• Beauty,  Gift Guide,  Los Angeles,  San Diego,  WorldWide

    Catt Sadler Shares Her Love for LAPCOS Sheet Masks!

    Catt Sadler expressed her love for LAPCOS on Instagram while sharing her nighttime skincare routine. The entrepreneur and podcast host included the LAPCOS Cica Sheet Mask ($17 for a 5-pack, www.lapcosusa.com), which helps promote the regeneration of skin cells for a natural healthy glow, as part of her must haves for skincare.

    Can’t think of a better time to harness the calming properties of Cica, a soothing plant extract that is long celebrated for its nourishing, hydrating benefits.

    Daily Skin Mask Cica

    What it is: LAPCOS Cica bamboo sheet mask leverages this soothing extract to help promote the regeneration of skin cells for a natural healthy glow.

    What it does: Both revitalizing and protective, the mask’s powerful nutrients work to reduce redness, and prevent future damage.

    Benefits:
    + Nourishing
    + Revitalizing
    + Protective

    Recommended Skin Type: Sensitive

    How to use:

    1. Cleanse and tone your face. Unfold single use mask.
    2. Leave on for 10-20 minutes.
    3. Remove mask and gently pat face to absorb remaining essence into the skin.
    4. Apply any remaining essence in the pouch to your neck and body.

    Key Ingredients:

    Centenella Asiatica Extract – Soothing, plant extract that is long celebrated for its nourishing, hydrating properties.

    Madecassoside – Calming, one of the principal compounds found in Centella Asiatica that can serve as an antioxidant and help revitalize skin.

    Let the sun shine, May is officially here! Ready to hit refresh on your skin routine? After a long winter, start with the Variety 7+1 Packs Masks, including Cica! Have you tried these cult favorite Variety 7+1 Packs? The be-all end-all face mask kits include seven masks and a bonus exfoliating pad to offer a complete program that gives your complexion the superfoods and nutrients that it craves. Consider your skin covered from morning to night, 7 days a week, no matter what it’s needing.
    This pack is a feast for your skin, these seven skin boosting masks give skin the superfoods and nutrients that it craves. This program is formulated to build resilience and boost radiance for all complexions, whatever your skin requires. It also allows the beauty curious to experiment with a variety of on trend, efficacious skincare ingredients worth exploring.
    About Lapcos:

    Born in Korea, Evolved in Los Angeles. 

    Lapcos is the one-stop beauty destination for high performance, cruelty-free skin care, body care and hair care, based on the most exciting trends and proven efficacies available. Lapcos is an affordable luxury brand born in South Korea, where Lapcos is an established leader. Since 2017, Lapcos has become a key player within the US as well, thanks to the uncompromising devotion to quality, innovation, accessibility and transparency. Lapcos’ mission is to bring the most advanced Korean beauty solutions and wisdom to North America in a way that is versatile, affordable and created for all.

  • Beauty

    8 Signs That You Have Healthy Hair

    8 Signs That You Have Healthy Hair

     

    Your hair is going to stick around on your head for a while before it gets trimmed off — especially if you wear it long.

     

    We put our hair through a lot of things during the time that it takes to go from root to ends, and all of this heat styling, coloring, tight hairstyles, or general wear-and-tear can take its toll.

     

    The healthier it can stay while it grows out, the better your hair will look and feel overall.

     

    And, just because you struggle to set down the straightener or quit the hair dye, doesn’t necessarily mean that your hair is damaged. Everyone has different initial strengths, thicknesses, and resilience when it comes to hair, so just because you put it through the wringer doesn’t mean it isn’t perfectly healthy.

     

    Below, we will cover some tell-tale signs that your hair is doing pretty well in the health department.

    • Your hair feels smooth and soft

     

    Before you do anything to your hair, if it feels smooth and soft when you run your fingers through, it is likely pretty healthy.

     

    The smooth texture of your hair comes from the cuticles laying flat, meaning that they aren’t busted open and standing up from damage.

     

    Soft hair means that the cuticle is more or less in tact, and that the natural oils from your scalp are able to coat the hair.

    • You have little or normal amounts of shedding

    Losing some hair on a daily basis is normal.

     

    It is perfectly normal to part ways with 50 to 100 hairs every day, and this amount of shedding will not change the way your hair looks overtime as long as your regrowth is coming in normally.

     

    If you notice a few lost hairs when brushing, showering, or here and there around your home, this can be completely normal.

     

    As long as you haven’t noticed any drastic changes to the amount of hair you are losing, and you aren’t seeing clumps of it coming out — you may have perfectly healthy hair and normal shedding rates.

     

    If you do notice much more hairs being lost than usual and have visible thinning or bald spots, it may be time to speak with your doctor to see if you have any underlying health issues or if hair loss treatments are a good option for you.

    • Your hair has bounce and movement

     

    Healthy hair moves.

     

    Hair bounces and voluminous movement when you walk is a sign of a healthy head of hair.

     

    Unhealthy hair may have the tell-tale sign of staying stick straight, looking stiff, or even sticking straight out when moving it around instead of flowing downward.

    • Your hair is shiny

     

    Shiny hair doesn’t just come from hair products, if you have a pretty healthy mane, you will have naturally shiny strands.

     

    When your hair cuticle is laying flat and is healthy, it gives the perfect flat canvas for light reflection — giving it that healthy shine.

     

    The natural oils from your scalp have an easier time making their way down the whole strand when your hair is healthier, too, making the shine stand out even more.

    • Your hair has minimal minimal tangles and frizz

     

    Frizz can be a sign of broken hairs and damaged cuticles, and tangles can be the result of less-than-smooth hairs unable to gentle slip past each other.

     

    When your hair is healthy, tangles and frizz are much less of a problem.

    • You don’t hear many hairs breaking when brushing your hair

     

    If you ever try to brush through your hair and you hear looks of little “pops” happening, those might be strands snapping.

     

    Lots of broken hairs happening from a gentle brushing can be a sign of weak a brittle hair.

     

    But, if your hair handles a brush beautifully without lots of snags and little popping sounds, you likely have a pretty healthy mane.

    • Your hair can handle humidity

     

    Humidity, or lots of water density in the air, can be the nemesis of an unhealthy head of hair.

     

    No matter how much product and stying you did before heading out, a high humidity day can make water work its way into damaged cuticles and lead to a puffy, frizzy mess.

     

    If your hair seems to be strangely resilient to even those very humid days — congratulations, you likely have some pretty smooth cuticles helping to keep that moisture out.

    • Your hair dries pretty quickly

     

    Unhealthy, overprocessed hair with open cuticles sucks in water and holds on for dear life.

     

    This may lead to much longer drying times when you step out of the shower or go in for a blowout with a hairdryer.

     

    However, healthier strands are much more resistant to becoming water logged and holding onto moisture.

     

    If you find that your hair easily air dries, or you only need a few short minutes with a hair dryer, you may have some very healthy locks.

     

  • Beauty

    Golden Grooming – Black Owned Men’s Grooming Products

    Looking for a way to support a Black owned business? Check out Golden Grooming, a grooming company co-owned by Herman Moore (all-pro receiver for the Detroit Lions) featuring luxurious beard, face, hair and body care specifically for black men and other men of color. The products are all-natural and crafted with essential oils and plant extracts that moisturize, heal, protect and cleanse. https://www.goldengroomingco.com/collections/best-sellers

    Wrapped by hand to make the perfect gift.

    The Grown Ass Man Bundle is eight of our most popular beard and skincare products packed in a beautiful box that makes a perfect gift (for yourself or for someone else). It’s jam-packed with everything a man needs for his grooming routine. Each product is made for black men and other men of color; is all-natural and crafted with essential oils and plant extracts that moisturizes, heals, protects and cleans. Get your grown man on fast with The Grown Ass Man Box & Free Shipping!

    Best sellers include their Boss Beard BundleGolden Professional Trimmer, and Essential Skincare Bundle (Face Wash and Body Wash).
  • Beauty

    Moms want IDA Body Care!

    I have been watching a lot videos on dry brushing and the benefits to your skin so I was so happy to check out Ida products. This set comes with a natural brush and 3 products to help you achieve glowing skin. The topic of self care is always coming up and for moms to find time for themselves, this is the perfect gift.  I just got my kit in the mail and will be testing it out this week! I will post my thoughts about Ida products on my social media channels – stay tuned!

    Ingredients matter! Ida Body Care’s Crème Body Wash elevates skin to a new level of clean with a formula of 13 natural ingredients and essential oils to nourish and hydrate the skin. Ida’s Crème Body Wash is formulated with natural ingredients and essential oils including such skin advocates as Avocado Oil, Jojoba Oil, Argan Kernel Oil and Sweet Almond Oil.

    Ida, the brand’s namesake and original creator believed the proof was in the ingredients. “That’s why we only use natural ingredients and essential oils,” according to Ida Body Care Founder & CEO Vicki Weaver Payne. “This gentle and creamy body wash is my Mother’s (Ida) special formula to cleanse and revive, designed specifically for ‘skin that’s been doing’.”

     

    Ida selected the naturals and essentials carefully to deliver the most luxurious, hydrating results for skin. One of the featured crème body wash ingredients is Avocado Oil, which yields a rich and extremely deep penetrating oil, loaded with vitamins A, B, D, E, lecithin, as well as potassium.

    “Avocado Oil is actually known as the youth mineral,” Vicki describes. “This small green wrinkled fruit is packed full of body benefits: anti-wrinkle, rejuvenates the skin, increases collagen in the skin, hydrates sun or climate damaged skin and acts as a superior moisturizing agent.”

    Another powerful and effective ingredient featured is Jojoba Oil, which is extracted from the small bean pod of the Jojoba plant. “This oil is said to ‘trick’ the skin into thinking it is in perfect balance, thus not producing too much or too little oil,” Vicki describes. “Jojoba oil provides all day moisture. The oil works by slipping between the skin cells and sealing the skin against water loss.”

    Other benefits from Jojoba Oil include helping delay aging by softening skin, reducing wrinkles and fine lines, and promoting the growth of new skin cells.

    If you’ve heard of a golden elixir that promised better skin and hair and literally grew on trees, that would be Argan Oil – another featured essential oil in our Crème Body Wash and our full product line,” Vicki adds. “Some research suggest that Argan Oil may actually slow the aging process by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. When applied directly to the skin, it reduces the visual signs of aging. It is effective for increasing skin elasticity and provides intense hydration.”

    Another favorite ingredient featured in the Ida’s Crème Body Wash is Sweet Almond Oil. The nurturing qualities of Sweet Almond Oil have been recognized for thousands of years. “Almond Oil pampers the skin and is skin’s BFF,” Vicki believes. “An excellent emollient and moisturizer, full of vitamin E, A, fatty acids, protein, potassium and zinc.”

    Sweet Almond Oil is an extremely powerful antioxidant preventing the deterioration of the skin’s collagen layer. It keeps skin cells healthy, protects skin from UV radiation damage, and supports skin to look smooth, soft and free of fine lines.

     

    The entire Ida Body Care line is clean/natural, vegan, and cruelty free.

    The Verbena Citrus scent, sometimes called lemon verbena, of all the Ida Body Care products, has a zesty, sweet scent of lemon.

    For more information, visit: https://idabodycare.com/

  • Beauty,  Gift Guide,  Los Angeles,  New York,  San Diego,  WorldWide

    Unwrapped Life Honors Earth Month with “The Healer” Limited-Edition Hair Bars, in Partnership with Plastic Bank®

    Together with Plastic Bank®, Unwrapped Life is on a mission to prevent over
    2.5 million plastic bottles from entering our oceans.

    This year, in honor of Earth Day Unwrapped Life, the plastic-free beauty brand providing zero-waste alternatives for everyday products, is partnering with Plastic Bank® to keep plastic out of our oceans!

    During the month of April, their goal is to prevent over 2.5 million plastic bottles from entering the ocean and with the launch of “The Healer”, limited-edition shampoo + conditioner bars, they will do just that –every purchase of The Healer prevents 1,000 plastic bottles from entering the ocean. This new partnership strengthens Unwrapped Life’s commitment to helping eliminate Earth’s plastic pollution with the support of Plastic Bank®’s extensive global network of micro recycling markets. By building ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities, Plastic Bank® works to improve the lives of collector communities and reintroduce plastic waste into manufacturing supply chains.

    “Every April, Earth Day inspires us to reflect, learn, and reignite our commitment to reducing the plastic waste that is plaguing our planet, and effecting its most vulnerable inhabitants. The past year has faced us with many challenges, but what always remains is our unwavering devotion to making the world a better place for everybody, everywhere.”
    – Arden Teasdale, CEO

    The Healer

    The limited-edition bars include a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner combo inspired by the healing powers of Earth and Water, and feature an awakening blend of essential oils — orange bitters and distilled lime that meld seamlessly, with the quiet comforts of tonka and vanilla. The Healer also contains key attributes found in Unwrapped Life’s top-selling hair bars, delivering high-performing and “planet-healing” results.

    • The Shampoo Bar features vitamin C-rich amla oil to improve scalp, follicle, and overall hair condition down to the ends.
    • The Conditioner Bar features Unwrapped Life’s unique triple-threat oil blend of; Abyssinian seed, broccoli seed, and Tamanu; controlling frizz, adding shine, and banishing tangles (borrowed from our award-winning “for tangles” conditioner bars).

    Features:

    • Essential oil scenting
    • Paraben and phthalate-free
    • Approximately 50-75 washes (may vary)
    • Equals 2-3 16 oz bottles of liquid
    • Extension and color-safe
    • Vegan and cruelty-free

    Notes of: tonka, orange bitters, and lime

    Recommended for: saving the planet | normal to dry hair

    The Balancer Travel Set (with tins)

    A seriously smooth operator that fits the bill for combination and frizzy hair. Powered by a unique blend of soothing calendula, calming scalp conditions and protecting against cell-damaging free radicals, and the protective properties of quinoa, improving the hairs’ moisture retention ability for smoother hair (often with one use!). A tranquil union of essential oils seal the deal, with neroli and just a hint of sweet orange.

    All travel sets come with a pair of matte gold travel tins!

    Features:

    • Essential oil scenting
    • Paraben and phthalate-free
    • Approximately 50-75 washes (may vary)
    • Equals 2-3 16 oz bottles of liquid
    • Extension and color-safe
    • Vegan and cruelty-free

    Notes of: neroli and sweet orange

    Recommended for: smoothing | combination + frizzy hair

    Shampoo: Apply bar directly to wet hair and massage with hands until desired lather is achieved. Alternatively, lather bar in hands and apply to hair. Rinse thoroughly, repeat as necessary.

    Conditioner: Apply bar directly to wet hair, start at roots and smooth bar towards ends. Wait 3-5 minutes then rinse fully. Reapply to ends as a leave-in to detangle, rinse as required.

    Dry and style hair as usual. For external use only, avoid contact with eyes, rinse thoroughly with clean water if contact occurs.

    FOR TANGLES | shampoo + conditioner

    Tangles, and knots, and snarls… oh, my! Tired of this all too familiar (and unpleasant!) hair care routine?! Declare victory over unruly tresses, for tots, tweens, teens, and everyone in between, and chase those untamable hair blues away – once and for all!

    Uniquely formulated to support a variety of hair challenges for kids of all ages, our gentle, easy-lathering sulfate-free shampoo bar combines the scalp-cleansing and hair-strengthening power of Kaolin clay (excellent for kids’ fine hair!), along with calendula extract to gently hydrate and soften weightlessly, and… the superhero detangling power of marshmallow root. Paired with our ultra-detangling conditioner bar, it effortlessly tackles static, prevents breakage, leaving soft, smooth tresses. Boasting a unique triple threat oil blend with Abyssinian seed, broccoli seed, and tamanu; frizz is controlled, manageability and shine is improved, and hair is smooth and tangle-free! The conditioner can also be pulled through the hair after towel-drying to further release any remaining tangles prior to combing. A delicious blend of ylang ylang, pink grapefruit, and eucalyptus essential oils, round out this super-bar and… and best of all, smells just like bubblegum!

    PSA: parents, these bars might mysteriously make their way into your shower (yes, they’re that good).

    Features:

    • Essential oil scenting
    • Paraben and phthalate-free
    • Approximately 50-75 washes (may vary)
    • Equals 2-3 16 oz bottles of liquid
    • Extension and color-safe
    • Vegan and cruelty-free

    Recommended for: kids, detangling, fine hair

    For more information about Unwrapped Life’s hair bars and other products please visit, www.unwrappedlife.com or follow on Instagram and Facebook.

    About Unwrapped Life

    Unwrapped Life is a leading plastic-free hair and body care brand, on a mission to prove that performance and product packaging are not mutually exclusive. They take all the ingredients that cleanse and benefit your hair and body, remove the water and make them into concentrated bars. Their solid-form bars do everything bottled products can do, while also exceeding all your selfcare goals. One hair bar delivers 50-75 washes, effectively replacing 2-3 16 oz. bottled products, and are also vegan, color-safe, and cruelty- free. The plastic waste epidemic we’ve created is a big problem affecting all Earth’s inhabitants, and one that requires immediate action! Unwrapped Life has eliminated over +1.5 million (and they’re just getting started!) plastic bottles from ever being manufactured, and is committed to preventing over 20 million plastic bottles from entering our oceans by 2025.

    About Plastic Bank®

    Since 2013 Plastic Bank® has created an innovative global network of micro recycling markets that help eliminate plastic pollution and help the world stop ocean plastic while improving the lives of collector communities. They build ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities and reprocess the materials for reintroduction into the global manufacturing supply chain. Collectors receive a premium for the materials they collect which helps them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance. Plastic Bank is currently operating in Haiti, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Egypt.

  • Beauty,  Gift Guide,  Home Decoration,  Los Angeles,  San Diego,  WorldWide

    Create Mindful Moments in Your Self-Care Routine with La Parea Wellness

    Give in to your senses and release your tension with the help of La Parea Wellness and their line of plant-based aromatherapy products.

    Each of their lovingly-created balms, oils, candles, and more uses traditional plant derived remedies from the Andes and Amazon with a modern touch in order to treat the worries and aches of the 21st century.

    Discover the perfect solution for every step in your self-care journey:

    • Picaboo – Say goodbye to chafing and under breast irritation with this soothing blend of matcha butter, coconut oil, witch hazel, and tea tree oil.
    • Palo Santo Balm – Ease your tight or sore muscles with this moisturizing blend of creamy avocado butter and antioxidant and caffeine packed guayusa and guaviduca infused oils.
    • Chill Face & Body Mist – When the stress of work, social media, or the virus comes calling, spritz your face, body, pillow, or room with this calming mix of mood-altering essential oils.
    • Guayusa Tea Blend – Take a minute to sit, sip and practice being mindful by adding this invigorating, antioxidant-packed tea to your morning healing routine.
    • Ecuadorian Rose Scented Soy Candle & Bath Salts – Pamper yourself from nose to toes by drawing a bath with their calming herbal-infused salts and the intoxicating scent of Ecuador’s most magnificent roses in candle form.

    Ecuadorian Rose Scented Luxury Soy Candle

    Ecuadorian Roses are among the most magnificent roses because of their size, color and intoxication fragrance. La Parea has crafted their candle to be just like a bouquet of roses from Ecuador into a candle.

    La Parea candle is infused with rose essential oils, natural pure soy wax, dried rose buds and hibiscus flowers.

    La Parea soy candles are hand poured, and handcrafted with 100% natural soy wax & premium quality essential oils which allow them to burn longer and cleaner than any other candles. Produced in small batches to ensure the best quality handmade soy candles.

    Candle Size: 9 oz

    Burn Times by Size – 6 oz (25 hours) – 8 oz (45 hours) – 16 oz (80 hours) – 26 oz ( 125 hours )

    Burn in increments of 4 hours for best results. Trim wicks to 1/4″ before each use.

    La Parea Wellness prides itself on using natural, sustainable ingredients and handcrafting them into experiences for the senses. For more information, please visit www.lapareawellness.com

    About

    La Parea Wellness is the creation of Samanta Moise a mother of four, award-winning children’s book author, and nurse on a mission to create natural, clean wellness products. Born and raised in Ecuador, Moise combines ancestral ingredients and traditions into soothing solutions for showing your body the love.