sunday in july

on time and conscious, what could be better? - Flex

Flex watches are a product of two great things: life-long friendship and a strong desire to contribute to a larger cause.  Founded by childhood friends, Travis Lubinsky and Trevor Jones, Flex donates 10% of every sale to a corresponding cause, meaning you can choose the cause (and color scheme) you are most passionate about.  

Each Flex watch supports a particular cause, such as breast cancer or clean water.  In turn, a donation is made to a partnering organization, like Keep A Breast or The Thirst Project.  We love the easy-to-read watch face and a bright pop of uniform color! These watches are water resistant, made of high-grade silicone, and have interchangeable wristbands so styles can be mix-and-matched easily.  If that’s not enough to love, they also offer a 2-year warranty and free shipping - making this a memorable gift for any do-gooder in your life.  

On time - so Smitten!

capri summer - Punjammies

petite sabi outline ear embellishments - People Tree

light the way - Aveda

Aveda has been a trusted source of environmentally and socially conscious beauty products for many years. Founded in 1978 with the mission to create holistic beauty through wellness, men and women have grown to trust and appreciate the Aveda brand when seeking quality products for daily use.

Aveda takes their holistic mission to a whole new level with their annual, limited-edition Light The Way Candle!  Since 2007, they’ve been donating 100% of their Light The Way Candle’s purchase price towards the mission of clean water.  This year’s partnership is with Global Greengrants Fund, as clean water is an ongoing daily struggle for much of our global population.  Although their clean-water efforts are a year round endeavour, these beautiful candles are released each April in support of Earth Day.  

Holistically Smitten!

feed 10 with this utilitarian little pouch - FEED

perfectly perfumed, charitable, and For the World - Pour le Monde

Wendi Berger, always excited to work on fragrance launches while working at such high profile fashion books as ELLE, In Style and Vanity Fair...eventually created her own in 2010. The difference? Pour le Monde, For the World, is the first certified 100% natural fine fragrance. It took two years to develop this spread of elegant fragrances. Two years of trial and task, breaking through with these three natural perfume creations - each one benefitting a special charity to boot.

Pictured above is Envision; a smooth, sensuous, long lingering perfume. With top notes of Bergamot, Brazilian Orange and Pink Peppercorns. The middle remains with Lavender from the South of France and Egytian Geranium Rose. The base is warm and sexy with a kick of Indonesian Patchouli, Sandalwood and the creamy smell of Madagascar Vanilla. This is a luxurious scent that you deserve to wear!

Of course Smitten.

a significant and worthy backpack: The Large Ruck - Stone and Cloth

Stone and Cloth knows how to make a gorgeous, classic, high-quality backpack.  The Large Ruck is as functional as it is inspirational - each Stone and Cloth item supports scholarships and developmental projects for children and communities in need.  

After Stone and Cloth’s founder hiked Mount Kilimanjaro and learned that his porter worked a grueling job without earning enough to keep his children in school, he knew he needed to bring support to the local communities at the base of that mountain.  As a result, Stone and Cloth partners with The Knock Foundation.  The Knock Foundation works directly with underserved communities to provide what each specific community needs most - an education system, healthcare infrastructure, or clean living conditions.

a plethora of cause conscious gifts - CAUSEBOX

In our busy modern culture of on-demand everything, we love love love the idea of a CAUSEBOX membership!  A hand-curated collection of jewelry, housewares, skincare products and accessories arrives 4 times a year direct to your front door, introducing you to brands that are doing great work to empower, employ and educate women from all over the globe.  

In addition to their gorgeous collection of products, each CAUSEBOX arrives filled with detailed information about each brand and item’s unique creation story. Having insight into each organization’s purpose, mission, beneficiaries and impact translates into total transparency about where each dollar is going - bringing a serious level of trust to CAUSEBOX and the products they include.

happy shopping in these jeans! - Outland Denim

Outland Denim’s Harriet in Pacific jeans are a stylish choice for any lady who not only cares how she dresses, but the impact her purchases make on the world.  Outland Denim provides training and living wages to women who have been rescued and restored from human trafficking, and are also leading the way in environmental and social sustainability.

Each pair is created in Outland’s Cambodian training and production facility - their story here. Striving to erase the deep social and physiological effects of human trafficking, every step of their business model empowers women with transferable life skills.  From the denim itself to the zippers, buttons, rivets and thread, all are supporting the same mission: to make a positive difference in the fashion industry.

Seriously Smitten by any company that combines denim and good deeds!

mini keys of goodness, with maximum effect - The Giving Keys

I can never get enough of The Giving Keys. Their message, the keys, their faithful purpose and dedication, are completely on point. They were the gift that started notablySmitten - and I have followed their growth faithfully ever since that first purchased key. And now mini keys - perfect.

They are an extraordinary company doing good things for the homeless here in Los Angeles. If you've not heard of them, please read about them in the very first article I ever penned for nS.

And if you've not purchased a key for someone yet, please do - pass it on.

Ever Smitten!

this chic chevron clutch for Spring - Tribe Alive

Tribe Alive’s Chevron Clutch is as beautiful as it is useful - and not just for carrying your phone and lipstick on a night out.  Each of Tribe Alive’s products are designed and made by women in safe studio work environments for fair wages, which means your new clutch continues pays it forward long after your purchase.

With partnerships across Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India and Forth Worth, Texas, Tribe Alive teams up with female artisans to bring you a gorgeous collection that reflects each country's’ unique culture and handiwork - all to support upward mobility, reliable incomes, and stability for these female artisans’ and their families.  We love supporting any organization that provides a platform for women to help women!

So Smitten!

LOVE comes in essential oils - Thistle Farms

Thistle Farms is a community of women survivors of addiction, prostitution, and trafficking in Nashville, Tennessee. "This product bears witness that love is the most powerful force for change in the world." Their mission statement here...worth the read.

These compelling essential oils have been used since ancient times for the purposes of healing. Derived from highly concentrated plant products, blended for physical, mental and emotional purposes. Luscious jojoba and coconut oils are used as carrier agents, keeping the skin hydrated.

Packaged in frosted glass tube with a roller ball that glides oils directly onto your pulse points.

4 bottles of 0.34 fl. oz. (10 ml) each that specifically addresses your: Calm, Energy, Immunity and Balance.

LOVE and Smitten.

photobooks created thoughtfully - Artifact Uprising

Artifact Uprising was founded by Katie and Jenna, a team of sisters and professional photographers, and there’s one thing for sure - these women have a seriously elegant aesthetic.  With gorgeous products made in the USA and printed on responsibly sourced materials, there’s no better way to capture your family memories than an Artifact Uprising photobook.

All of Artifact Uprising products are printed on FSC certified paper, and are unique in their effort to leave the smallest footprint possible. Portions of their photobooks are printed on post-consumer recycled paper, and their wood blocks are milled from fallen pine trees native to Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.  In addition to their thoughtful paper product sourcing, they have partnered with the non-profit SKCAC to provide empowering and meaningful jobs to adults with mental or physical disabilities.

Certifiably Smitten!

hydrate that skin for a sustainable world - LUSH Charity Pots

Keep your skin hydrated, creamy and smelling of rosewood oil with Lush's Charity Pot Body Lotion.

Lush's handmade products are a prized favorite of the staff here at notablySmitten. Our first article on their yummy, nutritious shampoo bars is here. This cruelty-free beauty company donates 100% of each purchase to environmental conservation, animal welfare and human rights organizations.

LUSH products are 100% vegan.

LUSH are against animal testing and are supporters of animal rights and welfare.

LUSH are charitable and support environmental conservation and human rights.

LUSH works tirelessly to leave a small carbon footprint behind.

Smitten again!

ethical earrings celebrating Spring is here! - Mata Traders

These Daybreak earrings are artfully graceful and luxurious at the same time. Handcrafted and hand painted in India...these are your perfect ear ornaments! 

Mata Traders is a partnership between three female founders, a handful of fair trade organizations, and local Indian and Nepalese women working in artisan cooperatives. On a basic level, Mata Traders’ coops provide fair wages, healthcare, paid maternity leave, pensions, daycare, and workplace mobility to women who otherwise might not have the opportunity to work outside their home at all.  On a larger scale, however, the women working in artisan coops are simultaneously learning from social workers to become independent thinkers and activists: they gain confidence, break cycles of child labor and poverty, and provide stability for their families and communities.  

The word Mata means “Mother” in Hindi - it is a tribute to Shakti, the female creative power in all of us.  After learning of Mata Traders’ business model and seeing their gorgeous goods, we couldn’t agree with their mission more.

Smitten with Mata.

gifting with delightfully decadent soy candles - Ames and Oates

Ames and Oates has an excellent way of collecting all the most beautiful, eco-conscious and thoughtful gift items under one storefront.  We love the Premium Lark Copper Soy Candle from Mine Design Co. because it embodies so much of the Ames and Oates mission - elegant, eco-friendly, vegetable based, and hand-poured.

We love that Ames and Oates is founded by two women who share the belief that life should be celebrated with beautiful things.  Every item from Ames and Oates comes gift-ready and with a handwritten note - how amazing is that detail?!  Their mission of celebration goes beyond material, as the “Gift Good | Do Good” model donates 10% of each purchase to Pencils of Promise.  With support from partnerships and donors like Ames and Oates, Pencils of Promise has built 322 schools in Guatemala, Laos and Ghana since 2009.

Smitten of course!

organic bangles for Haiti - xoxo, Simbi

Simbi bracelets have so many amazing things going for them - they are handmade, 100% organic, vegan, biodegradable, and glazed with a non-toxic finish.  The Acai bracelet is akin to a string of superfood Acai berries wrapped around your wrist, and we think that is just the yummiest.

Every step of the Simbi creative, manufacturing, and shipping processes is done in Haiti.  Instead of importing portions of the organization, Simbi creates jobs for locals as a concerted effort to elevate the global offerings of Haiti as well as the everyday lives of Haitian people.  Simbi’s mission statement is three-part: create jobs, purify water, save lives.  To that end, each Simbi bracelet creates 15 sustainable jobs for natives of Haiti and supports efforts to implement clean water systems. You can donate directly to Aqua Haiti here. With beautiful jewelry like the Acai bracelet, it’s easy to support this cause.

Inspired and Smitten.

for a good read - Thoughtfully Magazine

Thoughtfully Magazine suggests that readers “live thoughtfully right where you are, one step at a time, with what you have” - and we couldn’t agree more.  Living each moment with the right outlook is a major step to improving your day, your life, and your world!

This eco-conscious, independently produced magazine is as thoughtful as it sounds. Filled with topics such as sustainable beauty products, health and wellness, and delicious recipes, Thoughtfully encourages readers to shift their attention to the more important things in life.  While they only promote specific products that they believe in, they are also working to become ad-free, and will soon rely only on reader support.

Consider picking up a copy of this elegantly designed and genuine publication during your next trip to Wholefoods or Sprouts!

Naturally Smitten!

the art of the scarf - Bloom & Give

Named as a homage to one of the oldest dyeing techniques, Ikat is delicate, elegant and made from beautifully fine wool.  At Bloom & Give, each item is made by local artisans, steeping the ancient Southeast Indian culture into each design.

With each item purchased, 50% of the price goes directly to fund girl’s education programs in India.  Bloom & Give notes that girls who have even a middle school education will “marry 4 years later, have two fewer children, and double her income” compared to girls who are kept out.  With the help of their partner organization, Educate Girls, Bloom & Give’s mission is simple but complex: keep girls in school.  

That’s one powerful scarf...Smitten!