Being Me

I thoroughly enjoyed this month's theme more than I thought I would. I didn't do much different, except try a few samples of various skin care products. For now I'm sticking to my Burt's Bees in the day time and Retin A at night and absolutely SPF 30 every day. I really appreciated hearing everyone's opinions on aging. I just assumed that everyone was as concerned about it as me, but apparently not all thirty-somethings worry about wrinkle prevention like I do. I do know that as I age, I will continue to look for better and more quality skin care and I will have to hydrate my skin more. I ironically wear less makeup now that I have a child and will leave the house without it most of the time and still feel confident, so I must be doing something right. Being 36 does has it's advantages. I think aging, not just physically, but spiritually allows me to know myself more and feel more confident and that it refreshing for me. I am not as concerned about judgement as I used to be even just a few years ago. If this path continues for me then I think by my 40's I may be doing alright and aging then will probably mean something different to me than beauty anyway. It will probably be more about physical health and longevity than crow's feet or smile lines. My goal is to grow old gracefully and naturally. If I ever forget, I'll just pick up a cover of US and see what Heidi Montag is up to.

Green Beauty Goddess in Training

Aging. Getting older freaks me out - I miss my fun, carefree 20’s. I like to think that I don’t really look 35 and that I could still pass for 25. Who knows if this is true or not but it gets me through the day. Since I am only 35 I am NOT going to think about botox or any kind of procedures (I’ll leave that for my 40’s) I wish I had done more in my 20’s for my skin…but I guess it’s never too late to start.

Aging really isn’t something to fear or try and stop and Age doesn't only have to be associated with beauty. It is also about becoming more responsible with everything, most importantly the environment. This month I think I’m going to focus on getting into a skin care regimen, getting better sleep, continue my “not drinking during the week” and really think about my makeup and beauty products and their environmental impact. And I also want to look into some organic home concoctions!

I found this little quiz: Are your products killing the Planet. It posed questions that we should all really think about, especially ingredients in our products. My quiz result is below and my thoughts are in red.

http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/quizzes/q_carbon_footprint

I am a Green Beauty Goddess in Training
You've dipped your toes into some organic, cruelty-free products and are careful about recycling empty shampoo bottles -- congrats! But there's still a lot more you can do to look great while helping the environment. Here are a few suggestions:
� After using your blow-dryer or curling iron, don't just switch it off; unplug it. Appliances like these use energy whenever they're plugged in so you'll save resources (and money) by putting them away. (Think how much neater the bathroom counter will look.) I actually do unplug it after I finish drying my hair because with naturally curly hair, there isn’t much that I do to my hair. I pretty much Blow and Go!

� Buy a cute reusable tote bag and take it shopping with you. Many brands make them in designs that rival any disposable bag. I have 3 cute reusable totes that I bought at Target and I forget them everytime I go to the store or grocery. I will vow this month to start using them again – and get Russ to use them as well. We HAVE to get away from those plastic baggies.

� Seek out brands that use less packaging. Aveda, for example, sells its compacts separately from makeup so you can refill without buying a new compact every time.

� Try out organic beauty products. Certified organic products don't use pesticides when grown, have fewer untested chemicals as ingredients and are less toxic to throw away (meaning less planet-harming chemicals running into groundwater). Plenty of brands like Origins and Physicians Formula carry certified organic lines with products that work just as well as their non-organic counterparts. I usually stay away from pricey brands of make-up…but since I don’t really use a lot of it I think that this month I will look into investing in these organic brands. They are probably better for your skin anyway.

� To conserve water, try turning off the faucet while you shave or installing a low-flow showerhead. Or take baths. (They're more luxurious and use less water.) I am going to try this month to stop shaving while in the shower. I will try and conserve more water.

� Try to cut back on the amount of disposable products you use. For a way to really cut down on waste, try the Razor Saver, $12. This gadget promises to sharpen dull, disposable razors, so you can use one blade 130 times -- much better than using twice and tossing.