50 Ways to LOVE your balm!

This moisturizing balm is such an incredible multi-tasker, we don’t know how we ever lived without it!  It’s the only product you need to keep your skin pure and unbelievably soft. The faint tropical scent comes courtesy of organic oils and other natural ingredients. It’s made without a single drop of water, making it ultra-rich and concentrated. (look Ma, no fillers!).

Posted in balm, beauty balm, multi-task, One Love Organics, Organic

NEW in the Shop!

New natural Dealkalizing Deodorant! Wondering why you should switch to Natural deodorant?  Anti-perpsirants (what most people use) generally contains aluminum to clog your pores to stop you from sweating. There are an increasing number of studies linking aluminum to serious health concerns. They also usually contain synthetic scent ingredients, paragons and other irritants.

Consonant's new deodorant is 100% natural so you're' avoiding putting healthy ingredients in a sensitive area.

Will this work the same way as an antiperspirant?

Antiperspirants stop you from sweating. Natural deodorants generally don't - they are many to stop odour.

Your body is meant to sweat! It's a natural process to help you cool down and release toxins. That said, extra ingredients are added to help you absurd the extra moisture once it's outside of your body.

Superfood Scrub + Mask

Instructions on the best way to use your SuperFood Scrub + Mask by Clinical Luxury by Nature:

Step 1:

Open up your bottle and grasp a capsule with the outer shell of the capsule facing up. This is a picture of our lab technician out in Halifax holding one of our capsules. He's got gloves on to keep everything sanitary. 

When you hold the capsule, you won't need to use gloves but we do recommend clean, dry hands. If you have oil or lotion on your hands, the capsule will be very hard to twist apart. We do not suggest doing this in the shower!

It can take one or two tries before you get the hang of opening up a capsule - so don't rush! Make this part of your beautifying routine. The extra few seconds you take to patiently open these babies, are totally worth it. 

Step 2:

Squeeze the bottom part of the capsule as you grasp the top shell between your fingers of your other hand, and slowly but firmly twist the top off.


Step 3: 

Carefully lift the top shell away and behold, our special blend of 19 superfoods will be revealed! You might experience a little bit of powder fallout after opening.

If that happens, don't fret! You have more than enough in one capsule for your face so if you lose a little there will be plenty left. Next time, just angle the palm of your lower hand to help catch any powder that doesn't land in your hand.

Step 4:

Pour the contents into the palm of your hand and mix with your favourite cleanser.  Make a paste and apply it to your face as mask. Leave it on for as long or as little as you like to let your skin absorb the face brightening goodness. 

When you're ready to take it off, massage your face with warm water and enjoy the gentle but thorough exfoliation! Rinse your face with warm water and towel dry. Follow with one of our favourite moisturizers.  

Side note: If you are are still having a little trouble, not to worry, a pair of sharp scissors will do the trick!



Now It's Time To Get Crafty!

You may have seen in our last post that there a ton of ingredients (some that are already in your kitchen) you can mix the capsule ingredients with! 

Coconut oil, mashed avocado, papaya, raw honey, full fat yogurt, cacao powder and coffee grinds are just a sampling of ingredients that are amazing for your skin.

Combined with our Mask + Scrub, this is the ultimate way to enjoy a luxurious and effective cleansing resulting in fully nourished and brightened face. 

Posted in mask, scrubs, Superfood

Everything you need to know about makeup expiration dates

It’s easy to get attached to your beauty products. After all, if you’re shelling out for quality natural products, it seems like a crime to throw something out before you’ve used every last drop.

And while that’s the most financially sane idea, it’s also a risky venture if you’re also blowing past the makeup expiration date.

The best case scenario: Your foundation, say, doesn’t wear quite as well as it used to. Worst case scenario: You’re risking skin irritation or something more concerning like an eye infection from your past-due mascara—not exactly the wide-eyed, glamorous look you were going for, is it?

So when do natural makeup products really expire? And when should you toss your products?

Unfortunately, when it comes to knowing the expiration date of your makeup bag contents, it’s not very cut and dry.

“The only products required to have expiration dates are OTC drugs (sunscreens, acne products, antiperspirants),” explains cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson. “Any expiration date that you find on your makeup is strictly a courtesy (unless it has an SPF claim).” Which means most of the responsibility lies with you to practice beauty non-attachment and toss it.

Many natural beauty brands do some courtesy labeling, but even then, the “use by” date is a loose guideline, Kristen Arnett, celebrity makeup artist and founder of  GreenBeautyTeam.com tells us.

Are there any general guidelines worth following?

All makeup products, conventional or natural, actually have similar expiration dates, explains Spirit Demerson, founder of Spirit Beauty Lounge. . “A popular misconception is that [naturals] need special care or aren’t preserved, but they are,” she says. “The only difference is that the oxidization is more apparent with naturals—you’ll see and smell the aging before you will with conventional,” which is what leads you to accidentally keep using that mascara for three years, thinking it’s still a-okay. Ah, the magic of preservatives.

In Europe, it’s required that all cosmetics contain a “period after time of opening” (PAO) label, an icon that indicates how long a product is good once it’s been opened. So any brand that also sell its products in Europe will have this label on all its products. Check the packaging (usually on the bottom or the back of the box) for a little icon that looks like an open jar of face cream. The M stands for months, and will have a number paired with it. This is the lifespan that the product is guaranteed to be safe and work as promised.

How to tell if your makeup has expired?

The most glaring evidence that a product is turning is when it starts to look or behave differently. “It’s time to toss your products if: the texture has changed; you see signs of separation; the odor shifts to a funky note; or the color dramatically changes,” Wilson says. Separation is normal for some natural products that contain oil, like foundation, so give it a shake and if it remixes seamlessly (it’s most likely the color that will separate a bit), then it’s fine.

To give you some specifics across product types, we asked Wilson and Arnett to lay out some makeup expiration standards (however flexible they may be):

Lipstick
Hold onto it for 18–24 months, or until the smell and/or odor changes. “I’m not as concerned about bacteria as I am about the oils going rancid,” Wilson adds. Rancidity is expedited by heat, so don’t leave your lipstick locked in the car on a hot day (or steamy bathroom, for that matter).

Blush/eyeshadow/pressed powders
These can last up to 12–18 months. Clean your brushes often to avoid contamination and make them last even longer. For the most part, pressed powders won’t ever really turn bad because there’s no oil or water in them. “You can probably keep them for 10 years and be fine,” Arnett says. Their demise will most likely come when they break apart and ruin your carpet.

Lip gloss
Glosses will last for at least 12 months, closer to 18 if it’s an oil-based product and you store it properly. But the nature of the product—pulling the wand out of the tube, letting in oxygen, and then dipping it back in with your saliva on it—ups the chances of it turning. Arnett’s insider tip: apply gloss to the back of your (clean!) hand first, and then dab onto the lips to extend its glossy life.

Mascara
Since it’s wet, mascara’s more prone to bacteria growth, Arnett explains. And since it’s your eyes, you should be concerned about keeping it fresh and clean. Many people will keep a tube for six months—most brands out there call that out as the magic number. But some formulas will flake and clump before that; others, if you take good care of them, will last a lot longer.

“I keep mascaras for up to a year but I don’t use the same mascara every day and it’s stored in a dry place,” Wilson explains. “If you’re not careful about storage then I would toss in 6-9 months.” But always err on the side of caution to protect your peepers.

Eyeliner
Pencils, as long as you sharpen them often, shaving away the oxidized and potentially bacteria-laced tip, can last as long as it takes to use them up. So this is where to stock up. “Since you are so close to the eye, you just don’t want to take a chance with bacteria,” Wilson warns.

Foundation/concealer/tinted moisturizers
These products are often made with plant oils, so if you’re careful to avoid contamination and store them away from heat, they’ll last longer than water-based products. Again, a smell and color check will let you know when these have turned—your nose will know if the oil is rancid. As long as you wash your hands first, and use clean brushes or sponges, these should last around 12–18 months.

Eye-to cheek multi-sticks
You can hold onto most of these creamy products for 12 months. Once they start to turn bad, they’ll start to get dry and not apply as smoothly—that’s your cue to chuck ’em.

How strict are these guidelines?

Not very. They’re good to know to put things in perspective. But when it comes to expiration, your senses are the No. 1 best way to determine what can stay and what’s headed for makeup heaven—and how you treat your products can affect their lifespans.

“If someone is leaving a product in the glove compartment, it’s going to go bad quicker than someone who stores it in the fridge,” adds Arnett, who also admits that she’s had some products for close to three years, when their recommended shelf life is probably about one.

That might sound like a huge makeup faux pas, but Arnett explains that the standard shelf life of a product can drastically be altered by how much TLC you show it. So show your makeup some love. —Amy Marturana

Posted in expiry date

Essential Natural Skin Care Products For Summer

1. Our go-to sunscreen for lazy afternoons in the pool, or weekends at the lake is Consonant’s The PERFECT Sunscreen™ ~ with SPF 30. This water-resistant cream goes on with no white residue, and is fragrance free for sensitive skin types.
2. Hand and Foot Relief by Graydon: We love showing off our pretty pedicures but cracked, dry feet from sandals & walking on the beach require loving attention. Use a little of this cream every day for prevention, or slather it over your heels when you go to bed.
3. 100% PURE Mascara: This natural mascara is one of our favourite green beauty finds! It can hold its own against a summer day of outdoor exercise, and play since it’s smudge, and water resistant.
4. Vitamin B Active Moisture Enzyme Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover by Elizabeth Dehn for One Love Organics: Collaborations are cool and this partnership between beauty writer @beautybets and One Love Organics is no exception. Wash away your makeup, exfoliate, and clean your face with this multi-tasking natural skin care product. We think it’s the perfect summer cleanser as it restores your skin’s moisture and pH balance after being outdoors all day.
5. 100% PURE’s Fruit Pigmented Tinted Moisturizer SPF20: With five different tints to choose from this moisturizer is a must-have for a lightweight summer makeup. We love to wear it when heading to work, an outdoor concert, or cocktails on the patio.
6. Zoe Organics Everything Balm: Keep this aside for after the insects bite! This versatile balm is made with shea butter, coconut and jojoba oils to gently heal skin.
7. Graydon’s All Over Soap & Shampoo: We love simplicity in our beauty routine especially in the summer. This plant-based soap can be used all over your body and hair plus its all natural ingredients are make it safe for the lake!
8. Lovefresh Sugar Scrub: Summer skin can be more sensitive due to sun exposure. This fine sugar scrub is gentle enough for a regular exfoliation. It works well in between pedicures on our rough heels!
9. One Love Organics Healthy Locks Dry Shampoo Powder: Summertime is all about activity. After a day at work, there’s still hours left to play outside. Keep it in your purse, and sprinkle the powder on your hair for a refresh between washes.
10. Zoe Organics Insect Repellent: Whether you summer in the city, or cottage country, mosquitos come out to bite during humid days and nights. Spray yourself with this 100% blend of botanical oils and rub it in to keep yourself covered.
11. Lovefresh Deodorant: Can deodorant make you happy?! We think so, with Lovefresh’s natural deodorant that really works. No stinky underarms here! There are a variety of gorgeous scents that can stand up to summer heat.
12. Skin Soother Hydrating Lotion: Ella’s Botanicals created this for Causemetics, where four dollars from every bottle sold goes to help breast cancer patients. We also love its ability to sooth sun kissed skin. 

Posted in Beautiful Skin, Body Lotion, Organic, Plant-based Skin Care, Summer Skin, Sunscreen

Reasons to Use Plant-Based Skin Care

 1. You Use a Lot of Products

Environmental Defence found that the average Canadian uses more than 15 personal care products a day with over 100 toxic ingredients before breakfast.* Yikes, right?! Consider how many products you use every day: toothpaste, soap, deodorant, face cream, mascara, concealer, shampoo, and more. You only need to read the ingredients list on each product used during your morning beauty routine to understand how quickly the toxins can add up!

2. Your Skin Is Your Biggest Organ                                                                                                                          Everything we put on our skin absorbs into our bloodstream. Once they enter your body, toxic chemicals can harm your health in a variety of ways including disrupting hormones (e.g., mimic or block estrogen), impacting respiratory system (e.g., allergies or asthma), playing havoc with your reproductive system, and the introduction or aggravation of cancer through carcinogenic chemicals. If the products you’re using are full of synthetic chemicals than you are exposing yourself daily to potential health issues and toxins.

3. Full Disclosure                                                                                                                                                           You'll find that most of the natural beauty brands are proud of their ingredients and want to show off what’s inside their products. You won’t have to guess what’s going on your skin rather you’ll know exactly what you are getting. This puts full control in your hands of the ingredients you allow on and in your body. If you have sensitive skin or allergies, you already know how important full disclosure is to your health.

 4. What’s Good For the Outside Is Good For The Inside                                                                                    You eat fruits and vegetables not only because they taste good but also because they’re good for your health. Plant-based beauty products harness the natural goodness of plant products and use them to make your skin gorgeous. The nutrients, fatty essential acids, and antioxidants found in many plant-based skin care products can help keep your skin healthy and free from congestion. They also can repair sun damage, moisturize dry skin, reduce redness, and fight aging.

We’re proud to carry only natural beauty brands that take the wellness of your skin and body seriously by using plant-based ingredients.                                                    Check out a few of our favourites:

Posted in Balm, Body Serum, Plant-based Skin Care, Serum

New from ONE LOVE ORGANICS

We're so excited! ! One Love Organics has launched several much-anticipated new products, and the whole line has been given a brand refresh that is too pretty for words. And if that isn't enough,  One Love Organics is now certified organic by ECOCERT®! Truly amazing!

Get to know what's new at One Love Organics

Gardenia + Tea Body Serum  One Love Organics has a reputations for creating products with luscious, beautiful scents,  This serum is no different! Gardenia + Tea Body Serum intensely nourishes, hydrates and promotes firmer, smoother and more supple skin. This formula features clinically proven Antileukine 6®, an antioxidant powerhouse, to help defend against environmental stressors and elemental dryness. Ultra-light and easily absorbed, Gardenia + Tea Body Serum can be used alone or layered with your favorite sunscreen or lotion for an intensely hydrating treatment.   You'll love the soft scent- the spray bottle makes it easy to use. This is one serum I'll use time and again.

 Coconut + Salt Mineral Body Lotion is light-weight and moisturizing. It pairs beautifully with the Gardenia + Tea Body Serum.  Uniquely formulated with organic, virgin coconut oil, prized for its skin conditioning properties, and mineral rich Atlantic Sea salt, a natural humectant, to help attract and retain water from the air for enhanced skin hydration. Its fresh, clean scent comes from organic aloe, coconut oil and sun-dried Atlantic Sea salt, with no added fragrance. Coconut + Salt Mineral Body Lotion is lush yet lightweight.  This mineral rich elixir can be used alone or layered with your favourite body oil to create the perfect amount of moisture for any season, climate or skin type. The sea salt is mineral rich - and the bottle is perfect for travelling and the pump action makes it easy to use. 

Vitamin C Body Polish   A rinse-able body polish like no other, Vitamin C Body Polish features an ultra-concentrated combination of Vitamin C Ester, aloe, shea and raw, organic sugar crystals to deeply exfoliate and hydrate for supremely soft, luminous skin.    The texture is on the thicker side and doesn’t dissolve instantly on wet skin, but it still spreads easily. It also doesn’t separate in the jar so you don’t have to remix it before each use. Organic sugar crystals act as the main exfoliating agent, truly polishing your skin. The formula is moisturizing without being too oily and leaves you with extra smooth skin.  It has the same luscious pineapple scent featured in the Vitamin B Cleansing Oil and Vitamin B Body Oil that I love—sweet and refreshing. This is one of the best scrubs I’ve used. ~donna~

Posted in Body Care, Body Lotion, Body Polish, Body Serum