Body Be Silk The Lip Fix Kit

Body Be Silk The Lip Fix Kit - $40 - in 4 flavours: Chocolate, Cafe au Lait, Bubblegum and Vanilla -
with four products to turn dry, chapped lips into soft kissable lips: Lip Scrub - to exfoliate; Lip Rub - a natural lip gloss for use after the lip scrub; Lip Hug - an overnight lip balm for over night use; and Lip Tug - a once a week lip conditioner.

Made up of organic ingredients including: sugar, vitamin E, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, almond oil, beeswax, cocoa butter. agave, kaolin clay, shea butter and jojoba oil. As well as turbinado sugar, cocoa, vanilla or coffee oil depending on the flavour.

It's just the routine cold-abused lips need after a long, cold winter!

Available online at bodybesilk.com.

- Lisamarie -

My latest skin discovery - CARŌL’S by Life Root Healing

I love discovering new skincare - especially when it's Canadian - and these days I have been especially taken with CARŌL’S by Life Root Healing - a Canadian line of natural herbal skincare products - handcrafted in small batches, hypoallergenic and designed for use on even the most sensitive of skin types.

Of course the tricky part in trying new skincare is figuring out if it's going to work for my skin or not so I really love when they offer a discovery kit that allows you to try different products out - which they do:

CARŌL’S by Life Root Healing Complete Facial Kit - $86.90 - includes everything needed for all 6 steps of the herbal facial regime with enough product for 5 to 8 facials, as well as providing enough face cream and under eye cream to last 2 to 6 months (depending on usage) - the kit includes: 120ml Cleanser and Toner, 120ml Witch Hazel, 120ml Face Scrub, 50ml Clay Mask, 50ml Chamomile Rose Face Cream and 30ml Eye Creme.

Step 1: Clay Mask - apply to a clean face and throat - avoid the eye lid area and any other sensitive areas - when the clay has dried completely, wash off with warm water and a wash cloth.

Step 2: Witch Hazel - apply with a cotton ball or pad and wipe face and throat avoiding the eye socket area and any other sensitive area - repeat this procedure using new cotton ball until all signs of the clay have been removed.

Step 3: Face Scrub - spread 2 tsp. onto fingertips and scrub in a circular motion all over face avoiding the eye socket area and any other sensitive area - pay extra attention to any oily areas such as chin and around the nose - rinse face thoroughly and repeat the application of Witch Hazel (Step 2) until the scrub has been removed and face is clean.

Now give the skin a nice steam - place a clean wash cloth under hot water (but be careful that you do not burn your hands or face) - wring the cloth out slightly, and carefully lay the hot cloth across face to open  pores and give them a deep clean - repeat this steaming 2-3 times - when steaming is complete, immediately splash cold water on the face to close pores and increase blood circulation.

Step 4: Cleanser and Toner - apply to cotton ball or pad and wipe face and throat to re-establish the pH of the skin avoiding the eye socket area and any other sensitive area.

Step 5: Chamomile Rose Face Cream - apply to face and neck using an upwards motion.

Step 6: Eye Cream - apply a small amount to fingertips and apply lightly around eye area.

The result is skin that is remarkably smooth and nourished that looks and feels alive - thanks to products that care about the health and beauty of your skin - and as an added bonus, smell great too, like an expensive spa!

Available across Canada at Whole Foods, Choices Market and online at liferoot.com.

- Lisamarie -

Swap your old skincare products for something healthier from Consonant Skincare and/or win a year's worth of Organic Foaming Face Wash! Contest!

Consonant Skincare wants to prove that you don't have to give up anything to get great results from a natural, healthy skincare line so is once again hosting their Healthy Skin Care Swap! 

Between June 15th and 22nd, bring your full-sized, used or unused, non-Consonant face wash, face cream or eye cream into the flagship store at 2479 Yonge Street in Toronto or participating retailers and trade it for a 50% discount on the equivalent Consonant Skincare product.

Can't make it to a store? No worries. You can still participate: Just take a picture of the product that you want to "swap" for a Consonant product; Upload the image to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with a message saying:

for Twitter: "Hey @Consonant I want to swap this (Eye Cream, Face Cream or Face Wash) for your all-natural version! #SknCareSwap 

for Facebook and Instagram: "Hey @ConsonantLife I want to swap this (Eye Cream, Face Cream or Face Wash) for your all-natural version! #SknCareSwap

Then just give them a call at 416-925-2855 to place your order for the equivalent Consonant product at 50% off! 

We love that Consonant Skincare products are 100% natural and free of toxic chemicals that are traditionally found in skin care formulas so much that we want to give you a year's supply (3 bottles) of Consonant Organic Foaming Face Wash so you can try it out for yourself and see what all the hype is about - you will be thanking us! Want to win, then read on...

This contest is open to all our Canadian followers and it's very easy to enter, just leave a comment letting us know that you follow through Google Friend Connect, Bloglovin' or Facebook Networked Blogs (if you aren't a follower you can do that now - sign up buttons are in the right sidebar).

1 entry for following and leaving a comment letting us know if natural skincare is already a part of your routine, it it's something you've been meaning to try or the idea never crossed your mind before. Be sure to also leave your e-mail address too so we can find you if you win!

And for extra entries:

Follow @Beautycrazedcan on Twitter and tweet the contest.
Follow @Consonant on Twitter and tweet the contest.
Like Consonant on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ConsonantLife

If you prefer not to leave your info on a public post, please leave a post saying you want to enter and then e-mail your info to info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "Consonant contest" in the subject line. Remember to leave the post or you name won't actually end up in the draw! Winner to be decided by random drawing and you have until June 27th to enter. Good Luck!

- Lisamarie -

Sappho Organic Cosmetics - makeup you can feel good about!

Eco-consciousness, ethical concerns or skin issues might have you on the hunt for an organic makeup line that not only makes you feel good about it, but also look good in it - you need to make sure you check out Sappho Organic Cosmetics.

I was recently introduced to the line by the founder, Joanne Fowler during a makeover and and I was interested to know what inspired her to start a new line which is not an easy feat! She explained that she was motivated to develop the line while working as a makeup artist on The L Word. The actresses on the show wanted her to use organic products and while sourcing them out, Joanne discovered that the options available were limited and uninspiring.

What she's come up with is a very complete collection consisting of liquid and powder foundations, setting powder, concealer, pressed and loose eyeshadow, lipgloss and brushes. Not only are the colours beautiful and pigmented and the textures soft and smooth but the products are carefully crafted to be both healthy and beautiful with natural organic ingredients that are free of harmful synthetic preservatives, including parabens, phthalates, gluten, mineral oil, talc and dimethicone.

I like that the shadows and blushes are sold in pans making it easy to create your own colour combinations with the palette you can either purchase or get free with 3 shadows - but I have to say that my favourite product from the collection is:

Liquid Foundation - 30ml - $52 - with a vegan, liquid mineral formula that is composed of minerals suspended in organic aloe juice and organic jojoba oil. They are preserved in essential oils, including calendula, neem oil, rockrose oil, meadowfoam oil, carrot oil, rosemary extract, lavender, roman chamomile, cedar wood and frankincense - most of which have antioxidant qualities - and also contains vitamin E, organic rooibos, tea tree oil, organic green tea extract. It can be layered to achieve light to medium coverage and is free of dimethicone so it feels like there nothing on your face while it provides great coverage - so it's like a no-foundation foundation! The only thing that would make it better is a pump bottle - hint, hint!

Available online at sapphocosmetics.com and at beauty and health stores across Canada including The Detox Market in Toronto - check out https://sapphocosmetics.com/contact-us/store-locator/ for all retail locations.

- Lisamarie -

eos Blueberry Acai - for healthy lips that smell and taste great!

eos Blueberry Acai Smooth Sphere Lip Balm - $3.99 - the 100% natural, certified organic, easy to locate in our purse lip balm that we all love is available in a new flavour - Blueberry Acai!

The petrolatum, paraben and gluten free formula is enriched with nourishing shea butter and soothing jojoba oil to provide long lasting moisture as well as the antioxidant goodness and delicious flavor of blueberries and acai berries
 
Available at: Shopper’s Drug Mart, Pharmaprix, Rexall, Walmart and online at evolutionofsmooth.ca.

- Lisamarie -

This week I'm obsessed with... Intelligent Nutrients Harmonic Shampoo!

I'm a longtime fan of natural products but sadly natural shampoos usually miss the mark for me - either they smell weird, don't clean very well or leave my hair looking/feeling limp and lifeless - not really what I'm looking for in a shampoo at all!

My natural shampoo love has been reborn thanks to:

Intelligent Nutrients Harmonic Shampoo - 444ml - $22 -  an anti-aging, antioxidant rich, volumizing shampoo that leaves hair super smooth, non-frizzy and is nourishing to the scalp, hair, body and mind. Formulated without sulfates, parabens, silicones, ethoxylates, PEG, phthalates or synthetic fragrances. Ideal for use on every hair type, this invigorating shampoo rids hair of build-up, revealing hair in its cleanest, purest form.

Not only does it leave my hair looking great, it also smells amazing - botanically-minty - I've even been using it as a body wash! The only thing I would wish for would be more lather, it's not lather-less like some natural shampoos but without the sulfates you just don't get the same kind of foaminess - I know sulfates are bad for me but damn I miss the lather!

The Harmonic Shampoo also comes in a couple of other sizes including a travel size as well as a matching conditioner that smells just as good! Also check out the entire line of certified organic hair, skin and body products by Intelligent Nutrients.

Available at fine salons, retails boutiques, Whole Foods and online at www.intelligentnutriens.com.

- Lisamarie -

label.m Organic Orange Blossom Shampoo & Conditioner

I'm a longtime fan of the label.m Organic Moisturising Lemongrass Shampoo & Conditioner, mostly for its amazing smell but I've always known that it wasn't doing my hair type any favours since it's meant for medium/thick hair and mine is sadly, very fine.

No more guilt necessary now that I have label.m Organic Orange Blossom Shampoo & Conditioner - 200ml - meant for fine to medium hair types that are weak, prone to breakage and challenged by styling restrictions it's exactly what I've been needing.

The shampoo offers a lightweight formula that gently cleanses including organic agave that helps to cleanse the scalp providing gentle root lift to bring even the finest of hair types back to life.

The conditioner is also very mild and contains Omega-3 essential fatty acid to strengthen and revitalise hair, bringing it back to life (I'm assuming this is meant non-literally since we know that hair is dead and I have seen no evidence of zombie hair on my head...)

The best thing about both of them is the scent which is a beautiful citrus blend of Tuscan Mandarin Fruit, Organic Mediterranean Bergamot, Regal Maltese Blood Oranges Tunisian Orange Seed, Organic Orange Peel Oil, Organic Lemon Peel - all Steeped in a base of Cypriot Orange Flower Water which deeply soothes, is nutritionally rich and ultra gentle for daily use. Which all sounds like it could smell really strong and sharp, but it doesn't - unlike synthetic scents which are very distinct, natural organic fragrance is natural and more subtle so don't worry, you are not going to walk around smelling like a fruit bowl!

Another plus - under the cap is actually a pump dispenser - so much easier to use in the shower and also great for dispensing just the right amount without wasting product!

My only complaint is the same as it is with most organic shampoos - pitiful lather - with no sulfates you also don't get the luxurious bubbles that I have been brainwashed into thinking are what I need to see for clean hair - I'm in therapy for it and hope to be better soon!


They'll set you back about $19 a bottle and you can find a salon near you that carries the label.m line on the US website, check out - http://labelm.com/us/salon-finder - if you're in Toronto, you'll find it at Donato Salon + Spa.

- Lisamarie -

Lippy Girl now at eBeauty.ca!

Based out of beautiful British Columbia, Lippy Girl makeup is good for the earth, good for animals, and good for you. Their gorgeous, all-natural cosmetics are eco-friendly, organic, vegetarian, and vegan. Lippy Girl is also on PETA's list of cruelty-free companies that do not test on animals, and their products do not contain any animal-derived ingredients, except for organic beeswax in their lipstick. They also never use chemical preservatives or other potentially harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates, or petro-chemicals, proving that top quality makeup does not need to contain harsh synthetic additives. 

Lippy Girl Organic Lipstick - $15.50 - in 7  creamy, glossy and moisturizing shades: Mother Pucker - signature red, Home Wrecker - burgundy red, Sassy Ass - vibrant Pink, Vexy Vixen - bright berry, Gob Smacked - burnt pink, Nudist - neutral pink, Nonplussed - pale pink - made with all-natural ingredients, organic oils and are coloured with natural titanium and iron oxides, not petroleum derivatives and dyes. They are vegetarian and vegan (if you don't mind beeswax).

Lippy Girl Organic Mineral Blush - $16.50 - in 5 shades: Wall Flower - pure pink, Tongue in Cheek - pale coral, Bewildered Bronze - bronzed pink, Red Rant - pure red, Bitch Slap - red berry - made with natural clays and minerals and baked with organic jojoba oil, they are highly pigmented with natural iron oxides - not petroleum derivatives and dyes and offer long wear and no fading.

Available online at www.ebeauty.ca

- Lisamarie -

Be a natural beauty with Pai Skincare!

I'm always thrilled to find a cool natural line and Pai Skincare definitely fits the bill!
All of their products are certified organic by the Soil Association and formulated with sensitive and allergy-prone skin in mind and with ingredients carefully selected to have remedial and skin-soothing properties that are free of irritating chemicals and alcohol.

And unlike many brands on the market, which commission factories to both formulate and manufacture their products, they have their own in-house R&D lab and manufacturing facility which means each and every Pai Skincare product is unique and the result of their own hard work, dedicated research and rigorous testing.

Their professional team of formulation chemists are constantly sourcing and testing new natural-active ingredients so that they can develop high performance products without compromising on purity.

And if that's not all enough, here's something even cooler - on every product's package, every single ingredient is listed on the label in plain english so you don't need a science degree to understand what you are putting on your skin!

Am I loving anything in particular from the line? You betcha!

Pai Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream - 30ml - $43.90 - a light, fast absorbing lotion that rebalances, reduces pores and adds a matte finish, perfect for under makeup. The geranium has a cooling and calming effect on the skin, making it great for balancing combination complexions while the thistle is packed with skin-friendly omega 6 that is excellent at clearing congested skin and reducing large pores. I especially love how it sinks right into my skin so I don't have to wait to apply my foundation and I really love the smell - it has a botanical smell that reminds me of an expensive spa!

If the products sound like something you might want to try you can find them in Canada at the Planet Organic and Tao chains as well as order online at www.paiskincare.com - what I especially appreciate - is they give you prices in Canadian dollars (or US if you are ordering from the States), shipping is only $5.95 (or you can get it sent express for $14.95) or shipping is free with a $60 order!

- Lisamarie -

Environmental Defence's Eco-Beauty Market - going natural no longer means aschewing deodorant or smelling like patchouli!

Environmental Defence is a Canadian environmental action organization whose aim is to challenge and inspire change in government, business and people to ensure a greener, healthier and prosperous life for all.

They recently held their first eco-beauty market where you could sample and shop green cosmetic, skincare and hair care products as well as bring in your old toxic products for safe disposal.

More than 12 companies and retailers participated - some of which I already knew about and loved - Consonant and Green Beaver come to mind as well as a bunch that were new to me and I enjoyed discovering! Proceeds went to support Environmental Denfence's Just Beautiful campaign - which aims to eliminate the toxic ten worst ingredients found in personal care products - for more info check out the website at: www.justbeautiful.ca

Now enjoy some of my new finds from the market: 

 

worldPRODUCTS is a plant-based luxury line which contains no artificial colour or fragrance and no sodium lauryl sulphate or parabens, and is designed to cleanse and moisturize the whole body. Each product can be used interchangeably on both skin and hair, with the option of adding a blend of 100% organic essential oils according to each user’s choice. This concept helps to eliminate the number of products an individual needs for everyday hair and skin care, and alleviates the proliferation of non-biodegradable plastic bottles normally required for multiple beauty products.
worldPRODUCT Hair & Body Pomade - 56.7g - $19 - is made of Beeswax which provides hold to the hair and organic Jojoba oil which offers shine. As well, it can also be used for deep reaching relief of severely dried out skin.

Check it out the line at: http://world.ca/products

Awaken My Senses Organics make all of their products from certified organic or wildcrafted ingredients sourced from fair trade suppliers with no fillers or artificial chemicals of any kind - handmade fresh and shipped within one week of manufacture.
Rose Hydrating Mist - 120ml - $20 - is calming, cooling and soothing to the skin. The Rose is well known for its ability to retain moisture and this unique property is passed along in both rose oil and rose water to leave your skin feeling luxuriously hydrated - not to mention, it smells amazing!

Check out their website for more info and to order: www.awakenmysenses.com 

Cocoon Apothecary offers all the good things like: natural, vegan, biodegradable ingredients, antimicrobials for better health, antioxidants to slow the effects of aging, 100% organic essential oils and no artificial fragrances or colours. And yet still amuse me with their product names: Rosey Cheeks (face cream), Eyewaken (eye cream) and (shown)
Touchy Feely Organic Body Lotion - 240ml - $21- oils of lavender and rosemary make it smell great, is anti-bacterial, perfect for irritated skin and contains olive oil for your dry skin woes.

For more info about the line, where to buy or to order online, check out: www.organicskin.ca

Great environmentally-friendly beauty can be hard to find especially if you don't live in a big city - but not anymore thanks to Green Beauty.ca. They carry great lines like Butter LONDON, Consonant, Soya Boutique and one I'm particularly excited to find a Canadian source for again - Vapour Organic Beauty!
Vapour Organic Beauty Aura Multi Use Blush - $28 - a great cream blush that can also be used on the lips and eyes. Made with 70% certified organic ingredients, 30% minerals and vitamins and is 100% natural and chemical free

Check out all of the lines they carry and order at: www.greenbeauty.ca

L and S Soap Series is the place to go for 100% natural handmade soaps and body products. They use herbs, spices, ground leaves and roots to offer many interesting colours and values and only high integrity essential oils for a clean, fresh and pure scent. I especially love the smell of the:
Peppermint Body Bar - 115g - $5 - created with base oils of olive, canola and coconut. The lather is soft and creamy with loose and quick-forming but stable bubbles. Scented with peppermint oil obviously.

More info including where to buy can be found at: www.landssoapseries.com

It is certainly nice the way there are so many more choices for natural, green and organic products these days - is there any that you have discovered that we should know about?

- Lisamarie -

Pretty Organic Cosmetics - the name says it all!

Loving natural and local products as much as I do, I was excited to recently discover Toronto based Pretty Organic Cosmetics which was created in 2007 by sisters looking for a skincare line that didn't aggravate their sensitive skin and discovering that many brands contain an endless list of synthetic ingredients, even product lines marked as "natural" or "organic."

After years of product research and development, they realized that "less is more" when it comes to skincare. Parallel to their lifestyles, they chose to follow a holistic approach, using only the purest natural ingredients sourced from around the world that are completely biodegradable, organic or derived from sustainably wild-harvested souces. After meeting with physicians, naturopaths, aromatherapists, retailers, and industry experts, the resulting aromatherapeutic blends were created, all with tender loving care.

What they leave out of our products is just as important as what they put into them. You'll find no harsh synthetics, mineral oil, parabens, petrochemicals, silicones, EDTAs, or artificial chemicals. And quality is more important then quantity so all of their products are made in small batches to ensure that only the highest quality standards have been met.

And while I appreciate all the naturalness of organic products - I also require them to look and smell good and Pretty has these requirements covered. The liquids come in glass bottles and everything in packaged in brown cardboard tubes with colourful labels. This is the kind of packaging I look for when searching for gift-worthy products! The smells are also so lovely and botanical.

There is a wide array of Pretty Products for face, body and baby and like any good honest mother, I have my favourites:

Sweet Cocoa Mint Healing Mineral Bath Salts - 50g - $12 - soothes away aches and pains and leaves skin soft and radiant with a delicious blend of chocolately mint epsom salt - and the blend of pure cocoa powder, orange and sweet mint smell good enough to eat! Mineral rich epsom salts reduce inflammation and help to heal sore muscles, while kaolin clay draws out toxins and impurities from your skin. While I absolutely love the scent the only thing I miss with this is bubbles - so I pour a little bubble bath in too so I can have the best of both worlds!

Lavender & Magnolia Nourishing Facial Serum - 13ml - $20, 43ml - $39 - a moisturizing serum for normal, dry or sensitive skin that contains soothing lavender and magnolia oil to calm and relieve dryness. Easily absorbed, this formulation targets areas of dehydration with nutrient rich pomegranate oil and essential oil of vetiver. Leaves skin velvety soft upon application and relieves redness with continued use. I love the smell and this has been so wonderful for my wind chapped cheeks - I avoid putting it on my oily areas though, it's way more moisture than those areas need!

Tea Tree & Rosemary Purifying Beauty Mud - $16 - a deep cleansing mask that contains French Montmorillonite clay to detoxify and draw out impurities from the skin along with antibacterial tea tree and rosemary oils calm and prevent blemishes while nourishing aloe soothes the skin and speeds healing. What's neat is that you actually mix this mask up yourself by adding water so you can make as little or as much as you want with a consistency that's as thick or thin as you prefer!

Comfort Cardamom & Magnolia Triple Use Oil - 90ml - $16 - can be added to bath, applied after showering, or used as a soothing massage oil with the warm, spicy scent of cardamom mixed with sweet magnolia and a hint of lavender -  leaves your skin silky smooth while relaxing your mind and soothing the senses. They don't say it but it also works great in the hair, use the leftovers on your hands from moisturizing and run it over your hair to banish frizzies!

Black Tea & Raw Cocoa Facial Cleansing Grains - $15 - contains pure raw cocoa and black tea powder  which deeply clean by lifting dead skin cells and environmental pollutants while organic oatmeal and kaolin clay draws toxins out of pores and keeps skin blemish free. Steam-distilled essential oils of orange and spearmint tone and invigorate the skin to leave skin clean, clear and radiant. This is another one of the products that you add water to and mix yourself which is great for travel. Don't be put off the name "grains" like I was at first thinking it would be too harsh and abrasive - it does have a little texture to it but it's by no means rough or something you couldn't use daily if you wanted to!

Of course products that work well, look nice and smell great are usually expensive and you would expect this line to be - they look and smell pricey but don't actually break the bank - bonus!

You can check out and order your very own Pretty products on their website at - www.prettynaturalskin.com

And be sure to come back next week for Erin the Soap Guy's take on Pretty soap!

- Lisamarie -

COOLA Suncare offers nonpartisan protection from Canadian and American sun!

I know the first day of fall may seem like a weird time to be talking about suncare but of course just because the seasons are changing, doesn't mean that the sun goes away or becomes any less damaging - you really need to wear your sunscreen year round!  You might not need it on your legs anymore soon but you still have to protect your pretty face and luscious lips!  If you are a hater of sunscreen because of the smell, look no further, COOLA suncare smells fruity good, not like chemicals!

The environmentally friendly part of me likes that they manufacture their products in an environmentally conscious manner, use animal-free testing, biodegradable packaging, recycled papers, eco-friendly printing and organic ingredients.  They also donate a portion of their profits to skin cancer research.

They have three types of hypoallergenic sunscreen suitable for skin of all ages.  The products are all hypoallergenic, paba, paraben and petroleum free, non-irritating, non-comedegenic and sweat resistent:

Face 30 SPF - 50ml - $32 - in cucumber or unscented

Total Body 30 SPF - 140ml - $30 - in plumeria or unscented

Sport 45 SPF - 140ml - $32 - in mango or unscented (the mango smells amazing!)

and of course, they haven't forgotten your lips:

Liplux - $12 - in original SPF 30 or peppermint vanilla SPF 15 - contains raspberry butter - a strong antioxidant, aloe vera - to moisturize, soothe and enhance sun protection, shea butter - to soften skin, jojoba oil - to moisturize, repair and prevent chapping, rose hips - a vegetable oil with vitamin A, high omega-3 and omega-6 and avocado butter - which is high in sterolins which reduces age spots and repairs sun damage.

Kristian Birchby, one of the co-founders of COOLA is also a transplanted Canuck and she was kind enough to share her thoughts on the importance of year round sun care. 

I think sun care is very important all year round because by now we all know that the ozone has depleted and regardless of cloud cover there is major evidence that dangerous UVA/UVB rays do reach our skin and they can, and do, cause all kinds of damage that may result in cancer but most definitely will result in a prune look of the skin over time!!!

And as we all know due to homeland security issues, that there are serious problems with American sun crossing Canadian borders and vice versa, so I thought Kristian could give us her take on the difference between US and Canadian sunshine.

USA vs CANADA (sun) > story of my life! Anyway I guess the difference would have to be that in my opinion, generally speaking the Canadian sun seems to be more educated, more down to earth, Canadian sun is a bit shy and is not always available, more select if you will, less harsh on the smooth, soft baby skin of its northern population, however best of all the Canadian sun shines equally bright on all of its beloved Canucks!

And have no fear, even though the line is 100% made in the USA, I have been assured that it is still totally effective for the Canadian sun! You can check out the website for more info and locations to buy at www.coolasuncare.com

- Lisamarie -

Thann Black Rice Grain Soap and Consonant Organic Foaming Face Wash: Not Your Average Soaps!

Everything about this Thann soap ($9) is different: it's black (I mean, darker than Lisamarie's heart), it contains black rice grain and charcoal; and the shape is elongated to fit better in your hand. This soap can be used on your face and body: the rice grain and charcoal provide a light exfoliation which is good if your skin is on the oily side, but it's still gentle so that your skin won't feel dry. Don't expect this soap to feel like an ordinary scrub, it's still smooth like me a soap. To get more info, check Thann's website.

This organic foaming face wash from Consonant ($18) was very intriguing to me. Foam? How could foam clean anything? This liquid soap becomes a light fragrance-free foam and gently cleanses your face. My skin is very sensitive and I can tell you this is definitely as gentle as it gets. It contains tea tree oil as well grapeseed oil to nourish your skin, so your skin feels clean but not "tight". I'm not sure this was meant for very oily skin, because while I loved this face wash, I don't think it helped control the shine over time.

You can test Consonant organic line for yourself with this Discovery Kit for only $10, available on their website. To find where you can purchase Consonant products, check here.

Go au naturel and still keep your clothes on with Jergens, Green Beaver, Upper Canada Soap and Supersmile!

It's becoming easier to go natural if that's your thing - not THAT natural, we still want you to wear clothes, but some of your beauty products are shedding potentially harmful ingredients to bring you something a lot closer to nature.

Jergens Naturals - 400ml - $7.99 - has three new formulations and a new larger size - Ultra Hydrating has 95% natural authentic desert botanicals to alleviate the driest skin within one use, jojoba oil to enhance skin's barrier function and maintain a healthy moisture balance, agave nectar to soothe and maintain healthy looking skin and cactus extract to nourish and enrich skin.  Skin Renewing has a blend of 95% natural potent antioxidants and moisturizers that restore skin's lost elasticity in just two uses, grapeseed oil  to relieve distressed skin and replenish skin's moisture barrier, blueberry and pomegranate extracts to help treat dryness and flakiness. Soothing Soft has an infusion of 96% natural moisturizers and rich emollients that relieve itchiness and sooth dryness in one use, yogurt to soften skin and rebalance natural pH levels, chamomile to help soothe irritated skin, soy extract, a natural oil source with high concentrations of vitamin E to promote healthy looking skin.  Available at your local drug/mass retailer.

Green Beaver - Splendicious Lips - Lip Gloss - $6.99 - Is the very first certified organic lip gloss.  It comes in natural lustrous mineral and fruit pigmented colours and contains Canadian organic cranberry and carrot seed oils to soften and condition lips with a rich long lasting shine.It has an organic berry flavour, is vegan and gluten free.  It's free of chemical dyes, artificial flavours, petrolatum, silicon and synthetic moisturizers, parabens or other chemical preservatives.  Available June in natural health stores across Canada.

Upper Canada Soap - Naturally Body Butter Balm - $14.99 - made with 100% natural ingredients and a blend of moisturizing butters and essential oil extracts.  It's extremely portable, so you can just throw it in your purse ready to do battle against anything that might dry up during the day including:  cracked heels, dry elbows, chapped lips, dry cuticles, parched hands and anything else that might need a moisture boost.  You can even use it to tame hair fly-aways or groom your eyebrows.  You have to appreciate multi-tasking like that!  Available at The Bay and Sears or you can go here to see where to buy online.

Supersmile Toothpaste - 1.75oz - $13 - 4.2oz - $21 -Here's good news if your a veggie or a vegan - Supersmile toothpaste contains no glycerin.  The only glycerin you will find in their products is in the whitening accelerator - and that glycerin is kosher so we are covering all our bases here!  I never thought of toothpaste as needing to be vegan or kosher so this is a real eyeopener for me!  You can buy it online, or go here to find the store nearest you that carries it.

- Lisamarie -

Vapour Organic Beauty - so light you will swear you aren't wearing makeup!

It used to be that when I heard people talking about cosmetics that feel lighter than air, like there isn't even anything on your face - I was always skeptical, like when I heard people talking about unicorns and fairies, nice stories but everyone knows they aren't real.  Vapour Organic Beauty has me changing my tune, not about the unicorns so much but I have finally tried for myself a makeup line that truly is like wearing nothing at all on your face!

Formulated in New Mexico, their artisanal cosmetics lab is one of the pioneers of healthy non-toxic cosmetics.  After years of developing and manufacturing products for other brands, they knew the time was right to lunch their own brand.  They teamed up with Eric Sakas who spent years developing cosmetics alongside legendary makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin as well as working for many major beauty brands and Vapour Organic Beauty was born.

This makeup line is especially great for people that don't have the time or patience to mess around with their makeup.  It all comes in a stick form, requires no brushes or applicators other then your fingers - just swipe, rub with your fingers and go!  I have now tried several of their products and these were my faves:

Atmosphere Luminous Foundation - 110 light (comes in 5 colours) - $41 - this is meant to be a buildable light to medium coverage.  I like a light coverage so this was perfect for me.  Be prepared, it really does have a luminous quality to it so if you have oily skin you might not like the finished look as it does look somewhat glowy.  I tried using a loose powder on top and that knocked out the glow so you can certainly wear this foundation luminous or matte.  I don't think I can rave enough about how little this felt like foundation.  It was literally like having nothing on my face!

Aura Multi Use Blush - 202 spark (comes in 3 colours) - $32.50 - I am a fan of cream blushes and this one was no exception.  Again the colour was buildable, had the same light texture and blended really easily.  You can also use this as a lip and eye colour if you like a natural easy look.

Siren Lipstick - 402 hint (comes in 5 colours) - very creamy with just a hint of shine.  It had good lasting power, I didn't have to reapply until after lunch.

Elixir Lip Gloss - 303 twinkle (comes in 5 colours) - lots of shine and the colour was perfect.  Looked nice on it's own but really beautiful over a lipstick!

Also available in the Vapour line is a concealer, trick stick, primer, eye colour stick and lip conditioner.  New products coming up are a bronzer, body spotlighter and a gloss.  I'll keep you updated on those.

Vapour Organic Beauty can be purchased online here.  Canadians should check it out here on The Shopping Channel website which is an even better deal for us as they have lots of sets available.  My husband was horrified to discover that The Shopping Channel has a website that sells beauty products - he doesn't feel my habit requires another supplier.  Check it out here, they have lots of brands that I only thought were available at Sephora and some that I didn't think we could get here at all.  Stay tuned for more of my Shopping Channel finds and definitely check out Vapour!

- Lisamarie -

Vapour Organic Beauty brings you Shopping Channel porn Sunday!

I have been tying out a new makeup line that I am loving called Vapour Organic Beauty.  I am not quite ready to review it yet but I just found out that they will be appearing on the Shopping Channel tomorrow and want you all to have a chance to check it out.  Cosmetic hours on the Shopping Channel are my idea of porn - totally decadent!

We of course are big fans of organic beauty here at Beauty Crazed and I am especially impressed with Vapour because their products feel so light on my skin - like I have no makeup on at all!

Eric Sakas, makeup artist and Vapour co-founder will be appearing on the Shopping Channel tomorrow (Sunday, January 31) to introduce you to the entire Vapour collection.  If you are an early bird you can catch him at 8am for 15 minutes during the Style Mixed Hour.  Or for a preview of the whole collection he will be doing full hour slots at 11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm and 11pm.

- Lisamarie -

Come on people, plastic bags are so 2007! Credo Bags has your solution!

I am proud to say that I haven't had need of plastic grocery bags for years now.  Way back when, when Loblaws introduced their "bin" shopping we bought 3 of the bins and have never needed a grocery bag since.  Could I be doing better?  Of course!  Fruits and vegetable, bulk foods, breads all go into those thin plastic bags that aren't even good for reusing so into the garbage they go!  Those clever folks at Credo Bags have come up with an entire eco-shopping system!  You may never have to touch a plastic bag again!

100% cotton canvas Tote - $18 - It comes in other designs as well.  This is a strong durable tote that is machine washable which is what I like most about fabric bags - when they get gross and dirty, you just throw them in the washing machine.

100% cotton mesh large (12x15) Produce Bag -$7 - these also come in a medium (10x12)size - $5.50.  They have a drawstring closure and are machine washable.  I think these are brilliant!  Not only do you not have to waste those plastic produce bags anymore you won't have to stand in the aisle for 5 minutes trying to get the stupid thing open.  I also just realized that this would make a great bag for machine washing your delicates in!

100% cotton muslin Wine Bag - 2 pack - $14 - these would be wonderful to use as a wine gift bag for that eco-friendly giftee in your life.  These would also be great to take to the LCBO to carry your wine home in.  All they give you are those lousy paper bags with no handles now!  Now if Credo would make ones like these that said "Vodka" Christelle would be all over them and buy caseloads!

Also available are various sized bulk food bags, snack bags, lunch bags and even baguette bags!

For some reason this one really tickles me - 100% cotton woven String Market Shopper - $12 - If I was the sort of person that shopped in farmer's markets I would totally get one of these, they seem so chic and french.  I would also need a beret and to start smoking so maybe I will just pass on that.  Remember this bag is only good if you eat nice, healthy stuff - I mean, do you really want everyone to know that you buy Ben & Jerry's in bulk...?

Credo Bags are available in store and online across North America.  You can go here to find the location closest to you.

- Lisamarie -

Kaia Naturals - the green way to be lazy!

I have a terrible confession to make - no I didn't kill anyone (yet) it's far worse than that, it's one of the big beauty sins - fine I'll just come out with it - sometimes I go to bed without washing the makeup off my face!  It's terrible, I know!  And before you gather the angry torch bearing mob, I swear I have reformed!  Okay maybe reformed is too strong a word but I have found a way to work with my lazy nature - pre-moistened cleansing clothes!  Now I know they have been around for years but they have always seemed, I don't know, so lazy - I was obviously in deep denial!  To help mend my wicked ways, I have been trying out lots of different cleansing cloths which I will be reviewing in the coming weeks and I thought I would start off with the greenest of my finds.

Kaia Naturals bamboo facial cleansing cloths - $17.99/30 cloths.  There are two things I liked about these right off.  The smell and the recyclable plastic container they come in.  The smell is fresh and slightly sweet and the plastic container just makes them so much more convenient to use and easy to store.  Considering the cloths place of residence is the floor beside my bed, I'm not worried about the container leaking on the carpet!

The ingredients are all-natural and include 8 pure citrus essential oils, organic Canadian honey and sunflower seed oil.  The cleansing cloths contain no alcohol, no synthetic fragrance and no parabens or sulfates.  The cloths themselves are made of 100% natural bamboo - which is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, as it reaches maturity in 3-4 years versus 70 years for most trees.

The cloths are meant to be a 3 in 1 product - clean, tone and remove your eye makeup all in one go and I was pleased with their effectiveness.  They are also supposed to remove waterproof eye makeup and they did take off my waterproof liner so I am sure they would take care of waterproof mascara as well (my mascara isn't waterproof so I couldn't test that theory).  They are also very soft. My only complaint would be that they are too small.  I would love it if they were big enough to cover my whole face at once but it's only about half that size.  I end up using one side to first clean my eye area and then I turn it over to the other side to clean the rest of my face.  The cloth is pretty dirty at the end of it, if I wore more makeup then I do I probably would need two cloths to get my face totally clean. - I've just been informed that this is totally the correct way to be doing it and what was intended.  There is even a You Tube video demonstrating it - I tried posting it here but the code isn't working so here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrWj5tejSwc


So if you like the idea of cleansing cloths and want to stay as green as possible, these are a great choice.  I especially like that the used cloths go in the green (compost) bin and not the garbage!

Kaia Naturals are available at stores across North America, you can go here to locate one.  They are also available online at www.greenbeauty.ca

- Lisamarie -

A better life, world and shoes in 2010!

What a novel concept!  If I could just embrace Calvin's philosophy, 2010 would be a much easier year!  Alas, I am still my own worst critic (next to Christelle of  course) so my yearly goal to lose 10 pounds (it never seems to happen but at least I don't gain 10 pounds!) and stress less will still be in effect!  This year I am also going to be less self centered and set some goals that will benefit my community/country/planet as well, who can't feel good about that?!  Feel free to steal any or all of these goals for yourself!

1. I resolve to keep trying natural and organic products.  Christelle and I had some great finds this year - lipstick, lip shimmers and shines, deodorant, body butter and even nail polish - and I know there are lots more out there for us to try!

2. I resolve to buy local.  This is a little harder in the winter when there is no local farmer's market for my fruits and vegetables but can be done all year round by supporting local businesses and artists as well as Canadian companies.  There are so many great ones it will hardly be a hardship!  Roots, Holt Renfrew, Marcelle, Cargo, Lise Watier, I could go on and on...

3. I resolve that some of my time and money will go to charity.  I find it harder to come up with the time than the money but I guess this is what makes it a goal.  And of course there is no reason you can't buy yourself something nice that will benefit a charity such as Lush's Charity Pot Hand & Body Lotion, MAC's yearly Viva Glam offering and all of the pretty pink things that come out during breast cancer awareness month.

Other things you can do to make the world a better place in 2010:

Get yourself a furry friend - pet owners live longer and have less stress.  Better yet, acquire your new friend from an animal rescue group (they exist for almost any breed of dog you can think of as well as for cats), the Humane Society or the SPCA.

Recycle - there is so little that can't be freecycled, recycled, or composted.  Laziness is no longer a good excuse.

Buy new shoes - it is a scientific fact that new shoes increase your happiness levels 200% - it would be criminal not to take advantage of this!

And I swear, once the hangover wears off, I will get right to work on these!

- Lisamarie -

I Want The Sun to Shine, Not My Forehead - Part 2

So how is that little shiny forehead of yours doing? Here are 2 products I've tried to keep that oily skin in check:

Exfoliating Face Wash from Kiss my Face ($16) - Normal to Oily  formula (also available for dry skin).
Here is a natural face wash that doesn't dry out your skin. My skin is super sensitive and this product is definitely very gentle.  It does a great job, though: the lemongrass and the green tea extracts leave your face feeling fresh and clean.

The YUM Gourmet Skincare offers an excellent Mandarin Blossom toner for sensitive skin ($33). This toner - again, 100% natural - helps removing all traces of soap, cream etc...  and balances the pH level of your skin. The smell is great and it leaves my skin feeling super soft. For the oiliest skins, the lemongrass toner is a better alternative, although I'm personally not a big fan of the scent.

-Christelle-