Musely: Green Beauty At Your Fingertips

Musely is a local Bay Area company that is committed to providing beauty, health, and wellness tips alongside a market place of natural and organic products! During the summer last year I made a couple of quick tip videos about some of my favorite products in their market place and  recently had a chance to meet with the awesome Musely team to discuss their vision of sharing healthy tips and products via their app. Currently, they have a mix of conventional, natural, and USDA organic items in their store and from what it sounds like will be looking to expand to more green beauty brands in the future!

Musely negotiates prices with many brands to provide us with some great savings, and everything ships directly from the brand to ensure you're getting the fresh, genuine product you expect. They also offer a very impressive sample box option that is unique to the majority of sample boxes currently available. For $7 you can personally select 5 samples that you would like to try and get the full size version of any of your sample picks for 20% off within 20 days. No subscription required! 

              

The App also combines a really interesting social aspect that allows you to add your friends from Facebook, share likes, tips, and products. You can comment on other users' questions and read tips and tricks from actual people that have purchased the product you're looking to purchase. When you create your custom profile, you can organize and view all of the tips and products that you've shared. Points or "seeds" can be earned for product reviews, tips, shares, and dollars spent! These seeds can be redeemed for gift cards in the Musely store much like many other marketplaces. You can follow your favorite muses and they can also follow you to ensure you never miss out on exciting brand news or new products.

Some of the Green Beauty brands available on Musely include:

- Han Cosmetics

- Urb Apothecary

- Uma Oils

- Battington Lashes

- Waxlene

- Balance Guru

- Yuni Beauty

- Juara Skincare

- Linne'

- Evelyn Iona Cosmetics

-Baobab

- S/HE

- Lyeska

*All Photos Courtesy of the Musely App,

Sneak Peek: 100% Pure Gemmed Luminizer Moonstone Glow and Rose Gold

A day or two after I received the Blood Orange Cleansing Balm, another package in the mail came and housed two products that I almost did a little dance over when I read their boxes. 100% Pure has some of the most beautiful liquid highlighters ( the Luminating Creme in Northering Lights is a particular favorite of mine) and to see that they expanded their range of powdered highlighters is extremely exciting! What makes these particular luminizers so special is the fact that they are formulated with actual powdered gemstones! These natural minerals catch and reflect light in such a beautifully elegant way that you don't get the flashy, glittery, disco ball effect that some highlighters can leave on the skin. They remind me of the highlight version of the Gemmed Lip Glosses (my favorite shade is Crystal).

Gemmed Luminizer in Moonstone Glow and Rose Gold 
Launching February 21, 2017

• Vegan
• Cruelty-Free
• Gluten-Free

Ingredients:

(Moonstone Glow and Rose Gold have the same ingredients)

Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Silica, Persea Gratissima OIl (Avocado Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Extracts of Punica Granatum (Pomegranate), Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit (Cranberry), Fragaria Vesca Fruit (Strawberry), Rubus Idaeus Fruit (Raspberry), Prunus Serotina Fruit (Cherry), Prunus Armeniaca Fruit (Apricot), Prunus Persica Fruit (Peach) and Vitis Vinifera Fruit (Cabernet Grapes) and Matricaria Chamomilla Leaf (Chamomile), Punca Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Lycium Chinese Fruit (Goji Berry) Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Mica (Natural Shimmery Mineral), Labradorite (Natural Mineral Stone), Moonstone (Natural Mineral Stone), Australian Opal (Natural Mineral Stone), Pyrite (Natural Mineral Stone), Sunstone (Natural Mineral Stone), May Contain Iron Oxides.

Description and Use:

"100% Pure's Gemmed Lumnizer reveals glowing & luminous skin with light reflecting gemstones. Colored from antioxidant-rich fruit pigments, rather than harmful synthetic dyes."

"Apply luminizer with 100% Pure Cruelty Free Blush Brush on the highest points of the cheeks, bridge of the nose, and anywhere else you want to glow!"

Packaging:

These highlighters come in the same pink aluminum compacts that all 100% Pure Face Powders come in. I'm not the craziest about this aluminum containers for a couple of reasons. These delicate powders are some times not very well protected in the packaging and I've seen my fair share of broken compacts. The outer box is also not quite as heavy duty as the previous rounded cardboard outer packaging. In general, I also try to limit my exposure to aluminum; however, since only the powdered product touches my skin I'm not totally opposed to aluminium packaging. 

First Impression:

When I first opened up these two luminizers, I was really shocked at how different the shades were! I'm used to seeing highlight powders that are fairly similar and light. Moonstone Glow is a lovely ethereal soft pink shade with flecks of silver and opalescent lavender. Because of all the different shades of light in Moonstone Glow, I can see it being really flattering on a huge variety of undertones. Rose Gold is a very unique and different shade that I am so excited to start using in the summer. It's a stunning coppery, gold, warm highlight that will completely flatter warmer, more golden, or darker complexions. It reminds me vaguely of a powder form of the All Over Glow in Lightly Sunkissed. 

The texture of the luminizer is a bit less creamy than I was expecting and there seems to be a little bit of fall out when you swatch from the pan. I'm sure that the natural stone pigments are a bit larger than most traditional pigments, but I like the idea so much of natural stone minerals in my cosmetics that I'm okay with a more powdery highlight. It does take a while to blend and build up coverage, but I'm very curious to try this formula with a damp brush or beauty blender for more glam strobbing. 

Which new Gemmed Luminizer speaks to you?!

<3 Sam

Sneak Peek: 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm

Who doesn't squeal a little bit inside when they come home to package sitting in the mail? Every time I see that beautiful soft pink envelope from 100% Pure, I CANNOT wait to rip open the bubble-wrap material and get to the goodies inside. This week I was so fortunate to receive one of Pure's newest to-launch products to try out and share my thoughts! 

Blood Orange Cleansing Balm
Launching February 21, 2017

• Vegetarian (Not Vegan)
• Gluten-Free
• Cruelty-Free

Ingredients:
Persea Gratissima (Organic Avocado) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Organic Coconut) Oil, Olea Europaea (Organic Olive) Leaf Oil, Olea Europaea (Organic Olive) Oil, Cera Alba (Organic Beeswax), Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Blood Orange Essential Oil) Fruit, Polyglyceryl- 3 Palmitate (Derived from Coconut)

Avocado Oil- Rich in Omega 9 Oleic Acid , Omega 3, Vitamin E, and essential fatty acids. Helps to smooth, soften, and moisturize skin. Can be very beneficial for eczema-prone, dry, and aging skin by calming inflammation and boosting collagen synthesis.
Coconut Oil- As a rich source of the antioxidant Vitamin E, coconut oil helps to minimize visible sings of aging on the skin while moisturizing and soothing inflammatory conditions like eczema and psoriasis. The main fatty acids that comprise coconut oil are lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid are anti-fungal and can help to minimize skin irritations. Some people can have sensitivities to coconut oil and can experience breakouts. Make sure you patch test products with a heavy coconut oil content to make sure your skin agrees with it!
Olive Leaf Oil- Olive Leaf extract has marked anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits that can help to soothe skin irritation, reduce redness, improve circulation, improve visible signs of aging, and improve dehydrated skin. 
Olive Oil- Olive oil is rich in skin hydrating fatty acids like Omega 9 Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid , and Omega 6 Linoleic Acid. It also boasts a very high ORAC rating for antioxidant benefits to help protect skin from environmental damage and minimize the appearance of visible aging.
Beeswax- Beeswax is a natural humectant and emollient that helps to draw in moisture and create a protective barrier on the skin.  
Blood Orange- Naturally a rich source of anitioxidants Vitamin C, anthocyanins, and polyphenols blood orange essential oil can help to revitalize dull, lifeless skin and provide anti-aging benefits.
Polyglyceryl-3 Palmitate- Derived from Palmitic Acid, this ingredient acts as an emulsifying agent in oil-in-water emulsions. (In this formula it acts as a surfactant that helps the oil remove easier once water is introduced and is a safe alternative to sulfates and other foaming agents)

Description and Use:

"This delicious cleanser gently and effectively dissolves makeup.. It purifies while it deeply nourishes and moisturizes your skin. Detoxifying blood orange refreshes while the organic oils of avocado, coconut, and olive intensely soften and leave skin glowing."

"Warm up cleansing balm between fingertips and massage gently onto skin. Wipe away excess balm with a warm damp cloth or konjac sponge and rinse with warm water."

Packaging:

The balm comes in a very sleek and minimalist lightweight jar. I actually appreciate how light and travel friendly the packaging is compared to some other 100% Pure Products. There is a clean-seal plastic lift up lid to protect the product in it's box. My only wish is that the product came with a small plastic scoop to avoid contamination from finger tips. A spatula would also help water from getting into the jar which can be problematic without any preservatives in the formula (which I'm definitely grateful for, just make sure you ladies are careful! Water can cause bacteria, mold and fungus to grow in oil based scrubs, creams, and balms that do not contain preservatives).


First Impression:

Before. (with some very sloppy "running errands" makeup haha.)

Can we just talk about the scent for a moment...HEAVENLY! I'm not usually one to prefer heavily scented products and typically avoid overly fragranced products; however, the naturally citrus aroma that kisses your nose when you open this jar is just lovely. 

Aside from the scent, the texture is very rich and creamy. It's definitely something new for me as I typically use cleansing oils, but I think my dry skin may be able to handle it during these cold winter days.

After. My skin looks so much brighter and more hydrated.

You definitely have to use a warm, wet washcloth to remove the cleansing balm. It did a pretty impressive job at dissolving my mascara, brow pomade, liquid foundation, and concealer! My eyes didn't feel to irritated afterwards which can sometimes happen with other cleansing oils/balms. My skin definitely felt soft and hydrated afterwards. I think that as long as a use a foaming cleanser as a second cleanse during the warmer months, this product will actually work really well for me. 

I've noticed over the years, I'm starting to struggle less with breakouts and more with clogged pores/congestion and eczema. The nourishing and anti-inflammatory oils in this cleanser are all geared towards softening and calming the skin. While I start to incorporate this into my routine, I'm definitely excited to see what improvements occur in my dry, irritated eczema patches.

My Top 5 Green Beauty Favorites!

The Tried. The True. The Coveted...

Hello Everyone! I decided that for my first blog post EVER (so exciting!), I would share with you all my top 5 favorite green beauty products. It was really difficult to narrow the list down to five, but I've included some tips, tricks, and details that will hopefully help you to discover exactly what makes these items so amazing.

1. 100% Pure Maracuja Mascara in Black Tea $25

• Purchase at:
• petitevour.com
• 100percentpure.com
• 100% Pure Boutique locations
• I really prefer to make online purchases from Petite Vour due to their amazing rewards program, beauty subscription box, samples, and super speedy shipping! Most of the time my items only take two days to reach me in California. 100percentpure.com always offers free shipping with no minimum and often times they run sales and specials site-wide so you're able to snag your favorites for up to 40% off. If you want to physically checkout the product, I recommend going in to the boutique. You'll be able to smell (this mascara smells like heaven!), feel, and experience the formula. The associates are also all really sweet and usually have samples!

• Ingredients:
• Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Coconut Stearic Acid, Pantothenic Acid (Pro-vitamin B5), Fucus Vesiculosus (Seaweed) Powder Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Passiflora Alata (Maracuja) Seed Oil, Extracts of Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe Juice) Leaf*, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Germ Powder, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Powder, Coffea Arabica (Coffee Beans) Seed, Origanum Vulgare (Oregano) Leaf, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem, Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal), Passiflora Alata (Maracuja) Seed, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower and Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Vegetable Glycerin, May Contain Iron Oxides * Certified Organic

• Pros:
• This mascara may not be the most dramatic mascara available on the market; however, it is so supremely nourishing that within about three months of consistently using this formula, I noticed that my lashes had almost doubled in length and fullness. The rejuvenating Maracuja Oil and the caffeine and antioxidants from the black tea were no doubt assisting my lashes in becoming healthier, lusher, and longer. I can wear less mascara now and almost NEVER need to wear falsies.

• Cons:
• Of course you can't have it ALL! My only gripe with this mascara is that it cannot really build up on it's own as it is a more runny formula. For daily use, two swipes is all I really need. If I want huge doe-eyed lashes for going out or to partner up with a really smoky eye, I will usually need to layer up with a drier formula like 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara or Pacifica Aquarian Gaze Mascara.

2. Urb Apothecary Charcoal Clay Mask $20

• Purchase at:
• Urbapothecary.com
• Musely App Store
• Stripe Boutique Santa Cruz, CA
• Redemption Boutique Campbell, CA
• Homestead Apothecary Oakland, CA

• Ingredients:
• Calcium bentonite, activated charcoal, ho wood essential oil*, and powdered chamomile*, and good energy

• Pros:
• This super simple, yet powerful mask vacuums dirt and debris from pores in a matter of minutes. Whenever I'm experiencing more breakouts or more congestion than usual I make sure to use this lovely clay treat at least 3 times a week. I focus the mask on my cheeks, forehead, and chin; however, there are times I slather it all over. The clay formula allows your mask to stay preservative free and potent for a lot longer than a pre-mixed formula. I use little glass or wooden bowls with thick bristled fan brushes to mix up the clay with water, rose hydrosol, witch hazel, or honey. Bentonite has powerful drawing properties and charcoal's unique porous molecular shape allows it to bind with toxins. Because activated charcoal has a positive charge, it also binds with gram negative bacteria. Make sure not to use metal spoons or bowls to mix up your mask as it may interfere with the polarity of the charcoal!

• Cons:
• Honestly between the amazing price, how long it lasts, the efficacy, scent, texture, results...there is almost NOTHING I can say that's negative about this product. The only minute cons I can even think to mention are that- 1) The mask can be a little pesky to take off. With a warm wash cloth though, it comes off like a dream. 2) Sometimes if I let this mask dry entirely on my face, I'm left a little bit red. My super sensitive skin gets beet read after cleansing with a harsh cleanser however, so I can't imagine it being a problem for most people!

3. Gressa MINIMALIST Corrective Serum Foundation $54

• Purchase At:
• petitvour.com
• integritybotanicals.com
• detoxmarket.com
• gressaskin.com

• Ingredients:
• *Brassica oleracea (Broccoli) Seed Oil, Coconut Alkanes (and) Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Silica, GRESSA Healing ComplexTM *Silymarin, *Neem (Azadirachta indica) Extract,*Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) Extract, *Lemon Balm (Melissa officianalis) Extract, *Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) Extract, *Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) Seed Extract, *Elder Flower (Sambucus nigra) Extract, *Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) Extract, Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate Non-GMO, Coenzyme Q10, Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, (Vitamin C), *lecithin, *glycerin, mica, iron oxides, titanium oxide. *CERTIFIED ORGANIC

• Pros:
• The ingredient list of this foundation is not only impressively clean, it works to nourish, soothe, and improve your skin while you wear it. There are zero synthetic fillers or waxes to unnecessarily clog pores and create an occlusive barrier on the skin. I feel like my skin can breathe so easily when I apply this super thin, ink-like liquid on my skin. Broccoli seed oil provides a dry oil smoothness that truly allows you to buff coverage exactly where you need it without creating a cakey layer. Once the foundation settles and dries on the surface of your skin it creates a really soft matte finish that looks completely natural. I can buff 2-3 drops for a light daily amount of coverage or use 4-5 drops to build up some heavier, special occasion coverage. Gressa also has some amazing undertone and shade ranges that are great for those of us with tricky golden undertones!

• Cons:
• The only issue I have ever run into with this foundation is blending it onto my occasional dry patches. For those flaky bits of pesky dry skin, this formula can occasionally get trapped underneath and somewhat exaggerate their appearance. I can usually take this a cue to start upping the exfoliation and make sure I start using more moisturizing serums and oils. Although I don't usually like to use primers, I can get a quick fix for this problem by using a primer like the Luminous Primer from 100% Pure or the 1000 Roses CC Cream from Andalou Naturals. 

4. Trilogy Rosehip Antioxidant+  Serum $44

• Purchase At:
• Whole Foods Markets
• Trilogyproducts.com
• Amazon.com

• Ingredients:
• Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil, Solanum Lycopersicum (tomato) seed oil (and) Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (and) Vaccinium Macrocarpon (cranberry) seed oil (and) Helianthus Annuus seed Oil (and) Tocopherol, Lycopene, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Oil (and) Tocopherol, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract

• Pros:
• This was the first oil serum that I ever fell head over heals in love with. I had been so conditioned over the years to avoid products with "heavy oils" with the idea in mind that they would clog my pores, break me out, and make my oily skin even oilier. What I began to find out, especially after using this serum, was that the more "light, nourishing" oils I exposed my skin to, the more balanced and clear my skin became. Rosehip naturally contains high amounts of vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Beta-Carotene (a natural source of Vitamin A). The naturally occurring Vitamin A helps the other vitamins and fatty acids to deeply penetrate the skin and aide in minimizing the appearance of scars, brighten the overall complexion, and provide smoothing and revitalizing anti-aging benefits. Trilogy's Antioxidant + Serum uses powerful antioxidants like Lycopene (from tomatoes) and Phytosterols from Cranberry and Acai Berry to increase the free-radical fighting power of this serum.

• Cons:
• I can't think of a single con for this product. It honestly has always worked well for me, worked well for those that I have recommended it to, and is always easily available to me!

5. Hurraw Coconut Lip Balm $3.69

• Purchase At:
• New Seasons Markets
• New Leaf Markets
• Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
• Amazon.com
• Integritybotanicals.com

• Ingredients:
• Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, ‡Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, *Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, *Theobroma cacao(cocoa) seed butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, organic flavor, Tocopherols (sunflower) 

• Pros:
• I was never a coconut fan during my younger years, but as I grew older and found the less sweet, toasty coconut products...I can't get enough! I picked up this lip balm at my local New Leaf Market after seeing it in a post from @organicbeautylover. These lip balms are so inexpensive and the ingredient lists are so impressively green friendly. The lightweight oils and the lack of beeswax in the formulas make them very silky and not waxy. They also have some really interesting Ayruvedic Medicine blends, a night-time balm, and an SPF option!

• Cons:
• Unfortunately, I suffer from INCREDIBLY DRY and sometimes flaky lips (I know, super gross). It's always a struggle to me to find lip products that deeply heal my lips. While this is definitely my daily go to balm, there are times where I have to use some heavier, nourishing products to really soothe my lips when they get inflamed. Don't get me wrong, however, this balm does its job better than the handfuls of other lips balms I've used over the years. I'm completely a loyalist to Hurraw's beautiful blends.

What are your Holy Grail Green Beauty Must Haves? Have you tried any of my favorites? I'd love to hear you comments and questions below!

<3 Sam