Hello, my name is Kassie and I’m addicted to lip balm. I honestly can’t live without it! Today’s Talk About It Wednesday (don’t worry, we’ll go back to our normally scheduled programming next week!) is shining its spotlight on a company called Wine Country Organics, and their wonderfully addictive lip products.

Wine Country produces and sells organic lip balm and lip tints. They use only the highest quality ingredients in their lip balms such as grape seed oil, vitamin E, castor oil, beeswax and jojoba oil. There are no chemical additives; their products are 100% natural and 97%-99.5% organic. Everything is healthy and good for you and they even have the safest rating possible in the Cosmetics Safety Database.

They sell a colorless (and amazing!) lip balm as well as gorgeous, sheer lip tints. They have 8 different colors that have different wine themed names like Rosé and Merlot, which are the two tinted lip balms I was so fortunate to try. I was also sent the regular lip balm which is what we’ll talk about first.

Like I said above, I love lip balm and I have quite a collection, but I’ve found myself reaching for Wine Country Organics lip balm each and every night above all of the others that I own. I’m madly and passionately in love with this balm. My lips feel amazingly soft, smooth, and moist when using this. The benefits of this lip balm are not temporary either because it definitely lasts a very long time. My lips have never been so hydrated! They look better than ever and I’m going to keep this as the starting quarterback of my lip balm team. Sorry for the sports reference – I know this is a beauty blog!

Since I love the formulation and the feeling of the regular lip balm it was pretty much a given that I would love the tinted versions just as much since they share the same ingredient list, with a few extras of course. I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a big lip gloss fan so these are a superb alternative.

Rosé is a very flattering pink shade while Merlot is a fabulous berry shade. I like both colors quite a bit but I’d have to say my favorite is Merlot. I’m typically drawn towards berry shades and this one is no exception. They are both very subtle and sheer but add a nice shine and a hint of color to my lips. They are perfect for every day wear which is exactly how I’ve been using them.

These products definitely trump every other lip product that I have ever tried and that is my honest opinion! They have no taste or smell, which I love! Oh, and I forgot to mention how amazing their prices are! The balm is $4.50 and the lip tints are $7. They even do a lot within their community, which I commend and admire. They have amazing products with wonderful customer service and a really great view of the world.

I hope that if you decide to try some of their products you will love them as much as I do. I’m so happy with their balm and tints and will forever make room for them in my collection.

FTC: Wine Country Organics was so kind and generous to send me some of their products to try for free and possibly review. All opinions are my own. Thank you, Wine Country Organics.

If you want to learn how to use coconut oil for beauty purposes and enter for a chance to win your very own quart of coconut oil - keep reading!

Coconut oil is a lot like butter in the aspect that it is solid when cold and liquid when heated. This property makes it extremely versatile! It has so many different purposes, from being one of the most heart-healthy cooking oils to moisturizing and replenishing skin, it’s truly amazing and I’m absolutely in love with it.

A wonderful company called Tropical Traditions (http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/) was kind enough to send me a quart of their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil and I have been using it nonstop since it arrived. All of the coconuts they use are fresh and used within 24-48 hours of being picked. They don’t use any chemicals and everything is certified organic by the USDA. They hand produce their coconut oil, as opposed to using heavy machinery and they don’t mass produce any of it. This oil is made in small batches by coconut farming families who have been making coconut oil for centuries.

Want to know how you can use coconut oil for beauty purposes? Continue reading to find out.

Hair – Coconut oil provides your hair with the nutrients and protein that it craves, making it an excellent hair product. You can use it in several different ways on your hair.

• Scalp Treatment - You can melt coconut oil so it’s in a liquid state and apply it to your scalp as a treatment. It can help with itching or flaking. It’s also very moisturizing and leaves your hair shiny. You can put the oil in a bowl and put the bowl into some warm water. It melts very quickly. Massaging your scalp with coconut oil regularly will keep it happy and healthy. Tip – Don’t apply this the night before a big event as it can temporarily make your hair a bit greasy looking. 
• Leave In Conditioner – This is my favorite! After I get out of the shower, I take some coconut oil, while it is still solid and rub it between my hands to warm it up, and then apply it to my wet hair. I only apply it to the length of my hair, because I tend to get greasy in the roots. It makes my hair so soft and shiny! It also smells really great!

Skin – Coconut oil is so moisturizing, and it’s effective for all skin types. Oily, dry, acne prone, or those suffering with skin conditions like eczema – you’ll love using coconut oil!

• Hand cream - I like to smother my hands and feet with it after a bath or shower and apply mittens and socks. It heals my cracked, dry feet and hands leaving them soft and smooth! It also works well to soothe and smooth even the most ragged cuticles.
• Eye cream – I’m very picky about eye creams and I have yet to find one that I really, really love. I have very dry under eyes though, so lately I’ve been applying coconut oil to the area. It’s so hydrating and does not irritate or bother my eyes at all.
• Body moisturizer – Try using it all over, instead of your regular bottle of lotion. It’s wonderful. I don’t know what else to say about this other than its so moisturizing!
• Eye makeup remover – I’ve been using this to take off my stubborn waterproof eyeliner and mascara every night. I just take a small amount in my fingers and rub, very gently, across my eye area. It gets every last bit of makeup off without irritating my skin. It also leaves my skin very moisturized.

Anti-itch cream – Bug bites have you feeling itchy? Just apply some coconut oil to the affected area. It will soothe the bite and ease that itchy feeling. I’ve also read that it can be used as a mosquito repellent, but I have yet to try that. If you know more about that, please share in the comments section. I’m very curious about it since I hate the smell and feel of traditional bug sprays!

Lip balm – Coconut oil makes the most amazing lip moisturizer. I’ve been using this a lot lately and my lips are so smooth. It tastes good too! I highly suggest this to anyone who hates dry, chapped lips. And, don’t we all hate that?

Since a little coconut oil can go a very long way a jar will last you a very long time. It’s a great investment, in my opinion, and a must have in my house. Like I said earlier you can also use it to cook with so if you’re interested in using it in your cooking, check out this website that has tons of recipes - http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com

Tropical Traditions makes the best coconut oil I have tried. It smells amazing and is an absolutely wonderful product. It’s perfect for all of my beauty needs and for cooking and eating as well. It’s so different than the other brands I’ve tried in the sense that it’s much tastier, less greasy, and better smelling.

GIVEAWAY

Tropical Traditions was kind enough to provide an extra quart of their coconut oil to give to one of you! All you have to do to be entered to win is:

•  Subscribe to this blog if you’re not already (It’s easy, and you don’t even have to be a member of the OnSugar community)
• Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions e-mail Newsletter here - http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm
• Once you have subscribed to both of the above just leave me a comment with your e-mail address. If you win I'll e-mail you directly to get your shipping information. I'll give your info to the company and they will ship you the coconut oil.

Also, if you are under the age of 18 you will need parental consent so I can ask for your shipping information.

If you want 3 Extra Entries: 

• Follow Beautiful Basics on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Beautiful-Basics/187455117967630
• Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/TropTraditions
• Follow Beautiful Basics on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/BeautifulBblog

Just leave a comment (If you are on my main blog page, just click on the title of the blog and it will take you to a new page where you can comment) on this post with your e-mail address and let me know if you signed up for the Twitter or Facebook extras with your Twitter username. This contest will end on July 1st, 2011 at noon PST. I will then randomly select a winner using random.org and contact them via e-mail.

Good luck to everyone! I hope you enjoy using coconut oil as much as I do! See you all on Wednesday!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

I am such a lucky girl! Want to know why? I recently got to try out some amazing products from a company called Willow Bay Naturals (www.willowbaynaturals.com) and I thought you would enjoy hearing about the products and the company. I love this stuff, and I think you will too!

Willow Bay Naturals was started in 2009 by Marcy Moorhead who is based out of Sterling, Illinois. She originally started the company to create skincare products that worked for her sensitive skin and now 2 years later she has an entire web store filled with handmade soaps, lotions, soy candles and other home and body products. Oh, and I forgot to mention – they are cruelty free, which is a must for me! You guys know me, and know that I’m really into natural beauty and homemade products so this company is right up my alley. She makes her products using only high quality ingredients and none of the hard, yucky stuff that other brands often use.

I got to try out a few different lotions, two soaps, and an awesome lip balm! In case you’re wondering, I was sent these products for free but don’t let that fact make you think I’m not telling you my honest opinion. I would never lie to any of my readers, because you all mean so much to me. I honestly love these products.

Let’s talk about the lip balm first! I was sent the herbal formula, but she also sells buttercream, unscented and peppermint versions. I think the herbal version smells and tastes a lot like a Ricola cough drop (which I love!). It goes on very smoothly and lasts a long time. It does everything a lip balm should do – moisturizes and makes lips smoother. Its got lots of good stuff in it too like beeswax, coconut oil, cocoa butter, castor oil, hemp oil, sweet almond oil, and jojoba oil. I like this balm a lot and it only costs $2.50 which is such an amazing price!

I was sent 2 hand and body lotions in the 2 ounce bottle (which is the perfect size for tossing in your purse or book bag!) and 1 mini. The scents I was sent were peppermint, romance, and black raspberry vanilla. The formulation of the lotion is so awesome! It’s not too thick and greasy, but it’s not thin either. Its makes my hands feel soft and smooth. My Mom has fought me for them because she likes them so much, especially the peppermint version. I’m not a big fan of the Romance scent which is based on the perfume by the same name, but that’s just my personal taste. They’re nice, basic moisturizers that have good for you ingredients.

Let’s talk about the soaps now. AMAZING! I was sent the lavender essential oil goat milk soap and the Tootie Fruity goat milk soap. The lavender soap has become one of my favorite products to use before bed. It lathers well and deeply relaxes me. It leaves my sensitive skin feeling extremely soft and the smell is amazing. It cleans well and rinses from my skin easily. Lavender helps promote relaxation and sound sleep and this luxurious lavender is one of the best smelling soaps I have ever used.

Let me say – the Tootie Fruity is absolutely gorgeous. It’s seriously so pretty. I can’t describe the smell so I’m going to copy and paste from her website because it smells so good! Here is what she says about it – “It's a wonderful exotic fragrance with base notes of raspberry, cantaloupe, and watermelon, middle notes of jasmine and violet, and fresh top notes of grapefruit and kumquat. It kind of reminds me of Fruit Stripe Gum, if you remember that.” It’s such a great soap and I can't stop sniffing it! I highly recommend the soaps, they’re my favorite, and they are only $5!

Now I’m dying to try her room spray, candles, and soy tarts! They look awesome! Go check her site out and have fun shopping! See you on Friday =)

Didn't I tell you the soap was pretty? LOVE it! *The mini lotion is missing because it's in my purse =)

I have exciting news, which I’m thrilled to share with you. I recently read a very scary book called The Green Beauty Guide, and it went into great detail about the dangerous and scary chemicals and toxins found in every day beauty products from lip balm to shampoo to toothpaste and everything in between. Not only are these ingredients really bad for your body, they are also extremely bad for the environment. After reading the book, I promptly sat down with all of my products and read the labels. It was honestly terrifying. I threw a ton of products away that I had no clue were bad for me before reading this book.

I make a huge effort to eat well, and only put things into my body that are healthy and good for me, so why not do the same with what I put ON my body? I have officially gone green.

My beauty routine is all-natural now, and I’m enjoying everything I have. I’m using nagural shampoo, conditioner, soap, facial cleanser, facial moisturizer, toothpaste, and body lotion; and everything I’m using works as well, if not better, than other products I’ve used in the past. I've even found an inexpensive natural eyeliner and mascara I want to try.

I have some product raves coming soon to share with all of you! I’ve fallen in love with a few products, and can’t wait to share them with you!

Do you use any natural products?

I’m interested to hear what green products you recommend!

See you tomorrow!