Ten Ingredients To Avoid in Your Face Products.

1. Petroleum and related petrochemicals Your run-of-the-mill moisturizer probably contains something like mineral oil or paraffin in it and they suffocate the skin and may interfere with perspiration.

2. Lead-tainted lipstick Go for organic small-batch lipstick lines, or kiss a beet instead.

3. Formaldehyde-leaching preservatives Found in hair treatment (and later in our nail polish). It’s considered a human carcinogen by many health agencies worldwide, and when it’s not giving rats nose cancer, it might still be giving you a rash.

4. Fragrance Fragrance is in everything from your fancy perfume to your face wash. Lab studies by the EWG have shown them to contain a whole cocktail of hormone disruptors (among other things).

5. Parabens This popular preservative group used in more than 10,000 products became very controversial when their presence was discovered in the tissue of breast tumors.

6. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) Found in shampoos and are sometimes contaminated with a carcinogen called 1,4-dioxane. They also strip your skin and scalp of their protective barriers, which we need for protection. Surfactants are also known irritants.

7. Triclosan This very powerful antimicrobial—used in everything from hand soap and face wash to deodorant and acne treatments—has a serious ugly side. For one, it stays in our bodies. There’s concern that regular exposure to the stuff may actually be creating resistant strains of bacteria and hermaphroditic marine life, just like Atrazine. It may also impact thyroid function. It’s easy to find on labels. If it says triclosan, put it down.

8. Chemical Sunscreens Your best sunscreens are ones formulated from physical blockers like titanium dioxide and zinc.

9. Hydroquinone This skin-lightning ingredient is objectionable for so many reasons: It’s incredibly toxic. Exhibit A: It’s a suspected carcinogen that, according to industry “guidelines,” shouldn’t be used in formulations above 1 percent or be left on skin. But it is, and it’s available at 2 percent over the counter and 4 percent by prescription. Exhibit B: It’s banned in Europe. Exhibit C: Blue-black lesions are also a possible side effect.

10. Nanoparticles According to Dr. Michael DiBartolomeis, a toxicologist and the chief of the California Safe Cosmetics Program, a nano may be able to “get into places it shouldn’t get into—like cells or DNA.”

Read more: http://www.good.is/post/ten-ingredients-to-avoid-in-you-face-products.

Surprising Areas Where You’ll Be Happier With Less.

I came across a list of areas in our home where we will be happier having less of them from organizing.yourway.net.

First item is clothes. I have to agree, save for those times when we aren’t able to do our laundry and we have nothing to wear. So I guess I have to be strict with the schedule of chores. Other than that, I find that having less clothes makes an organized closet.

Next is decorations. I don’t have much house decors, too save for some photos. I find the house easier to maintain with less stuff.

Then there is toys. This is my unending task, decluttering my son’s toys. This has to be done on a regular basis I have to say.

Next is cooking utensils. I only keep the most basic of utensils in the house.

Televisions. I am guilty of this one. Every room in the house has a TV set.

Sentimental Belongings. Old photos, medals, pinewood trophies and other sentimental items I keep in a box and those I can afford to let go I take a picture of them first.

Last is your house. A smaller home may actually result in more joy and happiness than a larger home. I have to agree. My dream home has always been a small home, though I want it standing in a big yard so I can have my garden, pool and basketball court.

Coco Chanel Evening Dress ca 1957.

Coco Chanel evening dress ca 1957 via The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

~via http://dreamsicleday.tumblr.com/.

Couch Potato.

Since I am spending less time in front of the computer lately, I get to enjoy watching movies and series. We got a nicer TV for the living room and it made watching movies more pleasurable. Maybe a couple of home theater seats will make it so much better but that has to wait. I need to have a movie room built first. And that will surely be included in my future home. For now, my short term goal is to get new TV set for the bedroom, and fix a better home office corner for me.

Merry Christmas!

Gift Ideas For Her.

Are you done with your Christmas shopping? I am glad I am ahead of schedule and done with the shopping, save for a gift or two that I am yet to wrap. Anyway, if you are still in need of ideas of what to give the ladies in your lives, below are some of the ideas I came across.

* Gadgets, like camera, an iPad, phone and netbook.
* Jewelry, like necklaces, diamond tennis bracelet and watch.
* Bags.
* Clothes.
* Gift cheques, so she can do the shopping herself.

I can only come up with these right now. I’m sure there are tons more options out there.

Bag and Purse Tutorials.

Little Purse Tutorial from Quiltsalott.

Gathered Clutch Tutorial from Noodlehead.

For Pleats Sake Tote from U-Handbag.

Let It Snow.

I have always wished to experience snow. But I don’t think I can live in a place where there is winter. I can’t stand a very cold air conditioned room, how much more a place where it actually snows. Add to that the task of having to get rid of the snow in the driveway. I heard such stories from friends, when they had to manually remove the snow as their snowblower needs snowthrower parts. Good thing access to a repair clinic isn’t that hard. But still, I find that cleaning up task a bit hard for me. It makes me thankul of the warm and sunny weather we have here.

For The Sleepyheads.

Cute Sleep Shorts from Prudent Baby.

Shirred Waist Pajama Shorts from Adventures in Dressmaking.

Simple Pajama Shorts from Dana Made It.

Paper Dresses.

Before I proceed with my search for a cheap health insurance, which I think is a necessity for every family, I just have to share this photo I came across online. This reminds of my childhood. I love playing with my paper dolls and making paper dresses for them. My mom was so supportive with it, she would even give me materials for my paper dolls’ clothes. Yes, she even helped me create dresses, too. Too bad, I wasn’t able to keep those masterpieces of mine. My mom kept them actually, but I think I must have thrown them away when I was cleaning up.