slim Life

I love saying this tea's name: "I'm going to drink some Blueberry Slim Life!" I don't know, it sounds so funny. Also, this tea is delicious and really helps to numb my my appetite. I like to drink this in the morning before breakfast because it helps me feel more awake and light and when I get home from work to prevent me from overeating.

Yogi Skin Detox

I don't love how this tea tastes; however, I do think this has been helping my skin. This could totally be a placebo effect - maybe I break out less because I'm less stressed out about my skin because I think this is helping me. :)

If I'm out and order tea at a restaurant, I take milk and sugar with my black teas. I don't keep milk in the house, so I usually just add a packet of Truvia to my cup. Depending on what sort of green tea I'm drinking, I usually take it plain.

I own loose teas too, but recently I've been finding them more trouble then they're worth - it's a pain to pack the infuser and clean it out, plus the cups of tea I make with my infuser aren't as strong as the ones I make with bags.

What are your favorite teas? Are there any that I should try out?

~ Susan

May 2012 Eco Emi

Eco Emi is a monthly green product sampler service. Each month, for $15 (or $30 for non-U.S. residents), members receive between five and ten samples of organic makeup, skincare, candles, food, and/or other items. 

The May Eco Emi box contained:

• Beanitos - these chips are made from Pinto beans and flaxseed... I tried them out and had to toss them because they tasted like cardboard
• Balsam & Citrus Candle Tin by Beeluxe - this candle is made from 100% clean, natural ingredients

• Barlean's Omega Swirl Vegan Oil in Blackberry and Fish Oil in Mango Peach - these "swirls" are a natural way to get your Omegas. I have tried their fish oil before, and (at least for me) I'd rather have straight-up fish oil than a fruit/fish hybrid. I'll try the Vegan Oil in the hope that it's remotely palatable.

•  The Seaweed Bath Co. Wildly Natural Seaweed Argan Shampoo and Conditioner - These hair products contain a combination of seaweed extract, argan oil, and Vitamin E which helps to leave your hair moisturized after a shower

• Elbee's Original Garlic Seasoning and Rub - this seasoning is packed full of garlic and peppers. It came with two different recipes both tailored to the exact amount of seasoning that we received

• The All Natural Face Tangerine Vegan Lip Exfoliant - natural exfoliating ingredients remove dead skin while nutritious oils leave your lips deeply moisturized

• Chocolat Lip Balm by Beeluxe - a chocolate lip balm made from organic ingredients

• The All Natural Face Mint Infused Vegan Lip Gloss in Peppermint Icing - peppermint oils simultaneously plump and soothe lips 

• Glee Gum in Spearmint - Glee uses natural chicle to get a chewable texture as opposed to the synthetic resins many other companies use

~ Susan

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day, y'all! My dad and I ran a 5k this morning. It was a little rough - I usually run on a treadmill, but even when I'm outdoors, the trail near my house is pretty flat. The course today was full of hills. Quite meanly, the largest was right before the finish line.

I ran the 5k in 36 minutes, which is about 12 minutes per mile. I'd really like to run faster miles, so I'm going to start following Shape's 5 week running plan. I'm going to double it so it lasts 10 weeks and builds up to a 10k or 6 miles by the end.

I have trouble following plans exactly, but I like to have something to plan out my workouts. Do you like to make you're own plan or find one to follow?

I had a good time with my dad. We both like running and signing up for races ensures that we exercise regularly. I hope you had a great day too!

~ Susan

June 2012 Pink Moment

Pink Moment is a monthly subscription service. Each month subscribers receive an eco-friendly bag filled with eco-friendly samples. Most of the samples are beauty and skin care samples, with some food products. There are three types of memberships ranging from $12 to $14 a month.

This month I received:

• Eden Organic Small Vegetable Shells
• Deep Steep Grapefruit Bergamot Body Lotion
• Giovanni Daily Color Defense Shampoo and Conditioner (one of each color)
• Moist Stik Natural Lip Protection
• Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap
• Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid

This month's offerings seem pretty good, but by searching online I found that several members were unhappy with previous months. So, I think I'll see what I get next month and decided whether or not to keep signed up.

~ Susan

P.S. - there were absolutely no animals out tonight when I went running... I have no clue why there were so many last night

National Running Day

Today was National Running Day! Did you go for a run?

I went for a run after getting home from work - it was dark, and I saw tons of deer, and I scared the sh!t out of a bunny, lol.

I don't love running, but I do like how it makes me feel, plus it has all these positives:

• It doesn't take any preparation - just get dressed, stretch, and start running
• Running is a good workout - a lot of calories are burned in a little amount of time
• Running gets rid of my stress
• Running gives me a sense of accomplishment

~ Susan

OOTD - Vegas, Day 3

Today I felt like wearing a skirt.

~ Susan