Tarte Smooth Operator SPF 20
$35

Smooth Operator is an oil-free foundation that gives a light to medium coverage. It has a light feel on your skin, “…”water-in-silicone” formula blends into your skin as easily as a moisturizer…”  It’s formulated without Sulfates, Synthetic Fragrances, Synthetic Dyes, Petro-Chemicals, or Phthalates.  It is made with antioxidant ingredients like Vitamin A, C, or E.

Korres Wild Rose Foundation
$28

This is a brightening foundation, so it’s a good choice for someone whose skin is beginning to show some signs of aging. The coverage is long-lasting and it has an SPF of 20. It’s made with Vitamin C and Wild Rose extract. Wild Rose extract has been proven to brighten skin tone, repair fine lines and wrinkles. It’s moisturizing, but oil-free. It’s made without Parabens, Sulfates, Mineral Oils, Petro-Chemicals, Propylene Glycols, Ethanolomines, or GMOs. This foundation is also helpful for post-acne problems.

NVEY Organic Moisturizing Fluid Foundation
$45

This foundation is both moisturizing and “aromatic.”  It’s been certified organic by OFC Australia and the Australian government.  It’s lightweight and the coverage is sheer. It’s breathable, so it’s a great choice for someone who has oily or acne-prone skin. Some of the ingredients include chamomile, cucumber, calendula, and rose absolute.

Image credit: Sephora

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*Don’t over-highlight blond hair. The golden tones are what you want. Jennifer Aniston is the perfect example. Only Gwen Stefani call truly pull off platinum.

*When choosing jeans, look for a pair with at least 2 percent Lycra. The stretch will help to support your figure and it makes your butt look better.

*See a fitting expert to help you find the correct bra size. Two things that really help your figure instantly – good posture and a good-fitting bra.

*Dark,  matte lipsticks ages a face. Pick something pink and with a bit of gloss. Another thing, that I do myself , is to apply lip balm and then layer  lipstick lightly over it. It gives a little color, but it’s translucent.

*Aging skin benefits from creamier forms of makeup – cream blush, cream concealer, cream bronzer, and cream foundation. Use a tinted moisturizer if you can get by with a smaller amount of coverage. You don’t have to purchase a special already tinted moisturizer. I mix a few drops of liquid foundation into my everyday moisturizer. Sometimes I add a little shimmery highlighter into the mix as well. It helps to brighten your face and blur the lines.

Image credit: Zuma Press.com

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The line includes personal bath and body products, as well as makeup. I had the opportunity to try some of the line including Sunflower Body wash, Rejuvenating Moisturizer, Body Cream, Liquid Foundation and Mineral Makeup Blusher. 

I liked the products that I tried, although I do prefer a powdered mineral foundation over a liquid. I really liked the mineral blush powder. I used it as both a blusher and an eyeshadow – the color is Desert Rose. Really a great product and very adaptable.

I also liked the Berry Shimmer Creme. I used it as a lip gloss and on my cheeks. I think that it would be a great product to use for a simple Summer face – to add a little something extra to a natural day look.

My favorite product was the Jaffa Lip Balm. It contains shea butter, avocado, sunflower oil, orange, and vanilla. It has a great smell and feel. I’m a lip balm girl, so this product is perfect for me.

Colette works on behalf of Ascending Above Autism selling organic Miessence products. Twenty percent of all sales go directly to the group. For more information about Collette Evangelista, take a look at Health and Hope Organics.

Click here for more information about Ascending Above Autism. 

Image credit:  Health and Hope Organics.com

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Josie Maran’s award-winning makeup line features natural products that are free of Parabens, Sulfates, Sythetic Fragrance, and Phthalates.  All products are full-size, except for the Organic Argan oil. This  kit is the perfect introduction to the line and a great way to celebrate Earth Day every day.

Josie Maran Earth Day Essentials Green-On-the-Go Kit
A $98 for $48 at Sephora.com
Image credit: Sephora.com

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The long-wearing, all-natural formula is made with lash conditioning ingredients, antioxidants and fruit pigments to make lashes healthy, lengthened, thickened and glossy with beautiful color. So you look fabulous and your lashes aren’t getting damaged.

The Duo set includes two 0.24 oz. mascaras. Available in three shades: Black Tea, Blueberry or Blackberry. Retail priced at $42, the QVC price is $27.50. Right now, there’s a mark down to an introductory price of just $25.20 at QVC.com.

Photo credit: QVC

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MyChelle uses only natural ingredients, which is ideal for those with sensitive skin and acne. Their mineral cosmetic line features:

Cream Foundation
Blush stick
Eye Shimmer
Lip balm/lipstick
Lip gloss

They also have a line of skin products and other items. Their gift sets are terrific bargains because you get multiple products for one low price.

Key ingredients include:

Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil: Antioxidant and skin brightener; a deeply penetrating light oil which gives skin a beautiful texture and glow; helps reduce appearance of wrinkles, spots, freckles, and acne.

Silica: Helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and controls sebum for a smooth matte finish.

Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil: Quickly penetrates the skin; powerful antioxidant; rich in flavonoids; inhibits allergic reactions; protects the skin’s own collagen, elastin, & hyaluronic acid.

Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordii Oil Copolymer: Two vegetable oils flash heated in a vacuum to create a copolymer that gives natural shine and body without chemicals or petroleum derived ingredients.

Castor Isostearate Beeswax Succinate: Eco-cert ingredient; a castor oil derived copolymer that moisturizes and increases wear time.

MAXI-LIP: Lip plumping peptide clinically proven to increase lip volume and reduce fine lines around lips over the course of 30 days use.

Lauroyl Lysine: A molasses derived amino acid that promotes lip health and has been shown to fight cold sores.

You can check out the MyChelle line at mychelleusa.com. Right now you can get 15% OFF all products through January 31, 2009.

Photo credit: MyChelle Dermaceuticals

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Check out this video for a sampling of some of the hot, vibrant colors that they have avaiable for fall. Then, head over to the Heavenly Natural Beauty website, where you can find all the products. The line is natural, organic and cruelty-free. Many of the products are also vegan.

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They recently found that a certain cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane, is used by many companies in many cosmetic products. You will notice this chemical by other names, such as dioxane, diethylene dioxide, 1,4-diethylene dioxide, diethylene ether, glycol ethylene ether, dioxane-1,4, tetrahydro-p-dioxin, tetrahydro-1,4-dioxin.

The description of 1,4-dioxane from Wikipedia: 1,4-Dioxane is primarily used in solvent applications for the manufacturing sector; however, it is also found in fumigants and automotive coolant. Additionally, the chemical is also used as a foaming agent and appears as an accidental byproduct of the ethoxylation[1] process in cosmetics manufacturing.

Simply speaking, this is scary stuff and cause for concern.

From the EWG study in which they read the ingredient listings of 15,000 cosmetics, skin care and other personal care products, they have published the following alarming statistics:
*22% of cosmetics and skin care products, including baby soaps, are contaminated with 1,4-dioxane.
*80 percent of all cosmetic products may be contaminated with one or more carcinogenic impurities.

Overall, they have found that this chemical is used in almost all brands of
hair relaxers and over half of the baby soaps. They broke down the contamination levels as follows:
* 97% – hair relaxers
* 82% – hair dyes and bleaching
* 66% – hair removers
* 57% – baby soap
* 45% – sunless tanning products
* 43% – body firming lotion
* 36% – hormonal creams
* 36% – facial moisturizers
* 35% – anti-aging products
* 34% – body lotion
* 33% – around-eye creams

So, what do we need to do? First thing is to read your ingredient labels and get to know the names of the chemicals we do not want on our skin. Besides the ones listed above, look for the ingredients sodium laureth sulfate and others that include the clauses “PEG,” “xynol,” “ceteareth,” and “oleth.” These all have some form of 1,4-dioxane in them.

Even if you thought that natural was the way to go, some of these names will sneakily surprise you by showing up on the label. The only true way to avoid these chemicals are to use 100% Organic products – which will be certified as so.

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