So, lately we’ve been trying to weed out any cookware that contains toxic coatings over the past year and I got rid of all my conventional non-stick pans that are teflon-coated and switched them out for cast iron skillets instead. While I do like using the cast iron (although it definitely has a learning curve if you aren’t used to using them), I still wanted one pan that was a little more non-stick for making more delicate items (like a crepe) that I always seem to ruin in a cast iron. I tried this pan at my sister’s house and it works so well! They said they bought it based on a Goop recommendation and it’s coated with Thermolon ceramic instead of teflon for a safer cooking surface. It works so well that I’m also replacing our conventional cookie sheet with this since it’s the last piece of daily cookware that I hadn’t switched out yet.
While I do love using our diffuser to spread oil blends throughout the house, there’s something about using candles that can’t quite be replaced with anything else. This soy candle trio is amazing (it would make a great housewarming/hostess gift) and it contains no artificial ingredients or paraffins and is scented with 100% pure essential oils … the blood orange one is my favorite! You can also learn to make your own soy or beeswax candles as well if you want to DIY it.
Summertime means bugs! We’ve been using these mosquito wipes (they smell amazing!) and these on our patio table to help keeps our bites to a minimum using essential oil-based products (just as an FYI, the wipes have peppermint oil in them and we don’t recommend that for kids under 6). We also have the summer fruit fly infestation from time to time in our kitchen, so once they appear I set this out and they are gone within 24 hours—yay!
Lately I’ve been using this set of body wash/shampoo and baby lotion with Lola and it’s got her skin feeling so soft. The wash has jojoba, avocado, and black seed oil to provide hydration and moisture with aloe and chamomile extracts to gently soothe and the lotion has shea and cocoa seed butter to add hydration and aloe and chamomile to gently calm.
We also have this mineral-based sunscreen on hand for us for pool afternoons as well (it’s got green tea and rose hip seed oil blends which are high in antioxidants). While we try and get Lola to wear a sunhat when she spends time outdoors, she’s not always a willing party, so we use this SPF mist on her head to keep her scalp from burning (it’s organic with exotic monoi oil and gotu kola extract and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes).
Since I have dry skin, I’ve never been a big fan of liquid foundation as it can tend to look cakey, but this primer and foundation are light and amazing and really do give you that airbrushed look! I like to use it after applying this for under-eye circles and blemishes, and then I set it with this talc-free finishing powder.
I’ve been using this lightweight cleanser with my spin brush before I do my clean skin routine at night (which I talk about more in this post) and it really helps to clear off all my makeup before I do the rest of my steps, so I’m starting with clean skin. The vitamin-rich rosehip oil helps to slow the signs of aging, and preserve moisture while smelling pretty delicious at the same time. This year is definitely the kindest I’ve ever been to my skin and I think it’s really paying off so far!
Do you guys have any natural bug-repellent products that you love? If so, let me know! xo. Laura
12 Comments
These all sound amazing! I’ll have to give them a try!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
I made a bug spray w/ witch hazel, water, and essential oils (spearmint, rosemary, eucalyptus). It works great! For kids you can spray it on their clothes instead of sensitive skin.
Yes, we do caution using eucalyptus around kids under the age of 10 though (per essential oil expert Robert Tisserand recommendation) so maybe try a version without that to be safe. Also, a lot of people think (including me up until this past year) that witch hazel is a good carrier, but it’s actually not so maybe try using a little castile soap or solubol to put the oils into first and then place into distilled water. Here’s a link to it, it’s what I use now for room or body sprays!
https://scentsablehealth.com/shop/body-products/solubol/
Laura 🙂
The products sound amazing, thank you for always introducing us to new natural and organic skincare products! Mosquito wipes sound like a life saver!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
have you tried to ask for the opinion of a specialist or maybe a dermatologist?
Really love these natural beauty products posts.
If you really need to repel bugs in a serious way, Natrapel works wonders. When we’re in deep woods or farm territory, it’s better than DEET without the health concerns.
Thanks for the recommendations! I recently learned a lot of essential oils are harmful to dogs and cats. I wanted to pass the info along in case you hadn’t heard that before. We have 2 cats and I was really disappointed to learn that.
Hi Amy!
Check out this article for safety with oils and cats (he’s our go-to trusted guide for oil safety), you can actually use a lot of them around cats 🙂
http://roberttisserand.com/2011/06/cats-essential-oil-safety/
Laura
My company makes a great plant-based, DEET free repellant, but in a pinch, I love whipping up a spray with Citronella, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Purification, and Lavender! Ps these posts are awesome!
Thanks for the great post today! In regards to dry skin – have you ever tried an essential oil make up stick?? It has changed my life! I moisturise wot Living Nature, apply my the essential oil stick to super dry patches then mix ‘nude by nature’ primer and liquid foundation and my skin looks amazing! I was using a Mac one (I know it’s really an unethical brand!) so I’ve ordered a ‘Kora organics’ one which hasn’t arrived but hoping it does the same job! 🙂
I’ll have to check but I think I use Buzz Away, which definitely works. I think with non DEET repellent the trick is to reply often. You could probably make a custom blend with essential oils. https://thrivemarket.com/p/quantum-buzz-away-natural-mosquito-repellant-family-size