Tea Leaf Reading Symbols “I”: An April A to Z Blogging Challenge Post

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Hi and welcome back to another week of the A to Z Challenge. While green and black tea are widely known, it’s cousin the white tea sometimes gets ignored. However, white tea has many health benefits that warrant a closer look. From cancer-fighting and antibacterial properties to cardiovascular benefits, this gentle tea is also used often in skincare and cosmetic products.  So the next time you are looking for more variety in your tea consumption, consider adding the white tea to your repertoire.

But let’s get back to our tea leaf reading symbol dictionary. Today’s Letter is I.

 

Letter I:

Inkpot: A symbol of a state of positive acceptance. Potential symbol for pregnancy.

Iris: A positive flower, this symbol speaks of hope and upcoming good times

Iron: any obstacle occurring in the near future will be overcome in a quick manner

Ivy: This plant is a symbol of patience and long-lasting endeavor. A steady path filled with long lasting prosperity and deep, meaningful friendship are an additional meaning of this.

Valentia Skin Care line has a wonderful External Youth Exfoliating Scrub  containing the above-mentioned white tea, as well as green tea. I love this scrub as it gently exfoliates my skin, leaving a smooth and clean feeling, relieving some of the redness and unevenness that comes with having hypothyroidism. It is gentle enough to not irritate my skin, and like everything in the Valentia Skin Care line, it is cruelty-free.

I received the External Youth Exfoliating Scrub for free in return for an honest review.

 

How to Use White Cosmetic Clay

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If you are like me, interested in making your own skin care products, or at least know what is in those you buy, you probably have seen the ingredient white cosmetic clay, or Kaolin Clay before.

What is White Cosmetic Clay?

White Cosmetic Clay is also known as Kaolin Clay, and often found in skincare products and cosmetics. It is a very fine and light clay with a natural absorbency. Because it is the mildest clay it is perfect for those with sensitive skin, like me,
or who are prone to allergies. Because it does not dry out your skin, it can be used in DIY recipes for those with dry skin
types. This type of clay is also softer for scrubs and masks, then the much harsher bentonite clay. Kaolin Clay
should be off-white in its dry state, and brown when wet.

Look for the unrefined variety when creating your own skin care products.

What are the benefits of White Cosmetic Clay?

1. it removes impurities from your pores
2. it stimulates circulation, improves healing, and provides nourishment for your skin
3. It does not over-dry, as mentioned above.
4. It has disinfectant properties, which helps prevent acne breakouts
5. It removes dead skin cells

Is it safe to eat Kaolin Clay?

Some nutritionists believe so, but most medical professionals disagree. Never take Kaolin Clay internally, without
the proper guidance of your natural health care professional.

Valentia Skin Toxifying Clay Mask – which is a part of the Valentia skin care line – uses the power of Kaolin Clay
to assist your skin. It is my go-to mask, and I have very sensitive skin. Despite this, it has never dried out my skin
leaving me rather refreshed, with a softer and less red complexion. If you are looking for a mask, that is not only
great for your skin, but also cruelty-free, check out Valentia Skin Detoxifying Clay Mask.

Disclaimer: I have received the Valentia Clay Mask for free in return for an honest review.

Cruelty-Free And Vegan – Youth Express Night Cream From Insta Naturals: A Review

 

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I was given this product for free in return for an honest, unbiased review
I was looking for a hydrating night cream to add to my evening routine, but was not too happy with the many products out
there that are tested on animals. So when I was offered to try out this cruelty-free Youth Express Night Cream, I was truly
excited to see what it would do for me.

First of all, I am glad to report that it works even on my sensitive skin. As I am prone to allergies, I am always wary of switching products, and to product lines I am not familiar with, but I am happy I gave this cream a try. Containing rosehip, which is filled with Vitamin C, and Niacinamide, which is Vitamin B 3 – assisting aging skin to keep the youthful look, the cream  hydrated my skin, and left my face feeling softer to the touch, even after only a few applications. I also love that it comes in an airtight pump, which in my opinion is so much more sanitary than tubes, and jars, as the product never gets in contact with fingers until the actual time for application.

InstaNatural Youth Express Night Cream Available on Amazon now!

It fits perfectly into my nightly beauty routine, and I can feel good about not using a product tested on animals. Insta Natural Youth Express Night Cream is also vegan, which is a wonderful plus for my vegan friends out there.

Question

What is the most important criteria you look for in a night cream? A special ingredient, its origin, or maybe, like me,
if it is cruelty-free? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

5 Interesting Facts About Cocoa Butter You Might Not Know

Disclaimer: The following post contains affiliate links. I have received the product mentioned for free in return for on honest review – see disclosure page for details

If you love chocolate, you are at the right place, because today, I am writing to you, about one of the key ingredients for the world’s most loved treat – cocoa butter. But, cocoa butter is much more versatile than you might think. Let me tell you a little more, with this list of 5 interesting facts you might not know about cocoa butter:

1. It is very popular in vegan cooking. Sweets treats, such as cakes, chocolates, and others do not need to be missed a part of a vegan diet when incorporating cocoa butter to your food prep. But not only sweets benefit from a cocoa treatment – because of its easy to melt consistency, it can also be used to pan-fry items such as tofu.

2. It makes a great base for DIY cosmetics. Body butters, lip balms, and facial masks are just a small example of what this wonderful butter can be used for. And if you have, like I do, problems with handling overly scented beauty products, those created with cocoa butter as a base, are a breath of fresh air (or chocolate) for our sensitive noses.

3. Cocoa butter is often used as the base of luxury bath soaps. These soaps are especially great for preventing dry or cracked skin, leaving you feeling especially soft. If you are prone to oily skin, I would rather suggest not to use it as a base for facial soaps and cleansers

4. 100 grams of cocoa butter contain up to 900 calories. This fact, in combination of the realization that it also contains 60 % saturated fat, makes it a winner when it comes to beauty products and no so much in the kitchen – no matter how good it tastes

5. It is an essential component of the “chocolate” used for massages. Ever tried chocolate massage therapy? If you have not, you have missed out on something special, not only because the combination of shea butter, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder is wonderful for your skin, but because it smells divine, and is incredibly relaxing. making it the perfect treat for anyone.

Natural Beauty Goddess was kind enough to send me a 1 lb package of their raw 100 % cocoa butter to review. This type of cocoa butter is not food grade, but rather thought for the above-mentioned beauty treatments. Rich and thick, this great raw and organic cocoa butter is Kosher certified, and comes in a beautiful screw top container, that makes dispensing it easy. I suffer from contact allergies, which, after I applied it to my arm, felt immediately better. The smooth, beautifully scented butter is one of the few things, I can put on my skin without hesitation while loving the smell, and luxurious feeling. The only downfall I found is, that due to the lack of outer packaging, my container came with a slightly broken lid. so, improved and additional packaging would prevent any breakage. That did not diminish the high quality of the product, which by the way comes with a free ebook, containing recipes and information about cocoa butter. I am planning on creating a few of the mentioned DIY cosmetics shortly

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The above post was a part of the following blog hops:

Coastal Charm 

No place like home

At Our Home

Cozy Little House

Stone Gable Blog

Bernideen’s Blog

 

Finally – A Skin Care Product I Truly Enjoy

Disclaimer: I have received Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. The following post also contains affiliate links, at no cost to you. See Disclosure page for details.

Finding a skin care product I can use, that is also cruelty-free is a hassle, and often fruitless. And even if I am not allergic
to the product, I find that I can either not stand the smell of it, or it is ineffective. Thankfully I received Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum in the mail recently, and now I am hooked on their cruelty-free product line.

Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum Available on Amazon Now!

A pleasant orange scent, that reminds me of orange essential oil (which happens to be my favorite), greeted me the first time I tried it on. Used after your evening cleansing routine, the soft and non-greasy serum immediatly left my face feeling refreshed, and properly moisterized without leaving an oily feel. I am not often impressed by beauty products, and even though the serum is in the  price range (about 35 Dollars on Amazon), I decided that I will give myself a small gift and switch a few more of my beauty products over to the Valentia product liine..

I must say, that for my vegan friends, I am not entirely sure if the serum or any of the other available products are vegan, considering that there are some ingredients that could be animal derived or not – but I have sent the company an inquiry and hopefully will hear from them soon, so I can update you as soon as I get an answer.

I love my adorable vintage style diffuser! Available on Amazon

If you are wondering why I love orange essential oil, let me tell you. Not only because of its fruity, clear fresh scent, it is als a mood lifter, and room brightener. I love adding a few drops to my diffuser, in order to lift the over all energy of any room.

 

 

 

Finding the same scent in a beauty product made my day.
Happy shopping!

Claudia