BellaSugar

How-To: Handle Chlorinated "Green" Hair

BellaSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:00:53 -0700

OK, it's time to get something straight right off the bat. The chlorine in pools isn't what is causing your hair to turn green; it's the copper in the water that's making you look like you've just been slimed.

Chlorine is a chemical that kills germs, and when mixed with the natural copper in the water, it can turn dark blonde hair yellow, make highlights brassy, or turn light blonde hair green. Even if your hair isn't light or chemically treated, chlorine can dry it out. Below are a few quick and easy precautions you can take to protect your hair's texture and color.

Before you get into the pool, rinse your hair with water from the shower or the tap and apply a conditioner to help coat your hair. This will act as a shield against the damaging chemical/metal mixture.
If possible, don't stay in the pool for more than a few hours. If you are planning to swim for an extended period of time, then it's a good idea to wear a swim cap.
As soon as you get out of the pool, shampoo and condition your hair immediately. A great suggestion is Swimmer's Normalizing Conditioner and Swimmer's Normalizing Shampoo ($7.70-$7.98 each) from Aubrey Organics. Work the shampoo into your hair, rinse well and repeat the process for optimal results.
Deep-condition more regularly to avoid brittleness and breakage. Shiny, hydrated, healthy hair is less likely to be affected.

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Aubrey Organics All Natural Six Scents

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:02:22 -0700

Here's one for all of you organic beauty fans! I've just heard about this awesome new line of organic perfumes called Aubrey Organics Natural Essential Oils Eau de Parfum, $21.50.

They make six different scents and totally make me think of something that would look and smell great in a guest bathroom at a beach house. All of the fragrances are created from 100% essential oils and they are free of synthetics, preservatives and fixatives.

The bottles all come in two ounce sizes. They are made from frosted glass and each have their own bright color and trademark design on them. This company has been around since 1967 as one of the world’s leading natural body care manufacturers and a prominent involvement in the natural cosmetics industry.

This is a new discovery for me, and I am really excited about them! Since their products can be purchased online or in any Whole Foods Market, I am psyched that the next time I'm food shopping I can check out more of their goodies.

To read more about each of the scents, read more

Spring Floral Eau de Parfum: smells like a garden! Made from: roses, bergamot, geraniums, ylang extract, cedarwood and vetiver, this is great for the gal who likes sweet flowers.
Light Citrus Floral Eau de Parfum: seems like something right up my strassa since it is both citrusy and flowery. It's made from: lime oil, lemon oil, pink grapefruit, cinnamon bark, lavender, boise de rose, ylang, jasmine and sweet orange. Mmm.
Ocean Waters Eau de Parfum: is made from: mandarin, bergamot, lemon oil, geranium, pink grapefruit, rosemary, sandalwood, and lavender. Supposedly this scent has a very refreshing and crisp aroma.
Jade & Spice Eau de Parfum: is a sophisticated fragrance with a really greeny, woodsy smell to it. It is made from bergamot, lemon oil, ginger, basil, mandarin orange, cardamom, cinnamon bar, clove bud, black pepper, cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood and nutmeg.
Musk Eau de Parfum is the one that I have smelled. It's a tad masculine for my taste, it's not offensive or anything like that, it's just kind of strong. Made from neroli, bergamot, fir needle, petitgrain, cedarwood and sandalwood I think this is something you and your special guy could share.
Angelica Eau de Parfum is the most subtle of the bunch. It's got a powdery scent made from oil, lavender, rose, patchouli, vetiver, bergamot and cedarwood.

Organic: Not Always A Safe Bet

BellaSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:00:53 -0700

If you think that by selecting beauty products that are labeled "organic," you're avoiding all potentially toxic, even carcinogenic additives, you might want to check the labels a little more closely next time. A study commissioned by the Organic Consumers Association, found the surprising presence of the compound 1,4-Dioxane in some of the most well-known "organic" and "natural" beauty brands.

So why is this something to be concerned about? The petroleum byproduct is added to some beauty products to provide mildness to harsh ingredients. It has been declared a known carcinogen by the state of California, and it is suspected as a kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant, among others. Yikes!

Popular brands such as JASON Pure Natural & Organic, Kiss My Face, and Nature's Gate Organics did not fare so well in the OCA testing, whereas Dr. Bronner's, Sensibility Soaps, Terressentials, Aubrey Organics, and Dr. Hauschka came up clean. The full results of the study can be found here. To find out how you can avoid this toxic additive, read more.

Avoid products with ingredients containing "myreth," "oleth," "laureth," "ceteareth," any other "eth," "PEG," "polyethylene," "polyethylene glycol," "polyoxyethylene," or "oxynol."
Unless a product has been USDA Certified Organic, its ingredients and claims are completely unregulated.
When in doubt, if you can pronounce all the ingredients on the label, it's most likely free from any harmful additives or ingredients.

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geeksugar Is All About Natural Beauty

BellaSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:00:17 -0700

You know how in bad movies, the scientist or techie girl lets her hair down and it tumbles into beautiful, perfect curls? geeksugar is that girl. Seriously, she knows her technology inside and out, and on top of that, she is intimidatingly pretty. In fact, after finding out about her natural, no-fuss approach to beauty, I almost want to dislike her for being so effortlessly put-together. But she's so nice that I can't. Read on for her easy beauty tips.

Which beauty products are your must-haves?
Five products that I absolutely cannot live without include Burt's Bees Soap Bark and Chamomile deep cleansing cream, Aubrey Organics sea buckthorn and cucumber moisturizing cream for combination dry skin, Bobbi Brown's bronzing powder, MAC Studio Stick concealer, and Shikai's Color Reflect Mist and Go conditioning spray with soy protein and panthenol - my detangling savior!

What’s your favorite beauty ritual?
Although I don't do this as often as I would like, I love doing a deep conditioning homemade treatment on my hair (the egg/mayo/olive oil combo). I then slather a nice rejuvenating deep pore-cleansing mask on my face and soak in a bubble bath for a half hour or so. Totally relaxing, therapeutic and good for the mind, body and soul. Some soft Zen music playing in the background helps as well!

For Geek's advice on the unusual cream that works as lip gloss, read more.

What’s your go-to lip product?
I've used this for way too many years but it's so awesome I just can't part with it! My go-to lip product is The Body Shop's lip and cheek stain in rose pink. When you first put it on it looks like something Barbie would wear, but trust me, with a little shimmery gloss, it looks divine (and less eighties!), plus it will keep your lips a nice hue of pink for hours!

What is your morning beauty routine?
I like keeping things simple as I believe less is definitely more when it comes to makeup! Some concealer, bronzer, mascara and gloss usually does the trick for me.

What’s your signature fragrance?
Since I'm super-sensitive when it comes to perfumes, I tend to stay away from products that contain chemicals and harsh ingredients. I usually just stick with wearing a dab or two of sandalwood or rose essential oils on my wrists.

What’s the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?
To always wash off your make-up before you go to bed. Thanks, Mom!

And the worst advice?
That you must use liquid foundation before applying your makeup. I've always looked hideous wearing liquid foundation! UGH!

Any tips or tricks you want to share with readers?
If you tend to use lots of hair products, I suggest using a deep cleansing shampoo once in a while to remove all the excess residue, pollutants and dirt from your hair. Mop's basil mint shampoo will do just the trick. Also, instead of covering your body in lotion filled with harmful chemicals, try using something like Alba's Kukui nut organic body oil, which is an excellent moisturizer and safe for your body. Finally, lanolin nipple cream (for breastfeeding mothers) is a fantastic lip gloss – so shiny and thick and hardly wears off! Definitely great for chapped lips. My friend introduced me to it and I’ve been addicted ever since!

Your favorite drugstore beauty product?
Witch Hazel! Witch Hazel is a great all-natural astringent that gently cleanses the skin without removing essential moisture. It also reduces pore size and helps to combat break-outs.

When do you feel the most beautiful?
After I get back from a long brisk walk in the evening. I love filling my lungs with fresh air and getting my heart rate up - my skin always glows afterwards!