As I’ve mentioned in some of my previous posts, I’m a huge fan of NOW Foods, mainly for their affordability + accessibility – so, I actually use their products pretty regularly. Here are some of my most recent NOW health + beauty product picks!
BetterStevia Organic Extract Powder – Over the years, I’ve tried various brands of Stevia + I almost always come back to this one! It’s pretty much a staple for me. The price is great, it’s organic, it’s easy to find, + easy to use. The only thing is, it can sometimes be a little too easy to over-use with the larger holes in the lid… if I could change one thing, it would be to make them smaller so it doesn’t spill out so much! Stevia is something I use multiple times a day, in most of my drinks… Lemon + Fruit Waters, Hot + Iced Teas, with my Teeccino (instead of coffee, because it’s prebiotic + better for my adrenals), Smoothies (if the fruit isn’t sweet enough), Puddings, Overnight Oats, Homemade Popsicles, etc. You name it. The only thing I can’t do it in is… Coffee (it doesn’t matter what brand of Coffee or Stevia… it’s bitter to me). So, I usually use either Organic Coconut Sugar, or Manuka Honey in that. I generally buy a 4 oz. container + refill my 1 oz. container because it just fits better in my cabinet, + always have the little BetterStevia Organic Packets in my purse incase I need them when I’m out + about. Definitely a must-have!
Magnesium Flakes – I love, love, love baths! Especially salt or clay baths, because they’ve given me a ton of pain relief over the years. So, it’s no surprise that I was immediately drawn to these Magnesium Chloride Bath Flakes… they’re 100% Pure, from the ancient Zechstein seabed in the Netherlands – one of the world’s purest remaining subterranean mineral sources. And, if you like Epson Salt Baths… these are like those… but on steroids! While I still love regular Epsom Salts, I go back + forth by either adding a cupful of these to those baths, or just using these on their own. No real rhyme or reason for me other than the fact there were months when I was taking at least one Epsom Salt Bath a day… and using these like that can get a little pricey at that rate. Let’s be clear though… if I had a steady supply of these… I’d chose these over those any day though – no doubt about it! Haha. One cup contains about 19 grams of elemental magnesium, + you can even use them for foot baths if you can’t get in the tub, or don’t have that kind of time. Love, love, love! Definitely one of my FAVE products from NOW!
Nature’s Shield Essential Oil Blend – Made with steam-distilled Clove Bud, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus + Rosemary oils, Nature’s Shield is blended for aromatherapeutic use, but can be used for a variety of other purposes. In the last few years, I’ve been on the hunt for somewhat of a “Thieves”-type dupe, + guess what? This is a FAB alternative! Word to the wise though… always, always, always dilute your essential oils with a carrier oil before doing almost anything with it (like, applying it to your body, etc.) other than diffusing. This is incredibly powerful (like most essential oils) + can burn your skin if you’re not careful. I recently made a body oil with it + apparently didn’t dilute it enough… it definitely stung for a little while afterwards. Easy fix though… I just added more of my carrier oil to it + it was totally fine. So far, in addition to making a body oil with it, I’ve also added this to my diffuser, to my facial steams, baths, etc. + plan to try it in some DIY cleaning recipes soon too. Excellent blend to have on hand for when you’re not feeling well, BTW!
Probiotic-10 100 Billion Capsules – I’ve used some of the highest doses + most expensive probiotics around, + have found that these are a really nice product to alternate some of the more expensive ones with. Plus, switching it up from time to time has given my body a chance to get a wider variety strains. In addition – a few of my friends + family members dealing with chronic illness also swear by these as well – so I highly recommend giving these a shot, if you’re in a situation where you might need some higher doses. FYI: these also come in lower doses too (25 Billion CFU +50 Billion CFU). These Veg capsules are dairy, soy, + gluten-free, + contain a nice, balanced spectrum of live organisms that consist of acid-resistant probiotic bacterial strains like: Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-14), Bifidobacterium lactis(Bl-04), Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp-115), Lactobacillus casei (Lc-11), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lr-32), Lactobacillus paracasei(Lpc-37), Bifidobacterium breve(Bb-03), Streptococcus thermophilus (St-21), Lactobacillus salivarius (Ls-33), Bifidobacterium longum(BI-05). Beauty Tip: pop one of these capsules open + mix with water for a quick, probiotic Facial Mask!
Charcoal Detox Gel Cleanser – Ok, so initially I didn’t want to use this facial cleanser because of the preservatives in it (that I mentioned in this post). However, as of late – I’ve found I’d rather use something with an ingredient or two that I’m not crazy about, than scrubbing + rubbing my eyes vigorously to get every last bit of my makeup off. To my surprise, this works pretty well. I was shocked that there wasn’t much rubbing other than right along my lash line to get my liquid eyeliner + mascara off. One little trick I’ve found helpful is to add a few drops of Organic Jojoba Oil to help with break down my makeup. I add it right into the cleanser in my hand, along with a few drops of water, + mix before applying (this makes it a little creamy). If you’ve read my past posts, I can’t do a makeup-removing oils straight up… they bother my eyes way too much… so, this is the best of both worlds for me. I usually use about 3 drops of oil to a dime-sized dollop of cleanser + wipe away with a damp washcloth. Definitely an excellent Budget Beauty Buy! Only downside, is it can be a little bit drying. So, this cleanser is probably perfect for those with oil / combo skin.
