Discovering Natural Indie Beauty and Wellness Products with Navago + Giveaway!

Over the years, I have come across and featured quite a bit of natural beauty brands, and one thing that always keeps things interesting for me as a blogger when it comes to chatting green beauty is that there are always so many more indie companies out there to be discovered! While it can be nice to get a product that is super popular and raved about by what seems like everyone on the internet, I get that much more excited to find brands I've heard no one else talk about. One of my personal joys is to shine a spotlight on these smaller, non-mainstream companies, and after recently being introduced to NAVAGO*, it's like I hit the jackpot! 

NAVAGO is an online marketplace that offers hundreds of products from over fifty conscious indie beauty brands - and after scanning their brands list, I was only familiar with three of them! I will be sharing a selection of products from six new-to-me natural skin care and wellness brands: Revival Body Care, The Honey Pot Company, Herbal Heart Apothecary, Eco Modern Essentials, Be Biotin and Hip & Chick Organiks, all founded by people who are passionate about creating health-conscious and eco-friendly products. Keep reading to find out how you could win all products featured in this post!

Body scrubs are an essential for me when it comes to properly exfoliating my body - loofahs are alright, but I feel like nothing compares to a good sugar and/or salt scrub to slough off dead skin cells when showering. My scrubs of preference so far have been those containing coffee, but I will say they are not so fun when it comes to the mess they leave behind. So when I received this product from Revival Body Care, little did I know I was in for a treat! The founder, Nicole, an active mother of three daughters, developed this vegan line to reflect her love for nature's bounty as well as her passion for leading a healthy lifestyle. These handmade whipped exfoliators are available in a few different scents, and I got the Grapefruit + Mint Natural Body Scrub (US$19.95). 

When I first opened the packet, I was greeted by a strong yet pleasant aroma of coconut and grapefruit, with just a hint of peppermint. The base of the scrub is made with organic cane sugar and Himalayan sea salt, and it can be used on both the face and body! Not only does this mix stimulate your lymphatic system and help detox your body, but with regular use, you can expect to see a reduction in cellulite, stretch marks and if you are a shaver like me, stubborn ingrown hairs. To get the most out of the scrub, I apply some on my clean skin and rub it all over in circular motions, and then leave it on for about ten minutes to let my skin absorb all of those delightful natural oils and extracts. Once I step out of the shower, my skin is so incredibly smooth and glowy that I don't even reach for my body lotion - out and done!

Non-irritating and natural facial wipes can be a tricky thing to find, let alone feminine wipes! Even natural ones have left my face red from stinging right after use. This is where The Honey Pot Company comes in (don't let the name fool you, this brand is actually 100% vegan)! Founder Beatrice, wanting to get off antibiotics to treat unwelcome infections, developed the first plant-based feminine care system on the market, which includes these Normal Feminine Wipes (US$10.99, 30 count).

Not only can you use them on your face, but also your body (including down there)! They are gynecologist approved and pH balanced, and made with sustainable rainforest alliance rayon which is free of chlorine, parabens, pesticides, carcinogens and sulfates. One thing is for sure, I wasn't expecting that they would smell this good - super citrusy and fresh! Some key natural extracts include aloe leaf juice, cucumber extract, oat extract, coconut juice, sunflower oil and calendula flower extract. This is also the perfect buddy to have with you on the go - I've been keeping it it my gym bag to freshen up after yoga class!

Speaking of yoga, I'm still very much a beginner and that means my body has been taking a bit of a beating, especially my knees which have been bruising quite badly. But I'm not letting that stop me, and the Herbal Heart Apothecary has been coming to the rescue! The brand is run by mother-daughter duo, Heather and Sierra Goldstein, who harvest and infuse their own floral and herbal blends to add to their handmade skin care. My saviour you ask? Their Warrior Stick (US$20), a topical balm which works below the skin's surface to relieve bruising, aches and pain.

A base of wildcrafted and organic olive oil, bees wax, and vitamin E oil, combined with extracts of arnica, calendula, rosemary, thyme, St. John's Wort, comfrey leaf and slippery elm bark work in unison to heal from the outside in. Entirely sourced from nature means you don't have to worry about any nasties, such as artificial fragrances, parabens or fillers. Simply apply the solid stick directly onto the skin and it will instantly melt on contact. The scent is very invigorating, definitely very herbal and earthy. I feel like this product truly works: my bruises have been fading so much faster since starting use and I've also been applying a thin layer over sore muscles, like my hamstrings and abdominals, to help speed up recovery time after a workout.

Since discovering oil blends, I feel like a changed woman! Instead of reaching for spray perfumes, I've been gravitating toward perfume oils, even simply as a pick me up! The thing with topical natural oil blends is that they not only serve the purpose of smelling good, but depending on the extracts included and their properties, they can help relieve specific aches and ailments and even boost your mood! Enter the latest essential oil concoction that has made its way into my life from Australian brand Eco Modern Essentials, the Eco Aroma Women's Blend Essential Oil Roller Ball (US$16.50). Created by Claire Mitchell on the Gold Coast, the simplicity and effectiveness of their products is at the root of the brand's mission.

Smelling good and feeling good? I mean what's not to love! This mixture of cedarwood, lavender, geranium and ylang ylang restores calmness and balance to the mind and body, while also helping you focus. I personally enjoy applying it whenever I am feeling stressed or anxious to the inside of my wrists and forehead, but you can also roll it on your temples, the back of your neck and the tops of your feet. Inhaling the rich, floral scent instantly makes me feel grounded and knowing that the brand uses natural and organic ingredients sourced from ethical sources is just the cherry on top.

If you've researched ways to grow your hair or strengthen your nails like I have, I'm sure you've come across the very popular B-vitamin called biotin. This coenzyme converts fats, proteins and carbohydrates into energy and can be found in certain foods, such as bananas, mushrooms and avocados. I had never taken a biotin supplement, so I was supper happy to be introduced to Be Biotin. The brand was actually developed by hairstylist Giulia Heiman who wanted to offer a natural solution for hair loss to her clients. Their biotin hair, skin and nail vitamin supplements (US$32, 35 capsules) also happen to be plant-based, being free of wheat and dairy, as well as unnecessary fillers, dies, artificial colors or preservatives. One capsule contains 5000 mcg of biotin, as well as organic pumpkin seed, organic saw palmetto and pygeum bark (an african tree) powders. These three herbs combined with vitamin B7 (biotin) have been shown to lower DHT levels, the testosterone hormone which has been shown to cause hair loss and thinning as we age.

I went through one episode in the past where I lost quite a bit of hair and I wish I had known about this brand back then! Over the years, my hair has become thicker and stronger by following a plant-based diet. As I recently chopped a big chunk of my hair off (from past my belly button to shoulder length), I'm all about getting it to grow long and strong fast, so I've been taking one capsule of Be Biotin daily with my breakfast and I am now about halfway through the bottle, and while it's hard to see a noticeable difference just yet, I have not experienced any negative side effects such as acne, which has been a reason I've held back from trying biotin in the past - I had read reviews where people reported breaking out following use, but after reading about how natural this particular supplement is, my worries were put to rest. I do feel like I've had less overall hair shedding, so that's a good sign! I am counting down the days until the one month mark, which is when one usually sees a noticeable change in hair growth with daily intake of the supplement.

I am quite picky when it comes to my candle selection as I am sensitive to overpowering, artificial scents, and good quality natural candles can be hard to come by. I've had my eye on getting a new soy candle for a while, so being introduced to Hip & Chick Organiks couldn't have come at a better time! The brand was created by a tight-knit mother and daughter duo in California and all of their bath, body and home products are handcrafted and made in small batches using the finest (and organic where possible) ingredients. When I saw that the Flower Power Soy Candle's (US$28) scent is described as not being overpowering, I was really crossing my fingers that this was the case - and thankfully the product lives up to its claim!

As I am writing this, I am surrounded by a delightful floral and slightly fruity aroma, from a combination of gardenia and pomegranate, burning on the coffee table beside me. Natural soy candles are a great alternative to traditional paraffin wax candles as they are non-toxic and environmentally-friendly, with the added benefit of having a longer burn time. The hand-poured Flower Power Soy Candle comes in a reusable glass jar with a cotton core wick and can burn for 45+ hours, and for its relatively small size, that is very impressive!

And now for the giveaway you've been waiting for!

One lucky reader will win all six natural indie beauty and wellbeing products featured in this post! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter box below. The first entry is mandatory, and once completed, more entries will be unlocked to increase your chances of winning. *This giveaway is open to Canada and US residents only.* Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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*Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Navago. Affiliate links are provided.