Product Review: January Conscious Box

Product Review: January Conscious Box


Hello dear readers!


Welcome to my first review post of the New Year! How is everyone doing with their resolutions?


If you plan to introduce a few "green" products in your pantry or make-up bag this year, make it a slow and thoughtful transition. You don't have to buy EVERYTHING all at once. Be mindful of your purchases just as you would be mindful of making a decision concerning your health, selecting what you'd wear for the day or how you would react to a situation. More importantly, make 2012 the year to not only to consciously READ your ingredients, but to actively look up to see what it means to have sodium laurel sulfate in your shampoos, mineral oil/petroleum in your luxurious and expensive face creams or lead in your lipstick. A lot may argue that the toxins contained in these products are minuscule, but if these products are used on a daily basis, the effects are cumulative and can be damaging. 


Here's another chance for you to benefit from my blog. I LOVE talking about healthier, non-toxic alternatives to makeup, food, or anything I feel will contribute to making better choices in what I eat, drink or apply to my skin. Allow me to show you what products are out there to help you make that decision. After all, we are both on this journey together. :)


With that said, I'm truly loving the variety in January's Concious Box!  For December's Conscious box, please click here

Enjoy! 

Items I enjoyed:

Green Tara Spirulina Crunchies -What is Spirulina you may ask? Spirulina is a plant based fresh-water alga (a form of good bacteria) with an impressive 60% protein content, which knocks both red meat, at 27%, and soy, at 34%, on the ropes in terms of muscle-building potential. Combined with all that protein, are a mix of potent minerals including iron, calcium, and magnesium, as well as most of your vitamins contained in the alphabet. I've always added this in powder form in all my smoothies and shakes, but having these as bite-sized edible snacks is quite a treat! I immediately tasted the coconut, dates and bananas. Deeelish! 

Raw Revolution Spirulina & cashew Raw Rev 100 calorie bar - Another spirulina snack, YES! Tasty and savory with enough protein to help quiet your mid-afternoon hunger pangs. YUM!

thinkThin Crunch  - packed with protein and blueberries that satisfied my sweet tooth.

Eco Dent Daily Care toothpowders - This product had a mild salty taste coupled with the texture similar to powder detergent(I know, some of you may gag at the thought - haha!) but the texture and taste didn't bother me at all. After brushing my teeth with this product - with just one use - I immediately noticed how much brighter and whiter my smile was. I was AMAZED! So, I read the ingredients and found that the first ingredient was baking soda. That explained it all! When I was younger, my mom would tell me that baking soda had several uses. She would use it brighten her laundry whites (which I still do to this day) and as a form of a teeth whitening agent (which I  used to do as a child). This product reminded me of how wonderful and powerful baking soda is, if used consistently. It's non-toxic, efficient and cost effective. I may not re-purchase this product but I'll sure get a lot more use out of my Arm and Hammer baking soda in my fridge. ;)

Kelapo Virgin Coconut oil - As an island girl born and raised in the tropics, my love for anything coconut runs deep. Coconut is ever present and used in many different ways in my household. You name it, I've probably tossed in a spoonful of coconut oil in it. haha!

Although I don't use this particular brand, I still enjoyed it. I was glad to see this product in my box this month.

Golden Earth in Grace - I'm typically not a big fan of heady, rose scented fragrances of anything from candles, to perfumes. But the rose mixed with geranium gave off a lovely, soft and citrusy oil-based scent which made it wearable for everyday. And since fragrances made from ingredients sourced from nature generally don't last as long on the skin as their synthetic counterparts, (i.e. none of the yucky synthetic toxins or  phthalates which could disrupt the body's endocrine system. BEWARE of products that hide behind the word "fragrance" which contains a smorgasbord of harmful toxins.) it gave me the chance to re-apply the same scent that evening or apply an entirely different scent to match my mood. 

I hope you've enjoyed my January's Conscious Box review. Feel free to ask me any questions about the contents of this months box by leaving a comment below. I'd love to hear from you! :)

Until next time,

Laugh, Love, Live Positive

How To's: How to find your signature red

I love color!


Sure, I love black (Lord knows the amount of black clothing "staples" I have in my closet) but, they would only serve as a template to showcase the amount of accessories I have in color. ;)


Even in the Winter where everything can be dull and grey, I always manage to add a pop of color with what I'm wearing. Wether it be a chunky, colorful scarf or a sparkly, colorful wristlet.


One of the ways to beat the "winter blues" is to introduce color into your wardrobe. By adding a  colorful pin to your coat, attaching a colorful floral scarf to your satchel, or a bold red lip, color will instantly elevate your style factor. 


One of my favorite colors to sport (aside from yellow and orange) is the color red. But finding the right hue to compliment your skin tone can be tricky. Here's a simple way to determine your skin tone within seconds. Once you've learned the basics of color and tone, you'll be able to shop for clothes, makeup, accessories, and just about anything like a pro!


There are several ways and observations you can do to help determine what your skin tone is. Here's a very easy way to find out.


**Turn your arm over and pay attention to the color of your veins. Veins that appear greenish would mean that you have yellow undertones which means that you have a warm skin tone. Veins that appear to be more blue would mean that you have blue undertones which means that you have a cool skin tone. 

In general, warm skin tones will look best in earth tones such the different variations of browns, yellows, oranges and cream. Cool skin tone individuals look great in jewel-toned shades of blues, reds, and purples.

Now that you know this trick, you can have a better time assessing wether you'll look good in a blue-based red or a yellow based red. Once you know the basics, you can play around with colors and not be bound by "the rules" of color and tone. Now, you can just have fun!

Hope this helps you be BOLD with your shopping adventures!

Now everyone, flip your arms over! haha! 

I love glitter polish!
This one is from Priti NYC :)

Notice the greenish vein color?
This would indicate that I would look best with warm colors.

Laugh, Love, Live In Color! 

How-To's: How to create a vision board

Welcome to 2012!


The year of the Dragon! Well, not technically yet since the Chinese New Year is celebrated on January 23rd this year. Nonetheless, according to ancient China, the celestial Dragon represents an emperor and  power. Today, it  is the ultimate auspicious symbol signifying success and happiness. 


Not a bad way to set the tone for the New Year. I'm all for mega success and happiness galore!


However, with the pressures of the New Year comes the dreaded New year resolutions. So, a few of my friends reached out to ask me if there was a fun and creative way to list out resolutions instead of writing them out on a blank, boring, uneventful piece of paper.


Of course there's a fun way to incorporate your goals and aspirations in a colorful inspiring way.


It's called a vision board! :)


It's super easy and inexpensive. Here's what you'll need:


A foam board (you can get one at Michael's, Target, etc.)
Scissors
Magazine
Glue or double stick tape (whichever you have laying around)

So as I mentioned, instead of writing down.."loose 30 lbs." or ..."organize my blah-blah"....or "go to the gym everyday for an hour of yackity-yak", why not cut out a few words and pictures that will get your motivated? 


Here's what I mean...

Want more love and happiness in your life?
Add a caption to remind you of what's to come :)

Not feeling confident with that presentation tomorrow? Will you be at a party where you hardly know the crowd?
Nah-ah honey, you got this! SMILE! You are all day FIERCE! *snaps*

Dreaming of a day where you can be pampered like the Queen (or King!) that you are?
Stick this baby on your board and you're on your way!

Procrastinating much? Imagine the things you can achieve by what
 you can DO NOW.

Get the idea? You can make it as linear or as colorful as you'd like. It could be about anything you feel you need more of in your life or places you dream of going or would like to re-visit, your dream home, your dream career, etc. 

Be creative! Dream BIG! BE BOLD!

Here's one I've created for travel :)

 You can can create more than one vision board and make it as simple or as elaborate as you wish.Once you've completed your own personal board, place it to where you can see it so you can be reminded of the steps you need to take in order to be closer to your dreams and goals.


I hope this encourages you to  create your own vision board filled with pictures of fun and wonderful things and words of encouragement. Feel free to post pictures of your vision board on my FB fan page. I'd love to see them!
Here's to attracting more happiness and success in your life this Year of the Dragon 2012. 

Laugh, Love, Live Positive

Events: NaturallyNancy's Holiday Giveaway#2

Oh come all ye lovelies,

 for a bit of... 

H O  L  I  D  A  Y   C  H  E  E  R !!

I'm back with another sponsored  "Green Holiday Giveaway"  brought to you by the good people at


keeki


pure & simple

keekipure&simple started after mothers-turned-entrepreneurs Natalie Bauss and Katy Scheffler noticed a lack of fun, non-toxic products out in the market for their children. Since children's skin is 30 percent thinner than adults (which made toxic chemicals absorb faster), they created a line of fun and colorful nail polish, nail polish removers, lip balms and  lip shimmers that were non-toxic and organic. 


Check out my review of keeki pure & simple's lip shimmer by clicking here.

But wait! 




There's more!

keekipure&simple will be giving away




not  one






or  two








but  THREE




Lip Shimmers to one (1) very lucky winner!!!

pinkish/shimmery hue

My favorite! :) a shimmery light plum hue - flatters most skin tones

shimmery pale hue - great on top of lipstick or use as a highlighter :)

Great idea as a stocking stuffer for friends and family, or keep them for yourself  to enjoy :)

Pucker up buttercup! ;)

Here's how you can win these sweet lip shimmers!!

* You must be a follower of my blog

*If you are under 18, please follow Terms and Conditions below

Contest will end 12/21/11 @ 12:01 EST

GOOD LUCK!! :) xox

Product Review: Poofy Organics

Poofy Organics

 During our last family visit to the East Coast, I decided to find out first hand about a family-owned, hand-crafted, certified organic skin-care/hair-care line in New Jersey named, Poofy Organics. 

Come and take a peek. :)


Taken directly from their site:

Poof's Closet began with a specific goal in mind. To provide healthy and toxic free bath & beauty products at reasonable prices. After my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, my family was determined to stop using products laden with toxic chemicals. We made it our mission to find the safest and most effective ingredients for our products. We are a small family-run business and proud to offer alternative products nationwide. Poof's Closet is dedicated to providing HEALTHY alternative beauty products free of toxins and unhealthy ingredients!



One of the many reasons why I admire Poofy's Organics is, not only have they kept their USDA certifiers busy with paperwork due to their commitment to deliver products that are truly organic and natural, they document everything from beginning to end which holds them accountable to themselves and the USDA system, which is an excellent form of checks and balance.


BRILLIANT!


As I was walking around their store asking questions, chatting it up with the customers, while checking out what they had, I decided to pick up a few hair and body items.




Prior to purchasing their hair products, I wasn't well versed in the technical language of hair. Upon further questioning Kristina (owner) I found out a bit about curly hair texture and type. 


Thanks to the University of Google, I found a heap of information about hair texture, color, type, style, hair-cut that flatters facial shapes, most copied hair-cut, "Facial hair: Itch much?", "hair today, gone tomorrow!"...


Whoa!


I swear, if you don't keep focus on what you're looking for, Google and YouTube will take you to places you had no intentions of going. hahaha!


So,  back to hair texture...


 If you're not familiar with the technical terms for the types and textures of curly hair, pull up a chair let me take you on a brief hair terminology class in:


 Hair Texture


" S    h    o    w   a n d   T    e    l    l " 


(read in the tone of... "Pigs in Space!")


(If you're not familiar with this "Muppet minute", please utilize the Google or YouTube bar and type in "Pigs in Space")




So, let's start off with my curly hair.




 My hair texture varies between a 2a/2c based on the type of products I use to either straightened or curl them. The texture is typically straight at the crown and becomes thick and wavy/curly at the ends.

 My husband's hair texture is a 4b/4c.
Typical of most African-American hair texture which is kinky when dry, with a looser curl pattern when wet, with very little visible curl definition.

 Smack dab in between my husband's hair texture and mine is my son's hair texture.
 It's within the range of a 3b/4b based on the length of his hair and products used. Currently, he's rocking an afro, which you'll see in a bit. 

Pretty basic right? Now that you've learned a thing or two about curly hair, we move on to the review.

Curl It Curling & Braiding Butter 


This product does an excellent job in texturizing and defining coarse,curly hair without leaving that "crunchy hair syndrome" (Ya, I totally made that up - haha! But you get the idea with the crunchy hair effect).
You'll get soft defined curls with a slight sheen that lasts all day. 


 Reading the ingredients on the back of this product, I found out that coconut oil, argan oil, wheat germ oil are wonderful humectants which help rejuvenate, hydrate, thick, coarse, curly, kinky, dry or damaged hair because of it's moisture binding capacity  preventing breakage and frizz. 


I'll tell you now, curly hair will happily drink this stuff.


He received a lot of compliments of how it smelled which is  faint nutty and sweet coconut scent. The texture had a custard-like and creamy feel, so you don't need very much. 
Just be mindful of the amount you use based on the texture and length of your hair.

Check out my son's super-fly soul afro! Can ya dig it? 
I LOVE IT! 


It's wild, hip and clever - a slight reflection of his personality, I think. He's fascinated with Will Smith's son, Jaden but, we'll see how he feels about having an afro when the weather gets warmer ;)




Before school

After school

As you can see, there wasn't that much of a difference. His hair for the most part, remained in tact. Pliable, soft, and smelled oh so nice.


SCORE!


Dynamite De-tangler and Leave in Conditioner


hhmmmm, you can smell the lavender and orange flower from the initial spritz, but quickly dissipates. 
 I used this all over his head just enough to moisten the hair to pick or run my fingers through and help release the curls and kinks a bit. No buildup or greasy residue. A great compliment to the Curling Braiding Butter

Hand and Body Lotion in Orange Sweetness

Since Clorox bought Burt's Bees sometime in the Fall of 2007, I unfortunately had to make the painful decision to switch products to avoid the effects of "greenwashing". 

With a sad and heavy heart, off I went...

I tried out various body balms, lotions and body butters only to find them sticky, watery or it had a weird plastic-y scent. Ick!

 Who would have thought that I would end my search in New Jersey?

Poofy's Hand and Body Lotion in Orange Sweetness absorbed quickly, left the skin hydrated and smelled deee-licious!  I would liken the texture and consistency of this lotion to the old formulation of Burt's Bee's Milk and Honey lotion sans the chemicals and ingredients I can't pronounce.

Apparently, it worked so well that my son and husband decided to claim this lotion for their own use. heehee!

 Oh well, pick and choose your battles...right? 

The charming shop

The beautiful and super helpful owner, Kristina 

Overall, I really love this line of high quality and high performing certified organic products. I hope they continue to produce clean, non-toxic products for families to enjoy.


Thanks for stopping by lovelies! :)

If you have any questions about this review or any other product review I've conducted, feel free to post them in the comments section below.

Until next time, 

Laugh, Love, Live Positive