Memorial Day Weekend Essentials

via Taste of Home

 

What to Pack:

 

Badger Anti-Bug Balm

Badger SPF 30+ Unscented Sunscreen

Badger All Season Face Stick

Acquarella Plasma nail color

NVEY Eco Lipstick in #369

 

{about geraniums}

Chances are you have geraniums planted in pots or in your garden right now. I know I have them in pinks, reds, and white scattered all around.

Did you know, though, that Geranium is actually a beneficial skin care ingredient?

Geranium essential oil is a relatively common ingredient in natural and organic skin care. Extract from the leaves and stem of geraniums, the oil is used to help balance oil, without drying. This is a lovely oily for combination skin.


Benefits:

*Acts as an astringent

*Anti-bacterial

*Aids in treating acne

*May help eczema

*Helps control inflammation

*Good for those with dermatitis

*Helps cell growth and with cell turnover

 

 

At Nature's Basin, we offer several natural skin care products with geranium.  

 

Top Picks:

 

Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Scrub

Pangea Organics Italian White Sage, Geranium & Yarrow Soap

Pangea Organics Himalayan Geranium Balancing Oil

Aromafloria Organic Geranium & Cedarwood Bath & Body Oil

Aromafloria Organic Geranium & Cedarwood Mineral Bath Salts

and many more!

 

 

Scotch Naturals News!

I love reading Country Living. While I typically read the beauty magazines, there's something about sitting out on my deck with my feet propped up reading Country Living over a glass of iced tea.  I am so happy with this month's issue, because they featured one of our favorite companies offered here at Nature's Basin, Scotch Naturals.  Find the article on page 22 of the June 2012 issue.

We've talked here before about how Nature's Basin is a true company of women for women, with many companies owned by women.  Scotch Naturals is one of them.  Check out the article, and then head over to our online boutique to shop for your favorite shades of natural nail polish from Scotch Naturals.

Scotch Shimmers

Metallics are the new neutrals for Summer 2012. Just as you'd wear brown or black sandals, you can easily wear shimmering metallics such as platinum, gold, pewter, silver, or champagne this season. All work well with most skin tones and clothing colors.


At Nature's Basin, it's time to update your nail polish wardrobe with beautiful metallics perfect for summer from Scotch Naturals.  

Our Top Picks: 

#5027 Smuggler's Gold-- Gold is the neutral for the season. This shimmering, metallic hue will add a touch of glamour to your summer days and nights. An understated molten gold.

#5029 Klondike Cooler-- A shimmering, multifaceted metallic champagne. This is not your typical bubbly, as the light catches it and allows soft hues to radiate through.

#5030 Charmer-- A pearly platinum shade with shimmers of silver. Cool, calm, and elegant with an icy edge for the long hot days

At Nature's Basin, we are honored to be able to offer you Suki's exclusive Spa line.  One of my most favorite products from this highly effective, aesthetician-coveted line is the Renewal Bio-Resurfacing Facial Peel.

This is a very special natural skin care product and I'd like to tell you more about the ingredients.

Formulated for those with dullness and the signs of aging, this is the perfect exfoliant to reveal a smoother, more radiant appearance.

Unlike harsh chemical exfoliants, Suki has created an effective peel made from fruit enzymes and natural glycolic acid from cranberries. These work in tandem to unclog the pores, slough off dead skin cells, and encourage cell turnover.

Cranberries are true superfruits because they are packed with antioxidants.  In addition to being antioxidants, cranberries also are antibacterial, brightening, and anti-inflammatory.

This special peel also contains the potent enzymes found in both pumpkin and papaya.

Papain, the enzyme found in papaya, increases cell turnover and will help to reveal a fresher, more radiant tone to your skin.

Pumpkin  is another remarkable skin care ingredient.  This single ingredient has multiple benefits.  It soothes, hydrates and protects the skin with its abundance of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, potassium, alpha-carotene, zinc, beta carotene, and lutein.

Apple is another ingredient in this product.   They say that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", but did you know that apples also contain skin benefits?  Apples contain phenols (like red wine) and can help to naturally protect the skin from the sun's burning UVB rays.

Pomegranate is a true miracle fruit.  It is antioxidant-rich, and actually is more potent in this department than green tea and red wine.  It is naturally anti-microbial, skin soothing, hydrating, and helps to protect the skin from sun damage.

Mangosteen is an ingredient not really talked about that much in skin care.  That doesn't mean it isn't fabulous, though!  Mangosteen contains something called Xanthones.  What are these? They are enzymes that combat inflammation, help to protect against acne flare ups, and support the production of collagen.



These are just some of the potent natural ingredients that Suki has put in this spa-quality peel. Anti-inflammatory white willow bark provides 15% active salicylic acid to reduce breakouts. A proprietary system helps deliver vitamin C polypeptides deep into skin where they boost collagen production.

Overall, skin tone will be visibly more even and bright. This peel is ideal for all skin types except extremely sensitive and rosacea skins, and can even be used on the eyes and lips.

Bug Off!

Last night, I was sitting out at my son Nick's baseball practice and the mosquitoes swooped in.  Much to my chagrin, the other moms started spraying their chemical-filled bug sprays all over the place.

It took me back to my childhood and I could clearly remember my mom spraying me like crazy with a popular woodsy pine bug spray. I can almost taste and smell it more than 30+ years later.

No one wants to be nibbled on by bugs. However, standard insect repellants can be harmful to your health.

The bulk of popular mosquito repellants contain an ingredient called DEET.  The chemical name for DEET is  N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide.  While this is proven to be effective at inhibiting mosquito bites, it also has been proven to be harmful, and has been linked to ailments as minor as nausea and vomiting to major injuries such as neurological damage, even coma and death.  DEET is very harmful to children as well.

Since there is more awareness concerning the hazards of DEET, alternative ingredients are in products these days.  One popular DEET alternative is derived from chrysanthemum and is called Pyrethrin. While one would assume this naturally-derived ingredient would be safe, it is potentially harmful as well.  Think of it like this--Pyrethrin is used to kill bees and a small amount of this can be toxic to fish. Many studies show that this ingredient is potentially toxic to cat as well. If this natural, plant-derived ingredient can kill so easily, it may not be safe to use regularly on yourself. Breathing in pyrethrins may have major health effects down the road.

Today I'd like us to look at the MSDS of one of the most popular aerosol spray insect repellants. The source for this information is the Consumer Product Information Database :

50-60% Ethanol (SD Alcohol 40)

N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (25-35%)

Water (3-7%)

Propane (1-5%)

Isobutane (1-5%)

Butane (1-5%)

Clearly, you don't want to be inhaling these toxins. So what can you do to prevent mosquitoes from biting you and your family?

At Nature's Basin, we offer an organic skin care product from Badger called Anti-Bug Balm. This balm uses the finest in organic essential oils to naturally repel mosquitoes.  Extra virgin olive oil, golden yellow beeswax, and castor oil are blended with citronella, cedar, lemongrass, and geranium oil to naturally prevent bugs from biting. All ingredients in this natural skin care product are Certified Organic.

While these gentle ingredients treat the skin by softening and nourishing, the powerful blend of natural essential oils works beautifully to repel bugs. Simply rub the balm into the skin and know you'll be protected for up to 3.5 hours.  Since this is a safe and natural skin care product, you can reapply with confidence.

As a mother to two young children, I feel confident knowing that my boys won't suffer from the itching and redness of mosquito bites, but know that I am using a product that won't be harmful to their health.

Badger Anti-Bug Balm is available in 3 convenient sizes, including the handy twist up stick if the tin isn't what you're looking for.

Summer is on its way and that means we'll have more baseball games, barbecues, and bike riding.  We want to enjoy as much time outdoors as possible.  Knowing that we can be out and about without swatting away the mosquitoes really helps our family enjoy the warm weather and fresh air.

Green Beauty

Whoever said it's not easy being green?  Greens are everywhere and they are fresh and bright.  At Nature's Basin, whether you're looking to add some green to your beauty wardrobe or get more eco-friendly, we have what you need!

The greens of Nature's Basin:

Eco Logical Sunscreen

Hopscotch Kids natural nail polish

Scotch Naturals nail polish

Acquarella water-based nail polish

Weleda Skin Food