Friday, June 30, 2017

Herbivore Brighten Pineapple & Gemstone Mask Review



Hi Lovelies,



Welcome back! And if you are new here, welcome 💕💕💕



Herbovore Brighten Pineapple & Gemstone Mask from eminessences.com


Today I am coming at you with a fabulous mask review. As you might know, I was 30+ years late to the masking game - shock horror, right? Needless to say I am making up for the lost time big time, and one of the masks I am currently using it Herbivore Brighten mask I got from Eminessences - thank you Emily! (not an affiliate link, nor this is a sponsored post. Just sharing my thoughts in a review). We connected via Instagram, and when she asked would I like to try something from Herbivore, I didn't hesitate - this is a fabulous natural brand I'd wanted to try anyway, so needless to say I grabbed the chance with both hands. Admittedly I had my sights on another mask from this brand - Blue Tansy one - but after asking Emily which one should I go for, I listened to her advice and went for Brighten mask as a more suitable option for sensitive skin. And I am so glad I did - I found a mask that suits me and it really makes a difference in how my skin looks - natural ingredients, gentle yet powerful enough to make a difference in five minutes - why yes please! And did I mention gemstone powder?? Gems on my face? Why yes please!

Herbivore is a brand co-founded by husband and wife Alex and Julia in their Seattle kitchen in 2001. They aim to bring you products that are safe, non-toxic, and highly effective. They believe in tangible results you can see and feel, and believe in the power of nature to bring these results. Every ingredient that is included in Herbivore products is there for a specific therapeutic reason. They do not use fillers of any kind, meaning that almost every ingredient in the products is an “active” ingredient. This results in pure, highly concentrated, and effective formulas that are a rarity in the skincare and cosmetics world today. All of their formulas are original, created and tested by themselves, on real people — never on animals and always from scratch, with an emphasis on organic, high quality, and food-grade ingredients.
Knowing that everything we put on our skin quickly absorbs into our bodies, they ethically source the finest raw natural materials the earth has to offer. With ingredients ranging from French pink clay to Brazilian gemstones, they formulate treatments that combine essential vitamins, minerals, and botanicals to restore skin to its optimum health and vitality.

Let's look at those fabulous ingredients in the mask, shall we?
Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Leaf Gel, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (plant derived), Glycerin, Carica Papaya (Organic Papaya) Fruit Extract, Pineapple Natural Melange, Ananas Comosus (Organic Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Brazilian Micronized Tourmaline Gemstone Powder, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Powder, Leucidal (Radish Root ferment).

That's it! Minimal ingredients, all natural, all you can understand - don't you love it? I know I do.

Brazilian White Tourmaline Gemstone: Naturally brightens and illuminates the complexion. It also creates a slight warming effect and increases circulation within the top layers of the skin leading to healthier skin cells and more vibrant skin.

Pineapple and Papaya Enzymes: Natural forms of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that gently resurface and exfoliate the skin, leaving it smoother and brighter. Natural fruit enzymes are more gentle than traditional chemically produced alpha hydroxy acids, which tend to dry out the skin.

Rice Powder: Has been used in Japan for centuries to brighten, soften, and smooth the complexion.


Now, I have to say normally I shy away from anything with AHA's in it (I prefer gentle manual and minimal exfoliation with face cloths and kognac sponges) but I am so glad I gave this a shot - it lifts away that dead layer of your skin revealing new smooth and plump skin underneath - and that is exactly the results I get from it - smooth, lovely and bright skin. No irritations, just one thing to remember for my sensitive skin gals - don't keep it on for more than five minutes. Everybody else, be my guest to keep it on for 20 mins or until the face is dry. Rinse with warm water. You are supposed to do this mask for the first three days in a row, and then use it 2 to 3 times a week, and that is exactly what I've done. I use it twice a week, as I have sensitive skin and have to remember to take it easy, and you just see how your skin feels and use accordingly. Slight to normal tingling is normal when using this mask. They advise you to use this mask at night as you do not want to expose your skin to sun directly following use. And always remember to use SPF during the day to avoid sun damage. But I shouldn't be telling you all this, as it is a common sense with AHA masks and the sun, but you know, just in case!

By the way, if you are a reader from Europe, I suggest you check out that Eminessences web shop - they offer many non EU brands including Earthwise Beauty, Mahalo, Leahlani, Captain Blankenship, Fitglow Beauty and more - meaning that you would be ordering from inside of Europe and wouldn't have to worry about looming custom charges. I know I have this shop bookmarked for when I will be ready to stock up on Nap In The Meadow from Earthwise Beauty. And this mask, of course. I also got a sample of Fitglow Beauty foundation and I have to say I really like it! Oh, possibilities, possibilities! I feel my wishlist getting longer by the minutes :)

Check out Herbivore at:







That's is it for today. Have you tried this mask or anything else from Herbivore? What are your thoughts on the products?



Lots of Love,

Renata 💕


Disclaimer: This should go without saying, but you can't use my photos without my permission, and after some recent events I will be including this into my blog posts. I am happy to lend them to brands or websites to use, as long as I am credited, using my photos without asking me first and not crediting me as a creator on social media = not cool.


Disclaimer II: Product was sent to my consideration. Opinions are always my own. I am always clear, you guys know me. Not paid, not sponsored to write this, the link is not an affiliate link too, purely for your convenience.




Thursday, June 29, 2017

Natural, organic and eco empties - June 2017



Hi Lovelies,


Welcome back! And if you are new here, welcome 💕💕💕

Oganic and natural product empties

Well, we all know what it is all about, so let's dive in!



DrOrganic Rose Facial Scrub - decluttering

I said this time and time again, and now it is official - this brand is one of the greenwashing ones, pretending greener than they are actually are, and I am glad it is out in the open now. Check Soil Association website if you don’t want to take my word for it, that is all I am saying. I am done with this brand maybe just bar one products, because of these greenwashing claims and because none but one product worked for me. This scrub I used only once and it was way too harsh on my skin, plus it broke me out. My teen also said the same thing, plus she described it as rubbing sandpaper all over your face. I have to say I second her. Oh, this was bought by my hubby in post Christmas sale last year. Seeing at it was used only one centimetre down, I should have binned this long time ago. As you can guess, not a repurchase.


Mahalo Vitality Elixir

Oh, what a sad day was in Green Life In Dublin Casa when this ran out! Maryna, could I get more please? Pretty please? See my review here, but if you follow me for any length of time, you know I love this facial oil - it has great ingredients and my uber sensitive and dermatitis prone skin loved it. It has something to do with turmeric :) In fact I loved all the Mahalo products I have had a chance to try, and even though I am living La Vida Broka right now, I have to find ways to repurchase some of her products. Santa? Are you listening?


Miaroma Chamomile essential oil

Bought it from Holland & Barrett a while ago, and now it's sadly gone off on me, without getting proper use out of it. Not repurchasing any essential oils from this brand, I don't find them good quality. For example, this smells like old sunflower oil (you know, cooking oil). I’ve never had it with any essential oils from other brands I used to date.


Jane Iredale lash conditioner mini

I am so impressed with it, I am definitely getting a full size of it soon. Makes any mascara ten times better by adding volume and length, and that is exactly what I am looking for. I knew of this product's existence for a long time but never thought of getting it until I tried it for myself. Yes, it is 20plus euros expense on top of your mascara expense, but seeing how much it helps my lashes to look amazing, I can finally justify that extra spending on it.


Flower and Spice facial cream and scrub

I met up with a Flower and Spice founder and formulator Karmen a little while ago for a cup of green tea and green beauty chat, and she gave me samples of her upcoming collection, launching fall 2017. Lovely products. I am still using their facial oil, as oils last for quite a long time, it will end up in next month's empties.


Dublin Herbalists samples

This is a natural company local to me, they sent me samples of all their products a few months ago, and I am yet to put a review out. Will have to work on it harder.

Mii Minerals mineral foundation - decluttering


I have this for more than five years, so obviously it is time to let it go! I don’t even know if they are still around, but at that time they had two sides to their products and website too - organic products and non organic. This is too dark for me, shade !!!!!!! and thankfully my friend who is happy to take things off my hands has darker skin tone than me. I do not worry about passing this onto her - loose minerals have a long shelf life and I have done nothing to contaminate it. Otherwise I give her strict instructions of how many months she has left in one or the other product. Not a repurchase. I am loving Pure Anada mineral foundation.


Egyptian Magic Balm

This I’d bought myself, and the bugger expired on me despite the jar saying it is still good until 02/2018. But as I know I’d gotten it many months ago, I am OK with letting it go, even though it is barely used. 35€ down the drain, well done Renata! The thing is I bought this just before I won or was sent some other more luxurious balms, so needless to say I pushed this aside in order to try and use those other products. This is good basic balm, and if you are not looking for frills or bells and whistles in your balm, this is a good one to try. Especially if you have allergies or sensitivities to some ingredients. I think I will still review this eventually, but it will be a while before I will repurchase it, I now aim to have only one balm open at any given time.


Mahalo Rare Indigo balm (mini)

I actually finished two mini jars of it, and I enjoyed them tremendously! This product is amazing for troubled and inflamed skin, I can attest to that. I would go on as far as to say it is one of the very few products I would spend 100plus euros on it. I will review it or update my Mahalo review soon. I am fortunate enough to own a full size of it acquired in a green beauty swap. The jar is half full, but nonetheless, it will last me for months. Thanks beautiful soul that you are Boriana or 1988 Bori from Instagram!

Natural products trash or empties :)

Ren Evercalm Ultra Rescue mask (sample)

This is another great product at calming red and angry skin, I was amazed at how well it worked! Ren is a line I used here and there, but stopped for a while when I found out all products have phenoxyethanol in them, it is synthetic preservative that everyone's in green beauty bashing, but no one has a good alternative or solution to it. I do have some products containing it, but I try to keep those to a minimum, as researchers say it is “slightly toxic” in higher concentrations. Umm, slightly toxic??! I’ll keep it to a minimum then, thanks! But I am interested in that calming mask, goddammit! Oh, what to do? I have a sample of the calming serum from the same line.

Greenfrog Botanic hand soap

Review here if you want to check it out. This is good natural non sudsing soap made from soap berries and organic aloe vera. The texture will take a bit of time to get used it, but because of it, my family asked me not to get this hand soap and shower gels, and I have to respect their wishes. We are trying Organii brand now, also found in Love Lula.


Leahlani Champagne serum

I absolutely adore their Mermaid mask (and finally have a full size of it coming my way) but I am sad to say Champagne serum didn't work out for me, too much essential oils for my sensitive skin to handle. I still want to try everything else in the line though, everything sounds absolutely ahhmaaaaazing!


Lotus Wei Infinite Love anointing oil

I adore this line of Lotus Wei products, and at the same time am sad to say these roll ons are too strong for me, too much essential oils for me to handle - if I use it anywhere near my head or torso, I get instant headaches. And it is sad, because if I use it on my arms or wrists somewhere, I can't feel the gorgeous aroma, and that is specifically why I bought it. I went on to purchase a mist in the same line, it is more diluted and I have no problem with it.


Lotus Wei Joy Juice Elixir

Again, a product from a gorgeous brand, and I would gladly repurchase it, but they raised the prices since my last purchase in December, and I don't think I have the funds for them right now. They were not cheap to begin with, but now the aura mist costs 40£, which is way out of my price range. Wish I could have a constant supply of these, and will be sad if I couldn't get them anymore. Find my review here. But the reality is, someone close to me is seriously ill now, and I face medical expenses.
A repurchase? Not quite sure yet. I do know I want them, I surely do, I just need to find funds for them. Which is tricky, not going to lie.


Frankincense toothpaste from Living Libations

I bought this, happy tooth serum and happy tooth ozonated gum gel from Dutch Health Store - check them out for the largest Living Libations selection in Europe. There are some more online stores that carry Living Libations, but they seem to have a few selected Best Skin Ever and that's it. My initial draw to the brand was different, I wanted to try their dental products first and foremost, which is why I dropped more than a hundred bucks for three items. I will reserve my thoughs for the review post, so stay tuned! Ps. now that my dental products post is live, I can link it here.


Naobay Soft Tollerance and Eye Contour Cream

I used to use this in winter, together with Mahalo Vitality Elixir serum, and the two together worked great, but when I ran out of the said serum and started using cream on it's own, my skin got irritated. Not a downfall of the product, as it happened with the face cream I used after this as well. I don't know, my skin is really weird in that sense, I can never be guaranteed if it will be able to tolerate something at the same level two months on. That's why I never rush with skincare reviews. Naobay argan oil on the other hand is lovely, and I can use it without a bother. This might be your perfect cream, if it didn't suit me, it doesn't mean it won't suit you too.


Soley eyGLO face cream

This is the cream I am talking about, I used half of the jar without a care in the world, and was ready to write a glowing review on it, as I really liked it, but something happened halfway through the jar and my skin started showing signs of irritation in a form of redness, so I discontinued it. Try it for yourself, as it might be just the thing for you? If you have dry skin you will love it, if you are on more of the oilier side, I am afraid this isn't the product for you.


Human & Kind body oil

Unfortunately this contains wheatgerm oil, hence gluten, so I can't use it, and as no one else in my family are using body oils or creams, I am passing it on to someone else who will enjoy it. Great smell though. I used it once on my hair to try it out, and it did sink in really fast, which I loved.


100%Pure SPF30 Everywhere Stick

This is another full size product that expired on me before I could use it up or form my final opinion on it. My first impression was that is leaves a very white white cast that's hard to rub in. Not sure if repurchasing or not.


Flying Wild lip balm (and body and hand balms)

I think this is my favourite Irish company that does wonderful balms with pure honey and very few ingredients. Nothing that does not benefit the skin, isn't in their products. Reviews here and here if you want to see it? Adore. Insert every heart eyed emoji here!
Definitely a repurchase.


Kimberly Sayer Antioxidant SPF30 face cream (sample)

I am using Ultra Light SPF30 face cream as my “city” SPF product for a second year running, it is aimed at oily skin people, so naturally I wanted to try the other version aimed for dry skin. Not impressed enough to switch, I am sticking to the oily skin version - it is twice the amount for the same price, and it comes in a pump bottle whereas the dry skin version is in a pot, where you scoop it out with your fingers. Not moisturising enough to make me switch, I find little difference in them, plus it has too much lavender scent, something I don't like. Sticking with the one I have.


DrBronners Almond soap (1 litre)

Not pictured, because my daughter threw it away without thinking, but we all know what DrBronners bottle looks like :) I don't use it for washing my face, body or hair, because the ph is too high and I find it too drying. But I constantly have it in the house, because I wash clothes with it and use it for cleaning, it is excellent for that. Now I am trying soap nuts to see of they compare and if I can bring the cost down, because as you can imagine, washing clothes with DrBronners is an expensive business! For some (maddening) reason it costs twice as much in EU than in the US.
A repurchase? constant!


Solgar Vit D 2500iu (not pictured)

This is what I use daily and I recommend everyone check their levels because majority of us are deficient. Most of us think of vitD as for babies, but guess what? VitD is not only a vitamin but also a hormone needed for 300+ body functions daily, so this is something to consider if you are not taking it already. I noticed huge improvements in my SAD and keeping my skin healthy and dermatitis at bay.


Udo’s Adult Blend 17Billion Probiotics

Again, this is something I take to keep dermatitis at bay. Probiotics are hugely popular right now, and I used not to pay attention to this push a few years back, thinking it is a latest fad/something I don't need, until I learned this is exactly the key to healing your gut. Aka healing skin issues. Heal your gut = heal your life. Choose as much billions as you can afford. Not millions.


Solgar Balance Rhodiola Complex

Another key part in managing my SAD (I touched on it here and there, and you can clearly see I’m suffering from it in my Winter Faves post) - definitely a repurchase come next winter, I take this and vitD, plus magnesium and it had made a huge difference in how I feel.


Bellapierre Antique Pink liquid lipstick

This came in the latest Love Lula beauty box, and I knew straight away I wouldn't be able to pull this off, so a swatch later I am passing it onto a friend, who has no job and major health issues and is down in the dumps because of it- I hope this and something else in the care package I am preparing for her will cheer her up!


Puressential Muscles & Joints Massage gel

Found and acquired by Mr Anti Social Media Green Life In Dublin himself, I am kind of proud of this! When we, or should I say I, transitioned into green beauty years and years ago, I was met with resistance for half a decade so strong, that we used to have “his and hers” products for a while, and now I see most of the conventional products vanishing from our house for good. He seems to be a convert, if he sought this product instead of conventional heat gel he used to get. And he said it's working! Used up before I could take a pic for a blog, but that's dudes for you, they open and use products, it's only me who feels the need to photograph Every Thing before using, haha!
Repurchase? Yes, already have.


Jason toothpaste

I am on forever lookout for a natural toothpaste without carrageenan and glycerine, and this has both. Therefore not a repurchase. I am sort of killing myself finding toothpastes that wouldn't have both, but for once, they are extremely hard to find, and those few that I managed to get my paws on, either taste like swamp or don't do anything! (see my previous post of empties if interested). So in a moment of weakness and frustration I purchased this Jason one, but no more. I used this in alterations with coconut oil toothpaste by Living Libations (shown above) and natural coconut shell charcoal toothpowder. I talk more of them in my dental care post. Now back to those two offenders (in my opinion) The thing is carrageenan is shown to cause inflammation in the body if ingested (not that you would eat your toothpaste or anything, but anything with the word “inflammation” is a red flag for me. Carrageenan is used in a lot of toothpastes for texture. And for some reason, in lots of vegan /health foods and nut milks. I’ll skip those, thanks very much.
Glycerine is shown to coat the teeth and prevent them from remineralising themselves, therefore I don't want that in my toothpaste either, even though it is in practically every natural toothpaste under the sun.
If you happen to know a good toothpaste that wouldn't have carageenan and glycerine, please do me a favour and let me know! You will have my gratitude forever!


Kathy Sue Ann's body butter

I'm testing this and two more products from this line for OBL Club, so not sure if I can talk about this in my blog also, but be sure to read my thoughts on it in OBL database later on. Don't know what OBL Club is? Girl, you need to know. And join! Created by two lovely fellow green beauty bloggers Andrea from Organic Beauty Lover and Rachel from Naturlily, this program lets you try full size organic and natural products for free, they only ask for your honest thoughts on it. And everyone can join, you don't have to be a blogger! I will link it here. And I just got idea to ask Rachel for interview for my Natural Beauties blog series. Stay tuned :)

Mahalo Petal mask (sample, not pictured)

Again, acquired via green beauty swap, the sample allowed me to have two applications of it. But man, I wish I didn't do that second application! Let me tell you why. The first time I used it, I made a little collage and posted it to Instagram, and someone commented that it looks unusually dark. It should have been a warning for me. I kind of forgot about it for a couple of weeks, and when I went on to use it for a second time, my skin BURNED! Not slightly red or irritated, BURNED. My husband compared me to a acid victim, that how bad it was. It all happened during the day, and by the time he was home my skin was back to normal - thanks to manuka honey! Mahalo, I love you dearly, but I will never purchase this mask. Sensitive skin gals, be careful with this, don't leave it on for five minutes, and never use it if you have a slight suspicion it might be old. I don't want to put you off your dinner, but this is how I looked: SCARY! In real life the skin was even more red, my new camera frustratingly adds cool tones to everything. Sigh.



So that is it for now. What have you guys finished lately?


Lots of Love,

Renata.


Related posts:





Disclaimer: after some recent event I decided to add that you can't use any of my photos without my permission. Not that anyone would steal empty product photo or anything, but I want people to know that any of my blog photos are my property and not public domain. I am happy to let brands or web shops use them as long as they give photo credit tracing back to me. Not asking before and not giving photo credit = not cool.



Wednesday, June 28, 2017

My Dental Hygiene Routine and Products




Hi Lovelies,


Welcome back! And if you are new here, welcome💕💕💕


Living Libations dental products - Frankincense Truth toothpaste, Happy Gum Drops, Ozonated Happy Gum Gel


Today I wanted to talk to you about my dental care products and routine. I was going back and forth about posting this ,as first of all I am not an authority in these areas, my mouth is full of fillings and it has been this way since my childhood. Joys of growing up in former Soviet Union, they were brutal with you and no one bothered to save a tooth either, so many of us had tooth pulled out simply for a reason that was quicker and more convenient for the dentist. Long story short I would love to go to a holistic dentist here in Ireland, but from the little research I did, their prices are around 200+ euros per visit, and as stay at home mommy with no income, I balk at the idea of it. Someday, for sure.

So all the products I use and will talk about here, are self sourced and not recommended by a dental professional or anything, so you can take it or leave it, the choice is yours.
What do I do to make my teeth stay in healthy condition and what do I avoid? Well, for a starters, let me say that switching up toothpaste to a natural one has proven to be one of the most challenging things, even though in theory it should be so simple - you go into a health shop, you get a toothpaste from there, and you are good. Well, not quite fast! Even though I haven't used a conventional toothpaste in nearly ten years, I am yet to say I have a perfect product I love and could recommend to you guys. Sight. One thing for sure - I am so happy that I opened my eyes to what's really in conventional toothpastes and those dreadful Lysterine type of mouthwashes! Your gums is one of the most absorbent places in your body, so make sure you are not using and absorbing toxic chemicals like triclosan. Urgh!
The thing is I avoid carrageenan and glycerine in my toothpaste. Why? Because research shows glycerine coats the teeth preventing them from remineralising themselves, and carrageenan is proven to cause inflammation when ingested. As someone with autoimmune disorder, the word “inflammation” is naturally a red flag for me and I stay away from any food/product in question. How it can be used in so many products and health foods and drinks (check your non dairy milks people!) is beyond me. In toothpastes it is used for texture. I must admit that in a moment of frustration /madness/ desperation I bought Jason toothpaste last month containing both of the offenders (as to be seen in my upcoming Empties post very shortly) but no more! I may lower my bar for glycerine, as at least it is a non toxic ingredient, but carrageenan is in quarantine for life for me. If you happen to know a good toothpaste that wouldn't contain those two offenders, do me a favour and let me know! You will have my gratitude for life! Bonus points if it is a available from within EU so I wouldn't have to deal with those pesky custom charges, thank you very much. Problem is, most of them (or the ones I've tried) tend to taste like swamp and not do a good job at cleaning my teeth, after just one hour I can feel that dreaded coating on my teeth, and surely no one wants that. (Weleda and Vogel, I am looking at you here)

Now, that you know what I avoid in my toothpaste, let's look at what actually I am using after all?
At the moment my dental routine consists of Living Libations products acquired via The Dutch Health Store (that goes by the name of livinglibations.store on Instagram) - I was so happy to find a EU based online store that would carry more than just The Best Skin Ever oils, I immediately placed an order for over 100€. I’d wanted to try Living Libations products in forever and a half, and I was even prepared to swallow that bitter pill of extra custom taxes prior of finding the Dutch Health Store, that how strong the draw was in my case. (little side note to those of you who don't know, we are charged at 35% of whole order plus shipping for any orders above 22€ if we shop outside EU, and you can imagine, you end up paying more than double initial price of the product you originally wanted. More info with examples and calculations here

Going back to my order from the Dutch Health Store, I got a Frankincense toothpaste as inspired by Clearskinessentials, Happy Tooth Gum Drops and Ozonated Happy Gum Gel, plus Holistic Dentistry book by author and Living Libations brand owner Nadine Artemis - you folks should check out her videos on YouTube on holistic ways to care for your teeth, if you haven't seen that already. I don't want to get into legal trouble, so I won't link those videos here, but you can go on and search “Nadine Artemis holistic dentistry” in YouTube, or you can find the same videos in my playlists on my YouTube page (make my day and subscribe while you are there, I am working on starting my green beauty channel, promise!) or they can also be found in the Dutch Health Shop website too.
So let's finally talk products, shall we!?



Frankincense Fresh Truth toothpaste

It took a little bit getting to get used to - I don't know what did I expect, but it turned out to be a coconut oil based toothpaste. Let's look at the ingredients, shall we?
Inci: I'll link Dutch Health Store page here for more reading. The Living Libations products ingredients lists are exquisite, like a beautiful poem of natural goodness.


Like I said, it has tons of good quality ingredients, and it feels like a expert made product, way more elaborate than my own coconut oil DIY, but still, it is coconut oil based toothpaste, you know? It cleans the teeth well, it foams up nicely, and you quickly learn that you need like a pea size amount or even less to get the job done. You can taste all those wonderful essential oils in your mouth, as well as a bit of Himalayan salt and baking soda. I have to say that that 25ml jar has lasted me for months, and that's with me going double the speed with it, and I will tell you why in just a second. If you are interested in trying it, I would suggest going for a smaller 15ml version of it, and if I will get it again, that's exactly the size I’d go for. Now that I know it lasts a really long time, I think you would get a good feel of the product and you would definitely know if it's a product for you by the end of the jar. The reason I wouldn't go for 25ml again is because it soon changed the colour on me, and the liquid has started to pool in the middle of the jar, so not knowing if it's essential oils have made their way up in the jar or I somehow got water into it and thus contaminated the product (even though I was really careful not to) I went ahead to use it up at double the normal speed and now the jar is empty. I am definitely keeping the glass jar (obsessed with glass, much?) and I immediately made my own DIY after finishing it (raw coconut oil, Himalayan salt, sodium bicarbonate aka baking soda, and a few drops of essential oils of frankincense, tea tree oil and cinnamon in this case) but I must admit I am not half as happy as I though I would be with my own DIY, and miss the Living Libations one. Mine feels “oily” and amateurish in comparison.


Ozonated Happy Gum Gel


Gel is amazing and will be a repurchase for life! 
Happy Gum drops is a product I also really enjoy using. It is a 5ml mix of different essential oils, and I must admit after I made my order and paid for the products, I had a thought “what have I done, I am so sensitive when it comes to essential oils, how on earth I will use these products?” Not a thought you want to have after dropping 128€ for your order, but I am pleased to say my fears turned out to be fruitless and I can use the products without a bother. By the way, Nadine says that you can safely swallow all the products after cleaning your teeth (except Neem ones) as they are safe to do so, but it goes against the grain of what we're taught to, so I spit it all out after using. A few times I did swallow the stuff to test it out - one never learns - and it did give me an upset stomach, so I don't do that again. By the way, one tip if you are using coconut oil based toothpaste, spit it out into a toilet bowl and not the sink as not to clog the drains.
Ingredients of Happy Gum Drops: again, I suggest you go to the website (link) to read it.


I am not really sure if I need to have these two products at the same time or just one would do, but it was winter when I ordered and my gums must have been sensitive at the time? It is also designed for gums, and you are supposed not to brush your teeth with it like with a toothpaste, but brush it down from the gums to the teeth themselves, taking care to get it onto the sockets, where the gum ends and the tooth begins. After initial spiciness goes away you are left with kind of candy taste in the mouth, and I have to say I like that! I use it as a final step after rinsing and brushing, and they advise you to leave your mouth open as long as you can hold it, so the product stays on longer to do it's magic.


Nadine advises to use sole (as a concentrated salt solution) rinse as a first and final rinse, but I must admit I do it only at a start both morning and night, as I am not a fan of that super salty taste in my mouth.


I also use a tooth powder along with all these products, I, like every other person on the planet, were interested in coconut charcoal tooth powder, so I got that and I have to say I am impressed enough to keep using it from now on constantly. As long as you don't expect instant Hollywood smile from it, you shouldn't be disappointed either. As always, shop around, because it is trendy right now, some brands charge 30€ or more for the same amount you get for 13€ elsewhere. I also just got organic bio white tooth powder for 7€ in Down To Earth Dublin, and although it doesn't have coconut charcoal in it, I am fine with it as I can always add some activated charcoal to it if I want to. Take my advice and look at the ingredients before buying it, I remember buying a jar or tooth powder in Lithuania last year, and it turned out it had saccharine in it (probably in aid to sweeten up calcium carbonate, which is quite frankly, chalky) and it went into the bin after first try. I really love that clean feeling brushing with tooth powder gives me, but what I don't love is the mess it leaves behind! I need to clean the sink after every time I use it. I imagine it wouldn't be for everyone then.


Speaking of toothbrushes, I must shamefully admit I still use regular plastic toothbrush. I know, I should go and hide under a rock or put myself on the naughty step because of it. Surely everyone in green beauty uses bamboo toothbrushes?! Well, not me, and I will tell you why. Even the bamboo handle is natural and eco friendly, the bristles are still plastic, so you are still brushing your teeth with plastic. More eco conscious companies are using nylon 4, which is biodegradable plastic, but still plastic if you get my point? I am yet to come across a bamboo brush that would also have bamboo or other natural materials bristles. If you happen to know one, please let us all know! From enviromental point of view it makes perfect sense, but from practical point, there's also a price difference, I can get a pack of seven soft bristles brushes for 1.5€, whereas one bamboo brush would set me back a fiver to a tenner, depending where I would get it. And I need to get four of them at once. Hate if you want to, but this is what I use, and if that makes me not “natural” anymore, fine. I make a point to let you guys know the real and unfiltered me, I could easily pretend I use one of those trendy bamboo brushes, but I chose not to.

One thing that is missing in my photos and routine is a tongue scraper, I need to buy another one of these asap, as my copper one grew mold on it! It goes to show the levels of humidity in Ireland. Yes, cold and humid country exists!

*Update two years later - I still use and enjoy all of the Living Libations products mentioned here. I also have stainless steel DrThungs tongue scraper and alternate between bamboo brush and ionic DrThungs toothbrush, which is said to repel plague off the teeth and stop it from forming.


Oil pulling? After initially dismissing it as too weird, I finally got into it a few years back, but I must admit I also do it inconsistently, mostly in winters or whenever my teeth seemed sensitive. It seems to take care of it and if I feel a toothache or mouth ulcer coming on, I add a drop of tea tree oil or Oreganol P73 (another one of my natural Holy Grail products, more info here) and it takes care of it. I also must admit I am teased mercilessly while I do it, so I stopped doing it in the mornings (too much rush and too many family members around) and I do it at nights on occasion were I get to sit down at my computer after putting kids to bed.


There is also ancient ayurvedic remedy of black sesame seeds chewing in order to remineralise and clean teeth from the outside (I learned it from Kimberly Snyder) but after initial few tries I discovered I love eating those sesame seeds more than chewing them, but in the case any of you are interested, just Google it.


So that's my dental care routine and products, hope some of you found it interesting and/or helpful?
I would really want to know if you have been to a holistic dentist and what is your holistic routine looks like? Please share, I would love to know :)

Related Living Libations posts:


DEW DAB REVIEW

ZEST THE BEST REVIEW

LIVING LIBATIONS HAIR CARE REVIEW

WINTERGREEN & CLEAN TOOTHPASTE REVIEW

MY HOLISTIC DENTAL CARE ROUTINE & PRODUCTS


EVERYBODY LOVES SUNSHINE WITH ZINC BEACH BALM REVIEW







Lots of Love,
Renata.


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Disclaimer 1: after some recent event I decided to add that you can't use any of my photos without my permission. I want people to know that any of my blog photos are my property and not public domain. I am happy to let brands or web shops use them as long as they give photo credit tracing back to me. Not asking before and not giving photo credit = not cool.

Dislaimer 2. All products shown were bough with my own moolah. The link isn't an affiliate link, nor I am on their pay roll in any way. It is for your convenience. I got you boo.