J’adore #62
J'adore is my series dedicated to fun finds, culinary delights, got-to-have gadgets, and other lifestyle must-haves that I find via my internet travels or these products travel to my doorstep and I want to share.
Sometimes J'adore is dedicated to a theme, like #61 dedicated to travel or #60 dedicated to food. This time, I've got an eclectic mix of items I have been adoring from near and afar. Guess that comes with the territory when you are somewhat of a Renaissance woman (or maybe it is the internet addiction)!
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Give Me Tap!
If I haven't convinced you enough about how awesome it is to live in San Francisco, let me try one more time. Given the welcoming entrepreneurial environment that we have here in the city and by extension Silicon Valley, we get a ton of great start-ups or international companies here in San Francisco, so by de facto, I get access to really cool apps, products, and services before other cities. It is just a side benefit of living here. Once these companies establish themselves then they spread to the rest of the country and YOU benefit 🙂
So for now, I get to tell you about a great initiative from the UK that has made its way to SF. Give Me Tap! is a reusable BPA-free water bottle (created by Edwin-Broni-Mensah pictured above) that is so much more than that. By buying a bottle, and using their app while you're out and about to get free tap water refills (there are hundreds of locations in San Francisco!), you are helping give another person in Africa access to clean drinking water.
But you know what? You don't have to live in the UK or San Francisco to help out this fantastic cause. Even without the app and free refills, you can buy the container (they are $18 or $20, seriously, not expensive at all) and fill them up at water fountains all over the country and you would still be helping Give Me Tap! fund sustainable water projects. Yeah, you!
Credo Beauty
If you have been reading the blog for any length of time, you'll know how important greenness, sustainability, and organic or all-natural products are important to me. One area in which I have not had the best of luck is beauty products. And although I love to online shop (because I hate shopping!) it is not a great way to try out beauty products for the first time (in my personal opinion).
So buying them in person is a pain because there hasn't been a one-stop shop to go to. With Credo Beauty that is no longer the case! The brand new boutique (it opened in early June) has the best-curated collection of beautiful, safe, and all-natural beauty products – I'm ecstatic!
The Pac Heights store is exactly what I was looking for. I received a few samples of some of the products they carry and have been using them over the last month to my delight and pleasure.
Products like EVOLVh shampoo and conditioner (which by the way smells so delicious) or the Dr. Alkaitis “Love Your Lips” organic lip treatment which sits on my nightstand to be used as part of my nightly routine and the Zoe Organics Refresh Oil are awesome – I put it on my temples before putting my sleeping mask on to go to bed, it is very relaxing.
So now, I can go to one spot, Credo Beauty, and buy these and much more. And, by the way, I plan to, because switching out my makeup for all-natural versions is my next mission!
I had the opportunity to interview the founder, Shashi Batra (pictured in my photo collage), about Credo Beauty. Among many other questions that I am saving for a stand-alone interview, I asked him how he sourced his products.
- His thoughtful response:
- The products should have no ingredients that are on our never list
- The brand should have a raison d’etre. Authenticity and transparency.
- The packaging and formulations should be beautiful.
- The product should be effective.
Given Shashi's deep background in the cosmetics industry (Christian Dior, Sephora, Estée Lauder, NV Perricone MD, and the beauty division of Victoria’s Secret) I can tell you he knows what he is talking about and the first Credo Beauty store lives up to the mission to find the aesthetic value of leveraging design and technology to make natural, beautiful and effective mainstream alternatives to conventional beauty products.
Bravo Shashi. If you are in the San Francisco area, check out their store at 2136 Filmore Street. And of course, you can buy online as well!
Rocksbox
I am not one for jewelry. Frankly, I am just too lazy to remember to wear it. I donated a lot of mine to friends several years ago so they could use it for bartering at Burning Man! I have a few more expensive pieces that I have kept on to.
The fact that I wear a scarf literally every day means that those gorgeous statement piece necklaces that everyone wears won't work for me. But I do observe beautiful bracelets and rings on friends and colleagues and think, “hmm, I like that.” So when Rocksbox reached out to see if I was interested in trying their service, I said, “let's go for it!”
I got my first shipment, the boxes are SO cute! [See above]
I received some wishlist items I had selected and other items the stylist thought I would appreciate. I wore the bracelet from Nakamol Chicago which I really loved.
I really dig all the subscription boxes available now, I hate shopping, so stuff coming to me? Perfect!
That’s it for this edition of J’adore!
How about you? What are you currently adoring?
I love the water bottles. Anytime a company is being responsible and helping people in addition to selling to people, I am a fan. It’s great that you have early access to all of this cool stuff. I don’t know if I could live in California, but if I ever did it would definitely be the Bay Area or north. So beautiful and such interesting people! Thank you for sharing.
@Jaime, there is so much going on here that sometimes I want to escape to slow down!
I totally adore this series! I’m a huge fan of guides and you do just that! I’m deff going to try TAP, Im all about green and good and this does both, so why not? I’m in Florida tho, so we will see how that goes. I do tons of beauty editorials about organic brands, so thanks for the suggestions, and soon I’ll be rocking the Rocksbox too!
Xo,
Dee T @HauteFrugalista
HauteFrugalista.com
@HauteFrugalista, wow, so glad I could inspire you with some of these products. Definitely check out Credo. And with the Florida weather, water bottles are essential!
What a great list. You always have the best suggestions. I love J’Adore products. I have the bedding and I’m thinking of getting a few more. The water bottles are so pretty and the Nakamol Chicago bracelet is stunning.
@OurFamilyWorld, thanks, I am glad you enjoy the series!
I love the wrap bracelet, I have one just like it that I bought on Zulily and it is one of my favorite accessories.
@Tamara, I find myself gravitating to those kinds of bracelets these days.
I love those water bottles, what a cool idea! I am also loving the bracelets, you have great taste! Thanks so much for sharing this most and introducing me to new products that I wasn’t aware of!
@Chantal, happy to do so, glad you enjoyed everything!
I love that water idea. It’s so smart and how great a drink for you gives a drink to someone else. That’s a true win win!
@Kelly, I agree! There are hundreds of spots in SF to fill up, I am sure they will get to LA soon!
It’s great to use an app for a cause. Others can help out as well remotely to fund for the program of drinking clean water. Natural products are also important to me! It’s great that there are lots of people now realizing the benefits of using them especially with beauty products for women.
@Rochkirstin, agree, if you are going to buy or use something anyway, why not for a cause…
Firstly, it must be so inspiring to live in such and entrepreneur climate. I know I would love it! it’s pretty awesome that you are sharing all these local businesses with us. The only one I was familiar with before was Rocksbox. Hopefully, one day I can visit Credo Beauty and check out the offerings.
@Adanna, if you love beauty products, you’ll adore Credo!
I love learning about new companies so I think it is awesome that you are sharing them! They all seem so amazing and Give Me Tap seems like a great company! I love when companies are all about giving back and helping others. I think its important to remember to give back to others. Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m with you on the jewelry. I just never remember to wear it. I do love bracelets though, and those are just gorgeous! They look very versatile! My husband and I recently visited San Francisco and we both loved it. We do use water bottles in this family, and I love that this will help make water pumps in Africa. What a great cause!
@Stephanie, I really liked the bracelet a lot too, the Nakamol website has a ton of colors and sizes.
Great list! I love discovering new items – and this was so interesting to me. I love that line of natural products – I’m always looking for a line like this. And that bracelet – looks great, I want!
@Stephanie, glad my finds piqued your interest!
how do you like the juice beauty peel? i like their sunscreen. i’m slowly trying to swap out all my make up with all natural too. 🙂
@Esther, I am not a huge fan of peels, I am actually afraid of them!
I love subscription boxes, a gift shows up once a month! Yay! My favorite is the Rocksbox, i love the opportunity to stay on trend and wear accessories at an affordable price. Yep I am an It Girl as well 🙂
How cool is this?! So many subscription boxes (that I want) won’t ship to Canada and if they do it costs much more than I’d like to spend. But I am currently adoring face products by Origins, pastel nail polish colours and I am being even more of a book nerd this summer. I just finished The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway, a time travel novel which I really enjoyed and am splurging on book purchases as I type this.