If You Like Organic Orgy, You'll Love Kitty's Shindigs and Soriees!

Yippee, kittens! I've added a new Blogger blog, Shindigs & Soirees. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, your Kitty worked as an event planner. I've done it all in every venue, from huge corporate Christmas parties to lavish baby showers. Golf outings, charity events (including a concert or two), a state university's homecoming (OK, well I was only on the Steering Committee, so I had help). My own wedding cost only $3000 in 1996. It was fabulous. I consulted on several other weddings as well, and I relate to every budget.

Surprise wedding? No problem. Santa party with guest-specific gifts for 34 children? Done. Baby shower on a budget? Got you covered. Naturally, I focus on sustainability and eco-friendly ideas. Of course I'd love to hear from you! No, I won't come facilitate your event. I'm just here to help you imagine and procure. Love, kitty.

Get Some Arnica Lotion for Your Medicine Cabinet

     I was first introduced to Arnica by my massage therapist, Amy. I bruise easily and I'm pretty much always inflamed in one muscle or another. Topically applied arnica acts as an anti-inflammatory and assists healing processes by facilitating transport of blood and fluid. Its thymol derivatives have been clinically shown to be good vasodilators of blood capillaries. 

     In other words, it speeds healing by "breaking up" bruises and adhesions by enhancing circulation. A relative of sunflowers, arnica roots have been harvested for centuries for their medicinal properties. 

I'm thrilled to see it bottled up by one of my favorite natural brands, Jurlique. In fact, I'm so sure of its quality, efficacy and eco-friendliness that I'm ordering it right now. 

Football season is just around the corner, and this is just what I'll need for Little Man!

         During the summer and fall, when he is playing hard and taking lots of hits, I also use Dr. Hauschka arnica compresses inside his ankle wraps! I’ve used various homeopathic preparations with arnica, but they often contain ingredients I don’t love so much, like parabens (perish the thought). I’m hoping this Jurlique lotion will emerge as the ultimate muscle rub! I’ll let you know!

 

Caudalie Cleanser Doesn't Disappoint

 

 Soap-free Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser (clickable, above) offers a travel size for $10. If you don't like it (doubt it), you can always refill the awesome little bottle with something you prefer - perfect for green divas who don't use polluting foamy soap. I thought it was great for controlling oil, and Caudalie is a really luxe natural brand. My skin felt sufficiently clean, but I did need to call in extra products to remove my eye makeup.

  It's made in France (where cosmetic safety standards are tighter than in the US), not tested on animals, and comes in easily recycled packaging: a trifecta of cleanser bliss. According to Beauty.com, products containing Resveratrol improve elasticity while increasing skin tone. Firm, full skin cells make your skin appear more youthful and radiant, as Caudalie skin care treatments significantly lessen the look of fine lines and wrinkles. (I pretty much paraphrased that from their website, but ever since I saw Dr. Oz talking about Resveratrol as an anti-aging weapon, I've been trying to cram in and pile on as many grape products as possible! I tend to agree with the hype on this one.)  Good stuff that won't disappoint!

Three Great Natural Products You Can Get Anywhere

Hello Kittens, and Happy Wednesday! I apologize for the quality of the image; I shot it for you on the fly in my powder room/laboratory. I also realize I should be arrested for the horrible tilework. Haven't had time to jackhammer it away since I moved in, but I am planning to replace it with decorative recycled glass tiles soon. The orchid is my new little dendrobium. I picked it up at Trader Joe's this afternoon.

Today, I bring you three great natural products you can get practically everywhere. I remember when my baby was still a baby, in the last century, when I had to drive all the way across Indianapolis to a health food store that carried Burt's Bees lotion. Then the big box stores picked up lines like Kiss My Face, which I had heretofore only seen in my parents' friends' health food stores back in '83. You can probably pick up the products pictured above from your supermarket, but if you can't find them just go over to drugstore.com for the hook-up (plus free shipping, deals galore, and a heavenly natural products section... I even get my natural household products there - so convenient!)

From the left, Shikai moisturizing shower gel in cucumber melon. On the easily-recycled #2 bottle, it claims to be "rich in aloe and oatmeal to soothe dry skin...gentle and soap free for everyday use." And that it is. An American brand out of California, Shikai doesn't use animal ingredients, nor does it test on animals. The cucumber melon scent is light and natural. I love it.

The center product (which I admit is hard to see, but I had to include the blooms of the orchid, right?) is Kiss My Face "obsessively organic" Big Body Shampoo. It contains no SLS or parabens, works well and smells like natural lavender. It also has other yummy organic herbs like nettle, sage and calendula.  Fabulous stuff at supermarket prices!

Finally, on the right is Avalon Organics Ylang Ylang Hand & Body Lotion. Avalon pledges "safe effective, pro-organic body care without artificial colors, synthetic fragrances or parabens." I love the light scent of this totally awesome lotion. I got it at Kroger. Next time you're food shopping, why not practice a little conscious consumerism while treating your skin to the good stuff!

kitty's big red lips

Go ahead, click on it! It's the lipstick featured in kitty's kiss below, Dr. Hauschka lipstick #6. It smells like roses, glides beautifully, doesn't smear and bleed and make me look like a member of The Cure. Come to think of it, I don't think I've worn red lipstick since I stopped listening to them in 1994! Anyway, this is a lipstick that can be blotted down to a stain with staying power or left at full tilt to rock the night away. I love it!

Ingredients include beeswax, plant waxes and essential oils, not disgusting petrochemicals. It's safe enough to eat, which is a good thing if you believe the urban legends that the average woman eats/absorbs up to 5 tubes a year, or 6 pounds in a lifetime... lick by lick, drink by drink, bite by bite. The problem is, cosmetics are unregulated and mainstream brands are free to include all kinds of toxic ingredients, such as lead. Remember that scare from a few years ago? No, thanks. I'll stick to strictly botanical formulas! What do you use on your lips?

Kisses For My Kittens!

Kisses to my kittens, loyal readers Marinik & Mextacy!!! I made this lip print for you with my new red Dr. Hauschka lipstick. It's been years since I've worn lipcolor this bright, but I am absolutely in love with it....and you two for loving yourselves enough to learn about healthy lifestyle choices. Thanks so much!

Yours, kitty. 

Great Natural Brands With Not-So-Great Products

"I thought I would get that modern, high sheen glossy look seen only in futuristic fashion shots and music videos (hence the name).
Instead, I got an itchy, burning, cakey effect that dried on my eyelids somewhat like school glue. My eyes felt sticky when I blinked, and this crap made my lids look like puffy fish scales! Don’t waste your money on this eye makeup...." Please click here for the full double-scoop! Meow!

Battling Boring By Mixing Natural Neutrals With Pastels For a Fresh Modern Eyelid.