9 Natural Beauty Brands You Should Be Trying

As a self-proclaimed beauty junkie I've tried A LOT of different products over the years. While there are a lot of things I consider when writing a review (packaging, performance, and cost, to name a few) I've been more conscious than ever about what is on the ingredients list. So many companies opt to use potentially harmful chemicals and substances in their products to lower their manufacturing costs. As someone who cares about what I'm putting on and into my body I've started to gravitate toward natural and organic beauty brands that offer quality products that I can feel good about using. Here's a quick look at 9 of my favorite companies and some of the products I've tried.

Fall 2014 Drugstore Beauty Haul

Retail therapy. It's most certainly my favorite form.

It seems I've done quite a bit of it in the past month. Arguably I needed it (or at least that's what I'm telling myself). After several doctor's appointments and a round of allergy testing (57 needle pokes…was not pleasant) I treated myself to a few new goodies. On a related side note, I was able to score all of this stuff for ridiculous prices, thanks to some shopping know-how. I've had plans to write a post about all of my money saving secrets for what seems like a good six months now. This is my public promise to all of you that it will happen.

ANYWAY. Fall. Beauty products. Back to that! I've hit up a little bit of everything in my rounds at Target and CVS, from haircare, to skincare, and makeup. Let me show you a closer look.

Birchbox Book Club September 2014 - Big Little Lies

I don't know about you, but I love curling up with a good book. Sometimes you just need to escape from your own life and problems and get caught up in someone else's. When Birchbox started a book club earlier this year I was understandably excited. While everyone seems to be addicted to binge watching TV on Netflix (and yeah, I'm guilty of that too) I think it's awesome that the company is supporting the idea that people should disconnect from the world of technology for a while and pick up a book. While I had been on a bit of a blog hiatus over the spring and summer I had missed out on their first few selections. Once I made my return, though, I was all in. I was even fortunate enough to be one of the lucky Birchbloggers who won a copy of their September Book Club pick, Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies. It's been quite a while since I've read something other than a classic (or even that's been written in this century), so I couldn't wait to delve into something a little more fun and a little less serious.

September 2014 Glambag

Good morning, friends! I know I've been quiet in the past couple of weeks, but mainly it's because I've been spending the majority of my free time lately with my nose in a book. As much as I love blogging, I also love reading, and every once in a while I need some time away from my laptop and to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of internet life. You can also blame the Birchbox Book Club, because their September book, Big Little Lies, was particularly enthralling. My hope is to write up a review this weekend!

But anyway, it's about time that I get back to business (the most fun kind of business, of course) and round up the last of my unfinished September posts. First on my list is to give you the run down on my Glambag from last month. Take a look!

Fall 2014 Walmart Beauty Box

There's a new beauty box in town, being delivered by none other than your neighborhood Walmart. As much as I love my usual subscription boxes (and the prestige products they often introduce me to), it's definitely a nice change to see what's new and interesting in the drugstore. You also can't beat the price tag (which is $5 for shipping, the box itself is free). Once you sign up, the Walmart Beauty Box will appear on your doorstep at the beginning of each season, giving you an opportunity to refresh your beauty stash every couple of months. My fall beauty box just arrived this weekend, and I was definitely pleasantly surprised with all the goodies I got.