Author: Word of Mouth City

For as long as I remember I always heard that bar soap is bad for your skin.  It’s drying, so go for the liquid.  And I did.  For years.

Then one night I met a lovely woman with the most beautiful skin named Mariko, who dispelled that myth.  Well, it’s not really a myth, since most bar soaps are indeed drying with their harsh detergents made from artificial ingredients.

Mariko introduced me to Chidoriya, an organic skincare line based on traditional Japanese beauty secrets.  Ooooh, I love secrets!

It was delight at first sight when I saw the Azuki and Brown Sugar Soap because of the packaging, which reminded me of a fortune cookie.  It even took me awhile to open it because I liked how it looked sitting on the shelf.

Mariko explained there is an art to using the soap, which you can watch in this video. Basically very little goes a long way, and the soap lasts nearly twice as long as other kinds.

It is mixed and aged in a special curing room for nearly a month, a process that removes excess alkali, which is a major irritant to sensitive skin.  Azuki (red bean) contains saponins, which are found in various plant species and high in B vitamins, and the brown sugar is rich in nutrients. A healthy diet for your face!

When I eventually took it out of it’s packaging and tried it for myself, I was struck by the lather.  It was deliciously creamy and felt so good on my skin. After washing my face and neck I used the Peach Moon Herbal Face Water as a toner, followed by the Secret de Maiko Face Cream, another product in which very little goes a long way, and the Rose Hip Eye Serum.  I never used anything other than creams on my eye area before, so this was a welcome change because it felt much more delicate.

My face washed and moisturized, teeth brushed and flossed, I ended my nightly cleansing ritual with a dab of the Yuzu Oil Lip Balm, which has a fresh citrus aroma and made me very kissable, I might add. Hubba Hubba.

Good night!

Something to think about the next time you reach for your face cream: what you put on your skin goes into your skin.  Do you really want polyethylene glycol seeping into your pores?  Do you even know what that is?

The Indie Beauty Expo (IBE) was created to give organically-minded entrepreneurs a platform to showcase products that cater to what we call “clean beauty.”  No harsh chemicals, dyes or formulas.  No animal testing or wasteful packaging.  These innovative brands are changing the way we pamper and pretty ourselves, with mindfulness.

The idea was inspired by small business owner, Jillian Wright, after she tried to improve her own eco-friendly skincare line’s visibility by exhibiting at trade shows. Surrounded by mega brands backed by large companies, she always felt like the odd girl out. The big guns commanded center stage and she was overshadowed. Looking around the massive expo center she thought, “There have to be others like me, a little guy with a great idea that belongs somewhere else.”

But there was nowhere else.

So Jillian took a chance.  “If I build it, they will come… I hope.”

She shared her vision with others in the industry and felt confident that the moment had arrived to give these niche brands an expo of their own.  The all-things-indie and American-made trend was already underway in music, fashion and popular culture, and Jillian thought, “Why not give beauty brands their indie moment too?”

She teamed up with other small business owners and created the Indie Beauty Expo.  “The entrepreneurs behind these brands are pioneering ‘green beauty’ that is good for the environment, ‘clean beauty’ that is free of chemicals, ‘niche beauty’ that caters to highly specific skincare needs, and ‘design beauty’ that presents products in such breathtaking packaging that it looks like art,” says Jillian.

As an attendee of the expo, you’ll be exposed to dozens of these brands and have the opportunity to sample products, talk with brand owners, and receive significant discounts.  Guest speakers will be on hand throughout the day and night covering topics ranging from skin care issues to exciting new trends in the indie beauty industry.

IBE is also proud to support 5 Gyres, an organization that is working to pursue policies that will reduce plastic pollution in our oceans.  As the beauty industry embraces environmentally sustainable practices — with indies leading the way — the expo is a huge advocate of the 5 Gyres mission.

So, if you’re a consumer interested in changing the face of your beauty products to reflect a cleaner you, come check it out.  It’s fun, informative and inspiring.

For more information and to purchase advance tickets, visit the website: Indie Beauty Expo

#weareindiebeauty