Supernatural Botanicals

It’s Here! Our New Mama Collection

It’s finally here!  Our much-anticipated Supernatural Botanicals Mama Collection skincare line for expectant mommies (and anyone else who likes to pamper their skin.) 

Check it out here.

Sneak Peek at our new Mama Collection

Here’s a sneak peek at one of our two new skincare lines, the Mama Collection, for expectant mommies.  The collection contains bath salts & foot soak, body and belly butter, body and belly oil, face and body spritzer, and all natural powder.  The packaging is gorgeous.  And it’s even great for non-expectant mommies, too!  This collection will be available at www.SupernaturalBotanicals.comin the next day.  Stay tuned for our Supernatural Baby Collection next….it’s adorable. 

Steal This Look: Scarlett Johannson

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Scarlett Johannson is working the “sex-kitten-meets-bombshell” look to  its fullest.  The hair is perfect, the makeup is perfect, the dress is perfect.  You can recreate this look with what you have.  It’s classic and simplistic, yet stylish and sophisticated. 

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To achieve Scarlett’s soft, flowy curls, nothing but hot rollers will do.  Hot rollers have made a come back and they are the perfect tool to create soft, sexy curls.  Try Caruso steam rollers.  (click on picture for info.)  They are better for your hair than hot rollers because they work on steam, not heat.  They produce the exact same results as hot rollers. 

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When it comes to red lips, I’m certainly an aficionado.  I adore the “red lip” look.  It’s classic and ultra sexy.  I have tried (literally) thousands of brands and styles.  Beautique (click on picture for details) is my all-time favorite red.  I use the pencil all over my lips, as it goes on great as a lipstick, then use this on top.  It produces the best red lip ever!  The kicker… it’s way inexpensive!

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  There’s an unwritten rule..or, perhaps it’s written somewhere, that if you opt for a bold lip color, like the red above, you should go with a soft eye look.  When you have too much eye and too much lip going on at the same time, your look can go from sophisticated to theatrical in seconds.  Scarlett’s top eyelids are lined with a brown liquid liner.  If you are a blonde, opt for brown instead of black.  It’s less harsh and more flattering to your skintone. 

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Maybellene’s Great Lash is a long time favorite of makeup artists everywhere (certainly my fav!)   But mascara reviews are like food reviews.  Honestly, it’s all relative to what you, you, like.  Most people, however, like it.  It’s ultra-popular with the masses, and often times sold out at stores.  Personal fav…brownish black Great Lash with the curved brush.  *swoon*

 Again, if you are blonde, opt for brownish black Great Lash.  It softens your look and is super feminine. 

Five Natural Facial Remedies for Your Beauty Regime

Today’s blog post is courtesy of our friends across the pond in London at the Natural Curtain Company.  They, like us, believe in living a sustainable, Green lifestyle.  We love that we can connect globally, entire countries apart, yet for the same cause…treading lightly on the planet and treating the environment with loving care. 

Guest post contributed by natural product enthusiasts, the Natural Curtain Company.

Although cosmetic companies are very busy convincing you that their products are the key to maintaining healthy, bright skin, you might be surprised to learn that there are many simple natural remedies that you can use out of items in your kitchen or garden to maintain a glowing complexion.

1.  Tea Bags

(Credit: Adermark)

Black tea has diuretic tendencies, which means when drunk they tend to “squeeze-out” liquid from cell membranes so that can flush out toxins and eliminate them from the body when you urinate.  The same principle can be used to combat “bags under the eyes” by simply applying a damp tea bag on both the eyes while laying quietly with your eyes closed.  The tea bags will draw out the excess water build-up that causes the delicate issues around the eyes to appear swollen and dark.

2.  Oatmeal

(Credit: Wallis)

For beautifully refreshing and exfoliating facial cleanser, cook up a batch of a regular, unflavored oatmeal and allow it to cool.  While standing over the sink, use a handful of the oatmeal to scrub your face, particularly and the oily patches around your nose and forehead.  Be gentle when scrubbing the eyes, this delicate skin is easily damaged, but the rest of the face can benefit from a vigorous scrub.

3.  Witch Hazel

(Credit: Crossthwaite)

Although the actual name comes from the old English word “wice,” which means pliant or bendable, it became associated with witches is because the branches of this plant were often used for divining rods.  The bark and leaves from this plant make an excellent astringent that gently removes oil and helps to shrink and contract the blood vessels back to their normal size.  It is ideal for combating — and preventing — pimples and blackheads. Witch Hazel astringent is available for very low cost at most health food stores and pharmacies, and to boost its healing properties you can chill the Witch Hazel before applying.

4.  Aloe Vera

(Credit: Geist)

This succulent plant contains a thick, gooey substance inside its broad leaves that has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes.  In its natural form that promotes healing and has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which make it ideal for treating minor skin infections.  It is also excellent for sunburns because of its moisturizing tenancies.  Regular use of aloe vera keeps a skin supple and helps prevent the build-up of bacteria that can cause skin infections. 

5.  Baking Soda, Vinegar and Salt

(Credit: Mullen)

This powerful combination of simple ingredients can be made into a paste to scrub your face and remove impurities, exfoliate skin cells and remove oil.  Combine the three into a simple paste and use it as a daily scrub or you can use each one separately.  Baking soda alone makes a wonderful tooth-whitener, vinegar is an excellent a stringent — especially when you have been sweating profusely — and salt can be added to a basin full of water and splashed on the face to stimulate healthy circulation, but be sure to keep your eyes closed tight.

Still Using Liquid Foundation Makeup?

If you are still using liquid foundation makeup (nothing wrong with that, although you should just try mineral makeup), using a sponge to apply it with is a must; reason being is that you can spread bacteria onto your skin via your fingers.  Bacteria can wreak a whole host of problems, including breakouts and even skin infections. 

Not only is using your fingers a bad idea from a bacteria perspective, it also stretches the skin, thereby creating creases, wrinkles and over time, sagging skin.  Using your fingers to apply foundation also gives an un-blended appearance. 

Fingers, no.  Makeup sponges, yes.  Regularly change makeup sponges and wash them under hot, soap water.  Allow to air dry.  Try triangle sponges (pictured) for hard to reach areas such as the eyes.

Why Phthalates Should Be Avoided

Phthalates are used to enhance fragrance or make it last longer. They are commonly found in perfumes, fragrance, hair products, deodorants, body lotions and nail polish. Unfortunately they are NOT required to be listed on labels as they are classified as proprietary. This is a cause for concern as consumers have no real way of knowing which products contain them. In order to be a savvy consumer avoid products that claim an ingredient as ‘fragrance’ or ‘perfume’. They are believed to cause cancer, disrupt DNA and have been linked to birth defects.  Always read your labels and use products that are phthalate-free.

New Eco Sugar Scrubs at Supernatural Botanicals

We have new sugar scrubs at Supernatural Botanicals !  Check out our eco-body collection of all natural sugar scrubs, available in new scents:  Beach, Grapefruit, Island Coconut, Raspberry Lemonade, Yuzu, and our Walnut & Almond cream body scrub. 

Everyday with Rachael Ray

Supernatural Botanicals Beach Body Spray is featured in Everyday with Rachael Ray September 2010 issue!  Our Beach Body Spray has always been a favorite amongst customers.  It has a light, beachy, surf and sand scent that smells clean and sexy.  It’s a perfect alternative to perfume.  Thanks for the love, Rachael Ray!

Fix Puffy Eyes

To eliminate puffy eyes quickly, simply place something cold over the eyes for several minutes.  The secret with cucumbers on the eyes is not in the cucumber itself, it’s that the cucumber retains the cold temperature.  You can get the same effect by placing a spoon in the refrigerator for a couple hours, then placing the spoons over the eyes.  Tea bags that have been moistened, then refrigerated…same thing.  A washcloth wrapped around a couple pieces of ice, again, totally effective in combating puffy eyes. 

Make Your Own Dry Shampoo

A new trend in haircare currently is dry shampoo.  It’s particularly good for hair that tends to go oily.

If you want to see if dry shampoo will work for you, you can easily achieve similar results with cornstarch at home. 

That’s right, simple cornstarch from your kitchen pantry works exactly like the main ingredient in dry shampoos, and it’s a fraction of the cost.

Simply shake a small amount of cornstarch on your hair, starting at the scalp, and working your way down the hair to the ends.  The cornstarch absorbs excess oils.  In total, you’ll use approximately 1/2 cup of cornstarch for medium to long length hair, somewhat less for shorter hair.