Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.walgreens.com/beauty.
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I am a firm believer in natural and organic food and products, but as a mom I just can't bear to spend a ton of extra money trying to create an non-toxic household. Luckily, the market for these kinds of products has grown to the point where you don't have to go to exclusive stores or pay a high premium anymore. In fact, here are some examples of healthy, environmental, and reasonably-priced gifts you can find in your neighborhood drugstore.
For the Kids
I believe it is especially important to provide kids and babies with natural products as much as possible, but often the steeper price tags make us moms a little hesitant to buy organic or all-natural stuff on a day-to-day basis. However, that's also the exact reason why they make great holiday gifts, though!
Here is an example of a bath and body set that is sulfate-free, isn't tested on animals, and has gentle vegan ingredients. I've always thought grapefruit is such a great scent for kids; it's fresh- and clean-smelling, and matches their sunny dispositions.
For Men
This category is super-easy. There is a brand called Every Man Jack that specializes in men's products, and their stuff is vegan and sulfate-free. Best of all, they work really well and they smell great too (although they do have unscented versions of almost all their products for the sensitive guys out there). Every Man Jack makes it easy to introduce the man in your life to the cleansing/toning/moisturizing/sunblock regimen he really should have been doing for years now without overwhelming him. Grab a few skin, hair, and shaving products, arrange them in a shower caddy, and voila, you will have a cleaner, handsomer man!
For the Ladies, Including Moi
My friend got me some Out of Africa products for my birthday last month, and I am a total shea butter fanatic now. It turns out that shea butter is absorbed into the skin much faster and keeps your skin moisturized for so much longer than normal lotions, and my skin looks so much healthier now, especially my hands. I just figured that the little crackles and crosshatch patterns were a result of aging; turns out my skin was just dry! No Parabens, Sulfates, Petrolatums or Phthalates; Cruelty-free and Eco-Friendly. Try it and see if your skin will lap it up like mine does.
While we're on the subject of hands, another recent discovery is non-toxic nail polish. I had no idea it existed until I saw this Keeki Holiday Nail Set online. I am aching to try it out! Manicures and pedicures are two of my favorite ways to unwind and pamper myself, but I always feel uneasy smelling all the chemicals and wondering what they are doing to my nails. My curiosity is piqued.
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Merry Christmas and happy shopping! If you have encountered any other great finds, please let me know!
