NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE PICKS

Nordstrom is kind of a THING in Seattle. The flagship and headquarters are here, and along with that there is a serious and loyal following of nearly every female across multiple generations in the Pacific Northwest. In college, my roommates would shop the pre-sale every year, usually with their moms or aunts or grandmas and it was an annual tradition. Pretty much on the same level as a national holiday.

You've probably seen hints that the pre-sale is currently running now. You have to be a cardholder to shop it, but if you're not, the sale opens (both in stores and online) to the general public July 21st and runs through August 6th.

These are things I'm either currently eyeing or own and love, across all categories: baby/home/clothing/accessories. Click each item to shop:

A few highlights:

Our favorite Thule stroller made the sale, and it's cheaper than amazon!

The sippy cups are another baby favorite, and that is the softest luxury baby blanket and makes a great gift.

These jeans are the non-maternity version I had and loved (everyone else seems to love them too... they were the number one best selling product of last year's sale.)

I am continuously learning how to shop for a (much, much) cooler climate than I'm accustomed too. I still don't know how to dress well for winter here. But I'm pretty sure that jacket and vest would help!

Along the same line... new duck boots for winter, also pictured are a similar version of my tried and true Hunters.

A few others in there too: I've heard great things about that lash serum, Aveda has always been a favorite (and rarely on sale), and a few pretty housewares.

What are you eyeing for fall? Do you shop the sale? So many good things to check out!

SOAP BOX

Lately I'm realizing that I've been lied to.

I used to be an avid beauty product consumer; always curious what brands and products anyone from my friends to celebrities to my grocery store clerk used and loved. I used to wash, blow dry, and curl my hair every day for years, applying multiple products both in and out of the shower, to make it look like I "just woke up like this." I had a strict skin care regime that included lots of expensive products with long lists of ingredients, that I religiously used and re-purchased when I ran out. I never read one label nor did I give it a second thought.

Then I got pregnant, and I got curious about those ingredients and their effects on my growing baby. I started the merge to more natural products, and as I did my eyes were opened to the not-so-pretty truth of the behind the scenes of the beauty industry.

You see, if you don't do your research and just follow the status quo, companies will work against your best interest, and your health, in order to make a buck. It's so sad, but true.

In Europe, over a thousand chemicals are banned from beauty products due to their harmful effects. In the United States, The FDA has banned a total of nine. Those other 991+ products that Europe has deemed harmful enough to cause serious problems are available in our drugstores, in our bathrooms, on our skin, in our bodies and on our babies.

It's one thing to mess with my health. It's entirely a different story to mess with my baby's.

Johnson and Johnson has recently lost their third straight lawsuit, for knowingly using formaldehyde and other chemicals that cause cancer in their baby products. Think about that. They want you to buy their products so they can make money at the risk of your babies developing cancer. I can't even with that one.

I've had enough and I'm making the switch. I've started to research a little in the book No More Dirty Looks (not sponsored, just picked it up at the library) and I'm excited to do more. I also use the app Think Dirty (also not sponsored). It's a rating system for clean products. It doesn't have every product available, but it's a super neat concept in that you can use your phone to scan barcodes, and it will give you a rating of 0-10, from cleanest to most toxic. Some of the scores shocked me from things I used and thought were "natural" beauty products but actually contained high levels of carcinogens.

Some of the cleaner products I'm currently using:

HAIR CARE: This has been the hardest switch for me so far. I tried the "baking soda shampoo" method for a few months before going back to my regular stuff. I currently use a "natural" brand but need to do more research here. I do have a dry shampoo method I love: Cornstarch mixed with coco powder (for a darker color for brunettes). I love this stuff and keep it premixed in a ramekin, and apply it generously with a clean, fluffy makeup brush all over my roots before bed. I only wash my hair twice a week now and use this in between.

BODY & FACE WASH: Dr. Bronner's. Coconut oil based, no strange ingredients, smells fantastic. I like the Rose scent.

BODY & FACE MOISTURIZER: Coconut Oil. I get mine at Trader Joes. If you don't have one near you, this one is on Amazon.

SHAVING CREAM: Coconut Oil

DEODORANT: I've tried many natural versions, but none I loved until my sister in law recommended this and I've never looked back. So much easier to apply than the jars and it truly does work.

ON BABIES:

It's a myth that babies need to be bathed every day (Wall Street Journal article here on how too frequent bathing can increase risk of eczema in babies). I'm throwing out all my baby products labeled as "natural" (which literally means nothing in the beauty industry), especially if they contain "fragrance" which is the least regulated ingredient and protected by trade laws, potentially hiding harmful chemicals. We typically only bathe Trey in water, but I have these also available:

SOAP: Dr. Bronner's. The baby formula has 2x the olive oil as the regular. No added fragrances or dyes and a clean rating of 0 (clean as they come).

LOTION: Coconut Oil. (I get mine at Trader Joe's, link is to the Amazon best seller). I keep this in a smaller mason jar on the changing table and melt it in my hands. I want the products I use on my baby to be safe enough to eat. Their skin is thin, their bodies are sensitive, and they can't handle the chemical and toxin overload that are hidden in many products.

I want to hear what safe products you love. I'm looking for an amazing mousse, shampoo, hair spray, and nail polish specifically. Let me know if you have any recommendations in the comments.

ON GOOD LEGS AND BAD SKIN

Here's how the gene pool went for me: I inherited good legs and bad skin.

I usually convince myself that it's a pretty good trade off, since long and lean legs are a little harder to come by than new makeup, but, I'm also in my 30s now and I still break out occasionally (thank you, postpartum hormones) and I'm also starting to get wrinkles early. So, there you go. Good legs and bad skin. We all have our things.

To help my skin a little I'm trying out a few ideas, like the common sense skin care regime (drinking more water, finding my sunscreen, taking vitamins) but I wanted a little more backup without the Botox and have a few discoveries to share.

SKINCARE

My general rule here is less is more. I use a very basic cleanser and hardly anything else on my face. When I want backup for a beakout or wrinkles, Derma-E has an Anti-Wrinkle line I like and Spot Treatment, and I like that it's available at Whole Foods, which I generally use as a benchmark for more "natural-ish" products.

MAKEUP

Esmi is a line from Australia that I recently discovered and am loving. It's SPF, mineral based, and has excellent coverage and staying power. I like flat brushes for mineral based makeup application, and this one is vegan and works great. I wear color II-III in the winter and III-IV in the summer. If you're similar in skin tone to me and debating between the two I'd recommend III-IV.

TOOLS

First, at home microdermabrasion with ReVit. There's plenty of science and technology behind micoderm, but it's basically just sloughing away the outermost layer of the skin so that new skin beneath is generated faster to promote healing. I like this one because it uses diamond exfoliation as opposed to aluminum oxide crystals (technical terms, just do your research there) and overall I prefer this method to a chemical exfoliate.

Second, red light and heat therapy with FaceFx. Red Light Therapy aids in elastin and collagen production, similar to blue light therapy for seasonal depression. This little device feels kind of light saber, Star Wars-esque, in that it's this wand with light and heat on your face. It's pleasant and spa-like, and it seems like my fine lines have improved. Both this and the microderm tool can be used together and while pregnant and/or nursing.

COLLAGEN

I consider myself generally well versed in supplements and natural health, but this was a new one for me. When I'm unsure on a health product I check with Wellness Mama, a podcast and blog I discovered when pregnant. She has this and this to say about collagen and since my hair/skin/nails have taken a toll post-baby, I was game. She recommends grass-fed varieties like Vital Proteins. The way I take it is I mix Collagen Peptides or Marine Collagen Sticks in my latte each morning. I love that it has no taste and gives a protein boost to slow caffeine absorption. If I make a green smoothie I'll add Collagen Beauty Greens since this one can only be mixed with cold liquids. If I was just choosing one product I'd go with the classic Collagen Peptides for the hot/cold mixability option.

While these things all can be fun to try, with any beauty product I share I also want to mention that I know that real beauty is more than just skin deep. Surface level beauty can only take us so far. I value kindness, strength, and compassion more than any wrinkle-fighter out there.

Shared in partnership with Derma-E, Esmi, SkinFx and Vital Proteins. Cheers to real beauty.