Back in the “good ole days”, skin care was simple - olive oil, lemon, salt … basic ingredients that can be found in any kitchen. As we spent more time in offices, making our own beauty products is the last thing on most minds.
When it comes to finding sustainable, all-natural cosmetics, you usually have to go to stores like Whole Foods. Thankfully, other major stores (like Target and Walgreens) are starting to take notice and now carry brands that even an evergreen would smile at.
One brand, Yes to Carrots, is quickly becoming a favorite among media and consumers alike. When I was presented with the chance to review a slew of Yes to Carrots’ products, I jumped at the chance. Keep reading to find out more about my experiences with these well-publicized products, possible eco-concerns, and a full-size exclusive giveaway!
First up, we have Yes to Carrots’ brand new, USDA Organic-certified C Me Smile Lip Butters. Since I’m not a lipstick person, I was very eager to try out the first organic-certified lip balm available in drugstores. With a choice of 5 flavors, I say get them all! These balms glide on smooth and last for hours, with no sticky or heavy feeling. My personal favorites are Melon (refreshing) and Mint (great for after meals). Filled with organic extracts, vitamin E, shea butter, and sunflower oil, you can feel dandy about applying these all day, every day.
Ever eager to have the softest hair possible, I quickly tested the C is for Hair Care Hair and Scalp Moisturizing Mud Mask. After just one use, I knew I’d be purchasing this product again and again. Not only was my hair soft and easy to finger through as I rinsed, I was greeted with bouncy, shiny locks upon drying. The container says to leave it on for 12-15 minutes - I like to break the rules, so I tried the mask for just 3-5 minutes and it still worked wonders. No matter the current condition of your hair, this mud mask will find a way to make it even better!
Autumn is here and Winter is right around the corner - you know what that means: dry skin! Before you think about slathering on layers of lotion, you have to get rid of the dead skin lingering on your body. That’s where Yes to Carrots’ C the Body Carrot Rich Moisturizing Body Scrub comes in. Possessing a great balance of natural exfoliators and moisturizers, this scrub made me feel exceptionally clean and refreshed. Dead Sea minerals help to clean and nourish skin at the same time - a tough combination to find. One tip: make sure to scrub your armpits; many forget them, but they need to be frequently cleaned of deodorant build-up.
Sensitive skin or not, you’ll enjoy the Yes to Carrots’ C the Different Exfoliating and Soothing Mud Mask. A beautiful concrete-colored paste, just one application will reveal a difference in your skin - I know, it sounds crazy, but it’s true! You might feel a slight tingling during the first minute or two, but that is just the magnesium salt and Dead Sea minerals doing their work. In just 5 minutes, you have smoother skin featuring an all-natural glow that you can gloat about.
Last, but never least, I often ended my showers with numerous sprays of Yes to Carrots’ Pure C Body Mist. Living in San Francisco provides me with some strange weather, including summers that run from August to October. Keeping the Body Mist in the fridge provided me with a much-needed dose of cool moisture throughout the day. Now that the temperatures are finally dropping, the Pure C Body Mist will keep you soft yet won’t weigh you down (the gloomy mornings will be doing enough of that for you).
I wouldn’t doing my job if I didn’t talk about the eco-impact of these products. While Yes to Carrots is full of all-natural ingredients (some of which are certified organic), there is one element that concerns me: fragrance. A product that uses so many drool-inducing ingredients shouldn’t need to add fragrance. Also, the infamous “fragrance” label is abused by many companies, who load up the products with parabens and lab-created chemicals in its place. Whether this is the case with Yes to Carrots or not isn’t known to me. Just like “natural flavors” in food, “fragrance” is a generic label that isn’t monitored.
Whether you enjoy noshing on carrots or are nauseated by the thought of them (if you enjoy them, check out Yes to Carrots’ carrot recipes), don’t deny yourself the beauty benefits of applying them to your skin! I experienced only a small selection of the wide range of Yes to Carrots products and am delightfully pleased with the results. Most recently, the company released two new lines: Yes to Tomatos and Yes to Cucumbers - both of which I’ll be exploring soon.
Now the moment you all have been waiting for … THE EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY!
The Products ::
- Yes to Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter in Citrus and Carrot (both full sized)
- Yes to Carrots C the Body Carrot Rich Moisturizing Body Scrub (full size)
- Yes to Carrots Pure C Body Mist (full size)
How to Enter :: It’s easy! Just comment on this entry with your answer to this question - “What do you want to see on Victoria-E.com?”
That’s it! Make sure to include your e-mail address in the space provided or I can’t contact you if you win.
The Rules/Fine Print :: One entry per person, per e-mail address. Winner will be selected at random via Random.org.
Contest runs from today - Thurs, October 23rd - to next Thursday, October 30th.
GOOD LUCK!
23/10/2008 at 5:17 am Permalink
I’m really curious about this line and would love to give it a try. I especially like their Seed Fund organization, very positive. On your site I would like to see a post perhaps on organic cosmetics, even when at Whole Foods I find it hard to narrow it down
23/10/2008 at 7:47 am Permalink
I have so wanted to try these products. I have heard great things. As far as your site, I would love to see reviews of vegan friendly products.
23/10/2008 at 12:26 pm Permalink
I have seen this in the store and have been wanting to try it. Thanks, this is a great giveaway.
23/10/2008 at 12:49 pm Permalink
I just tried their carrot body butter and am amazed at how silky my ultra-dry skin is with just two days of use. I noticed the “fragrance” label too - is it possible for you to contact them and find out what that means in this case?
I would like to see more reviews of cosmetics. I often use cosmeticsdatabase.com and information from trusted sites such as yours. I also enjoy finding out about local green hangouts and any salons that use green processing.
23/10/2008 at 1:14 pm Permalink
I love Yes To Carrots! I had the same question about the fragrance and the company was great at actually getting back to me!! They told me that it was a mix of botanicals from the fruits and vegetables found in the product and phthalate free ;-)) Bonus!!
23/10/2008 at 5:35 pm Permalink
Definitely more cosmetics reviews, too. I’m trying to re-learn how to use make-up and my eczema is not having any of it.
23/10/2008 at 6:15 pm Permalink
I’d love to see more d.i.y green beauty and fashion tips on this blog! Love that stuff!
24/10/2008 at 9:49 pm Permalink
May Canadians enter? Like Mary, I’d like to see do-it-yourself tips (I’d also like to see more about knitting, but that’s just a personal favourite).
25/10/2008 at 9:50 am Permalink
A big thank you to everyone who has entered so far! Your suggestions are priceless and very welcomed.
Note: ANYone can enter the contest - no matter where you are located.
25/10/2008 at 12:44 pm Permalink
I have heard many great things about Yes to Carrots, so it was nice to read a little more about the line so I can be better familiar with it. I would definitely love to see added to this site beauty reviews especially on skincare. It is always hard to find a good green face wash, toner, moisturizer, and etc, so hearing what others have to say are their likes and dislikes would be SO helpful to me and I’m sure others. Thank you for this giveaway!
25/10/2008 at 6:05 pm Permalink
I’d love to see me win this prize! Woohoo!
I’d love to also see more reviews on lovely hair products and lip balms that work!
27/10/2008 at 7:50 am Permalink
This line really does look great - especially for people like me who are super dry in the winter!
I would love to see feedback on use of homemade personal care. I have seen lots of recipes but I don’t see a lot of reviews from people who have really experimented with them.
Thank you!
27/10/2008 at 8:59 am Permalink
More eco friendly clothes, especially shoes. There is a lot already, but I can always use more.
27/10/2008 at 12:05 pm Permalink
more paper crafts
27/10/2008 at 7:57 pm Permalink
I love Yes To Carrots! and have cleaned out my entire shelf and replaced with ONLY I love Yes To Carrots! products!!
“What do you want to see on Victoria-E.com?” ANYTHING!! I am a sponge and find myself reading (mostly using STUMBLEUPON which is how I found this site) interesting articles and sending them to my friends.
PICK ME! PICK ME!! PLEASE, PLEASE!
28/10/2008 at 7:24 pm Permalink
I am at an age where I want to throw out the Ikea and make smarter, more grown up furniture choices. How the heck can I do that and still be eco-conscious? Seems like some eco-fab furniture is twice as much as DWR, etc!
Please investigate and share. Much appreciated.
Love the site!!
28/10/2008 at 8:39 pm Permalink
I agree that more beauty product reviews would be great! I love trying new non toxic beauty items!
28/10/2008 at 10:42 pm Permalink
I think this is great article on Beauty and Conscience with Carrots. But I can say it is great article on developing natural beauty.
Thanks for it.
http://healthbeautyproduct.blogspot.com/
29/10/2008 at 6:12 am Permalink
I grow my own carrots, so I say Yes to Carrots every day!
I would love to see some ideas and tips for using reclaimed wood in creating your own furniture. We had to tear down our falling down Vermont barn, with beautiful old barn wood, and I painstakingly took out all the nails. I’d love to make it into beautiful frames and furniture but not sure where to start!
Thanks.
29/10/2008 at 12:36 pm Permalink
I’d love to see more natural recipes for facial and body care products that you can make at home!!
Thanks for the giveaway!
29/10/2008 at 2:18 pm Permalink
I got a couple of these products in tiny versions in a free grab bag, from drugstore.com of all places, and LOVED them! I’d love to see some info on eco-friendly and organic skin products for older women. We often have skin care issues that younger women don’t have, and we’d like to hear how to keep our skin healthy from someone who’ll advise something (anything!) other than crazy ways to look like we’re younger. Personally, I’m kinda proud of every wrinkle I’ve got, and every grey hair. I think of them as marks of survival. But I’d like ideas on how to keep my skin — the largest organi in my body, if memory serves — healthier and happier. Thanks!
29/10/2008 at 6:58 pm Permalink
Hello!
I want to see more challenges/contests to readers, and proof, of course that they’re going green (photos etc). That would be great. and maybe a Domino Green Giveaway, where the winner pays it forward with another green giveaway on her site. =)
Cheers,
Kat
03/11/2008 at 9:53 am Permalink
I would love to see some more DIY cleaning types (i.e. pet stain removal that is not harmful to them).
04/11/2008 at 2:29 pm Permalink
I’d like DIY cosmetics too and I’d also like green books reviews.
16/11/2008 at 2:54 pm Permalink
I tried some fo the yes to carrots line, was looking for info on the nighttime facial lotion as samples are not readily availeable. Does anyone have info on this product. I saw one review and it wasn’t positive yet I loved the body butter and the lip care products.
thanks
Virginia
17/12/2008 at 10:43 am Permalink
I just recently tried Yes to Carrots, and I absolutely love it!