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My favorite Ava products so far | Empty bottles

I have recently seen some "empty bottles" blog posts.  There are few Ava Anderson Non Toxic products I have been using so much that I have to replenish already.

My favorites are:

Blemish stick

- Ingredients
corylus avellana (organic hazel) seed oil, pongamia glabra (organic karanja) seed oil, limnanthes alba (organic meadowfoam) seed oil, cera alba (organic beeswax), angustifolium flower ( organic helichrysum /everlasting immortelle) essential oil, melaleuca alternifolia (organic tea tree) essential oil, boswellia carteri (organic frankincense) essential oil, citrus nobilis (organic mandarin orange) peel oil

- The green tea EO heals my breakouts in 1-2 days!

- Green tea EO also helps the "tingle" you get before a cold sore.  I spent a day outside without chapstick/sunscreen chapstick, and I kept applying this when I felt a cold sore coming ---- and no cold sore came!

Exfoliator and moisturizer

- Ingredients for exfoliator
barbadensis leaf juice (organic aloe), yucca glauca root extract (organic yucca), glyceryl stearate, prunus armeniaca (organic apricot) seed powder, butyrospermum parkii (organic shea butter), carthamus tinctorious (organic safflower) oleosome, citrus aurantium dulcis (organic orange) peel oil, punica granatum (organic pomegranate) seed oil, aspalathus linearis (organic rooibos) leaf extract, xanthan gum, vegetable glycerin (kosher, non-GMO), stearic acid (from non GMO coconut), citrus paradisi (organic pink grapefruit) essential oil, olive wax, raphanus sativus (radish) root extract.

- Ingredients for moisturizer
aloe barbadensis (organic aloe leaf) extract, rosa damscena (organic rose) flower extract, olea europaea (olive wax), oryza sativa (organic rice bran) oil, helianthus annuus (organic sunflower) seed oil, camellia sinensis (organic green leaf tea) extract, royal jelly extract, persea gratissima (organic avocado) oil, raphanus sativus (radish root) extract, medica limonum (organic lemon) essential oil, citrus sinensis (organic sweet orange) essential oil, citrus paradisi (organic pink grapefruit) essential oil

- I love how my face feels after a good exfoliation and moisturizer.  This seems to minimize my pores and brighten/smooth my face for days I don't wear makeup.  (Lets be honest, for all.the.days. that I don't wear makeup)

Boo boo stick

- Ingredients
cera alba (organic beeswax), simmondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) seed oil, olea europaea (organic olive) fruit oil, butyrospermum parkii (organic shea) butter, theobroma cacao (organic cocoa) seed butter, calendula officinalis (organic calendula) flower oil, arnica montana (organic arnica) flower oil, rosa rubiginosa (organic rose hip) seed oil, melia azadirachta (organic neem) seed oil, lavandula angustifolia (organic lavender) essential oil, rosmarinus officinalis (organic rosemary) essential oil, melaleuca alternifolia (organic tea tree) essential oil, salvia sclarea (organic sage) essential oil, anthemis nobilis (organic chamomile) essential oil

The ingredient arnica is not recommended for use by pregnant or nursing mothers.

- I use this on Hunter's many bumps and bruises due to #toddlerlife

- It helps his abrasions heal quickly

Toothpaste

- Ingredients
aloe barbadensis (organic aloe vera) leaf juice, calcium carbonate (filtered), vegetable glycerin (organic), xanthan gum, bambusa vulgaris (organic bamboo) powder, sodium bicarbonate (aluminum free baking soda), radish root ferment extract, calendula officinalis (organic calendula) extract, echinacea angustifolia (organic echinacea) extract, hydrastis canadensis (organic goldenseal) extract, mentha piperita (organic peppermint), mentha spicata (organic spearmint), cinnamomum zeylanicum (organic cinnamon) leaf, eugenia caryophyllus (organic clove) flower

- I love the minty fresh feeling but the mild clove flavor as well

- This bottle is empty because I use it multiple times a day (#obvi)




Have you tried to reduce the toxic chemical burden in your home?  Have you tried any Ava products?  If so, what is your favorite? 

To shop for my favorite products please use the following link  Kassandra Olgers, Ava Anderson Non Toxic Independent Consultant

and use # 98339 to shop my October party @ checkout

Shop the Ava Anderson Catalog

If you check out my Ava Anderson Non Toxic webpage, you can see in the top right had corner you can click a box that says "Shop our Catalog".

This is a fun, new, and easy way to shop for your favorite products.  You can flip through the pages, click any product, and purchase.

This month's special is a free avaKIDS boo boo stick with any $95 purchase.  Hunter fell last week at the Buckwheat Festival and got an abrasion and bruise on his forehead.  This helped it improve overnight, and it was gone by day #2 :)

Ingredients include the following:

 cera alba (organic beeswax), simmondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) seed oil, olea europaea (organic olive) fruit oil, butyrospermum parkii (organic shea) butter, theobroma cacao (organic cocoa) seed butter, calendula officinalis (organic calendula) flower oil, arnica montana (organic arnica) flower oil, rosa rubiginosa (organic rose hip) seed oil, melia azadirachta (organic neem) seed oil, lavandula angustifolia (organic lavender) essential oil, rosmarinus officinalis (organic rosemary) essential oil, melaleuca alternifolia (organic tea tree) essential oil, salvia sclarea (organic sage) essential oil, anthemis nobilis (organic chamomile) essential oil The ingredient arnica is not recommended for use by pregnant or nursing mothers.

Happy Shopping!

When you use party #98339 email me how to get free shipping: [at] kassandrapa [at] gmail [dot] com

Paleo pumpkin spice "latte"

Just in case you didn't want to spend the $6.50 for a medium pumpkin spice latte (or at least I don't, soy is extra $0.75! And yes, soy isn't paleo. But I'm on my + year of going nearly dairy free.)....

There is a new "fad" of blending coconut oil +|- butter/ghee in your coffee.  It's wonderfully creamy and was my "bridge" to giving up coffee with wonderful creamy  flavored creamer or even half and half.  Now, on the weekends or days off I add coconut oil and blend, work days I drink black. (Oh he horror!)

Moving forward with my recipe (if you would even call it that!)

Gather ingredients and supplies.

1 cup of hot coffee

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Immersion blender 

Pumpkin spice 

Cute anthro mug

Pour one cup of coffee into something large enough to contain your coffee while blending with immersion blender.

Add coconut oil.

Blend on low....

Until all the oil has been emulsified.

Mmmmm.

Add pumpkin spice to the top.

Also, if you aren't doing #whole30 , maybe add a little "real" maple syrup. 

Ava Anderson Non Toxic | September Product Review

Hello! Its time for my monthly review of some of my favorite Ava Anderson Non Toxic products.  Hunter's eczema recently came back after we went to a recent baby shower.  The true root of the problem is still most likely related to dairy intake but once the rash comes it takes awhile to go away.  I have prescriptions from his pediatrician for high potency and low potency steroid creams, but I am trying to avoid those if possible.  I had read on the Ava facebook page that many people were having luck using either the Diaper cream (who knew) or the same cream called "Dream Cream" (just a difference scent and a different name, same formulation) which good success to help clear up the eczema.  Well, it has been a week and I have noticed the cream is moisturizing without being greasy, decreases the redness, and has helped it clear up (although not completely).  My thoughts are that the cream definitely helps speed along the process of healing, but it does not resolve or cure the root issue of his possible food intolerance.

Diaper cream ingredients:
Chamomilla recutita (organic chamomile) flower extract
Olea europaea (organic olive) oil
Butyrospermum parkii (organic shea) butter
Cocos nucifera (organic coconut) oil,
Aloe barbadensis (organic aloe vera) extract
Persea gratissima (organic avocado) seed oil,
Raphanus sativus (radish) root extract
Zinc oxide (non-nanoparticle)
Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) flower extract
Lavendula angustifolia (organic lavender) essential oil

Dream cream ingredients:
Chamomilla recutita (organic chamomile) flower extract
Olea europaea (organic olive) fruit oil
Butyrospermum parkii (organic shea) butter
Cocos nucifera (organic coconut) oil
Aloe barbadensis (organic aloe vera) extract
Persea gratissima (organic avocado) seed oil
Raphanus sativus (radish) root extract
Zinc oxide (non-nanoparticle)
Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) flower extract
Vanilla plantifolia bean extract
Citrus sinensis (organic sweet orange) essential oil

A recent customer said... I love it! It has not cleared completely yet but it is so much better!! It takes the pain out of it too! I am in love with this cream! I hated us in the steroid cream they had me on because it can affect the endocrine system. This cream has really helped!!!!

Several family and friends have tried the creams recently and agree - it helps anything from dry skin to eczema to keeping baby bums dry and protected!

Hunter's favorite green smoothie recipe

Blend together

1 cup of spinach (or kale)

1/2 avocado

1 frozen banana

1 cup almond milk, unsweetened, vanilla

1 tablespoon or more of nut butter

Put in mason jar or bowl and enjoy! 

(This is a modified version of ohsheglows green monster.)

Also, these freeze wonderfully in mason jars to add to your meal prep! 

Ava Anderson Non Toxic | August Product Review

Hello!  I thought I would review products I have used so far from my Ava Anderson Non Toxic (AANT) business kit.  I wanted to integrate safer, healthy products into my daily life.

The first products I tried and will be keeping as part of my daily routine is the skin kit.  I have tried multiple other brands, but I really like the orange- citrus type smell of the cleanser and exfoliator.  The moisturizer smooths my skin and helps shrink my pores.  I saw a difference in my skin within a day.  I then forgot to use the regimen (or got too tired #momlife) and the next morning I woke up with breakouts.

Next, I tried the BB cream and lip gloss.  Above is a before and after using BB cream in bisque, lip a gloss in red, a Maybelline eyebrow pencil, and some Cover Girl mascara (the newer pink one.. not sure what it is called.).  The BB cream covers well and goes a long way.  I squeezed out too much the several times I have used it and once I was able to share with my mom!  The lip gloss is surprisingly flattering in red.  I can honestly say I have never liked a red lip gloss - I always buy pink, neutral, clear, or purple tones.  The texture is a thinner, tint like coverage and is not sticky or gooey at all like some tubes of lip gloss.  It now stays in my "on the go" make up bag I keep in my diaper bag or work bag at all times.  I just ordered the AANT and younique 3-D mascara so I will be posting about that soon!

This weekend, I tried the toothpaste (the adult, I ordered the kids for Hunter.. more on that another day!).  It is minty but not overwhelming.  I liked how clean my teeth felt after I used it!  The ingredients include:

*aloe barbadensis (organic aloe vera) leaf juice,

*calcium carbonate (filtered),

*vegetable glycerin (organic),

*xanthan gum,

*bambusa vulgaris (organic bamboo) powder

*sodium bicarbonate (aluminum free baking soda)

*radish root ferment extract, calendula officinalis (organic calendula) extract

*echinacea angustifolia (organic echinacea) extract

*hydrastis canadensis (organic goldenseal) extract

*mentha piperita (organic peppermint)

*mentha spicata (organic spearmint)

*cinnamomum zeylanicum (organic cinnamon) leaf

*eugenia caryophyllus (organic clove) flower 

I also have posted multiple times and have used the "hope" avaSCENT essential oil rollerball.  The ingredients are below:

*artemisia absinthum (absinthe - “wormwood”) essential oil

*cistus ladanifer essential oil

*theobroma cacao (cacao) essential oil

*ribes nigrum (cassis/black currant) carrier oil

*cocos nucifera (coconut) carrier oil

*lilium auratum (lily) absolute via enfleurage

*litchi chinensis (lychee) nature identical

*commiphora erythraea (opoponax) essential oil

*iris florentina (orris) rhizomes

*passiflora deltoifolia (passion flower) absolute via enfleurage

*santalum album (sandalwood) essential oil

*brachylaena hutchinsii (white cranberry) nature identical,

*freesia alba (white freesia) natural identical

I'm looking forward to trying the other scents - "joy" and "love".

I also tried the sunscreen, lip balm, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body/hand lotion, and will post more in the coming weeks! :)  Thanks for stopping by today, and if you want to know more, or order any of these products, please visit:

Kassandra Olgers Ava Anderson Non-Toxic Independent Consultant

and enter party # @ 90229  check out

<3

Top 10 reasons to Breastfeed your little one | Morgantown, WV Lactation Education

One of my biggest fears about becoming a mom was whether or not I'd be able to successfully be able to breastfeed.  Anyone someone asked... will you breastfeed? I said, "of course!... If I am able!".  Now, as I write this, we (Hunter and I) have maintained a successful 15 months of a nursing relationship.  It has become the most rewarding (and daunting) job I have completed.  Little did I know, exclusive breastfeeding means not being apart for more than 4 hours for at least 12 months!  This sounds like no big deal, and it isn't, but this is something you have to plan for in your day.  And your work day.  And your weekend.  And every moment that first year!  More on this another day.  Anyways, I wanted to share my top 10 reasons to nurse your little one as I want to share my love of the subject.


1. The bond is unreal.  And by unreal, I mean you establish a deep connection and love nearly immediately.  It can be overwhelming immediately after birth, a new life has suddenly come demanding your attention, no matter how tired, how sore, or how emotional you may or may not be.

2. It is the perfect nutrition.  Your body has the ability to make the most perfect food for your little one.  Each feeding, each day your body changes the formulation of the milk in order to accommodate what is needed.

3. The weight loss.  Within a few months, I was back to pre - pregnancy weight, and months later I was less than I weighed pre-Hunter times.  Who knew.  This isn't the case for everyone, but it is for many.  You burn an UNREAL amount of calories each time you nurse or pump.  I felt like this was my return for all the hours and hours I sat and sat and woke up and woke up to nourish Hunter!

4. Traveling is easier.  We went to Nashville when he was 4 months and Las Vegas when he was 6 months.  No bottles to pack, no formula to bring, easy peasy!

5. Waking up at night is easier.  No need to find a bottle, measure formula, add water, heat up bottle, etc, just latch that baby!

6. Mentally it is better.  It helps regulate hormones in the immediate post partum period and releasing "happy" hormones like oxytocin which are good for the mind.

7.  The future is better.  Multiple studies have shown it decreases cancer risks in both mama and child down the road.

8. Some studies have suggested breastfed babies sleep better.  I sort of agree and sort of don't.  At the newborn stage, there are definitely so  many "milk drunk" moments that instantly relax, calm, and put the baby to sleep.  Later, I feel like nursed babies wake up more often (at least that was my experience in comparison to others).

9. No periods.  Awesome.  Not for all, but for many!

10. Comfort.  Whenever the little one is upset or hurt, nursing provides comfort, security, and maybe even alleviates pain.

Now, all this being said, there are definitely instances when medically breastfeeding isn't possible.  And maybe it's not for you.  Any mama that loves her baby and feeds her baby is doing the best thing for her little one :)

Mamas reading this, how long did you nurse your little one?  What other benefits did I forget and need to add?  New mamas just starting out, feel free to message me on facebook or email me @ kassandrapa {at} gmail {dot} com if you want to ask questions or talk more!  I know I had so many questions when I started, when I went back to work, and even now as I try to decide if I am going to do baby led weaning, me weaning, or a mixture of both!

Ava Anderson Non Toxic Independent Consultant | Morgantown, WV

I found a new line of chemical-free, non-toxic, organic products to use in my home and everyday life!  I am most excited about the baby toothpaste, diaper cream, sunscreen and make up!  I'll be periodically posting reviews as I try the different products - so feel free to start asking questions.  You can use the following website to check out the products: Kassandra Olgers Ava Anderson Non-Toxic and use party code 87596 if you find something you'd like to try!