I love discovering new product lines because it opens up a whole new world. Well, more like a whole new place for me to spend money. I heard about Patyka this week and now unfortunately I see many things that I must have. Top of the list is their mint shower gel. Their products are certified organic by ECOCERT and contain no parabens, silicone or petroleum. The Eucalyptus Massage Oil also looks pretty nice. I may get that one for the hubs. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

Via Patyka

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Via Dr. Hauschka

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I come from a long line of germaphobes. Germaphobe with a hint of hypochondriac thrown in. This meant that we were not permitted to mingle with the snotty nose masses or share toys or anything that might lead to contamination. As a result I dodged all those annoying yet harmless childhood illnesses only to get them as an adult when they are neither cute nor harmless. For example, I mysteriously broke out in hives that I thought was an allergic reaction when my son was about 8 weeks old. An emergency room trip and much embarrasment later, it was quite obvious that I had the plain old chicken pox. The bug came down with it a week later and needless to say it was one of the most miserable experiences of my life.

Scratching or rather being scratched was unavoidable so we both have chicken pox scars although they are not too bad and only only the chest and back. We did religiously slather the bug with cocoa butter after every bath and I do think it made a difference. I don’t know what happened to the butter in the move and I don’t even remember what kind it was but we need some now that it’s cold. I’m eyeing Terressentials Organic Push up version mostly because it doesn’t have a bunch of extra junk and well hello, you can push it like a push pop. That to me seems so much easier to apply to a wriggling, flipping toddler. There are also no added essential oils so there is little chance of a reaction. Now I’m going to go to the park and have him lick things to build up his immune system. Seems like a good idea, right?

Via Terressentials

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I’m sure it actually did nothing for my aching muscles but my skin wel that’s another story. I squirted about three pumps of the stuff in the bath water and then applied it very sparingly after my bath. Good grief it was nice. Fantastic way to end a day. The ingredients are sweet soy oil, honey and vitamin E, that’s it. I’m sure you could whip somthing like this up for yourself and get similar results. It smells incredible but it’s not overpowering at all. Me likey.

Via Farmaesthetics

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I love to cook but more than that I love to eat, natch. Italian food tops the list in our home. We keep a lot of fresh basil around for that reason. Basil is actually a natural insect repellant so a little plant in the window helps with little pests especially in the Summer. It’s also great as an herbal tea. Since it’s in the mint family it helps with digestion and upset stomach. I swear by mint tea for those think so I’m thinking I may give it a try in the near future. Here’s a recipe for making your own herbal tea. I did get a reccomendation a few weeks ago from a friend to try it on my face mixed with honey. She said it would help with my oily skin. It’s also supposedly good for acne but it didn’t help me in that respect. Just throw some leaves, a good amount, in a jar with enough honey to cover. Let it sit for a couple days to a week and use it like a facial mask. I left it on for about 25 minutes and then washed it off with a gentle cleanser and warm but not hot water. It really did feel refreshing and take care of some of the oil. I’ve been meaning to try it again for maximum benefits but it requires a bit more forethought than I can seem to muster. What type of herbs do you use in your beauty regimen? I’m curious. Enlighten me.

Via Double Danger

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For instance, their Top Five DIY Eco Hair Conditioners.

Some of these ideas have graced the digital pages of this very blog before, such as using olive oil, henna or tea. But there’s also a couple brandy-new ones, like cider vinegar or rosemary oil.

Enjoy! You can thank me later.

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Yes. I’m one of those people. I have both NPR and KISS Hot 100 preset on my dial. That just shows how complex I am.

As I was saying, Weekend America had an interview with Nance Klehm this weekend. You can listen to it here if you are so inclined. 

The point of the interview was that she took two interviewers along a couple busy LA streets, found some weeds and random plants growing through the concrete, and ate them.

She ate them.

Turns out they were all edible. Something in the fennel family. Something in the spinach family.

Food.

They wandered around, she picked things, and she made a salad. With dressing. Well, the “dressing” consisted of juice squeezed from an orange she picked off of a tree, but you get the idea.

She does this every day. She doesn’t buy food. She forages. She finds things growing next to highways or through cement. She picks dandelions for wine and makes salads of weeds.

Isn’t that amazing? I mean, don’t get me wrong. Fear of dog poo and weird waste keeps me from following suit, but think about that for a second.

What is in the stuff we buy, if it isn’t something that was grown or mined? And how much of that could be around us every day?

There was a time that you couldn’t go into a person’s house without seeing an aloe vera plant. They’re easy to care for, and so useful! Treating burns, rashes, and scars. Like nature’s Swiss army knife.

There are so many things I’ve spoken about before: hair treatments made out of eggs or olive oil, watermelons or cucumbers for your face, coffee grounds for your skin…but how many things may be in my own backyard that I don’t even know about?

Off to pick some weeds!

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You’ve just put in your eight hours at your soul sucking job, fought traffic or other disgruntled commuters and it’s hot and you’re sweaty and pissed off. Now imagine pulling a refreshing face mask from your refrigerator and having yummy fresh ingredients suck all that stress out of your pores. Once you try one of these you will wonder how you made it this far in life without one. In fact you may wonder if life is worth living without it. Okay maybe that’s over the line, but seriously this stuff ROCKS.

I picked up “A Crash Course in Skincare” and it’s divine. It has avocado, lemon and yogurt and a few other essentials. I certainly could have made this myself at home and not wasted the money or resources but I was childless and roaming free. I was lightheaded and confused. So while you would not have to actually buy something like this, it’s a great idea. You could make your own refreshing Summer detox mask and keep it in the fridge in a glass container. I shouldn’t be let out alone anymore. Bad things happen.

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In short, it sucks.

It comes, not in a light dusting on the apples of your cheeks, but in blotches that unevenly stretch across your face. Not to mention the pustules.

Yes. That’s right. Pustules.

Of course, that’s the disease at its worst. For those with a simply annoying and persistent redness, there are ways of dealing with the symptoms beyond antibiotics, dermabrasion, cryosurgery or laser surgery. One of the most pleasurable treaments, and (while not cheap at $38) cheaper than a dermabrasion session, is L’Occitane’s Ultra Comforting Serum.

It’s mild, fragrance-free, and soothing to tortured skin. L’Occitane en Provence claims that the serum will soothe for a full 24 hours, but your mileage may vary.

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Beauty Without Cruelty doesn’t test on animals and doesn’t contain any animal ingredients. It’s pretty low on the hazard meter when I checked it out on Cosmetic Database. It left my hair pretty bouncy, which I love. I’ve only used it once so I will have to keep you updated on the extended results. Has anyone tried any of their other products? I’m intrigued now, please share.

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