Unboxing #NDL07 from Quarterly Co.

This quarter's delivery from No More Dirty Looks via Quarterly Co. is for girls a bit more girly than I am. I don't do manicures or even keep nail polish around. I simply keep things clean, short, moisturized, and smooth edged. I won't let that color my opinion though because most ladies like to keep their nails a bit more decorated. 

Glass Nail File from Czech Glass

Since I like to keep my nails simple - this glass nail file is my favorite part of the package. Before now I didn't even know glass nail files were a thing. It's pretty, easily cleaned, and lasts forever. The enclosed letter (still envelope free!) says it allows more precise shaping and is less harsh on nails than emery or steel. 

RGB Nail Lacquer

I usually only paint my nails for special occasions, but this punchy Too Red color is fun and classic. Other colors people may have received in this mailing were Coral, Punch, and Pink. This product is five-free meaning it does NOT contain formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, or camphor. Yay!

PRITI NYC Soy Nail Polish Remover Pads

These 100% biodegradable wipes are disposable, but are made with essential oils and other non-toxic ingredients. Tiny and easy to carry with you in case you have a manicure emergency. They arrived in this little tote which is cute and I'll totally find a use for it after the individual wipes are gone.

Affirmats are Pretty and I Want One

Have you seen these yoga mats? I think they're awesome. I really really want one. I do have a growing hole in my prAna revolution mat, so I am coming up on mat replacement time anyway. I just might go for it because Affirmats are just so pretty and happy. They're not as wide as my current mat, so that would take some adjustment, but I think it's worth a shot.

"Natural eco-pvc blended with biodegradable jute fiber to create 
an amazing non-slip (really) surface."

Size: (5MM) 68 x 24 

Check them out Here - for Affirmats Yoga Mats ($64) and Yoga/Sports Towels ($32).

This is not a sponsored post. Photos via Affirmats. 

Skulledelic Poster

My Skulledelic design is now available on a limited edition silkscreen poster available only from Krause Gallery in NYC!

Each 24 x 36 in (61 x 91 cm) poster is printed in white ink on black acid free paper. Only 100 have been made and they are all signed and numbered. To purchase one visit Krause Gallery's store HERE.

*Thanks to my friend Meena for modeling this poster for me!

Everything will be Alright

I love this saying I heard on The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. 

Buy the Poster Here! 

Available in a wonderful variety of colors and sizes. Framed or Not.

Unboxing #NDL06 from Quarterly Co.

Trying out envelope-free contributor letters - Love it.

This crinkly brown filler is my favorite.

Vapour Multi-Use Lip & Cheek Stain in Impulse 209:

So glad to get this because the last multi-use stick I got from a different company actually made me break out terribly. Looks classy in the tube and gorgeous on my skin. Feels silky smooth instead of sticky or gel-like. Super-easy to create a barely there glow or wowza party glam. Love Love Love Love Love It.

From the site - " Vapour Aura Multi-Use Blush is made with 70% Certified Organic ingredients and 30% mineral pigments & vitamins. Nourishes with Vapour’s face specific infusion of anti-inflammatory Frankincense, antioxidant Tulsi and moisturizing & calming Lotus flowers."

Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Mascara in Black Magic:

I've been procrastinating on trying a clean mascara because I'm so attached to my old dirty stuff. My eyes are also easily irritated by makeup, so trying new mascara is risky no-fun business.

This new clean honeybee item gets screamingly good reviews by others, but personally I found that after about 47 strokes and multiple applications - I couldn't tell if I had any mascara on at all. I wouldn't let it put you off from trying it - 'cause apparently I'm in the minority here. Click through up there for tons of other (happier) reviews. However, for me, this product is useless.

On the upside - I still wore it all day with zero irritation, it stayed put (no runs!), yet washed away with a few splashes of water at the end of the day.

Unboxing #NDL05 from Quarterly Co.

The latest delivery from No More Dirty Looks via Quarterly Co. arrived late last week. Luckily I was recovered enough from my wisdom teeth extraction (all 4) to be excited about it and brave the 4 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors long enough to hike it in from the mailbox at the end of the driveway. 

The theme of #NDL05 is "Wake Up Glowing". 

The products and tips in this bundle all help you achieve the healthy beautiful glowing skin everyone aspires to without slathering yourself in creepy carcinogens.

They start in this quarter's letter by reminding you that beauty comes from the inside - so get plenty of sleep, healthy fats, omega-3s, exercise, and do things that make you feel good like making out with someone you love, meditating, or getting a massage. The only thing they somehow left out is to drink tons of water. Staying hydrated is one of the easiest/best things you can do for bright lovely skin.

Vivare Exfoliating Skin Cloth:

When I opened my package I immediately recoiled at this cloth looking ugly and cheap, but I really don't like blue. Other lucky people got pinks, purples, and greens which are cheerful and cute.

What does it do and what do I think?

It's a big scrubby cloth, so it exfoliates dead skin cells off and increases circulation. It also lathers really well so you can use less soap and rinses/dries really easily. It came with a warning to use a light hand, but I scrubbed the crap outta myself and couldn't seem to make it unpleasant. Turns out I really like it. 

One Love Organics Brand New Day sample:

To quote the site: "Soothing organic sweet pea flour and fresh pineapple enzymes polish off dead skin cells while helping to protect the new ones." Gentle enough to use every day. Arrives dry, you mix it into a paste and scrub or use it as a mask. The only thing in the box I haven't tried yet.

One Love Organics Morning Glory:

This brightening complexion booster smells awesome and comes in one of those great little brown bottles I'm infatuated with. I enjoy using this, but have only put it on twice. So I don't know yet if it's working it's magic or not. Lots of great reviews... and it's worth it just for the scent.

Their site also has product tutorials for the curious or confused.

W3LL PEOPLE Universalist 2:

This multi-use luminizer brightens your face without sparkles and glitters. Which have their place, but it's not in most people's everyday. This stuff is easy to apply and if you buy the full sized stick it will last a long time.

Teeki Love

I can't let this giving season go by without suggesting Teeki clothing. They would've made the gift guide, but their website was down for a makeover for a long while. However, it's back up and someone would be lucky to receive any of their products.

When I saw the site was back up I immediately bought pants. Teeki has been around a few years, but I'm just now learning about them (and I'm in love).

Teeki's clothes are made out of recycled plastic bottles. They even tell you on most items how many plastic bottles it takes to make that product!

They make pants, bell bottoms, capris, shorts, skirts, tanks, bras, panties, scarves, and bikinis. Gift Cards too!

As one girl on Pinterest said:
"Teeki...cheaper, cuter, and more eco friendly than lulu! Want!"

Yoga Calendars 2013

Around Thanksgiving I bought the Cute Overload Wall Calendar with the decision to forgo my usual yoga-themed calendar in 2013. While I love cute animals I was later disappointed to run across a yoga calendar I really wanted. I don't need two so I can only tell you guys about the best yoga calendars available for 2013 (that I know of), and be happy that I chose death by cute.  Hopefully this will help you avoid the same fate.

Briohny Smyth Yoga Calendar $16

Jasper Johal "Body as Temple" Calendar $24

Be Present Calendar $10

Yoga Journal Calendar $14

April Heather Art 2013 Illustrated Yoga Calendar $20

Unboxing #NDL04 from Quarterly Co.

My fourth delivery from No More Dirty Looks via Quarterly Co. arrived on Black Friday. I was very excited. A little song and dance in my kitchen may have been involved. #NDL04  ran into a few obstacles getting here like backorders and then Hurricane Sandy. This post was then postponed due to conflict with the Gift Guide, so let's get down to business before #NDL05 gets here.

This quarter is all about a little company called Sprout; which due to a recent slew of changes is now called S.W. Basics. From the site: "...all of our ingredients are either certified organic, Fair Trade, or sourced from small family farms."

With S.W. Basics the packaging is pretty, the ingredients are simple, and I think any of their products would make great stocking stuffers.

Sprout Lip Balm Flight is a sleek little tin holding a handy little drawstring bag containing all 4 flavors of lip balm. Available in ethically sourced Beeswax or Vegan. Flavors are Peppermint, Cocoa, Citrus, and Cinnamon. I love love love lip balm, so I was particularly excited about this part. My lips are very important to me.

I dove right into the cocoa flavor which I would characterize as light and delish (in scent and flavor). It's not sticky like some other beeswax balms I usually buy.

2 oz. Sprout Makeup Remover composed of Sweet Almond Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Jojoba Oil is all organic and doubles as a moisturizer. I'm usually terrible about taking off my makeup at the end of the day, but this oil is providing the incentive to change that. I love the way it feels on my skin, it works even on waterproof mascara, and so far it hasn't caused any breakouts.

Yogi Gift Guide 2012 - Part 3

World Travelers:
Rosetta Stone $180+ - so they'll be prepared when they finally reach that dream destination.

Warrior Princess Dress/Tunic $78 - Keep packing simple with multi-use pieces like this dress that doubles as a tunic.

Ahnu Footwear $60+ - Comfy, cute, and packs well.

Hanuman Wrap $59+ - versatile, attractive, and great for chilly planes.

Yoga Vibes Subscription $20/month or $200/year - classes on demand when they can't get to a studio.

Yoga Teachers:
Lotus Wei Mini Serums $60 - This mini serums kit is great for giving adjustments and mini massages.

Punjammies $19+ - Beautiful  pajamas  for resting fully - "created in after-care facilities for women who have been rescued, released or escaped from a life of forced prostitution."

White Sage/Sweetgrass Incense $12/box - simplify the constant use of sage and sweetgrass.

The Anatomy Coloring Book $14 - keeping continued education fun.

Stark Skincare, The Whole Shebang $120 - The entire Stark line (minus the lip balm $12).

Toms Shoes $54+ - Tons of styles for everyone that are both comfortable and fashionable. Don't know their size, or think they'd like sunglasses, hats, shirts, etc? Maybe a Gift Card $5+. Just about anything purchased benefits those in developing countries with shoes or sight via the One for One movement.

Adventurous Types:
Hula Hoop $21+ - for getting into the flow in a different way.

We Love Colors Leggings $26 - choose from 51 colors.

Aerial Yoga Class - look around and find a fun new class for them to try.

Mystical Mandala Coloring Book $4

YogaSlackers slackline and dvd set $100 - take their yoga practice (and their abs) to a whole new level.

Yogi Gift Guide 2012 - Part 2

Glitzy Yogi:
Handmade Feather Earrings $30 - Dipped in Gold, or Forest Nymph Peacock, or Gypsy Magick Peacock

Nectar Creations Twist Yoga Leggings $50 - Amazingly comfortable ♥

Foat Design Pullover Shawl $42 - Handmade in Minnesota from rescued fabric

Kalyana Jewelry Holder $53 - a pretty holder for their pretty jewelry

Wreck This Journal $10 - remind him/her to get a little dirty

Down to Earth Yogi:
Organic Terrarium $22+ - small, beautiful piece of nature for home.

Kahina Giving Beauty Travel Basics Set $85- or just the argan oil at $36+.

Eat More Kale Tee $25 - Handprinted in Vermont.

Buddha Bowls $25/ea - Good sized bowls handmade in southern California.

Big Head Squirrel Feeder $15 - because squirrels.

Immaterialists: 
GaiamTV Subscription $10/month - Way more than just yoga classes - without clutter.

Experience Gifts - hot air balloon ride, ice skating, tickets to Cirque du Soleil, a massage...

Philanthropic Donations - take that money you would've spent on stuff and give it to a reputable charity.

Flowers – a literal gift of light

Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates $15 - Kindle Edition

Happy Skullidays!

Just a reminder that we have several great Skull-A-Day products on sale in our store! Order now and you can get this cool skull-y stuff in your hands before the holidays...

United Skull of America Poster

Skull Appreciation Day T-Shirt Black

Skull Appreciation Day T-Shirt Silver

Skull Appreciation Day Button Six-Pack

League of Space Pirates Record & Print

Plus from now through the end of December all orders are 10% OFF with code: SKULLIDAYS10





Be sure to visit the Skull-A-Day store for a few other limited edition goodies that are almost out of stock!

Yogi Gift Guide 2012 - Part 1

This entire week is devoted to my annual 3-Part Gift Guide. Tons of ideas for everyone you know at a variety of price points. Why? Because giving makes people happy. Whether it's something small or something extravagant - and the holiday season is all about giving.

 Past gift guides:

2011 Yogi Gift Guides: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

2010 Yogi Gift Guides: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Dudes:
Prints of Hubble Photos $6+ - for connecting with the Universe

The Meditator’s Workbook: A Journey to the Center $11 - by Matthew Flickstein

Evolution Tee $44

Manduka 79" eKO® Mat $88 - it's big, and I support that.

Ashram Yoga Rug $50 - 100% cotton rug prevents slipping.

Beginners: 
YogaGlo Gift Subscription $18+ - cause people are more likely to try new things in the privacy of home

Kipling Adara Tote $89 - vegan friendly nylon is easy to clean and still useful if the yoga thing doesn't work out.

Yoga Is: A Transformational Journey DVD $15 - in case they're still on the fence about it.

"Beautiful" Tee $26

The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice $13 - by T.K.V. Desikachar

Stocking Stuffers/Small Gifts: 
S.W. Basics Vegan Lip Balm $5/ea
Essential Oils Deck $12
Buddha Nose Bath Tea Sachets $30
Hydrea Beechwood Body Brush $12
Karma Warrior Keychain $4
Yoga Teacher Barbie $19
Pocket Bhagavad Gita $24
Natural Deodorants: Lavanila $10+ or Soapwalla $12
iTunes gift card $15+ (for podcasts or music)

Books for New Yogis

October's almost over which means the weather is perfect for settling in with a blanket, a hot chocolate, someone to snuggle with, and a great book. That book can totally further your yoga education if you pick one of my top 10 beginner-friendly books. Listed in no particular order.

• Yoga Body, Buddha Mind. Some philosophy and a lot of practice. Has little stickman sequences in the back.
• My Body Is A Temple: Yoga As a Path to Wholeness. Mostly philosophy, and I really like the author.
• The Mirror of Yoga: Awakening the Intelligence of Body and Mind. Haven't read it, but I hear it's accessible and humorous.
• How Yoga Works. Pretty much covers the yoga sutras, but in fictional story form.
• Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness. Constantly declared one of the best hatha yoga books ever.

via http://www.cutestpaw.com/images/need-him/

• Yoga Beyond Belief: Insights to Awaken and Deepen Your Practice. Really good book. Hard to explain quickly... theres a long description on the amazon page.
• Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul. Lots of philosophy, also some sequences and poses with plenty of pictures.
• Myths of the Asanas: The Ancient Origins of Yoga. Fun stories teach you where poses came from.
• Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life. "off-the-mat practices to guide you in deepening your relationships..."
• The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman's Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras.

There are a lot of great books that are considered yogi must-reads that didn't make this list because of their ability to overwhelm newcomers. Leave your suggestions in the comments.

Functional Gifts for YTT Grads

Every season a pile of new yoga teachers is unleashed into the wild. Whenever I graduated everyone wanted to send me some sort of graduation gift. At the time all I really knew to ask for was yoga clothes because I didn't know what would be truly useful. Now it's been a few years and I know my way around a little better.

Here's My Top 10 Gifts to make a new teacher's life easier:

• Business Cards/Holders - Creative high quality business cards are more memorable.
• Parking Money - A parking meter cashkey would've saved me a lot of trouble when I first started teaching downtown.
• Hot tea - Sipping hot tea while teaching or just after class is great for overworked throats.
• Yoga Anatomy book - never stop studying.
• Yoga classes - to prevent burnout and stay inspired. Self-care is important.

• Square - to accept credit/debit for private sessions
• Blessed to Serve - I declared this book required reading for aspiring teachers.
• Yoga Teacher Bag - a good sized dedicated bag for classes keeps everything in one spot and makes it easy to carry all over town.
• Yoga clothes - Layers for cold classrooms, and nice new clothes for interviews/auditions.
• Binder - for organizing class plans/articles/notes/waivers/contracts...

Soapwalla at Wanderlust Test

Being the modern-day yoga hippie-girl that I am - I am a huge fan of natural organic "chemical" free cosmetics. Anyone that's ever tried cleaning up their self-care routine knows that deodorant is right up there with waterproof mascara and toothpaste on difficulty of finding a good quality replacement. I've tried quite a few things, but I've been a big fan of Soapwalla Deodorant Cream for a while now. Yes, it's a cream. As in - you put it on with your fingers just like you do your face cream. At first that really weirds people out, but if you think about it - it shouldn't. You put on lotions/gels without too much thought, and yes you're rubbing something on your armpits - but it's while your armpit is still clean!

I love the stuff, but I'm an active girl - sometimes I take it to it's limits. I have found that on particularly crazy gym days while weight training it kind of foams. That is not fun, but I like it enough to put up with the occasional lightly foamed pit. Maybe those are the days I put too much on. *shrug* 99% of the time it behaves normally, does it's job, and doesn't stain my clothes.

When I started packing for Wanderlust I thought - I'm going to have some long hot active days - should I just pack my "other" deodorant? I did pack it... just in case, but I really wanted to give Soapwalla a chance and put it up to the serious hippie test - the Festival.

Test a hippie deodorant at Wanderlust!? That's Crazy! and perfect.

Outlined below is how the deodorant held up each day. I'll also add that I don't usually shower every single day, but during Wanderlust I did (so that probably helps).
In addition to all classes listed - add in a default of about a million hours of walking around and playing outside in the sun and heat.

Day 1 - Only one 2-hour class.
Temp: 75 degrees Farenheit
Peachy! Just as fresh at the end of the day as when it started.

Day 2 - Around 3 hours of tough classes - including 1.5 hours of slacklining in the sun.
Temp: 77
Good, not Great. Very mild musk at half an inch from my pits at the end of the day.

Day 3 - 1.5 hour lecture, 1.5 hour backbends outside, 1.5 hours hoopdance in the sun.
Temp: 80
Okay. It was going great until hooping non-stop under the sun from 4pm - 5:30pm. It was a very active class - lots of jumping and whatnot. After that I got a bit musky.

Day 4 - 1.5 hours self massage, 1.5 hours backbends in the hottest dome ever, 1.5 hours yoga nidra.
Temp: 86
Fine just Fine. Didn't really do a whole lot of active stuff, but the activity I did do was in a dome of heat. It was like doing hot yoga. I really regretted wearing pants to that class instead of shorts.

Overall:
Soapwalla clearly holds up great for low-medium activity. Even high activity in mild heat. But if the heat is way high and you're going to be outside for 6 hours - you might want something tougher if you tend to stink a lot. I'm not a strongly-scented person, so I can get by just like this. I never pulled out my back-up deodorant, and I think I'll just throw it out for good.

Unboxing #NDL03 from Quarterly Co.

It felt like an eternity waiting for my 3rd Quarterly box from No More Dirty Looks. This quarter I received the Skin Saver package. I struggle with my skin all the time, so I'm psyched about this handy pile of stuff. Some of it's dry, some of it is scaly from forearm stands, some of it is acne-prone, some of it has a mild sunburn, and some of it is fine just fine. It's all over the place, and don't even get me started on my cuticles.

The use descriptions in the enclosed letters are getting more vague each time, but I'll totally forgive that because I think the mailings are getting better and better.

Kahina Giving Beauty Argan Oil is supposed to be good for everything. Hair, eyelashes, skin all over - including as a facial moisturizer for acne-prone skin. So far, this is my favorite item in the box.

Essence of Vali Detox Renew Mist  contains essential oils of grapefruit, lemon, cypress and juniper. It smells so light and airy that it brightens up my day in one spritz.

Skincando Combat-Ready Balm is an all purpose skin salve originally used by soldiers in war zones. For a skin salve it's really lightweight which I like. Great stuff made by an eco-friendly company - I'm happy.

Stark Skincare Green Tea Detox Clay Mask - quite simply - it's clay with fruit extract. You add your own liquid/honey and apply as either a full face mask or a spot treatment. Since you add your own liquid - it's highly customizable, ships lighter, and lasts longer. I hear good things, but haven't tried it just yet.

Check Your Stress

Right now I'm totally obsessed with this handy little app. Stress Check by Azumio Inc. (free for Android users) It measures your heart rate and studies variations therein to determine how stressed you are. Then offers little tips on how to relax if your stress rates high (such as taking a walk or deep breathing). 


Just another useful bit of technology to assist with your practice and leading a healthy happy life.


Also available on iTunes.

Summer Reading

Currently reading:  Fierce Medicine by Ana Forrest. 

I'm only about halfway through, but so far it is brilliant and interesting.

Soon it will be time for my annual reading of Eat Pray Love. It's my little guilty pleasure vacation book.

Hope you are all enjoying summer now that it's finally here. I'm soaking up the sun even though it's frowned upon and reading everything I can.

Lululemon scarf via http://pinterest.com/pin/144818944238186197/

Yoga Teacher Barbie

This is so weird. I'm simultaneously disturbed and thinking I want one. I love it, I hate it, it's stupid, it's cute...  This is ridiculous and why does she have a chihuahua? Clearly I'm conflicted. Thoughts?

available at Target