Toxic 12

N ow that I am making the switch to organic products I am learning more and more. The more I discover the more it makes me glad to be using organic products. I am learning the different ingredients that make up cosmetic products that we use on a regular basis and their effects on us. Boy it is scary!

I am currently reading a book called "Slow Death by Rubber Duck" by Rick Smith & Bruce Lourie and they make some great points.

" Belching Smokestacks. Sewer outfalls, Car exhaust. For most people these are the first images that come to mind when the word "pollution" in mentioned. It is still seen as an external concern. Something floating around in the air or in the nearest lake. Out there. Something that can still be avoided. As our toxic Nation testing makes clear, however, the reality is quite different. Pollution is now so pervasive that its becoming a marinade in which we all bathe everyday. Pollution is actually inside us all. Its steeped into our bodies."

Environmental Defence Canada has discovered over 130 pollutants in people. Women, men and children of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. We are all polluted to some degree.

How? Toxic Chemicals are in everything from personal care products, cooking products, electronics, furniture, clothing and even children's toys. They are absorbed through our skin, we breathe them and eat them on a regular basis. Mostly with out even a thought.

"It has be estimated that by the time the average women grabs her morning coffee, she has applied 126 different chemicals in 12 different products to her face, body and hair."

How is it affecting us?

Research shows links between the exposure to chemicals in the products to many problems such as multiple forms of cancer, reproductive issues and birth defects, respiratory illness like asthma and neurodevelopment disorders like ADHD

Scary huh? But we can all do something about it, by carefully reading labels on the products we buy and being aware of what is in them. Now I am not telling you to go and throw all of your products out right now, but one by one start replacing each product that has these toxic 12 chemicals in them.


12 ingredients to avoid

Propylene Glycol (butylene / Ethylene)
Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
DEA/MEA/TEA
PEG - Polyethylene glycol
DMDM - (urea)
Triclosan
Parabens
Parfum
Petrolatum
Siloxanes
FD & C color pigments

More on the issue at:
http://environmentaldefence.ca/
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/

Do you currently look at the ingredients in your products? If not will you now?

Amy xo

Chemicals in Cosmetics

Our skin is the largest organ in our body, and it protects us everyday from infection and disease. Our skin holds our bodily fluids, keeps bacteria out, holds our nerve endings, helps to regulate our body temperature; It is important to take care of our skin so it can help take care of us.

Just as it is important to eat lean meats, fruits and vegetables to stay healthy. It is also important to be aware of what goes on our skin. Every day men and women wear multiple products from body wash, lotion, hair products, shaving cream and perfume. Our body can absorb up to 60% of what we put on it. Long term uses of such products can lead to large amounts of chemicals in our bodies which can cause different health problems.

To avoid a chemical over load look for organic products. Organic products are certified in Canada and must follow a strict regime to be labeled as “organic”. A minimum of 95% of the ingredients must be organic.

Looking at the packing for a certified organic label is helpful but having products made from out of country may not have the same organic regulation system as Canada so be careful and read the ingredients list as well.

Here is our organic label - the use of this label is voluntary.

Ingredients to avoid :

Aluminum – contributes to Alzheimer disease. Blocks pores and sweat cannot be released by the skin.

Artificial Colors – Can cause hyperactivity in children, causes headaches, blurred vision, itchy watery eyes and nose.

Benzoates – Used as a preservative and causes gastric irritation, numbing of mouth and asthma.

Dibutyl Phthalate – Causes birth defects in animals, and can be damaging to male reproductive organs.

Formaldehydes - A preservative. Causes skin irritations.

Keratolytic Chemicals (hydroxyl acids) dissolves the outer most layer of the skin, making your skin more sensitive to sun damages. Speeds up the growth of dead skin cells causing your skin to thicken, this helps “repair” the surface.

Parabens – Triggers skin irritation. causes low sperm counts and higher breast cancer rates. This is used in 99% of all cosmetics.

Paraffin – Derived from Petroleum, used as a base / preservative. Blocks pores causing build up.

Propylene Glycol – When taken from petroleum increases the amount of acid in the body.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate – Irritating to eyes skin and lungs. It is an inexpensive and effective foaming agent, used for cleansing and emulsifying properties. May contain large amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane which can harm the nervous system and stay in the environment long after being used.

These are just a few to be named. You don’t typically think too often of what is in your products, they are being sold in stores so they must be safe right? But why would you put the same thing being used in your car or in harsh chemicals on your skin? Using organic products will reduce the daily amount of chemicals that you consume. They are safer for you and are more affective because they are derived from nutrient rich sources.

Reading this, I hope it opens your eyes and allows you to become more cautious as to what you put in and on your body. I know for me it has and I am very excited to make the change to organic. I am going to try hard to eat fresh foods, no package processed foods and use organic products. I believe by changing both foods and products to organic labels I will feel better inside and out!

For further reading:

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2009-176/index.html

http://davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics---sodium-laureth-sulfate/


What changes are you going to make?

 

Amy xo

Wedding Season Tis Here

Hello Folks!

Tonight I am going to share with you what I've been up to recently!
Its been a busy time and it is only going to get busier! I am super excited :) Not too long ago I decided to start on this journey and become what some people call a mompreneur. In only a short period of time I went from having an idea to being busy through out the week and being booked for weddings/ other occasions every weekend. I have had lots of interest and am also participating in a Self Employment Program to help me along with my business, I get to attend workshops and learn more of the business side of things. so now I have both.. Beauty and Brains ;)

This spring I had the pleasure of working with two beautiful fellow moms:

My friend Natalie whom I met last year is a military spouse, she met her fiancé in BC and moved to greenwood to continue his career and start their lives together! On May 25th I joined Natalie and her family at a local campground to start off her day. Got to meet both wonderful parents and spend time with her sweet little Madeline :) Here are some photos that capture their day

Photos by Michelle Klassen
https://www.facebook.com/MichelleKlassenPhotography

 




The other mom is also a military spouse and fellow photography business owner. I worked with Lorraine and highlighted her stunning features for her family photos. She was on top of things! had multiple outfits picked out and every piece fitted together perfectly. Her and the family went to a local orchard. I will also be working with Lorraine again in August for a family members wedding and then in September for their 10 year vow renewal, the details sound so lovely I cant want to be apart of it.


Photos by Candace Berry
http://candaceberry.com/blog/2014/06/the-lorette-family/
https://www.facebook.com/candaceberryphotography?ref=hl

I hope you enjoyed the photos and much as I did, stay tuned for more exciting news and changes to come!

Amy xo

The Importance of a Makeup Artist!

So you are getting married or planning a special event, you have booked a venue, possibly a caterer, photographer, specially done your invitations,  planned everything to a tee! Now you are focusing on your self - picked out a dress, have your perfect hairstyle in mind & booked your stylist. There is one last important step - your makeup artist!

Some people over look getting a makeup artist because they think they can do it, or have a friend. Having a professional MUA is just as important as someone professionally doing your hair, having a professional photographer & having the perfect dress. It completes the look.

Why should you book a MUA you ask?

BE STRESS FREE!
You have so much to think about preparing for your big day, why should you have to stress about doing your makeup, or even your bridesmaids makeup. You want everything else to be perfect your face should not be the last on the list! MUAs regularly deal with large bridal parties and can leave you looking great with lots of extra time left.

PHOTOS LAST A LIFE TIME
You will want to look your best so you can look back 60 years from now and have no regrets.
With social media sites on the rise and the use of photographers you will not want to look incomplete.

WE ARE TRAINED
We know what looks the best on different face shapes, what products to use that look great on camera. The skills and technique to achieve the look your are dreaming of, weather it is natural, a little more beautified or an inspired look. And of course, we have an abundance of makeup to suit everyone!

Now that you have put more thought into a MUA, you are not sure where to start looking or how to choose. There are MUAs at hair salons & day spas, and Freelance artists like myself. Look in your area for convenience and to save money on travel. Having the internet makes things much easier - Google, 411, yellow pages, and kijiji are all places you can search for MUA in your area. Before booking, make sure you check that they are certified and licenced in the province, their work is what your looking for - so check their portfolio ( most are available online ) and you have a contract filled out & receipts for money paid. I highly recommend you book a trial to make sure it is exactly what you are looking for.

A before & after of my beautiful and talented friend Michelle Darrell of Daydreamer Photography, who I have the pleasure of working with frequently.

Check her out ! www.daydreamerphoto.net

Happy wedding season!

Amy xo

Oh Mr Sun!

So now that the awful long winter is over ( I don't enjoy the cold, can you tell? ), and we finally have sunshine and nice weather, it is time to think about sunscreen a little more. With skin cancer awareness month coming it is good to brush up on the facts and clear up some of the confusion around SPF UVA and UVB.

What is SPF ?
( sun protection factor ) is a measure of a sunscreens ability to protect against UVB and UVA, it indicates how long it will take for UVB rays to redden skin when using a sunscreen.
An SPF 15 sunscreen, screens 93 percent of the sun's UVB rays. SPF 30 screens 97 percent and SPF 50 screens 98 percent.
Both UVB and UVA are both harmful so look for an SPF 15 or higher, and broad spectrum or UVB/UVA on the product. Apply product 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every 2 hours and after water use.


UVB
Ultraviolet Burning rays ( short wave )
Damages your outer most layer of the skin causing redness and burning. It is a key player in skin cancer. The majority of UVB rays affect us from April to October during the day from 10am to 4pm, however can still affect us all year round especially if you are around high altitudes or high reflective surfaces like snow and ice in the winter.


UVA
Ultraviolet Aging Rays (long wave)
Although UVA are less intense than UVB, they still affect us. UVA causes aging and wrinkles.
In recent years it has been discovered that UVA has damaged cells in the epidermis called keratinocytes therefore UVA contributes and maybe even initiate the development of skin cancers.


Applying sunscreen is very important in preventing skin cancer. Sunscreen has other benefits like protecting your skin and face from toxins and preventing moisture loss in your skin.

There has been recent discussions' of how the chemicals in sunscreen are doing more harm than good, and if this bothers you, there are sunscreens that have more natural ingredients and "physically" block the sun.

For those of you who cringe at the thought of chemicals sinking into your sink I found a site that has a great list of physical sun screens : http://safemama.com/cheatsheets/sunscreen/
Personally I think I'm going to check out the badger sunscreens, it is great to know what goes into our bodies!

Check out these links for more information:
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/your-sunscreen-might-be-poisoning-you

http://www.skinacea.com/sunscreen/physical-vs-chemical-sunscreen.html#.U1caDLmNTIU

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/uva-and-uvb/understanding-uva-and-uvb

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/19/sunscreen-benefits_n_3464687.html

http://theglossy.sephora.com/articles/506



Enjoy the sun & be safe!

Amy xo

One Product Three Ways!

Before I became a makeup artist, I knew little about makeup techniques and used each product as it was designed for. For example, I used eye shadow as eye shadow and  blush as blush etc. Even during my training not much was said about using different products in different places. It wasn't until I really started practicing that all the rules went out the windows. Now don't get me wrong, some products should not be used else where, like mascara! But for the most part, makeup is just another medium to be use. So get playful! Today I am going to show you something I do on a regular basis for my usual day look, very simple, quick and very easy!


One Product Three Ways

Featured product:
M.A.C sheer tone blush - TENDERLING

Other products:
M.A.C MATCHMASTER SPF 15 foundation 1.0
M.A.C PREP+PRIME (translucent finishing powder)
Maybelline great lash mascara






BEFORE - BARE FACED

PROCEDURE:

Apply moisturizer, foundation and powder all over your face.
Using the lovely face chart below ( I know it looks ridicules! ) follow the lines with the blush.
Apply mascara and curl lashes.
You can add lip color, but here I just opted for a lip balm

 <--- I look a bit like a lion here! haha

AFTER
This give your face definition but is still very natural looking



 

 

Let me know what you think! I love feedback. Also which product is your favorite to use and where :)

 

Thanks for visiting,

 

Amy xo

 

Head 2 Toe Women's Show - Annapolis Valley

Hey everyone,

Sorry its been so long, I've been super busy, but I haven't forgotten about you!

Since I decided to go into business I have done lots of volunteering, and last month I had an opportunity to work with Michelle Darrell from Daydreamer Photography at the Head 2 Toe Women's Show in the Annapolis Valley. We had a booth set up and I did makeup for some beautiful ladies that were modeling clothes for Boso Bamboo Boutique.

This was my first women's show, and although I was very busy, I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank goodness I had Michelle there with me, she was amazing! She was able to answer any questions people had, take before and after pictures and promote our businesses. We had a draw for a Free Pamper Party - congratulations to Sarah Lindh from Coldbrooke who won. This is something that Michelle and I have come up with and are very excited to be doing our first one!

Here are some great shots that Michelle took of the show!