Every once in a while the stars align and you find a piece that you love... and then wish you bought 3 more!
The idea with a building a wardrobe that you love is to take a little extra time to maintain it. One of the easiest ways to do that is to avoid wearing these specific items every day.
For men: Ties, which are usually made of silk, a delicate fabric, should be rotated as the silk can get a permanent crease in it and can stretch out too much.
It's so easy to wear the same belt every day, but these definitely need a day of rest to come back to their original shape. Plus, the added stress on the leather will mean the belt will wear out and crack must faster.
I suggest all my clients have two brown belts and two black belts for work. I would also suggest at least two casual belts so you're not wearing the same one every weekend.
Just like belts, shoes are made of leather and they also absorb the sweat from our feet so when worn every day, you're not going to have them as long. Wearing your favorite pair back-to-back, will mean you'll have to increase your shoe budget because you'll need a replacement in a few months rather than a few years!
For women: Aside from shoes (see above), items with a bit of stretch in them, like bras and shapewear, definitely need to a day of rest to return to their original shape. A good bra can be expensive so be sure to give it a break and wear it at least every other day.
Jeans can also have some stretch so in order to avoid saggy knees and butt, give your jeans a day off. Your wardrobe will thank you for it and you won't have to go shopping as often!
Enough with the toxins!
Scary statistic, no? (This is according to a study done by the magazine In-Cosmetics.)
Whether you wear a lot a makeup or just some moisturizer and mascara, any sort of toxin is bad and does not a healthy body make. Using chemicals on your skin is worse than ingesting them because when you eat something, the enzymes in your saliva and stomach help break it down and (hopefully), flush out the chemicals.
When applied directly to the skin, it is absorbed straight into your blood stream, without any kind of filter (lipstick takes 26 seconds to enter your blood stream!). Yikes!
While this applies to everything - lotion, shampoo, deodorant (I can eat my deodorant - I make it out of three household ingredients and it really works because, well, I'm stinky!), this post is about makeup. I promise to share the other brands I have found and love (and my deodorant recipe), very soon so please check back!
* Tata Harper - I love her products because they're made in the US and are 100% natural, 100% organic and non-toxic. She also owns the farm, manufacturing and bottling so every part of the process is controlled for quality. I was sold the moment one of the women at the spa told me that her products where the only natural ones that worked in the same amount of time as the chemical-filled ones!
All of the creams, serums, moisturizers and toners are rich and luxurious. The eye cream is also the only eye cream that can be used on the lower AND upper part of the eye because every other eye cream is too harsh. The Tata Harper eye serum is natural and non-toxic so it's totally safe to use.
I'm also super sensitive to scents, but all of these products smell fantastic - probably because it's not fake vanilla or country apple! All of her products are available at The Spa at Nordstrom, Nordstrom.com or the Tata Harper site.
* 100% Pure - The name says it all! The products I've purchased from them are 100% vegan and most of the items are gluten free.
By far, my favorite is their mascara. The black tea one is a-maze-zing! People rave about this mascara online (I buy mine from Amazon) and say that it works better than the expensive, designer ones! It smells fruity (but not too sweet), and it coats like a dream! I've bought my mom the blueberry mascara and also the blackberry one.
I also recently purchased a tinted moisturizer from 100% pure as I don't need much coverage when it comes to a foundation. I also really like liquid foundation instead of a powder. Again, I bought it from Amazon and the reviews really help when identifying the right color for your skin tone. I love the product (and their packaging is gorgeous!), but turns out I need a bit more coverage so the search continues.
* W3ll People - This is a very natural brand (yes, spelled with a three instead of an 'e'). I use their bronzer and have bought the brightening stick for my mom. Both products are great and you would never know it's natural - all the products cover and perform the exact same way as the chemical ones :)
In fact, their packaging states, "no parabens, petrochemicals, silicones, naoparticles, glycols, sulphates or artificial ingredients: no nasties". Love that!
* Alima Pure - This is another very clean brand with beautiful packaging. You can request a test sample for foundation from their website (to see if it matches your skin tone), but right now I use their blush. It's light, easy and non-toxic - everything I want in my skin care products!
* RMS Beauty - Again, I buy this from Amazon and I loooove her products! RMS Beauty was created by celebrity makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift. It's based on raw, living and organic principles. She is passionate about creating products that are not only non-toxic, but ones that actually heal and nourish the skin.
I use a very dark brown liquid eye shadow (called Karma) as I like to line my upper lash line. lt comes in a beautiful glass jar with a metal lid. It's very rich and highly pigmented in color, but that's what I was looking for! It's easy to use with my angle brush (as it's already kind of 'wet') and it doesn't run or streak throughout the day.
I also use a cover-up that matches my skin tone exactly. It's creamy and goes on very smoothly. Like the other brands, you can find RMS Beauty on Amazon or at salons or Colette in Paris.
* Bite Beauty - I love red lipstick. It really brings together a look - whether casual or dressy so I don't want to give that up! Thankfully, because of Bite, I don't have to!
Right now, all they sell are lipsticks, lip pencils, gloss and so on -- in a wide range of fabulous colors so you don't have to sacrifice your color choice for your health. :)
The lipstick is moisturizing and easy to apply, but I love the lip pencils, which create a more matte look. Either way, they named their brand because you can take a bite out of it! Everything is made with food-grade ingredients. You can find Bite Beauty at Sephora.
Hopefully this will help make the change from chemicals to natural products easier and add even more beauty to your life. This is my goal - whether it's through style and the way you dress or the beauty products you use. I'm passionate about bringing joy, ease, beauty and style to your life!
I'm always open to learning new things. Let me know your favorite 100% natural brands. I'd love to check them out!
*** UPDATE: After sharing this blog post on several sites and Facebook groups, I learned even more about the beauty industry, mainly, fragrance.
Here is a very helpful article explaining what's going on in the fragrance industry (which unnatural or synthetic scents are in just about everything from laundry detergent (will share my inexpensive, non-toxic recipe), to cleaning products, lotions, body wash and yes, make up), but in a nutshell, the industry is highly unregulated - even less than the beauty or food industry.
If you see 'fragrance' on a label, run - read it as 'hidden chemicals'. It's a free pass to put whatever chemicals, materials or ingredients without review or approval. Many of these chemicals and unnatural fragrances have been linked to hormone disruption, reproductive problems and caner.
All the products I have listed above do NOT contain any unnatural or synthetic fragrances. If there is a scent (in the Tata Harper products), it already occurs in nature and isn't toxic. I will be sharing all of the products I have found from laundry detergent to body lotion, shampoo and cleaning supplies. It's important to remove as many chemicals from your life as you can! Your body (and health) will thank you for it!
** Please note, that I am not a health expert or doctor and I don't have any association with the products mentioned above. You should only use what you feel is best for you. I am just here to share what I find to be helpful and inspiring in the world of fashion. I too, am navigating this beauty world, but the real goal is to help you look and feel your best... every day.
Keeping Your Whites White and Why Some Get Discolored So Quickly
White jeans are great. They work with anything! However, white jeans are like red lipstick - you have to commit.
I can't wear mine just anywhere as I don't want to get a stain or accidentally sit on something! However there are several things you can do to keep them (and any other white garments), looking clean and new.
The first option is a common household product - hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide is the liquid form of OxiClean (Google 'OxiClean ingredient list' and hydrogen peroxide will be listed as the active ingredient! :).
This works great when it comes to getting out stains on your white clothes (you don't want to use bleach since that is very harsh on your clothes and will break down the fibers).
I recommend putting 1/3 cup of hydrogen peroxide in with your load of white clothes (and regular detergent) and then let it soak.
This is my favorite option because it's natural (the only thing I remember from chemistry class is that hydrogen peroxide is H2O2 and therefore turns into water when exposed to light). It's also inexpensive and non-toxic (that's super important to me!)
The second option is a product called White Brite.
My mom has used this on things like sheets and pillow cases when they started to look a little yellow. Again, you’ll need to soak your whites (for about an hour), but it really works! And you don’t need to use this every time you wash something - just when you want things to look a little brighter.
Surprising, the best place to buy this is at the hardware store (I don’t think I’ve ever seen it at Target). Their website lists Lowe’s, Menards and Ace. Amazon is also a good source.
One last piece of advice about white clothes. Remember that many of the inexpensive white clothes are actually dyed to look white. The original fabric may be off-white. This is why many of your white items might look “gray” or dingy after a few washes and wears.
I’m not saying you should pay $200 for a pair of white jeans, but look to see how white something is — is it too bright? The same thing happens with jewelry and hardware on bags that’s too shiny - it looks cheap. Items should be white, but not electric or bright white and don’t go for the cheapest item out there. If it’s only a t-shirt that you don’t mind replacing every season, then fine, an inexpensive one is great. However, spending a bit more on a beloved piece should stand the test of time and these options can help!