A Shower Story

I have a confession. I'm a little...particular. Once I discovered an alternative to my face wash, I started looking around the bathroom for other skincare products I used with unpronounceable ingredients. It turned into a mission, really. Were there alternatives? Yes, there were! I found 5 more natural products I feel really good about putting on my skin during my daily routine. Surprisingly, choosing more natural products wasn't as expensive as I expected. From left to right:

• Conditioner — Gifted from MeMe

• Luminous Body Oil by Herbivore Botanicals — $32
  My skin has thanked me for this plant-based body oil! The harsh winter left me feeling more than ready to feel nourished & moisturized again. This was just the oil to do it. I chose the Cardamon + Vetiver for its earthy, warm scent. It's also going to last me a while. I don't need to use a lot at once because of the rich ingredients.

• Rosemary Mint Soap by Honeyrun Farm — $4
  I've started a bad habit of picking up handmade soap whenever I see them at markets or small shops. We've got a pile to keep us clean for the entire summer. I have a feeling the pile will grow once the Spring Lake market starts up again. I love all the different fresh scents people make. I got this one while visiting my cousin in Columbus.

• Rosemary Tea Tree Shampoo by Field Day — $5
  Originally, I went to our local health food store to see if they had any essential oils. They had a few so I perused the rest of the store for other gems & found this Natural Products Association-certified shampoo. I spent way too long deciding between this scent & lavender but was ultimately won over with the rosemary tea tree because of the additional pure essential oils like orange, lemon, & patchouli.

• Eucalyptus branch from the local flower shop — $2
  This is the easiest thing you can do to freshen up your bathroom. Eucalyptus has brought life into our tiny bathroom & fills it with an intoxicating aroma. I hang it over the showerhead & imagine I'm under a waterfall in some calm lagoon in the jungle. Talk about intoxicating.

• Jasmine Soy candle — made my 1st batch from this recipe
  Not for my skin but definitely for my soul. I love soy candles & recently learned I could make my own. It's better for the environment & it feels good knowing I made something we use around the house daily. I don't think I put enough jasmine essential oil in the wax because there isn't much of a scent. I'll have to put a lot more in next time around! Making my routine a little more thoughtful has taught me not to trust the package just because companies advertise "organic" & "natural". It's a little more work to dig for the real deal & educate myself but worth it to know what I'm putting on my skin is better for me. Unfortunately, I think there are some product marketing decisions doing damage to the authenticity of ingredients so I love to support people doing the extra work to get it right.

Ok, off my soapbox (ha!) & on to another one. My parents are coming to town this weekend & I'm so excited! They haven't been here since last summer. Mom & I have plans to nerd out in my studio while Joel & Dad will be doing anything but being near the studio (Mom & I tend to get a bit intense when we're brainstorming ideas for projects & making things). I'm looking forward to seeing what we come up with!

What are your plans for the first weekend in April?