5 Non-toxic Self-care Items for a Budgeting Teacher.
Guess what!
I’m a Michelle Phan secret fan although, among the two items of make-up I hold hostage, mascara is the scariest and most sophisticated tool.
What I really admire about this smart businesswoman/make-up artist/You-Tuber is her promotion of personal value and natural beauty with excellent, intelligent skin products.
For a while, I’ve been a shopper at a local Walgreens. Most of my toiletries would come from the pharmacy. Only recently, being more selective about personal care products has become so important.
While shopping online, I turn into a complete nerd. It’s the time to choose carefully, compare prices, most importantly, investigate the ingredients and read customer reviews.
I discovered that splurging on self-care items brings the feeling of better-quality care of myself. The sensation of using a carefully-selected, skin-loving, aromatic product on your body and hair is the ultimate spa experience I never have the time for.
In this post, I share a list of items I have purchased not once and never regretted:
1. BeeFriendly Face and Eye Cream and Moisturizer.
My skin is dry and easily irritable. In winter month, I have this sensation of a boiled apple skin that is about to burst open, and that’s not a pleasant feeling.
In spring and summer months, dry patches on my chin and nose look like layers of chip foundation and powder (neither of them is in my skin-care) shamelessly flaking off.
I’ve tried Olay, Pond’s, Neutrogena, even Burt Bees, Aveeno, and Shea Moisture brands, the last three names being my highest hope and the biggest disillusionment.
And then, I discovered a 2-ounce jar of honey-like goodness. My skin “drinks” this stuff like crazy! The smell is of honey and olive oil. It’s organic and chemical-free!
Most importantly, it can go on your face, eyes, neck. Boom! The whole package!
Love it!
- Price: ranges between $26 – $30.
- Worth it? – Heck, yeah! A 2-ounce jar is enough for two months.
- Use: separation of oil happens. No worries! Grab and Q-tip and stir it. Enjoy a soft, golden drop of nectar for your teacher tired skin!
- Where to get: – Amazon
2. Annatto Hair Oil.
I have a special relationship with my hair. Have you known that girl in your childhood who always had her hair cut like a boy? Yeah, that was me.
Now I would sell national secrets to protect my hair! Good quality shampoos and conditioners are a must in my bathroom, and any price is not negotiable when I need it.
Annatto hair oil is pure luxury treatment. It’s honey-textured, of golden color, smells of meadow flowers when a small drop is warmed between your palms before application.
I’m obsessed with the scent that brings me to the childhood summers that I spent in a village running barefoot, watching my grandma milking a cow and making mudpies with my besties.
Also, it’s organic and free from scary chemicals.
- Price: $67
- Worth it? – Yep! Reason 1 – you are worth it! Reason 2- it lasts a yeaarrr or more!
- Use: you need just one pump. Warm it up between your palms. Apply on the ends. Girls with darker, coarser mane can be more generous with it. I have soft blond hair. I apply it only on the ends; otherwise, my hair would look greasy the next day.
- Where to get: – Soko Glam
3. All-natural Rejuvenating Eye Masks from Doppel Tree.
I’ve been on a search for under-eye patches for quite a while. Nothing fancy, super-duper trendy was in my intentions. What I wanted was good quality, organic, chemical-free treatment.
Can you relate?
So there it was – a pack of 18 pairs of eye patches generously drenches in some fancy juice to come to my rescue. I save this application ritual for the weekend wake up routine when I don’t need to inhale my breakfast to rush to be in school by 7: 40 a.m.
Fresh coffee, some scones baked from scratch, butter, my family at the table – this all is an excellent addition to a rejuvenating procedure of having eye patches on.
After the application, my under eye skin feels fresh, moisturized, and looks brightened.
- Price: about $18-21.
- Worth it? – Sure! This stuff works and feels exceptionally expensive.
- Use: apply a pair of patches under your eyes. I usually stick a pouch into the fridge for 5 minutes to make them feel cooler.
- Where to get: – Amazon or Doppeltree.com
4. Lily Lolo BB Cream.
Foundations and powders are strangers to me. The brands I used to buy at the local Walgreens no doubt cover all the pimples and imperfections; however, the cost of coverage is high.
What converted me into Lily Lolo BB cream is the story of the brand which tells about the founder’s search for chemical-free alternatives to the known foundation brands.
It’s lightweight. It covers just enough. It feels good on my skin.
- Price: about $22.
- Worth it? – Absolutely! I tried two shades: fair and light. Fair goes better with my winter skin tone. Light is great for summer slightly tanned skin. Ideally, my natural skin color would be the combination of the two shades. Yet, I’m enjoying Lily Lolo BB cream most importantly because it has no scary chemicals.
- Use: It needs no fancy brushes or sponges to apply. Pump a drop to your fingers. Apply as a cream to your face. Love its simplicity!
- Where to get: –Lilylolo.us
5. Ella and Mila Nail Polish.
I bought this brand of nail polish when I was pregnant with my first child.
Quite old-fashioned, I was petrified to color my nails since I knew a regular nail polish has the potential to turn anyone into a Godzilla once chemicals enter your bloodstream.
At the same time, I wanted to be beautiful and feel taken care of.
Ella and Mila does not contain the substances that are commonly found in many other nail polishes. The product’s story is heart-warming.
The company focuses on safety and chemical-free products that are chic at the same time.
- Price: $10 – $13
- Worth it? – Of course! Chemical-free!
- Use: my 5-year-old snatched it for herself. I don’t worry. No bad stuff in the bottle!
- Where to get: – Ellamila.com or Amazon.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself!
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