Summer is here!

Sunny days.

Bright colors.

Weekend pool lounging.

But also heat, sweat, and a change in your body care routine. To help in the seasonal transition, here are my current favorites for the summer.

Eco Lips $3

A plant-based fair trade certified cocoa butter infused and with mongongo oil (used for centuries by the Kung bushmen of the Kalahari to cleanse and moisturize their skin, so you know it’s serious). Mongongo Oil is sourced from a rural village in Zambia, Africa.   A social worker noticed the opportunity to help a group of women create an income by starting a business and learning how to efficiently harvest, process and perform quality assurance.  The goal was to help them create more self-worth while increasing their net-worth.

This product is awesome and supports a great cause. It is a personal favorite of mine and I have been using it daily for three weeks now.

Ingredients:  *Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, *Cera Flava (Beeswax), Fair Trade Certified TM *Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, *Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, *Schinziophyton Rautanenii (Mongongo) Kernel Oil, Non-GMO Tocopherol (Vitamin E), *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, *Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Extract.
*= Certified Organic Ingredients

Andalou Naturals Facial Lotion with SPF 18 $15

This light weight moisturizer is perfect for sensitive skin, it has SPF 18 sun protection with Alpine Rose Stem Cells, provides essential hydration and deep cellular support with proven UVA/UVB sun protection for a naturally flawless complexion. I especially love it because

  • it is Sheer, lightweight coverage
  • can be worn alone or under make-up
  • it is suitable for everyday use
  • it does not cause me to break out
Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Juice*, Vegetable Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil*, Glyceryl Stearate, Octyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Fruit Stem Cells (Alpine Rose, Malus Domestica, Solar Vitis) and BioActive 8 Berry Complex*, Soothing Complex: [Hyaluronic Acid, Magnolia Officinalis Bark, Phoenix Dactylifera (Date) Leaf Cell and Boswellia Serrata (Boswellin) Extracts], Glyceryl Monolaurate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Rosa Damascena (Rose) Distillate*, Allantoin, Chamomilla Recutita (Chamomile) and Calendula Officinalis Extracts*, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) and Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Oils*, Camellia Sinensis (White Tea), Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos) and Hibiscus Sabdariffa Extracts*^, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Pelargonium Graveolens (Rose Geranium) Oil*, Rosa Centifolia (Rose) Oil

Pacifica Solid Perfume $9

I avoid sketch chemicals even when choosing a perfume. There was a study in which ten popular commercially-produced perfumes contained ingredients that caused everything from allergic reactions to possible sperm damage and hormone disruption!

Pacifica’s Island Vanilla Solid perfume is a great summer scent. It smells lovely with hints of vanilla and honey-jasmine. This scent is also available as a spray.

To use the perfume, simply rub a finger around on the surface of the waxy perfume, then rub that finger on the area you want to smell good — the inside of your wrists and behind the ears works well.

Ingredients: Organic cocos nucifera wax (coconut wax),  organic glycine soja wax (soy wax), parfum (pacifica’s own perfume blend with natural and essential oils), prunus armeniaca wax (apricot wax), caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut source). no parabens, animal testing, animal ingredients or artificial colors. 100% vegan and gluten-free.



Crystal Essence Deodorant Spray $4

More sun = More Sweat (which could) = More body odor.  I have sampled a dozen natural deodorants since I have been on this journey toward finding the perfect natural alternative to the dangerous traditional ones. I have had varying degrees of success (or complete failures) and Crystal Essence Deodorant Spray has been a pretty good alternative. It’s a whole body spray that is safe enough to be used anywhere on the body to control odors – including feet, chest, and inner thighs.

Contains No Harmful Chemicals.
No Aluminum Chlorohydrate | Aluminum Zirconium | Parabens | Phthalates.

How to Use: Hold bottle 5 inches from targeted area and pump sprayer 2-3 times, or as often as you wish. For best results, use daily and apply to clean skin.

Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua), Potassium Alum (Natural Mineral Salts), Natural Fragrance made with essential oils and extracts, Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda), Benzoic Acid (natural preservative), Zinc Gluconate (natural preservative) 


Manda Organic Sun Paste $18

This SPF 50 sunscreen is legit! The best natural sunscreen I have ever purchased! It's sweat proof and waterproof. Made organic food grade ingredients. It's environmentally safe. I put it on my kids every time they go swimming. This is the best sunscreen I have every bought.

It is made from thanaka which is from the wood of a small tree in Myanmar, Thanaka has been used for over 2000 years by Burmese people to protect and beautify the skin. Pulverized on a stone slab and mixed with water to form a paste, this natural cosmetic is most commonly applied topically. It is here where Thanaka begins to work it’s magic. Thanaka is
  • Environmentally safe:  Most of the chemicals in sun screen have adverse environmental effects. This product can also be grown locally via sustainable farming.
  • Rich in antioxidants ad an effective moisturizer
  • Rich is compounds that encourage healthy skin
Ingredients: Thanaka, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Beeswax, Organic Cinnamon Oil


Bonus:

Check out my year-round skin cleansing routine.