Monday, October 29, 2018

Release of Thirst, the Mission of Charity:Water and Scott Harrison + a Giveaway

It's been a few weeks since I was in Brooklyn for the 2018 WELL Summit... and let's just say that one of the biggest things to come from the weekend itself was a reading list a mile long. I am thinking that I will do a reading recap of some sort to include WELL Summit books as well as others that have piqued my interest lately but for now, I just want to talk about one book in particular, THIRST by Scott Harrison.


I'll be honest, I had never heard of Charity:Water before WELL Summit. I sat down for Scott Harrison's keynote, ready to listen and learn... but what I received was so, so much more than a lesson. As a woman of privelage, I felt moved to write this blog post because the message of Thirst and Scott's keynote, was that we have the ability and as I understand it myself, the responsibility to help bring clean water to those around the world who suffer in so many ways because of the lack of it. Now of course, I was vaguely aware of issues with clean water but I had never taken the time to dig deep and educate myself on the real problems that plague nearly 663 million people worldwide (that's 1 in 10 or twice the US population). Throughout Scott's presentation, I was struck again and again at the conditions that people live through, the children that trek day in and day out with the women of their families, in order to retrieve even the smalles amounts of water. I cried so much throughout the keynote that I was #1 embarrassed but #2 moved beyond words... turns out, that the vast majority of the attendees were shedding some tears, so I was in good company. I think what struck me most was that I take clean water for granted, nearly every single day. With two flushes of one of my toilets, I use as much water as some women would hope to collect in a day. My mind was blown not just by the conditions but at how clean water affects so many different aspects of these people's lives for health, education, and even self esteem. Clean water isn't just about drinking but providing a quality of life that every person deserves. I hope that every single person in that room with me either made a donation, bought the book or shared the message within their social circles. I know that when my Mom and Sister were up visiting, I made sure to give them the download so that they could do their own research and spread the good word farther. To date, Charity: Water, their donors (like you and me) and their local partners have worked on 29,725 projects, providing clean water to over 8 million people. If that's not truly amazing, I don't know what is.


Scott's book covers a lot of this as well as his pretty amazing journey that led him to start Charity:Water and with every purchase of Thirst, a $30 donation is made back to Charity: Water, so it's a total win- win, a decision I immediately made! I purchase two copies, one for myself and one for a lucky Prim and Propah reader (psst. I already emailed and the donation was made on our behalf!) I'd love to continue spreading the message of an amazing charity that is taking 100% of the donations from us and using it to employ locals to build wells and other means of bringing clean water to their communities. You want on board with this? Check out my instagram post below to enter to win a copy of Scott Harrison's Thirst for yourself! My gal pal Elizabeth is giving away a copy as well so grab your crew and let's help more people in this world have clean water and a better life!



✨GIVEAWAY✨ This week’s book giveaway is yet another @wellsummit discovery — Thirst by @scottharrison, Founder + CEO of @charitywater 💛 I’ve written a blog post (link in profile) that covers Scott’s Keynote about his journey and the work they are doing to provide clean water to those who need it— I’d love it if you’d take a read—but while you’re here, do you want to win a copy of Scott’s book as a gift from me? To enter: Follow @primandpropah 💕+ @charitywater 💦 + leave a comment, have you heard of the book or the organization? Or do you want to know more? Let me know! 🙌 PS. My gal @elizabethev is giving away a copy as well so head over there to double your chances! *Giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram- I bought the book for you and a $30 donation was made to Charity:Water on our behalf! I’ll randomly choose a winner on Friday 11/2 ✌️#wellsummittribe #charitywater #wellsummit18 #propahreads
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Tuesday, October 16, 2018

prAna Hemp for a Cozy Fall + Winter

*This post was created in collaboration with prAna. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you've been following along my journey for awhile now, you know that I am a big fan of prAna and using our dollars to purchase from brands who have a mission, a purpose and whose values are as similar to mine as a business can be. When prAna reached out to talk all things hemp, I was of course intrigued because prAna continues to create and also lead the way in the mindful business practices that I value and would love to see other clothing companies, especially, adopt in the very near future.


So you may be wondering what from the hemp line of clothing that I chose. The Pammy Beanie (pictured here in Dusty Evergreen) stood out to me and here's why. I always have an issue wearing Winter hats (the kind meant to keep your head warm in this biting New England cold) because the material may bother my ears. Sometimes my ears itch when something is too wooly. Sometimes my ears are very irritated by the sounds of the fibers from hats made from synthetic materials... you get the picture. So why not try a hemp blend? This hat is created from a recycled blend of polyester and hemp... and it's, no lie, the perfect fabric for my head. It has a cotton feel but it's as heavy as I would hope it'd be. Of course, they are creating more than hats using their hemp sourced from China, grown as organically as possible. Hemp is safer for farmers to grow and preserve the health of the land because the crop requires no chemical pesticides or fertilizers to be sustained.



WHY HEMP MATTERS



The materials that prAna uses to make their clothing will no doubt leave you feeling good about your purchase while also feeling good about how you look. In addition to Hemp, prAna uses Organic cotton, recycled wool, recycled polyester, and responsible down, just some of the notable materials that prAna has lined up to create fair trade, responsible and sustainable made apparel for men and women. Respect for the planet and its people- I'm on board with that.



Want to shop prAna and their hemp line for yourself? The kind and lovely folks over at prAna are offering Prim and Propah readers the opportunity to save 15% off of their order using code: PHAL18... oh, and don't forget to use Ebates to get 4% back on your purchase... what's on your list?!

You can Follow prAna on TwitterFacebookInstagram and Pinterest!

Monday, October 15, 2018

Give a SH*T, Please + a GIVEAWAY

I met Ashlee Piper at WELL Summit last week.To say that I was smitten would be an understatement. She's no doubt funny but more importantly, smart a f$&*ing whip. Her session on Mindfullness and Sustainability had me veeeeeery excited to purchase her book "Give a Sh*t- Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet" that I did it nearly immediately and off her person. I hadn't even read it yet but I knew that I would want to share it with you guys... so I bought two copies, one for me and one for a Prim and Propah reader (but more on that later). I know that it is up to us as individulal humas to make our personal and collective environments, better ones.

My mother and sister came up this weekend and I couldn't stop talking about the main points of Ashlee's presentation and all the nuggets of wisdom that I had gleaned from the book thus far. I told them it had to be a must read, added to their wishlists immediately. While I won't get too indepth as to our conversations surrounding the political climate, let's just say that we all agreed that channeling our energy into improving our footprint with our daily actions, is a good use of time. I've only gotten about half way through the book, which says a lot because when I sit down to read, I usually start falling asleep (#momlife) but that said, I couldn't wait to give you the opportunity to read it along with me. So to give you a quick rundown of what you're getting (beside real realness), it's a book broken down into chapters, Giving a sh!t in your home, in your kitchen, in your closet, in the mirror and in the wild... and I think that about covers all the areas that I feel I can try to control (barely) in my own little world. But just imagine if everyone gave a shit, right? Talk about the amount of change we could create.


I'm not going to lie, there are some tough topics in this book but to balance that out, these topics are of the utmost importance. There is a lot of humor in this book but with that humor comes some information that may shake the way that you view, the animal processing industry for instance. While I am sure that you are able to use your imagination, actually viewing a chart broken out into how animals are treated is, well, it's eye opening and also horrifying. But I have an open mind, and an open heart... and I believe you have the same, that's why you read my blog at this stage in time! So are you ready to give a sh*t? You can enter this giveaway on the Instagram post below hy just commenting on the one area you are looking to improve on in your life first and foremost... let's get real, then get real serious about fixing our world.



✨GIVEAWAY✨ Happy Monday my loves! Today starts a month worth of book giveaways because I just feel like showering you guys with love and gifts, you know? @ashleepiper's new book "Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet" was a recent @wellsummit discovery and to say that I am smitten as a kitten would be an understatement. I wrote a quick blog post (link in profile) about meeting Ashlee last weekend (and subsequently girl crushing), about the book, a little teaser and some recent conversations but if you want to save all your reading for the actual book, you can just stay here to enter to win a signed copy for yourself plus a brand new “create calm” journal to start saving the planet in an organized fashion! To enter: Follow @ashleepiper + @primandpropah Good juju and extra entries, tag some booklovin' friends who want to make the world a better place! *This contest is not affiliated with instagram-- your girl bought the book for you herself because I just wanted to share the good stuff with you! I'll choose a winner at random on Friday evening 10/19 #propahreads #wellsummittribe
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Didn't want to wait to win? You can purchase Ashlee Piper's book on Amazon or where other books or sold or maybe if you see her in person out in the wild, she'll have a copy you can buy off of her--- or hey, supporting your local library is awesome too-- see? no excuses!


Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Boudreaux's Keeps My Babes Hiney Healthy

*This post is in partnership with Moms Meet and Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% my own.



I have to say that we are hopefully nearing the end of being in diapers. Teddy will be two in Decemember and I think that Wesley was potty trained around three, OK nevermind, we are going to be in diapers for the next year at least. Something that has happened a lot with Teddy has been diaper rashes and yeast infections. Yes, a glamorous life I lead, let me tell you. It's been tough to find a diaper cream, or in this case butt paste, that really works and lasts through the night. Moms Meet was nice enough to send me a very generous package from the team at Boudreaux's, including the Rash Kicking KitWhen looking at the quality and performance, while also taking into consideration the ingredients, I have been very pleased with the Boudreaux's line of baby care products. The Rash Kicking Kit especially, since they have the applicator in there! Anyone who knows diaper cream knows that it is not something that is fun to apply with your bare hands-- the applicator does the dirty work and the bum still gets covered! This kit is, like the perfect, baby shower gift. Since having small children, I am of the mindset that gifting things that new Moms need is much more practical then giving them cute baby booties that we all know won't stay on the baby's feet. Just call me Practical Patty over here!


There are a lot of different options out there for discerning parents but this brand is not to be looked over. The quality is on point, a little goes a long way and you can buy different sizes (for home and for diaper bag) You can find the entire Boudreaux's product line on Amazon, so that makes it super easy, am I right? I'm thinking baby shower gifts, holiday donations to local shelters, and of course, stocking up in my own home for this sweet little bottom.

Have you tried Boudreaux's for your baby?


Tuesday, October 9, 2018

What's Wowing Me in Wellness: Spray My Face

I didn't realize it until just recently, but Mama is a face spray hoarder. I have various itterations of face sprays from rose water to toners, to hydration sprays and beyond... and I kinda love them all. I have been very fortunate to be able to try a lot of different sprays without having to buy them (grateful for this!) so have built quite the collection, all with their own purpose and place. I thought I would break down some of the reasons you'd want to invest in a toner or hydrating spray (or both!) so that you can begin to make an educated purchase with my opinion in there to boot ha!


Not all facial sprays are created equal nor do they have the same purposes. The difference between Toner & Astringents-- Toners help to remove any traces of oil, perspiration or makeup from your skin. An astringent, however, may be alcohol- or chemically-based and is used to clean the skin and close pores. I don't personally use an astringent unless it's that time of the month and my skin is acting wacky. It helps to clear my skin up in those dark times but in other scenarios will dry me right out so I use astrigents sparingly. Toner however, I use that on the daily. The most important purpose for a toner, and I've been told this by estheticians as well as clean beauty experts, is to restore your skin's pH balance. Using a toner can also prevent in grown hairs and act as an additional layer of protection from the elements. Hydrating mists? I have those around to feel fancy and have something on hand to freshen up on the go and quickly!


Hydrating Mists: Some of my favorite hydrating mists are very simple in their ingredients but are perfect sprays for a quick pick me up and also for setting your makeup. I have a small travel sized bottle that I'll pop in my purse or the diaper bag to keep on hand for those moments when life has me dried out (which is most of the time) My Top Picks: Kaliks Collective Revive Lavender Hydrosol, Josh Rosebrook's Hydrating Accelerator, Beautycounter Rosewater Mist, OY-L Hydrating Mist,

Toners: Toners are part of the building blocks to a fantastic skincare regimine. I always use a toner right after I've washed my face or left the shower and to be honest, have use a toner once or two by accident when I just wanted a spritz of hydration. I have dabbled in different toners but my favorites come in all shapes, sizes and price points. My Top Picks:  Face/Food Flower Power Healing Toner, Shamanuti Seaweed Toner, Wildcraft Geranium Orange Blossom Toner 

Astringents: I personally don't dabble in different astringents, I just know what works for me and since I use it so infrequently, it doesn't make sense to buy something that I don't need. The Thayer's Witc Hazel Astringent is simple and easy to find, like I'm talking even at Target, CVS and sometimes even Marshall's. It works to cleanse, get rid of grime, and tightens up the skin after I've had a big breakout. My Top Pick: Thayer's Witch Hazel Astringent

No matter what you're spraying on your face, be sure to do ingredient checks. There are some stores and sites where you can be sure that they've done the work for you (Detox Market, Follain, Credo Beauty, Pretty Pure Beauty) but when shopping at Target, CVS, Marshalls etc, you'll have to do your due dilligence. You don't want harmful chemicals being spritzed refreshingly about.

Do you have any recommendations for hydrating sprays, toners or astringents?