Life in General – UNSULLIED

Four Ways to Use Baking Soda and Vinegar

KathryneFeb 23, 2014 5 Comments

DIY with baking soda and vinegar

And no…not for a paper mâché‎ volcano.

ONE: SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER
All right, there’s a LOT of talk out on the Interwebs about how washing your hair with a baking soda/water mixture and conditioning with apple cider vinegar is like, way better for your hair than traditional shampoos that strip your hair of natural oils (and especially those loaded with sulfates, fragrance, yadda yadda). I have also heard that this method helps your hair grow faster. That’s always a plus, eh? The “basic” (pun intended) idea is that baking soda is a basic cleansing agent. Following with acidic ACV helps neutralize your hair while holding in moisture. Not one to be left behind, I did some research and decided to use this recipe:

Get the London Look: Green Beauty Swap Edition

JenniferJan 3, 2014 15 Comments

They say it’s good to have friends in high places. Well, in my book, that means having friends who live in London. Who are green beauty bloggers. And who agree to mail you packages!

Toward the end of last year, I signed up to participate in the “Green Beauty Swap” organized by Ria of Naturia Beauty and Tania of Bow Tied Beauty. I was thrilled to be matched with Mayah of Call it Vanity, a super funny and savvy green beauty blog that’s also written by a dynamic duo, based out of London. The basic premise of the swap is that you & your partner select a price point & then pick out green beauty products for one another and mail them like you would any holiday gift (y’know, with the trimmings).

Mayah SERIOUSLY delivered! I had told her I was hoping to nab some British green beauty products that are hard (or impossible) to find in the States. When I opened her beautifully wrapped package, I literally heard a choir of (British) angels singing in the distance. She packed so much goodness into one little box! Plus, her thoughtful and curated picks came at a great time: every part of my face, body and hair is dry, dry, dry, and these products are perfect winter antidotes, full of moisture and utility. In case you’re curious, here’s Mayah’s great post on the package I put together for her.

So, without further ado, here’s the “London edit” of green beauty, straight from the pro herself! All of these items are on my “re-purchase” list for the next time I make it across the pond.

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

JenniferDec 30, 2013 2 Comments

“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!

Last Minute Drug Store Gift Ideas That Don’t Suck

JenniferDec 22, 2013 0 Comments

Acure Organics Cell Stimulating Facial Mask, $15.99, available at Whole Foods
Nourish Organic Coconut & Argan Body Wash, $9.99, available at Target
J.R. Watkins Coconut Scrub, $12.99, available at Target
eos Smooth Sphere Lip Balm, $3.29, available at most drugstores/Target
Elemis Skin Brush, $48, available at Nordstrom

You know those boxes in buildings that read, “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, BREAK GLASS” – ? This is the blog entry equivalent of that.

We’re three days out from Christmas and there’s a good chance that some of you still haven’t picked up last-minute gifts for coworkers or stocking stuffers for family members. SHAME ON YOU! (Just kidding, this is the story of my life.) Unfortunately, for many of us, our favorite all-natural and organic beauty finds require an online shipment. Ain’t nobody got time for that. And if you’re marooned in the suburbs or country this holiday, chances are you’re more than a few miles out from a specialty skincare boutique (but please support small biz if there is one in your vicinity!).

If you’re out of options (and hair), instead of grabbing the first thing you see at the drugstore and giving your mother a lumpy bag of mixed nuts or a stale chocolate bar from the CVS checkout counter (which I have done in desperation every year…sorry, Mom…), make the most of the drug/grocery/department store nearest you and snag a natural beauty gift that’s available at mainstream shops.

How to Beat That Winter Cold (No Chemicals Needed)

KathryneDec 17, 2013 2 Comments

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.

Liebster Love

JenniferDec 7, 2013 1 Comment

We got a nice surprise this week: Melissa from A Prudent Life tagged us with the Liebster torch last week – a way for new bloggers to recognize and get to know one another. WE WERE PSYCHED. Thank you, Melissa!

Before we get into answering the fun questions that Melissa wrote for us (we worked on these over the phone and had some real laughin’ out loud moments), here are the Liebster rules, for reference:

Holiday Gift Ideas, Naturally…

JenniferNov 25, 2013 1 Comment

Me Plus You screen printed organic cotton flour sack towel by Earth Cadets, $16
Beeswax Aromatherapy Beehive Glass in Enlightenment by Big Dipper Wax Works, $14.50
Scotch Naturals Holiday Black Tie Collection, $60
Lulu Organics Hair Powder in Lavender & Clary Sage, $30
bkr Bottle in Crush, $28

I’m just going to come out and say it: I dropped the ball on Thanksgiving this year. I have bookmarked zero recipes and I have no idea what I’m going to contribute to our family feast this Thursday. So, in the spirit of being prepared for at least some of the impending winter holidays, I’m refusing to acknowledge this Thursday’s festivities and instead sharing a few of my picks for holiday gifts – or birthday gifts, for those of you who have Sagittarius friends (I’ve got three in the immediate family). Speaking of, today is KATHRYNE’S birthday! Happy, happy birthday, big sis. One of your gifts is included in the collage above. Betcha can’t guess which one…!

And now, for some rationale: