beauty → Style Chicks → Page 3

Islands Miracle 100% Pure Essential Oils Boxed Set

October 7, 2016 · Leave a Comment

A quality therapeutic grade essential oil is a very useful item to have around the house. They are useful blended with carrier oils and micro-misted into the air with oil diffusers. A quality set of essential oils is the Islands Miracle 100% Pure Essential Oils, ten oils that come in an attractive box set.

OIL VARIETIES INCLUDED THE ISLANDS MIRACLE ESSENTIAL OIL SET
There are ten essential oils in this boxed set. The varieties include Frankincense, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Orange, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Patchouli, Rosemary, and Silver Fir.

Islands Miracle 100% Pure Essential Oils Boxed Set

QUALITY
These are not just a fragrance in an oil base; they are the real deal and are tested in a variety of ways for quality and safety. Each bottle contains 100% pure unadulterated essential oil, which means there are no fillers, additives, or carrier oils. Islands Miracle Essential Oils are extracted utilizing advanced distillation and extraction methods producing the finest, therapeutic grade oils. This Essential Oil set is an exceptionally good value for both the quality and variety of oils.

PACKAGING AND DESIGN
The box is a thicker presentation-style gift black box with a decorative front decal. The box is sealed on both sides by the decal. Inside the bottles are lined up in two display columns with color-coded labels. The individual bottles are clearly labeled in larger print on colorful packaging, and the oils themselves are packaged in dark amber bottles to retain freshness. Each bottle has a Euro inverted dropper and a secure-fit black cap.

Islands Miracle 100% Pure Essential Oils Boxed Set

USES FOR ESSENTIAL OILS
The included usage guide suggests various uses for the oils. Some options are:

1) Diffusing: Add a few drops of one or more compatible oil scents to an oil diffuser. Particularly useful during times of sickness, allergies, congestion, or in an overly dry and stale air room. Also useful for cleansing the air of bacteria, the scent of mildew, pet odors, and cooking smells. I like to use the Islands Miracle Diffuser because it has a simple one button design with rotating colored light and it is very easy to use and clean. It is perfect with the wonderful Islands Miracle Essential Oil Diffuser

2) Essential oils are useful in soapmaking and in making massage oils and hair and skin conditioning oils. Add a few drops of an essential oil or a combination of essential oils to a carrier oil such as Jojoba, Safflower, Almond or Sunflower Oil. When applied topically, essential oils must always be diluted; they are too powerful to ever use them directly on the skin.

3) Essential Oils can be used in household cleaning products. Tea Tree and Eucalyptus have anti-microbial qualities, lavender, lemon and orange add a fresh, clean scent to homemade household cleaning remedies.

4) Therapeutic uses including Eucalyptus oil can be used for respiratory congestion, and Tea Tree Oil can be used to treat skin disorders as well as a natural alternative to chemical bug sprays.

Islands Miracle 100% Pure Essential Oils Boxed Set

Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense is typically a more expensive oil, and for a good reason. There is a host of health and beauty benefits to Frankincense, and a quality Frankincense is usually an investment. Used for centuries to ease pregnancy and post-natal symptomology, it can also help relieve chronic stress and anxiety, reducing pain and inflammation, and boost immunity. Frankincense is particularly useful when combined with Shea Butter and Coconut Oil for the treatment of stretch marks and other scars. It also has immune-enhancing abilities. Your dentist may be aware of some of the DIY recipes for dental care products that include Frankincense oil because it is excellent at addressing bad breath and general oral health issues.

This Islands Miracle Frankincense is a true essential oil and has a stronger scent than cheaper competitor oils. If the scent of Frankincense is strong or overpowering for you, I found that it balances well with a blend of adding a drop or two of the Orange Oil that is also included in this kit.

Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender Oil is frequently used for relaxation and restful sleep. It also is useful to infuse near a closet full of clothes that need to be aired out after being packed away all season, including fall sweaters that have been sitting in dry, stale-smelling storage.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Eucalyptus Oil is very helpful for congestion due to allergies, colds, or respiratory issues. I liked this Islands Miracle Eucalyptus as it had all the sinus-clearing capability of Eucalyptus without being too pungent.

Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon is an almost universally favored scent. Research studies indicate when people detect the scent of lemons; they think a house is cleaner and more inviting. I like to diffuse lemon oil, especially if finicky guests are coming over. I was glad this Islands Miracle lemon essential oil was *not* a Lemon Pledge fake-lemon type of scent. It is subtle; I diffused it in the kitchen after a particularly pungent spicy meal was cooked to reduce any lingering smell, and the result was just a fresh, clean scent, not an obvious mask of lemony fragrance over food aromas. It only took two drops in the diffuser for about ten to fifteen minutes.

Orange Essential Oil
Orange oil is a calming sedative, an anti-inflammatory, and an antispasmodic. It is very useful when added to a massage oil or cream blend, especially for joints. To test this out, I made a blend of the Islands Miracle Orange oil and jojoba for use on my knees after my leg day exercises and did find it relieved some of the achiness. Diffused Orange Oil is also an excellent oil to eliminate pet odors or strong cooking odors in the kitchen and is very useful on cuts or abrasions due to its’ anti-bacterial properties.

Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint Oil is invigorating, improves mental clarity, and can eliminate the cook odors of fish or other strong food scents. Diffusing Peppermint Oil is also a natural way to deter pests such as bugs and mice without being harmful to children or pets. I tried adding a tiny drop of the Islands Miracle Peppermint oil to my regular shampoo for an invigorating, deep cleanse to my hair and scalp. I massaged my scalp for an extra minute and let the shampoo sit on my hair before rinsing and could feel the Peppermint tingle. It was relaxing and refreshing, and my scalp felt great!

Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea Tree Oil is useful as a natural insect deterrent, whether it is diffused in the house (or on a porch or deck) or worn as an alternative to chemical bug sprays. Tea Tree is useful when there is an illness in the house; it is antibacterial and anti-fungal. It can help eliminate airborne virus and bacteria. It is also very helpful for deterring mold and mildew in basements and the bath. I used the Islands Miracle Tea Tree Oil in our house after a recent respiratory ailment and was pleased with how quickly the air smelled fresh again without a lingering medicinal scent. I was impressed with the quality of this Tea Tree Oil, whereas I typically need to use 8-10 drops of another competitor’s Tea Tree Oils in my diffuser, it was only two drops of the Islands Miracle Oil in my diffuser to get results.

Patchouli Essential Oil
Patchouli Oil is often thought of primarily as a fragrance ingredient, but it has been used therapeutically in aromatherapy to treat depression and anger. Its’ medicinal uses include as a topical antiseptic, an astringent, an anti-fungal, and as an insecticide. It also protects clothes and fabrics from insects. As Patchouli is highly aromatic, take care to dilute it well, so the scent is not overwhelming for topical use. I found Grapeseed Oil and Jojoba Oil to both be good carrier oils for Patchouli to use as an all-over skin treatment deter insects when working in the garden.

Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary Oil has a strong herby, evergreen scent. In aromatherapy, it helps with nervousness, fatigue, and mental clarity, especially when under stress. Some find that diffusing Rosemary Oil helps students concentrate while doing their homework. A drop of Rosemary Oil can be added directly to shampoo or lotion. It also blends well with several of the other oils in this set including the Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint, and the Eucalyptus. I tried a drop of the Islands Miracle Rosemary in lotion for a relaxing and soothing foot rub after standing in stiletto high-heels last week and found it very soothing. There are some medical contraindications for Rosemary, those who are pregnant or have certain health issues should avoid topical Rosemary Oil use until speaking with a doctor.

Silver Fir Essential Oil
A wintery scent, Silver Fir Oil has antibiotic and antiseptic properties. It is very useful if one has a bad bronchial cough (one that is not limited to nasal passageways or simple sinus type congestion) that Eucalyptus can address. Silver Fir is powerful and should be used sparingly as it is a vasoconstrictor. But as with all the Islands Miracle oils, you just need a drop or two. In a diffuser, the Islands Miracle oil quickly adds a winter-wonderland type scent to the air within minutes.

Islands Miracle 100% Pure Essential Oils Boxed Set

CONCLUSION: The Islands Miracle 100% Pure Essential Oil Set is an exceptionally high-quality set of oils, I am very pleased to have it for use in my home for aromatherapy purposes, for cleansing the air after cooking, and for beauty and health uses. I am particularly fond of the Lemon because it is a true lemon scent, and the Frankincense is such an excellent value. It is often difficult to find quality oils that have been tested as extensively as Islands Miracle quality tests their products. This set makes for a very beautiful and practical gift for an essential oil user, or for anyone who likes to make soaps and lotions, or for anyone with kids or pets who does not want to use excessive chemicals when they can find a natural alternative to address so many household and health needs.

Find the Islands Miracle 100% Pure Essential Oils Boxed Set here.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmfY3Q8Wxfw[/embedyt]

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

Health and Beauty: Coastal Tea Company Ginger Mint Green Tea

September 18, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Last week I eagerly clicked a link on what models were drinking to achieve their luminous skin during NYFW. It was…green tea. Didn’t we know this already? Whether you are new to the skin and health wonders of green tea or a tea devotee, you should definitely try Coastal Tea Company Ginger Mint Green Tea.

OVERVIEW: This is a tangy and crisp Green Tea, perfect for the end of summer, beginning of autumn.

Coastal Tea Company Ginger Mint Green Tea

WHY WE LIKE GREEN TEA:
On average, we try to drink two cups of Green Tea per day. Green Tea makes for glowing, youthful skin; as it reduces inflammation (such as puffy undereye bags), rids the cells of aging free radicals and helps boost the metabolism resulting in more energy and weight management. Green Tea also has health benefits for heart and brain health and is considered beneficial for cancer prevention.

The Green Tea that one drinks can make all the difference in gaining benefits. To get real beauty and health benefits from Green Tea, it takes two things: 1) find a reputable company that produces safe, quality, fresh green tea from whole leaves, not “tea dust” and 2) find an enjoyable flavor you will enjoy drinking consistently

FINDING A REPUTABLE GREEN TEA COMPANY FOR QUALITY TEA:
Two key considerations when seeking a good tea brand is the quality of the tea and the safety of the tea.

TEA SAFETY: StyleChicks recently reviewed the Coastal Tea Company, and we were very impressed with the efforts they take to produce tea that is not only high quality, fresh whole leaf tea, but they strictly regulate their production to sell only small-batch, fresh tea with no trace of radiation or lead. Tea leaves, like other vegetation, is subject to soaking in the nutrients from the ground. Sometimes that ground contains metal traces including lead, and some areas where tea is grown have been subject to high levels of radiation. Coastal Tea Company takes extensive measures to avoid both risks, see more about the Coastal Tea Company here in our review of their Mango Green Tea.

TEA QUALITY: The most value from Green Tea comes from fresh, full leaves containing the highest levels of EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) and polyphenols (the chief antioxidants). These high levels are not found in green tea “dust,” or the leftover remaindered older teas. Look for loose tea that has large, fresh pieces of dried leaves visible within the tea mix and a low amount of “dust” in the mix. Any inclusions to flavor the tea, such as dried fruit, nuts, or petals, should be generous in size and fresh. A fresh tea has a tasty, full aroma.

FINDING A FLAVOR OF TEA YOU LIKE
It is important to find an enjoyable flavor of Green Tea because Green Tea is for some, an acquired taste. It may, in fact, not be YOUR cup of tea if you don’t enjoy drinking it. Green Tea can taste somewhat vegetal, and often requires some sweetener or flavoring to enhance it, especially for someone new to drinking full leaf, fresh green tea. Fresh Green Tea has a richer, fuller taste than many commercially pre-bottled, pre- sweetened sugar drinks with Green Tea as an ingredient.

WHAT MAKES COASTAL TEA COMPANY GINGER MINT GREEN TEA SPECIAL?

Coastal Tea Company’s Ginger Mint Green Tea is a 100% loose leaf sencha green tea blend with dried ginger pieces, lemongrass, and Moroccan Mint. It has a crisp taste without being too tart or bitter. The Ginger is nicely tempered by the mellow Moroccan Mint, which surprised me as a tasty combination of flavors. The Lemongrass was a surprise enhancing ingredient in this blend because typically lemongrass tastes just plain grassy to me. But in this tea blend, playing off the other flavors, it is quite good – sort of a crisp tanginess without being bitter. For those new to Green Tea, a small amount of sugar or honey could be added, but even our non-Tea loving friends and family have enjoyed this blend.

Coastal Tea Company Ginger Mint Green Tea

INCLUSION: Any inclusions to flavor the tea should look fresh as well. The chunks of ginger are plentiful and big. They are full, solid chunk slices, not gritty partial crumbling shards of ginger. How they appear in the pictures is how the tea looks poured directly out of the bag. The lemongrass pieces are plentiful and unbruised. The mint leaves were large pieces of fuller leaves. Notice how all the pieces of tea and inclusions are in good shape, they look fresh and there is no tea dust.

Coastal Tea Company Ginger Mint Green Tea

NATURAL FLAVORS: Coastal Tea Company uses all natural flavorings. There are no chemicals or additives; the flavor comes just from the inclusion ingredients, in this case, the Lemongrass, Ginger and the Mint.

TASTY: Not everyone likes the taste of Green Tea. This Ginger Mint has a crisp, tangy taste; the sweet Moroccan Mint balances the tart taste of the ginger surprisingly well.

FULL LOOSE LEAVES: The tea is actual large leaf and full leave pieces, leaves, not dust or remaindered tea. This is the freshest type of tea, the best of the batch, and it holds the most anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits.

PREPARATION
Bring water to almost the boiling point but not a full boil. This makes Green tea brew better and tastes less bitter. Don’t over steep the brew, brew for no more than 2 – 4 minutes.

The tea has a lovely, pale yellow hue and tastes of ginger, lemongrass, and Moroccan mint. I got a second full-pot brew out of the same leaves that were just a flavorful as the first.

CONCLUSION: A tasty, natural tea that has all the benefits I look for in a green loose leaf tea without any of the risks associated with some loose leaf tea brands. I am impressed by the strict standards and precautions Coastal Tea Company undertakes to ensure their teas are fresh and safe.

Coastal Tea Company Ginger Mint Green Tea

Find this tasty tea at Amazon.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYyVSm2UCG8[/embedyt]

I received this product for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!

Tea Tuesday: Coastal Tea Company Mango Green Tea

September 6, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Coastal Tea Company’s Mango Green Tea

Here at Style Chicks, we drink lots of green tea. Green tea is a beauty powerhouse for youthful, glowing skin as well as a metabolism and energy booster. For example, studies indicate if you have a cup of green tea each day instead of your standard afternoon coffee for a year, that alone can result in up to a ten-pound weight loss. But to get the beauty benefits that green tea can offer, the brand of tea one chooses is critical in order to make sure it is the quality of tea to derive benefits. And, if you are not a fan of green tea, it helps if it is a tasty, flavorful tea. Coastal Tea Company makes a delicious Mango Green worth giving a try.

GREEN TEA
Green Tea has often been touted as the miracle drink for glowing skin, weight control, increased energy, improved immunity, and reducing inflammation. EGCG in doses of green tea shown to be effective in preliminary studies for cancer prevention. Multiple cups of green tea per day are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers. But not all green teas are created equal when it comes to taste, quality, EGCG levels, freshness, and safety.

WHAT MAKES COASTAL TEA COMPANY MANGO GREEN TEA SPECIAL?

– Coastal Tea Company’s Mango Green Tea is a 100% leaf sencha green tea blend with dried mango pieces with hints of peach and mint. The chunks of mango are plentiful and big, how they appear in the pictures is how the tea looks poured directly out of the bag, they were not “arranged” for the photo. What you see is what you get.

– All natural. There are no artificial flavors, chemicals or additives for flavor.

– It is tasty. Green tea can taste somewhat vegetal and is something of an acquired taste. This mango tea has a sweet mango and peach flavor with a notable mint infusion.

– The tea is actual full leaves, not dust or remaindered tea. This is the freshest type of tea, the best of the batch, and it holds the most benefits. The batches are small batches to ensure freshness and quality.

– In addition to being an organic green tea that is tasty, low caffeine and healthy, Coastal Tea Company takes special efforts to avoid the risks associated with green tea: lead and radiation.

Coastal Tea Company’s Mango Green Tea

LEAD
A concern with the otherwise incredible health benefits of green full leaf tea is the level of lead it can contain. This problem is inherent to green tea, as it is highly prone to absorb chemical pollution, especially so in leaves picked in China. This problem exists in many brands of tea. The cost of the tea is not necessarily always correlated to the probability of higher levels lead, but small batch, hand-picked teas had the least possibility of containing lead.

According to the New York Times Well Blog, an independent study analyzed the lead content of various brands of green tea leaves. The study stated that the leaves in the Lipton and Bigelow tea bags contained 1.25 to 2.5 micrograms of lead per serving. (Whatâ€™s in Your Green Tea?, May 23, 1013)

Coastal Tea screens their tea leaves for lead and metal traces by running it through a metal detector, a sorting machine, and a heavy magnet to sort out any tea leaves that have absorbed any lead or metals. I haven’t heard of a company taking such efforts to screen their tea leaves, but it gives me much more confidence that Coastal Tea Co teas are safe.

RADIATION
Another risk for green tea leaves is it is susceptible to absorbing radiation. While this is chiefly a concern with matchas (because the leaf is actually consumed not just steeped), it is something to be aware of in the selection of tea. Coastal Tea tests tea for radiation levels, as well as only selects tea leaves from areas that are known as safe (Uju City) and have never had reports of radiated tea.

TASTE
Brewed for 2-5 minutes, the tea has a lovely, golden-yellow hue and tastes of peach, mango, and a crisp, fresh-tasting mint. I got a second brew out of the same leaves that were just a flavorful as the first.

Coastal Tea Company’s Mango Green Tea

Find this tasty tea at Amazon.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggqv2SkshiQ[/embedyt]

I received this product for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!

Tea Tree Oil: How to Use Tea Tree Oil

July 22, 2016 · 2 Comments

Brooklyn Botany Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil is well known for its’ antiseptic, antibacterial, antivirus properties, as well as having a scent that repels mosquitos, Tea Tree Oil also has several beauty and health applications that make it a powerful multi-tasker in your beauty arsenal.

Tea Tree Oil Beauty Uses for Skin and Hair

Read ways to use Tea Tree Oil in this post entitled How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Skin and Hair.

ABOUT BROOKLYN BOTANY TEA TREE OIL

This Ultra Pure Essential Oil is 45% Terpinen-4-ol, the active ingredient in Tea Tree Oil. This is a Therapeutic Grade Oil, suitable for use on hair and skin.

It comes sealed with a cap and overwrap in an amber bottle. There is an included glass dropper for once the bottle is unsealed. It is one ounce.

CONCLUSION

A very useful product, this Brooklyn Botany Tea Tree Oil is a high enough grade oil to be used on skin and hair. Good price and well-packaged.

Where to buy it

Find it at Amazon.com.

I received this product in exchange for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!