Tenoverten Houston Nail Polish "Houston" Review"

A little something about me, I always have nail polish on, both on my fingers and my toes. My nails feel much stronger with something on them. As a food server in a past life, one of my customers once complimented on how clean and nice my hands looked. It never occured to me, that I kept my nails clean and polished that someone would notice, but then I realized it was the first thing someone would see, other than the meal they ordered, and it was clear, that I wanted my nails to look really nice.

Here's a little more information about this new to the scene nailpolish. Tenoverten is a line that was innovated at the Nailsalon that shares the same name, located in NYC.
One of three NEW Spring shades from Tenoverten, 'Houston' is a beautiful, sheer beige. The other two shades are 'Spring' a pretty, pink salmon, and 'Prince' a lovely shade of pale lilac. Tenoverten's polishes are now available at Sephora.

"Houston" is a beautiful sheer beige, that complimented my skin tone. Honestly, I thought, it would look washed out with my skin tone, but to the contrary, my nails looked shiny, like I just had a fresh mani at an uptown salon. With Tenoverten's amazing formula, this was three easy, thin coats, plus a top coat! I also added french tips in my new favorite color, "Drop Dead Gorgeous" by Spa Ritual.


You can take a look at the most gorgeous mani from the Polish Insomniac using all 3 shades. Brillant!

*affiliate link* Tenoverten Houston Nail Polish , $18 (full size): A “3 free” nail lacquer that’s much less toxic than the average polish, but boasts lots of staying power and the perfect sheer nude hue.

Ingredients:Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Nitrocellulose, Sd Alcohol 40b (alcohol denat.), Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride, Copolymer, Trimenthyl Pentanyl, Diisobutyrate, Triphenyl Phosphate, Acrylates Copolymer, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Silica, Diacetone Alcohol, Citric Acid, Benzophenone-1 Polyethylene Terephthalate

This shade reminded me of a similar shade I came across, during a trip to Vegas, my daughters oooohhhed and awwwwed over this sheer nude nailpolish worn by one of the sweetest cashiers. She overlayed it with an over the rainbow hologram glitter. The polish in question is OPI- Glints of Glenda and the really fun name for the overlay of glitter, from the same collection, OPI's "OZ the Great and Powerful, is "When Monkey's Fly".

You can see both swatches over at Nailderella.



*This full size product was part of my March Beauty Sage Box which I purchased*

Beauty Sage Editior's Box- March 2014

*affiliate links* The March '14 Beauty Sage Editior's Box is now available for purchase. Inside I found a Full size Tenoverten Houston Nail Polish , and great looking samples of Goldfaden MD Hands To Heart Oil of Grapefruit, 3 fl. oz. , skyn ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, 8 pairs , Love Springs Eternal Youth Preservation Serum 

,and African Botanics Pure Marula Oil
.


*affiliate link* 

FULL-SIZE Tenoverten Houston Nail Polish , $18 (full size): A “3 free” nail lacquer that’s much less toxic than the average polish, but boasts lots of staying power and the perfect sheer nude hue.

Ingredients:Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Nitrocellulose, Sd Alcohol 40b (alcohol denat.), Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride, Copolymer, Trimenthyl Pentanyl, Diisobutyrate, Triphenyl Phosphate, Acrylates Copolymer, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Silica, Diacetone Alcohol, Citric Acid, Benzophenone-1 Polyethylene Terephthalate

*affiliate link* 
Goldfaden MD Hands To Heart Oil of Grapefruit, 3 fl. oz. ,

 $38 (full size): This rich-yet-fast-absorbing cream helps fade the appearance of dark spots and reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glycerin, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Hyaluronic Acid, Dimethyl MEA, Thioctic Acid, Saccharomyces/ Copper Ferment (Cu Complex), Carnitine, Retinol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Grapefruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10)

*affiliate link*
 skyn ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, 8 pairs, $30 (full size): Cooling under-eye gel patches that firm, tone and de-puff delicate under-eye skin within ten minutes.

Ingredients:Water/Aqua/ Eau, Glycerin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Angelica Archangelica Root Water*, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates Copolymer, Agar, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Elastin,Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Perfluorodecalin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Peg-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, Glycosphingolipids, Xanthan Gum, Ubiquinone,Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus (Arctic Cloudberry) Seed Oil, Oxycoccus Palustris (Arctic Cranberry) Seed Oil, Aluminum Glycinate, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid,1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbic Acid * component of Icelandic Glacial Water

*affiliate link*
 Love Springs Eternal Youth Preservation Serum • $75
, (full size): An organic anti-aging serum with exfoliating watermelon seed oil, toning and moisturizing Bulgarian rose oil, and free-radical-fighting D’Orientine S.

Ingredients:Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (And) Phoenix Dactylifera (Date) Seed Extract, Organic Rosa Damascena (Rose) Oil, Citrus Aurantium (Neroli) Oil, Organic Boswellia Carteri (Frankincense) Oil, Organic Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oil and Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E).

What it doesn’t contain: Petrochemicals, Parabens, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Harsh Surfactants, Chemical Additives, Preservatives, Synthetic Dyes And Fragrances, Phthalates, Silicones, Synthetic Vitamin E Or Propylene Glycol.

*affiliate link*
African Botanics Pure Marula Oil • African Botanics • $120
(full size): This natural, lightweight facial oil hydrates, brightens and repairs skin, making it the perfect daily moisturizer!

Sclerocarya birrea (Marula Essential Oil).

What it doesn’t contain: Artificial fragrance, preservatives, chemicals, parabens, mineral oils, BPA, petrochemicals, synthetic emulsifiers, phthalates, DEA, TEA, synthetic colors or fragrance. 

* I purchased this box *

About Me Going Green

 

 

This is a fun tag that was started by Rachel of All Natural Aspirations , and I first saw it on Naturalla Beauty by Caitie . It looked like a fun way to get to know me better.

Image by Mary B

What started it all off for you?
Right now I am a nutrition major at Mesa Community College with plans to attend Arizona State University to become a Registered Dietitan. One of the classes I am taking is a Sustainable Foods Cooking class, and it has been an amazing eye opener in the terms of  not just what good food exactly is, but what it does for us, how it nourishes not just our bodies, but our souls and gives us our wellness. Just recently I learned about Slow Foods and I am really interested in the whole sustainable foods concept. That's the nutrition side of #going green, which led me to and I pretty much have believed this, that if we are what we eat, then we most certainly are what we put on our body. If I'm not going to eat chemicals and pesticides anymore, why would I put them on my skin and on my body!

What was the first thing to go? (Ingredient or product)
I've been reading up on SLS, so I went through and tossed just about everything away. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap...if any product had it in it...out it went.


What are you or what did you struggle to let go of? Two things were hard for me to let go of, my Neutrogena Grapefruit Oil-Free Acne wash Foaming Scrub, and my MAC eyeshadows. The face scrub is the only thing I have found that fixes and treats my hormonal acne quickly, and the MAC eyeshadows, I love their colors.

What has been the worst thing about going green ?What I've been trying out, is cutting out all the foods that aren't good for me. It started with all sodas and diet sodas, it took me forever, but any soft drink with artificial sweetners I don't drink anymore. I switched out my white sugar with turbinado sugar, and I don't eat cheese anymore, which has been really hard, because I LOVE cheese, and only whole grains, I use whole wheat pastry flour, brown rice, barley and soba noodles. On the makeup side, it has to be investigating all the products available to me and finding which one's work well for me. If anyone can suggest a great eye liner product, I can't live without it! 

What has been the hardest to transition or find an adequate green replacement of?
The hardest transition for me has to be tapering off my coffee, and that I only have one glass of wine with dinner. For finding an adequate green replacements, again, anyone have any great suggestions!!
Anything else to add? Any tips or tricks to pass on?
One of my favorite things that has helped me cut back on my coffee, is drinking warm water, lemon, and cayenne pepper. It's been amazing how much I've cut back, I'm down to only two cups of coffee a day.
USING A  TONER: As I'm getting older, I'm noticing my skin has been getting duller, so I started exfoliating more frequently. What I found is that I absolutely love how sparying a mist or using a toner, really calms me skin, reducing the slight redness, and the tight feeling my skin feels after. It really leaves my skin feeling refreshed.

I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you play along, leave me a note in comments, and I'll come by and check out your post and blog.

 

My 4 Step Cleaning Routine

Photo credit: J.RyanRoberts

Step 1:Exfoliate- Twice a week, I exfoliate first thing in the morning. This helps to dislodge and remove the dead skin cells, dirt and excess oil build up out of your pores, off the surface of the epidermis and disintegrates white heads. After exfoliating, your skin will feel smoother and dewy, not flaky and dry. Once you have opened your pores, blood flow to your facial capillaries( beneath the epidermis), will give you a more radiant appearance.

One of my favorites is Sukiface Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser - 1 oz $15

According to Suki, you can use this product daily. It all depends on how red your skin is after you use it. My skin isn't that sensitve, so I've found I can exfoliate every other day with it. Depending on how sensitive your skin is I would try once of twice a week to start off with.

What I love about this product is how it deep cleanses my skin with at first this tiny sandy feeling, that turns into this soft later. It also has this incredible lemony smell, leaving my skin feeling perfectly clean. 

Ingredients
organic non-gmo rice flour (oryza sativa), natural sugar (sucrose), organic saponified olive oil (potassium olivate), organic calendula (calendula officinalis), chamomile (anthemis nobilis), lavender (lavandula angustifolia), lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus), orange peel (citrus senensis) & seaweed (algae) extracts, aroma (pure premium steam distilled essential oil & limonene)

*You can also use a small amount of Vitamin E oil or Argan oil on your face before you exfoliate, to give your sensitive skin a buffing layer.*


Step 2 Tone- After exfoliating, to refresh my face, I mist it with Naturopathica Lavender Honey Balancing Mist-$28 . I absolutely love anything with lavender and honey. Put the two ingredients together and my skin is in heaven. The lavender is a soothing, mildly antiseptic, water-based solution created when essential that oils are steam distilled, and the honey is a natural humectant, that calms and hydrates with antioxidant and mild antiseptic qualities. Together they help to balance the skin.

loe Barbadenis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Water*, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Candida Bombicola, Glucose, Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Potassium Sorbate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Oil*, Lavandin Grosso (Lavandin) Flower Oil*, Mel/Honey/Miel*, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside *Ingredient from organic farming 99.99% 

Step 3 Moisturize: Once the toner has been absorbed into my skin, living in Arizona, I mostly look for either moisturizers or tinted moisturizers with SPF 30 in them. My go to moisturizer right now  Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Cream, 1-Fluid Ounce $20. 

When I try out a product what I am looking for is a product that doesn't have any added fragrance of course, but a product that does smell nice and for me, one of my favorite scents is almond, and this product does have a slight almond scent. Living in Arizona, my skin can get very easily dehydrated, and even though this slightly thick cream, went on a little greasy, it didn't take long for my skin to absorb it. My skin does feel much softer and smoother with it. I've been using it for about a week now with no problems. For someone with oily prone skin, I would not recommend this, but if you're like me and have skin more on the drier side, you will love how this makes your face feel.

Water (Aqua), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Hydrolyzed Beeswax, Prunus Domestica (Plum) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid.

Step 4: Put on Tinted Moisturizer- On my trip to Seattle to visit my daughter, we ventured into Ulta, because she loves color and she wanted to  check out all of the new colored eye liners. For me I was on the search for a new Spring tinted moisturizer, and I came upon 

Juice Beauty SPF 30 Tinted Mineral Moisturizer, 2 Ounce -$20

You can imagine living in Arizona, when it comes to putting on sunscreen I have OCD. I put it on all year round. For my complexion, I tend to have a pale rosy complexion, and I what I always end up with is in the exact words my husband uses, looking "oranger than a pumpkin", so I can't tell you how many times I've been disappointed with shades of foundations and coverups. Except for Juice Beauty, after I put this on, my skin was perfect and glowing. It also has a sweet apple smell. Another one I consider a keeper.

Titanium Dioxide 10%.
Inactive Ingredients: Juices Of Pyrus Malus (Apple) Juice,* Vitis Vinifera (White Grape) Juice,* Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Juice* & Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice,* Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract,* Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract,* Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium PCA, Hyaluronic Acid, Phospholipids, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Allantoin, Cera Alba (Beeswax),* Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Mica & Iron Oxides (Mineral Tints), Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium (Petitgrain), Cinnamomum Camphora (Ho Wood) & Citrus Reticulata (Mandarin) Pure Essential Oils. *Certified Organic By A USDA Approved Agency.

Happiness is....a relaxing Bubble Bath!

Photo credit: Pinterest

It's almost Spring, and I am counting the days until I feel the warmer days. During the winter, I don't mind the cold so much, it's after a long winter's day, my body and joints tend to feel a little on the sore side, and nothing makes me happier than a warm, relaxing bath.

So today I wanted to share with you Five Organic Bubble baths/Soaks that I found on ETSY and Five recipes for DIY-Bubble Bath you can make at home!

KelaniOrganics- Organic Body Wash/Bubble Bath - Jasmine - 16oz - Organic, Vegan, Moisturizing -$20

EclipseSpa-Organic Bubble Bath Paraben Free Sulfate Free 'Purity': Sweep all your cares away with Purify, an intoxicating blend of Brazilian orange, lemon, lime, patchouli and rose. -12oz- $15

SensoriumHerbals- Pink Rose Himalayan Bath Salt: A soft blend of salts including pink Himalayan salt will fill your tub with the gentle scent of roses. Soak away stress and soften your skin with this relaxing bath salt.Pink Himalayan Salt, epsom salts, dead sea salt, rose essential oil, rose petals, vitamin e oil
-$10

MeadowlarkBotanical-Calming Lavender Bubble Bath // 8.5oz AND 4.5oz-An organic bubble bath ideal for children and adults with sensitivities to preservatives and chemicals found in many commercial bath products. Made with organic, vegetable-based ingredients, and chock full of skin calming chamomile, lavender and rich organic oils- this bubble bath will soon be a family favorite! $7 and $14

GreenBubbleGorgeous- Aromatherapy Bath Salts, Warming Eucalyptus Ginger, 16 oz. by greenbubblegorgeous FREE SHIPPING-A whopping 16 oz. jar of warming eucalyptus ginger aromatherapy bath salts by greenbubblegorgeous on etsy, made with organic eucalyptus and ginger essential oils and a custom blend of five salts. 100% natural and organic ingredients! No preservatives or dyes! Great for winter months and cold and flu season!-$20

Creamy Honey Bath from Crunch Betty-You can find the FULL RECIPE HERE.

Make your own Natural Bubble Bath for Kids. Find the FULL RECIPE HERE.

From Paula Parrish, DIY Natural Bubble Bath. Find the FULL RECIPE HERE.

If you need a good night's Sleep here is a Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath. FULL RECIPE HERE.

If you need TEN more ideas, you can find 10 FUN DIY Bath Recipes HERE

SPA Ritual "Drop Dead Gorgeous" Review

Photo credit: Pinterest

One of my favorite Pantone Colors of the year for 2014 is "Radiant Orchid".  With this alluring shade that is both royal and exotic, it is no wonder why I was drawn to SPA Ritual's shade

 "Drop Dead Gorgeous" .

What I love about SPA Ritual nail lacquer is that it is a vegan nail polish Free from DPB, formaldehyde and touluene. There are no chemicals to harm your nails.

This picture does not do the shade justice, while the underlying shade is somewhat ruby like, the overall shade is more fuschia, and "Drop Dead Gorgeous" also has this gorgeous purple shimmer.



For more SPA Ritual "Drop Dead Gorgeous" swatches check out these from
 A Polish Addict.

For this review I purchased the nail lacquer.

March Wish List

 

 

Weleda Gentle Cleansing Milk, 3.4-Fluid Ounce -$18

Cleanses without drying

Maintains natural moisture balance

Perfect as a makeup remover

Made with Organic and Biodynamic ingredients

Almia Pure 'Orchid' Pearl luster eyeshadow -$12
“An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.” ~Almia Pure This semi-matte pearluster shadow is a soft shimmering fuchsia.

Jason C-Effects Powered By Ester-C Pure Natural Hyper-C Serum - 1 fl oz- $40
No Parabens and No Phthalates
This unique C-Effects formula is a potent dose of correction to remedy your skin's complexion. Our concentrated multi-antioxidant complex of Ester-C, Vitamin C, Thioctic Acid, Vitamin E and Green Tea effectively fights against harmful free radicals that can cause skin discoloration. With use, skin looks evenly toned with refreshed clarity.


Zoya Nail Polish - Harmonie -$8



Red Flower Champa Perfume-0.5 oz. -$150

Red flower Champa is a fruity, feminine floral. Soft and sweet with a touch of white fruit, tropical rain water and a hint of green citrus. A unique blend of champa flowers, jasmine grandiflorum, rose geranium, ylang ylang, mimosa, osmanthus, palmarossa and rose absolute.15ml perfume concentrate in a vintage crystal-cut glass bottle in France with stopper

Shea Moisture Olive and Green Tea Body Wash with Avocado Oil

 

I absolutely love this product, and it's been excellent for my skin. I only need to use a small amount, and I was able to purchase it for $10 at Target. It is definetly well-worth the price.

The ingredients are top notch -- all natural, all organic •Anti-aging & ultra moisturizing.
The all natural deeply hydrating blend of shea and olive oils, greeb tea extract and avocado heals and repairs dry skin. This all purposed gentle cleanser softens and smooths skin while it regulates moisture, combats aging, and protects against enviromental exposure, truly restoring skin's natural radiance and balance.

Olive oil with its high content of healing vitamin E and fatty acids, helps to hydrote, repair and heal skin.
Green tea has powerful, antioxidants that protect skin from free radical damage.

It contains: NONE of the below
■ no parabens
  ■no phthalates
■no paraffin
■no gluten
■no propylene glycol
■no mineral oil
■no synthetic fragrance
■no animal testing
■no PABA
■no synthetic color
■no DEA
■no sulfates

It's lather has a thick, creamy texture, with a clean/fresh scent, reminescent of a zen garden.  My skin is noticeably smoother and seemed Shea Moisture lived up to it's name because it provided great hydration to my skin as well.  All I know is my skin feels really, really soft. I will be adding  more of Shea Moisture products to my body care regimen.. They’re affordable, you can find them at Target, and made with ingredients you can pronounce and use worry-free. On the Plus side, many of the ingredients are actually certified organic.

The only down side to the product is the bottle itself. The body wash does not seem to come out of it very easy, so I needed to unscrew the cap to get it out.

With that aside, this product is a must have.  

I purchased this product for the review.