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Clean Stuff Edit | No. 1
Hey guys! As you know I have two Instagram accounts- my personal account & then @thecleanstuff where I round-up clean, toxin-free, safe and pure products that I have tried and love. I am so passionate about clean products and get so excited to share new finds with you guys, so we are going to start a new series on the blog- the clean stuff edit, where we will share five current clean obsessions in each edit. Scroll down for what we are loving right now and be sure to stay up-to-date over at @thecleanstuff.
Sleeping on natural, organic sheets is so important- just think about how many hours each day night we spend in bed! Putting our skin on organic sheets is crucial to my peace of mind, even though they are more expensive. To me, it is totally worth the investment!
cleaning concentrate // branch basics
We share our love for this plant-based cleaning company often, but their concentrate is literally the best. It can be used in so many different ways (from dishes, to all-purpose cleaner, hand-wash, laundry, & beyond) and their starter kit makes everything so simple.
Primally Pure's products are the best of best, formulated with nature's most beautiful and pure ingredients. Their beauty cream, made with blue tansy + 4 other simple ingredients, enriches your skin and reduces inflammation. We use it regularly and can tell you that our faces love it!
active botanical serum // vintner's daughter
So I actually do not use this because I am sadly allergic to hazelnut oil, but Melissa uses it and LOVES IT. It is formulated with 22 natural oils, all wildcrafted ingredients, that truly feed your skin with the best nutrients, day & night, giving it a healthy glow when you wake up and throughout the day.
soft focus foundation // vapour beauty
A toxin-free foundation that is the perfect balance of being light while still providing coverage. It serves as the perfect finish, without being too heavy. So thrilled that I found this effective foundation that is safe and beautiful!
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All The Hair Days
Friends, we are talkin' bout all the hair days today on LSK! From wash days to many non-wash days, this is our go-to routine & must-have products for simplicity, effectiveness, and cleanliness. [show_shopthepost_widget id="3088570"]
Friends, we are talkin' bout all the hair days today on LSK! From wash days to many non-wash days, this is our go-to routine & must-have products for simplicity, effectiveness, and cleanliness.
We are believers in washing our hair about 3 times a week. I find that my hair is healthier and happier when I wash it less and let natural oils work their magic. On these days, here are the two must have items: a shhhowercap + stranded dry shampoo powder! Melissa raves about her shhhowercap & shared with me how effective it is (keeps her hair totally dry in the shower) + practical it is (can be machine-washed) + the style is chic and makes you feel pretty glam with it on. Shout-out to Lee From America for the recommendation. It might seem a little expensive for a shower cap, but it is so worth it in the long-run and much more preferable than a plastic cap, in our opinion. To get to know about my dry shampoo brand, read this Q&A with my bestie/co-founder!
When the day comes to wash the locks, we love rahua shampoo + conditioner because they are both clean, safe, and toxin-free. We know the struggle of finding natural shampoo and conditioners that actually work, but rahua totally does! It is a little expensive, but worth the investment. The next must-have is this turban towel by aquis to wrap your wet hair in post-washing. I have talked about it before on IG stories and seriously cannot sing enough praises for this genius invention!
[show_shopthepost_widget id="3088570"]images by Jesy McKinney
Get To Know The Story Of Stranded
Hey you guys, Melissa here, an editor on LSK! I am so excited to interview our very own Lo on the blog today, as well her best friend, Anna, to get to know the story of Stranded- their dry shampoo brand. Prepare to fall in love with the story, spirit, and soul behind Stranded, especially if you have been searching for a clean, toxin-free, and effective dry shampoo. Raise your hands, girls who don't like to over-wash their hair!
-Tell us the story of how you two came up with the idea for Stranded Dry Shampoo Powder? Lo: I remember AB (Anna) coming home to our apartment at the time, with a burden for brunettes because they were unable to use dry shampoo in powder form (hello, gray hair!) and expressed the idea that we should create one suitable for brunettes, too. I could not have been more on board with the idea; research began, and the rest was history! Anna: It really was a "eureka" moment I had in the car one day - I was thinking about how blondes could use baby powder as dry shampoo and how easy it should be to make a brown powder for the brunettes to use! Wanting some validation, I shared my idea with Lo and with her encouragement and excitement we hopped on the internet, ordered some products, and started experimenting. -What is the best part of working together as best friends? Lo: There are so many positives that it’s hard to narrow them down. We have so much fun creating, brainstorming, and sampling product, plus the extra bonus- we can work in our pajamas on this, ha! The comfier the better. We also have the same foundational vision and always have each other’s best interest at heart.Anna: Working together as best friends has been such an adventure and a blessing - we balance each other out really well and often think of things from different perspectives so that has been beneficial for our business. It's also been fun to learn how to be business owners and entrepreneurs together and just figure things out as we go!
-Lo, your twin sister + brother-in-law joined the team as well! What is the best part the two of them being part of Stranded with the two of you? Lo: It feels like a full-on family business! It is so special. Each one of us has completely different roles, too, so it makes Stranded very manageable + we are not trying to wear too many hats! We each do what we are skilled in and passionate about, work really well as a team, and have a lot of laughs in the process!-What is the biggest success to-date for Stranded?Anna: The positive reception we have had from consumers has felt like such a success to me - you always think you have a good idea but you never really know until people other than family members willingly seek out your product :) Also, being featured on the Jamie Ivey holiday gift guide podcast felt like a real win to me.-Any dreams/goals for Stranded that you can share?Lo: We are actually in the midst of rebranding which sounds kind of funny since we so recently launched, but we learned so much last year and are making little shifts for long terms goals and focus! We also hope to alter the way people define and view beauty. We want to be in the beauty industry to help shift the meaning of beauty - it sounds a bit ironic, but that is our biggest foundational goal! We would also love to launch other products as we continue growing and learning.
-The fact that Stranded is for all hair colors is so amazing...has that always been an important part of the brand philosophy?Lo: They was the philosophy that gave us a vision and a launching pad for sure. We hope to make people’s lives easier by lessening the time it takes to do your hair, and hair powder (which we feel works best in the dry shampoo world) was for the most part, only limited to blondes to use, since it was offered in only a white color. We wanted to change that! Anna: Yes! It is so important to us that we are inclusive of all hair colors and we hope to continue growing the range of colors so that a simplified beauty routine is accessible for all people. -It must be so fun to be able to share this dry shampoo product that you girls care so much about with the world. What has been the most rewarding part of that journey? Anna: The most rewarding part of the journey has been when my brunette and redhead friends want me to guess how long its been since they've washed their hair, and then give a sly hair flip and a raise of the eyebrow, singing the praises of Stranded all the while. It feels good to have provided a clean beauty product that is becoming a staple in my friends' beauty routines.-Stranded is crafted with clean ingredients, making it safe and toxin-free. Why is that so important to you all as a brand? Lo: We have learned so much about how detrimental toxins in beauty products are to our health. We wanted to offer something that not only betters your quality of life and confidence, but something that sustains good health as well!
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Whole Foods Market Beauty Week
I am so excited to share the news about Whole Foods Market's beauty week...starting today and going through 3/27, all beauty products are 25% off at Whole Foods locations + this limited-edition beauty bag is available (on Friday, 3/23) for just $20...a $100 value! As a big supporter of and believer in the clean beauty movement, I am so inspired by the fact that Whole Foods carefully evaluates each and every beauty product it sells and has banned 100+ ingredients like parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde donors, and more.
This gives me such peace of mind and makes me love and trust Whole Foods on a whole new level! Since I already shop at WF for food, it is so convenient that they have a huge selection of clean beauty essentials including hair products, skincare products, deodorant, makeup, and more. Thank you, Whole Foods, for being my one-stop shop for everything that is good for my body...inside and out! 
AD: Sponsored by Whole Foods Market
Top 10 Clean Beauty Brands
Today we are sharing current top 10 clean beauty brands that we find ourselves recommending to friends again and again.[show_shopthepost_widget id="3035887"]
Round-up time, clean beauty lovers! We get so excited when we find a site/blog that serves as a resource of great clean brands and clean living tips (like goop, because I'm addicted, lee from america, well + good and more), and our hope for LSK is to be a resource like that as well- a haven of wellness information and a place where you can be inspired to try new products, meet new brands, and learn new things.Today we are sharing current top 10 clean beauty brands that we find ourselves recommending to friends again and again. You have probably heard us talk about these before here on the blog or over on IG (+ @thecleanstuff account), because they are just that good. So enjoy the list below, check out the brands' websites + IG accounts, and share this post with friends and family members that are also interested in discovering clean beauty brands that have been tried, tested, and loved!
We hope you enjoyed this post! Let us know your favorite clean beauty brands in the comments section below- we always love to learn of new brands. If you have tried any of these and love them as well, let us know! xo
THE OUTFIT:
sunnies | top (c/o, similar option) | overalls (c/o, similar option) | boots (c/o)
images by Christy Johnson [show_shopthepost_widget id="3035887"]
Primally Pure Q&A
Friends! We are so excited to have Bethany & Courtney here on LSK today from Primally Pure. Bethany is the founder of Primally Pure and Courtney is the brand's natural esthetician + marketing strategist. We connected with Bethany & Courtney a while back and have since become loyal, forever fans of their natural skincare line. We have raved about Primally Pure before on the blog, specifically their deodorant and cleansing oil. Today we are sharing a Q&A that we did with them via email and let me tell you- it is packed with some serious information! If you love clean and natural skincare, you are in the right place. Enjoy the read and be sure to check our their website + follow them on Instagram.
MEET BETHANY What inspired you to start Primally Pure? I dealt with sensitive, acne-prone skin for most of my teenage years and well into young-adulthood. I tried every mainstream product you could imagine, many of which offered short-lived results but didn't truly make a difference in the health of my skin. It wasn’t until after I discovered the power of eating real food that I purged my bathroom cabinet of toxic skincare products and began formulating my own replacements made with real, recognizable ingredients. Much to my surprise, the products I made actually worked better than the dozens I had tried in the past. My acne cleared up and my skin felt (and looked) better than it ever had. But most importantly, I enjoyed using them. I started selling my creations on my family farm's website and a few months later I started a website of my own. Today, I have a team of 11 and we work out of a beautiful office/warehouse space in sunny Southern California. What is your personal skincare routine? My skincare routine is always changing! I love mixing things up based on the season and what I feel like my skin needs most at the time. Lately, I've been using our Cleansing Oil for a deep clean at night 3-4 times a week, and then cleansing with our Baby Bar on the remaining days. I'll usually follow either of those up with a few spritzes of Complexion Mist (I rotate between Neroli, Lavender and Geranium) as a light, hydrating toner. And last but not least, I've been using our Blue Tansy Beauty Cream for its calming + nourishing properties. In the morning, I usually just rinse with water and sometimes use Complexion Mist (really obsessed with Complexion Mist at the moment)!Tell us a little bit about the work environment at Primally Pure HQ! I'm extremely grateful to have a sister-in-law who is an incredibly talented interior designer, and she designed our whole space! From our "spa-ffice" where Courtney works and gives our team facials, to our sitting area, my office, our coffee bar, etc. it's really a simple, clean and inspiring place to be - which is always great for dreaming up new product ideas or visions for the brand. As for the team dynamic, we work hard and play hard. It's difficult to know exactly what to expect with a growing company, but our team has been amazing at adapting as we go along and jumping in to fill in gaps as needed. Everyone is always willing to help with whatever needs to be done. And we reward ourselves with monthly trips to a local winery, spa days and other fun outings together.We can’t help but notice how many bloggers are gushing over your products! What makes you most excited about the following of clean-beauty-lovers that you are curating? I have to pinch myself every day as we notice more and more amazing women (Lauren being one of them!) sharing Primally Pure with their followers. There's no way we'd be where we are today without them, and we're always super grateful and tickeled whenever someone shares their experience with PP!What are you most looking forward to in the future for your brand? So many things! 2018 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for us. We have plans to move into a new + bigger space this summer, launch a few new products (including a coffee mask), hire on some additional members to our team and start a subscription program for our deodorant. Owning a business has been a more challenging undertaking than I ever could have imagined, but it's also more fulfilling than any job I've had and I'm more excited than ever for what's to come.
MEET COURTNEY What do you love most about being a part of team Primally Pure? Oh my goodness, so much! But what tops my list is the people I have the privilege of working with. It’s so refreshing to be a part of a team that genuinely gets along, encourages + supports one another and enjoys spending time with each other (even outside of the workshop!). The women I’m surrounded by on a daily basis make coming to work everyday such a JOY. Plus, the people I have the opportunity to connect with through partnerships, collaborations and customers are some of the most beautiful + inspiring people on the planet (ahem, Lauren + Melissa!). My mom shared a quote with me recently that said, “Your tribe matters as much - if not more - than your task.” And I’m so deeply grateful that I get both - a career that I’m passionate about with people I dearly love. What is your day-to-day like as the holistic esthetician? Currently, I’m splitting my time between being Primally Pure’s in-house holistic esthetician and Director or Marketing. But I love how these positions actually complement each other so perfectly! As a holistic esthetician, I’m passionate about helping others experience health + balance not only in their skin, but in body, soul and spirit. A powerful way to do that is through educating and empowering others - and that’s where the marketing piece plays a big part in my day-to-day. I spend the majority of my days creating content for our blog, social media, newsletters, videos and other creative projects to share clean skincare + holistic wellness with the world. I work in our brand new “spaffice” which is beautifully designed to function as an office for content creation + communication as well as a spa for curated skincare services! A couple days a week I give our team members facials (sorry, we’re not open to the public just yet!) using only Primally Pure products and customizing masks with the pure, natural ingredients we have on hand in our workshop. Like raw + local honey, colorful clays, powdered herbs, natural exfoliants and essential oils. Our plan (hopefully in the near future!) is to open a Primally Pure concept spa offering non-toxic skin treatments, stress relieving services and a space to holistically care for your whole being. But right now I just get to play, dream and design on the daily!What inspired you to become so interested in and passionate about natural and clean personal products? As I started to learn about the science of skin and the reality of how our largest organ reveals imbalances within the body and that the products we apply can actually contribute to these imbalances, I was inspired to search for skincare that was naturally derived and delivered results. Clean skincare just makes sense to me. Why would we want to put anything less on (or in!) our body? I think that awareness first started for me as I began to cultivate my own self love journey several years ago. Genuinely wanting the best for my body, for myself and for others. On that journey, I quickly became fascinated by how food, lifestyle and product choices have the power to positively or negatively impact the state of our health - not just for our skin, but for our mind and soul, as well. This inspired me to start to take a whole person approach (including products, nutrition, lifestyle, stress levels, etc) when caring for skin. I wanted to treat more than what we simply see in the mirror - which can be merely symptoms of something so much deeper. I’ve also developed a deep belief that we’ve already been given everything we need - specifically, from nature. The colors are radiant, the aromas are intoxicating + therapeutic and the benefits are truly healing, inside and out. Life is already too short and too stressful, why add the burden of chemicals and toxic buildup? Clean skincare is a conviction I carry with me, and as a holistic esthetician (and simply, a human being!) I’m committed to caring for myself and for others with only ingredients that are life-giving, to our skin cells and entire self. Tell us the scoop about your natural deodorant- we know that it is a top-seller for Primally Pure and we are so amazed and pleased by the ingredients and effectiveness of it! Aw, thank you! That always makes us SO happy to hear. Our natural deodorant was the first product our founder, Bethany, ever formulated and she’s been on a mission to disprove the stereotypes surrounding natural deodorants (i.e. they don’t work, they’re just for hippies, etc.) ever since. And I’d say she’s doing a pretty good job at it :) It’s so incredible to be a part of a company that offers a clean and effective option to conventional, chemical-filled deodorants. Seriously, their ingredient lists (and the risks of disease + dangerous side effects) are scary! Our formula is so unique because one of its main ingredients is tallow from grass-fed cows. This vitamin-rich animal fat is full of anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties to protect and nourish even the most sensitive skin. Our good-for-you, organic ingredients (fair-trade coconut oil, baking soda, beeswax, arrowroot powder, non-nano zinc oxide, kaolin clay and essential oils) work together to keep you smelling fresh all day long while leaving your skin feeling smooth + soft. And how great is it that you can actually pronounce each ingredient on the back of the tube?! As a brand, we’ve been able to show the world that it doesn’t have to be scary switching to natural deodorant. It’s actually a simple, powerful way to take control of your health (and unwanted odor!).What is your personal skincare routine? PM // First step, Baby Oil to remove my mascara (there’s no essential oils so it’s super gentle around my delicate eye area!) and then Cleansing Oil. I LOVE oil cleansing (and love that you do, too!). There’s so many benefits: facial massage, boosting circulation, deep pore cleansing, steaming with a warm washcloth and a balanced, clear complexion. After cleansing, I apply Everything Spray with an organic cotton pad which heals + calms any current breakouts or inflammation. Or if I feel like my skin needs a bit more moisture (which is definitely this time of year!), I’ll spritz Complexion Mist all over my skin. This step is a must for me before applying our Palmarosa + Mint Beauty Cream as it helps it to absorb better and hydrate more deeply. Final step, I always apply lip balm before bed!AM // I’m still training myself to become a morning person, so I keep my skincare routine super short + simple. After splashing my skin with warm water, I spritz Complexion Mist and I finish with our Fancy Face Serum to help even my skin tone and lightly hydrate. I love using this serum every morning because it gives my skin a healthy, natural glow and I feel like I rarely need makeup anymore!And of course, my daily skincare routine goes beyond the products I apply. I’ve noticed such a difference in my skin since using collagen peptides for smooth + strong skin, dandelion tea (supports healthy liver function) for clear skin and of course, water - we can never get enough of this miracle beauty beverage.
feature image by Christy Johnston + product images via Primally Pure
Two-Step Face Washing Routine
Hey guys, Melissa here! I am so excited to share my simple two-step face washing routine that has truly changed the state of my skin. For years, I struggled with finding a face wash or makeup-remover that worked for my skin. Then when I became more aware of toxins in products, the struggle became even more real! Some of the best products out there still irritated my skin and caused breakouts on my chin.Then two amazing things happened...first, Primally Pure reached out to Lauren and I and we became more knowledgable about their incredible line of clean skincare products. I told their founder, Bethany, and their holistic esthetician, Courtney, about my face wash issue, and they were kind enough to send me their cleansing oil for oily skin. I was of course SO NERVOUS to wash my face using oil, but I trusted their recommendation and thank goodness I did! After the first evening that I used it, I could already tell a difference in my skin the following morning. That being said, after a week, I could REALLY tell a difference. My skin looked brighter, less oily, and blemish-free. It also felt well-nourished and smooth to touch.The second amazing thing that happened was that I discovered Face Halo via this blog. It is a microfiber pad that you simply wet with warm water and gently wipe makeup off your face. You can read more about the facts, here, and the method, here. The pads come in a set of three and can be easily washed in the washing machine. I was amazed by the simplicity of this method and was THRILLED when it worked!I just realized that I totally wrote the two steps backwards, but that is because I discovered the cleansing oil before the Face Halo. That is a peak into how my brain works :) Anyway, to summarize, the first step is to remove makeup with Face Halo and then the second step is to clean with cleansing oil- this article has great directions and details about the cleansing oil method. Also, important to note, I use the oil for oily skin, but they also have cleansing oil for normal skin and for dry skin.I would love to hear from you in the comments about any face washing tips and routines that you swear by. Also, if you try this clean two-step routine, I would love to hear if it works for you as well! Praying that it does. xo Mimage via primally pure // #notsponsored
RMS Beauty: Nourishing, Rejuvenating, and Totally Clean
After much recent research, we at LSK are the biggest promoters of using makeup and beauty products that feed your skin rather than expose it to chemicals and toxins. It has been a fun journey searching for and testing out products that are as pure as possible, with no hidden preservatives or chemicals, and RMS has topped the charts. Their makeup line has made my skin dewier and more hydrated than ever. It not only is non-toxic, but it actually heals and nourishes the skin. How amazing is it that we can use a nutrient-filled cosmetic line to create a solid foundation for anti-aging and long-term beauty? Yes, please!! Win, win! (Insert every party emoji here).
[from RMS Instagram]
I love RMS because they are dedicated to transforming the way women use makeup. These beauty products are formulated with raw, food grade and organic ingredients in their natural state, allowing their living, healing attributes to penetrate and rejuvenate the skin. In their purest form, enzymes, vitamins, antioxidants and their healing properties remain fully intact, encouraging amazing potential for anti-aging effects. They have also taken extreme care in the use of minimal heat in the manufacturing process in order to keep all nutrients and healing properties alive. All RMS Beauty products are free of harmful chemicals, synthetic preservatives, synthetic vitamins, and genetically altered ingredients + each product is full of healing nutrients that work synergistically with the skin. Not to mention, each ingredient interacts with skin to promote hydration, softness, and luminosity.
[from RMS Instagram]
I love supporting a brand that can be trusted in the fullest extent; no research needed!My favorite products are the following + you can scroll down to shop too: the tinted "un" powder sets the makeup perfectly, the buriti bronzer is a dream, the concealer is my go-to, the lip2cheek blush is a must with an array of color options, and their eyeshadow selection is so pretty. I am also obsessed with the Skin2Skin blush brush. It is so soft and applies the makeup in the most magical way! They also have a foundation brush that works wonders too. P.S. Did I mention everything blends so easily and is super simple to use![show_shopthepost_widget id="2834131"]Do you use a clean cosmetic line? We would love to hear your favorites in the comments below!Also, if you are a health nut, and want to keep reading for a breakdown of the lovely list of ingredients they use in their products, read more here. Truly a pure delight! xo
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10 Questions with Molly Abrigg
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