Out of Africa - Hand Crafted Shea Butter Products

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

If you are looking for a natural moisturizer, Out of Africa makes a full line of premium quality skincare. Plus, you'd be donating towards a great cause at the same time because they donate part of their proceeds to help provide education and medical care to the children of the West African village that this shea butter is sourced from. They support several woman's cooperatives and help to create jobs in democratic Benin. Out of Africa also supports by donating to the Global Leadership Initiative.

We were able to sample a few of their products. Not only were they really enjoyable to use, it's nice to know the company is giving back and providing social awareness. Here's what we tried:

Vanilla Shea Butter Lip Balm - It's 30% unrefined shea butter. It tastes good and it goes on smooth. 100% natural & Vegan. Light vanilla scent.

Pure Shea Butter - Lavender Shea Butter Tin - Lightly scented butter that's ideal for dry, sensitive, cracked skin, fine lines, psoriasis, eczema, and scars. It will also help to reduce stretch marks. It's kind like a balm or salve which is great for the Winter months.

Pure Shea Butter Hand Cream - silky smooth finish and it's not greasy. Made with 20% shea butter and it's naturally rich in antioxidants, Vitamin A, E, and F.

Pure Shea Butter Bar Soap - They make about 200,000 bars of soap a month. Gentle, creamy, super lather, and my skin was literally squeaky clean. No residue. I really like the soap.

To find out more about the company, view products and/or purchase, please go to:
http://outofafricashea.com/

Arianna Skincare - Dead Sea Minerals

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

My husband and I first experienced this store when we were strolling the boutiques in Newport, RI. They have a great little corner shop right on Bowen's Wharf where all the action is. They offer super high-end luxury products, which are made with Dead Sea minerals. The incredible healing properties of the Dead Sea are World renowned and have been for many centuries. The Dead Sea contains 26 essential  minerals, twelve of the Dead Sea minerals do not exist in any other ocean in the World.

The CEO and founder Miri Torres created the line in 2007 when she was struggling to find all-natural products after struggling with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and chemotherapy treatments to heal her battered body. My niece who suffers from eczema on her hands, saw immediate improvements on her hands within days. It's also great for psoriasis, acne, and diabetes. It's proven to increase blood circulation, and it will take years off skin's appearance (the eye serum is said to be noticeable within 10-14 days of product use). 

They offer a complete line of body care, face care, and cleansing products. They also have some cute novelty cupcake soaps, pops, and bath bombs.

We are going to try to work with them to do a giveaway soon, so stay tuned.

Arianna has five beautiful stores in the North East that you can find in Boston, Braintree, Martha's Vineyard, Newport, and New York City. Those who use the products, swear by them. It's expensive but it's quality, and if you are having a hard time with your skin it's worth the investment to heal and repair unhappy skin.

To find out more about the company or order online, please go to:
http://www.arianna-skincare.com/default.asp

They were generous and sent us a beautiful sample box of their fine products. Thank You Arianna!

Collagen Boost Eye Serum Treatment - improves blood microcirculation , lessens the appearance of tired, puffy-looking eyes and dark circles as it brightens the skin around the eyes.

Skin Balance Revitalizing Gel Cream - a light water-based moisturizer filled with key anti-oxidants to fight the signs of aging.

Ultra Rich Mineral Body Butter - Moisturize your skin with this natural lotion to stimulate blood flow and renew skin.

Ultra Exfoliating Body Treatment - cleanse and exfoliate with Dead Sea salt crystals renowned for their healing power and effectiveness. Treat problems like calluses, dry skin, flaky skin, or cracked skin and stop them for re-occurring.

Intensive Mineral Hand Treatment - this is what my niece used to clear up her eczema on her hands. They will be adding it to their website soon, but you can call them to order it directly. $24.99 and you can call 1-888-330-1423

Simple Squares - Paleo, Organic, Nutrition Bars

Simple Squares are healthy on-the-go nutrition bars that are Paleo, organic, non-GMO, and gluten free. They are based out of Chicago, IL and it was started by Kimberly Dobbins who was on a restricted diet but still needed her treats (marathon runner as well). They are perfect for Crossfit, workouts, travel, & meal replacement. Each bar is made with 5 simple ingredients, and they offer 8 great flavors you can pick from (I hear Coconut is most popular). If you can't pick one, they also offer a sampler pack.

• Cho-Coco
• Chili Pep
• Cinna-Clove
• Coconut
• Coffee
• Ginger
• Rosemary
• Sage

These are also low in sodium, a good source of fiber, they have healthy herbal infusions, and they are a sustainable source of energy. For example, the Cinna-Clove Squares contain anti-inflammatory properties because of the cinnamon, and the clove helps with digestion. Simple Squares does not used any highly processed sugars either. They are sold at various locations through out the U.S. and you can find a store near you here:
http://simplesquares.com/contact/

You can find out more info about Simple Squares here:
http://simplesquares.com/simple-story/


It pairs great with some Greek yogurt and fresh fruit.

Raw Revolution Organics

I have been eating these bars before the gym lately, and they give me that little burst of energy when I start getting tired at the end to finish my workout strong. Raw Revolution is a family owned business located in Hawethorne, NY. The business started in 2004 when a registered nurse and a natural foods chef teamed up and starting creating these bars out of their home kitchen. They bars are packed with superfoods, they are dairy free, gluten free, cholesterol free, preservative free, vegan, and they have no artificial ingredients or corn syrup of any kind.

They have 16 different flavors to pick from, so there's something here for everyone:

1. Glo Creamy Peanut Butter
2. Glo Mixed Nuts Caramel
3. Glo Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate
4. Spirulina Dream
5. Chunky Peanut Butter Chocolate
6. Chocolate Coconut Bliss
7. Double Chocolate Brownie
8. Dark Chocolate Trail Mix
9. Golden Cashew
10. Cranberry Almond & Coconut
11. Almond Butter Cup
12. Chocolate Crave
13. Cherry Chocolate Chunk
14. Heavenly Hazelnut Chocolate
15. Coconut Delight
16. Chocolate Raspberry Truffle

You can find Raw Revolution organic bars all over the place nowadays, here is the store locator to find one near you: http://www.rawrev.com/#!storelocator/c1tvy

To find out more about Raw Revolution you can also view their website here:
http://www.rawrev.com/

Montebello Organic Pasta

Review & Recipe by Lisa VanWilliams

Since 1984, Montebello has been making artisan organic pasta in Italy. The durum wheat semolina is grown on small family farms overlooking the Adriatic Sea, and then the pasta is air dried in traditional drying rooms. This is a high quality pasta with a great Old World taste and excellent texture.

The wheat is grown in Marche, Italy in fields surrounding the Montebello Monastery which has been around since 1388. They have never used chemicals, and use crop rotation to nurture the soil. The land is also a Natural Preserve in the region.

Montebello was kind enough to send us some samples of their products to test out. You can find Montebello pasta at Whole Foods nationally, and a few other select stores. It costs about $3 a pound but you can catch them on sale 2 for $5.

Tonight we made Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 pound cooked Strozzapreti
1 roasted chicken shredded
3 large garlic cloves
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
olive oil
salt/pepper
hot Hungarian paprika
1 cup half and half
1 cup fresh mozzarella
fresh basil
crushed red pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to pan. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes. The add the shredded chicken, paprika, salt/pepper, and crushed red pepper, some fresh basil, and mix well. Add the half and half. Mix in the cooked pasta - not all of it, probably a little more half. I tossed it all in a cast iron pan and topped with mozzarella. Bake in oven for 15-20 mins until cheese it melted. Enjoy!

Eco Lips

Review by Lisa VanWilliams

If you are looking for all natural organic lip care products, we found this great family-owned company out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa called Eco Lips.
Why are they great? Eco Lips is USDA Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified, Gluten-Free, GMO free, and Cruelty Free. Their tubes and caps are made over 40% recycled materials, and the manufacturing energy they use is offset by 100% renewable resources. Plus they also work with Zambians in Africa (where about 68% of the people live below the national poverty line), by sourcing oils from their villages to create self-worth and increase their net worth. Kudos Eco Lips!

They will even design your very own organic lip balm for you if you want where you can pick your ingredients, design your container, and even name your balm. Great for birthday parties, gifts, and special occasions. They offer a few different handcrafted organic mixes for a complete line of afforadably priced balms:

• ONE WORLD version Fair Trade Certified blends packaged in biodegradeable/compostable paper tubes. Exotic oils from specific world regions. 
• MONGO KISS lip balms are also Fair Trade Certified organic ingredients that has cocoa butter infused with Mongongo Oil from Zambia Africa. The "oil is sourced from a small rural village, helping a group of women create self-worth while increasing their net worth."
• Organic Lip Scrub is a gentle sugar that will exfoliate and polish to create soft smooth lips.
• Zinc Sunscreen SPF 15 will protect and nourish your lips from the sun without harsh chemicals. 
• Bee Free Vegan Lip Balm is a combo of candelilla wax and cocoa butter to create soft and supple lips. 
• Specialty Lip Balm line with choices for cold sores, hempseed oil, and Baobab oil. 
• Pure & Simple Organic lip balm has mouth-watering fruit flavors that are 100% edible. Great starter chapstick for kids! Not that you want them to eat it, but I think most of us have tried it in our lives (I'm pretty sure I ate some as a child).
• SPF Fair Trade which is made of a combo of organic sunflower seed oil, organic beeswax, organic coconut oil, and vitamin E to protect your lips under harsh conditions. 
• Tinted Fair Trade lip balms - 6 different shades to pick from that glide on smoothly to make lips shimmer & glow.
• Co-branded organic lip balms made by teaming up with Dagoba chocolate
• They also make a face stick for sunscreen, and bug balm stick repellent. 

They sent us a few samples, and we are really liking the Eco Lips Zinc Sunscreen SPF15 Vanilla flavored lip balm and the Eco Lips ONE WORLD Repair in Mango Ginger flavor. The Bee Free wax glides on smoothly with a light scent of Superfruit.The scent and flavors are not overpowering in any way. This brand is VERY subtle and light but you can feel the moisture. You can find this brand at several Whole Foods locations throughout Connecticut, and surrounding areas. Look here to find your closest store locator: http://www.ecolips.com/store-locator
To find out more about the brand, please go to: http://www.ecolips.com/about-us

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