Osmia Organics

2014 Faves…and Happy New Year!

Kathryne 12 Comments

This year was special for us in so many ways. It was our first full year as green beauty bloggers, and we learned so much from this awesome community – the warmth and kindness that met us this year is something we will never forget. We became closer as sisters who live 3,000 miles apart, and Unsullied has been a great way for us to keep in touch and share knowledge and ideas with each other. THAT said…drumroll, please…here are our favorite products of 2014, out of the plethora we slathered all over our sometimes confused and disconcerted skin/bodies (all for the sake of the blog and furthering our green beauty education, y’all). If you read our blog regularly, you probably won’t be surprised at ALL at our picks! (Hey, when we like something, we LIKE something!) We included some tidbits from our original reviews. Onward!

Kathryne’s Faves

Acure Organics: Line Eraser
May 21 – Best of Acure Organics: The Line Eraser is my absolute, hands down, FAVORITE Acure product. The Line Eraser is not only a product I have ALREADY bought for myself, (and will again, and again…) but this little pot of heaven is your answer to most skin care problems. I started with putting it on my “lines” – forehead, laugh lines, etc. Then I started putting it on old acne scars, new acne scars, my eyebrows…you name it! (I started deliberately putting this on my eyebrows at night because I realized that it has helped them grow in thicker. Who doesn’t want THAT?) It’s like a healing salve, and so much more. You can put it on burns, cuts, scrapes, eczema, psoriasis, etc. It’s 100% organic. The Line Eraser’s rich, almost Vaseline-like texture lend itself to really, really working wonders on your skin. It lightens and brightens scars, and has worked literal miracles on my brow/frown lines, the things I am most self-conscious about. Even if you COVER yourself in it, as I have everyday, it will last you a solid 6-8 weeks.

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Osmia Organics: Kathryne’s Take

Kathryne 12 Comments

Osmia Organics

I met the supremely friendly and down-to-earth team at Osmia Orgamics, a stand-out soap and skincare company made with high-quality natural and organic ingredients, at A Night For Green Beauty over the summer. I felt like a really bad green blogger for never having tried their products, despite hearing great things from everyone…Jennifer included! She had the pleasure of sampling some of their products for acne prone skin earlier in the year and loved them so much. Go check out her review of the Spot Treatment and Black Clay Facial Soap.

Jennifer and I have very different skin, but our experience with Osmia was the same: we fell in love. Osmia sent me products for hydration and balance. I am 30, and my skin is combination. Sometimes it’s crazy oily, other times it’s borderline chapped. I have acne here and there, but nothing too awful…I think it’s what might be considered “normal.” Although, at 16, if you would have told me that one can still get a zit on their chin at 30, I would have slapped you in the face. Alas…welcome to your 30s, ladies! We get to worry about fine lines and pimples! Woohoo! And if that wasn’t enough…I also have a tendency to get small chapped areas from eczema if I am not careful, and although I HATE to admit it, I have paper thin sensitive skin. I get that from my Dad, who will break out into a rash if you even MENTION the word “perfume” around him.

Osmia carries products for full body and facial care: soaps, body oils, facial oils of varying kinds, etc. Their products are targeted to your skin problems: acne, dry skin, aging skin, you name it. They even have a lovely new natural scent line that is subtle, earthy and safe! Osmia prides itself in not only the way their products work on your skin, but also the way that they make you feel when you use them. The calm that washes over you while breathing in the notes of lavender in your soap, the Bulgarian rose and base of violet leaf in their perfume Possa to reinforce your courage and strength. I think that’s a powerful way to make your products.

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Hubba, Hubba…! A Night For Green Beauty

Kathryne 11 Comments

Did you know there’s an annual event that celebrates the bountiful world of green beauty? And that it was earlier this month? (Most of you bloggers and green beauty fans are probably nodding, “Yup. DUH.”)

But just in case you haven’t heard of A Night for Green Beauty (ANFGB), put on by green skincare line La Bella Figura and drawing bloggers and product manufacturers from around the country, (kind of like charcoal draws dirt out from pores…OK, terrible green beauty joke…) let me paint you a quick picture.

Twenty-two green beauty brands set up shop at the W hotel in Los Angeles to share their fantastic wares, (and samples…samples!) including the beloved Jose Rosebrook, Osmia Organics, Alima Pure, the list. GOES. ON!

Flowers crowns were sported.

Cold-pressed juice was sipped.

A cornucopia of sustainably and stylishly packaged beauty and skincare products, teeming with powerful natural, nourishing and organic ingredients awaited all in attendance.

I mean…it’s pretty much what you would expect: HEAVEN. ON. EARTH.

I can’t tell you how hard it was going to ANFGB in Los Angeles without my dear baby sister & blogger-in-crime, Jennifer. Well, hard may be an overstatement, heh, because it was like a dreamland I could have never fathomed (sorry, sis!)…it was overwhelming and beautiful! All those green brands all in the same place?! It was so magical!

My hubby came with me to help snap photos. He may not be a fan of shimmery mineral eye shadows and citrus-scented body oils, but he is pretty much the best ever for snapping photos and coming along for the ride while I covered myself in natural perfumes from Lurk and swathed in various facial serums. I might have left looking a little crazy, but by God, it was WORTH IT!

Meeting the people behind the brands and blogs that Jennifer and I have loved, admired, and gained so much knowledge and enlightenment from was truly special. I could go on about it forever. But in the interest of your boredom and my social life, I am going to highlight just a few of my favorite experiences for you!

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The Osmia Experience

Jennifer 20 Comments

Osmia Products

Finally trying Osmia Organics after a half-year of writing this blog is sort of like Dorothy reaching Oz. (Except in our story, he really is a wizard.)

Osmia is a stand-out natural skincare + soap brand formulated from pure, gentle, all-natural ingredients. The products feel luxurious and are super effective. The ingredients are ultra-pure and thoughtfully curated.

A quick bit of background, because this meticulously formulated brand deserves explanation. Osmia, started by the incredible Sarah Villafranco, MD = “sense of smell.” And the website reads: “Every Osmia product is made with utmost attention to the scent and its aromatherapeutic benefits.” Well, ain’t that the truth. These products smell sweet, herbal, compelling and soothing. I’ve never met an Osmia product that my nose didn’t like. But there’s a deeper meaning in those beautiful smells, y’all:

Stop what you are doing and really see the color of the sky. Notice the taste of your coffee, even if it’s the same type you drink every morning. Feel how your child’s hand feels in yours – soft, little, warm. Hear not only the music, but the silence that happens when you turn off the music. Because if we don’t sense our lives, and all the precious beauty that can be found in a regular old day, well that’s really just silly.

Yep. This brand’s philosophy rules. And you know what else does? THE PRODUCTS. Here’s what I received in my haul:

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Gift Ideas for Mama Bears Everywhere

Jennifer 12 Comments

Healthy, natural gifts for Mother's Day

Our mom has had a big influence on our blog, even though she might now know it (we’ll make sure to tell her on Sunday). We heard this phrase a lot from her growing up:

Listen to your body.

Our mom always reminded us that our bodies would tell us what we needed most, be it rest, food, a good stretch or a night in. Although we’ve both abused this philosophy in the past (“Dang it, can’t help you move out of your apartment tonight! I have to listen to my body and it would rather watch HGTV and order delivery sandwiches.”), all in all, it has served us VERY well in regards to our wellbeing. Maybe not so much our social lives.

Nowadays, our mom’s words have guided us to launch an entire blog dedicated to not only listening to our bodies, but feeding and nourishing them on the inside and out with ingredients that make us feel the happiest and healthiest. And this Mother’s Day, we want to do just that for our mom and give her some lovely, natural, healthy products that’ll do her right. Feel free to steal our ideas, plus we’ve got some discount codes for you!

Here’s to you, Mama Bear.

  1. Badger Stress Soother, $6.79
  2. Osmia Organics Purely Simple Face Cream, $60
  3. Adama Minerals Body Butter, $14.99 (+ coupon code below!)
  4. Burt’s Bees Hand Salve, $9

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5 Ways to Beat Breakouts, Naturally

Jennifer 16 Comments

Natural Acne Remedies

My complexion and I are officially frenemies.

I give it nothin’ but love: all-natural treatments and masks a-plenty, clean make-up and green juices. But my skin is rebellious. Ungrateful! It will break out with a vengeance, on occasion.

Lucky for me, the enlightened, glorious green beauty community came to my rescue recently when I turned to Twitter for help. Within just a few hours, I received a slew of helpful recommendations for warding off my breakout using natural remedies (thank you, guys!). I’ve been employing these tactics for two weeks with amazing results.

So, behold, five recommendations from the green beauty community to ward off acne…for real. (!)

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