Tilvee moved to it’s new location in Golden, CO. We are very excited about this gorgeous new space! Besides our fun filled offices and lab space for exciting new equipment, we also now have space for events and trainings, a room for Tilvee facials…and there is even solar panels on the roof! Stay tuned, we will be announcing events to be held here very soon (after we are completely moved and set up again).

I often get asked questions about how to shop smart and green for beauty products. Let’s face it, it’s tough with so many brands on the shelves, ads in magazines, pretty packaging, seductive scents and outrageous claims. Between buying deodorant (that actually works), hair care, bath products for the kids, toothpaste, and then brave the daunting eye, wrinkle, brightening, soothing, tightening FACE crème… yikes. It can take hours to check the labels and read up on the ingredients before figuring out if it gets a green thumb up or down.

While this is not a detailed list by any means, these are the top 6 things I check before purchasing a product. I hope they help!

1) Get to know the Brand: I like to support companies that only sell products without toxic ingredients. There are some companies out there that have their “dirty” line and then their “clean” line. I feel very skeptical of a company that does not fully stand behind using ingredients that are safer for our bodies and the environment. There are many companies that in general sell cheap products using potentially harmful ingredient’s. Then they have their “natural brand” mostly to use their powerful marketing skills around a few trendy ingredients without the end product being truly safe, beneficial or natural at all. By supporting a company that does “good” all the time, from the quality of ingredients to their core mission and sustainable practices, you really are helping to support positive change for the planet.

2) Just Say NO To Synthetic Fragrances: As most of you know, I am a purist. When it comes to scents in a product, I am not comfortable with a synthetically made fragrance. A “fragrance” can be made up of hundreds of toxic ingredients, some even potentially carcinogenic. Usually a fragrance is found towards the bottom of the ingredient list. Look for products solely scented with pure essential oils, they are the safer choice.

3) Skip Sodium Lauryl or Laureth Sulfate: SLS and SLES can be drying and irritating. Instead I choose products with Decyl Glucoside or castile for their lather and suds in shampoos, body wash, shaving crème and kids bath products. Decyl Glucoside does not create as big of lather as Sodium Lauryl or Laureth Sulfate but it has much less potential for irritation and allergic reactions. Besides, big lather does not make you cleaner!

4) Make sure ingredient list if provided: Does the product have the ingredient list available on the packaging or on the website (if you are online shopping)? If there is no ingredient list and they claim to be “natural” or “organic”, that is a red flag. What do they have to hide?

5) Keep it Wholesome: If you read an ingredient list and it sounds more like a chemical reaction in a bottle…it probably is! Just like shopping for a hearty bread, you want the ingredients to be recognizable, plant based and wholesome without all the fillers and artificial junk.

6) Skip Certain Preservatives: First let me start by saying that preserving cosmetics is absolutely necessary. Microbes can be damaging to products and to our health. Preservatives are used to kill cells, which means they also have the potential to kill living cells in our bodies, which is why preservatives are a tricky topic. There are many types of preservatives used and it’s very difficult to identify which are truly natural, safe and effective. I often look to the European Union which strictly regulates evaluates ingredients for their safety. While the verdict is still out according to the EU about the safety of Parabens, I still avoid them since there have been suggestions that they can be hormone disruptive, cause many allergic reactions and rashes. I also avoid Urea, which is considered a formaldehyde donor and a cause of dermatitis. These ingredients are usually found near the bottom of the ingredient list.

I hope these tips are helpful when shopping for your greener personal care and beauty necessities. By putting the products through this “6 rule” checklist, you will probably find some new, fabulous products that are good for the body and the earth!

Why use a toner?

Traditionally toners are used after cleansing / masking and before moisturizing. Natural plant based toners are gentle enough to be used mid- day to freshen up the skin as well. Toners balance the pH of the skin so that it can better assimilate the moisturizer that follows. A good quality toner with nutritious ingredients can add antioxidants, balance excess sebum production, firm the skin, even the overall tone of the skin and promote healthy circulation (especially if Witch Hazel is used in the formula).

How to use a toner

Use a toner twice daily after cleansing and before you moisturize. Spray and either leave on or blot off. Additionally during the day you can mist your face to freshen up and plump up dehydrated, tired skin.

My favorite tips!

Morning- I spray my toner and then while skin is still damp, apply my moisturizer. They blend beautifully and aid in each others assimilation into the skin leaving it so soft and hydrated.

Evening- I use one pump of my favorite facial oil and then a few sprays of my toner into the palm of my hand. I rub them together and apply by massaging in gently circles. It feels so refreshing!

Flavonoids are naturally occurring compounds in fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, flowers and leaves. They have been extensively studied and shown to exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and anti-allergenic activities.

So what does that really mean and how are Flavonoids beneficial for the skin? The uppermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, is the first line of defense against environmental conditions. This layer is rich in lipids and is easily oxidisable, which is where flavonoids come to play. Flavonoids applied to this layer can “mop up” free radicals that cause damage to our skin and they can act as anti-oxidising agents. These properties influence other skin layers as well; preventing UV radiation damage in the epidermal layer and going even deeper into the dermis, they can even strengthen blood vessels. Say hello to Flavonoids and youthful looking skin!

Now that you know how important Flavonoids are in protecting our skin from damage due to UV radiation, stress, pollution and premature signs of aging…how do you get them to your skin?! High quality, pure extracts containing Flavonoids are making their way into the cosmetic industry. Look to companies that are known to formulate without the use of toxic ingredients, yes this includes those synthetic fragrances. You want the Flavonoids delivered in a pure, natural, nourishing “base”. Beware of products claiming to have anti-oxidant ingredients and really only having tiny amounts of these ingredients mixed with a slew of toxic ingredients, which then causes more harm than good. As always, read your labels thoroughly!

Here are some ingredients to look for when shopping for Flavonoid rich beauty products: Pomegranate, Acai, Mangosteen, Green tea, Ginkgo, Horsetail, Mallow, Chamomile, Calendula, Cocoa, Carrot, Raspberry seed oil, Licorice, Olive Oil.

Pure plant based oils are a very effective way to soften, brighten, moisturize and deliver essential nutrients to the skin. Plant oils that are cold pressed without the use of solvents are close to their natural state, retaining valuable vitamins, minerals, peptides and fatty acids. Adding oils to your beauty routine not only give quicker results but also impart a luxurious feeling while caring for your skin!

Where to start

Tilvee offers 2 oil based products. The Botanical Rejuvenating Oil and The Argan Vitality Oil. Both use cold pressed oils that are nutritious for the skin. The formulas are quite different though and we are commonly asked “which is suitable for my skin?” “Can I use them both?” “When and how do I use them?”.  Here is a handy guide to incorporating these oils into your daily beauty routine.

Botanical Rejuvenating Oil:

What is it? 9 regenerating oils hand pressed in 9 therapeutic herbs. The result is a highly effective and versatile treatment.

What does it do? Formulated to regenerate healthy skin cells, reduce scarring, increase elasticity, reduce appearance and formation of fine lines and wrinkles & revitalize damaged skin.

How do I use it? Use as a spot treatment by massaging onto scars (old or new), Crows feet around eyes, sunburn, wrinkles, age spots (fades them) or as an all over facial moisturizer if you have very dry skin.

Argan Vitality Oil:

What is it? Pure Organic Moroccan Argan nut oil with a light blend of essential oils. It is a very light, therapeutic oil.

What does it do? A remarkable anti-aging treatment rich in potent antioxidants and essential fatty acids that will change the tone and texture of your skin! It has been shown to promote elasticity and suppleness to the skin. Argan oil is very light and also suitable for bringing balance to acne/oily prone skin.

How do I use it? Dry, mature skin types can use it in addition to the Botanical Rejuvenating Oil and/or a facial creme. Oily and acne prone skin types can use it once or twice a day as a light moisturizer on cleansed, toned skin. Argan oil is also an effective treatment for dry hair. Massage a little into your ends and watch them bounce and shine.

The Low Down:

Oily/Acne Prone Skin- AM: Cranberry Balancing Lotion. PM: Argan Vitality Oil. Use the Botanical Rejuvenating Oil if you ever have a scar, dry patch or wrinkle prone area you want to work on.

Normal Skin Types- AM: Argan & Sea Buckthorn creme (if prone to dry patches) or Cranberry Balancing lotion (if have T zone oiliness by end of day). PM: Argan Vitality Oil nightly. Botanical Rejuvenating Oil as a preventative treatment in wrinkle prone areas such as around the eyes and mouth.

Dry/Mature/Sun Damaged Skin- AM: Argan and Sea Buckthorn age-defying creme OR Antioxidant Replenishing Creme. PM: Alternate with the Botanical Rejuvenating Oil and the Argan Vitality Oil nightly to restore suppleness and elasticity to the skin as well as fade sun spots and regenerate healthy skin cells.

One of the most fascinating discoveries about Argan Oil is it’s versatility. There are few oils in the world that are literally suitable for all skin types. Someone who has oily or acne prone skin is usually frightened to moisturize, let alone put pure oil on their skin! Argan oil has unique fatty acid properties that actually balances the sebum production and heals acne. This means it will actually clear and soften the skin that has been out of balance.

On the other end of the spectrum, Argan Oil is also suitable for damaged, dry skin. It is rich in Essential Fatty Acids and Antioxidants, bringing suppleness and elasticity back to the skin while protecting from free radical damage.

Here is where the fun begins, Argan Oil is not just limited to the face…it gives remarkable results for the hair too! It adds luster and bounce to even the most brittle, frizzy hair.

Argan Oil is pricey, but honestly a little goes a long way. Here are some tips on using Tilvee Argan Vitality Oil as part of your beauty routine.

1) Hair Treatment: Rub 2 drops into the ends of the hair at night. Shampoo it out in the morning.

2) Makeup Remover: Add 2 drops to a warm wet washcloth. Place over face for one minute then massage makeup off.

3) Night Facial Massage Serum: Add 2 drops to fingers and massage entire face with circular motions for 2 minutes.

4) Shampoo or Conditioner boost: Add 4 drops to your bottle of shampoo or conditioner to add extra shine and moisture to your hair.

For more information about Argan Oil visit www.Tilvee.com

Bottles and labels are consumed rapidly and a major concern for us was the sustainability of our labels. Finding FiberStone was love at first sight. It is made from natural stone without the use of trees or water. The calcium carbonate used to make the stone paper comes from limestone collected as waste material from existing quarries for the building and construction industry. A small percentage of a non toxic resin is added as a binder and together these materials make a tough, durable paper that is waterproof and tear resistant.

The production process is eco friendly too. It is considered a clean production process without the use of water or chlorine, does not emit toxins in the air and uses much less energy than it does to make pulp paper.

Fiberstone is recyclable, so be sure to put it in with your other recyclables.

Fiberstone has many applications and is the future of paper, packaging and labels. Imagine not having to use valuable resources such as trees and water or having to pollute the environment just to package a product or make paper.

Take a closer look at the labels on your Tilvee products, they have a unique quality that is a beautiful look and feel. Better yet, they are the future of green packaging.