Acai berries are what is known as a Super-Fruit. Super-Fruits are those that are high in vitamins, anti-oxidants, and fiber. They are an almost medicinal fruit. I’ve tried a fair share of Acai products for review including bars, drinks, and a supplement. I’ve found the taste to be like that of another Super-Fruit, cranberry. Tart, rich, full. Not everybody’s cup of tea, but I enjoy a tartness in moderation.

Some of the benefits of the Acai include a boost in energy levels, improved digestion, circulation, mental clarity, sleep, immune system, and sexual health. Acai contains anti-oxidants that fight the free radicals that cause cancer. It cleanses body of toxins and slows down the aging process.

I don’t want to give you a laundry list of Why I Love Acai, but suffice it to say that if it’s good for the inside of you, it’s good for the outside, as well.

Here are a couple of examples:

*Increased circulation and elimination lead to healthier skin. Good skin comes from a healthy body. There’s only so much you can hide with makeup.

*Anti-oxidants help to slow the aging process. A diet rich in acai could result in fewer wrinkles and a brighter skin tone.

So, does acai berry make you more beautiful? Yes, but not in an instant way, like a makeup or a new haircolor. Over time, a healthy diet, including acai, can lead to an overall increase in health, well-being, and beauty.

Image credit: All Posters.com

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Post from: Pretty by Nature

Since today is Father’s Day I thought I would talk about a “natural” products geared towards men. It must smell like grass or beer or something. The hubs has beautiful hair that he refuses to put product in, so I have to be careful to not offend his senses when trying out a new shampoo on him. Ole Henriksen’s Natural Hair Wash with Sea Kelp seems to fit the bill. He doesn’t use conditioner because OMG that would take a whole extra two minutes don’t you know, so he needs a shampoo that doesn’t strip the hair too much. This is paraben free and doesn’t contain any lauryl/laureth sulfates.

We will have to hold out and see how it actually performs over time since he got this in his Father’s Day goodie bag today. I know, I’m sure he was thrilled. “Awesome, shampoo…thanks.” He also got a sushi set that he is very excited about. FYI, sushi with salami is a no-go.

Via Upurea.com

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On my list of must sample goodies is her Organic Kelp and Ylang Babassu Shampoo Bar and the Organic Carrot and Wheat Germ Cleansing Oil. All of her products are made to order in small batches using fair trade and organic ingredients when possible. All of the packing is 100% recyclable and/or biodegradable. Please tell me what you think of her product line if you have tried it out. I’m busting at the seams in anticipation. I will let you all know if they deliver or not. I feel like a school girl with a crush. You had me at whipped hair butter.

Via Anitagrant.com

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Typically when I am home I carry around my own version of these, which I make myself. In all fairness they are usually for baby butt wiping but they make a great refresher for me too. We use cloth wipes, which are just small squares of very soft flannel. Little baby washcloths also work great too. When we leave the house I just throw a few in a bag or small container and spritz them with a homemade essential oil concoction. I also threw them in the fridge the other day because it was so hot and just wiped my neck and face with them. Very refreshing when you feel grimy, hot and misused by the world. There are lots of options but I use the following solution:

• 8 ounces of distilled hot water
• 2 bags of chamomile tea
• 5 drops tea tree oil
• 1 teaspoon almond oil

Steep the tea in the water and then discard the teabags (or use again later) and then add the rest of the ingredients. Let it cool and put in a spray bottle. A few spritzes are usually all I need and this solution lasts for a while. The tea tree oil has anti-bacterial properties so it’s great for your hands too.

Via Herban Essentials

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J.R. Watkins has just expanded their product line to include natural home care. I haven’t tried many of their personal care products but I will be trying them out in the near future. What I like about them is that they are pretty much available everywhere; even the big box stores. Their personal care products are free of parabens, sulphates, petro-chemicals etc. The packaging while beautiful and old-world looking, I wish was made more responsibly. Maybe glass would be better.

Now their natural home cleaning line includes all the same beautiful design aesthetic and commitment to natural ingredients. You can check out the complete line here. I will say that I like the idea of finding healthier alternatives when possible but even more important is finding solutions that can eliminate the need for 18 different products. Their all-purpose cleaner is a great alternative because it’s concentrated which means it will stretch further and also cut out the need for the cleanser for this, another one for the stove-top, another one for the shower kind of thing. All in all I think these are great alternatives and I might try the dishwashing liquid and find a way to reuse the container when I’m done. Has anyone tried any of these yet? Let me know please.

Via TreeHugger

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Caswell-Massey has some really wonderful products that are generally low on the hazard meter. I am leaning towards the Almond and Aloe hand soap with the Almond and Aloe hand cream with silk. I tried the hand cream once before and it was simply divine. Yes it even makes you say things like “divine”. I have found that there aren’t many people who dislike the smell of almond so I think it would be fairly unobtrusive in the scent department. Oh and wouldn’t it look pretty sitting next to the sink? We can always refill the soap with some Dr. Bronner’s Hemp Almond soap when it’s empty.

My other option is Olivella’s Virgin Olive Oil liquid soap and the Virgin Olive Oil Moisturizer. I have tried the soap in bar form before at my mother’s house and at first was not crazy about the scent but it grew on me by the end of our trip. I think it would be much less drying than our current soap and I would really like to try the lotion. How can you go wrong with olive oil?

Which one do you like? Number one or two? Or option three, which is who the heck cares go pound sand.

Photo Caswell-Massey.com

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Clean George is packed with an array of purifying & moisturizing natural ingredients supplied by responsible companies who practice sustainable agricultural and offer a fair and living wage to their workforce. Clean George does not promote germ resistance or “SUPER GERMS”.   All ingredients have been painstakingly selected with safety, efficacy and the environment in mind….and besides all that, Clean George feels and smells great!

I second the smells great bit. I tried the Lavender and I really liked it, and I don’t even like Lavender. Clean George’s sanitizers are also alcohol free and use certified organic ingredients.They’ve got good things like vitamin E and olive oils so your hands won’t get all dry. Just put “pretty by nature” in the notes section and they will include a freebie in with your order. Indicate if you have a scent preference as well.

Photo Courtesy of Clean George

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I’m back with our Wednesday question and answer session after a brief hiatus. Basically, no questions equals no answers so keep them coming. Anyway this week’s question is about sunscreen. Having grown up in Southern California I am used to using sunscreen pretty much year round. In the “winter” it would usually be a lighter SPF 15/lotion combo and in the Spring and Summer somewhere around 30 or higher. If it was particularly blazing I would have to go for a broad spectrum 45 and cover my arms in a light layer, wear a hat and use an umbrella. Love the warm weather but I hate the sun. Okay I don’t hate the sun as a concept but I just don’t like it on me for more than a few minutes. It’s actually painful and I hate the way it feels. I imagine my skin melting off and forming little puddles on the ground.

So a reader asked for some suggestions for sunscreens. Since I’ve tried literally a gazillion of them, I thought I could field this one. Yes literally a gazillion. My five top picks for sunscreen are as follows:

1. Badger SPF 30 Sunscreen. I just love almost everything from Badger. Their balms are like magic in a tin. The sunscreen doesn’t disappoint either. This is a good sunscreen for extended sun exposure like hiking, yard work, outdoor festival etc. It’s good for the kiddos as well.

2. Ultra-lite Oil Free sunblock from Peter Thomas Roth. I already have oily skin. Come summer, the humidity and heat makes it ten times worse. The last thing I need is some thick greasy potion on my face. This stuff is so light going on and it doesn’t make me look like I went bobbing for apples in a bucket full of bacon grease. It’s great under makeup and for intermittent sun exposure. Think Farmer’s Market shopping and then a nice salad on a restaurant patio with your friends.

3. Peter Thomas Roth’s new Instant Mineral SPF 30. Now I haven’t tried this one but it just look so amazing. If it really works and isn’t bad for you then this product is revolutionary. It’s finely milled mineral powder with an SPF that you sweep over your skin with a makeup type brush. Are you kidding? I’m all in. Has anyone actually tried this out? This would be a perfect for daytime and everyday use.

4. Hawaiian Tropic’s Ozone Sport SPF 60. Yes 60. Sounds excessive but is great if you sincerely don’t want to tan. I was incredulous because Hawaiian Tropic just conjures up images from my youth of bikini clad girls slathering themselves in their tanning oil and spraying Sun-In on their hair. Why not just set yourself on fire? I bet their skin looks like shoe leather once they hit 30. Anyway this is nothing like that. Perfect for intense outdoor, especially water, sports since it’s waterproof and non-greasy. You can surf your little Dewey Weber heart out without stressing.

5. Lavera SPF 40 Neutral is fantastic because it’s fragrance free and made with organic ingredients. It can also be used on the whole family. No sense buying separate sunscreens for yourself and the crumb-snatchers. I have yet to try this one out either but I have heard great things about it from other people and it looks very promising. I am obsessive about the applying sunscreen to my face and decolletage so this seems like it would be really gentle and non-irritating on those sensitive areas.

Not that you asked, but I have a couple of other tips for sun safety. Apply it at least 30 minutes before you go out in the sun. Waiting until you get to the beach to apply it and then jumping in the ocean doesn’t cut it. Also, if you plan to be out all day, reapply at some point even if it says like “18 hour mega protection like a legion of UVA and UVB mercenaries” on the bottle. Stay hydrated too. That doesn’t have anything to do with sunblock, I’m just a water nazi. Drink lots of water while exercising, enjoying fun in the sun, etc. I feel a heat wave coming on. Can I make it warmer by sheer will?

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Diamond Organics has some nice options that they will deliver directly to your home. Now I am no wine aficionado. I can tell you if I like a wine or not but I can’t tell you if it has notes of pepper and apricot. Tastes good… UG is as far as it goes for me. So take what I say with a grain of salt. I have heard lots of grumbling that Organic Wines are crappy and that the lack of added sulfites greatly affects the taste. Eh, I just can’t say at this point. Anyone who has an informed, or uninformed since that’s what I offer here, opinion please do share. Really I want to know. Enlighten me.

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