{GIVEAWAY!}

Happy Sunday! This is going to be the first in a series of monthly giveaways of all things that I LOVE!

Ever since trying paleo a couple of years ago, this little 30 day diet challenge quickly transitioned itself into a lifestyle. It started creeping into other aspects of my thoughts, and weird things began to happen. I would be at CVS picking up some supplies and I would think "hmmm... what's in this shampoo or moisturizer?". It quickly became a no brainer to start reducing not only the toxins in my food, but those in my body care & household products too. I have been making some of my own, or just doing easy things like using coconut oil as moisturizer and olive oil as eye makeup remover. I swear by both of these! For the items that I still need to purchase, I depend on EWG's Cosmetics Database for guidance.  

If you are interested in learning more about natural body care, this article from CaveGirlEats, is a great place to start.

Although I had changed many things about my routine, one of the the things I was not yet willing to give up was mani/pedis. I have been known to say from time to time, "I'm a girl dammit". I love having painted nails, particularly toenails. Once I got pregnant, there was no way I was going to walk into one of those places, I could barely even walk by one without feeling nauseous from all the chemical odors lurking out to the street. Plus, nail salons are pretty gnarly when it comes to chemical exposure. Often the common chemicals used in mani/pedi products are referred to as the "toxic trio" - Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde and Toluene. These chemicals have been linked to a variety of health effects, including asthma, development and reproductive effects, as well as cancer in lab animal tests.

Unfortunately, there are no labeling requirements in the US for cosmetics that will help consumers decipher which nail polish options are safe. I just assume that anything used in a conventional salon isn't. I went on a hunt for safe nail polish options that actually work and this is when I discovered Aquarella.

I am currently loving this stuff. It is water based and it is made in the US (another bonus!). They also list all of the ingredients used on their products, so you know exactly what you are using. I was hesitant at first to purchase this stuff, the polish is $16 a bottle and I thought what if it doesn't work? I figured, buying a polish and a few other things would add up to the cost of one mani/pedi session, so I would give it a try. What I found was that this stuff actually works great. It stays on for weeks at a time without chipping (at least on my toes), but nothing stays on my fingers, not even the most toxic of nail polishes. Also, I will spare you the details, but gross stuff used to happen to my nails, and ever since I switched over to water based polish, that all went away too.

The key here is to prep your nails for the first time that you use Aquarella - make sure you have none of your old chemical based polish on. Then use the Aquarella buffer kit to buff your nails and apply a coat of the conditioner. For the next few days, add one coat of the conditioner daily. After doing this for a few days then apply the polish. This was a recommendation I had read by a previous user, so I followed it and it worked for me. I only followed these steps the first time, I now do all my buffing, conditioning & painting in one session. It seems that the more I use Aquarella, the more the results improve.

Now to the important stuff.... How do you win this awesome package of...

• 1 Aquarella polish in "vixen"
• 1 Aquarealla polish in "gilded"
• 1 Aquarella conditioner
• 1 Aquarella polish remover
• 1 buffer kit 

To be entered in the drawing...

1. If you haven't "liked" my facebook page yet, go ahead and do that. All new likes, will be included in the drawing. 
2. If you have liked it, share this post on your facebook or twitter feed and leave me a comment here, or on facebook or twitter, letting me know that you have done it. Honor system :)

I will pick a winner at random by the end of the week & notify you!

Thanks SO much for participating!

Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.

Comments

[Libbi]

shared away :)

[Brandy]

Just shared!! What a neat giveaway. I'm obsessed with nail polish. Didn't even really consider the chemical stuff. Our family has been doing paleo for nearly a year and I guess I need to start paying more attention to the products we're using. Going paleo was such a huge life change for us and has taken so much concentration.

[GreenOrganicMom]

Awesome giveaway! Great to see more options out there for safer nail color.

Liked and shared! Good luck to everyone :)

[GreenOrganicMom]

Awesome giveaway! Great to see more options out there for safer nail color.

Liked and shared! Good luck to everyone :)

[Emily @ Louloves.wordpress.com]

Liked and shared all around! I have been on the lookout for a new **enviro/health friendly** nail polish to give a go! Thanks so much!

[Aja]

Liked and shared your awesome blog and giveaway on facebook!!

Thanks for this giveaway, i'd love to try the nail polish;)

[Olivia]

done! yay, i hope i get to paint the cute little nails on my little girls with this paint.

[Jeannette Keep]

I shared this post so that I can be entered in your drawing! :)

[Arsy]

Thanks, Everyone for participating! Have you all entered for the drawing.

[Carmen Rooney]

liked and shared! You have an awesome site!

[Karen roush]

Cool contest!

[Jen Bowman]

I am a new "like" :)

[jolie]

Handled.... i better win... lol

[Pat]

Liked and shared! Thank you!

[Julia]

My daughter loves nail polish! I'd much rather she use the non-toxic stuff. Thanks for all the great recipes!

[Renee]

Liked on facebook. Does this come with a foot/leg massage?

[Arsy]

Renee - Wouldn't that be nice? Maybe one day, someone will open a non-toxic nails salon, so we can get massages :)

[Dinah Sutton]

Shared yesterday on FB...Love your recipes...this is such a great give away...my granddaughter loves her toenails polished and chemical free would be wonderful

[gail]

just shared... if i win, happy birthday to me! thanks for this opportunity!

[Dana]

If I "liked" the post, does that share it? I couldn't find a share button.
Love,
Your computer illiterate friend, D

[Dana]

Shared it! Woohoo!

[Arsy]

Thanks, D!!!

[Tina]

Liked and shared. Great giveaway.

[Kristina Foster]

Shared on my page, Life Renewed. Awesome giveaway!

[Courtney Dawson]

I shared on my facebook page.