Blogs

This lovely, little dress has just been added to the shop!

I made the Tomato Basil Cream Pasta tonight from the Vegan Yum Yum cookbook and oh my goodness…. so good! The sauce is yummy and thick, and coats the pasta perfectly. It was a hit with everyone! Needless to say, there were absolutely no leftovers. I can tell this dish is going to pop up for dinner often. You can also find the recipe here on Lauren’s blog.

Sidenote/dish: I steamed some asparagus and topped it with a bit of Earth Balance Butter; it made a perfect side. Yum Yum!

See the feature in its entirety here!

I was so excited to see that the Espadrille Wedge had made it to KIND headquarters yesterday. I tore open the big brown box and immediately found my size, slipped my foot in and buckled the dainty ankle strap. They are too cute! (And, will totally be bringing out the green eyed monster in some.) $88, here.

White Apricot just did a sneak peek write up on the new Nixxi SS10 collection calling it "sweet and slouchy." The feature included a highlight of the awesomely 80s inspired Scoop Tees which, I have to say, I find to be the epitome of "sweet and slouchy." (especially, the pale pink one!).

Jada, the designer behind Nixxi says, "The collection reminds me of my teenage years. I loved big statement tees with leggings! This collection combines that aesthetic with the minimalism that is Nixxi for a more modern look."

If you subscribe to our newsletter, you already know that these tees should be making their appearance any day now. And, that we have them in the 3 fabulous shades of Neapolitan ice cream (almost)- black, white and pale pink.

But, the newsletter did not mention this, because it has just been decided: From now until April 1st you can get the Scoop tee at 25% off! Just enter code 'APRICOT' in at check out.

White Apricot also featured Popomomo's Garde Romper in their piece- All for One: Eco Friendly One Piece Dressing, That Is! writing:

"It may look like an ordinary romper from the front, but the bare back cutout of this adorable one-piece is what makes it extraordinary. Add to the unexpected style, the comfort of the organic cotton jersey/hemp blend, and we guarantee it will become your favorite summer staple."

I love rompers for the same reason I love dresses. They are easy. In one fell swoop you are done and off doing more important things! And, as rompers go, this one is on the more laidback side of things. It's the perfect piece for picnicking or shopping the farmers market, attending a pool party or riding your bike. It's that piece that you can just throw on, look super cute, and enjoy summer in.

And, it is also 25% off now until April 1st with checkout code 'APRICOT.'

I was just munching on these peanut butter cookies from Back to Nature. It's not the first time I've had them, but it was the first time that I thought, "geeze, these are so good I have to share!"

Apparently a lot of people love this cookie just as much as me. I went to Back to Nature's website to see if there was any additional scoop on this cookie (not sure what I was expecting to find that couldn't be found on the box, BUUTTT I went anyway) and found tons of comments about how people think these cookies are tops!

They really are WAY more delicious than their hydrogenated oil filled, high fructose corn syrupy, and artificially flavored and colored brethren. They make eating junk food feel a little less bad and I like that. But, really, who doesn't? I think I'll have another now and another later.

MANY of the fall items in the shop will work wonderfully in the spring. A perfect example is the Beau Blanket made from 100% organic cotton. I wore it belted to dinner one night while vacationing in the Caribbean. I love it; it’s short, shows off your legs and looks awesome with flats or heels. The Refraction Dress is another amazingly transitional piece. Geometrics are really in this season and this piece has them in an artsy, understated way. Check it all out! And, don’t forget about the shoes. There are mark downs there too!

I have to give praises to this foundation by Tarte. I recently went to Sephora on a very clear mission to find a new foundation. I had been using Bare Minerals for 3 years and my mom warned me that it would age me. She was right. Bare Minerals was so drying. And, no matter how much moisturizer I put on my face, I just felt dry and dull all the time.

I knew I wanted something that was cruelty free, moisturizing, anti-aging (to rewind all of that BM damage), that had SPF and that felt light on my face but had good coverage. I had my eyes set on the Tarte ReCreate foundation, but tried the tinted moisturizer first. The sales guy really wanted me too. He didn’t think I needed a full blown foundation I guess, but it just wasn't for me. I didn’t feel like it gave me enough coverage nor did it feel like it would ever dry and stay put. It just felt slimy and the last thing I want is my face to feel like it is melting off or would be left on someones clothes if I hugged them.

My instincts were right. The moment I tried on the ReCreate I knew it was the one for me. It covered amazingly with a non-make-up-y feel, it's certified vegan by peta, and comes in recyclable, green packaging. My face feels moisturized and heathy. I LOVE it and highly recommend it!

Right now at Sephora they have the Tarte Natural Beauty Gift Set. That's what I went ahead and got because I was planning on getting a bronzer anyway. The foundation itself is $37 so for only a little bit more ($54) I got the foundation, primer, concealer, powder, bronzer and cruelty free foundation brush. I'm not sure if I will use the primer, concealer, or brush, but I am going to try them out. I'm pretty much into a 5 min face. But, I figured if I didn't end up using them I could always give them to a friend or my mom.

There is just one thing I should mention. There are not that many colors. I would suggest getting your color matched at Sephora before purchasing online. I ended up being a warm bisque, which is the "light" family. I am usually a medium, so I'm glad I went in and tested them out.

Here is some more information from the Tarte site about their ReCreate foundation:

The first of its kind, ReCreate™ is a natural, anti-aging foundation powered by Wrinkle Rewind™ technology; a proprietary complex which helps decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while increasing skin's overall moisture. Micronized minerals immediately brighten the skin while providing SPF 15 UVA/ UVB Broad Spectrum protection.

Clinical Results:

* Significant increase in skin elasticity, firmness and resiliency an average of 22% after 2 weeks of use and 43% after 4 weeks of use.

* Significant reduction in the appearance of fine lines and facial wrinkles an average of 39% after 4 weeks of use and 67% after 6 weeks of use.

* Increases skin's overall moisture by 52.82% within 15 minutes of application.

skinvigorating™ ingredients

* goji berry extract: nutrient dense berry often referred to as a 'super fruit' due to its numerous nutritional benefits

* high-performance naturals™: ground-breaking eco-technology; earth engineered™ formulas deliver clinically-proven results using unique and proprietary blends of 100% natural ingredients

* mineral pigments: colors and dyes derived from natural minerals have been know to soothe and soften the skin

* peat extract: natural plant extract that moisturizes and preserves the skin

* wheat extract: natural protein that helps retain water and moisture in the skin

* Wrinkle Rewind™ Technology: proprietary re-hydrating complex restores moisture, tone, and elasticity to the skin, effectively reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

skinvigorating™ benefits

* formulated without mineral oil & petrolatum
* formulated without paraben
* formulated without phthalates
* cruelty free
* formulated without sodium lauryl sulfate
* formulated without synthetic dye
* formulated without synthetic fragrance
* dermatologist tested
* clinically tested

Take 25% off these adorable espadrilles today only! Use code "GREEN" at checkout. Happy St. Patty's Day!!! Don't get pinched.

I received an email from a friend yesterday titled "Guest Blog." It was a not so subtle hint... and the subject was very appropriate with April showers about to hit. So, here it is :)

As we are all aware, using eco-friendly products to replace everyday items, when available, is total awesomeness! While searching for rain repellent for the car, I came across this company called Green Earth Technologies. I found what I was looking for and purchased Green Earth Technologies Hydrophobic Rain Repellent on Amazon. After applying it on my windows and testing it out through a few rains, I have to say this works just as well as "the other stuff," except for the coolness of being made with 100% bio-based environmentally safe ingredients. And… I found that Green Earth Technologies makes many other environmentally friendlier products for your car. So hey, maybe you should give some of these alternatives a try!