Did you know that a lot of what you use to make ourselves look better is actually doing the exact opposite? A lot of the time they contain toxins and preservatives (everything from synthetic fragrances to petrochemicals to formaldehyde) that are bad for you and even worse, bad for the environment. The Green Beauty Guide is a book that tries to show you the way to a natural beauty. By reading this book, you will learn how to decipher product labels without needing a masters degree and avoid the really bad chemicals (check out the toxic ingredient list). I especially learned a lot in Chapter 3 about understanding what you are paying for. They completely breakdown who all gets your money when you buy a product and how much the ingredients for said product really are. It will floor you when you realize how many middleman there really are. Not only does this book tell you what not to use, it lets you know what products are good and safe for you and environment. It has all the latest research on the best organic products including makeup, hair care, tooth care, skincare, sun protection, and baby products just to name a few. There are even some DIY recipes to try out.

This is a book all women should get their hands on. It is very scary to see what ingredients our makeup has that is doing harm to both us and environment. However, this book can also send us to a better path for makeup and other items that are green. It is definitely a good, informative read.

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This was my favorite newspaper.  I think we have been subscribing to it since we have moved here.  However, about a week ago, they changed their format.  Now, I have went through several format changes with them already.  However, this one, I cannot stand.  I cannot stand it to the point that I will be leaving them and getting a subscription to another area newspaper.  (The advantage of living in Chicago is that we have quite a few to pick from).

This  makes me sad.  However, the changes that have been made this time around I just cannot stand.  The majority of their articles completely blend with the ads for things like fat burners and real estate.  As a blogger, we got a lot of slack for not disclosing what is paid and what isn’t.  However, it doesn’t look the print media has to have the same standard.  The majority of the articles have huge pictures and less content.  I know it is not just my eyes playing tricks on me either.  It actually takes me quite a bit less time to read the paper everyday.  A lot of the articles also look like blog posts with the amount of stuff on the page.  If I wanted to look at something that looked like a blog, I would read my news online.  I personally love having a print paper in my hand.  I like the style and how informative a paper is.  If I want a synopsis, I go to the internet.  If I want to read full articles, I look for my local paper.

As soon as I find my credit card, I will be canceling my Chicago Tribune subscription and signing up for the Chicago Sun Times.  Hopefully, their paper will be less tabloidy and more news.