Berry Bowls and Bucket Lists

Dear Friends!

First let me begin by saying my thoughts and prayers are in Boston. What is there to say? It's a shitty world and thank God for grace and compassion.

I wanted share one of my go to breakfasts that takes no time to put together and is perfect for Meatless Monday. Sometimes not eating animal products can seem daunting because traditionally they are center stage on the plate. I like to make berries the focus when it comes to breakfast (hello antioxidants and low glycemic deliciousness). When you fill the bowl with berries just throw in some cereal of choice (Grape Nuts), some extra seeds and nuts for an extra boost (ground flax and mixed nuts) and top with your favorite milk (I'm talkin' to you Vanilla Soymilk!).

In other news, today is a big Bucket List Day! I'm a "Background Artist" (extra) on a major motion picture overnight today AND I just signed up to run the ING NYC 2013 Marathon with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Team! What!? Not sure how I'm going to make it on no sleep tonight but I feel like I should go buy a lotto ticket!

Bussi Bussi Lieblings and wishing you a buon evening!

Naturally Beautiful...packaging???

 

Dear Lovelies!

We have all heard time-and-time again about the dangers of chemicals in beauty products and that since our skin is very absorbent it pays to be vigilant.  I've read these articles, understood them, and yet I still slather "Chemical Shit Storm" on my skin.  It wasn't until I was talking to someone about the price of filler, packaging, and production cost vs. retail cost that I paid attention.  A good friend who works in graphic design and has his own production company of home goods (in addition to other fantastic beauty and fashion companies up his sleeve) was telling me about someone who had a boyfriend who needed a hobby.  This guy decided to sell lipstick, came up with a product, some sleek packaging, and the lipstick retailed at a high-end department store for $38.  The lipsticks were mass produced so there was a discount on the packaging and filler.  The tubes ended up costing around $3/piece.  Guess how much the filler was.  FORTY-SEVEN CENTS!! What?!

I almost fell over.  Now I'm intelligent and realize that marketing and especially marketing in beauty is key.  We'll pay extra for a brand name and buy into a pitch just to feel better about ourselves.  I know I can't afford a designer bag but I can scrape enough money together to buy a brand name lipstick.  A small piece of the luxury pie is mine.    But that is a high price to pay to slather FORTY-SEVEN CENTS worth of crap on my face.  Now, I'm not trying to knock an idea and I most certainly appreciate and respect the work that goes into production, especially by the folks who own their own companies.  There is a lot of creativity mixed with blood, sweat, and tears.  It's incredible to see the behind-the-scenes work and I will always support my friends.  But, I'm am so much more cautious now about what I buy and really what is going on this body. Funny that it took being fleeced by packaging for me to see the light.  

This revelation was the driving force behind my goal this month-to start looking for companies with their OWN product and filler line, products that are more natural, and 'cooking' up my own beauty treatments.  I will probably never go totally rogue and stop using products on my face all together.  (Let's be honest-a nice lipstick is sometimes the only thread keeping it together for me some days).  But, in this crap economy I want to the most and BEST bang for my buck.

Whose with me???

 

April Challenge-Naturally Beautiful

Happy Monday and Happy Easter end/end of Passover. I have some great hummus recipes and an amazeballs kale salad I had every intention on writing about today. However, when you are a church musician you tend to spend Easter Monday in comfy clothes (I rocked my purple shirt with penguins wearing sunglasses) and you sneak candy from the Easter baskets all day instead of eating a proper lunch. My Holy Week was filled with amazing music, inspired preaching, laughter, and wonderful friends. I am humbled at how great my life is. Really. Makes me sound like a weirdo but there you have it. That said.....I'm pooped.

My Meatless Monday posts will follow soonly and you will swoon over the yum that is roasted veggie hummus.
However, it being the first of a new month, opening day for baseball, and with spring around the corner I feel a new challenge coming on. I want to spend April cleaning out the makeup bag and beauty cupboards in order to focus on sustainable, natural, healthy beauty. Get your crystals ready hippy because its game on!

Cheers!