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   <title>Natural Living Blog</title>
   <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html</link>
   <description>Natural Living Blog offers ideas and info you can use to bring natural living to your life. Includes updates to the natural-living-for-women.com web site.Subscribe here.</description>
   <language>en-us</language>
   <category >natural living</category>
   <pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:58:50 GMT</pubDate>
   <lastBuildDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:58:50 GMT</lastBuildDate>
   <copyright>natural-living-for-women.com</copyright>
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    <title>A New Facebook Page</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#A-New-Facebook-Page</link>
    <description>Natural Living for Women now has a Facebook page.  It looked to me like it was time to enter the world of Facebook.  From the looks of things I am slow to join.  I am surprised by all the businesses that have their own page.

So far I have only written a few posts about products I have bought.  It&#39;s going to take a little bit to get the hang of it and this is where you can help.  I&#39;d like to hear from you.

What&#39;s up in your natural or green world?  

Check out NLW Facebook page by clicking the link below.</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:58:50 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Parenzano Eye Shadows</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/parenzano-eye-shadows.html</link>
    <description>Parenzano eye shadows are pressed powders offered in a pleasing range of colors.  The fact that they&#39;re not loose powders are a big advantage since they</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:31:31 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Faerie Organic</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/faerie-organic.html</link>
    <description>I&#39;ve tried other mineral makeups (BE, Laura Mercier, Jane Iredale, Merle Norman, Sheer Cover,Pur Minerals and other off labels from e-bay).    Faerie Organic</description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:17:22 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Nvey Eco Concealer</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/nvey-eco-concealer.html</link>
    <description>Nvey Eco Organic Erase Correcteur Bio is a lightweight cream concealer that strikes a perfect balance between coverage and sheerness.  It is better suited</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:42:47 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Review of Dapple Baby Safe Cleaning Products</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Review-of-Dapple-Baby-Safe-Cleaning-Products</link>
    <description>What cleaning products are you using around your baby?  Are you choosing baby safe products or the typical cleaners found in most stores.

Probably the most important time to be  using the safest products is around babies and kids. You want products with ingredients you can understand and the more natural the better.  

I was recently sent Dapple Dish Washing Liquid and Dapple Toy and Surface Cleaner with baby safe ingredients to test.  While I don&#39;t have any little ones at home I tried them out myself but also sent them along to a young Mom of a 1 year old to see what she thought.

She liked both products but particularly liked the surface cleaner.  She said her little guy liked to help her clean and she felt very comfortable using this product around him.  It did a good job of cleaning surfaces which I agree.  It does not contain any questionable fragrance only a very mild scent from lavender essential oil.  It is a good cleaner for wiping up sticky stuff on toys and surfaces. 

Now, I don&#39;t have any sticky baby toys have  around here but... I do have dog toys.  Worked just fine and they can get nasty. No one complained that their toys smelled or tasted funky.  
&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/images/Dapple-spray.jpg&quot; width=&quot;91&quot; height=&quot;189&quot; title=&quot;&quot; alt=&quot;Dapple spray&quot;align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;

As you can see below the ingredients are safe and natural.  Compare them to the spray cleaner you are using.


&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;Dapple Toy and Surface Cleaner&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;


&lt;i&gt;Purified water, baking soda, cleaners made from fruits, tree oils and glucose, French lavender essential oil, essential oil dispersant, preservative derived from natural amino acid.&lt;/i&gt;

The Dapple Dish Liquid worked well for washing baby items. It rinsed easily and left no residue. It easily could be used for washing anything a baby touches. It is not a strong enough product to do a load of dishes. We both found it just didn&#39;t have the power. She felt like she probably wouldn&#39;t buy a special product just to wash the baby&#39;s things since she was using a natural dish cleaner that worked for her. 

It also contains very natural ingredients:

&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;Dapple Bottle and Dish Cleaner&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt; 

&lt;i&gt;Purified water, baking soda, cleaners derived from fruits, tree oils and glucose, French lavender essential oil, essential oil dispersant.&lt;/i&gt;

I like that Dapple comes in recyclable bottles and can be purchased locally at store like Babies R Us and 
Bed, Bath and Beyond.  They also carry other products like wipes. Click on the link below to check them out for yourself.

For more information about choosing  products safe for use around babies read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/baby-skin-care.html&quot;&gt;baby skin care&lt;/a&gt;</description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:39:45 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Josie Maran Concealer</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/josie-maran-concealer.html</link>
    <description>Josie Maran Concealer is a creamy cover stick that comes in an attractive lipstick-style case.  It has a very smooth texture and comes in 5 colors: creme</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:44:28 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Natural Living 101 Home Decor</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Natural-Living-101-Home-Decor</link>
    <description>Now it&#39;s time to expand your efforts into more areas that can help create healthier homes.

Let&#39;s talk about offgassing. Not a product of eating certain foods which can be toxic on it&#39;s own (one of my dogs can could cause an evacuation) but the result as chemicals used in the manufacturing of many items found in our homes offgas or release fumes into the air where they remain trapped.  
It has become a big issue as our homes become more tightly sealed 

The problem is worse for new furniture or carpeting and when remodeling and redecorating. It is particularly important to pay close attention to items used for babies.  Their immature systems should be protected as much as possible from exposure to chemicals. 

Any time you decorate or remodel you can look for healthier, safer and more natural options.  Take paint for example. You know how stinky a house can get when using paints, stains, adhesives etc.  Sometimes the smell can last for days or longer.  New low to no VOC (volatile organic compounds) products can make a big difference to indoor air quality. 

Shopping for flooring and furniture requires looking beyond how pretty something is. For furniture look for solid wood construction. Consider well made gently used furniture. Better for the environment and a healthy house. 

Choose washable, natural or organic materials that have been minimally processed.  Most of the chemicals used on fabrics happen during manufacturing. It is particularly important to pay attention to chemicals used on mattresses.  Everyone will breathe easier with safer mattresses.
&lt;div align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/images/organic-mattress-dog.jpg&quot; width=&quot;350&quot; height=&quot;188&quot; title=&quot;&quot; alt=&quot;dog on bed&quot;align=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

Skip the carpeting as much as possible and choose other &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/eco-friendly-flooring.html&quot;&gt;eco friendly flooring&lt;/a&gt; options. Carpeting can be loaded with toxic chemicals.  Even more may be used to keep it clean and as anyone with allergies can tell you carpeting is the worst for holding in dust and allergens.

It is also possible to seal in harmful toxins like those that emit from materials like particle board or other manufactured lumber, carpeting or even previously painted surfaces with safe easy to use products like those from AFM Safecoat.

AFM Safecoat provides safe paints, sealants, adhesives, stains, cleaners and more check out the link below for more info.</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:53:26 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Organic Underwear - From Everyday To Sexy</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/organic-underwear.html</link>
    <description>Soft, pretty and stylish, organic underwear is a good way to start bringing organic fabrics into your wardrobe.</description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:37:15 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Natural Deodorant: In Love With Body Care</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-deodorant-in-love-with-body-care.html</link>
    <description>Eight months ago at the local farmers market I bought a new on the market natural deodorant In Love With Body Care.  For years Ive been looking for a</description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:51:58 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Shelf Life of Cosmetics</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/shelf-life.html</link>
    <description>You might be surprised to know your cosmetics have a shelf life.  Find out if your makeup is beyond it&#39;s prime.</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:17:04 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Herbatint - beautiful color</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/herbatint-beautiful-color1.html</link>
    <description>I was asked if I would be willing to have my hair colored for a sales meeting at the company I worked for.   They were demonstrating a natural hair color</description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:00:27 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Natural Living 101 What Are All Those Logos?</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Natural-Living-101-What-Are-All-Those-Logos?</link>
    <description>During your label reading you may be noticing different labels and seals on your products.  Some of them really tell you something and others not so much.

This is another area where there can be a great deal of confusion.  Don&#39;t feel bad if you feel that way you are not alone. Product logos and seals can also be a big pain.

  
Some of the logos you will see are from actual certifying bodies like products that are certified organic. Some organization preferably a third party is verifying that this product is &quot;certified organic&quot; and meets certain standards.

&lt;div align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/images/4colorsealGIF.gif&quot; width=&quot;75&quot; height=&quot;75&quot; title=&quot;&quot; alt=&quot;USDA logo&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

Other logos may be those that companies use to let you know that they follow certain policies. There is no one verifying claims. The first that comes to mind are cruelty free logos on products.  A company may indeed be cruelty free but for whatever reason does not  seek certification from an organization like Caring Consumer.

Then there are logos or seals that companies place on their products that look good but don&#39;t offer much value. These are general claims such as non toxic or eco friendly for which there are no standards set.  It is a claim with no real meaning but companies know that if you see it on a label it may make you feel better about the product. 

Greener Choices a part of Consumers Reports has an index of about 150 different labels and seals that you may see on all kinds of products from the personal, the home and food. They also display 60 different logos that are being used.  

This is an excellent resource to help you understand product labels.  Here you will be able to check labels by category, brand or even by logo and find out if it actually means anything and then view a list of products that you could expect to see this label on.  Plus you will also find information to help with green shopping.

Becoming a good label reader will help you with any shopping you do.  It is the one thing you will do that will make the most difference to healthy natural living for you, your family and your pets.</description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:20:35 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Monave Mineral Makeup Review</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/monave-mineral-makeup-review.html</link>
    <description>After trying many different brands and products of mineral Makeup, Monave is the only line to hit bang on what I was looking for. Great coverage, all natural,</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:16:15 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Homemade Face Masks</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/homemade-face-masks.html</link>
    <description>Homemade face masks are such a great way to take care of your skin.  Simple ingredients from your kitchen make for healthy skin care and big savings.</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:14:38 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Organic Flowers - A Better Choice</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/organic-flowers.html</link>
    <description>The next time you need flowers consider organic flowers.  It&#39;s another great way to bring more organics in to our lives and share them with others.</description>
    <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:33:25 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Lemon and Brown Sugar Exfoliant</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/lemon-and-brown-sugar-exfoliant.html</link>
    <description>Place 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a plate and pop into 1/2 lemon and rub slowly and gentle around your face and your hands, for 1 minute then rinse</description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:46:59 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Cool Way To Give for Valentines Day</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Cool-Way-To-Give-for-Valentines-Day</link>
    <description>I was just on Amazon ordering a book and decided to take a look at what Amazon Green had to offer. In case you don&#39;t know, this is a part of the Amazon site where they list all the eco friendly products that they carry. 

In the Organic Style Storefront I noticed a beautiful selection of fresh cut flowers.  Some of these bouquets had names like Snow Leopard Trust Roses, Nature Conservancy Lilies, National Wildlife Federation Daisies, Casa Sunflowers, Women for Women Orange Roses among many others.

&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/images/Amazon-flowers.jpg&quot; width=&quot;150&quot; height=&quot;203&quot; align=&quot;center&quot; title=&quot;&quot; alt=&quot;organic flowers&quot;/&gt;

When you buy one of these bouquets the organizations they represent will receive between 5 and 10 of the proceeds.

These flowers are not all organic.  The ones that are say so.  Others have been certified VeriFlora which means that have been grown in a more environmentally friendly way than traditionally grown flowers.

As I was looking around I noticed that  the ones I checked said they followed fair labor practices, used sustainable plant production and some mentioned where they were grown.  All info I like to know.  

After researching &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/organic-flowers.html&quot;&gt;organic flowers&lt;/a&gt; I became more aware of how I could make a difference by choosing flowers that are grown in a more eco friendly way.  Yes, they are little more expensive but if you can afford it well worth the cost. Amazon guarantees your purchase so you can feel comfortable ordering.

Take a look for yourself.

&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http3A2F2Fwww.amazon.com2Fs3Fie3DUTF826node3D1290290126ref_3Damb255Flink255F83406051255F326me3DA2Y17VVDCHCYMY&amp;tag=natlivforwom-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&quot;&gt;Amazon Organic Style&lt;/a&gt;</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:59:04 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Sanctum Australia Organic Skin Care</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/sanctum-australia-organic-skin-care.html</link>
    <description>Sanctum Australia  Im on a constant watch for products that do not irritate my sensitive skin.  Because constant, long-term use causes sensitivity in</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:02:33 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Natural Living 101 What&#39;s In Your House?</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Natural-Living-101-What&#39;s-In-Your-House?</link>
    <description>By now you know never assume products are safe even those meant for babies.  While gentler ingredients may be used so are some of the synthetic chemicals you want to avoid. Skin Deep and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have a  special section about products used for babies and children. For more information about safe baby skin care read &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/baby-skin-care.html&quot;&gt; Natural or Organic Baby Skin Care&lt;/a&gt;. 

All products put on a pretty label or rely on fancy advertising to get your attention.  It&#39;s what inside that counts and that applies to all kinds of products. 

To live more naturally you must rid your household of nasty, toxic ingredients and become &lt;b&gt;LABEL READER&lt;/b&gt; (cape and mask optional). 
&lt;div align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/images/label-reader-superwoman.jpg&quot; width=&quot;299&quot; height=&quot;229&quot; title=&quot;&quot; alt=&quot;superwoman label reader&quot;align=&quot;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;

Paying attention to products you use on your skin is very important but products you use around your home play a big part. 

That brings us to green products. Great for the environment and healthier for you and your family.  Once again 
looking beyond the front label is the only way to know what&#39;s inside.  Even if a product calls itself environmentally friendly or natural there could be some nasty synthetic chemicals lingering in the mix.  

Something as harmless sounding as fragrance can be a problem.  What is in fragrance?  Companies don&#39;t have to say. Phthalates, a synthetic ingredient often used in fragrance as a fixative to make the scent last longer, is of great concern because of the affect they can have on hormones especially those of developing, unborn babies and this is just one problem ingredient.  At the very least ingredients in fragrance can be the biggest culprit causing allergic reactions. Check out &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/green-cleaning-products.html&quot;&gt;green cleaning products&lt;/a&gt; for more info about ingredients in products.

Products used around the home won&#39;t be rubbed into your skin but spray cleaners, deodorizers or polishes linger in the air you breathe and end up on surfaces you touch. Wouldn&#39;t you rather know what&#39;s in them? 

Natural ingredients do work and even larger companies who typically create products with synthetic ingredients are responding to our desire for safer more eco friendly products and offering their own versions. 

No matter who you buy from whether you choose a more recognized brand or a smaller company look to see if they are up front about all their ingredients. Shop for those that disclose all ingredients even those in fragrance. If not on their products than check the website.  

A company website is very telling.  Look around beyond the product description.  Check the about me.  Look for FAQ&#39;s.  Is there a company policy page?  I like those that go out of their way to provide information about their products.  When I find those shopping becomes easier. 

There are enough companies out there that offer complete disclosure why shop with one that doesn&#39;t. This is the only 
way you can make an informed choice.</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:32:33 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Show You Care This Valentine&#39;s Day Buy Organic and Fair Trade</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Show-You-Care-This-Valentine&#39;s-Day-Buy-Organic-and-Fair-Trade</link>
    <description>Anyone can buy ordinary chocolate or flowers but you&#39;re not ordinary. You care and what better way to show it than by buying or requesting (if you are on the receiving end) fair trade and organic flowers and chocolates.

You could be helping to ensure better wages, no abuse of child labor, sustainable crops, environmentally friendly practices, safe working conditions and more.  All by buying from companies that support fair trade, organics or both.

Here are a few places to check out. 

&lt;b&gt;CHOCOLATES&lt;/b&gt;

&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sweetearthchocolates.com/index.itml&quot;&gt;Sweet Earth Chocolates&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

Here you will find a wide assortment of chocolates available individually wrapped on to the classic Valentine shaped boxes.  Elegant truffles (the Champagne Truffles look tempting), Cupids Cups (dark chocolate peppermint or roasted coconut sound yummy) and Cream filled in a variety of flavors are just some of the different varieties.  Some vegan options too.

Purchases benefit West African Farmers and other groups.


&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://sjaaks.com/categories/show/Valentine27s+Day&quot;&gt;Sjaaks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;


Organic, fair trade and vegan chocolates. Individual pieces and boxed selections available.  Dark chocolate truffles with creamy cherry filling look good but the lavender filled truffles caught my eye. Heart shaped boxes (pictured below) made by a women&#39;s cooperative in Thailand from tree free fibers. 

&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/images/fair-trade-chocolate-sjaaks.jpg&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;199&quot; align=&quot;center&quot; title=&quot;&quot; alt=&quot;Sjaaks Chocolates for Valentines&quot;/&gt;

&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.newdream.org/marketplace/theo_choc.html&quot;&gt;Theo Chocolate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

These are uniquely flavored premium quality chocolates that are meant to be savored and enjoyed slowly.  They come in flavors that have me very curious.  If you love new and different flavors check out Hot Ceylon Cinnamon, Fig Fennel, Salted Caramel, Tequila Lime along with the more traditional dark and milk chocolate. Organic, Fair Trade and some Vegan.

&lt;b&gt;FLOWERS&lt;/b&gt;

&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://californiaorganicflowers.com/default&quot;&gt;California Organic Flowers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

These organic flowers are grown right here in the USA at a small family farm dedicated to providing flowers you will be proud to give.  If the mixed Anemones look as beautiful as their pictures who wouldn&#39;t love them. Next day delivery available.

&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.organicbouquet.com/&quot;&gt;Organic Bouquet&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

This online store has a big selection of organic flowers from the traditional roses to Peruvian Lilies.  Flowers  have been grown in other parts of the world along with some grown in California. 

They are good at using eco friendly packaging and gift cards and follow a carbon offset program to help balance carbon production from shipping.

Also look locally for organic growers near you.

Check out the Organic Consumer for more ideas for this Valentines Day.  Click on the link below.</description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:53:37 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Better Choices Newsletter Goes Out Jan.28</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Better-Choices-Newsletter-Goes-Out-Jan.28</link>
    <description>Just a heads up.  The latest edition of Better Choices the newsletter for Natural Living for Women will be sent on Jan. 28.

This month you will find my plan for relieving dry, itch winter skin.  It&#39;s a simple, easy and natural approach to more comfortable skin.

It has worked for me and I was feeling pretty miserable and oh so itchy.

If you&#39;ve signed up to receive this newsletter make sure to check your mailbox for this month&#39;s copy. 

Thanks</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 02:05:46 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Bellapure Skincare: My pick of the bunch</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/bellapure-skincare-my-pick-of-the-bunch.html</link>
    <description>Hi,   Im 36 and I&#39;ve been a skincare/makeup junkie since I was 20. I&#39;ve always been afraid of aging. When I turned 30 I noticed my skin changed and I</description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:02:03 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Natural Deodorants Safely Stop Odors</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-deodorants.html</link>
    <description>Are natural deodorants a smarter choice for odor protection?  Find out why natural ingredients could be the safest choice. Read more and decide for yourself</description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:46:21 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Natural Living 101:  Label Reading</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Natural-Living-101:-Label-Reading</link>
    <description>The back label on any product is your friend.  The front side of the package is mostly marketing and companies are not held to many restrictions when it comes to product claims.

When you first start reading labels you will come across an ingredient list like the one below from a very popular brand of moisturizer.  This product was listed on the Skin Deep Database.  

The Skin Deep Database  is a site you will find very handy to check the ingredients on many products and see how they are rated for safety.  It&#39;s easy to do.  Once on the site I looked for skincare and moisturizers.  The products  were listed from the very safe to the worst. I wanted products with the worst ratings so I clicked on score to show those.

Here are the ingredients from one of those products:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: OCTINOXATE 7.5, OCTISALATE 5, OXYBENZONE 2 INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: WATER, SODIUM GLYCOLATE, GLYCERIN, SALICYLIC ACID, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, DICETYL PHOSPHATE, CETETH 10 PHOSPHATE, NEOPENTYL GLYCOL DIETHYLHEXANOATE, NEOPENTYL GLYCOL DIISOSTEARATE, DIMETHICONE, METHYL GLUCETH 20, GLYCOLIC ACID, PANTHENOL, ISODECYL NEOPENTANOATE, DIISOPROPYL SEBACATE, LAURYL LACTATE, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, MATRICARIA FLOWER EXTRACT (CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA), CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, BHT, CAMELLIA OLEIFERA LEAF EXTRACT, TOCOPHEROL, BISABOLOL, TRIMETHYLOLPROPANE TRIETHYLHEXANOATE, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, STEARETH-21, STEARETH-2, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, DISODIUM EDTA, ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE, MAGNESIUM ALUMINUM SILICATE, XANTHAN GUM, FRAGRANCE

It takes some time to be able to look at a list like this and know which ingredients are good or bad.  That&#39;s why the Skin Deep Database can be so handy to check products.  It&#39;s also a great place to learn about different ingredients and how they are used. 

I prefer to use products that are mostly natural but there can be problems of cost and availability. You may not agree with an all natural approach.  Sometimes the goal is often to find the safest option.  Once you figure out which ingredients you really want to avoid it becomes easier to scan the label for those.
 
With hundreds of new chemicals being introduced each year it is hard to keep up. My approach at Natural Living for Women is to help you avoid the worst offenders and to learn about natural and organic options.

  
It&#39;s also important to get into the habit of limiting  exposure to all chemicals even the safe ones.  Chemicals are all around us and they are here to stay. We can&#39;t always control exposure but you can take control for products you use on yourself, your family and around the house.

Learn more by reading about safe &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/nontoxic-skin-care.html&quot;&gt;skin care&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/pregnancy-skin-care.html&quot;&gt;pregnancy skin care care&lt;/a&gt;.

Visit Skin Deep by clicking below.</description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:58:21 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Herbatint - beautiful color</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/herbatint-beautiful-color.html</link>
    <description>I used Loreal for years and was always happy with the color.  My stylist kept telling me my hair was extremely dry.  Herbatint was suggested to me.  I</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:02:03 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Natural Living 101 &lt;br&gt;Where To Start</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Natural-Living-101-&lt;br&gt;Where-To-Start</link>
    <description>So you think you want to try a more natural approach in your life.  Well I can&#39;t think of a better way to start a new year.

As I have heard from many of you especially those really new to the idea of natural living, it&#39;s hard to know where to start.  Having followed a natural approach for many years but not in any step by step approach I felt I could put together a simple, easy plan for you to consider. Sort of a &quot;This is how I would go about it.&quot; plan.  Here goes.

Let&#39;s start with you and your family and products used for skin, hair and beauty. 

We know skin absorbs whatever we put on it.  Think about skin patches used for medications. Once the patches are applied our bodies absorb the medication.  Same thing with skin care and beauty products. 

Perhaps you have heard don&#39;t use anything on your skin you wouldn&#39;t eat.  If you&#39;re going totally natural  it&#39;s a great guideline to follow.  No chemicals allowed and it works well for many different skin care products but all natural does not always work well for products that you use on your hair, nails and some beauty products.

I can easily see you being happy using all natural skin care and some makeup but I am afraid I will lose some of you if you try to go all natural with something like hair coloring.  The natural choice here is going gray or using henna and while henna is a great option for some women, it is labor intensive and offers a limited range of colors.

So instead choose products with natural and organic ingredients that contain a minimal amount of safer chemicals. So your task is to learn about ingredients you should avoid and learn to read the labels.

I&#39;m sorry but it can be a big pain when you first start reading labels especially for products with lots of ingredients or lots of chemicals and it&#39;s easy to be confused by the Latin name of a natural ingredient.  Also, keep in mind as you read the ingredients that your product contains the most of the first ingredients and less of those toward the bottom of the list. It&#39;s easier if you look for products with a simple list of ingredients.

Let&#39;s not forget about an important part to any label.  A logo or information that a company does not believe in animal testing.  There are other ways to test products. Also avoid animal ingredients by looking for info that a product is suitable for vegans.

Check out the skin care section of Natural Living for Women for more info  along with the product reviews to help you find the best.</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:35:01 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Amazon Herb Co.</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/amazon-herb-co.html</link>
    <description> Our herbal combinations are based on those used by the Indigenous People of the Amazon for thousands of years to maintain and optimize health,</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:58:43 GMT</pubDate>
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   <item>
    <title>Pur Mineral Makeup</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/pur-mineral-makeup.html</link>
    <description>I started using Pur Mineral makeup about 4 months ago and LOVE IT! I hated how normal foundation actually emphasized my growing crows feet :) Plus, I</description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:41:22 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Natural Living 101 For 2010</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Natural-Living-101-For-2010</link>
    <description>A new year, a new decade, what better time to start fresh and start living a more natural lifestyle.

I have women who contact me and say that want to live more naturally but don&#39;t know where to start.  It&#39;s a frequent question so with fresh starts in mind I thought it&#39;s a good time to offer my suggestions for getting started with natural living.

Natural living has different meanings to different people but to me it is a conscientious lifestyle. It&#39;s flat out about caring.  Caring what you eat, what products you use, how products are made or grown and who and what is affected by making things that we buy. It leads us to making safer, healthier and more natural choices. If we care enough to pay attention I believe we will be healthier and the planet will be healthier. Now isn&#39;t that a great plan for the new year.

I know it&#39;s so much to consider but for too long we have been eating, buying and using things and we know absolutely nothing about them.

Are they safe?  Are they healthy? 
How were they made?  I like to know. With so many things out of my control this is an area where I can make a positive difference and so can you. 

It&#39;s not that hard but to me it&#39;s so worth it. It&#39;s my passion and that&#39;s how I can help you get started and keep going. Within the Natural Living for Women website and blog I have tried to provide info to make it easier for you be informed. 

But did you know about some of the other benefits to being more informed.  Why you may find that you save money, become more creative, amaze your friends and family with exotic items from far away lands and stories about how they were made (I&#39;m talking fair trade here.), become the neighborhood expert on using olive oil for your skin or the life of the party with your handy tips for making your own homemade toilet bowl cleaner. Why you might even start your own business with your new passion.  It&#39;s how I got started.  Hey, it could happen.

In upcoming entries I will offer suggestions for you to think about.  See what works for you, your family and your lifestyle. There is no one set way to begin.  That&#39;s what makes it interesting and maybe I&#39;m nerdy but fun too.</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:48:39 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Barescentuals</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/barescentuals.html</link>
    <description>I have used Barescentuals for about 5 years, and like how it makes me look.  However, I am 61 and my skin is getting more and more dry as I get older,</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:50:18 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Dessert Body Scrub</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/dessert-body-scrub.html</link>
    <description>This scrub really is a treat to use. skin is left smooth, SUPER SOFT, and sweet-smelling!  customize the amount of ingredients to your own personal</description>
    <pubDate>Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:03:42 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Just For Fun</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Just-For-Fun</link>
    <description>I just wanted to take the opportunity to share a smile with you this holiday season.  Hope you enjoy the video.


&lt;object width=&quot;480&quot; height=&quot;385&quot;&gt;&lt;param name=&quot;movie&quot; value=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/v/AUtPKbMwnRo&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x234900&amp;color2=0x4e9e00&quot;&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;param name=&quot;allowFullScreen&quot; value=&quot;true&quot;&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;param name=&quot;allowscriptaccess&quot; value=&quot;always&quot;&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src=&quot;http://www.youtube.com/v/AUtPKbMwnRo&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x234900&amp;color2=0x4e9e00&quot; type=&quot;application/x-shockwave-flash&quot; allowscriptaccess=&quot;always&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;true&quot; width=&quot;480&quot; height=&quot;385&quot;&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;

Hmm, if I could get my dogs to do that...

Happy Holidays to All</description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:48:26 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Face Exfoliant For Healthier, Younger Looking Skin</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/face-exfoliant.html</link>
    <description>When it comes to doing a really good thing for your skin. Make using a face exfoliant a priority. Learn about our choices for having healthy, beautiful skin.</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:43:14 GMT</pubDate>
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   <item>
    <title>Mary Kay Loose and Press Powder, Mineral Eye color and cheek color</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/mary-kay-loose-and-press-powder-mineral-eye-color-and-cheek-color.html</link>
    <description>This is great especially during the summer when I don&#39;t like to wear alot of makeup. Also if I&#39;m in a hurry I quickly brush on the loose powder all</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:44:01 GMT</pubDate>
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   <item>
    <title>Korres Naturally Defined Eyes </title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/korres-naturally-defined-eyes.html</link>
    <description>Limited Edition Collection Available From Sophora (The below product details are from their website):  What It Is:  A limited-edition selection of</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:27:40 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Don&#39;t Forget Fair Trade for Unique Gifts</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Don&#39;t-Forget-Fair-Trade-for-Unique-Gifts</link>
    <description>Up until now about the only way I could see green and fair trade items was on-line. So I was thrilled to find that an on-line store, The Greener Good, had recently opened a shop right here in Fort Worth, Texas. As you can imagine when I heard they were doing product sampling I made plans to be there.

After trying a wonderful body scrub and talking to the maker of some really nice skin products (more about those later) I wandered the small but nicely stocked store and checked things out.

There really are some things that are so much easier to appreciate in person.  I think fair trade items are like that.  Pictures just don&#39;t do  justice.  I&#39;d seen pictures on-line of handbags and other things made from recycled plastic and thought they looked interesting but getting to see them up close... well what can I say.  I bought something.

The Greener Good had a nice selection of bowls woven from recycled plastic wrappers.  Some are solid silver, some were in shades of blue, green or multi colors. These bowls are handcrafted by artisans in Nepal and are beautifully constructed and unique looking.  I would be proud to give it as a gift or keep it for myself.  Hmm....tough decision.

&lt;i&gt;The picture below shows the structure and weaving but what you can&#39;t see is that they are shiny.  Remember this is made from shiny wrappers from things like candy and snacks.&lt;/i&gt;

&lt;div align=&quot;center&quot;&gt; &lt;img src=&quot;http://thegreenergood.com/products/product_photos/assortedrecycledbowlsxlg_2144_1243740238.jpg&quot;/&gt;&lt;/div&gt; 

If you are in the Fort Worth area make sure to stop by The Greener Good, talk to Liz the owner and discover wonderful green and ethical goods to try out for yourself.

You can also order from their on-line store where you will find items for the home and garden, family, and even pets.  See click for more info below.

For information on other fair trade items and how your purchases make a difference check out: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/fair-trade-products.html&quot;&gt;Have You Shopped for Fair Trade Products.&lt;/a&gt;</description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:48:46 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Vegan Shoes Kinder Fashion With Fresh Style</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/vegan-shoes.html</link>
    <description>Considering buying vegan shoes? It&#39;s time to learn about the new styles available. You won&#39;t be disappointed.</description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:48:52 GMT</pubDate>
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   <item>
    <title> Mahya Mineral Makeup</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/mahya-mineral-makeup.html</link>
    <description>I have tried using Bare Minerals as well and have the same experience with itching. I almost gave up on mineral makeup when a friend introduced me to</description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:15:51 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Eco Jewelry - Feel Good About Your Bling</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/eco-jewelry.html</link>
    <description>What&#39;s the deal with eco jewelry? All jewelry has a past, how the materials are sourced, the labor involved etc. Make sure your beautiful jewelry doesn&#39;t have an ugly past. Understand the differences before you shop.</description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:36:49 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Great Sale at  Xylem Clothing: Soft, Stylish and Eco Friendly</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Great-Sale-at-Xylem-Clothing:-Soft,-Stylish-and-Eco-Friendly</link>
    <description>If I&#39;m looking for casual clothing often my first consideration is comfort. My usual choice is jeans and tee&#39;s but sweats especially this time of year is right up there at the top.  Unfortunately, sometimes style suffers when the main consideration is comfort.

I&#39;m guilty of this more often than I care to admit.  Working from home I can rationalize my unfortunate lack of style. Who&#39;s to know what I&#39;m wearing while working.  I&#39;m comfy yes, stylish... not so much. One look in the mirror and I know I feel better when I&#39;m comfortable but also looking good. 

Does this sound like you too?  You and I could be looking so good if we started shopping at Xylem Clothing where natural, sustainable, eco friendly materials are used to create beautifully styled casual clothing. No fabrics are better for soft comfortable clothing than eco friendly fabrics like bamboo, organic cotton, soy or tencel. 

Here I found casual stretch pants, tops, skirts and dresses with asymmetrical cuts, bolero jackets and hemlines with lettuce edges.  Styles here could easily move you through your day and even into the evening because to me the soft, elegant drape of these fabrics makes them seem a little dressier.

The below shows the Bolero Jacket.  Here the jacket ends are wrapped and tied in the back for a totally different look.

Fashion, comfort and green what more could you ask for.

&lt;img src=&quot;http://xylemclothing.com/images//monarch_1.jpg&quot;width=&quot;246&quot; height=&quot;380&quot;/&gt;

Well, how about a sale? From now until Jan 8th, they are having what they call a Give Back Sale where for every $100 spent they issue  a $25 e-coupon to be used on any item on their site but this is not the only special offered at Xylem Clothing this month.

Watch for these other sales:

Dec 9th 
All Long Sleeve Tops to Sale

Dec 16 
Entire Site on sale until 1st January

Eco friendly clothing makes great gifts and that e-coupon is a handy way to  sneak in a little shopping for yourself.</description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:53:14 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>The Body Shop Concealer Pencil (Crayon Correcteur)</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/the-body-shop-concealer-pencil-crayon-correcteur.html</link>
    <description>Not all concealers are created equal and different types serve various needs.  Some may be better suited for hiding under-eye circles, others for</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:49:58 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Save Money While Shopping Online</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/shop-and-save.html</link>
    <description>Sales Sales Sales!

Black Friday Sales in the stores.  Cyber Monday Sales on line. So many things on sale for this holiday season.  I am happy to say that now more than ever we can also find ways to save on eco friendly and natural items.

It is a great time to be doing more shopping for items that are better for you and the environment.  More and more natural products stores are offering sales, discounts, coupons and free shipping offers.

There are sites that specialize in finding those great deals and making them available to us.  I searched some of them out and added them to my site so that you can find in one place different resources to help you save some money and enjoy shopping for natural and eco friendly items.

It&#39;s fun giving these items as gifts especially to those who have never tried organic skin care products, a handbag made from reycled tires, fair trade jewelry, organic wine or clothing made from bamboo. It&#39;s also eye opening to find just how many different new products are being created with concern for animals, people and the environment.

Check out the link below for ways to shop and save on natural items.  

Happy Shopping</description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:12:02 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Check Out :Jungleman All-Natural Deodorant</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Check-Out-:Jungleman-All-Natural-Deodorant</link>
    <description>There is not a one size fits all solution when looking for natural deodorants.  Each one of us has a different body chemistry and we all perspire to varying degrees.  So I wish I could recommend just one natural deodorant and be done with it but I can&#39;t because I know that as soon as I say this deodorant works I will have someone say uh uh not for me it didn&#39;t. 

So I&#39;ll keep offering you suggestions and hopefully you find one that works. 

The latest product I have tried is Jungleman All-Natural Deodorant. 

I have been using this deodorant for a month or so now and under all kinds of conditions.  I have been very pleased how well it has worked to keep me smelling fresh.

The ingredients are simple:

baking soda, corn starch, natural herbs, roots and plant oils

Simple but effective.  It is also one of the more inexpensive brands costing just $5.99.  Having spent up to $14.99 on other brands I really appreciated the price.

I found it applied easily, they do recommend not to twist Jungleman up to far to prevent breaking off the product.  It does have a drier application and if you push too hard on it pieces can crumble off so none of that rubbing up and down.  I found a couple slow, smooth strokes worked well.

Since it does have a base of baking soda and corn starch you will notice a little white on clothes but the white marks that end up on clothes when we use deodorant first and dress after were very easy to brush off.  Unlike other products with an oilier base that stubbornly cling to clothes.

The citrus scent is pleasant and suitable for men or women.  Having tried so many different deodorants I found this mild scent to be one of my favorites.

Jeremiah at Jungleman has created a product that works and a fun site. Alright, the site looks a little manly but it is creative and interesting. Ordering was fast and easy and delivery was quick.  This is a company committed to finding a safe, natural solution to chemicals in our deodorants and providing a good customer experience.

Great job Jeremiah.

Check out Jungleman Natural Deodorant yourself by clicking the link below.</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:51:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Lily Lolo Mineral Makeup</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/lily-lolo-mineral-makeup.html</link>
    <description>Absolutely gorgeous mineral makeup - love love love it and the prices are amazing!   EDITOR&#39;S NOTES: Below are the ingredients for mineral foundation</description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:43:44 GMT</pubDate>
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   <item>
    <title>Confident Princess Minerals</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/confident-princess-minerals.html</link>
    <description>This company has great colors great prices awesome customer service and fast shipping. I have ordered from this company a few times and love their</description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:17:52 GMT</pubDate>
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   <item>
    <title>Glow Minerals Makeup Review</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/glow-minerals-makeup-review.html</link>
    <description>I have always been skeptical of mineral makeup because my sister uses it and it looks awful (she uses Bare Minerals); but because of asthma I am</description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:47:56 GMT</pubDate>
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   <item>
    <title>Dead Sea Products: Shopping for the Best</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/dead-sea-products.html</link>
    <description>Loaded with healthy minerals, dead sea products may just be the answer to skin care concerns. Learn more about them and decide if they are right for you.</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:33:49 GMT</pubDate>
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   <item>
    <title>Hosia online - Natural store</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/hosia-online-natural-store.html</link>
    <description>I found this website while googling for natural ways to whiten my teeth, they have a blog and a link to their shopping store.   They offer pure shea</description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:25:34 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Reusable Shopping Bags: Tips For Buying</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/reusable-shopping-bags.html</link>
    <description>When you own reusable shopping bags you won&#39;t even have to think about paper or plastic but some reusable bags are a better choice than others. Before you buy, check out this page for few tips and suggestions.</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:40:02 GMT</pubDate>
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    <title>Help Those Who Help Animals</title>
    <link>http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-living-blog.html#Help-Those-Who-Help-Animals</link>
    <description>As I was listening to the news the other day it occurred to me just how many times in the past months there was a story about animal rescue. 

The Humane Society and the ASPCA have been very busy.  In this area alone I have seen two puppy mills shut down.  In the largest of which over 500 dogs and puppies were rescued from some very horrendous conditions. 

There is also an increase in animal rescues from ordinary people who either can&#39;t afford to care for their animals or of animals who have been abandoned by people when they are forced to leave their homes.  A sad situation all around.

Working with an animal rescue group myself I know how heartbreaking doing work like this can be and I really admire those who get out there and do it.  Animal rescue takes a special kind of person who can see the abuse and though sickened by it pushes to stop it.  I never had that kind of strength but thankfully there are those who do. 

It is hard enough watching the small segments on the news but every time I see one more puppy mill shut down, dog fighting exposed or animals rescued from abusive situations I can&#39;t help but feel grateful for these organizations.

Animal rescue is only a part of the picture. The next step is to get these animals much needed food, water and medical attention. Then the difficult task of rehabilatating an animal that may have spent it&#39;s whole life in a small cage and then on to what can sometimes be a lengthy and difficult process of finding them good homes.

As you can see it is a big expensive job and the Humane Society and the ASPCA need our help. With a tight economy donations are down and need is up so as the holidays roll around consider doing some of your holiday shopping from the gifts sold by both groups.

As I look at two of my dogs contentedly sleeping next to me I am going to head on over to one of their gift shops and get a head start on my holiday shopping.  Won&#39;t you join me?

&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aspcaonlinestore.com/&quot;&gt;ASPCA Online Store&lt;/a&gt;

&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.hsus.org/shop/&quot;&gt;Shop Humane Domain&lt;/a&gt;</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:56:39 GMT</pubDate>
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