erin's faces: 2016

11/24/16

Green Beauty Holiday Gift Guide

It's my favorite time of year! I love a gift guide - they're my favorite part of December magazines. If you like shopping small business, handmade, green and made in the USA goodies you're in the right place :) - here we go:

The Mason Jar Soy/Beeswax Candles are the easiest gift ever - they burn 50+ hours, have cotton wicks, use phthalate-free fragrance oils and are ranked 0 on Think Dirty (that means they're super clean!). They come in

Forest Crunch - freshly cut pine and evergreen
Orange Clove - Valencia oranges, cloves, chili pepper, bergamot and cassis - a beautiful pomander
Sugardoodle - it literally smells like cookies baking in the oven - vanilla, maple syrup and creamed butter with cane sugar and cinnamon
Applejack Cider - apples and citrus zest mulled in cinnamon and spice
Blushing Grapefruit - a true grapefruit - tart and bright with hints of jasmine and vanilla

Want a mini version? These Mini Soy/Beeswax Candles are the baby brothers of the Mason Jars. They burn 5 hours and are the perfect teacher/nurse/postal worker gift.

These would make literally anyone happy - I promise :). Eight ounces of organic vegan scrubs and a fragrance-free soothing body moisturizer - they're great for boys and girls alike:

If you can't decide the sets are a great way to go as you get two 4 oz jars and a number of combos:

For the makeup lover in your life the Nudes Makeup Palette is the definition of Christmas happiness! 12 Eyeshadows (9 shimmer/satins, 3 mattes) and 12 Lipstick Shades that double as Cream Blushes in neutral colors that are all wearable.

The Aromatherapy Spray Trio is one of my faves as these are great as a room spray but also work on linens, clothes, stinky cars (soccer practice anyone?), post yoga class as a body spray or at a baby's changing table. Made with essential oils they're synthetic fragrance free, 91% organic and vegan.

For your glamour girl we've got the Mineral Lip Gloss & Shimmer Set which comes in a cute gold makeup bag. You get our best-selling Enchanted Lip Gloss with a mini shimmer - your choice of Magic Dust or Fairy Dust - which works as a beautiful cheek highlighter or eyeshadow.

If you want to go classic our top-seller Red Satin Lipstick is a great holiday bet for you or your favorite gal pal. Full of yummy ingredients like Coconut Oil, Illipe Butter and Beeswax it soothes lips while delivering saturated color.

Love your lips to feel hydrated but hate petroleum lip balms? Our USDA Certified Organic Lip Balms and Fair Trade Tinted Lip Balms are fan favorites and make the PERFECT stocking stuffers. They come in all kinds of duos and trios and are great for men, women and little ones alike.

Last but not least these soaps are handmade with filtered rainwater, oils and mineral pigments. They are triple hitters as they're safe for use on your face, body and are also a great shave bar. Vegan.

9/24/16

Erin's Face of the Month - Afshawn Ostowari

What you love most about your job?
Being able to help customers and building that personal relationship with them.

Any fun interests/hobbies?
I love to dance, cook/bake, hike and go wine tasting. I like reading and learning more information about where our produce and meat come from as well as educating myself on where my skincare/makeup products come from - being aware of what ingredients are in them.

Best Skincare Advice?
Keep yourself hydrated - it will help the look of your skin. Also, use high quality natural skin care products - make sure to read and understand the labels/ingredients in products.

Speaking of hydration - do you have a favorite moisturizer?

Silk Cream

Any other skincare faves?

Firming Serum

Best Makeup Advice?
Less is more. I love my makeup to look natural/effortless/flawless.

What's a must have for that natural look?

Mineral Sheer Tint

Highlighters are so in right now - what do you like to use?

Fairy Dust

Why do you use Erin’s Faces?
I love that Erin's Faces is green/clean skincare/makeup line. Cruelty free. Erin only uses the highest quality ingredients (organic wherever possible) in her products and really connects to her clientele unlike other makeup/skincare lines I've inquired about. She answers any questions you may have and helps pair you with products she thinks will be compatible for your skin type.

Aww, thanks Afshawn! xo

6/7/16

What I Learned at Necker Island

Photo courtesy of Virgin Limited Edition

This spring one of my favorite clients got married in the British Virgin Islands on Richard Branson's private island, Necker Island, and I got to tag along to do makeup for the wedding (sidenote - if anyone ever invites you to Necker Island drop everything you are doing and GO). Beautiful beaches, incredible food and wonderful company were on display the whole time but some good reminders came up for me as we go into summer - here's what helped me -

Beach and pool at Turtle Beach on Necker
Photo courtesy of Virgin Limited Edition

That whole reapplying sunscreen thing is a THING. You must do it if you're going to be at a pool, on a beach, or just in the sun all day in general. Reapplying every 2 hours if dry and 40-80 minutes if wet or if you towel-dried is super annoying but I didn't do it and I got burned. I had my white thighs looking up in direct 11am sunshine snorkeling in the ocean and had covered them with my Mineral SPF 32 for Body and was untouched. Hours later (with no reapplication) I went swimming around 4:30pm (sun was low) in a slightly shaded pool for under an hour and got toasted. Reapply!

Use a physical SPF - if you don't know what that is click HERE to read all about it - but bottom line, you want Zinc and/or Titanium Dioxide as your active ingredients in your sunscreen. They're sometimes marketed as Mineral or Reef-Safe (but check your ingredients!). The Mineral SPF 32 for Body, Peptide SPF 30 for Face and Sweet Mint SPF Lip Balm are Non-Nano Zinc and/or Titanium Dioxide. Chemical sunscreens literally bleach and kill coral reefs (read the post linked above to see which ones) and there are alternatives so why not choose them?

If you DO get a sunburn I am a fan of Organic Aloe Gel (like this one from Aubrey Organics) followed up with my Monoi Tiare Oil - the combo seriously hooked up me up when I got burned after aforementioned lack of reapplication of SPF. The Aloe Vera cools and heals skin and the Monoi Tiare Oil hydrates and does more healing as it pushes the moisture further into the body.

Get a suit that you feel great in. When in doubt I love the Esther Williams suits - the one pieces have a double layer in the front and the outer layer is ruched. The bust gives decent support with the built in bra and halter neckline. The booty doesn't ride up at all and you feel pretty but modest all at once.

Those rash guard shirts are genius. I got one from Hiho in the gift shop and LOVE it. It's a Suntek SPF 50 shirt, is super lightweight mesh so it dries quickly and wasn't hot (some of them were thick and looked like they would be hot in the sun). I'm in.

See below for links to cover ups

If you're maxing and relaxing and don't want to do an SPF shirt I think the longer beach cover ups are so tropical and lovely - I vote for a loose fit in a flowy fabric - they billow in the breeze, aren't hot, but give you some leg coverage which you'll need if you're lying on a lounge chair (a lot of coverups are short).

Links to cover ups: White with colors, white V-neck, navy and white, multi-colored, white with lace.

Photo courtesy of Virgin Limited Edition

Also - wear a hat! See those fun little straw numbers on the bed? They give you those on Necker and they are fantastic - but any hat will do - baseball, fedora, sombrero - just don it and wear it in style.

Also - the Virgin Islands are home to a bunch of flies and mosquitoes that like to take a bite out of visitors so carry on some bug spray - for real. The night of the wedding everyone was wearing these mosquito repellent bracelets and they were getting devoured. I am normally the one who the bugs love to chomp on, and I was wearing a backless dress, but I had sprayed myself up and down with my Deet-Free Mosquito Repellent and I had nary a mark on me at the end of the night. In fact, everyone near me at the table ditched their bracelets and sprayed down with my stuff as they were tired of getting bitten as well. Just saying, it works :).

On to the fun stuff - here's a pretty pic of my gorgeous bride, Marissa

Photo courtesy of Virgin Portraits

And a few more from the wedding -

Clockwise: Marissa and her sisters (Photo Courtesy of Virgin Portraits), a fun table shot of all of us at the wedding, the happy bride and groom (Photo Courtesy of Virgin Portraits) and the obligatory wedding selfie of yours truly.

And then a few more of Necker Island because it is so so pretty -

Photo courtesy of Virgin Limited Edition
This is the great house where we got Marissa ready - great views and tons of room.

Photo courtesy of Virgin Limited Edition

This was the living room and private pool that was just for our room. When the guy who was showing us our room told us that I think my jaw hit the floor.

Clockwise from top:

*My desk while we were there - it was heavenly!

*Me taking a bath in the biggest tub I've ever seen (which had an incredible view of the ocean as it was outdoors - naturally)

*The view from the private pool from the room

*What my bedroom looked like when I came in at night

*contains affiliate links

4/26/16

Mother's Day Gift Guide

My mom and me on a recent visit in FL

It's time to send our mamas some love and if your mom is anything like mine she loves yummy smelling stuff. Here are some of my, and my mom's, favorite things that the women who mother you are sure to love ~

Monoi Tiare Oil is AMAZING - ours is made with Tahitian Coconut Oil (whose trees are grown on coral rich beaches) which is infused with Polynesian Tiare Flowers (a cousin of Gardenias) and you can get it three ways:

Monoi Tiare Body Lotion ($25 - 8 oz) - 85% Organic lightweight lotion made with Aloe, Coconut, Vitamin E and Neem Oil which we then fold in Monoi Tiare Oil in by hand into. It's the perfect body moisturizer for summer that dries quickly and leaves skin smooth and soft.
Monoi Tiare Oil ($25 - 2 oz) - The straight oil - ideal for face, body and hair, use it to hydrate dry skin and locks. Baby-safe. Great for post sunburn, massage and bath oil as well.
Monoi Tiare Oil Roller Ball ($12 - .33 oz) - New! Use as a roll-on fragrance/perfume. Made for travel - throw in your purse to use as a cuticle oil, dry skin fixer and fragrance touch-up.

Love a Roller Ball? This Flower Roller Ball Duo ($20) has the New Limited Edition Argan Oil with Lavender (only avail in the duo!) which is made up of Organic Argan Oil and Organic Lavender Essential Oil as well as the Monoi Tiare Oil Roller Ball. Mom can pick a scent depending on her mood - she can grab the Lavender when she wants to instill some calm or the Monoi when she's feeling summery.

You guys voted for these amazing candle fragrances and these phthalate-free fragrance oils (i.e. WAY better for you to breathe in than your average candle) smell crazy good. The Mason Jar Soy/Beeswax Candles ($20) burn beautifully for 50+ hours and have cotton wicks so you might grab one for yourself while shopping for your mom!

Scents are Ming Fern & Lavender

White Gardenia

Limoncello Cream

Blushing Grapefruit

Happy Shopping!

3/30/16

Erin's Face of the Month

What you love most about your job?

My son, Nate, is 11 and has special needs. He has the most amazing spirit and he conquers his challenges every single day. I feel so blessed to be a part of his success. It hasn’t always been easy, but there is nothing I’d rather do!

What makes you feel beautiful?

I feel beautiful when I feel good on the inside. Lately, I have been focused on learning about nutrition and taking better care of my body. When I feel good on the inside, I think it shows on the outside.

Best Skincare Advice?

Protect your skin from the sun! I grew up not wearing sunscreen and tanning my skin every chance I could, including regular visits to the tanning salon! At the time, people weren’t educated about sun damage and the long-term effects on your skin. I wish I had taken better care of my skin when I was young.

What Erin's Faces item got you hooked?

Mineral Eyeshadows

Best Makeup Advice:

I love makeup! I am also a woman who needs makeup because I am not blessed with beautiful skin (probably due to sun damage). Even though I love my makeup, I don’t like to look “made up”. I like to keep it natural.

Any other fave makeup items?

Makeup Brush Set

Mineral Concealer

Why do you use Erin’s Faces -

I met Erin in 2014 at a holiday market and bought a few of her products. I was so impressed with the quality and the colors. Once I tried her eye shadows and lip color, I was hooked! It’s also so wonderful to know the person behind the name. Erin has very high standards and it shows in the quality of her products.

New Mineral Makeup Shades For Spring!

I love new makeup colors, don't you? I have been waiting a LONG time to launch these little guys so I'm really excited to share them - here's the breakdown:

FAIRY DUST ($18)

My loose powder Magic Dust has been a top seller in the color category but it was a little much for some folks who wanted to look a little more natural. I went through countless samples of colors until I finally settled on this one - and it was love at first sight! While Magic Dust is a warm soft gold, Fairy Dust is a cool champagne that reads as less "makeup-y" if that makes sense. Every time I wear it I get complimented on my skin - it looks healthy and dewy - I LOVE Fairy Dust!

FAIR TRADE TINTED LIP BALM IN BLUSHED ($6.50)

You guys were big fans of the berry shade, Flushed, this past winter so I wanted to bring a softer color and settled on Blushed - it's a super duper sheer pink (think of pink quartz - it looks like that) with a slight shimmer. It is Fair Trade Certified and packed with Organic ingredients and has the same Vanilla-Mint flavor that Flushed does. It's perfect with mascara for the carpool or paired with a smoky eye for a soft lip.

MINERAL LIP GLOSSES IN FRESH NUDE & PLEASANT PINK ($20)

I am over the moon about this!! These are the first new Mineral Lip Gloss colors in three years and I think you're going to love them!

Pleasant Pink on top, Fresh Nude on bottom

Fresh Nude is the perfect pinky brown neutral shade and Pleasant Pink is a strawberry/watermelon shade. Neither have shimmer and both have a Vanilla Bean flavor.

Wearing Fresh Nude at a wedding last week (a gorgeous wedding at Necker Island *swoon*)

They also are petrochemical-free (hard to find in a lipgloss!) and paraben-free.

TRAVEL SIZED MICELLAR WATER CLEANSING MAKEUP REMOVER ($11.50)

The response with the new Micellar Water Cleansing Makeup Remover has been so positive but I just went on a trip and wanted a smaller size and thought you guys could use a 2 oz. version as well. It's still petrochemical and fragrance-free, dries clean with no residue and removes makeup like a dream.

So head over to Erin's Faces and see what spring shades are right for you!

3/1/16

New Candles for Spring!

The Soy/Beeswax Candles were such a hit for Fall/Winter and you guys voted for AWESOME new fragrances for Spring (and one for Summer but that'll come later!) so here's what you asked for!! There are the Mason Jar size which burn 50+ hours and the Minis which burn 5+ hours. They use cotton wicks and phthalate-free fragrance oils and everything is made in the USA. They also get a super "clean and green" score of 0 on the Think Dirty App - here we go -

LIMONCELLO CREAM
Dreamy combination of aromatic lemon zest and subtle vanilla cream with a hit of verbena - very light and beautiful mix of tart and cream

MING FERN & LAVENDER
Blue lavender, mandarin, aloe, lemon leaf, lime, red ginger and oak moss allow the herbal fern base to come though - very botanical.

WHITE GARDENIA
A true floral gardenia with light hints of lily of the valley and citrus. It literally smells like a gardenia bush.

BLUSHING GRAPEFRUIT (year round scent)
Ruby Red Grapefruit - tart and clean - with hints of jasmine and vanilla. Smells very true to real grapefruits.

2/3/16

Erin's Face of the Month

What do you love most about your job?
I love that I get to spend so much time with my kids. It’s magical to watch them make new discoveries each day. My daughter just learned to write her name and I felt so lucky that I got to witness it.

What makes you feel beautiful?
When my kids give me a hug I feel like the most beautiful woman on earth. Last week my daughter (age 3) said, “Mama, you’re hair smells delicious.” I felt like I had won an Oscar.

Whose look do you love?
These days I admire moms that look put-together because I know how little time they had to spend on their look. I think Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s Fixer Upper is a wonderfully put-together mama.

What's your best makeup advice?
Use high quality brushes and wash them regularly. I’m always amazed at what a better makeup application I get with freshly cleaned brushes.

Favorite Erin's Faces makeup item?

Mineral Liquid Powder Foundation -- Foundation Brush

What's you best skincare advice?
Wash your face every night. Every time I get lazy and cheat on this step, my skin looks sad the next day. And stay out of the sun—duh.

Favorite Erin's Faces skincare item?

Clarifying Serum

Any other faves?

Bamboo Lemongrass Body Scrub