Toss This in Your Gym Bag: All-Natural Spray Deodorant

All Natural Spray Deodorant

In case I didn’t say it before…HAPPY NEW YEAR, you guys.

The New Year means RESOLUTIONS. The New Year means forcing myself to go “yogging” in the bitter cold. It means occasionally lifting a 7.5 lb dumbbell above my head in a very flimsy fashion. But, self-disparagement aside, it also means I’m feeling motivated, y’all.

And: thanks to some new spray deodorants that make perfect gym bag companions, it means I am feeling fresh. And fly. And definitely not smelly.

You read right: spray deos. The first I’ve ever tried, as a matter of fact: Blissoma’s Juniper Natural Deodorant Aromatic Spray and FreshBod.

Prior to this little test run, I’d been beholden to my solid deodorants of choice: Soapwalla and Schmidt’s. Both of these have a paste-like consistency and contain natural, safe, sweat-absorbing powders. Soapwalla contains corn starch, baking soda and kaolin clay; Schmidt’s has baking soda as well, plus arrowroot powder. So, it was hard for me to imagine how a spray could ward off sweat. There’s no powder in a spray!

Welp. The answer is that spray deodorants do not tackle your sweat. Spray deos are pro-sweat, anti-odor. Sweating is a normal, healthy function that removes toxins from the body. Sweat becomes *smelly* when it interacts with bacteria on your skin. These sprays combat bacteria to prevent odors. With a spray deodorant, thou shalt sweat. Thou shalt not smell. For that reason, I prefer to use these sprays as a companion to my regular deodorant: post-workout spritzes or a quick spray before starting the evening/night shift.

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Book Review & Giveaway: 100 Organic SkinCare Recipes

De-Puffer-Spa-Water

This has been one of my favorite posts to write. In the midst of learning about/buying better skincare options in the all-natural world, Jennifer and I have come across so many products that we love. Truly. I would say the overwhelming majority of what we have been lucky enough to stumble upon has been fantastic. Also, the people behind the brands in this relatively small community are always so knowledgeable, passionate, and generous.

Jessica Ress is one of those incredible people behind a brand that we have been lucky enough to get to know. The founder of natural spa product line Angel Face Botanicals (check out our review of her products), and “blogess” over at Spa Goddess, Jessica can now add published author extraordinaire to her resume. Her new DIY book, 100 Organic Skincare Recipes, will keep you occupied for hours.

I had so much fun reading this book and trying out some of the recipes for my face, body and hair. Jessica’s main mantra is to infuse all that you do with love. Having already developed a successful line of natural beauty and skincare products, she wanted to share her insights and empower readers to make homemade remedies with a few simple ingredients. While I obviously didn’t try all 100 recipes (I mean, c’mon, girl, we like to research our blog entries, but I ain’t got THAT much time!), I dabbled. Some of the recipes are so simple you could probably make them right now with what you have in your fridge; others might require a trip to your local farmer’s market or health food store.

What I love about this book is that you are getting inside information from a health and wellness expert who really knows her stuff, why certain ingredients will work for or against your skin, and so on. Jessica has taken an enormous amount of time, love and consideration to make this book not only enjoyable to simply read (and learn), but has made it super user-friendly for you to start experimenting in your own kitchen.

We will be giving away a copy of this gem of a book to one lucky reader in honor of our one year “blog-iversary” (it all started with this deodorant post…)! Enter the rafflecopter bellow by Oct. 31 for your chance to win! This is open to all U.S. Unsullied readers.

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Meet Your Maker: Jaime Schmidt of Schmidt’s Deodorant

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: deodorant is one of those essential products that needs to work! (No gal wants to clear a room because her well-intentioned, natural deo was a bust.) As you may have seen in our last post, we were very happy to discover that Schmidt’s Deodorant is one of those go-to, dependable products for everyone interested in using a healthy, natural option.

Jaime Schmidt, Schmidt's Deodorant

That’s why we were psyched to ask Jaime Schmidt, founder of Schmidt’s Deodorant, some questions about the natural deodorant biz and the Schmidt’s process. Read on to hear from Jaime, the natural deo master herself: she discusses her process for selecting scents, the future of the natural deo industry, and a bunch more.

Schmidt’s Deodorant has truly glowing reviews. What makes your formula stand out among other natural deodorants? How did you develop it?
Thanks! There are a few things that stand out about the formula. First is the ingredients and their sourcing: we use only the highest quality ingredients available. Then there is the production, which not only requires a specific combination of ingredients, but a very careful and “secret” process that gives us the great consistency and hand feel we’re looking for. This took over two years of R&D for us to get it exactly right. Of course, we put a great deal of effort towards our packaging as well: we want to ensure a positive, new kind of experience with deodorant.

Let’s talk about the “science of smell” and how your ingredients like baking soda and natural plant powders absorb wetness and fight odor. How does that work?

One key is to allow for the body’s natural process of perspiration – we don’t include chemical ingredients like other deodorant brands that are designed to keep you from sweating – rather, we use plant-based powders and top-quality baking soda to absorb the wetness if you do sweat.

These ingredients you mentioned, and more, help to balance our body’s natural odor in a more health-conscious way.

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Overly Excited About Deodorant (Really): Schmidt’s Deo

Schmidt's-Deo

We try out our fair share of all-natural skincare, beauty and body products over here at Unsullied HQ (read: in our respective living rooms). In terms of the products that don’t quite wow us…we don’t lose sleep over a tube of too-sticky lip gloss or odd-smelling soap. But a deodorant that doesn’t perform? There goes our social life. The stakes are HIGH during deodorant trials!

Fortunately for us, we had few qualms about taking all-natural Schmidt’s Deodorant ($9 for 2 oz.) for a test run. Their press page features glowing reviews of tear-inciting effectiveness (“I literally cried after a day of wearing it”) and we’ve heard from bloggers and green beauty fans alike that Schmidt’s has a winning formula. In a world where effective natural deodorants can be a bit elusive…that’s a big deal!

So, how does it work? Schmidt’s contains plant-based powders and high-quality baking soda to absorb wetness and neutralize your B.O., you smelly person (kiddin’). Plus, shea butter and cocoa seed butter act as skin conditioners. Schmidt’s is completely free of the usual suspects that “sully” drugstore deodorants…aluminum, parabens, and more. We wrote nearly a year ago why all-natural deodorant is critically important to us. Underarms are a sensitive part of your body – but more importantly – they’re close to your breasts – and you don’t want any strong or potentially hazardous ingredients/chemicals there. No way, Jose.

Well, the results are in and…YES, Schmidt’s is the REAL DEAL. Rejoice!

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Meet Your Maker: The Gurus Behind Healthy Beauty Boutique Follain

Follain-popup

The world of green beauty is growing, but it can still be a bit elusive at times. You have to order your new organic lip color online, praying (praying) that the actual shade matches the swatch on your computer screen. You have to hightail it across town to Whole Foods to restock your favorite shampoo so you don’t look like a swamp creature the next day at work (it’s either that or resort to your old sulfate-riddled shampoo lurking in the medicine cabinet…never surrender!).

So, what do you do when when you unexpectedly stumble upon a complete cornucopia of your favorite natural skincare and beauty products, laid out in a beautiful space, curated by green beauty pros that you’ve revered and followed for some time?

Uhhh, freak out, obviously!

That’s what I did when I discovered the temporary Follain pop-up boutique earlier this year at Union Market in my home city of Washington, DC.

Literally, I went out for home fries and and came home with RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-Up in shade 11, ILIA Tinted Lip Conditioner in Arabian Knights, and a whole lot of inspiration and happy vibes from the incredible Follain team.

If you’re not familiar with Follain: it’s an absolutely beautiful, Boston-based shop that stocks healthy skincare, haircare and cosmetic products. They carry 30+ of the best natural U.S.-made lines, like Soapwalla, Herbivore Botanicals, Farmaesthetics, and so much more. While the DC pop-up is closed for the time-being, they’ve expanded to a second shop in Nantucket, and best of all, you can get the Follain experience anywhere: their online shop is live!

Follain-ladies

I had a complete fangirl moment over the team behind Follain, founder Tara Foley and director of health and safety Holly Moore. I’d been a longtime fan of Tara’s insightful green beauty blog, The NATURAL CHEMYST, so it was a real treat to meet these two healthy beauty savants. They are some of the most knowledgable women I’ve met in the biz…they truly understand every facet of green beauty and have so much knowledge and experience to share: packaging, product, ingredients. They are deeply committed to making real change in the personal care industry as a whole, shedding light on the harsh chemical ingredients in mainstream products and celebrating the wholesome, healthy and effective natural ingredients in the lines they curate and carry. They’re already well on their way!

Anyway, enough fangirl-ing…I’ll let you hear about this shop’s wonder straight from Tara, Holly and Ashley, the Follain team. Read on to discover how Follain’s refillable soap program is spurring positive behavior change in Boston, a list of these healthy beauty pros’ favorite products, some AWESOME DIYs, and a bunch more.

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30 Days of Eatin’ Vegan: First Bites

Eating vegan

Friends, I have been feeling a bit…saturated these days. After some soul searching and some experimentation, I have decided to try out eating fully vegan for 30 days.

I have dabbled with vegetarianism, and during my days when I worked at a farmers’ market, I didn’t even so much as look at meat. I didn’t miss it. I didn’t crave beef burgers or chicken wings, and I felt really good: slim, clear headed. Because the vendors at the farmers’ market had a trade deal agreement, I’d trade the cheese I was selling for bunches of organic greens, peppers, squash…even veggies that I couldn’t identify (!). It was SO much fun to come home with my bounty and look up unique recipes online.

My overall feeling of healthiness has been waning this past year. I’ve gained some “happiness” weight with my fiancé, I’m tired a lot, and I don’t have the resolve to say “no” like I used to. (Cupcakes have been happening…too much.) I’m getting married in less than four months, and aside from just losing a few pounds, I want to feel more vibrant. I want to bounce off the walls with energy. I want to simplify my diet. No more flip flopping. I need to make a change. Also, as I enter into my marriage, I want to start establishing habits that are good for both me and my soon-to-be husband. I’m going to be 30 this year, and while I don’t know if a fully vegan lifestyle is for me for all the years to come, I want to try it in effort to see the difference it makes in my existence overall. It’s a step in the right direction, at least. If anything, I will learn new recipes and will hopefully feel a little better by following a regimen that omits dairy and meat. Choices will be easier knowing what I can’t have.

SO: I am calling on myself to take a one month vegan challenge. Thirty days of vegan eating that is inspired and deliberate. I will chronicle my experience on Unsullied: the next post will be about my favorite new vegan recipes and then I will follow up with my results of the challenge! We will see how a dairy-eating, salami-loving gal like myself does trying to make a healthy, plant-based change.

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Spring Body Reset: The “Let’s Not Call It a Cleanse” Cleanse

Fruit and vegetable cleanse

All right, I know the Interwebs are always ablaze with a new “super duper miracle cleanse” or an all-juice diet that usually consists of starving yourself whilst cleansing out the toxins that are keeping you from feeling your best. Honey, I have done it AWL. I mean, truly. The Master Cleanse nearly killed me. I tried an apple cider vinegar cleanse, and that lowered my blood pressure so much that I fainted and hit my head on a coffee table giving myself a nice shiner and trip to the E.R. Gwyneth likes to tell us at goop that a full-time working, gym-going, kid-having, on-the-go female can drink herbal teas and a spoonful of mushed lentils to cleanse ourselves, thus making us feel radiant. This might be true, but I also may freak out and order the entire Fresco menu at Taco Bell by day two from sheer hunger/anger/confusion. I can’t be blamed. It’s not my fault that I like to chew things. I am not putting down ANYONE who can do this…but I can’t.

And I got a solution for ya!

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Champagne & Self-Reflection: It’s Almost 2014!

200 Cigarettes Martha Plimpton“Happy F-ing New Year!” (Martha Plimpton in 200 Cigarettes. Photo credit: risabg.com)

As 2014 approaches, we’ll be watching our ALL-TIME FAVORITE SISTA FILM: 200 Cigarettes (trust us, you need this NYE tale – which also contains every celebrity on the planet – AND takes place in the ’80s – what more you could possibly WANT?!)

Oh, and thinking about New Year’s resolutions. Right, that. Both of us feel that the New Year is an incredible opportunity to reset and recalibrate. Sounds cheesy, but it’s true. It’s hard to adopt new rituals and make major lifestyle changes all of the sudden. But the New Year brings renewed purpose and perspective. And we don’t want to let it go to waste.

We decided to highlight one goal each for 2014: a goal that we can track throughout the year, whether via our Twitter and Instagram pages or in entries down the road in 2014. Here they are!

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How to Beat That Winter Cold (No Chemicals Needed)

Vintage Drug Store

I’m so sorry you’re feeling icky! I’m here to help with my tried and true natural remedies.

After I got back from a summer of travelling around Europe, (hello, jet lag!) back-to-back long days of work coupled with extreme stress (due to not having a enough time in the day…Millennial syndrome), the glands on my neck were really swollen, almost constantly. I always seemed to have some sort of “crud.” I had been checked for strep and other more serious things, but the truth was this persistent little bug I had felt off and on for months hadn’t 100% worked its way out of my body, and it was well past it’s welcome.

Pretty soon, I had a fever, was coughing every five seconds and was in sinus headache hell. I couldn’t even sleep for more than 30 minutes at a time because everything was just so uncomfortable. Ironically, I had gotten called into a commercial audition for an energy drink that day. I tried… but it was a disaster. (*hacks, keels over.*) This was a cold from the deepest dregs of hell. Yay! No magic Western medicine to fix me this time? Wah!

This is how I sped that bug out of my system. Get your notebook out: this is what you need, Sniffy McCoughington.

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Why We Love Dry Brushing

Dry brush

We brush our teeth. That’s important. I, personally, do not brush my hair anymore, but I hear that’s important to some people. Who knows? (Kidding.)

Dry brushing is something I came across 100% by accident. I had had several severe colds – or perhaps all the same one, just elongated – and I was feeling CRAPPY. I was getting used to feeling bad, particularly in the gland region. Well, after several Google searches, including key words like “lymph nodes,” I got this Amazon link to a “dry brush for lymphatic drainage.” You know how you can get a lymphatic massage at a spa? Similar idea. Anyway, then I started researching the crap out of dry brushing. And then I started incorporating dry brushing into my everyday ritual, and I loved the results. It sped up my process of recovering from that awful cold…and it has a ton of other benefits, too. I even got Jennifer one for her birthday!

So, what are the main benefits of dry brushing?

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