http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog A blog about natural skin care, eco-friendly living and anything else that pops into my head! Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:03:20 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Way back in the 16th century, it was discovered that using comfrey root could help soothe skin irritations. and help heal skin ulcers and wounds. At that time, they didn't know it but it was actually Allantoin, found in comfrey root, that was doing all this great work. Comfrey root, ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/ingredient-highlight-allantoin/ Let me start by saying this is by no means a "healthy" recipe. But it falls into the category of "approved by Cooking Light" PLUS these brownies are incredible so I thought I'd share. I am a big believer in dessert - which I suppose offsets the rest of the ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/recipe-salted-caramel-brownies/ (OK first off I have to admit I stole this photo from the internet because I don't have enough salad left to photograph...) But this is what it looks like - so bright and colorful. This salad recipe was given to me by the mom of a friend of mine ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/recipe-black-bean-corn-salad/ When I first heard about Brazilian blowouts/hair treatments I thought they sounded like a great solution for people with frizzy or curly hair that were seeking a way to keep their hair looking smooth and sleek. Since my hair is already (painfully) straight, it didn't apply to me, but it ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/the-sickening-truth-about-brazilian-blowouts/ At this point, everyone knows how important it is to protect ourselves from the sun. And because it is so vital, we have wanted to offer sunscreen at Garden Girl since day one. However, as a small company it is pretty much impossible to produce your own that is certified ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/garden-girl-now-selling-caribbean-sol-sunscreen/ This week EWG came out with their annual list of the "Dirty Dozen" - the twelve fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticides.  And guess what - 2 of the top 3 are fruits that are typically big hits with children - Apples (#1) and Strawberries (#3).  Ugh. ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/ewg-dirty-dozen-list-of-fruits-and-veggies-with-highest-pesticide-levels/ You know how there are some things that you just can't imagine living without? Maybe it's an appliance, or your phone, or a favorite food? I was thinking about a few of these things today and I thought it would be fun to list some of my favorites - in ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/these-are-a-few-of-my-favorite-things/ I remember wanting to eat Wheaties when I was little. With a slogan like "Breakfast of Champions" who DIDN'T want to eat Wheaties? Of course, I actually didn't really like them at the time. That was the problem. They were too healthy-tasting. Fast forward 35 years or so and here ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/breakfast-choices-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly/ The Daily Green online magazine has released some useful guidelines for seeking safe lipsticks.  Basically, what it comes down to is to avoid the following: Parabens Phthalates Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) Oxybenzone Fragrance Lead In many ways, it's great to have a nice list to use when looking for a safe product. However, the tricky thing is ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/guidelines-for-seeking-safe-lipstick/ Beauty comes in so many forms. So this year, we have decided to give you the chance to nominate your mom (or actually any mom you know!) for Garden Girl's First Annual "My Beautiful Mom" contest. We are looking for the best story describing why your mom is a beautiful ... http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/blog/my-beautiful-mom-contest/