April 2016 archive
April Natural Product Reviews
I get the opportunity to review a great variety of natural beauty, skincare and sustainable household products, and I love sharing my favorites. Here are highlights of the many I sampled in April.
Make Cosmetics
Make CosmeticsMake Beauty sent me some doll-sized samples that were so adorable I put them next to the rose for scale. Love that they are made in NYC, Paraben free and cruelty free. The brand is offering readers 20% off til 5/31 with code MAKEYOURSELF. Every purchase supports the We See Beauty Foundation. Also featured on my Instagram.
Sojo’s Dog Treats
Sojo’s Dog TreatsI guess April was the month for teeny tiny samples, because these dog treats are SO tiny. Really simple ingredients make these a good filler-free treat for pets. Made in the U.S.A too! Perfect for tiny pets like my 15-lb terrier mix Perry, but if you have a larger canine you’ll want to look for something a bit more substantial.
Eco-Friendly Bath Products
Eco-Friendly Bath ProductsThese are samples that I was gifted at the Minnesota Blogger Bash Lowertown Pop Preview. Two MN-based companies are making natural, Eco-friendly bath products that smell delicious. The first is Moisturizing & Exfoliating Solid Lotion Scrub by Bodylish (cute name!) that’s made with real cardamom spices. The shea butter feels a little oily, so just be prepared for that. I love the packaging and I would enjoy trying more of their products! The second is the all-natural ingredient shampoo/shower/shave soap bar from Storm Sister Spatique. I shampooed my hair with it and didn’t love the results (to be fair I’ve never loved a shampoo bar), so I’ll stick with using it as soap. All packaging is 100% compostable and recyclable! Either one of these would make a great gift for anyone who appreciates locally crafted goods.
Thanks for reading my natural product reviews this month!
What Minneapolis Wore for Prince
I was in Minneapolis last night for Gamut Gallery’s art lab, where for $5 you can join in a collaborative art night-painting on canvas, painting on other peoples’ canvas, or doing your own project such as knitting. The night was overshadowed by the passing of Minnesota’s own Prince. To celebrate his life, Minnesotans flocked downtown for an all-night dance party. Such an event requires dressing in your Purple Rain outfit finest, I learned from the artists at Gamut.
Purple Rain Outfit Street Style
Here are what the artsy people of Minneapolis wore to honor Prince.
Cassie Garner, co-owner of Gamut Gallery, dashed home to put together an outfit of sequined 80s finery. Is that a side-slung fanny pack? Extra points, Cassie. Follow her on Instagram @mplsartbabe.
Jade Patrick, gallery owner, rocked a pink-purple combo for her purple rain outfit.
Mark Dean’s purple rain outfit had a more casual vibe, showing us how well teal and purple can pair.
Going to celebrate Prince’s life this weekend? Follow these Minnesotans’ example. Take a peek in your closet and throw together your purplest, most 80s ensemble for your own purple rain outfit to honor the prince. Oh, and here’s the collaborative art piece I co-made last night at Gamut.
A Hint of Spring
April here has been a bit overcast, brown, and so un-springlike. But as anyone from the north knows, spring can be faked with some strategically placed pastels. So here’s the first pop of color I’ll bring out in my wardrobe for seasonal transition style.
All the photos in this post are by Mo Ashley (see more from this shoot). We shot on location at the Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden, which is a beautiful venue any time of year but you can see from the photos that it’s looking a little brown and not yet covered in flowers! The conservatory (seen in the background) is closed until 2017 as the park undergoes renovation.
This weekend I was finally able to move my own plants into their own outdoor greenhouse after the winter, so the seasons are definitely changing.
Seasonal Transition Style
Seasonal Transition StyleFor spring, I’m loving this look:
- Tall wedge sandals
- Cropped leggings or ponte pants
- Long, loose tops
- Fun scarf
It has everything you could ask for in this transition season – a little bit dressy but still comfy casual, a hint of summery skin but enough coverage for still-cool temps.
Outfit Details
Shoes – I got these BOCs on clearance at DSW and these are the closest I could find!
Top – I got mine from a local popup boutique, but it’s also available with shorter sleeves from Shoptiques.
Pants – Lysse, exact style not available, but I’m also loving the side zips on these from Shabby Apple.
Scarf – Lilly Pulitzer (Similar)
Wallet – Target (in four different colors) or get one on clearance.
Subtle Spring Colors
Subtle spring colors
The great thing about spring is that it’s time to emerge from the gray and black that keeps us northerners warm in the bleak winter and start remembering what colors are. If you’ve read this blog even once before, you know it’s no stranger to pastel. Luckily for me, this season is all about pastels. Pantone’s colors of the year, Rose Quartz and Serenity, are beautiful light hues.
Using elements of rust, tan, beige, dusty blue and lavender I combined neutrals with dusty pastels to create subtle spring colors. In this outfit I used almost entirely thrifted things and old items in my closet. My aunt bought me these boots for Christmas probably three years ago and the necklace is a vintage heirloom, but I was surprised to find an identical one for sale at One King’s Lane Vintage! The suede skirt is one I bought at an outlet store and raw-cut the hem. The only new purchase is my lavender Baggu clutch from Parc Boutique. I bought it to be a cosmetic case, but I actually love the quality leather and slouchy silhouette, so I sometimes cart it around as my purse even though it doesn’t have handles. This style has sold out, but now they have other pastel leather bags, including some with straps! It’s also available in pink.
Outfit Details
Outfit DetailsJacket – Secondhand Banana Republic – similar // Boots – similar // Tights – Target // Neckace – One King’s Lane Vintage // Skirt – outlet purchase similar // Bag – Parc Boutique (available here in pink)
Photos by Mo Ashley
Valentia Royal Rose Hydrating Serum
Valentia Royal Rose Hydrating Serum Review
Do you love roses? This serum is made of pressed rose petals. Literally. It has a strong scent of roses, but it’s 100% natural fragrance from all the rose petals that went into the serum.
I received a bottle of the serum in exchange for my Valentia Royal Rose Hydrating Serum review and I was so excited to share my honest opinion with you. Let’s take a look at the attributes.
-Cruelty Free, Alcohol Free, Paraben Free
-Contains great natural ingredients including Evening Primrose Oil, Lavender Extract, Aloe Vera, Rosehip Seed Oil, and Gotu Kola. All these ingredients are what sold me on trying this product. There are the usual preservative ingredients Ethylhexyl Glycerin and Phenoxyethanol, which aren’t natural but are used in many, many natural products. They score low on Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, which is why I’m okay with using products that contain them. To check your cosmetic ingredients for safety, I highly recommend bookmarking the site!
It’s moisturizing and nourishing to dry skin, but not at all oily. It goes on evenly and I look forward to using it again and again. Since it’s a serum, it’s meant to be used along with a moisturizer and eye cream. So it adds an extra step to your beauty routine, which is the only drawback for me. But since it’s like putting your face into a bunch of roses, it’s a fun extra step to add. When I use serums such as this one, it seems to help my moisturizer go on more smoothly and my skin feels more hydrated overall.
If you want to try it yourself, Valentia is offering Pink Paperdoll readers 20% off with exclusive code PPRDOL20, which is good through April 2016.
