Eco Friendly

Fit To Be Beautiful: Teeki Activewear

December 7, 2012

One of the many reasons why I envy you Americans.

The first time I spotted these Teeki Activewear pants on one of my favorite yoga instructor based in LA (the always stylish Kathryn Budig), I literally swooned. Finally, prints done right. On yoga clothes, no doubt. Even better, made out of recycled water bottles, so I’m justified that buying these relatively affordable pants (compared to lululemon).

Once I started to peruse through their online website, I knew that by the end, not only will I have a full cart, I’ll also be in for a rude awakening once my credit card bill arrives next month. How I almost wished I lived in America so I wouldn’t have to pay extra for shipping! But one cannot help oneself, I mean how can you resist beautiful and unique designs that you could not find anywhere else (especially in Canada…yes, I am a terrible Canadian!)?

“Northern Lights” design. Another fave and “must own”.

Another note on the design, not only is it visually stunning, but also capture the essence of nature. I can truly appreciate the designer’s creativity behind the images she manages to portray onto the canvas of activewear, and to have it made my recycled water bottles not only piqued my interest in the brand, but also branch out from the usual mass-produced yoga wear like lululemon and to seek out alternative brands that still make their clothes in-house and use sustainable materials for their clothes.

So if you need something to inspire you to maintain an active lifestyle during the holiday season (which, by the way, we tend to use as an excuse to slide 😉 ), then check out teekishop.com

Review: LA FRESH® Instant Body Soother Wipes

September 25, 2012

I’m all about a beauty product that does what it says and is good for you too!

LA FRESH makes a complete lines of wipes for just about any beauty need, they are eco-friendly and free of harsh or harmful ingredients and even have skin benefiting oils in them!

I’ve been using the LA FRESH natural peppermint wipes constantly. They have a blend of six oils, including peppermint oil for a nice aromatherapy boost. Peppermint oil has been used to treat everything from indigestion to headaches to nausea. The Olive, Jojoba, Sesame, Grapeseed, Vitamin E oils are a great addition to the wipe because they help keep skin soft and hydrated.

The wipes are meant to massage onto temples, shoulders or anywhere you might feel stressed or tense. They are definitely relaxing, I found the scent to be oh so cooling and calming. I love taking a big inhale and just enjoying the pleasant scent and then wiping down my neck and temples at the end of a long day. The wipes pleasantly smell of peppermint hard candy and give a bit of a cool tingle on the skin.

I’ll admit that I’ve also been using these wipes as a makeup remover, and a very effective one at that. They gently removed all of my makeup after a long night out, when I was just too tired to wash my face. Afterwards my face felt just as clean as if I washed it and there was no sticky residue behind, which I love.

LA FRESH® Instant Body Soother Wipes, $9.99.

EcoTools collaborates with Alicia Silverstone

March 30, 2011

EcoTools by Alicia Silverstone

A few month back we reviewed Ecotools Recycled Retractable Kabuki Brush as a fantastic tool to add to your beauty arsenal. In addition to made from recycled and sustainable materials a portion of sales is donated to environmental organizations. Well know actress and environmental activist Alicia Silverstone has partnered with Ecotools to create a brush and cosmetic bag collaboration. The collection, EcoTools by Alicia Silverstone will launch in April 2011 at Walgreens, Target and Walmart. The collection is pretty wallet friendly with all pieces prices at under $15.99.

Let’s take a look at some of my favorite pieces from the collection:

Ecotool by Alicia Silverstone 4-Piece Backstage Vanity Brush Set — 4-Piece Backstage Vanity Brush Set

Ecotool by Alicia Silverstone 6-Piece Brush Set and Bag — 6-Piece Brush Set and Bag

Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Deluxe Pencil Case — Deluxe Pencil Case

I think it’s important to mention that not only is collection is not beyond pretty it’s also eco-friendly. The sets are comprised of non-toxic ink, natural hemp and tree free paper. I appreciate the sophisticated look of the collection and from prior experience exceptional performance. Are you going to give this collection a try?

Pacific Shaving Company All Natural Shaving Cream

October 21, 2010

The Pacific Shaving Company created a small line of natural and eco-friendly infused with essential oils and certified organic ingredients. Their All Natural Shaving Cream is fast becoming one of my favorite products mainly for it’s ingredients. This all natural formula contains aloe, shea butter, and sweet almond oil to keep you skin hydrated and smooth. White and Green Tea extracts were added for their anti-oxidant properties to protect against free-radical damage. The company even added Lavender which helps to calm skin.

Pacific Shaving Company describes the formula as low-lather but I found that the formula was thick and lathered well. This shaving cream is a bit more dense than other brands so a little will go a long way.

The 3-oz. jar may seem quite small at first but you will get 40 shaves (or more) out of it, it’s nice and compact. The scent is extremely light and very “clean” smelling, you won’t notice it after application.

Overall the I would say that I loved the shaving cream. The texture, the scent and the all natural ingredients work harmoniously together. Shaving was smooth and nick free and most importantly my skin didn’t feel dry afterwards. This is my first experience with the Pacific Shaving Company and it was great, I can’t wait to try the rest of their line!

All Natural Shaving Cream 3-oz., $8.95

Disclosure: The product(s) featured in this review were provided for editorial consideration. Receipt of a product does not guarantee review and all opinions are my own. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

Review: Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo

September 1, 2010

I’m one of the few people that has never tried dry shampoo. Maybe it’s because in my younger years I was told to use baby powder as an alternative to washing my hair and I was left with a big mess and white roots. Not a very pretty picture! However recently my curiosity was peaked when I began noticing dry shampoo in Sephora. So being the daring diva that I am I decided to see if this product was something that could make my beauty routine easier.

Klorane has created a dry shampoo that is not only eco-friendly but also gentle to your hair. Some of the key ingredients are:

Oat extract – to soothe and calm the scalp
Corn and rice starch – for powerful cleansing
Cylcodextrins – natural absorbent microspheres to rid hair of excess dirt.

The product is very simple to use: simply squeeze the bottle (see below) and a gentle, airy mist flows out. I applied the spray to my roots (as directed), waited a few minutes and brushed it out.

I was a bit worried about removing the product but thankfully Klorane is very easy to brush out with minimal effort. I must admit that I was quite surprised on how well it worked, my hair smelled better, my scalp was less oily and my hair looked fluffier. Success! This is the perfect solution for those times that you can’t/don’t want to wash your hair. There are just some days that you want to take a break from heat styling your hair (blow dry, curling iron, flat iron etc).

Side note: I accidentally dropped the bottle and I noticed that some of the powder came out, I picked it up and shook it and a lot more powder came out. I would be concerned about traveling with this product and getting it on my clothes – so be sure to place it in a baggie for travel. Otherwise the product works well and is a godsend to those that have time constraints, are bed ridden or for those simply looking for an alternative to washing and drying their hair.

Klorane is available at Sephora and Beauty.com for $18

Disclosure: The product(s) featured in this review were provided for editorial consideration. Receipt of a product does not guarantee review and all opinions are my own. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.