Build Bath & Shower

You might have seen bottles of shampoo and conditioner labelled as sulphate- and paraben-free, but what does this actually mean when it comes to what we put on our hair?  What are sulphates?  Most of us will have shower gels, soaps, shampoos and cleaning products in our bathroom and kitchen cupboards that contain synthetic detergents. The likes of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), sodium laureth sulphate (SLES), ammonium lareth sulphate and myreth sulphate. These are synthetic, inexpensive detergents that are very effective at removing dirt and also help provide that soapy lather we’ve come to expect when we wash our hair.  In some cases, they can dry out hair, irritate sensitive skin and make eczema worse , so some brands choose to use gentler alternatives .  Typically, sulphate-free products might not lather as much as others containing synthetic foaming agents , so those with finer locks may find they need to give hair two washes.  What are parabens?  Parabens are preservatives used...

When making choices to support a healthier lifestyle, many individuals overlook the safety of their beauty and/or personal care products . But they shouldn’t: Not only is skin your largest organ, but what is applied to the skin is absorbed by the body (if you’re suspect, just think about the efficacy of transdermal birth control or nicotine patches). As a professional with 15 years of experience as a makeup artist and 10 years of experience in naturals specifically, I have developed an expertise in which products, ingredients, and methods are best. So if you’re taking the time—and spending the money—to buy healthier, organic food, it’s about time you understand what you’re putting on your skin. An introduction to clean and natural beauty. In order to understand the context, here’s some clean beauty 101 : The personal care industry (meaning things like lipstick, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste) is completely unregulated in the United States. In layman’s terms, this means ther...

Today I’m excited to share three natural shower products that you can make at home! We are teaming up with SheaMoisture, and their new Beauty Hack line that’s available at Ulta to make these three simple recipes. We’re going to learn to make a sugar scrub, a body wash and a body oil—all from awesome, natural ingredients ! I have a huge stash of various oils and ingredients in my office that I use for DIYs, but it took a LOT of time, research and a decent amount of money to collect all these supplies. When I heard about the Beauty Hack line , I loved it instantly because it takes a lot of the guesswork out of creating your own natural beauty products . There are recipes available on their site, and SheaMoisture uses certified organic and fair trade ingredients . You can use this collection, along with ingredients from your kitchen to create your own DIY natural skincare and hair care products ! Matcha Sugar Scrub , makes enough for one use (my photos show a double recipe) 6 tablespoo...

By VacationIdea Staff. Last Updated on August 16, 2017. Costanoa Lodge is an eco- adventure resort in Pescadero in San Mateo County on the California coastline that provides a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The environmentally- friendly resort offers unique accommodations , delicious California coastal cuisine , an array of sustainable spa and adventure activities, and genuine, personalize hospitality and service. Pescadero is a charming little town tucked in the rolling green hills of a beautiful stretch of road and features working farms , sweeping coastal views , and world- renowned artichoke bread . This charming area boasts an array of things to see and do from visiting one of the many local farms and markets and tasting their local produce and wares to the 115- foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse perched atop a cliff with breathtaking ocean views . The Ano Nuevo State Park features plenty of fantastic beaches and hiking spo...

Share on Pinterest Share with your friends Don’t you love the store Lush?  I sure do.  If you haven’t ever been, be forewarned, you’ll spend a lot of time there.  I love going in and smelling everything and imagining that I’m taking a nice relaxing bath and using all of their bath products.  But when a bath bomb, melt, bubble bar , and scrub cost $6 each, it can get really expensive.  Plus, it’s hard to decide which bar to get because they have so many great products: bubble melts, bath bombs, bubble bars, or bath scrub?  Life gets hard, huh?!  Well I’m here to tell you I figured out the most amazing recipe that combines all of these four products into ONE bar and costs less than $1 each!  Hallelujah!  Now that’s what I’m talking about.  I introduce you to the DIY Lush 4-in-1 Bath Bar! I found this recipe and but didn’t love everything about it.  I want to add some color, more complex flavors, and after trying the recipe, they turned out really dry and crumbly.  LAME.  SO I  did some...

V oting in the 2017 Telegraph Travel Awards is now open, giving you the opportunity to reward those operators and destinations that continue to surpass your expectations. And because we recognise you need to invest time and energy to make these awards what they are, as a reward for your efforts we are delighted to offer you the chance to win one of 20 luxury holidays - including this twin- centre Caribbean escape at the Sandpiper, Barbados & Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort – St. Lucia (worth £28,000) A once-in-a- lifetime Caribbean getaway for two visiting the most exclusive hotels in Barbados and St Lucia, this extraordinary prize offers the winner the chance to experience two of the most luxurious and popular islands in the West Indies. The Sandpiper, Barbados and Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, St.Lucia have joined forces to create a dual centre escape showcasing the very best of the Caribbean . How to enter Follow this link to tell us about your favourite travel companies a...

Hot summer days mean tank tops, shorts, swimsuits, sandals and generally a lot more of your skin showing than it normally would at other times of the year. While wearing less clothing helps to keep you cool, it often means more skincare problems for many of us. As you get ready to head outdoors to enjoy the weather this season, win the bare skin battle by being prepared to prevent and treat every type of irritation, abrasion and bite that may come your way. Sunburn The most common and, to be perfectly honest, most preventable summer skin problem is sunburn. Even though we all know we need to wear sunscreen every single day , many of us blow it off until it’s too late and we’re rocking the lobster look. Not only does allowing yourself to get sunburnt increase your risk of skin cancer, but on a very superficial level, sun damage totally ages you. Aging gracefully is fabulous, aging prematurely is not. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends the use of a daily moisturizer wit...

When I stayed at a fancy-pants hotel in Vancouver last year, I remember thinking that I loved their refillable shampoo, conditioner and body wash pumps . I hate throwing away all those tiny, half-used bottles – it seems like such a waste. We throw away SO MUCH garbage in this country, and only 5-10% of the plastic ever makes it to a recycling center. And even if it gets recycled, it usually ends up in a landfill or in our lakes and oceans at some point. Plus, when you recycle a plastic bottle only 10-20% of it can actually be successfully recycled and what is recovered is often downgraded into another form of single use plastic. According to National Geographic, if we don’t change our ways by 2050 there will be 12 BILLION metric tons of plastic in landfills and waterways. There will be more plastic than fish in the ocean! Say what? That’s a staggering amount of destruction to our planet. Above is a pic of Maui, Hawaii, from my birthday trip in April. Can we PLEASE keep our oceans look...