I know you have heard a lot about gluten-free and may not know exactly what it is so I have decided to define it for you as well as show you some products that look delish and are gluten free to boot! Maybe you will decide to rid yourself of gluten as well.
I have tried many a gluten free product some good, some awful, and some great. It really is a taste preference. I am sure if you are strict about your gluten you would get used to even the worst tasting of product. Here is Wikipedia’s definition of gluten-free: A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes foods containing gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, malts and triticale. It is used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often as “dextrin”. A gluten-free diet is the only medically accepted treatment for celiac disease, the related condition dermatitis herpetiformis,and wheat allergy.

I went on a little search for some yummy looking gluten-free items so here they are:

Gluten-Free Snack Kit

Glutino Gluten Free Snack Kit is a perfect way to start off your gluten free diet. All of your major sweet cravings are included so you nothing is left out. I think I am going to get this one for myself it looks that good.

Risotto Alfredo

Lundberg Organic Risotto Alfredo is making my mouth water right now! It may just be the Italian in me but when you say Alfredo I drool.

Chocolate Banana Gluten Free Bars

Glutino Chocolate & Banana Organic Barsis maybe not a flavor everyone enjoys but it is one of my absolute favorites. Banana and chocolate make the world a better place.

Organic Gummy Bears

Let’s Do Organic Gummi Bears Classic are organic and gluten-free! Can you say yummo!! I know the gummy bears are mentioned above but it doesn’t hurt to mention them again.

Organic Dry Hair Shea Butter

Warm weather is creeping up on us and with all of the outside time your hair will take a beating! Especially those of you who may color it. You don’t want your hair to look like fried straw right? Here is a great organic/vegan dry hair treatment from one of my fave places Just Natural Organic Care. Here is a little blurb about this super awesome leave in dry hair shea butter:
Dry hair needs instant hydration and nourishment to keep it looking and feeling healthier.Natural butters nourish, soften and protect hair leaving it shiny with fewer flyaways. This natural shea butter for dry hair restores moisture and adds volume to your hair. It closes hair cuticles to make your hair less porous and therefore more resistant to damage.
This leave in treatment is rich in vitamins and nutrients that promote
strong, healthy hair growth.This natural hair butter will moisturize, de-frizz and give you definition with soft hold without leaving residue or weighing hair down.

I always like to look at the ingredients on products who make claims that they are organic, vegan, natural so if you are like me and want to know what you are putting on your body here is a list Just Natural Organic Care provides as they do with all of their products:
Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Shea Butter, Kokum Butter, Illipe Butter, Mowrah Butter, Fenugreek Extract, Grapeseed Oil, Kukui Nut Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Rosehip Oil, Essential Oils of Sweet Orange Blossom, Rosemary, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Atlas Cedarwood, Chamomile Extract, Horsetail Root Extract, Nettle Root Extract, Marigold Extract.

DIY Bath Fizzies

I love taking baths and relaxing! Even more I love to make the elements that make my bath so relaxing. I know most people probably wouldn’t enjoy it because it is time consuming but there is nothing better than being able to customize the product to your specific liking. You also know what is going into the product and if it is really safe or not. If you are like me and enjoy making your own beauty products here is how you can make your own DIY Organic Bath Fizzies:

Ingredients:
•1/2 cup citric acid
•1 cup organic baking soda
•3/4 cup organiccornstarch
•1/4 cup organic cane sugar
•About 6 drops organic food coloring
•10 to 15 drops organic essential oil(s
•Spray bottle
•Silicone ice-cube tray (any fun shape you have)
•Storage jar (preferable something recycled you can always decorate it anyway you want)

Directions:
1.Stir together citric acid, baking soda, and cornstarch in a measuring cup.
2.Pass mixture through a fine sieve or a flour sifter into a mixing bowl.
3.Stir in sugar.
4.Fill spray bottle with water, and add food coloring.
5.Spritz mixture lightly (it should be damp and not wet enough to start fizzing) until you can pack mixture with your hands.
6.Add oil using a dropper, 1 drop at a time, until strength of scent is to your liking.
7. Use a metal spoon or your hands to mix ingredients until color is even throughout (mixture may begin to dry out if this happens, spritz until packable again).
8.Spoon into ice-cube tray & pressing firmly.
9. Let dry at room temperature overnight.
10. Pop out of tray gently and transfer to decorative jars.

**As usual you can add your own fun to this by using edible glitter, eco-paint to decorate the fizzies after they have dried! Be creative. It’s fun!

Peppermint Pimple Zapper

I love this!!! I used to keep a vial of tea tree oil with me but this smells soo much nicer! The weather is changing and warmer weather is upon us. This means you may be needing more moisturizer especially if your skin is sensitive to the sun. This is a quick fix for anyone who suffers from pop up pimples. For me every time I am about to get one it looks like I have just gotten bitten by a bug and then a few hours later you can see a pimple. The peppermint and lavender can help soothe the skin while getting rid of the blemish. Like many of the harsh chemicals used in other skin care products the Peppermint Pimple Zapper by Karen’s Botanicals is focused more on soothing the skin than irritating it.  Your face will smell better and feel better after using this organic treatment. Have you ever tried the Peppermint Pimple Zapper or any of Karen’s Botanical products?
Visit Organic Beauty Now to find this and other great orgaic products.

 You must know I love body scrubs because I write about exfoliating all of the time! I generally like to make my own but sometimes you don’t have time for a fresh beauty treatment so you must go to the next best thing! If you have to purchase a cosmetic or beauty product make sure you are choosing a responsible one. Remember whatever ingredients are in the product are going in and on your body. I know the words are difficult to sometimes understand on the back of the bottle but that should be the first clue that maybe you should rethink using that product. Cocoon Apothecary has a wide variety of skin care products that are perfect for the green beauty inside all of us.  You can see for yourself in their ingredient listings.  Nothing crazy in there.  You can pronounce all of the ingredients and probably have seen most of them in nature. I am actually drawn to the site simply because I think it is pretty. It is simple and almost elegant much like their products. No flashy designs or adds to confuse the customer, their products speak for themselves which speaks volumes about the kind of business Cocoon Apothecary really is.

Product Description:

This gentle exfoliating cleanser combines the purifying powers of lavender and geranium with spherical jojoba beads to remove dead skin cells and keep pores clean and clear. This facial cleanser is for all skin types so don’t be afraid to give it a try.

BENEFITS:

•Promotes skin-cell turnover, a process that slows down with aging.
•Keeps skin pimple-free by keeping pores clear and unclogged.
•A gentle formula that can be used daily as a scrub and a cleanser.

KEY INGREDIENTS:

•Jojoba Beads Non-abrasive beads that gently exfoliate skin.
•Lavender Essential Oil Anti-bacterial, healing, combats acne.
•Geranium Essential Oil Astringent, balancing.

GOOD STUFF:

•Biodegradable with eco-friendly beads
•Cruelty-free and vegan
•Made with certified organics
•Rated 0 on the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetic Database
•Amber glass bottle, corn label, pre-cycled pump and cap

INGREDIENTS:

Distilled water, certified organic sweet almond oil, jojoba beads, certified organic virgin coconut oil, cetearyl alcohol, stearic acid, vegetable glycerin, certified organic geranium essential oil, certified organic lavender essential oil, sodium anisate, sodium levulinate, sodium cetearyl sulfate, rosemary leaf extract.

I really can’t believe how long it has taken me to try Trader Joe’s Lavender Salt Body Scrub but I finally have and am in love! I used to purchase the same kind of scrub from Bath and Body Works or The Body Shop before their scrubs were $30 for a 6.8ozs of scrub that isn’t as effective as it used to be! I have been looking for a scrub of this caliber for a very long time and finally have found it at Trader Joe’s. I knew good ol’Joe would never let me down at only $6.00 for a big heaping jug bring it on!!
I couldn’t wait to use it. After slopping it on my skin felt amazing. If you are not used to oil based scrubs please be advised that if you use this scrub you should either mix it with shower gel or use shower gel after your scrub so you can get the oil off. I read some other reviews and people complained about the oil but if you are an experienced scrub user as myself you know better. If you have time to sit around in your bathrobe after you use the scrub or even put lotion on right after you will be OK.
I absolutely love this scrub. I have been dying for an actual salt scrub for so long. I do make my own but I wanted a responsible back up and refuse to purchase from Bath and Body or The Body Shop anylonger. There is no reason a body scrub should cost more than $6 if it is mostly natural ingredients!
I say right on Trader Joe’s! You have made me soo happy and will continue using your Lavender Salt Scrub until your recipe changes or price goes up!

Trilogy Trio

Save $22 on Trilogy Today Just in time for the cold weather and the holiday season you get a Trilogy Trio for only $29! This trio usually goes for about $51 total and you can have it for the awesome price of $29!

The Trilogy Trio comes with:
Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil 20ml
Trilogy Face Care Cream Cleanser 20ml
Trilogy Vital Moisturising Cream 50ml

This set is perfect if you have never tried Trilogy products before or if you want to give someone a sample of Trilogy items that may have never used their products before! The trio is a perfect stocking stuffer, Secret Santa or any holiday gift for that matter. Get it while the price is still hot! What is also super cool about Trilogy is that the packaging is biodegradable!! Just thought I might throw that in there.

Organic Homemade Shampoo

I love making my own spa and beauty treatments. I can use the ingredients I want and save money at the same time. Making your own beauty treatments can be fun and informative. It gives you the chance to learn about different properties that natural fruits, vegetables and herbs have.

Ingredients:

•1 organic egg

•1 teaspoon of organic coconut oil, warmed to room temperature

•1 teaspoon of organic lemon juice

•1 tablespoon of castile soap

•1/2 cup of distilled water

•5 drops of organic essential oil

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and consistent.

2. Put in fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to make sure everything has time to sit and mix. (this is an optional step you can use it right away)

3. Get in shower and wash hair. Keep in mind if you use very hot water you might actually cook the raw egg in this treatment.

4. If you have any shampoo left over you can put it in the fridge and save it but you should use it the next day. Keeping it past that is risky.

Redflower Organic Birch Mild Soaking Plunge

I love taking baths! I have written a few articles before about herbal baths that you can do at home. There is nothing better after a stressful day than to sit in a hot bath and just de-stress. Baths or hydrotherapy is wonderful for the body for a multitude of reasons. Use any excuse you want to take some time out for yourself and help heal your mind and body all at once.
Read More about RedFlower Products here: Save 15% on Redflower PLUS Free Gifts

About:

Organic Birch Mineral Hydrotherapy Soaking Plunge is a burst
of muscle and circulatory relief in the nature-based,
Finnish practice of purifying, replenishing and revitalizing
to create radiant skin, good health, long life and vigor.

the health benefits of hydrotherapy are pleasurable and profound. soaking offers a feeling of physical well-being, relieves the pain of physical wounds and aching muscles, calms the mind, and nourishes the spirit.
controlled studies from around the world document medical improvements in patients with low back pain, improved range of motion, psychological and emotional quality of life improvements and improvements with varicose veins.
hydrotherapy is the use of mineral water in various states and temperatures to maintain health and promote healing. steam, ice, hot, tepid, and cold water are all used in a number of ways alone or as part of a therapeutic regimen.
hydrotherapy takes advantage of water’s unique ability to store and transmit both cold and heat. cold has a “depressant” effect, decreasing normal activity, constricting blood vessels, numbing nerves, and slowing respiration. heat-based hydrotherapies, such as hot baths, have the opposite effect. as the body attempts to throw off excess heat and keep the body temperature from rising, dilation of blood vessels occurs, providing increased circulation.
contrast therapies, such as immersing in hot and then cold water, are used to dramatically stimulate circulation. for example, a thirty minute contrast bath beginning with soaking for four minutes in a hot tub and then dropping into a cold plunge for one minute, repeated for a total of thirty minutes, can produce a 95 percent increase in blood flow.

Eco Logical Skincare

This 4th of July I was out, like everyone else enjoying the sun hoping to get some color on my embarrassingly pasty white legs that literally glow in the dark. I could feel my skin really soaking up the sun and I was really excited to be really feeling the heat of the sun when I remembered at the end of the day “I NEVER PUT SUNBLOCK ON!!!”. I knew this was going to turn into a burn but more importantly what damage was I doing for the future of my skin! I know I have written about the importance of sunblock before but after that weekend I thought it incredibly important to mention it again.
Just this past Saturday my burn subsided and after I got out of the shower my entire chest and arms were blistered! It was horrible and now I am peeling! Soo gross!

Now that I have informed you of my horrible experience in hopes of scaring you straight here is an organic/natural sunscreen.  I am still not sure of the truth about SPF’s but either way protection is protection so use it!

Get All Your Organic, And Natural Beauty Products at Nature’s Basin

Product Info:
This SPF30 Sunscreen is not only completely natural; but it is also one of the most effective sun protection products on the market. The purpose of sunscreen is to protect your skin from damaging UV rays, conventional sunscreens do this by exposing your skin and the environment to harmful chemicals. This natural sunscreen is formulated with powerful organic ingredients such as Green Tea which is full of antioxidants, hydrating Shea Butter and Jojoba to combat aging of the skin which is related to sun exposure. The light formula is fragrance free and doesn’t clog pores like many thick conventional sunscreens. It effectively protects skin from UVA and UVB rays and is hypoallergenic, making it suitable for even the most sensitive skin.