current obsession // Fall Layering

Since moving to the Mid-West, I've been super excited to get my layering on.  All those different textures and colors, it just screams cozy chic!  So when Fall hit, I didn't waste a second finding some inspiration.  This Florida girl has always loved layering clothing and accessories, but in that humid heat it was rarely an option.  Not anymore!  

I figure some of you may be in the same boat, so I thought I'd share some of my favs.  ;)

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I really could go on.... but it's time to get in those closets of ours and start creating cute fall outfits.  And go!

 

A Season of Change...

Change {for me} is always hard.  

But I will admit, it can also open up the way for new & exciting opportunities.  

Because of that, I try not to fear change so much.

If you've been following me then you'll know that Brian and I have two furry babies who we love so so much.  Unfortunately, our oldest, Phoenix, started to decline after our move to KY and we had to say goodbye a few weeks ago.  It was probably one of the hardest things we have ever had to do.

The only thing that makes me feel better is knowing he is now at peace and not struggling anymore.

Going through this life changing event left Lexi, our little one, a bit lost and sad {us too!}.  She has lived her whole life {except the first 8 weeks} with Phoenix and we knew she would be lonely without him.  In time, we decided we wanted to get another pup to keep her company.

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Well, that day came last week when we brought home Harvey.

 

 He's such a sweet & spunky pup, and reminds us SO much of our Phoenix.  That's the main reason we just had to have him.  

He is getting used to his surroundings and even though it took Lexi and few days to figure out what he was..lol...they are now becoming fast friends.

We will forever miss our "Stinky" {Phoenix}, but we are looking forward to making new memories with Lexi and Harvey.

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Amidst all of this, I have been on the job hunt and just this past Monday I accepted a new position doing something a little different and {I hope} fun.

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If you're going through a hard time or a "season of change" as well, just remember to keep your chin up, think positively and know that there is a rainbow after every storm...even if it's not visible right away.

review // SheaMoisture Olive & Green Tea Body Products

I've been using these products for quite some time now, about the same time I started using the SheaMoisture Facial Moisturizers (about 9 months ago), and I've wanted to share them with you all after the first use.  For one reason or another I kept putting it off, but no more... my review is here!  ;)

PACKAGING

All of SheaMoisture's body products come in recyclable plastic containers.  The body lotion and wash comes in squeeze bottles with flip top lids and the body butter comes in a squeeze tube.  They are very substantial and sturdy.  I've been using them for months (even leaving one in the shower) and I've noticed no leaking or cracking of the plastic.  The labels are also very resilient and do not peel or tear, even with a lot of use.  I think the packaging is great except for one thing.  The squeeze top on the lotion bottle is pointless... unless you have robot hands.  After about the second use, you have to REALLY squeeze the bottle to get any product out.  For one, the bottle alone isn't easy to squeeze and the lotion is a thicker consistency and so it doesn't move fluidly in the bottle to get out.  I hope that makes sense..lol.  To fix the issue, I put a pump on the bottle instead of the flip top lid.  BUT... that only worked a couple of times until the pump couldn't handle the lotion's thickness.  After that, I gave up and now I just use the pump's dip (the piece that goes down into the product) to get lotion out.  Honestly, that's my only qualm, but it's not a deal-beaker.

 PRODUCT

"Blended with certified organic Shea Butter, this collection deeply moisturizes and repairs dry skin, while helping prevent early signs of aging."

+ Olive Oil is high in vitamin E and fatty acids, which helps to hydrate, repair and heal skin.  
+ Avocado Oil is rich in vitamins A, D, and E, lecithin and potassium, helping to regenerate skin cells and deeply moisturize skin. 
+ Antioxidant Green Tea Extract helps protect skin from free radical damage. 

Overall, this collection promises to leave skin soft and youthful looking.   And don't we all want that!?

Olive & Green Tea BODY WASH w/ Avocado - 13 oz. - $8.99

 The body wash is a translucent green and has a loose gel-like consistency.  This wash is super concentrated and lathers very well, so you only need a tiny bit to wash your whole body.  I use a bath loofah and it works great.  It has a very light, and somewhat sweet, citrusy/herbal scent.  I find it really nice and non-offensive.  The BEST part of this body wash is that it doesn't leave my skin squeaky or stripped feeling after I rinse.  It actually moisturizes so effectively that in the summer I don't really need to apply lotion when I get out of the shower.  That's pretty amazing for my dry sensitive skin.

This wash does NOT contain parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance or color, DEA, or sulfates, plus it isn't tested on animals, which is awesome.  They do use cocamidopropyl betaine as their soap component, which is naturally derived from coconut.  It's still synthesized, so it's not the most natural option, but I think it is a better option than the fully-synthesized, skin irritating sulfates.  So in that regard, I'll take it.   

Olive & Green Tea BODY LOTION w/ Avocado - 13 oz. - $8.99

The body lotion is an opaque off-white and has a medium thick consistency (it actually melts and thins when on skin).  Becasue of this, it sinks in quickly and fully absorbs in just a couple minutes.  This is important to me becasue I hate the sticky lotion feel, especially when it's time to get dressed... yuck!  Like the body wash, the lotion has the same light, and somewhat sweet, citrusy/herbal scent.  This lotion is great all over and the scent fades nicely, so it won't overpower my natural perfumes. 

The lotion also does NOT contain parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance or color, DEA, or sulfates, and isn't tested on animals.

Olive & Green Tea BODY BUTTER w/ Avocado - 6 oz. - $9.79

The body butter is VERY similar to the lotion but just a bit thicker.  It's also an opaque off-white color and melts and thins when applied to skin.  Even though it's a bit thicker, I still think it fully absorbs in just a few minutes.  Again, it has the same scent.  I think this butter would work all over, especially in the winter, but I really like to use it on my hands and feet before bed.  I love waking up to moisturized, soft skin.  :) 

Again, the butter does NOT contain parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance or color, DEA, or sulfates, and isn't tested on animals. I did notice that the ingredients on my tube differ slightly from the ingredients on their website... looks like in the past several months they've removed & added a few things, so if you plan to get this be aware of that.  One of the additions is Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, which I've had bad reactions to in the past (on my face).  But they've also added mango butter, which is great for skin.  I am about halfway through my current tube and if I do repurchase, I'll update this post if I notice any major difference.


SheaMoisture has over 10 different collections (scents), but the Olive & Green Tea is definitely my favorite.  I have tried the Raw Shea Lotion, which is nice, and the Super Fruits Lotion, which worked great too, but I didn't care for the scent.  If you're interested, check out all of them on their website.


PRICING

$ out of $$$

 I think the body wash and lotion are a great deal.  You get a lot of product for under $10.  The butter is a bit more expensive... I guess because it's supposed to be more luxurious and moisturizing.  Not sure if I 100% believe that, but if you want to give it a go, it definitely won't break the bank.

PURCHASING

Unfortunately, you can't purchase from the SheaMoisture website yet, but you can find their body products at Target, Ulta, your local drug stores and Drugstore.com.

 CONCLUSION

 Overall, I really love these body products and I can say with certainty that I will definitely keep repurchasing the lotion and body wash (I'm on my second one of each).  They naturally nourish my skin and I can't help but feel like they also keep my skin looking young and firm.



Let me know if you have tried any SheaMoisture products and which are your favorites!!

moving!

Hello, my dears!  Yes, I know... I've been MIA for the past couple months.  While I usually try to let you guys know if I'm going to be taking a short break before I take it, this break was not really planned.  Brian and I have been going through a whirlwind of changes lately and honestly, I've been a little distracted.  What's the big deal, you ask? 

Well, WE MOVED from Florida to KENTUCKY!!  :)

If you've ever moved to a new state, then you'll understand the stress it can cause and the time it steals from your life...lol.  I've literally spent a month putting our life into boxes and then the next taking it out (plus all that fun becoming-a-KY-resident stuff, like getting a new license, car registration, insurance...oh, and looking for a new job).  In the end, it was all worth it though because we love it here.  :)  We are finally settled and I'm ready to get back to blogging.  I've really missed it!

haul // Vitacost

I watch a lot of YouTube vloggers who focus on natural health & beauty and many share their Vitacost purchases, which they refer to as hauls.  I also shop on Vitacost and love seeing what other people buy.  Yes, that's right, I'm super nosy.  Haha.  But anyhow, I thought maybe I'd share what I buy in case anyone out there is as nosy as I am.  ;)  I also think it's a quick way to get some ideas on new things to try.

If you're not familiar with Vitacost, it's a website that sells a large selection of discounted beauty & personal care, health & wellness, food, and home products, most of which are natural.  They often have sales and if you belong to Ebates, they offer 4% cash back when you shop on Vitacost.com.  Vitacost also offers free shipping for orders over $49.  Since I only buy from there every two months or so, I definitely meet that threshold.

So, enough chatting, let me show you my latest order!

[ from left to right... oh and don't mind Lexi snoozing on the sofa in the background ;) ]

1. George's Always Active® Aloe Spray Mister - 8 fl oz - I love using this as a face refresher and as a spray before I apply makeup.  I will be doing a post soon on a DIY face mist/setting spray that includes this and some of the other items here.  :)

2. Seabuck Wonders Organic Himalayan Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil - 1.76 fl oz - You may have heard about Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil...well, this is it's even more amazing sister!  You can also take this internally, but I use it as a boost to my facial moisturizer.  I apply one drop of this mixed with a few drops of Jojoba or Maracuja oil at night after washing my face.  It's health and skin benefits are amazing. Just be aware it will tint your skin slightly yellow after applying, but it sinks in and disappears after a couple of hours and/or overnight.

3. Heritage Products Flower Water Gardenia - 4 fl oz - I've never tried this spray before, but I bought it to use in a DIY project.  It's aroma is stress relieving, and gardenia has been shown to provide deep replenishing and restructuring to skin.

4. Heritage Products Rose Petals Rosewater Body Splash - 8 fl oz - This was my third time purchasing this rose water, becasue I LOVE it so much.  It smells great (if you like roses) and it moisturizes my skin so well.  It really drinks it up.  I spray this on my face after cleansing and after applying my mineral makeup.  I also spray it on during the day if my face is feeling parched or my makeup is looking a little dry.

5. Madhava Natural Sweeteners Organic Very Raw Honey - 22 oz - I use honey to wash my face in the morning and was using this raw honey, but decided I wanted to try something different when that one ran out. They are both organic and raw, but the first one was a light yellow, and had a very creamy spreadable texture, where as this one is a dark amber and is very crystallized.  This gives me a bit of exfoliation when I wash, so I seem to like that better, so far.  Oh, and it tastes great too!

6. NuNaturals Pure Liquid™ Clear Stevia™ Glass Bottle - 2 fl oz - I use stevia packets in my tea and oatmeal, so I thought I'd give these stevia drops a try as an alternative and for in baked goods.  I've only tried it in my tea, so far, but it worked great and there was no bitter aftertaste.

7. Edward & Sons Let's Do Organic Gluten Free Coconut Flour - 16 oz - I first used this one, which I liked, but just thought I'd try Edward & Sons since it was a little cheaper.  I use it to make GF pizza crust and pancakes, and so far they both have turned out great!  This one is a tad lighter in color than the first one I tried, but that's the only difference I've noticed.

8. Vitacost Biotin -- 5000 mcg - 120 Capsules - Not much to say here... I've been buying Biotin at my local Target for years.  This is the same thing, but way less expensive.  Biotin promotes hair, skin and nail health.

9. Vitacost 100% Pure Cedarwood Oil - 1 fl oz - I bought this to use in some of my natural DIYs.  It has a woody, masculine scent that mixes well with vanilla.  It's considered to be grounding, calming and balancing.

10. Nature's Way Alive!® Once Daily Women's Multi-Vitamin Ultra Potency - 60 Tablets - I've been using these for about 6 months now and this is my third bottle.  I was using One A Day Energy before which has caffeine and Guarana in it.  I'd been wanting to switch to a more natural whole food vitamin for some time and then came across this one on Vitacoast. I definitely feel a difference and I actually have more energy with this one.  It's a little more expensive, but I think it's worth it.

11. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour - 44 oz - This mix is all natural, wheat free, dairy free & kosher, and is specially designed for those sensitive to wheat and gluten.  Which I tend to be.  I just tried this for the first time in banana bread and it turned out great!

12. Desert Essence Organic Jojoba Oil - 4 fl oz - I've been using Jojoba oil for a couple of years now.  At the moment, I am using it to cleanse my face (using the oil cleansing method) and moisturize afterward.  From what I've read, Jojoba oil is very similar to the natural oils in our skin, so using it can help regulate oil overproduction since your skin thinks it's properly nourished already.  I've used different brands before, like NOW and Aura Cacia, which were good.  But I decided to try Desert Essence becasue it was, again, a little less expense (specifically the organic version) and it still got great reviews.  I try to only use organic carrier oils since they are going to be seeping into my skin.

 

13. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay - 1 lb - For some reason this bugger escaped my photo session... I think it's because I was too excited and immediately took it in the bathroom to try it out..lol.  Needless to say, it was worth it, becasue this stuff is amazing!  It's simply 100% natural calcium Bentonite Clay, which has many uses, but I got it to use as a deep pore cleansing face mask.  All you do is mix it with water or apple cider vinegar, apply, let dry and then rinse off.  You'll have brighter, softer skin in just 20 minutes.

 Well, that was everything!  I hope you enjoyed this kind of post.  If you have any questions about anything I've shown here, please comment below and I'd be happy to give you more of my thoughts!

And if you're interested in placing an order with Vitacost, feel free to use my link and save $10 off you first purchase!