by apple | Dec 3, 2018 | The Golden Hour
In episode #26 we are learning how to heal your body with foundation training expert Kate Murphy. Kate Murphy is a kinesiologist(human mechanics/movement expert), certified Foundation Training Instructor, Wellness Guru, and the founder of Health Revolt. She has worked thirteen years as a personal trainer. For seven of those years she wrestled with chronic pain, failing to find relief on the symptom-chasing treadmill of conventional health care. During her journey to find relief she spent thousands of hours researching and consulting with leading fitness, nutrition, and wellness experts. She truly believes that we don’t have to settle for a life of adjusting to our symptoms and rearranging our lives around problems we’re told have no solutions. The answers and freedom Kate found drastically changed her life and now it’s her passion and purpose to help other’s change theirs.
Connect With Kate-
Topics Discussed-
- Who is Kate Murphy from Health Revolt? How did you get to where you are today?
- What was your health awakening or “Golden Hour” moment in your life?
- Do you feel being your own health advocate is what’s helped you take control of your health?
- Can you give those listening a brief overview of what foundation training is and how it changed your life?
- Obviously as a personal trainer you understand the importance of moving your body, how did Foundation Training change your mindset on body movement?
- Why is it important for people to include foundation training in their lives?
- If someone wanted to start including foundation training movements in their own life where should they start?
- You have so many testimonials on your site from working with clients who have had success since incorporating foundation training in their life, what is the most common thing you hear when people start doing the movements?
- This is a question we ask all our guests: what are 3 health habits that have made the biggest impact in your life?
Links Mentioned-
by Suzi | Jul 18, 2018 | CLEAN BEAUTY, Makeup, Product Reviews
I’ve got the lowdown on all my natural summer makeup looks! From my favorite bronzers, bright lipsticks, and blushes that pop. Each season makeup changes depending on the weather and summer is no different.
So I created 3 different makeup looks for you. Depending on what you like to wear and how you like to wear your makeup. From minimal, fresh faced and dolled up, I’ve got something for everyone.
Minimal- This look is for the gal who likes to keep things simple with their makeup in the summer. Low maintenance is top priority. This is a great look for someone who prefers to not wear a ton of makeup or maybe they do like to wear more makeup but in the summer they like to keep it minimal. Especially great for pool days, when you want to feel pulled together but don’t want everything sliding off at the pool!
Products Used:
- Suntegrity BB Cream- I’m a huge fan of this BB cream. It brings an overall pulled together look to my skin but doesn’t feel heavy. It offers an SPF of 30- using physical blockers, no chemical blockers. It is a little heavier than just a tinted moisturizer but I like that because then it doesn’t feel as greasy.
- Vapour Multi-Use Stick- These are perfect for summer when you want a less is more approach to your makeup routine. You can use these as a cream blush, and lip product. So easy to carry in your beach bag or travel bag. Makes doing your makeup that much easier!
- Lily Lolo Bronzer in Miami Beach- This bronzer is one of my faves! It is so forgiving and easy to use. If you aren’t used to putting on bronzer then snag this one up. It isn’t orangey at all and honestly fail proof. I apply this wherever the sun would naturally hit. Right below hairline, sides of nose, right below cheekbones, and blended down my neck.
- 100% Pure Water resistant mascara– There is no true waterproof mascara in green beauty- if you find one they are probably using some chemicals in it. However, 100% Pure offers a water resistant one that I love. It gives great length and deportation. Not tons of volume but I’m ok with that since this is a minimal look.
- Kjaer Weis Lip Gloss- Nothing says summer than a shiny gloss! This one doesn’t feel goopy at all. It glides on and leaves great color pigment along with a nice sheen.
Fresh Faced- This look is for the gal that likes to add a little more oomph to her summer makeup look. Maybe she’s grabbing lunch with friends but doesn’t want to look overdone like she’s going out but just put together. Also, great look if you are on vacation and going from pool minimal look to grabbing dinner later on in the day.
Products Used:
- ZuZu Luxe Oil Free Liquid Foundation- This foundation is perfect summer weather! It is oil free and isn’t going to clog your pores. I love how it gives light to medium coverage depending on how you apply. Great for those who like a little more coverage than a bb cream but don’t want the oiliness from a lot of liquid foundations.
- Juice Beauty Last Looks Cream Blush– Love a good cream blush. They make my skin look dewy and fresh, yet they still look completely natural. What makes a cream blush great is that it fades easier than a powdered blush. Sometimes that might not be good but for a minimal look it’s nice because you don’t have to worry about it sliding down your face. It just fades naturally- which ends up looking like you meant for it too.
- Vapour Bronzer Stick- I love using a bronzer stick to really contour my face, plus achieve some bronze color. It takes a little more time but the effort is totally worth it! I apply this where the sun would hit my face. Right below hairline, sides of nose, right below cheekbones, and blended down my neck.
- Maya Chia Highlight of the Day- It’s no secret I love this highlighter! They came out with a new color and it’s just in time for summer. It’s called Afternoon Delight- a perfect peachy/pink hue. I can’t stop wearing it! It gives my skin a lit from within glow.
- Honest Beauty Truly Lush Mascara
– This mascara has quickly become one of my very favorites. It gives my lashes separation, volume, thickness in just a couple swipes. Can’t recommend it enough! Perfect for when you want your eyes to pop!
- Kosas Lipstick- If you’ve been following me a hot minute you know I haven’t been able to put these lipsticks down lately. Especially great for summer when you want to pull look together quickly- just swipe on a bold lip and you’re good to go! Kosas lipsticks are so velvety and stay put. I’m partial to Royal and Thrillest for a bold summer look!
Dolled Up- This look is for the gal that still likes to wear some decent makeup in summer and doesn’t want to skimp. However, she doesn’t want to look overdone. It’s the perfect look in achieving a made up look for summer without going too far. Plus, just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you can’t wear some eyeliner and eyeshadow!
Products Used:
- Hynt Beauty Sun Prep- Love this facial sunscreen! It offers an SPF of 25 and acts like a primer for the skin. Your foundation literally glides on after application. No white hue residue either!
- ILIA Skin Serum Foundation- This liquid foundation gives medium coverage and yet doesn’t feel like a mask. I also love that my skin doesn’t get a greasy t-zone in the afternoon after using. I wear the color Texel SF3.
- Kjaer Weis Cream Blush- This blush has been on repeat in my makeup routine for a while. It gives such a pop of color and the consistency is so creamy and easy to apply. I’m partial to Happy and Blossoming.
- Lily Lolo Pressed Blush- I love to have a powdered blush on hand since summer months can be warm and makeup can fade quicker in heat. I apply this on top of my cream blush to help set it for the day. My blush always last throughout the day!
- Crunchi Bronzer- This bronzer is a loose bronzer and really gives such a great color pigment. I tap some of the product off into the cap and then swirl my brush in it and then tap excess off before applying. It even has the slightest shimmer in it which I love!
- Vapour Halo Illuminator- This illuminator comes in stick form and gives your skin a serious glow. It’s easy to apply and goes with literally every skin tone.
- Lily Lolo Mascara- This is another fave mascara in green beauty. It gives your lashes the volume and drama we all crave. Especially great for the girl who likes to get all dolled up!
- Clove and Hollow Lip Velvets- This babies don’t budge! Literally can put it on in the morning and it’s still there by night. They have some seriously fun colors too! I’ve been loving the color in Road Trip!
What’s your favorite summer look?
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by Suzi | Jul 13, 2018 | Organic Mattress
So excited to finally share with you guys my Naturpedic mattress review!
*I was gifted my Naturpedic mattress from the company. However, thoughts and reviews are my own.
I had the pleasure of testing out the EOS Classic Organic King Size Mattress. The specific one I received was the medium latex with plush coils. My husband and I both prefer a soft mattress! We had gone to a store that carried organic/natural mattresses in the Seattle area first before choosing our mattress. We got to test out different types of Naturpedic mattresses. In the end we knew we wanted the EOS Classic with medium latex and plush coils. It was so soft and felt dreamy just laying on it in the store. I couldn’t wait to start sleeping on it at home!
Naturpedic offers options for everyone in your family from baby, to child, all the way up to adult and something for every budget- which I appreciate! You can customize the firmness too depending on what you want. For ex. you can have it be firmer or softer on each side depending on what your partner and you want. My husband and I both chose the medium latex with plush coils but we could have each chosen a different option if we wanted. If for some reason you weren’t happy with the firmness you can exchange it for a different option within 90 days– pretty cool!
I was first introduced to Naturpedic over 4 years ago when I was searching for an organic mattress for my baby girl. At the time I hadn’t started to detox our bedroom yet and was learning all about the toxic load conventional mattresses can bring. I ended up choosing their organic crib mattress for our daughter and have loved it. Since they say we spend a 1/3 of our lives sleeping it’s important to consider the bed you’re sleeping on. I remember finding it alarming to learn all about the toxic ingredients in mattresses! From flame retardants, VOC’s, and formaldehyde- the toxic load can be scary. Not too mention, mattress companies are not required to disclose all the chemicals they use in order to make their mattresses compliant with mattress regulations. It’s also important to mention that many companies may claim to be organic, natural but actually have no certifications backing up these claims.
When I’m searching for a mattress I want to make sure it’s certified organic. Then I know it’s met third party testing. Look for the labels, GOTS, GOLS, and GREENGUARD. Naturpedic meets all these certifications, plus so many more such as Formaldehyde Free Verified, OCS100 Organic Content Standard, Non-GMO verified, and Made Safe Verified.
You can read all about their certifications here!
Here’s a list of ingredients they avoid:
NO Flame Retardants or Flame Retardant Barriers
NO Memory Foam or other forms of Polyurethane Foam
NO Soybean or Biobased Foam (polyurethane foam with soybean oil mixed in)
NO Synthetic Latex Rubber
NO Harmful Glues or Adhesives
NO GMO Cotton or other GMO fibers
NO Shoddy Insulator Pads
Unboxing/Putting The Mattress Together-
When we received the Naturpedic mattress it came in several boxes. I know sounds interesting to put the mattress together huh? But it’s SO easy! It comes in 4 boxes and there is a box that’s marked open me first with the instructions in it. So you’re all set. Then it walks you through the whole process step by step. It was super easy to set up. It comes with an encasement which essentially houses the mattress parts. My hubs laid that out first on top of our bed. Then we opened the box that had the coil support- one for each side of the bed since we have a king. My hubs put those in. Then we we opened the next box that had the 3 inch comfort layers and put those on top of the coils. Then we zipped up the encasement and we were all set- easy peasy! My hubs was even impressed with how simple the whole process was.
I have a video I posted to my stories of the whole process. You can watch it below.
Our Thoughts-
Husband-
After having slept on it for almost 3 months I can honestly say we LOVE it! My husband once a week tells me how much he loves the mattress- no joke! He said it’s kept him feeling cooler in warm months- which says a lot since he tends to run warm. He also likes how it feels soft but not too soft. He went on a business trip and all I heard the whole time he was gone was how excited he was to come back home to his mattress! He said he’s slept better- which I agree and I’m wondering if it has to do with not breathing in toxic fumes? He has allergies and used to sneeze all the time at night- now he doesn’t!
Suzi-
I agree with my husband. I feel so much cooler than I did with our last mattress. It also feels supportive but not hard or too firm. I also like how breathable everything feels. I truly look forward to going to bed each night! I love knowing we aren’t breathing in harmful fumes when we’re sleeping and our body isn’t absorbing toxic chemicals either. It did have a faint smell when we first opened it. But it wasn’t a chemical smell just a subtle unboxing smell in my opinion. Once it was out for a day I didn’t smell anything.
My husband and I both can’t recommend this mattress enough! Check out all that Naturpedic has to offer here! Also check out their store finder to find a store near you! It really has exceeded our expectations and we are a hard sell! I’m not getting compensated for this post, it is my opinions but my they did send my the mattress. I also have a Naturpedic Baby organic baby mattress that I’ve had since my first daughter was born and we have loved it! We’ve used it for both of our daughters and can’t recommend it enough. Overall, our experience with Naturpedic has been amazing!
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by Suzi | Jul 9, 2018 | The Golden Hour
In episode #5 of The Golden Hour Podcast, we are talking about Histamine, Pregnancy, and Strategies for Healthy Digestion with Dr. Emily Hecker. Dr. Emily Hecker is a board certified chiropractic physician who specializes in functional medicine supporting those with autoimmune diseases, MTHFR polymorphisms, food sensitivities and inflammation. She has had extensive training in understanding the methylation pathways trained by Dr. Ben Lynch, world leader and expert in MTHFR. She has post doctorate training in Functional Endocrinology, Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis, Neuroimmunology, Thyroid Disorders, Chiropractic Craniopathy, and the Webster Technique. She is an active provider for the Shape ReClaimed anti-inflammatory program and uses a supervised ketogenic approach for weight loss in her practice.
Connect with Dr. Hecker –
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Website
Topics –
- A lightbulb moment – the MTHFR SNP and tongue ties
- The importance of a healthy digestive system
- Why magnesium is helpful for anxiety
- Four strategies for a healthy digestive system
- The effects of too much histamine
- How the DAO enzyme supports a healthy pregnancy
- Foods to temporarily remove to support healthy digestion
Links mentioned in this podcast:
Vitacost Giveaway Details-
Up for grabs are two $100 gift cards to Vitacost! That’s two winners! Vitacost is our go to online health store. Not only do they carry all our favorite natural brands but they offer amazing deals as well, coupled with great customer service.
Here’s how to enter:
- Listen to The Golden Hour Podcast
- Leave us a review on Itunes
- Screenshot your review
- E-mail your screenshot to suzi@gurlgonegreen.com
*That’s it! Winner will be announced on the next episode of The Golden Hour Podcast and emailed as well.
by Suzi | Jun 29, 2018 | CLEAN BEAUTY, Product Reviews, Skin Care
*This post is sponsored by OSEA. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
So excited to share with you all my OSEA skincare review! I hadn’t tried their products until Beauty Heroes had them in a recent box. In the box was their Ocean Cleanser- let’s just say it was love the first time I used it! I couldn’t get enough of the milky cleanser. I knew I needed to try more of their products!
If you’re not familiar with OSEA allow me to fill you in on this natural skincare line. This brand is truly unique. I was so intrigued by the founder Jenefer’s story of how she started it. She was inspired by her grandmother who credits the ocean to healing her. She had been on bedrest after a severe leg injury. Her grandmother recalls having a dream about the sea and the next day went for a swim. A few weeks later her grandmother was healed! Jenefer went to her roots when creating OSEA. From what she learned from her grandmother of the healing properties of the ocean and her knowledge, she chose seaweed as the base of her skincare line. Seaweed contains powerful minerals and ingredients to help restore and nourish the skin.
I love OSEA’s commitment to clean skincare as stated so well on their website:
OSEA delivers proven results without causing harm to our health or the health of our environment. Jenefer’s innovative formulations of certified organic, bioavailable seaweed, infused with pure steam-distilled and cold pressed essential oils create powerful natural anti-aging solutions and reduce the appearance of blemishes–eliminating the need for synthetic ingredients entirely. OSEA is free of synthetic chemicals such as parabens, petrochemicals, and sulfates.
OSEA was also the first company to sign the “Compact for Safe Cosmetics”:
In 2002, OSEA was the first company to sign “Compact for Safe Cosmetics”, an initiative started by the Environmental Working Group that holds companies accountable for ensuring that their products are “free of chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects.” Since then, over 1,000 companies have joined OSEA in pledging to phase out the use of toxic chemicals in all beauty products!
I was excited to dive into the products they sent me and report back to you guys my thoughts!
This cleanser is especially formulated for oily, and acne prone skin. It gently exfoliates while getting rid of impurities on the skin. The first thing I noticed upon using it was the scent! It has essential oils of tea tree, peppermint and rosemary. It gives your skin a tingly, refreshing vibe- overall feeling very energized. It contains organic algae and cypress oil that help to balance blemishes and remove impurities. I would apply this cleanser on my skin at night and in the morning, but I found I liked it best in the morning as a gentle exfoliant and morning wake up call for my skin. My skin is on the dry side so this cleanser works better for me once a day. However, my sister who has oily skin loves it! It helps to remove excess oil and give her an overall brighter appearance. I applied to damp skin and used circular motions to remove makeup and dirt- avoid eye area. Grab your Ocean Cleansing Mud here!
This toning mist is not only beautiful in color but performs well too! It instantly gives my skin some major hydration and feels so refreshing. I love squirting it on my skin in the morning to wake me up and in the afternoon even for a quick pick me up. With ingredients like resveratrol, organic algae and pomegranate, it’s no wonder this mist makes me swoon every time I use it. If your skin feels dull and lifeless this is for you! Get your Sea Vitamin Boost here!
It’s no wonder this serum was awarded Best Beauty Award in Style for 2017! It works and works well! If you have dry skin or wrinkles this is for you. It instantly adds moisture to thirsty skin and smooths fine lines. Hyaluronic acid is known for it’s ability to attract moisture to the skin. Just to give you a little visual, hyaluronic acid attracts 1,000 times it’s weight in water- making it a powerful player in improving elasticity. Your skin will feel supple and smooth. Not only does this serum have hyaluronic acid but also three different kinds of organic seaweed that help deliver antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. In other words it’s a powerhouse serum for the skin! I love applying this after the Sea Vitamin Boost and then pressing this into my skin before my oils. It makes my makeup look better and gives me an overall polished look- can’t recommend it enough! Get your Hyaluronic Sea Serum here!
I was so intrigued by this product! I’ve been reading so much about putting probiotics on the skin topically and not just internally. So many benefits! Plus, I know how powerful vitamin c is. This polish comes in a powder form with pure vitamin c and vegan probiotics. It also has finely ground rice and bamboo and seaweed powders. These help gently slough off the dead skin cells. The vitamin c and probiotics give your skin an overall brightness and helps to fade hyper pigmentation. I noticed improved resilience of my skin and just a fresh faced looked. Get your Vitamin C Probiotic Face Polish here!
This mask feels so good on the skin. This is an anti-aging mask. It really is meant to improve overall skin tone and brighten the complexion. The ingredients are white marine algae, white tea, and resveratrol. These ingredients help to minimize redness- which I’m always all about and give an overall glow to the skin. The mask also has mineral peptides and hyaluronic acid. These two help to mask those fine lines and moisturize the skin. I would apply this at night and leave it on for 20-60 minutes. You can even leave it on overnight! My skin felt so supple, smooth and less red after using. It’s such a nourishing mask and one I can’t stop using! Get your White Algae Mask here!
Talk about a scrub! This body scrub doesn’t mess around. It is filled with Dead Sea and Himalayan Pink Salts, Bolivian Rose and Organic seaweed of course. Plus, it boasts some Acai, shea butter and passionfruit that leave your skin feeling like butter. I applied to wet skin and used circular motions. My skin felt so refreshed and clean! Sometimes we focus on facial exfoliation but our body needs great exfoliation as well! Grab your Salt of The Earth Body Scrub here!
*Here are the other two products I had previously tried and loved!
This cleanser is a definite fave! I love that it comes in a frosted glass bottle- so chic. It’s such an overall soothing cleanser, yet highly effective. It removes all my my makeup and grime from the day- yes even my stubborn eye makeup. I get my skin damp first and then apply several pumps to my hands. Then I rub in circular motions all over my face. After rinsing with water my skin feels so hydrated, and clean. Not stripped or dry. It does such a great job of imparting hydration to the skin, and nourishing it with vitamins and minerals. Did I mention it smells like candy?! The lime really stands out to me. There also are notes of juniper, and cypress. A great all around cleanser- can’t get enough! Get your Ocean Cleanser here!
This body polish is unlike any I’ve used. It is creamy in consistency but yet strong enough to remove and exfoliate unwanted dry skin. After using it my skin looks slightly pink and plump. It takes dull skin and gives it a good polish, revealing the brightest and prettiest skin. Upon opening it, you’re greeted with scents of lavender and Sweet Melissa. It awakens your senses and revitalizes your whole body. It exfoliates the skin with powdery grains of pumice, acai, and guarana. I get my body wet first, and then apply the body polish and use circular motions to rub it in. A serious skin treat! Grab your Undaria Body Polish here!
That concludes my OSEA skincare review. There’s so many more skincare treats I can’t wait to try! Checkout their full shop here! Did you see anything you want? Have you tried any OSEA products? Let me know if you have any questions!
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