Author: Paulina Kajankova

10 Best Natural & Organic Sunscreens for Healthy Summer 2021

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Today’s sunscreen is not your grandmother’s sunscreen, which likely meant not using any. When I first started writing about natural and organic products the options for better sunscreen were limited. Then brands like COOLA came along. Those in-the-know already used organic and natural brands, but you had seek them out in stores that carried green beauty. Today we have many options to choose from, and I hope you choose well. Our tip to understanding skincare is learning to read labels and knowing what ingredients have all the benefits you look for. In the US the word natural has no concrete definition but when it comes to sunscreens the good news is that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has updated its definition of what is deemed safe and effective sun protection. Elizabeth Mullans, M.D., Board-Certified Dermatologist at Uptown Dermatology provides helpful summer skincare tips for all skin types. The sun’s peak UV hours are between 10am to 4pm, so make sure to avoid extended time in the sun during this window. If you find yourself out …

8 Toxic-Free Dry Shampoos Honoring National Dry Shampoo Day

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Yes, National Dry Shampoo Day is real. Our obsession with dry shampoo began about ten years ago, but little did we know of all the harm it can do to our hair, scalp, and the environment. No, we have not given up on dry shampoo entirely. In fact, giving our hair a break during the pandemic has made us want to use it even more. If you are in need of a cleaner dry shampoo, look no further. We compiled a list of our top eight brands to try, and fall in love with right now. Vegamour GRO Dry Shampoo Vegamour has become synonymous with hair wellness. This modern brand focuses on hair growth and their GRO Dry Shampoo is no different. The plant-based dry shampoo is fortified with the same proprietary blend of phyto-active ingredients found in their best-selling GRO Hair Serum. Using it will ensure a healthy hair ecosystem, plus the volume and texture you desire. It is 100% vegan, clean and cruelty-free. Lulu Organics Hair Powder Lulu Organics packaging will stop you …

Be Your Own Wellness Hero With These Natural Ways To Lift, Calm or Balance Your Mood

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Mental Health Week might have come and gone, but for those who suffer with depression the battle continues. We know that self-care is important, but some days the relentlessness of the condition takes over. No matter what you try in order to keep your spirits high, you feel drained, your body aches and you might even be numb to it all. I’ve been there – and 2020 has not been easy for any of us. If you’ve been following along, you already know that I suffer from depression and anxiety. Even if you don’t, no one is immune to bad days. Be kind to yourself is a cliche statement, but when you take the words apart, it becomes your life raft. Be your own wellness hero by advocating for your wellbeing. Get yourself to therapy, there is no shame in taking medication if it works for you, and know that your vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. Since some of our favorite spas (my personal space to escape) are still closed or only provide …

Product Highlight: Kansa Organics Kansa Wands

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Kansa Organics Takes Face Massage To a Whole New Level PRODUCT HIGHTLIGHT | Kansa Organics Massage Wand Massage plays an essential role in the Ayurvedic healing system. In fact, the healing power of touch can be traced back to India as far back as 3000 BCE (or earlier). The Kansa Wand was born out of that belief, practice and love for massage. When it comes to facial, and body massage, we find this tool to be far more sophisticated than facial rollers and even Gua Sha tools. The reason for this is its history rooted in healing the mind and body and easy to use design. We find ourselves using it a lot more often than other tools, and adding it to our skincare arsenal has greatly improved our love for facial and body massage. WHAT IS THE KANSA WAND? The Kansa wand is a small domed tool (shaped like a bell or a cup) that can be used to massage the face + body. Kansa wands are made with India’s sacred and healing metal (Kansa). …

Wellness Month: 10 Ways To Effectively Lower Stress and Anxiety

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In 2020, stress and anxiety has become a universal issue. Let’s dedicate August, also known as the Wellness Month, to improving the health of our immune system by alleviating stress. While taking care of the mind and body is more important than ever, some of us hesitate to embrace tried-and-true ancient remedies. This is the time to keep an open mind, educate yourself, ask questions, and have a sense of adventure. No matter how silly you feel, using your common sense, and wanting to feel better, is at the core of all all our suggestions. As a mental health advocate, and depression sufferer, I know it takes saying “enough is enough” to start a wellness journey. Here is a list to get you started. Grounding – Grounding has become a type of buzzword in the wellness community, but this is no trend. Athletes, famous actors and doctors do it. I was lucky to grow up in a natural setting; in a village surrounded by mountains. As a child, running barefoot in grassy fields, or climbing …

Talking Stress, Grief & Anxiety During 2020 With Psychotherapist Asha Tarry

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2020 forces us to take a real look at the disparity in our communities. Whether you see them or not, the problems in today’s society effect us all. Economic inequality can result in poor mental health and seeking help can be even harder in the midsts of a global pandemic. The health crisis has shown us what many already knew. Too many live with the reality of being one pay check away from not being able to pay their medical bill, from being homeless, from putting their mental health at the bottom of the to-do list. Maybe that one person is you. The coronavirus in particular has effected the black community in much larger numbers, but to people of color, these health disparities are not new. If you just started to wake up to these inequalities, if the pandemic effected your mental health, if you feel grief for George Floyd, if you know it is not about you, but you could not imagine the same type of treatment happening to someone you know, then keep …

Important & Useful Ways To Educate Yourself, Listen & Support the Black Community

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Our world view is shaped by our environment, but we don’t have to remain within its bubble. Education is key. Let’s put some work into becoming better, more empathetic, and open minded people. If you feel like you have no idea how to feel, or what to think, then stop, and listen. This feels like what is hopefully a revolutionary time, one that will allow the black community be heard. It is time for change, the time has been long time coming. The beauty of life is that we can change and evolve. If you feel as if you have been living in ignorance of what the black community has endured, not just now, but for decades – this is what you can do. Amplify black voices and listen to their experiences, support black businesses, read educational books with different view points, get the facts and statistics of what goes on in your community, and provide a helping hand to the disenfranchised. The work will not be done in a day, but taking that first …

New York’s Art On Full Display: Talking With Moi One, A French Graffiti Artist Based In New York City

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With New York businesses closed, the gates are down. The only upside to the pandemic lock down is endless street, graffiti and mural art exploration. We start to notice details we might have missed during the busyness of the hussle. The quietness of the city displays artwork like a gallery would, and I can’t get enough. On one of my most recent mental health neighborhood walks, I became attached to one particular mural. The artwork is located on St. Marks Street, known for its history of influential musicians and artists. It gets a lot of notice from locals and visitors alike. The artist is Moi One, and the artwork is called “Sympathy For The Devil”. The French artist agreed to doing an interview, and for me, that kind of willingness to be vulnerable makes his art even more powerful. In today’s climate of uncertainty we are yearning for more color and inspiration. We draw strength from escape, and art provides exactly that. Cultivated: Tell me more about your upbringing and how your life became immersed …

Talking Hair & Reinvention With Aveda’s Senior Vice President of Professional Global Artistry, Antoinette Beenders

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No one understands reinvention better than a hair artist. Even in lock down, we reinvent beauty according to our feelings, surroundings and experience. The crisis of today’s pandemic calls for unwavering beauty and expression. Aveda’s Senior Vice President of Professional Global Artistry, Antoinette Beenders, captures the spirit of rebellious women with perfection. She gives us a fresh new take on defiant beauty and what she calls “Youthquake”. More and more we see our youth rallying to take charge, especially when it comes to climate change. Aveda SS20 creative collection, The Revolution of Reinvention, is a combination of punk, teddy girl, and 1950s French New Look. The women and men of past sub-culture and reinvention. Our Q & A with Antoinette Beenders takes a closer look at this award-winning hair stylist’s career with Aveda. The visionary explains how a new collection gets to be born, plus she gives us quarantine hair tips. Cultivated: I read that you started working with Aveda in 1997. What made you stick with Aveda all those years and how does the …

Flower Power: Mother Nature’s Bounty in Beauty Products

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Welcome to May! A month when Northern Hemisphere gardeners eagerly plant their gardens – a month when earth truly laughs in flowers. From nettle, to rosemary – here are the botanical beauty and wellness products inspiring us in May. CALENDULA When it comes to natural and organic beauty, The Organic Skin Co. doesn’t mind taking the time to explain it all. They are as transparent as a skincare brand can get, and this results in truly beautiful and wholesome products. I love their impressive and environmentally-friendly line of makeup products, but beauty starts with skincare – and they provide it just as well. Whether you suffer from dry skin or have problems with acne, the moisturizing, yet antiseptic properties of the Task Force Nine Cream solve it all. It even works on my eczema. Calendula is hydrating, has antibacterial, antiseptic and antioxidant properties. Your skin will just drink it up. NETTLE Stinging nettle is a wild herb that’s near and dear to my heart. My grandmother picked it with her bare hands and swore by …

Best Face Masks On The Market From Brands That Do Their Part For The Community

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Donning a mask shows that you are educated on the Covid-19 spread and have chosen to do your part in keeping everyone (not just yourself) safe and healthy from an invisible virus. The history of surgical and non-surgical masks tells us that in the scientific and civilized society, masks play a big part in practicing effective hygiene etiquette. There is a reason your doctor puts on gloves and a mask before treating you. Doctors and nurses, as far back as the late 1800’s, realized that a masks helps reduce surgical sepsis. During the same time, doctors realized that a simple conversation could spread certain diseases through uncontrolled droplets. A mask controls those droplets; you’re simply keeping them to yourself. While wearing a mask is a minor inconvenience, especially when considering the potential of irreversible results of not wearing one, it can also be quite uncomfortable. The warmer months will make mask wearing even more of a chore. These masks are (dare we say) stylish, made from comfortable fabrics, and some were even tested by yours …

Best Non-Drying Hand Sanitizers To Help You Save The Skin On Your Hands

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The shortage of hand sanitizers and masks has sprung up a new crop of fast thinking, and charitable, entrepreneurs. Some switched to 100% hand sanitizer production, and some are offering a free hand sanitizer with purchase. The much-needed product is in no way superior to soap and cleaning your hands, but there is something to be said for feeling safe while on-the-go. Constant hand washing and hand sanitizer usage results in dry and itchy skin. When hand cream simply isn’t enough, try switching to a product that keeps you safe but moisturized. Introducing a list of our favorite non-drying hand sanitizers Naturacentric apothecary continues to impress with holistic and natural products. It only makes sense that their latest launches would include a wellness elixir, surface spray and a hand sanitizer. The Citrus Eucalyptus (in love with the scent) hand sanitizer spray smells fresh and leaves your hands feeling soft. This one is a keeper. The price is more than reasonable and Naturacentric also makes an 8oz refill. Artnaturals is a trusted brand for all your …