7 Things For September

Fall is finally on the horizon, although I’m not fully ready to let go of summer quite yet! But, whether I’m ready or not, school has officially started and soon the leaves will start changing as the hot sunny days gradually slip away. For me, that means a shift in my skincare routine, getting a head start in fighting off all the school germs and trying to be a better morning person, because this new kindergarten schedule is kicking my sleepy butt. So from skincare to back-to-school, I’ve rounded up some of my top things to help sail into the fall!

Transitional Skincare

First up is a new launch from Odacité that I think is great for transitional weather. Their new mask, Synergy Skin Perfecting Beauty Masque, is launching next week on 9/12 and I was lucky enough to be able to try it early. The great thing about Odacité is that they’re all about customizing your skincare, and this mask is no exception. The mask itself is designed to work synergistically to detox, peel, brighten and boost collagen. You can become your own skin chef by mixing the dry powdered mask with anything- from one of Odacité’s serums to yogurt or even orange juice! What you mix it with enhances certain properties of the mask, for example: orange juice will enhance the brightening property. Since my skin tends to freak out over any change in the weather, I love that I can adjust the mask for what my skin needs. It even comes with a little stainless steel mixing cup and wisk. How cute is that??

Clarifying Moisturizer

Speaking of new launches and my skin freaking out… Tata Harper just launched their Clarifying Moisturizer and after trying it the last few weeks, I’ve really grown to love it. I have a few things from Tata’s line that are firm favorites (the resurfacing mask for sure). Though I don’t have breakout prone skin, it’s been breaking out a lot lately, and I wasn’t sure how this was different from some other moisturizers out there for that skin type. But the lightweight feel and matte finish really sets it apart. Tata Harper always  seems to get texture right on their products. It actually did a really great job at helping me get rid of the few stress blemishes that were popping up towards the hot, sticky end of August. I’m also continuing to use my Odacité serums and combined, this seems to be a dream team for getting rid of blemishes for me. In my opinion, this is comparable to conventional face lotions. If you’re looking for a lightweight moisturizer that’s gentle and effective, then I give this my seal of approval.

Morning Pick Me Up

Have I mentioned I’m not a morning person? Since my son just started kindergarten, our whole schedule has gotten shaken up and we have an early call time getting him up and ready. Some of it is nice- my daughter’s still asleep so it’s just us eating breakfast and we read a devotional together and talk about the day ahead. That aside, I’m still dragging in the A.M. and I can only take about one cup to one and a half cups of coffee without getting jittery. That means I’m on the hunt for other ways to stay caffeinated while adjusting to the new schedule. I get an extra pick me up from Salt and C’s Organic Coffee Scrub in the shower. While it’s not technically giving me anymore caffeine, it definitely helps me to feel more awake. It smells delicious and is a great, quick exfoliator. This brand is new to me, but has a lot of great products worth checking out!

Playing Defense

We all know when school is back in session, germs abound! An all natural remedy with proven results is elderberry syrup. It can be taken daily as a preventative or you can take a larger dose to help knock out a cold or the flu faster and it’s really cheap and easy to make it yourself. It’s been used for centuries but some studies in the last couple of decades have confirmed it does indeed shorten the flu (by 4 days on average) and helps to prevent virus’s from taking effect. I have the recipe I use below. I usually make it with these organic dried elderberries. This is for kids or adults, but it has honey so use caution with babies under 1. You can swap maple syrup for honey if you need to. Adults can take 1-2 teaspoons a day for prevention or take a teaspoon 4x daily if sick. Kids can take 1/2 a teaspoon daily or a 1/2 teaspoon 4x a day if sick.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dried organic elderberries

3 cups water (preferably filtered)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1 cup raw honey

Directions: 

In a medium pot, bring elderberries and water to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for about half an hour. Mash the elderberries and then strain the whole mixture using a cheesecloth. After it cools, mix in the honey and cinnamon (if using) and pour into several mason jars to store (mine fits into about 3 large mason jars). Store in the fridge for up to 6-8 weeks or you can freeze it for longer storage. 

Spritz Away Those Germs

Another tool in our arsenal against germs is Kosmatology’s Hand Sanitizer. I love the scents and how easy it sprays on. My kid’s love using it themselves too! It’s a great size to tuck into back packs, if your child is allowed to bring their own sanitizer. 

A Little Me Time

As we head into the busier season of school and the holidays approaching, I’m trying hard to be mindful of carving out a little time for myself here and there. I wasn’t great at it this summer (in fairness, we had a lot thrown at us at once with moving and unexpected family health issues) and it really caught up with me. I recently discovered Pursoma and their detox baths. I am in love! I tried the Resurrection Bath which is designed to remineralize you, hydrate your skin and give you mental clarity. The pouch contains a combination of clays, seaweed, spirulina, and sea salt. You combine the clay mixture with the sea salt in a hot bath and this stuff really goes to work! It feels so good and I could feel my stress melting away. I am going to get stocked up on these for the busy months ahead! 

Cooking With The Seasons

Last, I just wanted to share one of my favorite cookbooks: A Kitchen In France. I am infatuated with Mimi Thorisson’s life in quant Médoc, France with her all her children and many dogs and wonderful French cooking. While this isn’t a health food book, she does emphasize whole foods, organic foods and cooking with the seasons, and the result is gorgeously delicious. This book covers meals and recipes for all four seasons, but I find myself drawn to the book even more in the fall and winter. I’m making her pumpkin soup recipe next week! 

Happy September everyone! xo