Suck it Up: Be Kind to your Skin

Your skin is your largest organ, yada yada yada. We’ve all heard it before but do we really take it to heart? For me, I’ve been looking at what I put IN my body for years. GMOs? No, thank you! Pesticides? I’d prefer not. Dyes, additives, and artificial sweeteners? Nope, Nah, and Definitely NOT! But, my beauty products? Well, let’s just say I’ve been turning a blind eye…mostly.

Occasionally, I look up a product on EWG and when it comes to my kids? No spray sunscreen or carcinegenic Johnson & Johnson please. But, me? My skin is sensitive and when I find something that works (eg Cetaphil- just don’t look at the ingredient list), I just stick with it. And, boy does that stuff work. No rash, razor burn, or burning skin. I can’t say the same for the all natural stuff- even coconut oil alone sometimes gives me hives. But, the other day as I was pondering the big questions of the world in my shower and glancing at the back of my oh so sensitive Cetaphil skin cleanser, I had to cringe. I couldn’t pronounce most of the things but they all ended in things I can’t pronounce like polyisobutene and PropylPARABEN. I don’t even know exactly what Parabens are but I’ve been around the block enough times to know it usually is followed by “cancer causing” and “safe levels unknown.” 

Shortly after my natural beauty conversion, I decided to give my friend Wendy‘s homemade beauty products a try and I can’t tell you how much I love them. You will too. I’m going to give you a short run down on my favorite products from AV Jorden. Before we dive in, let’s take a look at the company. AV Jorden is a small, mom-run business. Wendy began making skin pampering products in her own quest to healthify her beauty routine. It grew into something so much more and now she shares her line with other busy women (and men- there’s something for you too– I know what’s going in J’s stocking this year!). But, what started out as a personal project turned into so much more. Now, she strives to make all natural products that both pamper and nourish to give moms (and dads) that much needed escape from their busy lives, even if it’s only for five minutes with her Java sugar scrub (believe me you want five minutes with one of Wendy’s scrubs- they’re heaven). As a last note, Wendy uses all natural products in her skin care line like coconut oil, pure essential oils, and rich shea butter. Okay, now to get down to the deets, these are my favorites so far:

Sugar Scrub: Great exfoliant and smells oh so good. Unlike other exfoliants (some of which irritate my sensitive skin and leave angry red bumps), AV Jorden’s scrubs leave my skin silky soft and nourished. That’s because she not only uses natural fragrances derived from essential oils, she also uses coconut oil as a base for a lot of her products. So, they smell so good you might want to eat them (and to be honest, you probably could but I don’t think it’s recommended). My favorite scent right now is Relaxed Cool-ala, which feels as good as it smells especially for my sun kissed summer legs. I use it as an exfoliant right before I shave to help eliminate ingrown hairs.

Body Creams and Lotion: Personally, I usually find body creams too heavy for my sensitive skin. Not this one. Though, my skin is still reminding me to avoid anything heavy after shaving (there’s unscented lotion for that), I adore it for my overworked, overtired, feet. It’s not easy posing all day for photo shoots, don’t ya know ;)! Again, I’m loving the Relaxed Cool-ala scent for summer; it’s cool and refreshing on hot summer days. The lotion is just my jam. It’s light and refreshing and right now I’m sticking with the yummylicious Lemon Glazed Madeleine.

Tip: Use these relaxing creams and lotions after bath time on your little ones to lock in moisture on their sensitive skin and to get them ready for sleeping on a cloud of lavender or lemon-y goodness. 

Day and Eye Creams: These are super moisturizing for my aging (wah) skin. The eye balm is soothing and nourishing enough to keep my under the eye puffs at bay. A piece of advice, if you’re heading toward 25 and beyond, it’s time to start moisturizing. Don’t wait until you see those wrinkles. You’ll thank me later. (Note: these products contain essential oils, check ingredient list for more insight on scents!)

Mineral Sunscreen: Usually, I find mineral sunscreens unpleasant. I mean who wants to look like they put on mime makeup before heading to the beach? Then again, if you’ve heard all the hype over the last few years about sunscreen, you might be giving that coppertone a second look (the stuff that’s supposed to keep you from getting cancer gives you cancer- go figure). This stuff melts into your skin quickly, leaving no white residue. And, while I haven’t had a chance to test it on a really long day in the sun, we haven’t had any burns yet (disclaimer, my children and I have pretty hardy skin, it tends to tan easily and burn only in extreme conditions but I think this is worth a try but I’d reapply often just in case until you know how it works with your skin tone). I haven’t gotten the after sun cream yet but I bet it’s super soothing, it’s on my list for my next order. Plus, did you hear me earlier about wrinkles? Nobody wants those so moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!!

Lip Balm: These balms are coconut oil and beeswax based with a hint of honey. I have four kids. Aside from the baby who still has perfectly unblemished skin, they all get chapped lips. When I went to stock up for me I couldn’t leave them out. Who couldn’t use a tube or two? Our favorites? All of them.

There you have it, an alternative to the traditional skin care and have I mentioned the price? You really can’t beat it- heck a lot of the toxic (ick) Target brands cost more than these (and I know my department store brands sure did, I guess red dye 40 costs extra). If you’re looking to ditch your cancer lotion (what I’ve been jokingly referring to my beloved cetaphil as for years), look no further than AV Jorden and support a mom, small business, and all natural company while you’re at it!

Shirt: Hudson Lillian Designs (This shirt is by one of my favorite small shops ever. Go visit and check out all of her one of a kind graphic designs. Always shop small when you can and support a family not a CEO.) 

Suck it up Buttercup design: Hudson Lillian Designs
A Note from the Business Owner:

“When I first started AV Jorden, I was wanting to provide others with skincare that they could feel good about using. It is simple natural ingredients that everyone can easily recognize. However, over the past year my mission has shifted slightly. While I am still extremely passionate about providing natural products, I want others to start taking better care of themselves. Self-care is so important and a step that most of us often neglect.

“I want people, especially women, to take even just a moment to pamper themselves. My products help create moments of effortless indulgence. And, if I can gt people to even just take five minutes out of their day to relax, unwind, or even feel pampered when using my skincare, I will feel like I have been successful.”

Disclaimer: I was not given any product or compensation for this review. I just really like it. In fact, before I could even purchase any myself, I was given some as a gift and had to replenish my supply. I reviewed and recommend it because I believe in supporting other mompreneurs and love the product.