Ava Anderson Non Toxic: Face Basics Set

Ava Anderson Non Toxic is a wonderful company dedicated to producing safe and healthy products for you! They do this by ensuring all of their ingredients are independently rated by the EWG as non-toxic, unlike most companies that simply decide on their own whether a product is safe or not without third party input. This month we had the pleasure of testing out their basic face care line of products, consisting of cleanser, exfoliator, toner, and moisturizer. 

The first thing you'll notice is that you can actually read and understand all of the ingredients! In fact, this company is a huge advocate of checking the back (ingredient list) on everything you put on or in your body.

Secondly, you'll notice the beautiful scent of the products - not because they are fragranced with cheap oils and perfumes, but naturally smell of delicious ingredients grown right out of the ground (not produced in some mad-scientist's lab).

Third, and perhaps the best, their products show you positive results within a few days! The most impressive result was when it cleared up one mama's postpartum acne outbreak, which is no easy task. Did we mention that it leaves you with a healthy, rosy glow to your skin?

A few notes we'd like to share: the exfoliator is coarsely textured and should only be gently massaged in circles on your face and neck. The cleanser is absolutely divine and removes all oil and grime from your face ~ you can actually feel the clean! The toner is by far our new MUST HAVE product!!! It works effectively as an underarm deodorant, to clear up acne, makeup remover, and as a general refresher for your face. Honestly, if you want to try just one item, go for the toner! And last, but certainly not least, the moisturizer is a creamy texture that absorbs well into the skin. However, I must say that with normal skin, we noticed that the moisturizer was only needed every few days as the product line does not dry your skin like many other brands do. All containers are made of 1, 2, or 4 BPA-free recyclable plastics.

The following is reposed from the Ava Anderson Non Toxic website as a guide to their basic skin care set:

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  STEP 1 | cleanser

  Our antioxidant and enriching cleanser leaves the skin clean and refreshed, with natural scent and sudsing. 3.4 oz, $19.95US

  
  

  
  

  

  STEP 2 | exfoliator

  Fine apricot kernels and skin-softening ingredients gently buff away dry skin, dirt and imperfections, leaving your skin fresh and radiant. Improves skin tone and texture. 2.7 oz, $21.95US

  
  

  
  

  

  STEP 3 | toner

  Spritz your face with our non-drying, non-stinging toner, as the first step in the moisturizing process. Yucca is a natural antiseptic, and witch hazel open pores and removes impurities. 3.4 oz, $19.95US

  
  

  
  

  

  STEP 4 | moisturizer

  Enriched with antioxidants, conditioners, emollients, nourishing oils and vitamins, to achieve radiant, youthful looking skin with improved elasticity. 2 oz, $20.95US

SHOP AVA ANDERSON NON TOXIC

Many thanks to Diane Possemato, a founding consultant, for supplying us with samples for testing and review!

Baby: Calendula Stater Kit from Weleda

As a new mom, it seems like everyday brings a new and interesting crisis to solve. Add in the hormones and it's no wonder why we're all stressed out, baby-toting basketcases!

One of the ways I've found that truly helps ease the potential meltdowns of the day is good preparation. That means, before you leave the house, make sure you have planned for the worst and then added a few levels to that. For example, imagine what you'd need if your precious sweetpea decides to blow out a diaper while simultaneously pulling an exorcism a la split pea soup moment AND just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, they're stricken with a faucet for a nose -- oh, and all of this happens on an airplane, camping, or some other place where you are completely limited to stock on hand for cleanup and treatment. What to do?

No worries! Why? Because you are SUPER MOM to the rescue, you're prepared, and you've got this in the bag. You whip out your handy dandy calendula baby starter kit from your diaper bag (or purse - it's small enough) and go to work. Within minutes, you have the baby all cleaned up and you're back in business. Now, let's just go back and I'll point out that this is not a hypothetical situation -- that's right, folks, and that little kit up there was my saving grace.

The Baby Starter Kit by Weleda ($13 US) contains travel sized samples of their calendula baby line of products: baby cream, lotion, body wash/shampoo, diaper care, & calendula oil. Calendula extract is known as one of the most healing plants for the skin and using these products helps your baby's skin (and yours) heal. My favorite in this kit is the calendula oil...just one drop on a cotton swab applied to the raw, chapped, and chafed skin on the upper lip from a runny nose has healed very sore skin within a day!

I must give honorable mention to their calendula diaper care cream which cleared up a nasty diaper rash within 2 days...that was pretty amazing too! Another awesome product that I keep on hand, though it is not included in this baby starter kit, is their children's tooth gel ($7 US). It has a yummy mint flavor that freshens breath and is really good at getting rid of "stinky milk mouth" - a condition that far too many mornings are ruined by. Just a pea-sized amount of this fluoride-free gel on their fingertip or toothbrush, cleans their teeth and breath anywhere/anytime.

I'd also like to mention something pretty neat I just came across, for all you other parents out there who are always googling for info to help your kids. Weleda recently created a website just for parents and caregivers, an entire community where you can find natural parenting tips and advice! To check it out, click here!

Great products, helpful online community, check this company out!

Visit Weleda

thinksport/LIVESTRONG Sunscreen SPF 30+

With so many sunscreens sporting more toxins than protection, it can be a real challenge to decide whether it is less risky to forgo it altogether. But then, in the back of your mind, the skin cancer questionwill always remain - nipping at you slowly but surely. And for those of us with aesthetic concerns, the idea of sun spots and wrinkles creeps in as an all too definite reality without sunscreen. What's a person to do?

LIVESTRONG and thinksport are making it a lot easier on us! How, you ask? They've developed a "formulation that is already top ranked for safe sunscreen by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and is free of biologically harmful chemicals." The active ingredient is non-nano zinc oxide (20%) and this sunscreen is ranked safe (1-2) by the EWG.

Since zinc oxide is a physical sunscreen (meaning it blocks sun rays by reflecting them), it can be quite unattractive as solid cream on the skin. To minimize the opaque nature of zinc oxide, it is typically scaled down to 30 to 200 nm. This allows for less noticeable application to the skin, but still keeps it large enough not to cross through the skin (such as happens with nano-particles). According to the LiveStrong website and SmartSkinCare, "zinc oxide has a slight edge over titanium dioxide. While titanium dioxide is effective at blocking ultraviolet-B and short-wave ultraviolet-A rays, it is less effective than zinc dioxide at blocking long ultraviolet-A rays. Zinc oxide's ability to block different types of rays makes it one of the most effective sun protection products on the market at fighting the sun's rays. Zinc oxide is often combined with additional ultraviolet-B blockers to provide the most complete broad-spectrum sunscreen." The thinksport website has plenty of useful information to absorb too, including the differences between chemical and physical sunscreens, the truth about SPF ratings, and what's up with nanoparticles and why you should be very careful about your product purchases. You can read all about it here (scroll down to the "what else you might want to know" section!
With sunny weather quickly becoming the norm, we have been applying the thinksport/LIVESTRONG suncreen for a few weeks now and have found it to be very effective! Not only is it water-resistant, it has a SPF of 30+. Of course, the higher the SPF, the more protection a sunscreen offers against UV-B (sunburn). So this means that you can stay in the sun over 30 times longer than you would normally be able to without getting burned! At the modest price of $15.99, your wallet will be just as happy as your protected skin! And as if that wasn't awesome enough, the purchase of this product guarantees a minimum $1.5 million donation towards the fight against cancer!

Shop thinksport

Face: Winter Lip Treatment Set by Lauren Brooke

 The secret to absolutely deliciously healthy lips!

Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques has brought us another wonderfully natural and effective product just in time for winter's cold, chapped lips! The Winter Lip Treatment Set ($12.50 US) includes a Sweet Chai Lip Scrub and Vanilla Mint Lip Balm, wrapped beautifully in a cream organza bag!

Just dab a little bit of this yummy sugar scrub on your lips and enjoy the sweet spiced scent (and flavor...shh...I know you're not supposed to eat it but let's just say I really tested this one very well, hehe)! After exfoliating, apply moisture with the minty vanilla balm to restore your lips!

In my years of photography, I can't tell you how many times makeup artists needed to exfoliate lips to get color to stay put, plus it really helps make portraits come out great when your smile isn't deflected by peeling, dry, cracked lips. Hurry, grab one of these sets before your family portrait session this holiday season!!

Ingredients: Sweet Chai Lip Scrub: organic brown sugar, organic shea butter, non-gmo lecithin, grapeseed oil, organic safflower oil, organic vanilla extract, organic coconut flavor oil, allspice and clove essential oil; Vanilla Mint Lip Moisturizer: organic castor oil, organic beeswax, organic shea butter, organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic jojoba oil, organic pomegranate oil, natural vitamin e oil, stevia leaf extract, vanilla co2, organic peppermint essential oil

VISIT NATURAL JOY BEAUTY WEBSITE

Face and Body: Nessa's Naturals

The first and foremost thing to remember as you start on the green path through life is that NO product is perfect. You will likely be able to find someone to argue the effectiveness or problems with at least one ingredient in every product you will find. Does this mean that these ingredients are necessarily dangerous to you when properly used? No. This is where information meets intelligence, you must decide for yourself if the product falls within your personal acceptance policy.

Even the most well-meaning organizations, such as EWG, who we look to in order to assist us in deciphering the ever-evolving evidence against ingredients, have their downfalls. In many cases, certain ingredients are ranked higher {more dangerous} than they actually are in normal use conditions simply because they can be toxic in higher concentrations, during different use applications, contaminated from some suppliers while not others, etc. It is up to you, as an individual, to figure out where you draw the boundary line as to what you find acceptable to be exposed to.

With this said, I'd like to encourage you to never stop learning! It is the constant search for information that will aid you most in your progress to going green. As you continue to develop your own personal boundaries and green intelligence, you will figure out what fits best into your life, what is realistic, and what is not, for you. And to remember, the human body is an amazing machine - well built to deal with small amounts of just about everything found in nature. So yes, while honeysuckle and soy, for example, may cause slight endocrine disruption temporarily as they mimic estrogen, our bodies can filter this out rather quickly too - it is not bioaccumulative {it doesn't build up in our bodies}. And while some minerals can cause skin irritation, long term damage is unlikely. What we urge you to focus on are the 'unnatural' additives, synthetics, lab-created ingredients (and manipulated natural ingredients such as GMO genetically modified & nanoparticles) sometimes labeled as 'natural'...these mutants are not something our bodies have been trained to handle, these are more likely to cause damage than ingredients our bodies have adapted to over thousands of years!

And with this introduction, I introduce you to Nessa's Naturals product line. This small company produces body and face products, including cosmetics, which are a good first step for those of you who are still using traditional products and are looking to take a step in the right direction. Nessa's Naturals offers simple ingredients and has verified the purity of their vitamin e and grapefruit seed extract to be free of contamination, but they also offer synthetic options for fragrance and flavoring oils. If you are ready to go totally natural, they also offer synthetic-free options such as those we reviewed! Recommended are the Coco Pep Lip Balm and Dry Oil Mist with Essential Oils!

Check out the Nessa's Naturals Shop on Facebook to see all of their offerings!

Cosmetics: Real Purity & Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques from NaturalJoyBeauty.Com

One place. Tons of great products!

Creme Concealer by Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques, $11.99 us *Coupon available- see below!


Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Zinc Oxide (UVA/UVB Sun protection), Certified Organic Beeswax, Phyto Lipid Complex (Certified Organic Jojoba Oil, Certified Organic Rosehip Seed Oil, Neem Oil, & Natural Vitamin E), Silica, Eyebright Extract, Certified Organic Olive Extract, Certified Organic Greed Tea Extract, Carrot Seed Oil (+/- Iron Oxides, Ultramarine, Mica, Certified Organic Raspberry Oil Blend)

EWG RATING:  SAFE/GREEN (2)  Click here to read EWG report

Eye Colours by Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques, $7.99 us *Coupon available- see below!

Ingredients: Zinc Oxide, Boron Nitride, Mica, Magnesium Stearate, Certified Organic Vegetable Starch, Pure Pearl Powder, Silk Powder, Certified Organic Neem Extract, Certified Organic Olive Extract, Certified Organic Raspberry Extract, Comfrey derived Allantoin, Certified Organic MSM. (May contain: Ultramarines, Mica, Iron Oxides, Tin Oxides)

EWG RATING:  SAFE/GREEN (2)  Click here to read EWG report

NaturalJoyBeauty.com is a wonderful store that not only offers the best and safest products, but they are educated and able to answer many of the questions you may have! They are also able to offer excellent product suggestions based on your preferences and to personalize recommendations based on what would work best for you. Not only is their service friendly and truly catered to the client, but their product offerings are tremendous in the world of green, eco-friendly, and non-toxic cosmetic choices!


We received many wonderful samples, so I'll just give a run-down on our favorites and let you know what exactly we liked about each of them! As you may have guessed, two of our favorites are the above featured products by Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques. As you read, you'll notice that you can click on our favorites to read more about them, including the ingredients and pricing.


The creme concealer featured above is like my long-lost love...I've been searching for an effective under-eye concealer for my "mommy" circles and here it is! It goes on smooth and creamy, blends flawlessly into my skin, and stays the entire day without drying out! It stays soft to the touch on my skin, much like a moisturizer.


They carry a wide array of colorful eye colours, all which smoothly glide onto the eye area without drying out the skin. We played with different combinations and found they were all beautiful, each providing a different style. My favorite ended up being the classic "sunglow" with "taupe" in the crease -- just the right amount of natural highlight to the eye! I did note that some shades seemed to make my eyes itch as the day wore on, but perhaps this was just a fluke - I did want to mention it in case this is a common issue for you with eye shadows, it is not normally an issue for me so perhaps it was just coincidence.


We also tried a mascara by Real Purity that worked quite well, although I must say that I prefer the thickening effect of the Earth's Beauty mascara instead (which lucky for me, NaturalJoyBeauty.com also carries)! The Real Purity mascara would work great for someone looking for length rather than thickness of their lashes. It lasts all day, but isn't for someone who rubs their eyes often as it will smudge if rubbed.


If you're looking for an eye liner pencil that provides a firm tip and soft black (almost gray) finish and stays put all day long, check out this one!  We were really happy with it's performance as an eye liner, though we prefer a cake liner - here is the one that has won us over!! It can be applied wet or dry, depending on whether you'd like a smoky look or defined line!


Finally, we've found a wonderful lipstick that NaturalJoyBeauty.com carries -- the shade we tried and like is called "Chianti" and it goes on smoothly, and the best part is that a little bit goes a long way (great value at $9.99)! It tastes like berries and lasts 1-3 hours before reapplication is required.


With so many product options and special offers to boot, this is one store I can't say enough good things about! Check them out and let Joy know ecoSAFE sent you!

SHOP NATURAL JOY BEAUTY
*Special offer:  15% off through 10-31 with coupon code SPOOKY

Face: Miessence Liquid Foundation & Jaffa Lip Balm

Soft. Subtle. Safe Skin Care.

Jaffa Lip Balm Description: For soft, kissable lips use this protective balm day and night. Nutritious shea butter, avocado and sunflower oils soften and smooth rough, chapped lips, while organic orange and vanilla taste deeeelicious!

Ingredients: certified organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, certified organic butyrospermum parkii (shea) fruit butter, certified organic unrefined cera alba (beeswax), certified organic persea gratissima (avocado) fruit oil, certified organic citrus dulcis (sweet orange) essential oil, certified organic vanilla planifolia CO2 extract, certified organic rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract

EWG Safety Rating: 0 (safest/green) Click here for EWG report!

Price: $5.95 US *Coupon available below!

Vanilla Translucent Foundation (fair skin) Description: Evens out the complexion. Imparts a soft, matte, finish with translucent coverage. Protects against pollution, UV rays and free radicals. Looks natural in any light. Keeps skin hydrated and protected throughout the day. Contains the added benefits of organic, nourishing seed and fruit oils.

Ingredients: certified organic aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, certified organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, certified organic simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, zinc oxide, certified organic butyrospermum parkii (shea) fruit butter, certified organic zea mays (corn) starch, certified organic ethanol (sugar cane alcohol), non-gmo lecithin, d-panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), aroma (proprietary blend), sclerotium rolfsii, certified organic lavandula angustifolia (lavender) essential oil, may Contain: +/- iron oxides

EWG Safety Rating: 2 (safe/green) Click here for EWG report!

Price: $49.65 US *Coupon available below!

If you are looking for a great overnight or all-day lip balm without scent or flavor, this is a great choice for you! It hydrates effectively for up to 8 hours and have found that if I apply it before bed each night, I wake up with soft, kissable lips!

It is very difficult to find any liquid foundation that is non-toxic, much less one that is actually GOOD for your skin AND made with organic ingredients! This foundation provides light coverage, which will even out skin tone and blend well into your skin. However, if you have imperfections beyond light blending, I would strongly suggest a concealer to be used on imperfections prior to application. It will not hide freckles, but does make them less noticeable by making your skin all appear to be about the same color and tone. Unlike some other foundations, this one is offered in several shades to match your skin and is so lightweight, it is lighter than most moisturizers out there!

Shop Miessence

Samples, discount, and store link provided by Erin Ely, Independent Miessence Representative.
COUPON: For a limited time only, use coupon elyo20 to receive an additional 20% off any order! (valid only through link above)

Body: Cleansease by White Witch

The easiest 15-minute facial ever...and more!

Description: Cleansease Balancing and refining masks with rhassoul clay and melissa and neem. Suitable for oily and acne-prone skin types. Made in Ireland. 5-pack.

Ingredients: Oatmeal, rhassoul clay, organic melissa powder, neem leaf powder

EWG RATING:  SAFE/GREEN (0-1)  Click here to read EWG report

Price: $20 approx. US

This 5-pack of facials are very similar to tea bags, you simply wet them with warm water and rub on your face and neck. Then go turn on some slow music and lay down to relax for 15-20 minutes. You will feel them tightening, shrinking pores, rejuvenating your skin. Once washed clean with warm water, your skin is left feeling moisturized and fresh.


White Witch offers many pure herbal products, including: milk baths, foot baths, eye compresses, and hair repair rinses. They carry absolutely everything you need to entirely pamper yourself with a spa night at home, the natural way.


Start your evening off with an almond milk bath, to moisturize your entire body. Place the eye compresses on your tired baby blues to refresh them. Use the hair rinse to repair your hair while adding highlights naturally. For a pedicure, soften your tootsies with a steamy tea bath of Footsease. Follow this with an allover body indulgence with the chocolate orange lotion bar - it melts on your skin!


These products are perfect for travel because they are all non-liquid; there is no restriction when carrying them on an airplane within the USA so you can pamper yourself when you reach your destination, without being limited to 4oz or less.  They honestly look like tea bags, but they're for your body! Just add a bit of warm water and you have yourself an effective relaxation package to go! Excellent gift basket idea or for an anniversary.

SHOP WHITE WITCH

Face: Go Tropical with Bubble and Bee

Bubble and Bee Organic Lime Coconut Lip Balm

Ingredients: organic sunflower oil, organic cocoa butter, organic beeswax, organic coconut flavor, organic lime flavor, organic lime essential oil, stevia

Description: Flavored with certified organic extracts and essential oils, not synthetic flavors, this delicious organic lip balm is super sweet and mouth-watering. With a stronger lime flavor and a hint of coconut, our testers say it tastes just like key lime pie.

Bubble and Bee Organic Pineapple Enzyme Facial Cleanser

Ingredients: Organic coconut oil saponified, organic olive oil saponified, organic jojoba oil saponified, organic pineapple extract, organic tropical enzyme blend (pineapple, papaya, green papaya), vegetable glycerin, organic guar gum, organic aloe vera juice, rosemary extract

Description: The enzymes freshly extracted from organic pineapple and organic papaya help clear away dead skin cells and buildup, leaving complexion revitalized and clear. This gentle castile formula doesn't clog pores and is free from synthetic detergents, preservatives, fragrance and fillers that commonly irritate skin. It smells so fresh and good you'll want to use it again and again!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As the seasons turn, I just can't help but miss the tropical bliss of summer. Bubble and Bee has absolutely mastered the skill of transporting you through scent! The pineapple cleanser cleans my face so well, it doesn't dry it out or leave it oily, it is really a perfect mixture of moisture and feeling clean. And the scent that fills the bathroom when I use it remind

s me of laying on a tropical beach sipping a pina colada! So yummy and relaxing.

When I hop out of the shower, there is my Bubble and Bee coconut lime lip balm that helps keep my mind in paradise! This lip balm in a tube is thick, so put it on your lips for a second to allow it to warm up a bit to help it glide on smoothly. It is actually one of the few lip balms I can put on before bed at night and wake up with it still on in the morning, it just stays put and moisturizes all night long. Although the manufacturer's description says it tastes like key lime pie, I think it a perfect match for a pina colada with lime! But then again, after sniffing up all that lovely pineapple scent in the shower, maybe my nose is tricking me.

If you're looking for a great gift set for a teenager, I think this would be the one I'd choose! It's fruity and tropical, and it makes me happy just using it (not to mention, it works brilliantly)!

Visit Bubble and Bee's Shop

Body: Argan Oil from Destiny's Boutique

Description: Pressed from the precious nuts of the argan tree, argan oil is a rare treasure known for a remarkable ability to moisturize dry or lackluster skin. Only found in rural indigenous areas of Morocco, argan oil is a true wonder for an unusually high concentration of essential fatty acids and vitamin E needed to maintain the hydration of the skin and protect the skin from future moisture loss. Known as one of the nature's most powerful antioxidants, argan oil helps to fight off free radicals within our environment, preventing wrinkles and reducing collagen and elastin damage as our cellular turnover rate decreases with age. Argan oil is also great for crash course pedicure helping to soften dry cuticles almost instantly. Destiny Boutique's raw and unrefined argan oil is bottled in the United States from cold pressed, certified organic and fair traded oil harvested by the women UCFA cooperatives.

Ingredients: argania spinosa (argan oil)

Price: $29 US

Scent: The scent is very similar to licorice root and strong. Destiny's Boutique offers various essential oil blended argan oils, however the one we reviewed was pure and unmixed.

Size: 2 oz bottle, it only takes one pump per every several inches of skin - with daily whole body use, I expect one bottle would last me approximately 2 months.

Best uses/recommendations: I am very pleased with the hydration power of this argan oil! It goes on as any oil, but I found that it soaked in quickly to my skin, leaving it soft and smooth within minutes. I found it especially useful for stretchmarks and dry patches around my heels and nails. An added brag right to this product is the fact that it comes from a biodome, which just makes it that much more interesting to talk to friends about! It can be used on your face, your feet, your tummy, your tush, anywhere you want to smooth the skin out!

Vegan: Yes

Organic: Yes

Fair Trade: Yes

Raw: Yes

Safe for all ages

Pregnancy/Lactation friendly

Visit Destiny's Boutique

Oral Care: Toothpastes & Mouthwash from Dr. Sharp Dentistry

Have you ever wondered why there is a warning label on the back of your toothpaste? Or why your mouthwash leaves your mouth burning? You shouldn't need to memorize the number for poison control to simply clean your teeth!  Dr. Sharp offers you and your family natural products that are non-toxic (read: no warning labels needed) and are actually effective!

"Now more than ever we should be mindful of the potential damage fluoride can do to our children’s health. In a report published by Time Magazine in October 2005, 1 in every 3 American children were known to suffer from some form of dental fluorosis, a white or brown mottling of the teeth."

As a victim of fluoride poisoning as a child from unassumingly consuming toothpaste and fluoridated water on a daily basis, I had always wanted to find out just exactly what went wrong with my teeth. As I started on my quest to discover the cause of my dental fluorosis, I had no idea the knowledge I would find would change my life forever. Nor did I realize how difficult it would make finding something as simple as toothpaste!

Over the years, I have had over 26 fillings, due to no fault of my own. You see, fluoride causes pitting in healthy enamel, allowing for cavities to form quickly and reach the deepest layers of the tooth much more rapidly. I have always had excellent dental care, both professionally and at home. Every time I would go to the dentist, and I went quite often, they would ask what in the world I was eating/drinking to cause so many cavities. I was puzzled. My diet consists of fairly healthy fare, especially compared to the average western diet. They would always ask if I drank a lot of soda or juice, but the truth is, I can't stand soda and I only have maybe 3-4 cups of juice annually (I much rather prefer to get fiber with my fruit, not just sugar). It turns out, my condition is all owed to fluoride! To read more on the history of fluoride and the massive deception, I recommend checking out this book or searching "fluoride deception" on youtube for interviews and videos exposing the truth. Each person can decide what they want for themself, but at the end of the day, you must ask yourself: if there is even a possibility of poisoning, why chance it if you can avoid it? (And no one is arguing whether there is a risk or not, hence the warning label on your toothpaste!)

So what's so special about Dr. Sharp's dental products? Well, for starters, they're:
* Rated safe by EWG database (links below)
* Vegan
* Cruelty-free: not tested on animals
* Sustainably produced ingredients
* BPA-free
* Paraben-free
* SLS-free
* Alcohol-free
* Contain no artificial dyes or flavors
* Fluoride-free
* And come in recyclable packaging printed with soy ink!

I just happened to receive these samples a week before my regular dental checkup. Being postpartum with estrogen levels mimicking menopause, due to breastfeeding, my gums were a wreck - bleeding off and on, receding, just not happy campers. My teeth were starting to develop sensitive spots and I really was thinking that for being as young as I am, this was pretty ridiculous. My mouth has had thousands and thousands of dollars worth of care over the years, and no, I don't have anything cosmetic or root canals, etc. just upkeep (though admittedly excessive due to the fluoride damage).

This will sound like an informercial, but I'm being completely honest, after a week of using the Dr. Sharp green tea toothpaste (for sensitive teeth) and mouthwash, my gums were no longer bleeding and my teeth were no longer as sensitive. I went for my checkup and my dentist commented on how very little plaque I had built up on my teeth. She asked what products I had been using, I told her, and she was amazed. Between the dentist and hygienist, I must have received 5-6 compliments over and over again on my teeth. On top of that, she was surprised my gums did not bleed at all during the probing, considering this is extremely common postpartum. I'm sold. I've been using Weleda's salt toothpaste for quite a long time now, but I'll be switching to Dr. Sharp for my personal at-home use due to the results I have experienced so far.

Our children LOVE the strawberry cream toothpaste as well! In fact, they want to brush their teeth ALL DAY LONG now...but we'll save that discussion for another time - LOL!


Kids Toothpaste - Strawberry Cream
EWG Safety Rating: green/low hazard (2)


Whitening Toothpaste - Green Tea
EWG Safety Rating: green/low hazard (2)


Whitening Toothpaste - Fresh Mint
EWG Safety Rating: green/low hazard (2)

Mouthwash - Fresh Mint
EWG Safety Rating: green/low hazard (1)

Price:
Toothpaste - $11.95 US each 

Mouthwash - $12.95 US

SALE: See website for all current discounts!

Dr. Sharp Dentistry Website

Face: Kiss My Face Shea Soy Facial Cleansing Bar

Description: This creamy, fragrance free bar contains organic oils, shea butter and aloe to moisturize while you cleanse. Your skin will feel fresh, smooth and hydrated.


Ingredients: 
Sodium Palmate,* Sodium Cocoate,* Aqua, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butte), Glycine, Glycine Soja (Soybean Oil), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Leaf Extract)


EWG Safety Rating: Green/Low Hazard (1)


Price: $13 US

Many moons ago, when my friend and I first started writing our review blog, she had just finished reviewing a few products and gave me some of her leftover supply - a jar of hand cream (which worked wonders on my chapped winter hands) and this bar of facial cleansing soap from Kiss My Face.


It sat neglected in my bathroom cabinet for, seriously, years. I used mostly liquid facial cleansers and despite being unhappy with everything I’d tried I wasn’t too keen to give this bar a try because, well, it was a bar soap. Bar soaps leave your skin feeling dry and neglected - plus, don’t you use bar soaps at the bathroom sink? I like to wash my face in the shower and I was worried the bar soap would get ruined somehow in the shower, with water constantly running over it.


So I just sort of kept it around like, “Maybe sometime if I run out of whatever I’m using, I’ll give this a try.” I thought about keeping it on my counter in case I ever wanted to wash my face when I wasn’t showering. That never really happened either.


Then one day I was pinching pennies and needed facial soap. I looked into the cabinets to see if I had anything lying around and spotted the Kiss My Face box. I almost put it on the bathroom counter, but then I glanced in the shower. My husband used bar soap - it was right there in the shower, totally fine. I’d also recently reviewed a bar soap that I surprisingly loved (it’s by Caress and not an eco-friendly brand, but it ex-foliated wonderfully and did not leave my skin feeling dry) so I was feeling a little warmer about bar soaps in general and decided to give it a try.


Holy cow, guys. Seriously. This is good stuff. I ran the bar under the shower water in my hands, rubbing some of the soap into my palms. Then I just sort of rubbed the soap on my hands onto my face and it lathered just a bit. I rinsed it off after a bit and my skin felt fantastic. It just felt so natural and normal, like “isn’t this how soap is supposed to feel?”


I’ve been using this bar of soap for about 6 months now and that same bar is still going strong. So although you might consider a $13 bar of soap a bit expensive, I really feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. The thing has lasted forever, works great and smells nice - and it’s totally eco-friendly, containing no animal ingredients, artificial colors, or unnecessary chemicals and it wasn’t tested on animals. So you can feel really good while you're washing up with this bar soap!


I also loved that the scent was so innocuous. It doesn’t smell floral or girly which means my husband could use it if he ever wanted to. It just smells clean, you know? And I just found out yesterday that he has in fact been using this soap for awhile now - which means, holy moley this stuff lasts forever!


My husband wants to add that not only does he love using this soap and likes the scent and blah blah blah, it’s also the best facial cleanser he’s used in awhile for his acne. Granted, he’s not a teenager anymore, but he swears this stuff works as well as any of the expensive treatments his mother bought him growing up.


So - great for your skin, good smelling, eco-friendly, lasts forever - what are you waiting for guys? You’ve gotta try this stuff!

Kiss My Face Website

This review was written by Jen, a.k.a  mommablogsalot, an ecoSAFE guest tester and founding member of Momma's Review.