Natural beauty giveaway!

Please welcome one of our newest sponsors, Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve!

Chagrin Valley all natural soaps and all natural shampoo bars are handmade from scratch, one small batch at a time.  The recipes are meticulously developed to produce a mild, rich, soothing soap that feels creamy in your hands, offers a magnificent long-lasting lather, and leaves your skin and hair feeling clean, soft, silky, and radiantly healthy.  Every bath and shower will become a relaxing, enjoyable experience.  

Inspired by the love of nature and gardening, CV Handcrafted Soaps are made with herbs, seeds, flowers, vegetables, fruits, and natural botanical essential oils to provide natural color, aromatherapy, texture, and gentle exfoliation.  Many of the bars are enriched with natural emollients such as Shea, Mango, and Cocoa Butters and then "superfatted" with high quality exotic oils. 

 

Sounds good, doesn't it?

But here's my favorite part!

The Chagrin Valley Soap Pledge to our customers
Our products are always natural and will NEVER contain . . .

detergents sulfates petroleum products parabens pthalates synthetic preservatives artificial colors artificial fragrances foam boosters propylene glycol

We do lots of homework to ensure that every ingredient that we use to formulate our recipes will be kind to your skin and not do harm to you or to our planet.  We proudly list EVERY ingredient in our products, because we believe that you, the consumer, has the right to know!

  I found out about CV soaps through a website for long hair care which I visit often. I decided to order a sample of their Ayurvedic Shampoo bar, (info about shampoo bars here) which I wasn't sure  if I loved upon trying it. Truth is, it takes your hair a week or two to adjust. After this time, I couldn't be happier. I ended up ordering another bar with chamomille to bring out natural blonde highlights and I'm very satisfied.

 I had the awesome and lucky opportunity to sample many of CV's products.

 I enjoyed all  of the products, but here are my top 3 which I would recommend to the natural beauty enthusiast...

#1. Squalane Face and Eye Mousse

(the *best* under eye cream I've ever tried!)

#2. Chamomille and Citrus Shampoo Bar

(great for lighter hair)

#3. Ayurvedic Herb Shampoo Bar

Alright, friends!

Now for the giveaway!

The lucky winner will receive one of CV's very nourishing and truly awesome Ayurvedic Herb Shampoo Bars!

Lucky you!

Here's 3 ways to enter:

*Leave a comment  telling us about your favorite natural skin/body care product

*"Like" CV Soap and Salve on Facebook here

*Become a dear follower of Bending Birches via Google Friend Connect :) 

Get your comments in by FEBRUARY 11th:)

Best of luck!

Be sure to check out Chagrin Valley's website here!

Natural Skin Care

I'll never forget the day I started to feel conscious of my skin and overall appearance..
It was the day I picked up a copy of Seventeen magazine...articles about skin and hair care regimens, accessories, clothing all left me feeling like I has entered some kind of new world which I knew nothing about.
As a teen and young adult, I battled acne and other skin ailments every day. Afraid of the relentless teasing which went on in school, I'd wake up extra early to apply a thick and very noticeable layer of makeup...followed by concealer....then powder, which I'd reapply all day long. This took a lot of time and effort, but it was the only way I felt comfortable. I even went through this before going to the swimming pool in the summertime! I remember writing in my journal one night..."The pool will be so much fun, but what if my makeup washes off?"
I'm sure that I was harming my skin more than helping it by wearing such a literal mask day in and day out. It wasn't until my lower maintenance college days that I stopped going through this insanity.
Although my acne breakouts are much fewer in numbers these days, I still bear the scars of so many past ailments. I began following a vegan diet in 2005 and noticed a marked difference in my skin...the scars seemed to fade and my complexion was brighter.
Gone are the days of scouring my face with OXI clean pads; striping my skin of any and all natural oils. Gone are the makeup compacts, drugstore astringents and harsh cleaners...and thank goodness. Here I share my favorite skin care products and regimens for the natural minded and "low maintenance" woman and mother:)

Argan Oil
I know I've written about this oil in the past, but I can tell you that it is pure greatness. I feel like it's the product I've been looking for all this time! Look for 100% organic Argan oil; it is worth the investment. I use it on my face (I was nervous about putting an oil on my complexion at first) for acne scars, flare ups, and to promote an even skin tone. It works wonderfully. It is a sheer and dewy moisturizer which won't leave your face looking shiny. I also use it on my hair and nails.
Tea Tree Oil
For acne spot treatment, I apply tea tree oil with a q-tip to any affected areas. It is very strong full strength, so I only recommend this oil as a spot treatment.
Chamomille
Quite possibly the most useful herb out there, in my opinion..
• To reduce the redness of pimples, chill a chamomile tea bag and press it lightly against the pimple
• Instead of using soap and water, use chamomile tea. It relaxes the skin as well as cleans it thoroughly
• To reduce the effect of acne scars, rub chamomile tea on the marks. Chamomile has a lightening effect, which reduces the visibility of marks left after acne flare-ups.

Rhythm
We hear this word so often and it can apply to our personal care, too. Try to remember to wash your face in the morning and before bed. When you wash your skin in the morning (although it may seem unnecessary), you’re removing toxins, sebum, and nighttime products ...think of it as a clean slate. And it feels rejuvenating, too:) I also find it very helpful to change my pillowcase nightly to reduce breakouts on the sides of my face.
Take the time to find an awesome moisturizer which you really love. My favorite pick for combination/acne prone skin is Derma E's problem skin moisturizer. (locals, find it at Wegmans!)

Other recommended product lines:
Weleda
Derma E (free sample + shipping offer)
Alba Botanica
Uriel 

I think I've come a long way from my "make up" days....it almost seems like another lifetime. I wish you all confidence and happiness!