This week is National Simplify Your Life Week – and it’s being emphasized for good reason. Without simplifying the many to-do's in your day, it’s easy to let life become overwhelming.What are the negative effects of committing to too much? A lack of simplification – and an increase in stress - can lead to mood swings, an impaired immune system, a shorter lifespan and even less productivity.So what can you do about it? How can you start living a healthier lifestyle?This week, we’re all thinking about how we can simplify our lives, and below are a few of the things...

It’s no surprise that commonly used cosmetics and skin care products contain ingredients that are known to be toxic. But, we wondered, what about all of the companies that claim to be natural or organic?Apparently, you can’t always trust those brands either, writers at the Huffington Post argue. No matter how a product is marketed, many ingredient lists show the presence of at least one potentially harmful ingredient (for examples of specific brands and products, you can read more here).Okay so, you know that you can’t trust all brands, all the time -  but what do you really need to...

Wondering why you should consider lathering up with organic and natural soaps? According to The Global Healing Center, conventional store-bought soaps often contain a number of ingredients you don’t always want to lather all over you skin. It’s no surprise, then, that one of the main benefits of using organic and/or natural soaps is so that one avoids most exposure to such ingredients.  Because most organic and natural soaps haven’t had contact with herbicides or pesticides, they also tend to be much gentler on the skin. For those who have extensive allergies and/or extreme sensitivity, this can be ideal for...

Finding the right concealer for your skin can be a tricky business – not only can the shade selection be overwhelming, but you have other factors to consider. Do you need a foundation that gives you a matte finish? Would you like a shade that complements tanned or rosy skin? What’s better on your skin – powders or creams? We understand that the process can be overwhelming – and that’s why no matter what your shopping concerns are, we don’t want them to be about the ingredients in whatever you choose. This month we’re featuring our Real Purity Health Glow...

With summer fun comes a reality we’re all familiar with – excessive and profuse sweating. Whether you’re an athlete out for a job, a mom hustling her kids to and from the pool or a husband setting up the barbecue out back, it’s likely you’ve battled the pervasive sweat that comes with rising temperatures.Many of us spend a lot of time battling extreme sweat – but how often do we realize that there are actually many health benefits of sweating? Read on to see our list of 5 surprising benefits below. Controls acne and blemishes. Sweating can actually open up...

For children and adults alike, summer is usually an explosion of freedom, fun and fair food. But with each of our outdoor activities come dreaded (and uninvited) guests – an army of mosquitos, ants and other pesky bugs.So how can you avoid them? Since we don’t want you slathering yourself with unwanted chemicals and sprays, we’ve come up with a top 8 list of our favorite natural repellents to keep the bugs at bay. 1. Add new foods to your diet. If you know you’ll be spending some time in a bug-infested area, think about munching on a clove of...

 Every time we head out into the sunshine, we lather ourselves and our children with sunscreen to keep them safe from burns, sun poisoning and the many other risks that come along with increased sun exposure. But what if the sunscreens we’re using to keep our children safe are actually more hurtful in the long run? Is keeping them safe today worth the risk of the long-term damage from the many dangerous chemicals used by most companies?That question can only be answered with careful due diligence and a series of follow-up questions. However, we have included a few of the most...

In many instances, increased sun exposure gets a bad rap. Not only can it be a cause of various types of skin cancer, but too much time in the sun can lead to severe dehydration, first and second degree burns and heat exhaustion.But when enjoyed with caution, the sun can be the key to the improvement of your mood and overall health. This is largely because the more sunlight you enjoy, the more Vitamin D that gets produced in your body. So what does Vitamin D do, anyway? Known often as the “sunshine vitamin,” this particular vitamin is produced in...

Many of us are constantly fighting a battle against dry skin. We use moisturizers, exfoliators, expensive skin treatments and supplements to try to restore a loss of moisture so frequently that we hardly think dry skin is unusual. But what if dry skin wasn’t always an eventuality, but a result of the choices we make in our everyday life? Although moisture loss can result from external factors out of our control, including hormonal shifts, external aggressors like high winds and excessive sun or even the humidity in your home, it can also easily result from beverage and diet choices. Take...

Reap The Benefits of Topically Applied Green TeaGreen tea has been a hallmark of many cultures, and is most frequently enjoyed alone or with sugar as a warm or cool drink. Many have found that regular consumption can even reduce inflammatory responses and help people to manage discomfort and pain. Other benefits of green tea include improving neurological functions, energizing the body, and fighting against the formation of free radicals that can ultimately lead to the formation of cancer.However, you can also reap the benefits of green tea by applying it topically. Read below to see some our favorites. A green...