I am writing about the lavender with cardamom bar soap. I have written about products by Pangea before. This is a very soft soap; you must put it on a spiky soap dish so it drains off and dries quickly. Pangea uses whole plant essences in their products which leave you with a silky smooth and clean feeling. With a rich and soapy feel, this bar does not have a heavy fragrance. When lathering up with it, you can feel the whole wheat and grains set into it. This gives you a natural sloughing which is invigorating. Pangea offers whole soap kits with a variety of fragrances available and free shipping on orders over $75.

In the spring, I was reading a website that had a sunblock rating test reviewing several natural sunblocks. One of the higher rated blocks that I decided to try was Aveeno Active Naturals Continuous Protection Sunblock.  Although this product contains one ingredient that isn’t necessarily the best, oxybenzone, it is missing its bosom buddy, octinoxate,  they are commonly found together. Instead, Aveeno Active Naturals contains Titanium Dioxide which is a white opaque pigment that is used to cover your skin and reflect the sun naturally as it is not a harsh chemical.

 When using these all natural sun protectors, I find that the apparent sticking point (no pun intended) is that they are difficult to rub into the skin and you feel like you stepped off the Twilight movie set! This sunblock however, is easier to rub in and smells good. It comes in a spray formula, a lotion and in all different SPF levels.

I love this product! This sunblock does not leave a film on your skin and it works. It’s safer for your skin and for our water. Contains Active Photobarrier Complex™ to provide long-lasting UVA/UVB protection from the sun. Plus, they include select ingredients such as natural soy and vitamins A, C, and E.

Skin Deep Cosmetic Database is run by the Environmental Working Group, whose mission is to “use the power of information to protect human health and the environment”. They break down ingredients for levels of  toxicity, allergens, carcinogens, and more. This allows you to educate yourself on the products that you and your family use, and decide whether or not to continue using them.

They use a rating system of 0 to 10, with 0 being of least concern and 10 being the highest. This makes your research easy, and fast. Look up your favorite products to see how they rate…if they rate in the red, you should definitely consider buying a better brand for your body.

Take a look at Skin Deep Cosmetic Database now.