The lovely Erin from Well In LA has shared her obsession for hemp hearts… What’s a hemp heart, you make ask? Read on! And don’t forget to tell us what veggie food you are obsessing over lately (send to nomoredirtylooks at gmail dot com).

Dietary leanings: Vegan and veggie 95% of the time; allergic to dairy and sensitive to gluten; and a diet that consists of lots of avocadoes, sprouted grains and healthy fats!

Ingredient: Hemp Hearts (sorry dears, despite the name the only “high” here is an energy rush from a superfood)

Known health benefits: If you eat a veggie, vegan or raw diet you’ll love hemp hearts as a source of plant-based protein. Hemp hearts are a complete protein, have essential fats, vitamins and enzymes. In fact, hemp hearts have more Omega 3 fatty acids than any fish. Omega-3s are important for keeping our brains and our hearts in tip-top shape, as well as being beneficial in the prevention of heart disease, cancer, arthritis and inflammation.

My favorite way to eat it: In a smoothie! On top of salads and in raw superfood brownies. Any superfood that combines with chocolate is an automatic favorite food for me. Hemp hearts have a creamy texture with a light, nutty flavor. A few of my friends say that they remind them of pine nuts, but I find the flavor profile to be closer to a walnut with a dash of quinoa.

What I really love about hemp hearts is that they are a complete protein and source of healthy fats which is not only great for your internal organ, they’re incredibly beneficial for beautiful skin. Essential fatty acids have been found to help reduce photoageing, slow wrinkle formation and prevent the thinning of skin over time. Sign me up, please! I love the added benefit of a cognitive boost from this skin-saving superfood. I’ll eat a tablespoon of hemp seeds by themselves in the afternoon if I’m feeling a little sluggish (all-natural instant energy boost!).

Because the flavor profile of hemp seeds is so subtle it goes well with almost anything, kind of like chia seeds. One of my current favorite smoothies is a blueberry and banana smoothie. Adding in the hemp hearts gives it the perfect boost of protein to make it an all-natural post-workout recovery meal. Blend one cup of frozen blueberries with one banana, 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts, 1 tablespoon of bee pollen and one-third to one-half cup of almond milk. If you want to green it up a bit, add a handful of spinach. You may find yourself, like me, adding hemp heart seeds as little superfood sprinkles on every meal throughout your day.

In the last few months white-gray hairs have been sprouting on my head like it’s going out of style. Hair color, and especially going gray, is a tricky topic for any clean girl. One we haven’t discussed in some time…

So what are the options? Dirty dyes, magic markers, or long meditations on acceptance? Here’s how I see it breaking down.

The Dirty Way: We’ve always said that this clean thing is an 80/20 game. Siobhan and I both get infrequent highlights, and I truly believe that if coloring your hair is making you happy then that’s worth a whole lot of something. BUT, we wouldn’t be us if we didn’t remind you (and ourselves) that several ingredients in hair dye are known to be carcinogenic in animals. According to current research, the risk that hair dye causes cancer in humans seems slim, but this type of research is notoriously difficult to conduct. That’s why our motto is to avoid these types of chemicals whenever we can. And given that dyes are created to last, even the semi-permanent ones, when you dye your hair you’re living with these chems for a long time.

Do you dye your hair despite the known risks?

The Natch and Semi-Natch Solutions: Rebecca is a big proponent of henna, though even henna has not entirely avoided controversy (most of it around black henna tattoos). Then there are the so-called natural hair dyes (are they ever really natural?), which Siobhan ventured to try when we were writing the book. The results sucked, but that was a while ago.

Has anyone here found a natural dye they absolutely love?

Beyond that, there are the true hippie tricks like using coffee and tea and lemon juices to change one’s hair color.

Does coffee color grays in brown hair?

Diet and Prayers: We believe that what we eat affects how we look at feel, but can certain foods actually reverse grays? I wrote about this a while ago, when I met a woman who had been dosing on kelp—and, lo and behold, her white hair had started growing in brown at the root. Donna Gates, the author of The Body Ecology Diet—who also eats a regimen rich in sea vegetables—is well into her 60s and doesn’t have a single gray. When I met her she told me it was the diet and the twice-weekly colonics she’d been getting for years. You can’t make this stuff up.

Have any of you experimented with diet to reverse or prevent grays?

Acceptance: And last but not least, it seems more and more women are happily rocking their grays. My mother does it, and I think it looks great with her eyes and skin tone. The 38-year-old woman pictured above also looks incredible.

For the moment, I’m practicing semi-acceptance and going to be upping my kelp intake. But I’m not ruling anything out. If these grays continue on their war path, I may just have to take up arms.

So, which camp are you in?

Spring brings buds on trees, daffodils in the parks, and skin-care launches on the shelves of beauty stores.

We perused the natural newcomers, and found four especially fresh-faced options that make us feel renewed and luminous just looking at the labels. (And, during a test-run, they also proved their mettle.)

Here are the spring debuts we’ll be cleansing with, dabbing on, and beautifying with for clear, bright, and healthy-looking skin all season long. And beyond…. Have you tried any new products for spring?

3. TRES PURE

When you have a science background and love beauty products, but go into banking, sometimes your heart calls you back. That was the case with Shahnaz Hussain, the founder of Tres Pure. The pretty (and still ambitious) New Yorker supports cooperatives in Uganda to farms in Tunisia, when sourcing the ethical, clean, and often super-expensive ingredients (we’re not going to lie) that make up her luxe line. (The popular product trio above is $145.) And while Tres Pure is made in New York, it has fans from London to the UAE, and has just started to catch on at home.

The natural products are simple—rice and adzuki bean is used in the scrub, carrot seed in the toner, and a blend of marula, chamomile, and other plant oils hydrate and brighten skin in the face oil (a best-seller). As Hussain says, “The simplicity of quality ingredients is the secret behind beautiful skin. And I think that’s what people really want.”

www.trespure.com

4. W3LL PEOPLE

Meet Pamela, a fellow natch beauty blogger with an awesome routine!

Name: Pamela, but the internet knows me as Pemberley Jones

Age: 34

Hometown: Philadelphia area

Weather: Let’s just pretend it’s Springtime!

Hair: Long, wavy, and frizztastic.

Skin: Normal to dry, occasional breakouts.

Star: Frida Kahlo.

I’ve come to realize that despite being a licensed esthetician, when it comes to picking out skincare products, my nose usually makes the final decision. Luckily, there are so many natural products that smell fabulous it’s been the best part of going natural!

I try to make steps 1-3 an absolute everyday thing. It doesn’t always work out, but most days it does.

1. Roll out of bed, drink a glass of water.

2. Apply sunscreen. I like DeVita’s SPF 30+.

3. Walk or jog in the park for an hour. Exercise and hydration are an important part of my skincare routine. When I fall behind on either one, it shows!

In the shower…

My shower routine is pretty simple, but what it lacks in complexity it makes up for in invigorating aroma! I wash my hair with Acure Organics Clarifying Shampoo & Conditioner, which fills my bathroom with the scent of lemongrass.

While the conditioner soaks in, I wash with Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap. I’ve tried other things, but the peppermint tingle has a hold over me and has for many years now–there’s no going back!

Once a week, I use a gentle exfoliating scrub on my face. My favorite is B Free Organics Basil Sugar Scrub. Despite smelling like happiness and sunshine, it’s the perfect scrub because it sticks around long enough to do its job but melts before you can do any damage. It’s also packed with nourishing oils, so I have an instant glow every time I use it.

If I’m shaving I use one of the many conditioners I have laying around from failed shampoo/conditioner sets I’ve tried. It works like a charm and leaves my skin feeling extra soft.

Outside the shower…

I cleanse my face with warm water, a soft cloth and a cleansing milk. Right now I’m loving Kahina Giving Beauty’s Facial Cleanser. On my face and neck I moisturize with Kahina’s Argan Oil. On my body I use a Patchouli Vetiver after-bath oil handmade by my friend Tara, of Splints & Daisies. It’s one of my all time favorite scents. I first started using it religiously on a trip to the Dominican Republic, so the smell brings me back there every morning!

Next, I use Soapwalla’s Deodorant Cream. Finding this magic pot of anti-stink goodness was a long and challenging search, so I don’t EVER plan on straying!

Moving on to my locks, I wet my hands and use just a tiny bit of La Bella Figura’s Bohemia Verde Aromatic Hair Elixir. It’s an argan oil base with Jasmine and Rose Geranium scent. (Yum!) After working this through, I comb my hair with a large detangling comb.

I usually let my hair air dry, unless I’m in a hurry and am forced to use a hair dryer. Let me tell you–this is a last resort–I LOATHE drying my hair. Either way, I get it about halfway dry before twisting it up into a headband using this tutorial from the Lipstick Diaries. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYxS1ohz4Ao) This way, by the time it dries, I’ve got perfect vintage curls!

Finishing touches…

I’m not a morning person so most of my routine is on auto-pilot, but I like to get creative with my makeup and I’m usually awake enough by this step.

I start with my eyes, and let them inspire the rest of the look. I like to use RMS Beauty’s Living Luminzer as a base if I’m using a lighter shadow. I like Tarte’s Totally Taupe or Raw Sugar over the luminizer. If I’ve got time I’ll tight-line my eyes with Jane Iredale’s Eye Liner in Black. If not, I get liberal with my Benecos Maximum Volume Mascara. No other mascara gives me such a full lash line while lengthening, and if I’m patient when applying I don’t have a problem with smudging. If I’m not patient, well, I make a mess.

I clean up with a concealer, usually Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Waterproof Concealer, and then apply a sheer foundation base. Lately, I’ve been using Suntegrity’s 5-in-1 Tinted Moisturizer. I’m freckly so this is perfect for me and it’s chock full of great ingredients that have done wonders for my skin! After foundation I use one of Tarte’s amazing blushes or an RMS Lip2Cheek to wake up my complexion.

The last couple of weeks I’ve been wearing a not-so-natural Wet n’Wild Pencil in Brandy Wine under Au Naturale’s Lip Gloss in Magnolia. The gloss is just a bit too light for me to wear on its own, but I really like it on top of this liner. It makes the perfect nude tone for my pale lips.

Lastly, while it’s not part of my morning routine, I have to mention that I am religious about removing my makeup before bed. I do a full cleanse, twice if I’m wearing makeup and then tone with Hylunia’s Colloidal Silver and Lavendar Water Toner. After that I use either Kahina’s Argan Oil or Badger’s Damascus Rose Balm and I’m ready for bed!

Juice Beauty has a new Stem Cellular Repair collection that has me super excited. They make some pretty big claims about results, like reduction of lines and wrinkles, and improved skin tone and luminosity. Yes, I’ll have some of those, please. I chose two of the products to try, and was so thrilled within a few days of use I could hardly believe it. I wanted to be really, really sure the remarkable change was not just random (my skin can be great one day and crummy the next, what with the perimenopause wackiness). I’ve been using the products for a couple of months now, which for me means about 2.5 hormonal cycles. This is key, because I wanted to know how adding these products to my routine would affect my hormonal break-outs. Well, the evidence is in—and, may I just say WOOOO HOOOO! These products are truly great, and I do believe I’m in this for the long haul. Here are the changes I’ve experienced:

• Reduction in wrinkles, especially those deeper ones between my brows and on my forehead
• More even tone, with both older damage and recent acne scars much improved*
• Improved texture, with smaller pores and increased firmness
• Fewer blackheads
• Fewer blemishes, less inflammation
• Accelerated healing of existing blemishes
• General fabulousness

Stem Cellular Repair Booster Serum:  This is a thick, citrusy-smelling gel that goes on smoothly and kind of liquefies as it meets the warmth of skin. It gives me a little tingle, in a pleasant way. The first two times I used it I’d say it was more of a sting, which made me nervous because I tend to be sensitive. This is the first product that goes on my skin after cleansing, morning and night.  It adds a little moisture, but I still use my other products (another serum, hydrosol, oil). The idea is that it boosts what your other products do, and with the overall results I’m getting I’d say it does its job.  I love the the airless pump for keeping the serum stable, but the downside is you can’t tell how much product is left.

Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream: This is Juice Beauty’s answer to BB creams, which I admit I’d never heard of until I heard of CC. I’m all in favor of multitaskers, and I had always wanted to try a tinted moisturizer.  This is that, and so much more.   It has SPF 30 (zinc oxide), so it has become my face and neck sunscreen. The first time I tried it, I thought, “Wow, I wish my skin was in good enough shape to use such a light coverage product.” Then it occurred to me, maybe this would make my skin better—and it did. I now use much less of my mineral foundation to cover flaws, and mostly just for under my eyes. CC is a great base for mineral foundation spot application, takes care of evening my complexion, and leaves my skin with a velvety texture. I use a bit of finishing powder too, and that’s all I feel I need for a work day in front of a crowd. There hasn’t been any blazing sun yet where I am, but so far so good in the SPF department.

I have tried CC several times just on its own as a sunscreen during sweaty running and hiking, and it does the job. Of all the times I’ve done this, only twice I’ve had the tiniest bit of creasing around my eyes, and I put it on pretty thick to test it. I wouldn’t have even noticed the creasing if I hadn’t looked in my magnifying mirror.  I’ve had absolutely no creasing during regular daily activities. Here’s the down side: It only comes in two shades. I use Natural Glow (for fair to medium skin).  Warm Glow is for medium to dark skin tones. I’m thrilled the lighter shade works for my pale olive skin.

Alexandra** and Siobhan*** have both tried it and are just as pleased with the results. We all have different color undertones so that bodes well for versatility.

So is it the stem cells?  Is it the vitamin C?  Or just this particular combination of ingredients?  Whatever.  Thank you, Juice.

Are you intrigued??  Tell us!

*my DIY brightener is the bomb for sun damage, and works well on acne scars over time, but adding the Juice products definitely accelerates results

**Alexandra on the CC: “I love that this feels nothing like sunscreen and looks nothing like makeup. Yet it definitely evens out the skin tone and gives a bit of a dewy glow!”

***Siobhan on the CC: “I know I tend to get really excited about new things, but not often! I’m ga-ga about this product. I agree that it seems to not only wear well (light and not makeuppy or sunscreeny) but it also seems to be improving my skin. It’s become a desert-island must for me. I have the light one and it doesn’t add pigment to my fair skin, though it evens everything out nicely.”