The Honest Company Canada Essential Bundle - This Is How Honesty Is Done!

The Honest Company has started spreading its ecologically and environmentally honest products and commendable customer care policies across Canada for a few months now and after my initial Free Trial Set (reviewed here!) I took the full plunge and ordered my first Essential Bundle order.
My initial overwhelming positive vibe continues now that I am full fledged Honest Member and for the first time in a very long time I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this company's products, shipping and the way they handle their customer concerns. Basically I am more than just a little impressed and naturally I want to share why!

The Essential Bundle is a collection of five core products of your own choosing, covering all of your basic needs: household, bath and body and personal care. The price is a flat fee of $35.95, plus $5.95 for shipping and handling with an option to add three additional products to the box without any extra shipping charges. That fact alone is pretty amazing if you have any knowledge of the kind of prices charged for shipping within Canada regardless of what method you end up using. I am not sure how they are able to do that but I am very happy that they can manage it!

The perks of being an Honest Member are many and include a savings of 35% off all their products, shipping frequency flexibility, flat shipping fee, special offers and seasonal discounts and a very generous referral program. The membership literally puts you in the driver seat - you decide what you get, how often you get and if there are issues or you need to hold your orders for any reason their customer service is only a phone call or live chat away.
All of the Honest Company products are exactly as the name implies transparent and honest when it comes their origins, ingredients, methods of production and customer service.
What can I say - they are just awesome!

For my personal Essential Bundle I decided to fill out all of my product spots right away and choose the full eight product for maximum capacity. If i had more spots left I probably would have purchased even more - that should tell you just how much I enjoyed my first free trial pack!

My choices were: Dishwasher Pods ($10.95 for 32 loads), Laundry Detergent ($12.95 for 70 loads), Multi-Surface Cleaner ($5.95 for 24 oz), Body Oil ($9.95 for 4 oz), Conditioning Mist ($5.95 for 4 oz), Conditioner ($9.95 for 8.5 oz), Shampoo + Body Wash ($9.95 for 8.5 oz) and Face + Body Lotion ($9.95 for 8.5 oz)

My entire order was processed within 24-36 hours after I confirmed my product selections and shipping date, they sent me a tracking number right away, shipped out fast and then delivered directly to my door within a week. This is Canada so I have to say that kind of fast shipping is pretty rare around here.

Keeping with this honest theme I will say that I have only had about a week to test out my new essentials but so far I am very happy with their performance, ease of use and feel (bath & body) on the skin. The stand out feature is the Honest Company signature orange blossom + vanilla scent which is so mild and refreshing that I am almost positive that even those who have fragrance sensitivities or aversions would enjoy it or not even notice it. Since the scent is of the unisex version even the men in my family are happy with it, which is something that has never happened in our household before.

I will most likely be doing individual reviews on each of the products in my bundle eventually but I will say that at this point every single one of them is a superstar in the making.
If I had to select an absolute front-runner then I hesitantly choose the Honest Body Oil that has been keeping my dry skin silky smooth, moisturized and smelling lovely. I love adding a few drops of this absolutely not-greasy wonder to my hair as an overnight hair treatment before my morning shower or spiking my body lotion with just a tiny amount if i feel like I need a bigger hydration boost. The formula is so concentrated that you really only need a small dose each time making this 4 oz bottle even a better value when compared to some other sub-par, more expensive body oil concoctions.
I am pretty much hooked!

The Honest Company has just released three new products to their arsenal - Organic Nipple Balm ($13.95 for 1.8 oz), Organic Belly Balm ($15.95 for 3.65 oz) and the Foaming Hand Soap ($6.95 for 8.5 oz).
You better believe they are already in my shopping cart! :)

If you want your very own trial kit you can use my referral link here (which would be so nice!) or visit their website directly! 

I hope this was helpful!

Have you tried the Honest Company yet? What is your favorite product? 

XOXO

ANJA

*Disclosure - this post contains a referral link but is in no way sponsored by the Honest Company!

The Honest Company Spreads It's Honesty Across Canada Too

I am sure almost everyone has heard about the Honest Company by now but it might be news to you that they have recently expanded their shipping parameters to Canada and it's territories. To say I was excited about this is the understatement of the century!

The story goes that Jessica Alba started a project after having her babies and realizing just how unsafe everything in the world really is. Instead of sitting back, whining about the injustice and spending thousands of dollars on high end brands that guaranteed nothing, she decided to change the game and make her own "natural" goodness. 

Talk about the proactive attitude! She put her money where her mouth is and just like that The Honest Company  was born.

The "Honest" brand essentially offers clean personal and home care products that are safe, effective, affordable, accessible and trustworthy when it comes to ingredients and formulation effectiveness. Their brand prerogative is to be good for the user, community and environment through transparency, responsibility and commitment to their customers. 

To put it plainly - this stuff is free from the usual nasties other household brands routinely use and as such safe to use even around babies. The company guarantees everything they make and strives to provide excellent customer service.

To spread their "honesty" throughout Canada they have a couple of enticing promotions going on right now; offering free* trial packs in the baby, family essentials and health categories. These trial packages come with no commitment, full guarantee and great value; making the offer a little too good to pass up.

My free* trial package was very easy to order on their site and arrived very quickly for a Canadian mailing. 

When I placed the order I was fully aware that this was a trial package but what I actually received in the mail surpassed any expectation I may have had! There are no tiny, single-use packets here - the five products included were all generously sized (1 fl. oz.) and came in an adorable re-usable box. This means that they give you enough product to conduct a real, significant trial before ordering the full size, which is something I find so annoying about foil samples. Personally I need to use something more than once to decide if it's right for me or not.

The Honest Company and me are obviously on the same page with this one. 

The products included in my kit were:

Honest Laundry Detergent

Honest Shampoo + Body Wash

Honest Hand Soap

Honest Healing Balm

Honest Face + Body Lotion

The one thing that you need to be aware and perhaps the only small drawback to this incredible deal is that by signing up for the trial you are indeed enrolling in the Honest Company Membership Program. However this doesn't mean you are making that commitment just by trying the products - the membership is easily canceled through their efficient customer service, which is very helpful, knowledgeable and appreciative of any concerns you may have.

If you indeed love the products you get then you can keep your membership along with it's many perks. These benefits include discount prices, bundle purchases, shipping schedule flexibility along with order customization. Basically you are in the driver seat, you choose what you get, when you get it and how often you get it! They also have a referral program where getting a friend signed up you automatically get $20.00 store credit, which is more than generous and can really add up in terms of free products! Honestly (pun fully intended!) the membership perks are some of the best I have come across. 

The other free* trials they are offering is the baby diaper bundle and the new health (vitamins) pack. Just like mine they only require shipping & handling fee payment of $5.95, which is ridiculously low when you consider post office prices in Canada. 

The baby diapers & wipes bundle contains 7 cute diapers and 10 accompanying wipes; while the Health & Wellness bundle gives you a choice between a 1-Day supply of Prenatal & DHA/Omega-3 and Baby & Toddler Multi Powder and Kid's Chewable Multi-Vitamins. 

The products I have tried during me Honest trial have definitively impressed me so far with the Honest Organic Healing Balm and Honest Liquid Hand Soap being the obvious stand outs. What I love the most about all of the Honest Company products is their signature milky vanilla orange blossom scent, which manages to be both soft and prominent with very light lingering effect on the skin. 

After this trial experiment I have decided to give the Honest Company Essentials Bundle a whirl and see how my first "real" order turns out. Being of fickle & indecisive nature I have been scouring their website, changing out products in my bundle, trying to decide what I want to try first. 

As they say "first world problems" 

If you want your very own trial kit you can use my referral link here (which would be so nice!) or visit their website directly! 

I hope this was helpful!

Have you tried the Honest Company yet? What is your favorite product? 

XOXO

ANJA

*Disclosure - this post contains a referral link but is in no way sponsored by the Honest Company!

CLEAN PRETTY IS BETTER PRETTY - Project PART 1

I am about to share a quote with you that scared me a little more than I'd like to admit but I am hoping that it will at least inspire me to make some more significant changes in my personal quest for "cleaner living". 

According to the Environmental Working Group "one third of personal care products contain at least one chemical linked to cancer" and the main offenders such as parabens, preservatives or phthalates have been proven to do everything from degrading cell DNA to lowering weakened immune systems. 

Its findings and realizations like this motivate me to up my game even more when it comes to choosing better products for both personal and household use. After all ingredients I can pronounce and recognize such as pomegranate, mushrooms, green tea, coconut oil, cocoa, almonds, brown sugar...are so much more pleasant to use and today's natural companies have more than perfected their formulas so you can be assured that they will be effective and safe. 

As a beauty blogger, scientist and just an all-around curious person I already really enjoy trying new products, discovering up-and-coming brands and even just researching unusual ingredients. My humble clean-living mission started out just like that - personal research, company communication and a ton of samples and mini bottles. The journey made it very clear to me that replacing everything I use and consume with a healthier choice can be ridiculously overwhelming and frustrating but the benefits gained can not only be life-changing for me but also for the environment and my immidiate community. 

My "Clean Pretty is Better Pretty" project is nowhere near finished and continues to be and probably always will be a work in progress but I wanted to share some of my findings with you my lovely readers and introduce you to some of my favorite discoveries.

The first brand I looked into that focused on both personal and household products that are clean, eco-friendly, organic and just overall plain-awesome is the now already famous Honest Company. Everything I read and inquired about when it came to their products, philosophy and customer service was beyond impressive that I now can't wait for their expansion to Canada (check their facebook page for updates). I will be placing an order for their Essentials Bundle on day one :-)

They offer everything from household necessities (laundry, dishwasher detergents), personal care products (shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath etc), baby essentials (wipes, diapers etc) and family staples (sunscreen, bug spray). After sampling a few of their creations I am definitively a huge fan!

Aesop is an Australian natural company that covers all the products one can possibly need - skincare, body care, hair care, fragrance and even some unique home based items. This already holds a cult position among the environmentally passionate and responsible individuals and is one of those brands that really never required hype to be successful. The luxurious and charming apothecary style bottles, fresh unconventional
scents and pure but effective formulations are just some of the reasons I was all over their stuff. Their low-key (realistic) promises, research dedication and use of only the best natural concoctions in the Aesop laboratories means that their products will stay true to what they say and there is no worry about any "nasties" causing havoc on your face or body. I had used their appropriately named Amazing Face Cleanser ($33 for 3.4 oz) before and loved it more than I like to admit, along with the Damascan Rose Facial Treatment ($73.00 for 0.9 oz), which is probably one of my favorite products of all time. 

REN Skincare is all over my blog as it is so my love for their products is well-documented (see here!) but I couldn't resist mentioning them. Their "clean skincare" approach was ground-breaking when they first started and the most recent addition to their collection, Rosa Centifolia Foaming Cleanser ($22 for 150 ml) only renewed my obsession with REN. For those unfamiliar with the brand, you need to know that REN skincare does not use parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, glycol, silicone or artificial colors and preservatives in their innovative formulas which means you are getting a product chock-full of natural essential oils, antioxidants and replenishing phytohormones. To me REN is the best example that combining science and nature can result in a product that is effective but doesn't have to be harmful to fulfill its purpose. 

Tammy Fender skincare brand is one of my most recent discoveries and their claim to fame seems to be focused on products based on ancient practices of holistic medicine and custom blended formulations. Basically their approach is centered on creating personalized product lines that deal with the individuals specific skin problems and concerns as companies seem to have finally realized that just because only a few "skin-types" have been established that doesn't mean that all skin should be boxed into such narrow categories. My favorite part of their philosophy and ultimately the reason I placed an order was their stance "everything put onto the skin enters into the body and becomes one with the person". Do we really want cancer-related and cell-destroying substances to become one with our bodies?

The product that wowed me (full review to come!) is the Capillary Strengthening Blend Formula No.CB-459 ($80 for 1 oz), which is a form of serum-oil designed for sensitive skins prone to redness (rosacia). I am so excited about trying more of Tammy's skincare especially since their mission fits most perfectly in the "Clean Pretty is Better Pretty" project!

The Intelligent Nutrients brand may be familiar to long-time Aveda  fans because they were both started by the same person. This brand however is certified organic and makes a seemingly endless number of products in each category - skin, body, hair and even a variety of nutritional supplements. Fun fact about the founder, Horst Rechelbacher - it is said that in 2008 during the launch of Intelligent Nutrients he demonstrated the brands commitment to purity and clean ingredients by actually drinking their new hair spray! I can't think of a better way to make a point about the safety of what you are trying to sell! 

My favorite product from Intelligent Nutrients is the Plant Stem Cell Science Renewal Eye Gel ($48 for .5 oz), which claims to reduce fine lines around the eyes in a mere 20 days of religious use! I don't have a whole lot of lines yet (phew!) but I can definitively vouch for the hydration and plumping factor of the eye gel. The delicate skin not just feels better after I use this but it also looks brighter, hydrated and rested. Its a keeper for sure :-)

I hope you enjoyed this little guide and discovered a new "clean" brand to try. 

Please join me in the upcoming installments for more products that are guaranteed not to make you sick :-)

Do you have a favorite natural or organic brand?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)

Skincare Tips from a Skincare Hoarder/Beauty Blogger

Just a quick glance of this blog and its pretty clear to anyone that the Canadian Princeza is a huge appreciator and connoisseur of the beauty industry or more specifically the skincare field. Necessity, genetics and over-reactive skin caused me to start seriously looking into skincare, ingredients, treatments and a vast number of products from a very young age.

Being proactive, naturally curious and a scientist at heart (Biology Grad Student!) made it second nature for me to want to experiment, try new things, explore new innovations but perhaps most importantly learn about ingredients and how to identify the "bad" from the "good".

You would be surprised just how many ingredients can be questionable in just one single product - I was shocked to see some "respectable" brands filling their skincare with parabens, petrochemicals, sulfates, glycols and even synthetic colors. How is synthetic fragrance or color going to improve the performance of that moisturizer? Chances are it won't and in fact the chances of the formula becoming more irritating due to the addition is far greater.

Luckily for us there are so many new brands (and some older ones too!) that are understanding the shift in focus to good ingredients, simpler formulas and accountability to their customers. I can only hope the trend continues.

One of my wonderful readers (Hi, Kate!) perceptively picked up on the fact that I obviously have a lot to say when it comes to skincare and requested a post filled with: tips, recommendations and some pointers when it comes to choosing the right technique or product for all skin types.
I was obviously very excited (happy dance!) and more than happy to share my (limited) knowledge and experience with all of you.

Before we begin I would like to remind you all that I am not a professional, I do not work in the beauty-related field and I am certainly no expert or guru anyone can rely on. The products, pointers and tricks, have all worked for me but may not preform exactly the same for you, especially if our skin type does not match. For that reason I tried to narrow down my points, streamline the list to mostly tips that could work for all skin types and include product recommendations for both budget and higher end brands.

Please use common sense, be cautious the first time you use something new, ask for a sample before purchasing (when available?) try to do a patch test when introducing a product, research other reviews (like Makeupalley) and most importantly pay attention to your skin, only you will be able to tell you if something is wrong.
*For reference my skin is combination with some localized dryness, moderately prone to acne & clogged pores, sensitive & reactive and now displays mild rosacia on cheeks and nose.


Things I Learned Through My Own Skincare Journey

*Neglecting Sunscreen
Skipping sunscreen or not using enough of it is one of the top beauty and health mistakes anyone can make. Don't use one and risk skin cancer, skin cell and blood vessel damage, deeper wrinkles, photo-damage, discoloration, pigmentation issues and generally weaker skin surface. The "leathery" look is not trendy now and I hope it never is.

- Great sunscreen for the body is the Honest Sunscreen SPF30 - $13.95 for 3 oz from the Honest Company
- Great sunscereens for the face is the Skinceuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 - $34.00 for 1.7 oz from SkinCareRx or for an amazing budget choice try the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 110 - $16.99 for 88ml from well.ca


*Sleeping Without Removing Makeup
We have all heard this advice before and even though it seems simple enough, it can end up being the hardest task of your day on one of "those nights". No matter how crappy I feel I also know that if i don't take a few minutes to take care of my face I will more than regret it when I wake up and see surprise bumps on my chin. To make things easier I always have some facial wipes, Micellar water, cotton pads and a travel size of my moisturizer handy right on my bedside stand.

- Good budget facial wipes I have used for years are the Neutrogena All-in-One Make-up Remover Cleansing Wipes - $12.99 for 25 sheets at well.ca
- For a good cleansing (micellar) water that preforms fully and gently try the Vichy Purete 3-in-1 Calming Cleansing Solution - $17.00 for 6.76 oz at ULTA


*Overcleansing and Harsh Facial Products
This point can actually be quite difficult to figure out and stick to because for years the opinion on treating problem (acne) skin was to "treat" it or "clean" it into submission. Unfortunately all that does is strip your skin of its natural oils, disrupts skin's natural moisture balance, over-dries skin's surface and causes the epidermal cells to produce even more oil to overcompensate, thereby new pimples pop even more. Harsh ingredients such as alcohol and harsh physical scrubs only further irritate that what you are trying to correct and your skin eventually rebels no matter what you do.
As a rule clean your skin only twice a day (morning + night) unless there are special circumstances and choose gentle formulas for your skincare, whenever possible.

- Great gentle cleanser for problem skin is Green Beaver Daily Facial Cleanser for Sensitive & Acne Prone Skin - $16.99 for 120 ml from Green Beaver
I also highly recommend the Pangea Organics Discovery Set for Blemish-Prone Skin - $34.00 for 5 piece set available at iherb

Skincare Tips with Antipodes, Cake Beauty, bareMinerals

*Lifestyle and Diet Problems
We all know that eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep, affects how our bodies feel and how much energy we have for everyday life. Your skin is affected the most when you neglect yourself in such a way and pretty soon you will see it "on your face". Common skincare issues such as blemishes, sallow tone, dark circles, dryness, excess sebum and superficial redness; can all related in some way to how you live your life. The good news is that if you improve "you" it wont take long for it to be evident on the face as well.


*Skipping Moisturizer 
Making sure that your skin is hydrated is very important and that goes for all skin types, including those beauties with oily skin. I can understand why it makes sense to skip the step because you fear more oil on your face but that kind of thinking has now been dis-proven by dermatologists around the world. Basically if you don't add moisture to your skin then your epidermal skin cells will add their own in the form of more oil!
To avoid this just find a lightweight face lotion, designed for oily skin which will not just hydrate but can also help mattify the complexion even more.

- \My recommendations are: Say Yes to Tomatoes Facial Hydrating Lotion $14.99 for 1.7 oz from ULTA and Avene Hydrance Optimale (Light) $30.00 for 1.35 oz from drugstore.com


*Overexfoliating - too much of a good thing!
This tip is one of the most important ones for skincare-aholics and beauty bloggers like me. There are so many "potions" I want to try and sometimes these "trials" end up overlapping almost without me noticing. A lot of skin treatments preform some kind of resurfacing, exfoliating, scrubbing, peeling, polishing, refinishing...or will just indicate "enzyme presence". All of those terms mean one thing and that exfoliation. There are two ways you can exfoliate - chemical and physical but they should never be combined or overused.
I recommend taking an inventory of all the products you use and identify which ones preform any kind of exfoliating. You will be surprised how many you'll end up with and once you know what you are working with then it will be easy to make sure you only use one at a time.

For example - using a Clarisonic with a resurfacing face wash is doubling up OR using a facial scrub with a chemical exfoliating toner like Biologique Recherche p50 is also doubling up.
Try to use only one exfoliating product with each routine.

*Neck and Hand Skin Care
Many of us forget to include the neck and hands when caring for our skin (me included) even though we know that the first signs of aging usually show up on these two areas. It takes a little bit of practice to remember but the effort is certainly worth it.
What helped me was purchasing a separate neck cream to include in my evening skincare routine however I don't think I necessarily needed a separate product for it. However once the cream is gone I will have developed a habit to take care of the neck so it will be second nature to me. I am hoping anyways :-)

*One of the best neck creams out there and the one I chose is the ridiculously expensive Clarins Advanced Extra-Firming Neck Cream which is ridiculously priced at $80.00 but can be found for a lot cheaper on Amazon.
*A more budget version is the bareMinerals Naturally Luminous Extra Firming Cream $48.00 at Sephora

To take care of my hands I make sure I choose a hand cream that I like and just litter the tubes all over the house so they are always handy to me whenever I remember to use it. There are anti-aging formula's out there but I feel that since we are constantly washing our hands all day long, the focus needs to be on hydration and protection first.

*A few of my top choices are: Glysomed $3.69 for 50 ml, Cake Milk Made Velveteen $10.00 for 30 ml and my favorite Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream $12.99 for 55 g; which are all available well.ca
*If you are looking to splurge on a luxury formula then I strongly recommend the Rodial Glam-Balm Hand Cream $39.00 for 50 ml, available at Murale and the Antipodes Deliverance Kowhai Flower $26.38 for 75 ml and Antipodes Joyful Hand & Body Cream $41.23 for 120ml; which are both available at feelunique

I hope this little guide was helpful to you (especially Kate!). If you have any questions, comments or ideas, don't even hesitate to contact me - I will always get back to you!

What are your favorite skincare products? Does my list and yours have items in common?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)