Category: Beauty

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Quarantine Edition

Happy Saturday!!!  Is is actually Saturday, idk, and I actually almost don’t even care.  This has all just become a big blur to me.  One of the things I’m most sad about is that I won’t be able to host my annual Mother’s Day Brunch with my mom, mother in law, and my grandmas.

But, we can all still buy practical and fun gifts to enjoy!  So I rounded up some of my favorites during quarantine.

 

Lets start with the obvious:  We all need a good coffee mug🙂

and Comfies!!  I love this set and this!

Then add the cute and cozy slippers because you know we are all still going to the mailbox!

A quarantine tee, because well, everything is fine!

A really cute t-shirt for lounging or even a zoom!  Comes in a bunch of colors

Self Care Essentials are especially important because even though we love those little humans that made us mothers, we all need Aphukenbrake!!!  By the way, this youtube video literally never gets old.  lol

A candle for bath time, and some lavender scented Epsom salts, trust me!!!

A cute wine glass for when you are enjoying that quiet relaxing bath!

And don’t forget the wine Subscription.  This is my personal favorite, click HERE for $22 off your first order!!!

And for when she(or you because lets be real also shopping for ourselves)gets out of the tub.

Self Tanning drops because we all feel better tan!

The best moisturizer

and lip gloss!  Trust me on this one, its life changing.

Dry shamps incase she(or you) chose not to wash her(your) hair!  This one is only $5 and is fabulous.

A cute necklace because well, we can wear necklaces at home!  This is a great layering one and I love this other one that you can personalize!

Last, don’t forget the comfy chair to put in the corner of her bedroom, family room, or patio!

And the cute cooler to boot!

Parker Thatch is one of my current favorite purses.  I love this denim crossbody and it sure would serve its purpose at the grocery store!

Definitely don’t forget flowers!  Bloomsybox is one of my favorites 💕.

I hope you all have the BEST Mother’s Day!!!  You deserve the world

XOXO-

Lissa

***All links are Affiliate Links which means I may make a small percentage off the purchase of these items.***

Caripro Electric Toothbrush + Giveaway

Happy end of July!  Can you even believe that?!?  I feel like summer has blown by right before my eyes. I was gifted this Caripro Electric Toothbrush from Smile Brilliant about a month ago. When they reached out I immediately said YES!!!  I have always wanted to purchase an Electric Toothbrush and truthfully don’t know why I haven’t. I am someone that has kind of always had cavities and have been told to buy one before. After using it the first time I seriously felt like I had just left the dentist for a cleaning!!!  It’s amazing, and good news, a month later it still feels like that.

There are 5 different modes on the Toothbrush, I prefer Clean and White. I switch back and forth between them!  The Toothbrush is also set to pause every 30 seconds for 2 mins. This is so you brush for 2 minutes in 30 second intervals in each quadrant of your mouth.  I mean, I’m not going to lie. I doubt I was brushing for 2 full minutes before this Toothbrush!

Shop my PJ’s

One of the other perks of the Caripro is that you can buy new Toothbrush Heads vs. a whole new electric toothbrush!  Click here to check out all the FAQ’s you might need. Use code:  Tweeblog20 for 20% off your purchase by clicking here.

Enter the giveaway HERE to WIN your very own Caripro Electric Toothbrush!!!!

Good Luck!!

 

XOXO,

Lissa

 

***This Toothbrush was gifted to me from Smile Brilliant but all opinions are my own***

 


electric toothbrush reviews

Why I still “sell” Beautycounter

 

If you have been following me for a little while you know I wrote a post not that long ago about My Journey to A Safer Lifestyle.  If not, You can read all about it HERE.  So, after attending Beautycounter’s Leadership Summit this past weekend I felt I should follow up with-“Why I Still sell Beautycounter.”  As I mentioned, I just got home from Leadership Summit(a yearly conference for BC consultants).  I was obviously feeling pretty inspired.  Have you ever been to a conference for work?  Even when you really dislike your job, you generally leave feeling pretty inspired(and so darn exhausted).  One of the Managing Directors gave an incredible presentation on her dedication and grit to be able to quit her full time job and replace it with similar income from Beautycounter.  Something she said just cracked me up, infact, Dusko laughed when I told it to him. So it must be funny, right?!?!?  She said after her first summit, her husband asked her if she drank the “kool-aid?”  Her response, “No, but I did drink the non-GMO, organic smoothie!”  Ok, ok, maybe I am actually turning into a nerd?  I still think it’s hilarious though, and the ironic thing is, I actually personally did not drink the kool-aid either but I sure did drink A LOT of wine with some great old and new friends!

Me and one of my oldest/very first friends-Britt!

Me and a bunch of awesome new friends!

They also had so many fun photo booth opportunities and if you know me, you know I spent a lot of my night taking advantage of them!!!

So, bonus, this business(side gig) whatever you want to call it has also made me a great new social circle!  I want you all to know I have technically been a Beautycounter consultant for almost 2 years, come this Sept.  I went to this leadership summit thinking ok, maybe I will dive more into the product, get to know some of the women, etc.  To my surprise I came out of it completely OBSESSED with Beautycounter’s Mission(and maybe even feeling like I want to be a politician-maybe in my next life).  It is a fairly simple mission-To get safer products into the hands of EVERYONE!

What I didn’t know, maybe sheer ignorance was that Beautycounter actually has a lobbyist that works for them and goes to Washington D.C. regularly, fighting to get a law passed with regulations over certain chemicals.  There have also been hundreds of consultants that have won trips to go with her.  If you don’t already know this, there hasn’t been a major federal law passed in the United States since 1938(come on people, the ball point pen was invented in the same year) to regulate the safety of ingredients used in our personal care products!!!  Beautycounter and it’s thousands of consultants and customers are MAKING a difference in the world.  It is so much more than just skincare.  I also heard someone over the weekend say you can’t unlearn what you have already learned.  It’s kind of like when your friend tells you a secret and you try so hard to just forget it so you don’t tell anyone else.  lol, but really you just think about it more!  You all know what I am talking about!!!  I will be honest, I used to kind of ignore people or just not read articles regarding all of these cancer causing chemicals and hormone disruptors.  Ignorance is bliss, amiright??!?!  But it’s reality and we are living it.  We are also raising kids in this world and if I can make a difference in my family’s life as well as people that I connect with, than I am here to stay!  I left this weekend feeling proud that I am a Beautycounter consultant, I left feeling like I really want to share this gift with anyone else that wants to take it.  If you are interested in the opportunity to really have a voice, or maybe just to make friends(lol), or just to get some awesome, safe, beauty products, click HERE!  Also, take a few minutes to read an older blog post of mine that was a Clean Sweep campaign Beautycounter did a little while back.  It gives great insight to a lot of the harsh chemicals and what you should try to switch out immediately!

Bonus:  You can shop all of my summit looks below!

Shop all of this look here

Shop all of this look here

Shop all of this look here

Shop all of this look here

Shop all of this look here

Have you consciously switched out any of your beauty or self care products?  Would love to hear what and why in the comments!

XOXO,

Lissa

Shop my Beautycounter HERE!

Beautycounter Clean SWAP!

I’m super excited about the newest campaign Beautycounter launched last week-Clean Swap!

The gist of it is that they are taking the 6 BIGGEST offenders in the Skincare/Beauty market that tend to have the most harmful ingredients and really educating you and urging you to switch to safer!  I feel like everyday I’m learning more and more about things I should avoid and why.

I am definitely not a professional but here is my take on why you should switch these Offenders out!!!

Offender #1:  Eye & Face Creams

(This is me when I went to take this pic & realized my lotion is almost gone and my new one isn’t going to be here for a few days)!

Many traditional eye and face creams are made with preservatives which can release formaldehyde and wreak havoc on the immune system. YIKES!  Seriously, formaldehyde???  In face creams?  The thought of this makes me want to vomit.  All formaldehyde reminds me of is preserving the dead frog in High School science class.  I can still smell it now….The good news is that Countermatch Eye Rescue Cream and Countermatch Adaptive Moisture Lotion are naturally preserved with phytic acid from green rice.  That sounds much more pleasant to me!  Why wouldn’t you switch?

Offender #2: Face Masks

Traditional facial masks can be formulated with PEGs, otherwise known as “Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): Carcinogenic petroleum ingredient that reduces the skin’s natural moisture. Increases the appearance of aging and leaves you vulnerable to bacteria. Used in spray-on oven cleaners and cleansers to dissolve oil and grease.”  That definition right there absolutely does NOT make me want to use anything like that on my face!!!  They also often contain dangerous chemicals.  Your mask should have nothing to hide. All of Beautycounter’s masks  contain naturally-derived glycerin, which helps condition and soften skin.

Offender #3:  Shampoo

Harsh sulfates, such as SLS and SLES, are found in many shampoos and can cause skin irritation. These are used to make the foamy lather, basically because it’s cheaper for the industry as a little bit goes a LONG way  However, in order to get the sulfite compound to work, they have to use petroleum.  Not to mention, sulfates dull hair and even make it brittle.  Here is an article with the top 10 reasons to avoid SLS.  Your scalp deserves a lot better. Beautycounter shampoos use beetroot sugars to deliver the rich lather and cleansing performance everyone wants.

Good Hair Days Start with Safer Ingredients- I really do believe this!  I can tell you that I have always had a problem with buildup where my hair would get super greasy from other brands.  Ever since I have used this formula, I am in love!

 

Offender #4:  Lipstick

Do you remember using Lip Smackers as a kid?  I don’t know about you but I’m pretty sure I ate more if it than I actually wore.  This rings true even with lipsticks as adults, really anything we put on our lips we end up ingesting.  The problem with this is that most all lipsticks include artificial fragrance. Artificial fragrances can be a blend of ingredients that are not required to be disclosed by U.S. law and can include trace amounts of phthalates (potential endocrine disruptors). That leaves a bad taste in our mouths, too.  Read this article on Potential Endocrine Disruptors if you want to learn why these are so bad.

Beautycounter Sheer Lipsticks come in 10 awesome colors, tell you all the ingredients, and are only scented with natural vanilla.  They also feel like you are putting butter directly on your lips, like the softened, smooth kind!

Offender #5:  Body Lotion

In a nutshell, you usually slather body lotion ALL over your body, right?  So they basically offer the most exposure to potentially toxic ingredients, like mineral oil (here’s a short article on 3 key reasons to avoid). Mineral oil is allowed in beauty products, it is a conditioning agent that may be contaminated with trace amounts of toxins and can suffocate skin. That just makes me claustrophobic!  I want my skin to breathe.  Beautycounter Hydrating Body Lotion contains a moisturizing blend of marula and mongongo oils which are rich in essential fatty acids to revitalize and nourish skin.  Not to mention, the natural Citrus mimosa scent is pretty dreamy!

Offender #6:  Mascara

Carbon black, a pigment used in mascaras to create the deep black color, has been linked to a range of adverse health effects. Mascara shouldn’t be that scary. I heard somewhere that Carbon black is also used in tires….I mean, what???  The Volumizing and Lengthening Mascaras are pigmented with naturally-occurring iron oxides.

Google what does it take to make carbon black…I dare you.  Or I’ll just show you.

Carbon black (subtypes are acetylene black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black and thermal black) is a material produced by the incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products such as FCC tar, coal tar, ethylene cracking tar, with the addition of a small amount of vegetable oil.

I’m speechless.

Just remember that Knowledge is Power, and you CAN control what you are using on your body!  When you have a minute, download the EWG app and scan all of the current products in your house.  It’s crazy!  I would love to hear if you have tried Beautycounter and or what your favorite product is?!?!?!

XOXO,

Lissa

Don’t forget if you Purchase any one of the 6 offenders you get to pick a deluxe size (think travel sized) Countermatch face lotion, a hair conditioner, mini face oil or body wash!  Promo ends, March 7, 2018.  This is such a great time to sample some of the Beautycounter line!

 

 

My Journey to A Safer Lifestyle

“No, I wouldn’t suggest using that. Your skin is your largest organ. It absorbs everything.”  -my midwife I had when I was pregnant with Max.  This was in reference to using sunless tanning lotion while pregnant. Because, obviously if I was feeling fat, being tan would make me feel way better, right?  Well, I have only used sunless tanning lotion one time since then. It’s been 3 years and that is saying a lot from a recovering tan towel aholic. I have to be completely honest, I think I knew all of those lotions had to be bad for me. They would literally make me sweat profusely. Not to mention, Amanda, I am SO sorry I was that tan and gross in your wedding 🤣. Ugh, that also reminds me-tanning beds. How was that even a thing?  I mean, baking in between two sheets of lamps????

Real life: My first time in a tanning bed I freaked and got out because:

A-I was chlostrophobic and

B-I thought the plexi glass was going to shatter and I would burn to death. I probably wasn’t that far off, those things were bad. Very bad.

If you have read this far, thanks for stopping by!

Back to my point, I guess the gist of my Journey to A Safer Lifestyle is that once I had kids it wasn’t just about me anymore. I want to be around as long as I can for them and if that means changing what I can control than I am going to do the best I can!  Is it realistic to download the ewg app and throw everything away and replace it all immediately?  Probably not for the majority of society. Mainly for financial reasons.

Some of the things I have switched are:

1-Makeup & Skincare. If you have ever tried Beautycounter you will understand why. The products are top notch, I mean founded in Santa Monica, classy, classy ladies❤.

Let me just ask you this?  If you knew that most of the cosmetics and skincare you were using today had Questionable ingredients that almost all other countries ban besides the USA, would you keep using the products?  Me either. Beautycounter has banned over 1500 ingredients that they consider potentially harmful. It’s called the Never List, check it out here.

2-Household Cleaners, I pretty much just use Norwex cloths and some of their cleaners.  I have always had a sensitivity to these chemicals so this was a no brainer for me.  But, again, I never wanted to clean the bathrooms when Max was little because I didn’t want him smelling and licking it!!!

3-Perfume, ugh  This one was going to be hard I thought.  I was the girl that wore multiple perfumes just because I loved scents!  I was wrong, once I just stopped wearing it I actually stopped even caring.  Infant, after 3 years of no perfume, I have finally added all of my old bottles to my garage sale pile!  Check out this article on how bad fragrance is and the lack of regulation here.

So, here I am, just a girl trying to lead a safer lifestyle for myself & my family❤.

Have any of you switched out something you consider to be potentially harmful ingredients?  Would love to hear about it!

Please comment below!

 

XOXO-

Lissa

*Disclaimer: These are all my personal opinions & viewpoints, although I think my skin has never looked better!