Hi Friends! I am so excited for summer to be here. I am definitely a summer person because I love the sun and water. I live in Gilbert, Arizona so that means very sunny and hot days.
If you have been following me on Instagram, you probably know how much I love to spend time in the sun. The sun is our friend and getting sunlight every day is very important, but we do need to be safe about it.
This post contains affiliate links that, if you click through to buy the product, will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. View my full disclosure on this page.
Not All Sunscreen Is Created Equal
Many sunscreens on the market are linked to endocrine disruptions and cancers as well as organ toxicity. Most of them use artificial fragrances, which is a combination of lots of different chemicals.
Keep reading for a list of non-toxic sunscreens, just click the pic for the link!
Valentine’s Day is celebrated in lots of different ways. For us, its mostly a small gift, flowers, chocolates, or a simple gesture. But for others, it is a larger gift giving holiday.
Fun Fact: My husband and I started dating the day after Valentine’s Day (he says that was on purpose lol)
I have put together a small list of gift ideas that have non-toxic products and self care items (because something we all need is self care!)
This post contains affiliate links that, if you click through to buy the product, will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. View my full disclosure on this page.
Gift Guide For Her
Lounge Set
Something every girl needs is a nice, comfy lounge set. This one is perfect for wearing at home or for going out with a pair of sneakers.
Jade Face Roller and Gua Sha
Gua sha is known to decrease inflammation and increase blood flow to the face. It can help define the cheekbones and jawline with its anti-ageing effects. Here is a jade face roller and gua sha stone.
Face Serum
Facial serum can be used with the gua sha set, or on its own. It gives the skin a nice dewy and hydrated feel. Honest Beauty makes this non-toxic face serum with hyaluronic acid.
Face Mask
One of the best self care practices is relaxing with a calming face mask. Here is a non-toxic calming and hydrating sheet mask by Knours.
Scrunchies
Every girl needs some good scrunchies. This set has some nice neutral colors that can go with every hair color.
Tongue Scraper
Tongue scraping is so beneficial to our oral microbiome as well to our sense of taste, breath, and gut health. You can get a 2 pack of pretty copper tongue scrapers on Amazon.
Magnetic Lashes
These are super easy to apply and last for so long. All you need to do is apply the eyeliner and the lashes stick to it. This also means that they can be reused. It makes getting ready for date night much easier. Get a 10 pack here.
Gift Guide for Him
Lounge Set
This lounge set is a great one for around the house, hanging with friends, or for a pre and post gym outfit.
This shaving soap from Men’s Soap Co. is non toxic and contains Vitamin E and Shea Butter.
Beard and Hair Trimmer
My husband has a similar beard trimmer to this one and loves it. It gets it to the exact length he wants and makes him look so good for date night. I also use it to cut his hair at home and it works perfectly!
Facial Cleanser
Give your guy a good non-toxic face cleanser. Here is one that contains minerals and probiotics for healthy skin.
Men’s Shower Soap
Dr. Squatch has a lot of good products, their main one being their soap line. I, personally just love the commercials they have. If you haven’t seen them, stop what you are doing and watch one. You will thank me. Here is a 3 pack of their signature non-toxic soaps.
Tongue Scraper
Just like I mentioned above, tongue scraping has so many health and hygiene benefits. Click here to get a 2 pack of surgical grade steel tongue scrapers.
Beef Jerky
The signature “man snack”. This jerky is quality meat that is smoked and marinated for 24 hours.
Happy Valentines Day!
I hope you enjoyed my gift guide. However you celebrate Valentine’s Day, and whoever you are with, I wish you and your significant other a happy day.
To all my single pringles, treat yourself! You deserve it.
The sun is one of the best healing tools out there. When we get a healthy amount of sunlight, our minds and bodies can benefit in so many ways.
These days, so many people do not get enough sunlight each day. We have become so busy with working and running from one thing to the next that we have forgotten that it is okay to take a moment and do something positive for our mental and physical health. And we shouldn’t feel guilty doing so.
If you let lots of sunlight into your home, do you notice a difference in your mood and sleep cycle? Even letting sunlight in through your window can have lots of benefits, keep reading to find out why.
It is okay to take a moment and do something
positive for our mental and physical health.
This post contains affiliate links that, if you click through to buy the product, will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. View my full disclosure on this page.
If we open the window or go outside when we wake up, it helps our minds set a good sleep/wake schedule.
Morning sun exposure is best done within an hour of waking up to get the most benefits.
Studies have shown that individuals with sleep disorders can have improved sleep by spending 30-45 minutes each day in the sunlight. This is due to the increased levels of Serotonin.
They even make Sunlight Stimulating Alarms to help improve our sleep patterns if going outside is harder to do right as you wake up.
Increased Serotonin
Serotonin is linked to wound healing, bone health, digestion, and improved mood.
So opening your windows to let in natural light can actually go a long way for your mental health.
Low levels of Serotonin are linked to seasonal depression, insomnia, weight gain, nausea and fatigue.
Our bodies produce Serotonin in our brains when sunlight is absorbed through our eyes. (But that does not mean look directly at the sun!)
If you need to supplement your serotonin levels, here is a good Serotonin Supplement.
Vitamin D
Sun exposure is the best way to boost Vitamin D levels. Our bodies produce Vitamin D when exposed to the UVB sun rays.
UVB rays cannot be absorbed through windows as they are made to filter them out, so you must go outside for this benefit.
Vitamin D supports our immune function and targets inflammation. It is also linked to bone health as it helps our bodies absorb Calcium.
Low levels of Vitamin D can cause fatigue, hair loss, bone pain or muscle pain.
Although excess sun exposure is linked to skin cancer, a safe amount of exposure can aid in healing different skin conditions such as:
Acne
Psoriasis
Jaundice
Eczema
If you do not have the time to go outside and soak in those healing sun rays, you can try this light therapy system that targets inflammation and blemishes.
When outside, be sure to use sunscreen. But not just any sunscreen because so many of them contain harmful chemicals. This sunscreen brand is free of those chemicals and is safe and effective to use throughout the day. I will link more non toxic brands below!
Conclusion
Safe amounts of sunlight are very important to get everyday. There are so many more benefits but these ones are important to me and are the most prevalent ones. Check out the products I have linked below to help you get the most of these benefits!
Non Toxic Sunscreen
These are some of the top rated non-toxic brands on ewg.org. Their ingredients are safe and they do not contain any harmful chemicals or fragrances. Just click the pic!
Attitude Mineral Sunscreen
Biossance Sunscreen
C’est Moi Sunscreen
Other Product Links
In case you missed the product links in the post, click the pic!
Did you know that there are many different factors to skin health other than how clean/ moisturized it is? Yes it is important to keep your skin clean and hydrated and to choose the right products for your skin, but if you are finding it hard to clear stubborn acne or other unwanted skin blemishes the problem may be lying under the surface.
I have a history of stubborn acne when I was a teenager so I know how much fun it is… not. I tried so many products recommended by the dermatologist such as topical and oral medications, but I felt like these only solved a part of the problem.
It wasn’t until I developed good sleeping, eating, hydration, facial, and other routines that I saw my skin just take care of itself. Finding a good balance in everything literally cleared my skin. Here is a list of a few things that actually play a role in your skin’s health.
This post contains affiliate links that, if you click through to buy the product, will earn me a small commission at not extra cost to you. View my full disclosure on this page.
Factors That Influence Skin Health
Sleep
It is recommended that we get at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night. It is important to develop a good sleep schedule and to “prepare for bed” by:
Washing your face and applying a night cream
Keeping clean sheets
Relaxing/ mediating before laying down
Not eating right before going to bed
For the 1st 3 hours of sleep, our body releases the Human Growth Hormone which maintains the youthfulness of our skin and repairs the skin from daily damage.
For the middle 2 hours of sleep, our body releases Melatonin which is an antioxidant to protect our bodies from harmful free radicals.
For the last 3 hours of sleep, our bodies’ cortisol (stress hormone) levels decrease and our skin recovers from the long day we just had.
So get your beauty rest – its a thing! Learn more here.
Liver
As I mentioned in my last post, liver health is actually related to skin health. If your liver is not doing its job of flushing out toxins, they come out through the skin.
Toxins living in the deep layers of our skin can cause surface blemishes such as acne, eczema, dark spots, dermatitis, and wrinkles. So taking care of your liver is a way to clean your skin from the inside out.
Throughout my life, every time I get stressed I notice a little zit or two pop up out of nowhere. I used to try and just clean the area and apply creams and stuff but now I notice that when I calm down and keep a good routine it goes away.
When we are stressed, our Cortisol levels rise and this causes our sebaceous glands to produce more oil. So its no wonder that when I am stressed I get pimples and when I am calm they go away.
Did you know that your skin is the last organ in the body that receives the water we drink? That’s right, so keeping our bodies hydrated is very important so that our skin reaps the benefits.
Studies have shown that drinking at least 9.5 cups of water every day improve our skin’s density and thickness. Dr. Steven Deliduka, a board certified dermatologist said,
“Without adequate water intake, skin appears duller, and wrinkles and pores are more prominent.”
Dr. Steven Deliduka, Forefront Dermatology
To drink more water, try setting timers throughout the day to remind you, or using one of these water bottles that track your intake throughout the day. (I like to add frozen strawberries and lemon to my water so it has more flavor and health benefits!)
Natural Skin Care Products
I like to find products that do not contain harmful chemicals for my skin, but that aren’t super expensive. Here are some that I like:
Balanced Living for a Healthier Mind and Body 