4 Natural Australian Beauties

Australia is a beautiful land, full of beautiful people. It's also chock full of green body care products. We loaded up our suitcase with goodies, but there are four that really stand out as favorites we'll purchase again and again. We're not so sure any of these are easily available in the States, but it just might be the excuse we need to take another trip down under! If you know of any Australian green beauty/body care products we missed, please tell us about them in the comments.

1. Natural Instinct Energizing Body Wash
This body wash is all natural and made with lemon grass, ginger, gingko and acai. It has been a game changer for mornings because it makes you smell like you're showering in a drizzle of ginger ale with a squeeze of lemon. It's the perfect way to wake up and feel excited about your day. 

2. Suvana Certified Organic Paw Paw & Honey Balm
It can be difficult to find a multi-use balm that's petrochemical and fragrance free. This one does it for us. It's a great consistency, not too thick or waxy, and we use it all over. 

3. Sukín Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil
This is simply organic rose hip oil in a little glass bottle. Perfect for smoothing over your face after a shower, before putting on eye cream and night cream. It is absorbed completely and gives our skin a great dewy, hydrated feeling the next day. Also great for that long haul flight. And the price point is seriously great, too.

4. Antipodes Deliverance Kowhai Flower Hand Cream
Made with nutrient-rich avocado oil, sweet orange and cedar wood, this luxurious hand cream smells exactly how you think it would. To us it's the gentle scent of an orange, with a touch of chamomile and some spice from the cedar. It's not greasy at all, but will keep your hands beautifully hydrated throughout the day. 

Kloverbox + BOX

What's more fun than getting gifts in the mail?  

October is turning out to be a big month for us. We are very excited to partner with Kloverbox – a subscription box for the woman who is inspired by healthier products.  That's us!  That's YOU!

Kloverbox urges us to "Live Naturally and Organically.  Replace every product you use with a conscious alternative."  We LOVE this motto because that's exactly how we look at attaining a healthier lifestyle.  You might KNOW  that synthetic fragrances, formaldehyde, and parabens are bad for you,  but it's hard to go cold turkey.  However, if you replace just one product at a time with an equally effective and natural product, well, suddenly, it's not hard at all.  

Kloverbox is a wonderful way to sample premium, natural, organic and cruelty-free products.  You get six to eight products from the purest and most sustainable brands in their monthly subscription box. 

Thank you, Kloverbox, for helping us all Live Naturally!

Check them out here.

Chemical free products? Why that's a lie.

Next time you're shopping for eco-friendly products and you see a label that says "chemical free," it might be best to stay away from it. Why? There's one reason:

There is no such thing as "Chemical Free." Water is a chemical.  We are made of chemicals.  If a product claims to be Chemical Free, it can't possibly be true unless the product from Made Up La-La Land.  There are naturally occurring chemicals and synthetic chemicals.  But synthetic chemicals are NOT unilaterally bad for you, nor are naturally occurring chemicals unilaterally good for you (i.e. mercury = naturally occurring = BAD!)  What you need to know is how that individual chemical reacts with the human body and its environment (yes, on top of what bad chemicals do to our body, it can also wreak havoc to our environment when it's washed off and into our water system and drains!).

There's no doubt to the proven benefits of leading a life that's as natural and organic as possible.  But there are two sides to every story and we're here to talk about what it truly means to be safe and natural.

What you can do is use technology. "Think Dirty" but first get your mind out of the gutter!  Think Dirty is an app that allows you to scan your make up and other personal care products for potential carcinogens.   Founded by Lily Tse who developed this app after her mother's battle with breast cancer.  Read about her journey.  

Ok, so if food has the "Dirty Dozen and Clean 15", what does the cosmetic world have?  Chemicals to definitely avoid are: 

Mercury (often masked as thimerosal)
Lead Acetate
Formaldehyde and Toluene
Petrochemicals
Coal Tar
Phthalates

If there's one takeaway from this article, it should be that nothing is cut and dry.  There are arguments from every angle why a certain chemical is good, bad, or ugly.  We encourage every one to do their research. As a company we are constantly researching and reviewing our formulas to make sure we're doing the best we can to provide a natural, safe option for women that's free of parabens and artificial fragrances.  

Subscribe and save with GIFT BOX

Our subscriptions service, GIFT BOX, has officially launched and we are so excited! So many of you, our dearest customers, have asked us for this and it is finally here.

What does this mean for you?

• You never have to worry about re-ordering BOX products ever again
• You will enjoy free shipping if you sign up by August 1, 2014
• You will be able to save up to 20% on our retail prices
• You will be the first to know of upcoming product launches and big news
• You will receive a birthday gift - because we like you that much :)
• You will be able to participate in focus groups and have a voice in choosing our next scent and product

Cancel any time with an email to us - but we're sure you won't want to!  Oh, and it's only available in the US for right now - but this may change as we pursue world domination, one towelette at a time...

For more information, and to sign up, click here.

Easy, Organic Beauty Masks for Summer

The weather this year has been wreaking havoc on our skin!  El Nino, Polar Vortex...we're kind of afraid of what this summer might bring!

Never fear, we came up with some tried and true, all natural,  low ingredient facial masks that will keep your face beautiful and shining...just the way nature intended it to be.

The Mint Soothie (aka Mojito):  In a blender, blend a handful of mint.  Add a pinch of tumeric powder and mix mix mix!  Apply to a clean face and rinse with cold water.  Will soothe irritated and overly sun-kissed skin.  

The Milk Toner:  Dip a cotton ball in organic milk and gently wipe down your face.  Leave on for ten minutes and wash off.  When done weekly, you should notice a natural glow (variation:  soak 1/2 cup of almonds in milk overnight.  Put in blender to create a paste and use as an exfoliant).  

Cucumber Margarita:  Ok, so this doesn't have tequila in it, but it WILL hydrate your skin, which tequila will NOT do!  Peel one cucumber and mash it in a bowl.   Mix 1 TBS of sugar and put in the fridge to cool.  Place on skin and take 10 minutes to relax as the mask naturally hydrates your skin.  Rinse with cold water. 

Sandalwood and Rosewater Masque: The benefits of both sandalwood and rosewater on the skin are incredible.  Use this mixture to soothe skin and to even out patchy tanned skin.   Make a paste from sandalwood powder and rosewater (both widely available online).  On clean skin, apply to face and leave overnight.   Magic!

We hope that these homemade face masks help our readers understand the limitless benefits of the natural world around us.  At BOX Intimates, every formula is as low ingredient as possible, and uses the best that nature has to offer.  

Happy Home Facial-ing!

Our Up in the Air Beauty Routine

One of our team members is constantly traveling. Cross country flights, long haul flights, you name it! Still, every time she's in the office, her skin is glowing (it's absolutely LUMINOUS). After a little prodding, she finally divulged her beauty secret - a top to bottom regimen she learned from renowned make up artist Lisa Eldridge.  

Lisa has an amazing tutorial that's perfect for long flights. Yes, you will get looks from your fellow passengers, but just think about what havoc that recycled cabin air is wreaking on your skin and it will be easier to ignore the sidelong glances and occasional pointed finger/giggles.  

Some of the ridiculous(ly transformative and amazing) things she recommends: 

1. Slather hydrating cream on your hair
2. Take off ALL make up
3. Use a toner with essential oils
4. Put a mask on (not the scary green kind, a clear one, preferably - see tutorial for all product recommendations)
5. Hydrate back of hands
6. Go to sleep with a lavender filled eye mask...snoooooze....
7. DRINK WATER

And depending on how long your flight is, repeat. There's one thing we'd add to that – Box Intimates wipes (of course). After sitting for hours and hours, doesn't every part of your body need a little freshening up?

This routine definitely works, but even doing part of it is better than not doing a thing. Try it, and instead of arriving feeling like you need a nap and a shower, you'll be ready to hit the town.