mindful makeup.

I got serious about my quest for natural makeup over the summer. I realized I wasn't willing to give up makeup, but that I needed to find replacements for some of my products that weren't really good for me. The thing that most consumers don't realize about makeup is that companies are only required to list intended ingredients, which means that all kinds of creepy stuff could be lurking in your products. There are also very few requirements for products to be considered 'natural' or 'organic.'

Here's a round-up of the products I'm currently using. Admittedly, I could find even better alternatives for my Tarte products. My advice is to take your clean-up slowly. Replace one product at a time and decide whether or not you like it. You might have to try several mascaras before finding the right one! Remember, many truly natural beauty products have a completely different consistency and feel to their drugstore counterparts. That's because they're not brimming with toxins and fillers. The payoff is that you'll be treating your skin with so much more care and you'll be keeping those dangerous ingredients away from your precious body.



1. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Dollface || This was one of the easiest replacements I made in my collection. As a matter of fact, I wore this blush on my wedding day. It provides the most natural flush, applies like a dream, and has wonderful staying power.

* Free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.

2. "Un" Powder by RMS Beauty || I use this as a setting powder on my T-zone. The smallest amount goes a long way, leaves skin feeling like silk, and helps keep everything at place while oil remains at bay.

* Free of talc, silicone, perfume, and parabens.

3. "Un" Cover-Up by RMS Beauty in 00 || My favorite aspect of this concealer is that I can use it to cover under eye circles, redness, and blemishes. It does all three things beautifully and looks surprisingly natural to boot!

4. Ilia Mascara in Nightfall || The first time I used this mascara, I was really surprised by the texture. It's unlike any drugstore mascara I've ever used. I was kind of disappointed, but the more I got to used it, the more I liked it. Now I actually like it better than any other mascara I've ever used.

5. Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer || I just recently added this bronzer to my collection. I do have a couple qualms with it: 1) It's too sparkly for my taste, and 2) I don't really like the fact that it's waterproof. Aside from those complaints, I actually do like it, and I'll let it run its course before I go hunting for a new one. This one from Bare Minerals is already on my radar.

* Free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.

construct your meal consciously.

My dream kitchen is big and open with beautiful tile, hardwood floors, a wide, sprawling countertop, fresh flowers on every surface, and a fridge full of vibrant, organic produce. I have endless time to cook whatever my heart desires, and there's always a healthful dessert in the oven to enjoy later that evening. (I let my dreams run pretty wild.)

In reality, our kitchen is quite small. It's (more or less) galley style with scarce counter space, a very old oven/stove combination, and the refrigerator door cannot even open all the way (that might give you some reference as to how wide our kitchen is). When I get home, I'm often in a frantic mad dash to prepare something tasty and healthy.

It's all quite imperfect and, truthfully, our kitchen is the last place I want to spend my time. However, I do enjoy cooking if it involves fresh, wholesome, vibrant ingredients, so our little kitchen has to make do for now. I pretty much follow the same procedure for making our meals. I make a lot of bowls: hearty, quick meals that pack a lot of punch and taste great, too.

As a general rule, there's something from every category (above). I include mostly veggies and incorporate items from the rest of the sections, too. Obviously there are no rules to this, but I've found that I have the most success when I build from this template.

Here's to cooking (with or without that dream kitchen)! ;)

cook the perfect brown rice.

The ability to cook brown rice has always eluded me. Every time I give it a go I'm left with half the rice stuck to the bottom of the pan, while the other half is part crunchy, part slimy. And my experiences with brown rice specifically have fared even worse. The other night, I combined all the information I had ever learned about rice into one super recipe, and it worked! The amount of excitement that ensued in my heart was a bit overdramatic, but I'm still going to share what I believe are the perfect steps to cooking brown rice. Enjoy!

As an aside, the water to rice ratio should always be 2:1 (i.e., 1 cup water, 1/2 cup rice).

Directions:
1. Rinse the rice under cool water — twice.
2. Fill a pot with the proper amount of water and pour the rice in.
3. Bring the water + rice mixture to a boil.
4. After the water has come to a boil, bring it immediately back to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid.
5. Let the rice simmer for 10 minutes and stir. Then, leave the rice to simmer for 5 more minutes and stir.
6. Finally, uncover the pot and allow the rice to finish for 5 more minutes (sans lid).
7. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Voila! Perfect brown rice!

xo

make the most of your smoothie.

Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to start the morning, especially if I'm short on time! I've been really inspired by Arielle's blog, where she talks about nutrition in a way that seems approachable and manageable to me. I'm not sure about you, but I often feel as though I can get easily overwhelmed by clean-eating blogs. Whereas the writer has probably taken months or even years to get to a place of beautiful, clean eating, in blogland it can seem like it's only taken minutes! I'm incredibly grateful for the wealth of information that's available and I'm so thankful for the people who share their knowledge, but simple and step-by-step works best for me.

Today I thought I'd share five of our latest favorite smoothie add-ins. They're perfect for adding a boost of nutrition in a simple and quick way!

1. Oats. I love adding oats into my smoothie, especially if I'm looking to bulk it up a bit. Especially delicious when combined with nut butter, oats pack tons of health benefits (high levels of calcium, iron, and fiber) and taste deliciously nutty, too!

2. Amazing Grass. This is a new discovery for us and we love it. Not only is this product filled with probiotics, but it also packs a ton of greens and sea veggies! While the recommended dose is a tablespoon, it does have quite a strong flavor, so we are starting with a teaspoon. The smoothie masks the taste pretty well, but it does leave a flavor behind.

3. Bee Pollen. A sprinkle of bee pollen is very beneficial for those of us who experience seasonal allergies. I typically just garnish the top of my smoothie with a bit of this, but it can also be mixed right in with everything else. (Bee pollen is not safe to consume if you're allergic to bees.)

4. Chia Seeds. I'll never forget the first time I tried chia seeds. My sister and I ventured into our local health food store and split a bulk container. I've been a lover of these little gems ever since (I wrote about them here). To get the most of these little guys, soak them in water first and then just add a spoonful to your smoothie.

5. Honey. Packed with antioxidants and antibacterial properties, honey is a delicious addition to a smoothie, especially if your sweet tooth is looking for something to satisfy it. A little less than a spoonful will do the trick!

I'd love to hear about your favorite ways to boost a smoothie! xo