REVIEW: Castile Soap Bar Company

It seems food is the easiest transition on this journey towards a chemical-free eco-friendly life, doesn't it? But when it comes to our Bombshell beauty routine it's a little more tricky. I'll be honest, it took a long time to pry the overly perfumed body gel out of my hands. Finally, though, I had to admit what I already knew – I was layering on harmful chemicals every time I showered.

So, I did what everyone does when they're looking for natural, chemical-free soap; I bought a super popular castile soap. The thing was, I just didn't like it. In the winter it was too drying and it the bar left me with a sticky film feeling. Disappointed, and entirely at a loss, I pulled out a bottle of the chemical-filled body wash remaining under my sink only to learn how harsh it really was when my legs began to itch unbearably every night. I felt stuck, frustrated, and a little bit bitter. Was it too much to ask for a nicely scented soap that wasn't harmful to me or the environment? 

Like a gift from the Universe, I received an inquiry from the Castile Bar Soap company. Did I want to try out their castile soap bars? I was hesitant. The castile soap I'd used in the past was not what I wanted out of a body wash or bar. But I figured I'd give it try, hoping they might be different. 

AND THEY WERE! 

The Castile Soap Bar Face and Body bar is cruelty free, organic, and free from sodium laurel sulfate. I received two different soaps, each organic and each touted as a "face and body" bar. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm usually skeptical of any soap that claims I can use it on both my face AND my body. I have pretty sensitive skin so the likelihood that something strong enough for my body is going to be gentle enough for my face is slim. As it turns out, my fears were completely unfounded.   

I received both the Complexion Correction Aloe Vera bar and the Detox Calendula bar (and look at that lovely personalized card they sent, too!). The Complexion Correct bar is hands down my favorite soap I've ever used. It's completely different from any castile bar I've used before. It's like a glycerin bar married a mild castile bar and had super-soap babies. I really could use it on my face, and get this, it really did help my complexion, which, given the early heat we had this spring, was a huge bonus. 

As for the Detox Calendula bar, I found it to be closer to a traditional castile, but with some fabulously unique elements; specifically the bits of what I believe were almond shell that helped to remove dead skin and detoxify at a deeper level.

Castile Soap Bar Company soap has become our family soap now. Safe for children, gentle on sensitive skin, and strong enough for my workout crazy husband, we won't be going back to our old ways. 

If you have been dragging your feet on switching your personal care products, you won't regret replacing your old chemical-filled body wash with this delicious and delicate castile soap. 

Want to know more about Castile Soap Bar Company? Try it for yourself! Visit CastileSoap.com or check them out on Facebook. 

REVIEW: e-cloth Kitchen Cloth Pack

As I work to reduce the chemical load in my home, I'm constantly searching for replacement products for household cleaners. When I was at ShiftCon in October of last year, I received an e-cloth Kitchen Cloths pack. This simple cleaning system consists of two cloths, one microfiber Kitchen Cloth with a "Scrubbing Pocket" corner and one Glass and Polishing cloth.

Here's the most incredible thing about these ecloths – you use only water to clean your entire kitchen.  And when I read that I was like, "Whuuuuut? C'mon, that's impossible!" But it so isn't and it so wasn't.

I couldn't believe how well I cleaned my stove top with just warm water and the Kitchen Cloth. That little scrubbing corner lifted up food and grime right off my stove like it was nothing. I could even get into the rounded corners of the burner depressions. Here's the craziest part. The microfiber cloth removes 99% of bacteria from surfaces. It's safe for granite, marble, glass, stainless steel…you name it, it's safe to clean it!

My kitchen is lacking windows, so I used the Polishing Cloth on my bathroom mirror and backyard slider. Let me tell you, I have never been so relieved to find a replacement for that toxic blue glass cleaner. The kids' leave grubby hand prints on every mirror (why are though even touching the mirror???), window, and surface in our home, but they were no match for the Polishing Cloth. Spray a little water on your mirror or glass and use the dry Polishing Cloth to wipe away the prints, smudges, and water spots leaving it sparkling clean and clear.

Stop by their website and grab an e-Cloth Kitchen Pack for yourself. I think you'll be thrilled with the results and relieved to have made one more step towards a chemical-free home.

Honeybee Gardens *Queen Bee* Truly Natural Lip Stick REVIEW

I've been a fan of Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural lipstick for quite some time. So when the opportunity arose to review their newest shade, Queen Bee, I jumped at it!

Honeybee Gardens lipstick is the best natural lipstick I have found. They are made without FD&C colors, without mineral oil, without any chemicals or artificial preservatives, and are never tested on animals. NEVER.

Here's what they say about their Truly Natural lipstick:

You need the protection only a lip balm can provide. But you want the full color coverage of a lipstick. Why compromise? Our lipstick combines lip-quenching botanicals with natural mineral pigments to give you all the benefits of both! Goes on smooth for long-lasting color. PARABEN-FREE!! No mineral oil, no FD&C colors. Only natural beneficial ingredients like coconut oil which penetrates and moisturizes lips, shea butter which protects your lips, sesame seed oil to heal and soften, vitamin E as an antioxidant, and pure botanical extracts which act as a 100% natural preservative.  


This is completely true. I know, you're saying, "Shut the front door!" As an admitted lip balm lover, this lipstick does exactly what they say it will.  Every time I wear it my lips are soft, smooth, and hydrated. Plus, those safe and chemical-free ingredients means you don't have to worry about what is ending up in your body when you eat, drink, or give your honey a smooch. 

Their colors range from neutral to vibrant and never disappoint. Being a true red lover, I was very excited when they announced Queen Bee. As with most reds, always remember that your particular pH levels will effect how the color comes out. For me, Queen Bee is a gorgeous bright red with pink undertones. Perfect for day wear AND evening. The first day I received my Queen Bee I wore it to the zoo with the family. If that's not a test of lipstick, then I don't know what is. 

Queen Bee stayed true to its color the entire time. The creamy texture did not become gummy or dry, but remained smooth which meant the color stayed even as well. Here's what's most exciting about Queen Bee – if any of you have ever worn red lipstick before, you know "feathering" is a huge problem. Feathering is when the lipstick color bleeds or fans out from your natural lip line into the creases around your mouth. On this day at the zoo, as every single time I have worn Queen Bee since, there has been no feathering. Zero. Zilch. Nada. 

Because it's a natural lipstick, you do need to reapply more often, about every 1.5-2 hours, but it's a worthwhile trade off. I suspect if I had used one of their lip liners, like Fantasy, the color would have lasted even longer. And because of the soft nature of the natural ingredients, please be very careful not to twist the lipstick too high in the tube, as it will break at the base. (But that's just good lipstick care, in general). 

This lipstick is a winner in my book. I highly recommend Queen Bee and all of the other Truly Natural Lipstick colors from Honeybee Gardens.






**This product was received for review. This is not a paid review or a sponsored post.