Product Review: 100 Percent Pure Tinted Moisturizer

After hearing so many good things about 100% Pure, and loving the idea behind this brand ( everything is made with natural ingredients and the colors come from vegetable and fruit pigments)  I decided to finally give it a shot, especially since I was running out of foundation and needed to buy a new one anyway. I decided to try out the Fruit Pigmented Tinted Moisturizer in the color White Peach.  It is described as:

“Tinted with natural fruit and vegetable pigments to give your complexion a flawless appearance while feeding your skin with nourishing white tea, acai oil, pomegranate oil and vitamins. SPF 20 protects your skin against the sun's harmful UVA (ultra violet aging) and UVB (ultra violet burning) rays while antioxidants protect your skin from other environmental hazards such as pollution, smog, smoke, exhaust, etc.”

The coverage is definitely a little sheer at first, but easily buildable, I just used two very light pumps to achieve the coverage I wanted, which still looked very natural and gave me that “my skin but better” look.  I have broken capillaries and a few dark spots and this evened out my complexion and hid the imperfections in a natural way that didn’t make it seem like I was wearing a lot of make-up, which is always a good thing! The shade White Peach is a bit darker than my skin tone but I actually really liked this because it gives me a bit of a glowy tan, which is always good in the wintertime when my yellow-based skin tone begins to resemble that of a pasty zombie :P  

I really love that this product works so well, and is made from such natural and organic ingredients ( I’ve included the ingredient list at the bottom). Because of the antioxidants and moisturizing properties of this product, my skin actually benefits from using it and still looks good at the end of the day when I take it off! Basically I don’t have to feel as guilty about wearing it all over my face on a daily basis like I would with other non-natural foundations, and it has sun protection as well. I was having a bit of a breakout on my forehead and it improved during the course of the week that I started using this, and while I can’t be certain that it got better specifically due to this product, it definitely didn’t get worse, which is what always happens when I put any type of foundation on while I’m breaking out, so this really speaks to the quality of the product.  The coverage might be too light if you suffer from acne-prone skin all over your face, but in that case you could probably use their foundation instead!

Also, here’s a pro tip about using the bottle!  For your first time using it, be sure to flip the bottle upside down and start pumping it to “activate the airless pump” to get the product to come out. I didn’t know this and spent 3 minutes pressing down on the pump with nothing coming out and getting increasingly confused and frustrated ( just picture that scene of Zoolander trying to figure out how to get files from a computer for an accurate portrayal of what this looked like :P ). The bottle doesn’t come with that “pump straw” on the inside, which is admirable and great for the environment but very confusing for functionally-challenged people like myself ( note use of the term “pump straw” above). Yet another example of why it is always important to read directions first!

Verdict: 

 I think this is a great option for an everyday foundation – it does the job yet looks natural at the same time. You get 1.7 fl ounces / 50 ml of product in the bottle for $35, which is a great price considering the amazing ingredients and the fact that a little goes a long way.

Overall I really love this tinted moisturizer and can't wait to try more products from 100 % Pure, especially their fruit pigmented Mascara!

Ingredients:

Pigments of Peach, Apricot, Carrot, Pomegranate, Cocoa Bean, Goji Berry and Tomato, White Tea, Cucumber Juice, Aloe Juice, Acai Oil and Pomegranate Oil, Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), Rice Starch, Candelilla Wax, Extracts of Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Grapefruit Seed, Japanese Honeysuckle, Goldenseal and Cinnamon SUNSCREEN ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: 15% Titanium Dioxide and 10% Zinc Oxide

FTC: Not sponsored, and purchased with my own money

Insanely Easy Room/Aromatherapy Spray

Want to know how to make a super easy yet extremely fragrant room freshener/aromatherapy spray with just two ingredients? Keep reading!

For this DIY you will need:

• An empty spray bottle
• Some H2O
• An essential oil of your choice (I like peppermint, lavender, or sweet orange)

How to:

All you have to do is fill an empty spray bottle ¾ of the way up with water and then add at least 20 drops of oil, and shake vigorously!

Note:

I use empty spray bottles left over from toner or other beauty products – just make sure to clean it out with warm water beforehand to make sure any left other product or scent does not remain.

I use the Aura Cacia brand of essential oils because the quality is great and they are widely available, including your neighborhood grocery stores. Peppermint oil has an energizing effect, lavender relaxes you, and sweet orange just smells amazing.  It is always fun to experiment with unusual scents as well!

This room spray is essentially free if you have any old spray bottles and have some essential oil around.

Uses:

A small bottle of essential oil goes a long way and has multiple uses, for example rubbing some peppermint oil on your temples helps with headaches, so it’s a handy thing to have around the house in either case. I like to add additional drops into my spray, and it still lasts me for around 5-6 bottles of room spray so it’s a lot more cost effective than buying a bottle from the store. It can also be used as an air freshener, ie in your kitchen or bathroom, or use it for aromatherapy by spraying it on your pillow or entire room if you’re trying to relax. I like to spray this before bedtime, it really does make a difference!

I hope you give this easy DIY a try!

FTC: not sponsored, all ingredients were purchased by myself

An Ode to Coconut Oil

I had always heard about the benefits of coconut oil for your hair, but it wasn’t until very recently that I discovered that this oil is truly a multi-purpose product for health and beauty!

First, let’s start off with the healthy properties of coconut oil. Organic, cold-pressed coconut oil contains an abundant amount of lauric acid ( around 40%) which is amazing because the only other natural source of this acid is breast milk – aka something that’s not accessible to most of us ;). It has antiviral, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties and not only is it extremely helpful when taken internally because it prevents infections and viruses like the flu, but it also has antiseptic and healing abilities when applied externally.

Internal Use:

I have been mixing a teaspoon of coconut oil with hot water and lemon and I drink this in the mornings. This is a quick and easy way to consume coconut oil in order to reap its health benefits, otherwise coconut oil can be quite heavy when taken straight. This drink is also a great way to detoxify and help your liver. I have noticed that I have more energy and feel more awake when I drink this, which says a lot because I am usually dependent on coffee to be a functioning human being in the mornings! I am slowly trying to incorporate up to two tablespoons of coconut oil into my daily routine as the taste and texture (while delicious!) does take some getting used to. Simply adding coconut oil to your tea or coffee is another alternative for those that do need some caffeine.

I’ve also started using coconut oil to “oil-pull”. This is the process of swirling a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for around 20 minutes . This helps to clean your mouth by getting rid of bacteria, improves your dental health, and even removes stains from your teeth. I tend to have sensitive gums which feel “itchy” and irritated at times and I’ve noticed that this sensation goes away after I oil-pull.  Just be sure to spit out all the oil and rinse your mouth out afterwards with water – and never gargle or swallow the oil as it is full with bacteria!

External Use:

Because of its anti-bacterial and moisturizing properties, coconut oil is great to use on your skin!

It is very useful in removing bacteria and nourishing your skin, for example, from cuts and scrapes, or dry cuticles and hangnails. I get extremely dry skin in the winter time, especially on my hands  and I’ve noticed that when I would apply coconut oil overnight, my cuticles and hangnails would be extremely softened and the irritation and redness would be gone. I also use it as a face moisturizer when my skin is really dry – but I do this sparingly because it’s a very heavy moisturizer and there are some reports that it can block your pores. I have personally never had a problem with this but everyone’s skin is different.

This is also a great moisturizer to use all over your body, and can also be used as a shaving gel! It helps with dandruff as well – simply massage the oil onto the affected area and allow it to soak in!  Additionally, it’s an important ingredient in DIY lip balm...or you could even just use it by itself on your lips.

What type of Coconut Oil should one use?

It is important to get organic, extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil in order to gain all the anti-bacterial and health benefits, otherwise, many of these health properties are lost in the refining process.

I am currently using Artisana Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil and Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (as you can see I’m almost out of it!). Both of these are amazing and go a long way – a quarter-sized amount of solid coconut oil is enough to cover both my hands and a little past my wrists (when melted). They were both around $10 USD, which is great considering how many of your products can be replaced by just one jar of coconut oil! There are other brands you can find at your local health store and online, but just make sure they are cold-pressed, organic, and extra-virgin if possible!

PHEW! That was a lot of information! Not sure if you’ll be able to remember it all? Check out and save this handy infographic from Pinterest for a break-down of all the benefits of coconut oil!

Are there any other ways that you use coconut oil? Let me know in the comments!

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! Here is a place for me to put down my thoughts on natural and toxins-free beauty!  My foray into green beauty products was not as easy as I had expected, as not all products are as healthy as they may initially seem on their label. Thus, I'll be sharing my favorite green beauty products, some DIY's, as well as information on healthy living.I'm still learning along the way and I'm here to share my journey with you.