I try using all-natural products as often as I can. The less chemicals in our home, the better.

I especially think about the chemicals I am applying to my hair and skin through various shampoos, face washes, lotions, and other personal hygiene products. I found a wonderful all-natural replacements for these types of items through Rare Bird Soap Shop located inside NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids.

This little shop charmed be from the beginning when I first visited a few years back. I frequented it when I visited NewBo, but mostly for my essential oil needs. Just recently I have started exploring the full handcrafted line of products Rare Bird offers and as long as they are around, there’s no going back for me!

Here are just a few of my favorite products:
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Facial Cleanser
A couple pumps of this foam cleanser is all you need. It thoroughly removes my make-up and leaves my skin feeling soft. I enjoy the natural scent. I struggle with acne and thought I would never be able to use anything but chemical laced, acne specific cleansers, but I feel like my skin reacts even better to this all-natural option. For a little exfoliation, I use a woven exfoliating facial buff, also available in the shop.

Rosehip Seed Oil Facial Serum
Again, just a couple pumps of this serum goes a long way. I never thought I would apply oil to my already oily skin, but I don’t know that I’ll ever go back to a regular facial moisturizer. This oil is light, absorbs quickly, and does not make my face look greasy. I put it on in the morning before applying make-up and again at night. It creates a really nice base for my make-up. My make-up goes on smooth and has better staying power. I also honestly feel that I’m seeing less “shine” on my face throughout the day. I did some research and Rosehip Seed Oil actually has a ton of benefits for your skin!

Shampoo Bar
It will be impossible for me to use regular shampoo from a bottle after discovering this product. The shampoo bar suds up nicely and leaves my hair feeling both clean and moisturized. I don’t use conditioner, just the shampoo bar, and my curly (normally dry) hair has reacted really well. I’ve also noticed that I experience less dandruff. What I love the most about using a bar is that there is no plastic container, so this is a green option for those of you trying to consume less plastic as well!

As I mentioned before, I visit the shop in NewBo, but they also have a website and Etsy shop if you can’t make it to the physical location. I’ve always had a really good experience with the owner. She is very nice and is always willing to answer questions about when and how to use her products. The costs are also very reasonable for what you are getting.
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If you are looking for natural, effective products to incorporate into your beauty routine, I highly recommend Rare Bird Soap Shop!

Green color correcting concealer has been around forever. I have seen it in magazines from the time I was young until now (still young, of course). As a person who has struggled with acne her entire life, you thought I would have jumped on the green concealer bandwagon a long time ago – but better late than never, right?

I’m 33 and still struggle with acne. It’s beyond frustrating. It’s embarrassing. It’s hard to hide. But I do the best I can with what I have.

So what I do with this concealer is put it on before the rest of my make-up. I wash my face, put on moisturizer, then my green concealer. It’s designed to help with redness, so I primarily use it on new acne and scars from past acne. Just a little dab will do. If you can see the green after you blend it into your skin you’ve used too much. Once I have this on, I put on my foundation, regular nude concealer and so on. It makes a HUGE difference and disguises my acne really well (at least in my opinion).
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I use this kind and I love it:

It's called L'Oreal True Match Color Correcting Crayon. They have different shades available for different color correction needs.

​An obsession I’ll talk about soon is the Netflix series Queer Eye. On one of their first episodes they showed a man how to use green concealer. He had really bad rosacea all over his face and rubbing some green concealer on it really took the redness down. So it is gender neutral as well, which I think is cool.
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If you have adult acne and have any tips for either treating it or covering it up, I’m all ears!