You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Reviewed by Donna’ category.
What is the big deal about straws you say? Well plenty.
Our standard plastic drinking straw is a landfill nightmare. They do not biodegrade. They get eaten by animals to tragic results. In North America we throw out hundreds of billions of plastic drinking straws each year.
Yuck.
That is why I love the reusable, glass drinking straws from Glass Dharma. It is a stroke of genius really.
Glass Dharma straws are made of borosilicate glass – the strongest commercially available glass on the market. It’s the same type of glass that your glass coffee pot or your Pyrex® pie plate is made from. It is dishwasher safe and contains no lead. Love that.
I have been using them for ages and they are amazing. They are extremely durable (I am hard on mine and have yet to break one).
They are also fantastic because, as a makeup artist, I encourage models and anyone in my chair to use a straw in order to preserve their makeup. So when you sip your bevy out of a Glass Dharma straw you are saving your lipstick and the environment. What is not to like about that?
Simple Elegance - my favourite
Be beautiful. Feel good about it.
So, you’re checking ingredients. You know parabens are to be avoided. What else is on the hit list? Sodium Lauryl Sulfate often referred to as SLS.
What is the deal with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
Why is it in our products anyway?
We, consumers, have come to expect many of our cleansers and cleansing products to “foam up” and that is one of the main functions of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate. They also break down grease. Both ingredients are used across a broad spectrum of products: shampoo, body wash, facial cleansers and dish soap to name a few. In high concentrations it is used in industrial products to clean engines, floors and cars. Nice.
What makes this ingredient so appealing to the companies that use it?
It’s cheap.
What makes it nasty?
Well, it has been linked to a wide spectrum of issues from serious skin irritation to possible cancer.
Seriously? What is the science?
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is an ethoxylated compound. This means that when it’s created, it’s processed with ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen. Traces of ethylene oxide and 1,4-Dioxane (another known carcinogen) can remain in the product. In fact, it is this process that is the culprit for creating a host of other toxic ingredients from polyethylene glycol (also known as PEG) to anything with an “eth” (such as sodium myreth sulfate).
Of course, there is the camp that supports SLS and its relatives claiming that the amount found in products is well within the safe amounts laid out by governing bodies. Again, my take on it is that it’s a matter of accumulation. As well, compounds like sodium lauryl sulfate and propylene glycol are penetration enhancers which break down the protective barrier of skin, making the risk of these ingredients staying in the body even higher.
If you are interested in a deeper understanding of the science behind it all here are some excellent resources. I reference them often:
- Bubble & Bee: Chemicals to Avoid
- Cosmetic Database: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Cosmetic Database: Sodium Laureth Sulfate
The bottom line
Products that are labeled SLS and SLES-free are the way to go, in my mind.
Be beautiful. Feel good about it.
It happens to all of us. Sometimes I am just too tired to wash my face at night. I know. I know. It only takes a couple of minutes and I am the first person to preach never, ever going to bed without removing makeup and cleansing. But some nights – it all seems like too much.
That is when I reach for Kaia Bamboo Cleansing Cloths.
Kaia Bamboo Cleansing Cloths
I adore these!
Kaia Bamboo Cleansing Cloths are a cleanser, toner and makeup remover all in one. Honest. They will remove makeup and the grime from the day in just one cloth. One cloth.
These super soft cleansing cloths are made of bamboo (natch) and are biodegradable. I usually shy away from cleansing cloths because they just create waste, but not these. Love that.
The ingredients in Kaia Bamboo Cleansing Cloths are fantastic: Canadian organic honey : an emollient and nutrient with antioxidant and anti-microbial properties with the ability to absorb and retain moisture; Cetyl Alcohol : a fatty alcohol from plant oils with emulsifying properties, Sunflower Seed Oil: the extract from sunflower seeds, a rich emollient high in linoleic and oleic essential fatty acids and vitamin E, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, extremely mild cleansing agent which is skin friendly and derived from oats, Panthenol: A moisturizer, derived from vitamin B5, with humectant-like properties that aid in skin absorption.
I also love these not just for those nights when I am too tired/ lazy to use water, but they are brilliant for traveling. Kaia Bamboo Cleansing Cloths are a staple in my cosmetic bag. Love them big time.
Be beautiful. Feel good about it.
If there is one beauty product I have in my handbag or in my pocket at all times it is Hemp Organics Lip Tints. I wear them all the time. All. The. Time.
If I am only going to grab one makeup item it will be lip colour and these are by far one of my ultimate favs. Hemp Organics Lip Tints are perfect for the hottest summer days and coldest winter nights. They are a Green Beauty hero. I could go on and on.
Hemp Organics Lip Tint in Love
The colours offered in Hemp Organics Lip Tints are fantastic.
Wine is a gorgeous merlot red – perfect for gals with olive skin or fairer skin tones who want a pop of warmth for Fall.
Hemp Organics Lip Tint in Wine
Rose is a delicate pink – the ideal shade for the final days of summer.
Hemp Organics Lip Tint in Rose
Berry is a luscious, candy apple red – gorgeous on all skin tones. It adds richness without intense colour.
Hemp Organics Lip Tint in Berry
Kiss is a beautiful tawny pink and creates a perfect neutral lip on those with fair skin tones.
Hemp Organics Lip Tint in Kiss
Terra is a heavenly shade that creates a beautiful neutral lip on those with medium to dark skin tones.
Hemp Organics Lip Tint in Terra
What I love the most about Hemp Organics Lip Tints is that they give a moderate amount of colour while feeling like a lip balm. In fact, they moisturize just like a lip balm with top-notch ingredients like: carnauba wax, certified organic hemp seed oil, certified organic jojoba oil and vitamin E. I also love the thin tube as it goes on like a dream.
Beautiful colour – soft lips – organic ingredients. I bet you can’t have just one. I sure can’t.
Be beautiful. Feel good about it.
Blotting papers are a glorious thing. They have yet to really take off in North America the way they have in Europe and Asia for reasons I do not understand. They are the best – absolutely the best way to keep your face shine-free and your makeup fresh. Honest. No more reapplying of powder through out the day.
These Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers are my favourite by far.
Tatcha Blotting Papers
Why? Let me count the ways:
1. Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers are 3.75 inches in size – substantially larger that other blotting papers.
2. They are made from the finest abaca leaf known for its absorbency and softness. No talc is added (which would remove makeup and possibly irritate delicate skin).
3. They are brilliant and easy to use! Take a single sheet (from the beautiful packaging) and gently pat it on the areas of your face that need either oil control or just a freshening. Your makeup will stay in place. I find it enhances my makeup midday because it gives it a matte finish. You can use both sides as well.
4. Tatcha Blotting Papers work as a beautiful primer before makeup application for those with dry skin. Simply pat a single sheet over your face after applying your moisturizer to help create the perfect canvas for your makeup.
5. They are ideal for: brides, traveling, keeping in your purse, keeping in your desk drawer, keeping in your gym bag, freshening up before a night out. Love that.
6. You will feel elegant and sophisticated when you use them – a happy, albeit frivolous, perk.
7. Even Oprah likes them….
Be beautiful. Feel good about it.
I get asked all the time why I like the products on Green Beauty. So – due to popular demand I am going to highlight a product a week for a Reviewed by Donna column. If there is product you want to know more about – leave a comment on the post or email me at beautiful@greenbeauty.ca.
There are many reasons why I am a big fan of Consonant Organic Foaming Face Wash.
Consonant Organic Foaming Face Wash
First and foremost this cleanser really works and feels great. It gets all of my makeup and sunscreen off no worries. As it is a foaming cleanser it is super light – like whipping cream. So it feels gentle and silky when you use it. Love that.
I also love that you don’t need a lot. Just 2 or 3 pumps is ample to wash your entire face and neck.
The packaging is also terrific. I don’t mind bringing it into the shower because it is plastic so it won’t break and because it is an air-tight pump it won’t spill. I appreciate the clean, modern design.
And of course there are the ingredients - Consonant Organic Foaming Face Wash does not contain: Phthalates, Petroleum Ingredients, Sulphates, Silicone, Synthetic Colour, Synthetic Fragrance or Paraben Preservatives. Some of the hero ingredients it does contain are teatree oil and grapeseed oil to help hydrate skin, eliminate uneven skin tones and fight blemishes.
I would say the Consonant Organics Foaming Face Wash is great for all skin types. After using it my skin feels clean without feeling tight (my skin is combination as well as easily dehydrated). I think those with oily, combination or sensitive skin will especially appreciate it.
Be beautiful. Feel good about it.
Recent Comments