twist. – Your Blog For Natural And Organic Skin Care, Cosmetics And A Green Lifestyle

My first twist.bag experience 

One day last month, I opened my mail box and was completey surprised to find a big, red envelope. A particularly striking red with the twist. logo – yupiie! I opened the envelope and – a small organic cotton bag was inside the envelope. Nice, I thought, and opened the bow.

I drew out: 

• Dr.Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Body Moisturizer
• Dr.Hauschka Lavender Sandalwood Body Moisturizer
• Dr.Hauschka Almond Body Moisturizer 
• lavera Shower & Bath Gel organic Orange & Organic Buckthorn
• Belmar Shampoo for fine hair
• and my Highlight: Priti NYC mini polish fireglow

In my twist.bag were only high quality products of the brands Dr.Hauschka, Lavera, Priti NYC, and the new and coming German brand Belmar. Therefore, I was satisfied with the variety of brands. 3 of the 6 products were Dr. Hauschka’s new body lotions. It is nice to try three variations of a body lotions for an immediate comparisan. I found  that it made it easier to find the right one for yourself. I tested all of them at once and found out that each of them is unique in its smell, its texture and its effect.

Dr.Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Body Moisturizer 

 

A very summerly and refreshing moisturizer which fits the season perfectly! The texture is fine and the lotion light, which is optimal for the warmer season. The perfume is lemon-y and refreshing.

Dr.Hauschka Lavender Sandalwood Body Moisturizer

This body balm is the perfect aromatherapy for application before going to bed, lavender as well as sandalwood have calming and relaxing properties. I personally didn’t really fall in love with the smell because I’m not the biggest fan of sandalwood

Dr.Hauschka Almond Body Moisturizer 

Now, this one I love!!! Dr. Hauschka Almond Body Balm smells sweet like marzipan and the texture is softer than soft. I couldn’t stop sniffing myself, that’s how much I love it – my body feels perfectly soft and warm. I think children would like it too, because if the sweetness of the smell!

lavera Shower & Bath Gel organic Orange & Sea Buckthorn

The texture of Lavera’s shower gel is very jelly and not too liquid like many similar shower gels. It’s very refreshing and also a great product for the summer season. I thought the smell was quite intense while under the shower – great aromatherapy in the morning!

Belmar Shampoo for fine hair

Belmar shampoos are quickly becoming insider and cult shampoos. This one (for fine hair) smells like rosemary. Pay attention when using the sample size, because the shampoo is very liquid (due to the lack of chemical thickeners). The packaging is not too exciting, but the product sure is. Your hair will be thankful!

Priti NYC mini polish fireglow

The priti polish was, besides the Almond Body Moisturizer, my highlight of this twist.bag. I wear it several times a week and I’m really excited about this color. It’s trendy and goes with so many colors, and it’s a particular eye catcher with cream and pastel colors. Love, love, love it!

A summary of the first twist.box

Thank you, Anna & Eva for this twist.bag, I loved testing all of the small goodies!

I loved my first twist.bag and I’m looking forward to the second one! What about you?

- Milena. 

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Recently, I have been thinking about nail polish a lot. One reason is, of course, the upcoming summer, which makes me long for bright colors in clothing, make-up and nails. I love great colors on my nails, they turn up my mood in an instant and give you the “not in the office, it’s weekend” feel. But how safe are the so-called nontoxic nail polishes,  and are you ready to toss all your polishes out?

Nails absorb too

For some reason, there is a common misconception that  nails do not absorb what is put on them because they “are dead skin cells”. Have you ever realized how soft your nails are after a long bath? Or the stains on your nails after wearing that deep red you just had to have? Yes, nails can absorb up to 25% of their weight in water. Therefore, they also absorb all the toxins from nail polish. Say it ain’t so! 

Common toxins in nail polishes

The  worst ingredient of nail polishes is formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin. This not so good friend has been linked to nasopharyngeal cancer and leukimia and is strictly limited in the EU and is classified as a known carcinogen in humans.
Offender no. 2 is DBP (a phthalate), which is also banned in Europe and has been shown to cause underdeveloped genitals in male fetuses.
Acetone is another ingredient in nail polishes, which should definitely be avoided, as it has been proven to irritate skin and often is contaminated with formaldehyde – wait, didn’t the EU officially ban formaldehyde?
Yes, and this is where it gets complicated: Even if a brand decides to let these and other known toxins out of nail polish, often we do not know what they use instead and how these substances affect our bodies.

Do natural nail polishes even exist? 

Luckily for all of us nail polish junkies, yes, there are some options. But:  Bare in mind, that as long as nature itself has not yet invented nail polish, all polishes available are still full of chemicals. There are brands that remove more and more of the known toxins, so there are less and less harmful options out there. But truly non-toxic nail polish doesn’t exist yet. Noooo! 

What now? 

Well, now you know that as long as you are wearing prettily colored nails, you will not be a 100% green chick. So what are your options?
If you hardly wear nail polish and just like a splash of color every now and then – find the least toxic formulas and have fun. We are being exposed to so many chemicals and toxins all day long, just find the right path for you.

If you are a hardcore nail polish lover and never leave your home without perfectly painted nails – you’re in trouble. Try to find the least toxic polishes and toss our your cancer color paint. Then, really think about it and maybe you do not have to wear nail polish every day on hands and feet. it is still toxic, your body still absorbs it and exposing yourself to harm so readily just isn’t the best idea.

If you are pregnant: Please, refrain from nail polish completely. There have been numerous studies showing the cruel effect of the toxins as well as of the dangers of inhaling the vapor. It just isn’t good for your baby. You’ll have enough time later to paint your nails, and maybe by then there will be truly non-toxic formulations available!

I for my part cannot, as much as I’d love to, refrain from nail polish. What about you? Are you thinking of tossing out all your bottles, or are you a lover of the sometimes-mani? 

xoxo, Anna. 

 

photo credit: nailspa.org, ourvanity.com, greencitytakeastep.com

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Sex and the City has long been over, and we have all moved on from Manolo Blahniks to our real true shoe love: Louboutins! Seriously, how many women do you know who do not squeal with excitment when they see a pair of these red-soled beauties? The red sole, Louboutin’s trademark, is so popular, that even Yves Saint Laurent has been copying it, prompting Louboutin to sue Yves Saint Laurent.

Today, the international beauty world has been buzzing with the newest Louboutin news: Christian Louboutin is about to step into the beauty world! I cannot wait to see how Louboutin melts his elegant, high-class style and distinct approach to color and shapes into the most beautiful and elegant colors. Let’s hope there is a red (5-free) nail polish that goes with the soles..!

What products do you want to see in Louboutin’s upcoming make-up line?  And will you pair it with your favorite red soles? 

xoxo, Anna. 

Photo credit: christianlouboutinireland.com