This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Single Edition Media.
Did you also know that October is Health Literacy Month? It makes sense. This month is filled with medical-related “Awareness” months. As a former nursing student, I feel like we should be aware of our health and well-being every month of the year, but I understand why we have special months to really drive home the message. In honor of Health Literacy Month, I partnered with BabbleBoxx to share five really awesome products that will have you looking and feeling your best from head to toe and from the inside out. Ready to check them out? You’re going to love them! I sure do!
5 Products to Bring out the Shiny, Happy, Healthy You
23andMe DNA Saliva Collection Kit
Guys, I am SO excited about this one! I’ve been dying to do the 23andMe ancestry DNA test ever since I first found out about it. Knowing more about our ancestry and your genetic makeup can go a long way to keeping you healthier. The 65+ personalized reports tell you everything from your ancestry composition to your overall wellness. One of the reports even tells you about your caffeine consumption. I’m a little nervous about that one. I’m pretty sure it’s going to say that my body is made up of 75% coffee instead of water!
Once armed with this information, you can make better-informed choices your diet, exercise and so on. The test is incredibly simple. First, you register on the site with the bar code on your test kit. Then, you will need to abstain from eating and drinking (and smoking, if you’re a smoker) for a half an hour before spitting into the little tube. I had to put a note on my coffee pot to remind me. Then you just ship it off and wait for your reports! I’m still waiting for mine, so I’ll update this when they come in. In the mean time, check out their video to learn more about how it all works.
If you don’t want to get certain reports, you can opt out. I want to know everything, but I can understand how some people may not want to know if they are carriers for certain genetic disorders. You can also opt into or out of allowing your DNA to be stored and used for research purposes. I choose to allow it because I like the idea of being part of the advancement of DNA research.
Learn more at:
Simply Sensitive Summer’s Eve® Cleansing Cloths
Remember how I said these products will help you feel your best from head to toe? Well, right smack in the middle, we have that oh-so-important region that no one ever seems to feel comfortable talking about. Funny that it’s so taboo since it plays a major role in keeping our species going! We get even less comfortable when it comes to talking about that “not so fresh” feeling in our girly bits. No one sits around the dinner table saying “gee, my lady parts are feeling kind of icky today, how about yours?” Still, it’s something that every woman experiences at some point.
Summer’s Eve knows you don’t really want to talk about it. They also know you don’t want to go around advertising that you’re feeling not so fresh. They’ve created their Simply Sensitive Summer’s Eve® Cleansing Cloths individual packets to be discreet enough to pop into that inner pocket of your purse or gym bag. Each packet contains one lightly fragranced cloth that lets you quickly wipe away odor-causing bacteria.
The gentle formula of the Simply Sensitive version won’t irritate your skin. It’s completely hypoallergenic and alcohol-free. If you prefer something with a bit more scent, you can get it in Island Splash® or Sheer Floral® as well.
Learn more at:
Ultimate Flora Extra Care Probiotic Go Pack 50 Billion
If you want to feel confident and great on the outside, you have to start with your insides. You can’t get much more “inside” than your gut. If your digestive system is all out of whack, your whole body seems to revolt. Trust me, I speak from experience. While your doctor should always be looped in when you’re experiencing any type of stomach issues, there are things you can do at home to help support a healthier digestive track. Eating a balanced diet and cutting back on junk food is a given. Keeping a food journal to identify triggers, for example, can help you pinpoint things that you should stay away from.
Adding probiotics to your daily supplement regimen may also provide benefits. Your gut is filled with like 100 trillion bacteria, and while some of it isn’t so great, much of it is incredibly important to maintaining a healthy digestive system. A lot of that bacteria plays a role in breaking down the food you eat. Keeping a balance between the good and the bad is vital. Ultimate Flora Extra Care Probiotics Ultimate Flora probiotics provide up to 200 billion live probiotic cultures per serving and up to 40 scientifically studied probiotic strains to promote digestive balance and support immune health (these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA).
Here’s how it works: you take one of their vegetable capsules each day. That capsule then time-releases its billions of probiotics into your system throughout the day. They make supplements available for all ages, from infants to seniors.
Learn more at:
Lancer’s Intensive Night Treatment
Now we get to the “feel good on the outside” part with the next two products! Let’s start with the largest organ on our body: our skin! What part of our skin needs the most love and care? For most of us, the answer is our face. After all, it’s the part that everyone sees the most. It’s also the part that’s exposed to the elements and the environment the most. While I’m pretty budget-conscious about the rest of my skin, I do like to treat myself to luxury skincare products when it comes to my face, especially now that I’m getting older.
Lancer is a Beverly Hills skincare company created by globally renowned dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer. He’s treated some of the most beautiful faces in the world, so you can trust that he knows his stuff. While the line has a bunch of excellent products designed to keep your face looking flawless, the Intensive Night Treatment is perfect for those of us who need a massive hydrating boost while we sleep. It contains ingredients like Hylaplex® and marula oil, both of which not only add hydration but really lock in natural moisture to smooth and plump up your skin, letting your inner radiance shine through.
I have flaky skin on the right side of my face. No clue why it’s just happening on that side. The Marula Oil is loaded with essential fatty acids. That, combined with the bio-engineered Soybean Extract, really helps cut down on that flakiness. The treatment is pretty thick, which is why it’s best for night time. One thing I really love about it, though: it’s safe to use around your eye area, so you don’t need to apply a second eye serum along with it.
Learn more:
DISCOUNT CODE: First-time customers can save 10% off with coupon code bestskin
illumai Biome Care System for Hair
Now that your face is looking fab, it’s time to get that hair in shape! Considering how much we torment and torture our poor locks, I think they definitely deserve a treat, don’t you? Decades ago, I never gave much thought to my shampoo. I just bought whatever smelled good and went about my day. Then, when my mom was doing a ton of research on ingredients back in her soap making days, she discovered that so many of the ingredients in shampoos that were popular back then were wreaking havoc on our hair. For example, did you know that the stuff that makes your shampoo all sudsy is absolutely unnecessary and can actually damage your hair? As a society, though, we were tricked into believing that you couldn’t get clean without the suds.
We know much better today. We pay more attention to the ingredients in our hair care products, and we want simpler ingredients. Cleaner ingredients, if you will. The illumai Biome Care System for Hair is about as simple as it gets. In fact, their formulas contain Simply 7 key ingredients, each selected by a globally recognized immunology and genetic scientist to gently clean, nuture, protect and rebalance our locks.
Their 3-product system is free from sulfates, silicones, parabens, preservatives, and plasticizers (I don’t even know what those are, but they sound positively awful!). They’re also gluten-free, nut-free and 100% vegan and cruelty-free. How cruelty-free? They’re PETA-certified, so that should tell you something. The 7 ingredients that it does contain are designed to work together to actually protect your hair’s living ecosystem. Yes, your hair has an ecosystem.
The system comes with shampoo, conditioner and leave-in spray. I have crazy-thick hair (and low water pressure in my shower), so I have some pretty strict criteria for shampoo. It needs to be easy to spread throughout my hair, rinse away easily and leave my locks feeling fresh. Same for the conditioner, plus it needs to not leave my hair a tangled mess. The illumai Biome Care System passed my tests, especially with how easily it rinsed out. The leave-in spray made my hair feel amazing. Not at all greasy or weighed down.
The illumai Biome Care System is available in both a travel size and full size.
Learn more:
DISCOUNT: Use coupon code 87-PRETTYOPINIONATED to save 40% off either size at checkout. Expires 11/30/2016
There you are, my friends! Five amazing products that will have you feeling fabulous from the inside out! Well, the 23andME kit will help you learn more about yourself so you can make choices to feel better about yourself, but you get the drift. I’ve enjoyed trying out all of these and will definitely continue to use them in the future. I’m planning to do the 23andMe for my son and my husband as well. Remember, I’ll be updating you once my reports come in! I can’t wait to find out more about myself!
Which of these amazing products would you love to try out? Tell me in the comments!
That’s awesome! These sound like really good products to help you become healthier and feel better about yourself.
The 23andme tests sound so cool. It would pretty interesting to learn more about my ancestry and other bits of information.
These are all such amazing products! I’d love to try some of these out – they all look amazing! Great post and great list of products!
I want to try all of these products! I definitely need a new wellness routine! Sounds like really great products!
Wow, I can’t wait to try these products. Some sound so new to me but I will definitely try them all!
I’ve been wanted to try out 23andme. I love the idea of knowing exactly where I come from. I also love Lancer products. I tried out an eye cream from the brand and it was amazing.
These look like some great products. I love getting boxes of great stuff like this. I’d love to give some of these products a try.
Cleansing cloths looks absolutely amazing, I wouldnt mind getting some of these.
Sounds like a good products for me, I would love to give it a try
Looks a good products, I love the good review. I will tell this to my wife.
That’s a great list of products that are worth giving a try! I like the cleansers since it’s a huge part of my skin care routine.
If you want to shine and feel great on the outside you must start with the inside…That resonates with me and all these products sound amazing. Wish we could use em all 🙂 Thanks for sharing with us
Julie Syl
Wow. I know that I’m interested in those products but that DNA test just made me completely infatuated with the thought of ancestry and genetics. Whew! Ultimate Flora probiotics work great, I have a friendly neighbor talking to me about it all the time.
does the Biome Care System for Hair illumai product have side effects? and is it good to add hair to be moist and thick
Sounds like really great products!
thank you for sharing info