For children and adults alike, summer is usually an explosion of freedom, fun and fair food. But with each of our outdoor activities come dreaded (and uninvited) guests – an army of mosquitos, ants and other pesky bugs.So how can you avoid them? Since we don’t want you slathering yourself with unwanted chemicals and sprays, we’ve come up with a top 8 list of our favorite natural repellents to keep the bugs at bay. 1. Add new foods to your diet. If you know you’ll be spending some time in a bug-infested area, think about munching on a clove of...

 Every time we head out into the sunshine, we lather ourselves and our children with sunscreen to keep them safe from burns, sun poisoning and the many other risks that come along with increased sun exposure. But what if the sunscreens we’re using to keep our children safe are actually more hurtful in the long run? Is keeping them safe today worth the risk of the long-term damage from the many dangerous chemicals used by most companies?That question can only be answered with careful due diligence and a series of follow-up questions. However, we have included a few of the most...

In many instances, increased sun exposure gets a bad rap. Not only can it be a cause of various types of skin cancer, but too much time in the sun can lead to severe dehydration, first and second degree burns and heat exhaustion.But when enjoyed with caution, the sun can be the key to the improvement of your mood and overall health. This is largely because the more sunlight you enjoy, the more Vitamin D that gets produced in your body. So what does Vitamin D do, anyway? Known often as the “sunshine vitamin,” this particular vitamin is produced in...

Many of us are constantly fighting a battle against dry skin. We use moisturizers, exfoliators, expensive skin treatments and supplements to try to restore a loss of moisture so frequently that we hardly think dry skin is unusual. But what if dry skin wasn’t always an eventuality, but a result of the choices we make in our everyday life? Although moisture loss can result from external factors out of our control, including hormonal shifts, external aggressors like high winds and excessive sun or even the humidity in your home, it can also easily result from beverage and diet choices. Take...

Reap The Benefits of Topically Applied Green TeaGreen tea has been a hallmark of many cultures, and is most frequently enjoyed alone or with sugar as a warm or cool drink. Many have found that regular consumption can even reduce inflammatory responses and help people to manage discomfort and pain. Other benefits of green tea include improving neurological functions, energizing the body, and fighting against the formation of free radicals that can ultimately lead to the formation of cancer.However, you can also reap the benefits of green tea by applying it topically. Read below to see some our favorites. A green...

Earlier this month, Sharima Rasanayagam, the Director of Science for the Breast Cancer Fund, published an article at CNN.com lamenting the unregulated presence of lead in lipsticks. Citing the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ (CFSC) 2007 study “A Poison Kiss”, where 61% of lipsticks tested positively for lead, she describes a cosmetics industry that continues to be unregulated and dangerous for women who are frequent users of this loved beauty product. So, what’s the truth? Is lipstick use as dangerous as Rasanayagam argues?Yes, other authors write. Articles at CBSnews.com, the NYTimes.com and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ website all argue that the...

A few weeks ago, we published a blog about spring cleaning your bathroom and cosmetic cabinets (you can check out that blog and the special spring promo we have here). But if you’re looking to keep the rest of your house fresh too, how can you make sure your other rooms are as naturally clean as your cosmetics cabinet? If you’re looking to keep things fresh and chemical-free this season, check out some of the best homemade cleaning solutions we gathered to help you tackle any mess lingering from the winter months. All-Purpose Cleaner What You Need: one spray bottle,...

 As the middle of March approaches, most of us can hardly tamp down our excitement as we taste spring in the air. Not only does it mean that the outdoors are beginning to beckon – we’re starting to realize that our favorite things about warmer weather are finally no longer distant memories.Read more below to see what living an organic lifestyle means to us when spring rolls around. 1. Farmers Markets Are Back!Who doesn’t love a great farmers market? We know we do! Wondering where to find the closest farmers market? Visit Local Harvest, a website dedicated to the promotion...

When the spring season rolls around, we all look forward to breathing in the freshness of the general outdoors. However, as we start to open up windows and air out the rugs, we realize that it might be time for that annual event we are all so fond of – a nice spring clean. But did you know that your makeup bag could be just as much of a culprit as the area behind the fridge? To protect you from products that should be tossed, we’ve compiled a list of the following general tips for our cosmetics and skin care products. Please...

  During the (often freezing) winter months, women are bundling up around North America in heavy layers, snow boots and – you guessed it – heavy face creams to protect their skin. But even as winter lingers on in February, there are hints of warmer weather peeking through – which means that many of us are wondering which of those winter creams are needed for a skin routine for spring.Because every woman’s skin needs are a little different, we’ve decided to profile some of our favorite ingredients in our face creams, so that you can look at the labels and decide...