Homemade Acne Recipe Options

Homemade Acne Recipe Treatment Options

Searching for an acne recipe solution, Katie (not her real name) was frustrated.  Despite numerous visits to doctors and dermatologists, she was still experiencing breakouts.  So she decided to enhance her skin care routines with a trip to the kitchen instead of a clinic.

She realized there are a number of common household items that are beneficial for your skin, and a homemade acne recipe just might be the solution she’d been looking for all along. Remember, however, that everyone’s skin is different so a patch test is always a good idea when you try a new product or routine.

Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple Cider Vinegar, which made a splash a couple years ago as a possible weight loss aid, is also a popular homemade acne recipe skin treatment ingredient. Applied to the face with a cotton ball, carefully avoiding the eyes, it can be used straight {or diluted with water for those with sensitive skin}. Keep in mind, it is drying and while some believe it reduces redness and scarring you will need to moisturize following application.

Aloe Vera:

Do you have a green thumb?  The juice from a snip of your aloe vera houseplant is a popular acne recipe remedy if dabbed on trouble spots.  For non-gardeners, aloe vera is readily available in gel form at your local store.

If you would really like to have some fun, consider a homemade acne recipe facial.  Made with all natural ingredients, it is simple and inexpensive.

Homemade Acne Recipe: Clay Mask

Ingredients:

• • 1/2 tablespoon cosmetic grade French green clay
  • 1 – 2 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey

Variations:  for dry skin, add 1/2 teaspoon jojoba oil and consider Moroccan red clay, which can be less drying.

Directions:

1. 1. Blend clay and 1 T water and mix into a smooth paste, adding additional water as needed.  Let stand for a few minutes.
   2. Add honey and combine well.
   3. Apply a thin layer of mask to face and let sit for 10-15 minutes
   4. Rinse off with a steaming washcloth (make sure washcloth is not too hot).

No Time for Homemade?

If a homemade acne recipe option doesn’t align with your schedule or tastes, consider artisan products—soaps, scrubs and lotions that are handmade by small manufacturers.  These are less likely to contain irritants like sodium lauryl sulfate, preservatives and other synthetic chemicals that are common in commercial products (but check natural ingredients anyway since they are unregulated).  Artisan products can be found on the internet, in etsy shops, and at many farmer’s markets.

Additional Thoughts:

A few other tips to keep in mind as you care for blemish prone skin:

• Wash towels and pillowcases regularly.
• Other body care products, from shampoos to makeup, will also get on your face, so also consider natural versions of these.
• Replace makeup regularly to reduce contamination concerns.

 

Disclaimer:

This information is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

What other homemade acne recipe options work for you?

Kabana Organic Sunscreen: Sunscreen Review

Kabana Organic Fragrance Free Tinted Sunscreen SPF 22

Planning a getaway for some fun in the sun this winter? You’ll want to protect your winter white skin from the sun with sunscreen, but you’ll also want to be sure the protection doesn’t care it’s own set of concerns.

Kabana Skincare offers a selection of ultra pure sunscreens, baby care products, soap & bodywashes that offer light UV protection for everyday protection, moisturizers, lip balms and sunscreens.

To learn more about the importance of careful sunscreen selections read the Diva Guide to Safer Sunscreen.

Kabana offer’s sunscreen in both Tinted & Untinted.  Many of the safer sunscreens contain a high amount of zinc, as does Kabana’s.  Many people don’t like the white pastiness you end up with from the zinc.  Tinted sunscreen provides a solution to this problem.  I’m very fair and the tint disappeared into my skin.  Those with darker skin my find the tinting a little pale.

Sunscreen is an important part of a skincare regime.  Not only does it prevent skin cancer, but wrinkles too.  Let’s face it, most of us are more motivated by vanity then our health.  According to the American Academy of Dermatologists – 90% of wrinkles are caused by sun!

What I love about the Kabana line is their streamline approach they take with their products.  Their Tinted Sunscreen has 8 ingredients.  Eight!  They focus on high quality, effective ingredients.  I was initially concerned that they didn’t offer a SPF 30.  Their founder,  Eric Kreider believes that an SPF 20 is all the protection we need and equates to absorbing 95% of UV, while an SPF 45 only gives you 2.8% more protection while exposing our bodies to more chemicals that typically carry a %300 increase in associated health risk along with a higher price tag.

With a Diva Total  13.7 of out of 15 points this product is: Divaliscious!

CLICK HERE for review criteria:

8 Points Skin Deep Low Hazard Rating ~ 1
2 Points for being Organic – The Tinted Sunscreen comprised of %86 organic ingredients.

1.8 Points for effectiveness Worn at the Beach in Sunny California and on a Palm Springs getaway, my fair skin didn’t get burnt. I did get a bit of extra sun on my nose – I should have reapplied after 2 hours as per the instructions.

.8 Point for Texture This product was very smooth and creamy. For a zinc based sunscreen I found it absorbed in more quickly than other products I’ve tried.

.7 Point for Fragrance The Kabana Sunscreen is unscented and doesn’t contain any fragrance to mask it’s natural scent.

.3 Points for Packaging Appearance The packaging is very sporty in appearance. Royal Blue with Bright Yellow and Green Writing accents.

.1 Points for Packaging SustainabilityThe Sunscreen is not packaged using any additional boxes, but there was no information on their site or the tube.

Overall:

With a nice texture, effective sun protection and ultra pure ingredient list, this is a great sunscreen option for your entire family.  If whiteness from the zinc bothers you, choose the tinted option.  Otherwise I didn’t notice a difference between the two offerings.

Note – Don’t forget to shake the tube well prior to application as it separates when it sits.

Miessence Organics: Diva Review & Giveaway

Congratulations to the winner!

I was introduced to Miessence Organics by Erin Ely an Independent Representative who has been following PND and knew that I had to check out their line!

What I love about Miessence Skin Care products is that every ingredient in the skin care line is certified organic to food standards by the Australian Certified Organic (ACO).

They also ship all of their products fresh from the factory and suggest their product be used within 6 months to ensure you get the full benefit of the active ingredients.  Miessence also uses cold pressed formulations – this ensures that heat will not kill the active ingredients during processing.

They have a full line of body care products,  skincare and makeup that you can use with confidence – the entire product range scores from 0-2 in the Cosmetics Database.

I wish I could go to the store to try all these fantastic products, but they are only available through independent distribution.  The line prices out with  cleansers at $42, shampoo & conditioner that are $22 each, and at $40 their facial serums are a bargain.

Erin did send me their Rejuvenessence Facial Serum to try – it was  little too rich for daily use on my skin, but I adjusted to using it 2 or 3 times a week and that has been just right.  It has a rich botanical fragrance and absorbs quickly into the skin.

Lucky for us, Erin has agreed to give one lucky reader a $50 gift certificate to try Miessence for themselves!  Use it for toothpaste, sunscreen, shampoo, make up – it’s your call – but use it with confidence because this company prides themselves on being 100% organic and natural.

Win a $50 Gift Certificate for Miessence Organics

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory

Become an Email Subscriber to PND using the form in the sidebar. Leave a comment with a name I can print in our newsletter if you win. Winners are only announced in our newsletter – so don’t forget to check!

• The subscription must be confirmed. You will receive and email that you must reply to for your entry to be valid.
• Already a confirmed Subscriber. Complete any one of the additional entries options – Leave a comment letting Diva know you’re subscriber name and the entry option you selected.

Additional Entries

1. Go to ElyOrganics and share what you will use your $50 to buy!
2. Stumble, Digg, Kirsty, or Technorati favorite this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link.
3. Follow @purenaturaldiva (use link on the sidebar) and @erinely on twitter. Leave your twittername in a separate comment.
4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva and Miessence Organics on Facebook. Post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for each.
5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “WIN a $50 Gift Certificate for Miessence Organics, make-up, skin care… Diva Giveaway http://bit.ly/bhvrJ8 @purenaturaldiva #ElyOrganics”. Leave a comment and link in the comments.
6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on May 22, 2010 PDT, with winner being announced May 24, 2010 in the PND Newsletter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me before the contest is re-opened until the following weekend.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

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Homemade Body Butter Recipe

This is the Homemade Body Butter Recipe I shared when I visited Martha Stewart Living Radio!

Enjoy.

I keep a small tub of my homemade body butter recipe in my car and shared some of it with Kadi Prescott – dynamo mother of 7 children.  Needless to say – she instantly wanted to know how to make it for her sensitive skinned little one.   Because we are both blogging diva’s – instead of emailing the recipe to her I told her I’d kick into gear and get the recipe posted.

All of the ingredients can be easily sourced – but the trickiest may be the beeswax.  You buy it buy the pound so one block will make a lot of lotion!  You can find it at Michael’s for $20 – but I found for less money, not to mention a more trusted source on Local Harvest.

This Homemade Body Butter Recipe has 4-5 ingredients, is easy to make and you’ll have the pleasure of knowing every ingredient that went into it.

Honey Citrus Homemade Body Butter Recipe

2 Tablespoons of Beeswax
1/2 Cup of Grapeseed Oil
1 Capsule of Vitamin E Oil
2-3 Tablespoons of Distilled Water
10 Drops of Citrus Essential Oil – or to preference

Homemade Body Butter Recipe Instructions

Combine the wax and oil together in a wide mouth jar. Microwave until the wax is almost completely melted.

Use a hand blender to whip – ensure it’s completely submerged for safety reasons!
Slowly add water and continue to aerate, then add fragrance. It will turn white and be thick and goopy.

Allow the lotion to settle for at least 15-20 minutes.

Scoop into a lotion container of your choosing, empty lip balm tubs.

Apply a small amount to any dry spots and enjoy!

A note about preservation… the vitamin e will help to extend the life of this product, but the formula does contain water… so it will only stay bacteria free for a few days without being refrigerated.   I suggest  keeping the bulk of your product in the fridge – and pulling out a couple days worth at a time in a smaller container.  IF you eliminate the water, then you could keep it out, but I haven’t had a chance to test the recipe without water.

Who knew making your own Homemade Body Butter Recipe could be this simple?

Juice Beauty Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer: Diva Review

Juice Beauty Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer

With a Diva Total 14.7 of out of 15 points this product is: Divaliscious

Juice Beauty is a sophisticated high quality organic line of skin care products that performs up to expectation.

98% of the ingredients in Juice Beauty are organic.  They are able to obtain this high organic content because they use a juice base instead of water.  Juice Beauty has the following to say about their organic content:

Some brands would like you to believe that all of their ingredients are organic. Unfortunately, they only use a few organic ingredients in a water base that makes up most of the product – making the organic content less than 5%. Instead of the typical water base that cannot be “organic or pesticide free,” Juice Beauty created an antioxidant rich organic juice base which is much more nourishing for your skin.

Juice only purchases ingredients from USDA certified organic farms.  Additionaly 80% of their  products are produced with solar power.

CLICK HERE for review criteria:

8 Points Skin Deep Low Hazard Rating ~ 2
2 Points for being Organic

2 Points for effectiveness – The moisturizer left my skin hydrated. I also love the list of natural antioxidents like apple, lemon and grape juices. To read more about each ingredient and what makes it’s effective for your skin CLICK HERE. Read the product information guide on the Juice Site.
.8 Point for Texture – The first time I tried this moisturizer I used a little too much resulting in a slightly tight feeling when it dried on my skin (it relaxed in short order). For subsequent uses I used a little less than a dime sized amount and it was perfect. The texture is a little thinner than some heavier night creams, it almost has a gel like consistency.
1 Point for Fragrance – This product has a fruity smell, with hints of pineapple reminiscent of tropical punch, without being too sweet.  You can actually smell the juice.

.5 Points for Packaging Appearance – This moisturizer is packaged in a glass tub with an aluminum tone plastic top. It stands up to any department store brand in aesthetics. It should it’s retailed in stores like Nordstrom and Sephora.
.4 Points for Packaging Sustainability – In addition to the glass tub, the moisturizer is packed in a box, which seems like an extra we could forgo.  That said the packaging uses 100% recycled paper and cardboard.

Overall:
The Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer delivers a concentrated punch of moisturizing antioxidants.  Remember, a little goes a long way.

Juice Beauty is a a great skincare line for the woman who wants an entire line she can trust be extremely low toxin, using high quality organic raw materials to deliver fabulous performance .

Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer retails for $45.

Are you ready to try Juice Beauty for yourself?

Winner – Jessie C!  Congratulations check your email!

From Juice Beauty

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory:

Become a Verified Email Subscriber to PND, use the form in the sidebar.
– After subscribing you will receive an email – check your junk mail – you must verify your subscription using this email to win!
– Already a confirmed Subscriber. Leave a comment letting me know you’re subscriber and have completed any one of the additional entries options.

Additional Entries

1. Go to www.juicebeauty.com – share your favorite Juice Beauty product or something about their corporate vision.

2. Stumble, Digg or Technorati Favorite this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link.

3. Follow @purenaturaldiva (use the link on the sidebar) and @JuiceBeauty on twitter. Leave your twittername in a separate comment.

4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva (link in sidebar) and Juice Beauty on Facebook and post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for fan… One entry for update.

5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “@PureNaturalDiva Diva Giveaway – Juice Beauty Mineral Light Moisturizer http://bit.ly/dqR9F”. Then come back and leave the direct link to your tweet (go to your twitter account, click on the words when your tweet was sent (ie. 5 seconds ago) and copy and paste that link in comments.

6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the Juice Beauty website – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on Nov 23, 2009 PDT, with winner being announced Nov 25, 2009. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me before another winner is chosen.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

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Jenulence Green Tea Sun Cream: Review

By Tania Reuben

Jenulence Green Tea Sun Cream

Jenulence is a small family run business based in Staten Island, New York founded in 2003. Their corporate motto is: If you can’t eat it, don’t use it on your skin. Nice motto.

They recently sent me a sample of their Green Tea Sun Cream.

The Green Tea Sun cream is a rich day cream packed with antioxidants.  On their website I learned about the  documented cancer fighting properties of  a topically applied mixture of antioxidants, especially when combined with green tea.

With a Diva Total of 12.3 out of 15 points this product is: Diva Worthy

Click here for review criteria:

8 Points for Skin Deep Low Hazard Rating of 2 – Excellent!
0 Points for being Organic – Truly very natural, but not organic.

2 Points for effectiveness – This is a rich day cream. Perfect for someone with dry skin or during those times in the year when your skin needs extra hydration. It is is rich without being too heavy. It has an approximated SPF 10 for a touch of sun protection, and it’s also loaded with a combination of antioxidants.

1 Point for Texture – The Green Tea Sun Cream is rich and creamy in texture. A little goes a long way – it has a nice glide on the skin.

.7 Point for Fragrance – Green Tea Sun Cream has a scent that reminds me of a combination of Green Tea, fresh cut grass and Lemongrass. It’s very herbacious.

.2 Points for Packaging Appearance – I was sent a sample size, so I can’t speak to the packaging, I couldn’t just give it a zero.

.4 Points for Packaging Sustainability – The Green Tee Sun Tree comes in a 2oz recyclable plastic jar.

Overall:

The Green Tea Sun Cream is rich in antioxidants and doesn’t disappoint. Filled with ingredients that you can pronounce, like sesame oil, shea butter, green tea extract, vitamin C, Vitamin E and coconut oil, this moisturizer for people looking for high performance natural ingredients.

A great choice for the person with thirsty skin in need of rich hydration and a little UV protection.

Green Tea Sun Cream retails for $34.

Ready to try Jenulence for yourself…

Jenulence has agreed to give 2 lucky readers a full size Green Tea Sun Cream – a $34 Value!

Congratulations to Joanna & Susan, both winners of the Jenulence Green Tea Sun Cream Giveaway!

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory:

Become an Email Subscriber to PND using the form in the sidebar.
- Already a confirmed Subscriber. Leave a comment letting me know you’re subscriber and completed any one of the additional entries options.

Additional Entries

1. Go to www.jenulence.com – tell PND about your favorite Jenulence product.

2. Stumble, Digg, or Technorati favorite this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link.

3. Follow @purenaturaldiva (use link on the sidebar) & @jenulence on twitter. Leave your twittername in a separate comment.

4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva & Jenulence on Facebook and post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for each.

5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “@PureNaturalDiva,  Diva Giveaway @Jenulence Green Tea Sun Cream http://bit.ly/1Jnr3v”. Then come back and leave the direct link to your tweet (go to your twitter account, click on the words when your tweet was sent (ie. 5 seconds ago) and copy and paste that link in comments.

6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the Jenulence website – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on October 14, 2009 PDT, with winner being announced the morning of Oct 16, 2009. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me before another winner is chosen.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S & Canada.

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Brighter Tomorrow by Organicare: Beauty Review

By Tania Reuben

Microderma Oxygenation Treatment by Organicare

With a Diva Total of 14.4 out of 15 points this product is: Divaliscious

Organicare is a line of Certified Organic Skin Care designed for the individual who wants luxe organic skin care with without sacrificing performance.

For this review I used the Brighter Tomorrow 4 times in a week, then I stopped. After four days without using Brighter Tomorrow my skin  started to feel rougher and the texture was not as nice.  So I definitely did notice a difference.

Using this product is a two step process.

First you apply the mask and massage gently for one minute.

Next you add about 1 teaspoon of the activator and massage for another minute.  You’ll start to feel it warm and tingle.  Note – I don’t recommend using this treatment in the shower – both of the times I tried it in the shower resulted in a mad dash for a dry towel to clear my eyes. The extra moisture from the shower was the source of my troubles.  With practice I’m sure I’d master it, but I’m going to save this treatment for my sink.

Click here for review criteria:

8 Points for Skin Deep Low Hazard Rating.
2 Points for being Organic – Certified USDA.

2 Points for effectiveness – My skin felt very smooth and tingly after this treatment. A little like I’d just come home from a facial!

.7 Point for Texture – The mask is exfoliating, the grain was fine and smooth.  I could feel the mask heating as I massaged it into my skin.  The activator is very thin, almost watery in texture.  When using it I suggest, opening the tube facing up to aid in controlling how much liquid comes out.

.8 Point for Fragrance – Brighter tomorrow is scented with notes of citrus, which I loved. The Aloe Activator is fragrance free.  The scent left on my skin after the treatment was fresh and clean, but interestingly,  not the citrus – which I would have loved more.

.5 Points for Packaging Appearance – The packaging is luxe and very nice. The Mask is in a Glass Jar and the Activator is in a plastic tube. They are sold in an all black  box that contains both items.  Style wise I loved the sleek look of the box – inside the box was a chic black and white stripe.

.4 Points for Packaging Sustainability – The packaging is gorgeous. With 3 components, box, tube and glass jar – it’s a lot of pieces. It would be nice to have less packaging. However, all packaging is produced in a carbon neutral facility and the paper products are made with FSC certified paper products.

Overall:

I enjoyed using Brighter Tomorrow Microderma Oxygination Treatment and will continue to use it because of how great my skin texture was after use.

This is a product for the person who loves to treat themselves to the best of the best – all while demanding a safe product with a corporate conscious.

Brighter Tomorrow retails for $125.

The Winners are Janet, Lisa & Jessica! Congratulations!

Organicare has agreed to give 3 lucky readers a Fresh Fix Hydrating Spray – a $30 Value!

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory:

Become a Verified Email Subscriber to PND.
CLICK HERE.
- After subscribing you will receive an email – check your junk mail – you must verify your subscription using this email to win!
- Already a confirmed Subscriber. Leave a comment letting me know you’re subscriber and completed any one of the additional entries options.

Additional Entries

1. Go to www.icareorganics.com – tell PND about your favorite Organicare product or their corporate vision.

2. Stumble this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link to the stumble.

3. Follow @purenaturaldiva on twitter (use link on the sidebar). Leave your twittername in a separate comment.

4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva on Facebook and post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for each.

5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “@PureNaturalDiva – Organicare Review and Giveaway Fresh Fix, Hydrating Mist, 3 winners $30 Value http://bit.ly/yw3Jp “. Then come back and leave the direct link to your tweet (go to your twitter account, click on the words when your tweet was sent (ie. 5 seconds ago) and copy and paste that link in comments.

6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the Organicare website – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on Sept 23, 2009 PDT, with winner being announced the morning of Sept 25, 2009. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me before another winner is chosen.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

Winners -  Missy, Lisa D and Janett have been notified and have 24 hours to claim their prize!

Everyday Minerals: Make-Up Review

By Tania Reuben

Everyday Minerals offers a full line of Mineral Make Up. Their products are handmade in small batches to ensure product freshness. Stored correctly they should be safe for use for up to 2 years.

With a Diva Total of 13 points Everyday Minerals are: Divaliscious!

Click here for review criteria:

8 Points for Skin Deep Moderate Hazard Rating
0 Points for being Organic

2 Points for effectiveness:
I was easily able to achieve the looks I was going for with Everyday Minerals. For this review I used Everyday Minerals daily in lieu of my day to day make up. I had two functions to attend and I used Everyday Minerals for both. At a wedding I was told my skin was glowing!

1 Point for Texture:
Everyday Minerals Make Up was smooth, easy to apply and blended well. It felt light on my skin. I was also able to achieve a more dramatic look for evenings out.

1 Point for Fragrance:
I didn’t notice any smell or fragrance while using Everyday Minerals.

.5 Points for Packaging Appearance:
Everyday Minerals has simple, elegant packaging. Individual items are not re-packaged in a box. The containers themselves have inserts to limit the “flow” of your make up – making application easier. A few of the small sized containers I received had a clear film over the insert (to prevent the product from leaking) that was challenging to remove. I noticed that other similarly packaged products had a convenient pull tab. My guess is the “tab” is the new and improved film. If you happen run into the tab free film – you’ll want tweezers to remove the film.

.5 Points for Packaging Sustainability
The plastic used is recyclable. Everyday Minerals suggests saving the sample containers to use on the go touch ups.

OVERALL
Watch a full make up application using Everyday Minerals – Check this out:

I was nervous about trying a “full” Mineral make up regime. Worried I would have powder flying everywhere and it would take me forever to do get my make up done. As a mom of two toddlers, spending more time on make up is not an option! My mineral applications are quick and easy. Tip – I keep a piece of paper for blotting my colors, almost like an artist’s palette.

One appeal of Mineral make up is they often have better safety scores. Everyday Minerals scores top points here, nothing in their line scores higher that a 3 in the CD – for me that means I can shop with confidence and just have fun.

You can’t beat the value of Everyday Minerals. Their prices ranging from $2.50 to $12 for a full size foundation. They also over fantastic promotions with their Perks Program – order 5-11 products and get 25% off – order 12 or more products at 45% off!

Everyday Minerals makes it easy for you to find the right colors for your skin. They walk you through the basics of selecting the best shades and will even send you color samples for free (you pay shipping). Once you have the product – they walk you through the application.

While I was able to use my own Make Up brushes, they do offer a full line of Bamboo Vegan Brushes. If you use your own brushes be sure to clean them when your new make up arrives so you don’t cross contaminate.

Colors Used in the Video Application:
Golden Fair Foundation
Fresh Hydrating Concealer
Wild Flowers – Eye Shadow (as brow liner)
Everyday Resort – Eye Pallatte (as eyeliner and crease)
Apple – Blush (as blush and lip color on top of lip balm)

I also loved:
Champagne Lucent Powder – It has a gorgeous shimmer and I didn’t feel guilty dusting it on my daughter when she asked for some.
Dark Brown – Brow Color (as eyeliner) – created a nice dark liner for a more dramatic look.
Rare Silk – Eye Shadow – created a nice shimmer on for the eyes.

Ready to try Everyday Minerals for yourself – Everyday Minerals has agreed to give four lucky readers their latest colors for fall, the Shady Stroll Eyeshadow Palette.

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory:

Become a Confirmed Email Subscriber to PND.
CLICK HERE.
– After subscribing you will receive an email – check your junk mail – you must verify your subscription in this email to win!
– Already a confirmed Subscriber. Leave a comment letting me know you’re subscriber and would like to enter.

Additional Entries

1. Go to www.everydayminerals.com – tell PND which foundation sampler you’d try if you were matching your skin.

2. Stumble this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link to the stumble.

3. Follow @purenaturaldiva on twitter (use link on the sidebar). Leave your twittername in a separate comment.

4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva on Facebook, already a fan – post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment.

5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “@PureNaturalDiva – Everyday Minerals Review – Win one of 4 Shady Stroll Fall colors – http://bit.ly/tc1Tu “. Then come back and leave the direct link to your tweet (go to your twitter account, click on the words when your tweet was sent (ie. 5 seconds ago) and copy and paste that link in comments.

6. Write a post on your blog linking to PND and to Everyday Minerals website – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on Sept 16, 2009 PDT, with winner being announced the morning of Sept 18, 2009. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me before another winner is chosen.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

WINNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED: #1 # 27 #32 & #3

How Safe Are Cosmetics and Body Care Products?

This article does a good job of explaining so many of the concerns I have about cosmetics and Body Care Products. If you are interested in digging a little deeper read the following article.

The government knows just about as much as you do about what you’re putting on your skin—that is to say, not much

Scientific American

Katherine Harmon

Published May 6, 2009

Cosmetics—makeup, creams, fragrances—have been around for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptian and Roman women famously caked on lead-based foundation. (Lead, a metal, can cause nerve, muscle and organ damage.) But surely lead-laden cosmetics have been phased out along with lead-lined water pipes, right? Not necessarily.
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the multi-billion-dollar-a-year cosmetics industry but it lacks the power to approve products or ingredients before they hit store shelves, even though their contents have been shown to enter the body.

According to the FDA, a cosmetic is anything used for “cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance.” An average U.S. consumer uses about 10 cosmetic products every day, including makeup, soap, shampoo, lotion, hair gel and cologne, says Lisa Archer, the national coordinator for The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC), a nonprofit advocacy group based in San Francisco and financed in part by the Breast Cancer Fund, a nonprofit organization. As a result, she says, people are exposed to roughly 126 different chemicals daily, many of which haven’t been thoroughly tested.
“We’re operating in a vacuum in terms of safety,” Archer says. “The FDA doesn’t even define what ’safe’ is, so it’s totally up to the discretion of cosmetic companies.”

Soaking it in, Slathering, powdering, spritzing. The skin is the body’s largest organ and its shield against the surrounding environment. But it is a porous protector, allowing some substances in and others—most notably moisture—out. Some compounds that are applied to the skin’s surface can be absorbed into the body, including the estimated four pounds (1.8 kilograms) of lipstick an average lipstick-wearer consumes in a lifetime, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit public interest organization based in Washington, D.C.

To read the full article:
http://www.ewg.org/newsclip/Saving-Face-How-Safe-Are-Cosmetics-and-Body-Care-Products