Go Suck a Lemon! For Real... I'm Not Even Kidding.

Angel Quintana September 15, 2015

GO SUCK A LEMON! FOR REAL... I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING

Article by Heather Jadus
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #28

Lemons are so good for us that you should be part of your daily diet. The best way to partake? Squeeze a whole lemon into a glass, then pour at least 8 oz. of warm water. Drink away. Doing this first thing in the morning before you do anything else is said to be the best way to do it.

So what are the benefits of fresh lemon juice when you drink it with warm water?

1. It helps the liver eliminate toxins and waste products. The liver has various roles in the body including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of bio chemicals to aid in proper digestion. Lemon water increases the livers detoxifying enzymes and helps the liver carry out these functions more efficiently.

2. It's alkalizing. The body functions best in a more alkaline state and cancer cells tend to breed in an acidic body. Unfortunately due to the foods most people eat, the things they expose their skin to, and the environment they live in, most people’s bodies are very acidic. Lemons are alkalizing to the body and blood (although lemons are actually an acidic fruit).

3. It's a rich source of vitamins and minerals rich in vitamin C (anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, & helps immune system), vitamin B (energy production), riboflavin (tissue repair, growth, & development) and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium (these minerals all help build strong bones & teeth).

4. It's super healthy for your skin. Lemon juice in water can act as an anti-aging remedy by removing wrinkles and improve the overall appearance of your skin. Your skin can’t look healthy if your body is holding onto toxins.

5. It's good for weight loss. Lemon water can help burn fat faster. When the liver is full of toxins it can’t metabolize fats as efficiently.

I'm going to try this every morning for 30 days to see if it really helps. I will keep you posted on my results for sure.

Be Informed. Be Safe. Be Healthy.

HOLISTIC FASHIONISTA RECOMMENDED!

What’s hiding in your beauty products?

Learn how the mainstream beauty products you so innocently slather on your skin can be harming and damaging. This is a 30 to 60 minute online class on the fundamentals of how to screen your products and learn about the truth of the ingredients you have in your home.

This class is FREE. Register for Toxic Beauty:101 now!

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Hey Clean Eater! Are YOU Conscious About What You're Feeding Your Skin?

Angel Quintana July 29, 2015

HEY CLEAN EATER!
ARE YOU CONSCIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE FEEDING YOUR SKIN?

Article by Heather Jadus
Photo Credit: Nancy Schoenmakers
Magazine: Issue #27

Skin is the body's largest organ and because it's porous, so anything you slather on it can get absorbed straight to your bloodstream! When you eat food, it gets digested and and then goes to the liver to be detoxified. When products penetrate your skin there is no detoxification.

When it comes to living a healthy and natural lifestyle, what you put on your body is just as significant as what you put in your body.

Everyone wants clean skin products and some people even think they are using them but actually they are not. Unfortunately safe makeup, safe skin products and clean cosmetics brands are hard to find. The truth lies in the transparency so you need to do your homework!

Studies show that the skin can absorb an average of 64% of total contaminant dosage of any ingredient. This is why knowing your ingredients and reading your labels is key! Other studies found the face to be several times more permeable than broad body surfaces and an absorption rate of 100% for underarms. Lastly, another peer-reviewed study showed 100% absorption for fragrance ingredients. Ugh! That one really scares me!

It is easy to see that what we use on our skin ends up inside our bodies. So it is important to pay close attention to the ingredients in our skin care products. If the products you use contain harmful ingredients such as harsh, toxic chemicals, colors, and fragrances, those ingredients make their way into your body, your blood and lymphatic system. Every choice counts. Make some changes!

Here are a few tips on how to find the best clean skin products AND how to avoid the worst brands when it comes to safe and healthy ingredients:

1| Ingredients should be easily found. Many personal products list their ingredients on the box rather than on the bottle. Who keeps the boxes? But that's ok. A quick google on the internet should get you the information you need. HOWEVER, if you get to a product company website and ingredients are not listed this should raise a huge red flag. This has happened to me on a few products searches so I end up sending and email to ask if I am missing the ingredient lists somewhere on the site. Always the same answer... "If you want an ingredient list, please call to get it." This really disturbs me. Go no further. NEVER buy from this company again.

2| Perfume, Parfum - When either of these words are listed as an ingredient, it's considered a "trade secret" in the cosmetics industry. Therefore, the ingredinet that make up this word are not required to be exposed. There could be 1, 5, 100 or even 1,000 ingredients that HIDDEN within that one ingredient. This does not mean that you need to use only unscented products. It just means that the ingredients that makeup the fragrance should be listed separatly.

3| Natural, Organic, Hypo-Allergenic, etc. etc. - If a product is slapped with any of these "labels" don't think that your search has ended. There is no regulation on any of these labels so any product can put them on there and they mean nothing. This does not mean that any product with these labels are lying. It just means you cannot rely on this label. ALWAYS check the ingredient list.

4| DIY (Do It Yourself) - This is an option of course and pinterest is full of recipes for natural products where you can pick the ingredients yourself. This option is not for everyone but at least it's there!

When in doubt always ask questions! Comment below if you have any!

Be Informed. Be Safe. Be Healthy.

HOLISTIC FASHIONISTA RECOMMENDED!

What’s hiding in your beauty products?

This class is FREEE. Register for Toxic Beauty:101 now!

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Mompreneurs! 7 Business Building Skills You MUST Teach Your Kids

Angel Quintana July 13, 2015

MOMPRENEURS!
7 BUSINESS BUILDING SKILLS YOU MUST TEACH YOUR KIDS
{So They Can Be Self-sufficient for Life}

Article by Heather Jadus
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #26

I have always been an entrepreneur at heart.

When I was 15 I bought a car even though I couldn't drive one yet. I wasn't going to make payments on something I couldn't use so I leased the car to my brother because his car was on the fritz. Brilliant, right? Ha!

I've always had money; sometimes more than others but always had it and never had to rely on anyone. This is a skill I plan on handing down to my kids so that they too will be self-sufficient when they grow. Teaching your kids entrepreneurial skills at a young age will set them up for success and build their confidence throughout their entire life. Think about it, who as a kid or an adult couldn't use the following skills:

1. Goal Setting: Every entrepreneur knows that you must set high yet achievable goals in order to be successful. Reiterating this to your kids will get them to focus on what their expectations of themselves are. Have them set a few goals over a certain period of time and also help them with some action steps and a clear plan of how to reach those goals.

2. Opportunity Recognition: Teach your kids to see how they can help someone solve a problem. My example above of leasing my car to my brother because I couldn't drive it was entirely my idea. I don't think I was taught that but I'm sure that you could open your child's eyes by getting them to think about how to provide people with solutions and perhaps even monetize it eventually.

3. Creativity: Letting your kids be creative and come up with ideas that are "outside the box" is a great way to broaden their marketing perspective. Don't shut down any ideas they have. Let them play it through and see how it goes. Better to make mistakes and learn from them now rather than later in life.

4. Sales: Selling is an important skill that can be invaluable in life. Selling products, services or even yourself as a person is required for everyone at some time. I am big into consignment sales so my 4.5 year old daughter already knows that if she gives some of her toys to sell at the sale that she can take some of that money to buy something "new to her" from the sale. She finds it fun. She also knows that the toys that don't sell get donated to a child who might not have the money to purchase toys. Lots of learning going on there.

5. Communication: Communication is the key to relationship building and we all know how important that is to growing a business. Teach your kids how to say what they mean and ask for what they want. Also teach them that being kind to everyone is important but not letting people treat you poorly is just as important. If someone hurts them, they should be able to speak up.

6. Money Knowledge: Teaching your kids how to make money, what money can buy, how to save for things and the basic economics of how money works is key. I honestly cannot believe that they don't teach this stuff in a high school course. Things like balancing your checking account, opening a savings account and how saving now for retirement can look like in 50 years. Invaluable and powerful information to ingrain into kids brains at a young age.

7. Dealing with Failure: No business growth happens without some failures involved. Teaching your kids to try and try again to get to the goals they wish to reach is the only way to get there. Never give up. It's just not an option. EVER!

These skills can will help your kids no matter what age they are now and throughout their whole life.

What do you think? Is entrepreneurship a born with trait or a trained trait or both?

Be Informed. Be Safe. Be Healthy.

HOLISTIC FASHIONISTA RECOMMENDED!

Roxy Grace is a girl who wants to spread the message to young girls that “Kindness is Cool”. And how to be smart about the ingredients you put on your skin. She’s also looking for young recruits to spread the word and learn about being an entrepreneur!

The DIY kits available are lip balm, sugar scrubs and bath fizzies. Click HERE to get more info on Roxy Grace + also get a FREE lip balm sample and Use CODE: JADUSH02 So I know you found me here on Holistic Fashionista!

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5 Tinted Moisturizers with SPF: Which Should You Slather Up With?

Angel Quintana June 9, 2015

5 TINTED MOISTURIZERS WITH SPF: WHICH SHOULD YOU SLATHER UP WITH?

Article by Heather Jadus
Photo Credit: Mariana Garcia
Magazine: Issue #25

It's that time of year again! School will be letting out, the sun will shine more and stronger than any other part of the year! It's time to slather up with sunscreen and hit the beach!

Last year around this time I wrote an article about sunscreen and the dangers it can have it you are applying brands that have harmful ingredients. Here's a link (SPF: What it Does and Does it Really Protect Me?) for reference.

Now we know that protecting your skin from the sun as well as the ingredients in your sunscreen are both VERY important I did a bit of research, I chose tinted moisturizers with SPF from 5 self-proclaimed "healthy beauty" brands. I rated them for safety, tested them for performance and compared their cost.

This is the rating scale I used based on the amount of harmful ingredients in each product.

Here's what I found:

1| Juice Beauty - Tinted Moisturizer with 30 SPF (4 Shades)

Safety Rating - 1

Performance - This moisturizer worked well and I was able to match the colors well. What I did not like about it was that it was oil free. I am not a fan of oil free because it dries your skin out. This causes your body to overcompensate by creating more oils and breakouts occur. I did get a breakout after 7 days.

Cost - $29

2| Beautycounter - Dew Skin Moisturizing Coverage SPF 20 (5 shades)

Safety Rating - 1

Performance - This moisturizer is safe and light. I love the way it covers, lasts and makes it look like you have nothing on at all.

Cost - $42

3| Aveeno Positively Radiant 30 SPF

Safety Rating - 10 - I was SHOCKED at this rating!

Performance - This tinted moisturizer covered nicely but he scent was a bit strong. I found a bit of streak after some time in the sun.

Cost - $14

4| Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer

Safety Rating - 9 - AGAIN... WOW!

Performance - This tinted moisturizer also had some nice coverage but a bit of a strong scent. I'm not sure why your skin moisturizer has to have "fragrance".... it ads so many unnecessary ingredients to your product.

Cost - $15

5| Physicians Formula

Safety Rating - 3

Performance - I found Physicians Formula to Cover Nicely but it didn't last on a hot day.

Cost - $17

Bottom line... you get what you pay for. I find that the higher end, higher cost products last longer because you don't need as much.

Tell me what you think! Do you use any of these brands or other? I can rate them for you!

HOLISTIC FASHIONISTA RECOMMENDED!

How do you know if your beauty products are safe?

There are absolutely no safety regulations on cosmetic ingredients. Even companies who use words like "organic", "natural" and "pure" have no one but themselves checking to see if those claims are true.

If you are a clean eater and you are slathering toxic chemicals all over your body and hair, then you are doing it wrong. Click here to get my FREE LIST of Ingredients to AVOID!

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Is Your Daily Beauty Regimen Hazardous to Your Health?

Angel Quintana April 26, 2015

Attn: Entrepreneurs
IS YOUR DAILY BEAUTY REGIMEN HAZARDOUS
TO YOUR HEALTH?

Article by Heather Jadus
Photo Credit: Fabiola Zamora
Magazine: Issue #24

How many products do you put on your skin or hair in a day? Take a minute and count them.....

1. Toothpaste
2. Shampoo
3. Conditioner
4. Hair Product(s)
5. Hair Spray
6. Perfume
7. Face Wash
8. Body Wash
9. Soap
10. Deodorant
11. Toner
12. Moisturizer
13. Eye Cream
14. Wrinkle Cream
15. Foundation
16. Bronzer
17. Blush
18. Eye Shadow
19. Eye Liner
20. Eye Brow Pencil
21. Mascara
22. Body Lotion
23. Hair Color
24. Lip Stick
25. Lip Gloss
26. Hand Soap
27. Dish Soap
28. Others ?????

This list could be endless depending on the individual lifestyle you live.

But think about this: Even if you only use 10 of these items listed but you use them once or twice a day, every day, week after week, month after month, decade after decade... don't you want to be sure that the ingredients in your products are safe for your body?

There could be only a minuscule amount of "toxins" in each of the 10 products you use but let's crunch T H E S E numbers:

12 = the average number of products a woman puts on her skin every day.
10,000 = the number of common ingredients used in those personal products.
10 = the % of those 10,000 ingredients that have been tested for safety.
1500 = the number of chemicals banned in the EU.
11 = the number of chemicals banned in the US.
1938 = the last year a federal law was passed in the US regulating cosmetics ingredients.

D O Y O U T H I N K I T S T I M E T O T A K E N O T I C E ?

So, why is this a problem? What are the possible hazards?

Problem # 1 - Carcinogens. Known and suspected carcinogens are allowed in our personal products with no questions asked and no testing done. Carcinogenic chemicals can cause or promote cancer. Cancer is caused by the changes in DNA. Some of these changes can be caused by genetics and the rest are caused by environmental chemicals in our air, personal products and cleaning products. Some of this we can control. Some of this we can't. This is why EVERY CHOICE COUNTS for those things you can control.

Problem # 2 - Hormone Disruptors. (Otherwise known as endocrine disruptors) are chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system. The endocrine system is a very complicated system that regulates our mood, growth, sexual function, reproductive system and metabolism. Slight changes to the endocrine system can have serious results. Some chemicals can mimics and fool the body into response. Other chemicals can act as blockers and cause the over production or underproduction of hormones. Any of these changes can have big effects on our reproductive, developmental, neurological or immune systems. Hormone disruptors are even more dangerous than carcinogens because even a small does can cause the body to react naturally.

Problem # 3 - Allergens. Obviously allergens vary from person to person. But the fact that there are so many untested chemicals and "hidden" chemicals in most products, there can be some unknown ingredients that may cause asthma, allergies, and skin conditions like excema and psoriasis. I say "hidden" for a reason. We will talk about that more next time.

I hope to awaken your concern and entice you to get the knowledge you need to protect yourself and your family! I would love some feedback. Please let me know if you have questions or comments

Be Informed. Be Safe. Be Healthy.

Holistic Fashionista Recommended

How do you know if your beauty products are safe?

If you are a clean eater and you are slathering toxic chemicals all over your body and hair, then you are doing it wrong.

Find out how to get safer choices into your makeup bag! Shoot me a PM on Facebook and mention Holistic Fashionista to recieve 30% OFF!

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31 Rose Water Benefits for the Busy Entrepreneur

Angel Quintana April 9, 2015

31 ROSE WATER BENEFITS FOR THE BUSY ENTREPRENEUR

Article by Heather Jadus
Photo Credit: Jana Cruder
Magazine: Issue #23

Roses have been used in beauty routines for centuries—historians believe that they were an essential part of people’s skincare regimens in ancient civilizations like Babylonia. Even Cleopatra credited her soft skin to the roses she sprinkled in her milk baths.

And today, we use the flower’s oil as the main ingredient in rosewater, a unique tonic that’s great for reducing redness, calming blotchiness and hydrating your skin in the way an other water sprays or makeup primers cannot.

Rose Water is a byproduct of distilling roses for their oil that’s used in perfume. Roses are collected before the sunrise and essentially steamed until they’re condensed down into a beautiful, flowery mush. The water is then filtered and separated from the oil It’s a time-consuming process that leaves you with pure, natural, incredibly gentle rosewater that’s great for dry or irritated skin and has toning and pH-balancing properties to help regulate oily or problematic skin as well.

Sounds like a miracle product doesn't it? I think it is and I NEVER go one day without it.

31 Benefits of Rose Water:

1. Reduces Eye Puffiness
2. Hydrates Skin
3. Protects from Bacterial Infections
4. Skin Toner
5. Removes Dirt
6. Removes Makeup
7. Heals Sunburn
8. Heals Small Wounds
9. Lightens Small Scars
10. Reduces Thread Veins
11. Helps Broken Capillaries
12. Maintains PH Balance
13. Revives Makeup
14. Doesn't Smudge Makeup
15. Makes Skin Feel Firmer
16. Lessens Breakouts
17. Stimulates Circulation
18. Calms Acne
19. Calms Eczema
20. Improves Blood Circulation to the Hair Follicles
21. Promotes Hair Growth
22. Conditions Hair
23. Controls Dandruff
24. Boosts Scalp Health
25. Decreases Hair Breakage
26. Soothes Tired Eyes
27. Soothes Inflamed Gums
28. Strengthens Teeth
29. Promotes God Breath
30. Stress Reliever
31. Helps Relieve Depression

Only T R U E R O S E W A T E R will give you these benefits. There are many imposters out there claiming to be selling you true Rose water. So how do you SHOP for it confidently? Here's a few tips:

ALWAYS read the ingredient lists of your Rose water Products. You would think the lists would be quite simple but you would be surprised what preservatives and perfumes companies are adding to what should be a very natural product. Thus actually taking the real benefits of the product away.
NEVER buy Rose Water that has an ingredient named "fragrance" or "parfum". The scent of Rose Water should come from the actual Rose Water. Synthetic ingredients to create the smell should not be necessary.
Taste the Rose Water. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Spray it in your mouth. It's not really going to taste great but it will help you out with some bad breath too. However, if the Rose Water tastes bitter or yucky or synthetic.... then there is some stuff in there that you do NOT want on your skin Don't buy it!

Do you use Rose Water? If so, what brand? Let me know and I will rate it’s for safety for you. Click HERE to see my go to brand!

Be Informed. Be Safe. Be Healthy.

Holistic Fashionista Recommended

How do you know if your beauty products are safe?

If you are a clean eater and you are slathering toxic chemicals all over your body and hair, then you are doing it wrong.

Find out how to get safer choices into your makeup bag! Shoot me a PM on Facebook and mention Holistic Fashionista to recieve 30% OFF!

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Overwhelmed? 3 Keys to Maintaining Your Focus

Angel Quintana February 19, 2015

OVERWHELMED? 3 KEYS TO MAINTAINING YOUR FOCUS

Article by Heather Jadus
Photo Credit: Mike Nguyen
Magazine: Issue #22

I've always had trouble with focus. I'm a scatterbrain, shiny object grabber, idea every minute and no time to complete it, Type A person. My brain NEVER stops thinking about my business.

Sound familiar?

If you too are an entrepreneur then you probably have this same problem from time to time or even all the time.

I recently learned that there are 3 things I can do every day to keep my focus intact so I can continue to grow my business. What are they? Unfortunately, I can't tell you. Sorry. Do you want to punch me now? I would! Hear me out first.

Here's why I can't tell you... my three things and your three things will probably never be the same. In fact, my three things are never the same daily.

This is what I do. I look at my "to do" lists (yes that's plural, I usually have a few going on at once) and I pick 3 things I must accomplish that day to help my business. I like to call them my "Daily MUST, BIG 3". I'm always realistic about my task choices and these 3 things have to be something that will help build my business. It doesn't mean that these are the only things I do that day, there are many tasks in between of course but those 3 things remain my FOCUS, my top dogs, my must do's. It just seems to break things down a bit when you are trying to accomplish 100 things... just pick 3....three to FOCUS on for that day.

This tactic has really helped me to hone in on what I really need to do instead of being totally overwhelmed by all the ideas that pop into my head and things to be done. It places urgency on certain things and leaves the rest behind... for now. If a NEW idea comes up, I write it down.... on one of my lists. I know I'll get to it eventually.

What do YOU do to focus?

Be Informed. Be Safe. Be Healthy.

HOLISTIC FASHIONISTA RECOMMENDED!

There has not been a federal law regulating cosmetic ingredients since 1938! Only 10% of the 12,000 or so ingredients commonly found in persoanl products have been tested for safety.

If you are a clean eater but you are slathering these toxic chemicals all over your body then you are doing it wrong! Do you have the time to do the research to see what's REALLY in your favorite makeup, skincare and personal products?

Help is here! Click here to get your Beauty Bag Makeover!

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10 Things You Should NEVER See On A Beauty Product Ingredient List

Angel Quintana February 11, 2015

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SEE
ON A BEAUTY PRODUCT INGREDIENT LIST
{"fragrance" is a dirty word}

Article by Heather Jadus
Photo Credit: Brigette Muller
Magazine: Issue #21

There are many questionable items in many of our beauty and personal products. The names are long and confusing, the ingredient lists are long and confusing.....its so hard to work through it all.

Here's the main problem there are tens of thousands of ingredients in our beauty and personal products but only 20% of them have EVER been tested for safety. I know what your thinking. "What?? Are you kidding me??" Nope I am not kidding. Not at all. The cosmetics industry is completely self-regulated which is why slapping labels like Organic, Natural and Pure mean ABSOLUTELY nothing.

I could go on but instead I am going to give you a general rule guide to go by. Here are the steps.

1| Put ALL of your beauty/personal products into a pile (this includes ANYTHING that touches your skin or hair - e.g. shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, all makeup etc. etc.)

2| Make sure none of the words below are included on their ingredients lists.

3| READY. SET. GO!

Paraben (Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl and more)
Formaldehyde
Phthalates
PEGs (Propylene Glycol)
Petroleum
Synthetic Colors
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Fragrance (Parfum, Aroma)
PVP/VA Copolymer
Stearalkonium Chloride

Most of the ingredients listed above are unsafe because they are either known carcinogens, possible carcinogens or they block the skin from releasing toxins. I want to highlight one of the things on the list: FRAGRANCE

The word Fragrance should NEVER EVER EVER be on an ingredient list. Due to the lack of laws in the US, the word "Fragrance" is considered to be trade secret therefore companies do not need to disclose what ingredients make up that word. There could be 10, 100 or even 1000 ingredients withing that word and you have no idea what they are. THIS scares the crap out of me and it should scare the crap out of you!

What's in your products?

HOLISTIC FASHIONISTA RECOMMENDED!

There has not been a federal law regulating cosmetic ingredients since 1938! Only 10% of the 12,000 or so ingredients commonly found in persoanl products have been tested for safety.

Help is here! Click here to get your Beauty Bag Makeover!

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