The Cool Peppermint flavor is both natural and refreshing. The flavor reminds me of my own home-grown mint plants. The Spearmint Ice flavor is also great. Both flavors are very similar to common gum flavors, so whichever flavor of gum one likes is likely the flavor of Wicked Fresh one would prefer. My personal favorite is the Cool Peppermint.

Whereas most other toothpastes I’ve tried have an extremely strong taste that fades away quickly, the Wicked Fresh toothpastes have a milder, more natural flavor that, in my opinion, lasts longer. My conclusion: the Wicked Fresh toothpastes have what it takes to appease even an adamant gum-chewer like myself. The only thing I might change is to add teeth-whitening ability to this toothpaste (for that I would try Tom’s Clean & Gentle Care with Whitening). Over I both like and recommend this long-lasting toothpaste. You can find Wicked Fresh here.

Image from: Tom’s of Maine

Tom’s of Maine’s Maximum Strength Sensitive Toothpaste is made without saccharin, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors, or flavors. In addition, there are no animal ingredients and no animal testing.

Tom’s Sensitive toothpaste has the same active ingredient, potassium nitrate (5%), as other leading brands, without all of the artificial add-ons like preservatives and colors. Sodium fluoride helps prevent tooth decay.

Soothing Mint is my favorite flavor because it’s more calm and subtle than the artificial mint other store brands flavor with.

Final Opinion:

Although I still prefer toothpastes that are SLS-free, Tom’s of Maine’s Maximum Strength Sensitive toothpaste is a great option for those who want natural toothpaste but need sensitive care. I think that the toothpaste did decrease my teeth’s sensitivity to cold and heat in just a few weeks of use.

Find out more about this great toothpaste at: Tom’s of Maine

Even with my busy schedule of running to class, heading off to work, and hitting the trails on my bicycle, Tom’s of Maine has a lasting, nice scent throughout the day. My favorite scent is Mountain Spring. All of the scents are unisex, smelling equally great on both me and my unwilling male test subject.

Here’s what I love about Tom’s of Maine’s natural deodorants:

• 100% natural
• Smells great
• Works for both guys and girls
• Long-lasting
• Goes on smooth and clear
• No aluminum, parabens, or PG
• No artificial or animal ingredients
• Cruelty-free
• Package contains 40% recycled plastic!

I once tried an aluminum-free deodorant made from cotton which, indeed, felt as scratchy as cotton. The Tom’s of Maine deodorant feels smooth and goes on clear, which is a major plus in the natural-deodorant category of products.

In addition to being a natural product, Tom’s of Maine’s deodorant is eco-friendly: the packaging contains 40% recycled plastic, the product contains no artificial or animal ingredients, and it was not tested on animals.

You can pick up your new natural deodorant at your local grocery store (check in the natural foods/products section), or you can order directly from Tom’s of Maine’s website.

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/

I’ve been using mineral makeup for almost a year, and I can tell that my skin likes this natural powder much better than other foundations and powders I’ve tried. While I still feel that clear skin is tied to diet and hormone levels, switching  to non-comedogenic (doesn’t clog pores) makeup has the potential to improve skin while still providing coverage. Here I check with the folks at WebMD to see whether mineral makeup  is significantly better for skin than standard makeup.

Here are some helpful tips regarding mineral makeup:

• Check the ingredients- not all mineral makeup is free of paraben preservatives and other fillers
• Don’t sleep in mineral makeup: skin needs time to breath
• Wear sunscreen under mineral makeup, even if it has SPF
• Invest in nice makeup brushes for your mineral makeup, and be sure to clean them regularly (see How to Clean Makeup Brushes)

The Lowdown on Mineral Makeup

Mineral makeup is more than just a new beauty trend – it claims health benefits for skin as well. But is it really help – or hype?

By Colette Bouchez
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

It’s called “mineral makeup” – products made of all natural, finely ground minerals from the earth, without any of the chemicals, dyes, and preservatives found in traditional makeup.

But does “natural,” “mineral,” and “from the earth” really equal better?  WebMD discovered the answer has a lot of qualifying factors — and some vastly differing opinions.

Mineral Makeup and Skin Health

Like most cosmetic products, mineral makeup has its fans and its critics. Those who love it rave about the light, natural, long-lasting glow that simply can’t be duplicated by other types of makeup. Others, however, complain it’s drying, irritating, and accentuates wrinkles and adds years to your appearance. Some say the colors have an ashy undertone that is a particular problem for ethnic skin types.

But looks aside, many consumers also say they are initially drawn to try mineral makeup because of skin health claims – more specifically, that it’s pure formulations are safer and better for sensitive, even acne- or rosacea-prone skin.

But is it?

Many dermatologists report that because mineral makeup frequently eliminates classic “irritants” – like fragrances, binders, synthetic dyes, and preservatives — it is considered “purer” and can be kinder to the skin.

“Makeup sensitivity is often the result of synthetic dyes, fragrances, and preservatives, so any makeup that eliminates these is going to eliminate some of the related problems,” says Frew.

Moreover, she adds that because titanium dioxide [and zinc oxide] have anti-inflammatory properties, certain mineral makeups can also have a calming effect on the skin, particularly important if you suffer from inflammatory problems such as rosacea or acne.

Dermatologist Francesca Fusco, MD, agrees. “It’s non-comedongenic, so it won’t clog pores, and it’s not going to aggravate an acne condition or cause a flare-up as easily as some traditional makeups can,” says Fusco, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

So pure you can sleep in it?

But what about the claims made by some companies that mineral makeup is so pure “you can sleep in it”?  Experts draw the line here.

“I would never tell a patient to sleep in any kind of makeup. It’s not a good idea for the skin to be covered at night, no matter how pure a makeup might be,” says Fusco.

Mineral Makeup and Sun Protection

Another big draw to mineral makeup are the claims of sun protection. With an average SPF rating of 15, at least one company, Bare Minerals, has the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of approval as a sunscreen.  Jane Iredale, AfterGlow, and other mineral makeups claim similar protective effects, due mostly to the high content of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide — two ingredients commonly found in traditional sunscreen.

But does mineral makeup give you all the sun protection you need?   Experts say no.

“It’s better than using nothing, but I always tell my patients to use a regular cream sunscreen under their makeup and then use the mineral foundations as an extra boost,” says Frew.

Mineral Makeup: Not All Alike

Extra ingredients aside, it may seem as if all mineral makeup should be pretty much the same. But WebMD discovered that’s far from the truth.

Since there is no set regulation for what constitutes a “mineral” makeup, any product containing minerals as a primary ingredient can be marketed as such — even if it contains a whole lot of other “less natural” ingredients.

Kristen Adams, president of AfterGlow Cosmetics, says the battle lines between brands are drawn this way: “Mineral makeup formulas generally fall into two large camps – those that take care not to use synthetics (like paraben preservatives and other fillers) and stay true to the original intent of pure mineral makeup, and those that do add the fillers, colors, binders, preservatives, and other chemicals to their formulas,” says Adams.

Although you can weed out at least some of these brands by reading the ingredient label, Adams cautions not to let the term “all natural” or “all mineral formula” fool you.

If you ever experience irritation, soreness, ulcers and pimples on or around the mouth (that are not the result of STDs!) you could have a sensitivity or food allergy. Many people have a negative reaction to an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) which is found in almost all toothpastes, and also shampoos, face washes, and soaps. SLS creates the foaming-effect we all love, but is not necessary for cleaning and can cause skin and mouth irritations.

One of the best natural and SLS-free toothpastes on the market is Tom’s of Maine. My personal experience is with the Wintermint flavor Sensitive Care SLS-Free toothpaste. The feel of the toothpaste is different from others because it doesn’t foam up in your mouth, but your teeth still feel clean afterwards.

Tom’s of Maine also stands strong for no animal testing. On their website you can search for products by type or by health need; in addition (my favorite feature) they list all of the ingredients in the product along with their purpose and source. Check out the example ingredients list below.

 Tom Chappell, cofounder and CEO of Tom’s of Maine, explained, “Living our beliefs and our ongoing enthusiasm for innovation makes us the first natural products company to have the ADA Seal on our anti-cavity toothpaste, anti-cavity mouthwash, and dental floss. Along with our scientists and dental health professionals here at Tom’s of Maine, I am thrilled to provide a full compliment of effective oral care products to consumers and their oral health professionals.”

 Does your toothpaste tell you all of this?

 Other Ingredients

Another natural way to brush teeth is simply to put some baking soda on a toothbrush and brush as normal. My sister likes this method, but I prefer the texture and fresh-feeling of toothpaste.

Here is where you can purchase Tom’s of Maine products from:

Amazon

Toms of Maine

Drugstore.com

and some local retailers

Lately my makeup application hadn’t been looking as nice as usual, and it occurred to me that the culprit wasn’t my skin or the makeup – it was my brushes. Makeup brushes are a very delicate and often neglected part of our beauty regimens. Brushes absorb oils, products, and skin debris, making them the perfect host for bacteria, which can clog pores and caused breaks outs. Brushes caked with layers of makeup and also less effective. Through my research, I found that we should treat our makeup brushes much like our hair: cleaning and conditioning them regularly. Here are the very important do’s and don’ts of taking care of our brushes:

Do’s:

1. Rinse with cold water: it causes the fibers to tighten and lie flat.

2. Use a gentle, non-alcohol-based cleaning product (see list below). 

3. Dry flat or with bristles hanging down. You want water to be able to escape from the brush as it dries. 

4. Clean brushes once a week. 

Don’ts:

1. You wouldn’t boil your hair, so DON’T boil your brushes! It may seem like hot water is a good way to kill bacteria, but hot water loosens the glue and will cause the brush bristles to fall out. 

2. Don’t soak the handle, especially if it is made of wood, as this may cause it to rot or split. 

3. Don’t use alcohol to clean brushes – they dry out and ruin bristles. 

4. Professional sprays and cleaners aren’t necessary when shampoo is available in your home.

5. Never dry your brushes standing bristle side up. Water will gather down into the ferrule, (the metal ring at the base of the bristles) eventually loosening the glue holding your bristles together and shortening the life of your brushes. 

What to Clean Your Brushes With:

• Baby shampoo/gentle shampoo

• Marseille/olive oil soap- real Savon de Marseille is French hard milled using pure olive oil, free of detergents and without animal fats. 

• Vinegar- a disinfectant that is gentle enough to use on your hair. Soak brushes in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. 

• Tea tree oil- add a little to your shampoo. The antibacterial and anti-fungal properties will make your brushes like new- and it isn’t drying to the hairs. Tea Tree Oil can be found at most drugstores and has hundreds of uses.

• Conditioner is optional in addition to any of these cleaners: it can moisturize bristles (be sure to wash it out!) but may irritate sensitive skin. 

Feel free to leave comments about your experiences with brush cleaning. Your face and makeup will be happier because of it!

More suggestions can be found from the experienced users at The Beauty Brains.

Ingredients:

Turmeric powder

Cottage cheese or plain yogurt 

Instructions:

This is an ideal face mask because it only requires two ingredients, both of which are found in the home and are inexpensive. Milk nourishes and hydrates the skin while calming redness and irritation. Turmeric, derived from a plant native to South Asia, has antioxidant and skin-lightening properties. Plain yogurt or cottage cheese are used because milk slides off the skin very easily, while these thicker products hold on to the skin better for more hydrating effects. I tried cottage cheese as a variant and found the results to be the same, if not better, than using plain yogurt. 

Place a small amount (1-2 spoonfuls) of yogurt in a bowl or lid. Generously sprinkle turmeric powder onto yogurt, stirring and adding until the yogurt begins to turn the orange/yellow color of the powder. Apply to freshly washed skin (dry or damp) using fingers. Apply Spread a thick amount over the entire face, avoiding the eyelids and eye area. This turmeric mask is messy but rewarding. Mask can also be applied to the neck, chest, and rest of body, if so desired (I recommend it for the neck, chest, and back).

If using yogurt, leave mask on for 5-10 minutes or until skin starts feeling dry. If using cottage cheese, 5 minutes may be all the mask needs to dry. Rinse off gently with fingers using warm water. I suggest using the mask once a week, but be sure to make a new mask every time, and don’t leave milk products sitting around in the bathroom!

 Warning! The turmeric can have a staining effect, to be sure to wipe up all messes so that your sink/bath area isn’t stained yellow! Use of an old towel is recommended, as the powder’s color could stain towels and/or clothes.

You should notice that your skin it tighter, pores are smaller, and the skin appears brighter and skin tone is more even. This gentle mask is especially great for helping to fade and heal acne scars but works well for all skin types. 

More information can be found on Wikipedia.