Giveaway : February 27 - March 13, winners will be announced by March 16. 
A Chance to Win:
- Tata Harper Travel Set,
- HAN Skincare Multi-Stick,
- Aila Cosmetics Nail Polish,
- Juice Beauty Anti-Wrinkle Boost Serum,
- Delia Vitamin C Serum

Who thinks exfoliating is a must in your skin care routine?

I did not use to exfoliate my skin regularly, but now that I do my skin looks amazing. Today, it is all about exfoliating.

First, I love the Province Apothecary exfoliator | REGENERATING + STIMULATING EXFOLIATOR|.

If you are looking for a brightening natural exfoliator, this exfoliator will do more than you expect. After I use this exfoliator, my skin is smooth and also glowing. 

They used simple ingredients here and this exfoliator is so effective. This exfoliator grains here are small; they are micro-grains that are very gentle on the skin. They recommend to mix 1 tsp exfoliator and 1 tsp luke warm to make a runny paste. 

Then, I gentle rub it my skin in circular motions for 3 to 5 minutes without forgetting my neck. I sometimes use a facial brush to help the process. I clear it out with a warm damp cloth. my skin is always left soft with a nice glow to it. Love it ?

It is very gentle but super effective. If you have dry, sensitive, or irritated skin, this vegan exfoliator is gentle enough for you. If you have oily skin, acne-prone, or combination skin you need an exfoliator to remove the excess oil that can naturally clog your pores.

​Enter the magical natural skin care secret for glowing skin: clay masks. No matter your skin type, you should have a clay mask in your skin care routine. Clay masks have been used for centuries because they work amazing for the skin! 

Many brands have clay masks that you can purchase, but you can do a very effective clay mask at home and see impressive results for your skin. Not all clays are the same benefits, my favorite clay is  the Aztec Secret - Indian Healing Clay. It is sourced from Death Valley, California. I love that  this is 100% Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay with no additives, so we can use it in various DIY masks in its purest form. 

Bentonite clay is a mineral-rich natural ingredient that is mix of aged ash made from volcanos. You can use it for your face, body, and hair. Some people even drink bentonite clay for it healing properties; do your research before drinking betonite clay.  Betonite clay has so many benefits. ​

What does bentonite clay do for the skin? 

• purifies pores, 
• gently exfoliates the skin,
• helps with eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis
• smooth and soften the skin 
• absorbs excess oil,
• ​detoxifies the skin, 
• works great for skin firming
• clarifies the skin complexion 
• Infuse the skin and hair with benefitial minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and silicon 

​
My skin looks so good since I have been doing bentonite clay masks. It is smooth with less visible pores; it is so soft and glowing. I love clay masks and they are so easy to make at home; you can mix the clay with additional natural ingredients to make amazing masks for your skin type.  All my homemade clay masks have 2 main ingredients: Bentonite clay and apple cider. ​​

If you want to fight wrinkles... you don’t have to go the chemicals route; there are plenty of natural products that are made with all-natural extracts to make you look more glow-y and younger. These products are antioxidant powerhouses that will help with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles but also promote collagen production.

Here are few anti-aging creams and serums you need to know about –
1. BeeFriendly Face and Eye Cream All Natural in one - All in One Face, Eye, Neck, Décolleté Cream, 2 oz 

This is a USDA Certified Organic cream; it is a little sticky and that makes it perfect for night skin treatment. This cream is very concentrated, so you really do not need a lot to reap the benefits here. Your skin will look smoother and softer without clogging your pores.

The Ingredients have been clinically proven to naturally aid in the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, moisturizing the facial, eye, neck and décolleté. This cream gets 4 stars on Amazon from 2,000 reviewers.

Ingredients contain no chemicals, no fillers, no SLS, no animal testing, no parabens, no fragrances, non-GMO, gluten free.
Ingredients: USDA certified organic - Purified Water, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Beeswax (contains Pollen & Propolis), Organic Raw Honey, Organic Vitamin E, Organic Bergamot Essential Oil (bergapten free), Organic Amyris Sandalwood Essential Oil.

Exfoliating is one of the best skin care ritual you need to have in your skin care routine. 

Some say that we should step away from scrubs and stick with peels and chemical exfoliants because physical scrubs can be misused and overdone. 

First, I am sure you are thinking " Chemical..." Are we not on a natural skin care blog? Let's me clarify. 

The word chemical can be confusing here. We are focused on natural ingredients; The word chemical only refers to chemical acids derived from fruits, nuts, milks, sugars, and plants. Chemical exfoliators are also made of natural enzymes.

Well, I have been exploring chemical exfoliants lately and my current favorite is the Erin's Face - Pumpkin Enzyme Peel.

I did the video below so you can see how it works. 

​Can green beauty have a social consciousness side? If you are a green beauty lover and a conscious customer who wants to go beyond giving Giving Tuesday, this article is just for you. 

You can make your money counts in big ways with these women-owned green beauty brands; their products will make you feel georgous in your skin, and, best of all, by supporting them you will help our world become better.  

​These green beauty brands has been founded or co-founded by socially conscious women. I asked them few questions and here is what I learned.

True Moringa uses antioxidant-rich moringa oil to make natural lips whip, scrubs, oils, butters, and toners that are super moisturizing that minimize scars, soothes complexions, and reduces signs of aging. Check their products here!

This social conscious brand was founded by Kwame Williams and Emily Cunningham, who met as students in Boston. They learned about the moringa true and its benefits when they traveled to Ghana through MIT’s D-Lab program. Read more about True Moringa's story here!

​ I asked what inspired True Moringa every day to do more?
 Emily Cunningham: We’re inspired by our community of farmers and the success they have had growing moringa and by our community of natural beauty lovers who tell us every day how moringa has revolutionized their hair or skincare routine - making it simpler and making them feel more confident in their own skin.   

​What is True Moringa's social impact?  

Emily Cunnigham: In the early stages, we went by bus around the entire country, talking with different communities, farmer groups, and Peace Corps volunteers about growing moringa. Usually there were a few early adopters in these communities who would start to cultivate moringa or collect seeds from their household trees. Once people saw we were serious about paying for their moringa, and that we consistently came back to work with the same communities, interest continued to grow.  Today, we work with over 3000 small farming families throughout Ghana, and we’ve planted over two million moringa trees to prevent deforestation and malnutrition. We have over 100 employees along our supply chain including field officers who work directly with farmers to ensure they have the tools and training to grow moringa well.  

Shop True Moringa and Increase your social impact footprint!

HAN Skincare Cosmetics NEVER uses FD&C, toxic chemicals, Lakes or Carmine (from beetles!) to color their cosmetics. In their cosmetics line you can find natural concealers, eyeshadows, lip tints, and more. All their natural cosmetics pigments are derived from plant and vegetable pigments and natural minerals.  I also love that all their natural cosmetics are accessible.  Shop for HAN Skincare Cosmetics here!

I asked how did HAN Skincare Cosmetics start? 
Founder and CEO, Susan Wong explains " it was my pregnancy that led to me doing more research on the ingredients and learning how what I was applying in and on my body could potentially affect the health of my baby. I was trying to find safer and healthier cosmetics at reasonable prices, but back then, there weren’t a lot of options. The ones that were available usually came with a hefty price tag. I felt like something was missing in the marketplace, which is why I ended up founding HAN." Read more about it here!

​Social Impact - 

I asked : As part of your social impact, you choose to partner with Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP). How did that partnership come about? How do you partner with BCPP? Does a percentage of your profit go to BCPP?

Susan Wong: Our partnership with BCPP came about because we felt that, after 3 years in business, we wanted to take the step to engage more with the bigger picture of cosmetics - from the impact of dangerous synthetic ingredients on our health to the regulations that have made it possible for harmful ingredients to end up on our store shelves. Our partnership started last October (2018), which was also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when we donated a portion of that month’s proceeds to the organization. We also try to promote BCPP’s initiatives to push safer cosmetics legislation through at the federal and state level and educate our audiences and customers about that legislation. Read more about HAN Skincare Cosmetics commitment to social impact!

Shop  HAN Skin Care Cosmetics and Increase your social impact footprint!

​Green Tidings is such an amazing green beauty brand; They formulate one of the most popular natural deodorants on the market; more than 7,000 give their deodorants 4 star reviews on Amazon, but this green beauty brand is so much more. I recently fell in love with their Velvet Blend Oil; this oil is so nourishing for my skin. There is so much to say about Green Tidings,read more about this beautiful brand here - 

Jenny Benford, Green Tidings founder has always been passionate about holistic health and the environment. Jenny lost her sister to cancer when she was 19 years old, which changed her life forever.  She studied natural health and nutrition as a means of preventative health.  She became her circle's "expert" in natural remedies. 

​ When she became pregnant with her first child, she realized how important it was to not only eat clean, but to use clean body products, too. Then, she decided to create a deodorant that was safe enough for her then-nursing body and baby,  plant-based, free of aluminum, chemicals, and toxins, while still being effective.

I asked: what is your guided mission? What inspires you every day to do more with Green Tidings? 

Jenny Benford: The mission of Green Tidings is to be 100% transparent with our labeling, ingredients, and sourcing.  Labeling laws are often lax and allow for companies to use vague terms like “essential oil blend,” and still allow artificial fragrance or fillers or other chemicals to be included in it.  I also want to know what is IN every single ingredient I use- that means chemical stabilizers, fillers, preservatives, etc., and I share not only every additive (which is not a lot since we use pure, uncut oils and butters), but also the source, for example we always source Fair Trade and sustainably grown ingredients.  And, of course, it is important that our products are vegan and certified cruelty-free! Shop their products here! 

​Social Impact -

​I asked: Green Tidings goes beyond making sure we use safe natural beauty products; Your products are made in a solar-powered facility and you are committed to providing meaningful employment to adults with disabilities. Why these commitments?

Jenny Benford: I feel that the footprint of a product is impactful and important to the story of that product. To know that the face serum you are using contains ingredients that are sustainably-sourced, Fair Trade, and pure without additives is just the end of its story.  The beginning is the fact that all its components- from tubes to labels to brochures to packaging- are made the USA (where we have stricter standards of component additives, like lead), it’s manufactured locally, where we have FDA and GMP conditions, in a solar-powered facility (there is a LOT of energy that goes into manufacturing a product, so having it be totally powered by solar really offsets its carbon footprint), and it’s packaged by adults with disabilities who are being trained to be a productive member of the job force.  There is a lot of work that goes into one little bottle, and I want to make sure that every single aspect of its production is thoughtful and has integrity.

Shop  Green Tidings and Increase your social impact footprint!

​The social impact of Freegirl Skin Care is just amazing. They  uses only natural, organic, plant-based, wild-crafted ingredients that are MADE SAFE® certified to be non-toxic. They formulate skin care solution for skin care types like mature skin, sun damaged skin, rosacea, and more....It was so great working with Jamie Hedman, the Founder of Freegirl Skin Care.   Support Freegirl Skin Care!

I asked: What inspired you to create Freegirl Skin Care? 
Jamie Hedman: Freegirl Skin Care was created with more than Skin Care in mind. To our core, we are about helping women on their complete wellness journey...mind, body and spirit. As part of this journey, we are here to bring awareness and educate women of the harmful chemicals lurking in personal care products and, of course, to offer MADE SAFE Certified, non-toxic skin care products.  Read more about Freegirl Skin Care!
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I want to see women care about and love themselves completely, because it is from this place that we are willing to make changes to improve our lives and our health.  As part of our Freegirl mission, we give a portion of every product sold to help young women recover from human trafficking. Learn more about Freegirl Skin Care and their products here! 

I asked :  As part of your social impact, you support the fight against domestic sexual trafficking. Domestic Sexual trafficking is rampant, but it is an issue that does not get a lot of attention. Why did you choose to support this cause? How can we help support the cause?

 Jamie Hedman: You’re right.  It is rampant and more prevalent than people know.  However, the level of attention is rapidly increasing.  In the past three years, we’ve seen dramatic increases in awareness and rescues.  Groups like A21, Open Gate International, 27 Million, Strike Out Slavery, and Operation Underground Railroad, among others, are all working hard on this mission.  In fact, the current administration under President Trump, along with a bipartisan coalition from both sides of the aisle, have signed multiple layers of legislation to help stop this modern-day slavery.  Arrests and rescues have skyrocketed in the past two years, but there are still millions in slavery in 2019, if you can possibly imagine.

While the arrests and rescues are going up, we have a gaping hole in the recovery process.  There are simply not enough homes, beds, and recovery centers for these girls.  As you might imagine, it isn’t a quick healing process.  It takes months, and even years in some cases, to begin to acclimate back into society with the tools, emotionally, physically, and mentally to cope.  We have a lot of work to do and we are honored to work alongside heroes like Dedee Lhamon who have dedicated their lives to this mission. 
Support for this cause can come in many forms.  Of course, using Freegirl will help these causes, but I encourage everyone to go out and learn more about The Covering House.  There also may be homes in your local area that you can support. 

A small amount of research will turn up many opportunities to get involved.  We are truly grateful to anyone who takes the time.  It will quickly go from head knowledge to your heart and, like us, you’ll want to do anything you can, as big or as small as it might be, to help.  In fact, I appreciate you asking more about Freegirl and our cause, as its your voice and your blog that can help spread the word.

There is so much more to say about this brand - Read more about it here!

Shop  FreeGirl Skin Care and Increase your social impact footprint!