Beauty, Charm & Style

I have a new boyfriend and he makes me smile from ear to ear.  He’s really earthy, and totally cool and natural and he always smells fresh.  And best of all, he makes my lips tingle just at the slightest touch.

Okay, so he’s not my boyfriend, but his name is JASON and it’s a line of oral hygiene products I have fallen in love with. I’ve started using both the JASON Natural Cosmetics brand Power Smile Toothpaste and Mouthwash and its done wonders to my smile.

JASON Natural Personal Care Products

Just because it’s a natural product doesn’t mean it’s different from the stuff you grew up with as a kid.  Using it the same was as I would the regular, chemically infused brands, I brush my teeth twice a day for at least 2 minutes each round.  I rinse with the mouthwash afterwards for about a minute, spit it all out and smile at myself in the mirror.  It is the same routine I’ve been doing for a quarter of a century.

The peppermint taste leaves my mouth clean during the day and the whole time I’m asleep – no hot, stinky morning breath for me!  And knowing I’m using an oral hygiene line that doesn’t contain harsh, untested chemicals makes me smile even more.

The Breakdown:

• $3.39 for 6 oz tube of toothpaste
• $6.63 for 16 oz bottle of mouthwash
• Infused with botanicals, plants, roots, herbs, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
• Contains 3 natural whiteners to polish and whiten without harsh abrasives.

Tips:

• If you have problems adjusting to the new natural taste, rinse your mouth out with a big gulp of water after you brush and use the mouthwash.  You get the same benefits without the aftertaste.

My family back home in Texas is a rather proper Southern family.  Sororities, country clubs, charity leagues, white gloves and ladies tea parties were all part of my upbringing.  I took my first etiquette class when at the age of 12 where I learned proper table manners and how to conduct myself in the most gentile of ways.

All rules went out the window at my grandparent’s house, especially when my Granny was away.   And Saturday breakfast was always grapefruit with my Gramps. True, we used the proper grapefruit spoon, but I doubt my Granny would have approved of us squeezing the grapefruit out onto the bowl and slurping up the excess juice.  Luckily, she never caught us.

Grapefruit is still one of my favorite fruits, and the citrus smell of a fresh cut Texas Ruby Red, brings me back to these lazy summer days.  And with a stoke of luck, I can revisit those days at my grandparents house every morning when I open up my jar of My Beautiful Soap & Co’s Grapefruit Salt Scrub.

My Beautiful Soap & Co’s Grapefruit Salt Scrub

What’s a girl to do when she has 5 minutes to spare in the shower while she waits for her hair masque to fully hydrate her hair – Full Body Salt Scrub!

Going about my salt scrub is the most basic manner; I just dig my fingers in and pull out a handful of the yummy mixture and start to rubbing. Exfoliating dead skin off my shoulders, elbows, check, tummy, hips, booty, knees, legs, feet and my back, the salt scrub leaves my skin soft, smooth and silky.

And this scrub is thick.  Not some pansy scrub that deteriorates at the faintest IDEA of water, my grapefruit scrub stays put and gets to work. Rich in vitamin E, my skin is so soft and supple, it is as if I won’t need my lotion later. And since its chalk full of essential oils and botanicals, my skin stays smooth long after I towel off and start my day.

The Breakdown:

• 14 oz jar
• $16.99 each
• Alcohol, petroleum and animal free

Tips:

• If scrubbing in the shower, be advised that you should rinse out the tub upon completion, unless you want your shower tub to be filled with left over salt.

I went to a high school that was all girls, and I wasn’t trying to impress anyone when I went to my Academy.  Most mornings I wore no makeup, pulled up my hair, dressed in a skirt that hadn’t been washed in 3 or perhaps 4 weeks and let’s just say, wearing stockings and knee-highs didn’t encourage much leg shaving during the winter months.  When I was at school, I was there to learn, to allow my mind to grow and to become an independent thinking, scholarly woman.

And this worked, till you put BOYS in the mix.  Released into the real world where I was to be around BOYS was heaven for this boy crazy young lady. They didn’t even need to be attractive, tall, intelligent or good looking.  They just had to be BOYS.

And this is where my mom comes in with her wonderful makeup tips and tricks.  Having not really worn makeup to school, ever, my beauty pageant mother got stuck with a daughter who wined about wearing even the slightest but of makeup, be it lip stick, mascara or blush.  I would say, “I want a boy to like me for me.”  To which she would retort, “You have to have some honey, if you want to attract the bees.”

Then she would tackle me to the ground and apply mascara.

But years later, I appreciate her initiation into the world of facial enhancement.  And as a result, I never leave the house without mascara.  But recently, as I learn more and more about the chemicals and ingredients in beauty products, I want to make sure I am making the healthiest decision when it comes to my mascara obsession  – L’Oreal Naturals Mascara.

L'Oreal Bare Naturals Mascara

Applied like any mascara, I wand the black tint onto my lashes and it goes on smooth and without any nasty clumps.  In fact, when I look at the brush, which so often can be a big, black mess, I surprised at its still pristine condition.

My lashes are long and fan-out just like the movie stars. And after using it for all this time, never once have my lashed felt dry.  Plus, the mascara doesn’t flake off, and I’m not left with panda bear eyes.   Rather my lashes remain flawless and weightless throughout the day.

The Breakdown:

• 3 shades: Blackest Black, Black and Brown
• $9.95
• Paraben, Fragrance and Fiber free
• Hypoallergenic and safe for contact wearers
• Soft bristles won’t tug at lashes

Tips:

• Make sure ALL mascara is removed before going to bed – this way you’ll have a clean palette in the morning.

With the summer in full bloom and farmer’s markets are filled with fresh and crisp fruits and vegetables.  There’s nothing more satisfying than buying the best produce the locals farms have to offer and know my future snacks will be yummy in my tummy.

But not only can you eat the fruit and vegetables, you can use them to make your face clean and clear and beautiful.

1. Try combining the following one teaspoon of plain yogurt and 2-3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice. Mix it in a bowl until it forms a paste, and then apply it to your face. The Vitamin C found in orange juice can do wonders for your complexion! Apply the mask for 5 minutes before washing it off.
2. Cook a peach until its soft and mash with a fork. Add in tablespoon of local honey and oatmeal (not instant, try the slow cook varierty) until its a thick consistency. Apply to skin. Let sit for 10 minutes and then rinse well with cool water.
3. Or, you can try the cucumber trick – a classic beauty move. Take a cucumber and grate it. Cover it, and place it in your freezer for 5 minutes. Take all but 2 teaspoons of the cucumber and mix it with plain yogurt. Next, take 2 pieces of surgical gauze and soak them in cold water. Take those 2 teaspoons of cucumber you set aside and place them in the centers of the pieces of gauze. Ball the two pieces of gauze into a teabag shape and place them over your eyes, applying the yogurt-cucumber mix to your face as a mask. In fifteen minutes, wash the substance off, and your face will be revitalized!

With these fresh ingredients, I know my face is going to get the most nourishment and sustenance available.  Truly additive free masks, the Orange, Peach or Cucumber mask is a perfect end to a summer weekend.

Bon Appetite!