Naturalla Beauty

Ann Bee's Naturals is a small, family owned business making natural, non-GMO, eco-friendly products in Fair Hill, Maryland.  Ann Barczewski was inspired to start the company when she was unable to find daycare for her special needs daughter and transitioned to staying home with her.  The company, which began as a natural soap line in 2011, now includes over 100 products, including soaps, skincare, and bath and body items.  One of my favorite things about blogging is being able to feature smaller, independent companies making great, natural products, so when Ann reached out to me back in September, I was very happy to accept her offer to review some products.  After some deliberation, I settled on the Seabuckthorn Rosehip Salve and Moroccan Silk Neroli Sandalwood Oil.  


Seabuckthorn Rosehip Salve 
Multi-purpose salves always come in handy and I've found a multitude of uses for this one since getting my hands on it.  Along with organic seabuckthorn and rosehip oils, this 100% organic salve also contains organic extra virgin olive oil - infused with organic chamomile, lavender and calendula - and organic unrefined beeswax.  In the tin, it has a pretty solid balm consistency, but it's not at all waxy and the warmth of your fingers easily melts it into an emollient butter that's easy to apply.  It takes a couple minutes to fully sink in to the skin, but it's pretty light and not overly greasy.  The salve has an orange hue from the seabuckthorn and rosehip oils, but it rubs in clear and doesn't stain or color the skin at all.  It's great on dry skin and I love using it as a cuticle butter.  I've also used it in place of an eye cream, and while I didn't notice it having much of an effect on my dark circles, it did a good job hydrating and depuffing the area.    It also contains no essential oils so its scent comes only from the other ingredients.  To me, it just smells like a good, high quality, olivey olive oil.  


Moroccan Silk Neroli Sandalwood Oil
I've used straight argan oil in my hair for years, so Ann Bee's Moroccan Silk Oil, a blend of argan and macadamia oils scented with neroli and sandalwood essential oils, was one of the first products to catch my eye.  In addition to the oils, it also contains cruelty-free Tussah silk, which is rich in proteins and amino acids that condition and protect hair from moisture loss, while simultaneously strengthening and repairing the hair cortex.  I've never used a hair product with silk before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, and while I cant say I've noticed any results that I can attribute specifically to the silk, the oil leaves my hair feeling soft and touchable and works well to tame frizz.  Depending on the day, I sometimes find the scent a little overpowering, but if you're a fan of neroli, you'll love how this smells.  The sandalwood gives it a smidge of earthiness, but the predominant scent is definitely neroli.  

The oil can also be used as either a face serum or body oil, though I've yet to try it on anything more than my hair.  

The Bottom Line
I'm a fan!  Ann Bee's Naturals' products have great ingredients and are very affordable too.  Both of these ring in at under $15, and a little goes a long way, so I've barely made a dent in either one.  Whether you're looking to support a smaller business or just looking for some great products to try, this is a line worth checking out! 

I've already written about how much I love using straight argan oil on my hair, and now I want to talk about a new shampoo I've been trying out.  Acure Organics started out making skincare products, but they've quickly branched out into body and haircare as well.  What remains consistent across all their lines is fantastic ingredients and affordable pricing.  A few months ago, I won $50 to spend at iherb, courtesy of the extremely generous Vivi of Eco Beauty Secrets, and Acure's shampoo and conditioner was the first thing I knew I wanted to choose!  I decided on the Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell Moisture Repairing shampoo and conditioner, since they are recommended for dry, damaged, and curly hair.
 

Product Description
Provides lasting moisture to even the most dry and damaged hair leaving it soft, manageable and ready to rock. Organic Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cells, CoQ10, and Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil--high in Omega 7, make up our patent-pending Triple Moisture System. Pumpkin Seed Oil --high in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, adds shine. Hair repair with serious flair. Safe for color treated hair.   Locks in moisture, repairs damage, strengthens follicles, and vacuums your house. Okay, maybe it doesn’t vacuum your house. But it does repair your hair!  

Ingredients
Shampoo: Organic Euterpe oleracea (Acai) Berry, Organic Rubus fruticosus (Blackberry), Organic Rosa canina (Rosehips), Organic Punica granatum (Pomegranate), Organic Fair Trade Certified™ Rooibos, Organic Aloe Barbadensis Vera Leaf Juice, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate (from Coconut), 100% Naturally-derived Betaine (from Sugar Beets), Vegetable Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate (from Coconut + Amino Acids), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (from Coconut + Amino Acids), Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (Sugar Conditioner), Sodium Levulinate (from Corn), Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (Guar gum conditioner), Potassium Sorbate (food grade preservative), Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil, Organic Fair-Trade Certified™ Olea Europea (Olive) Oil, D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (vitamin E), Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) seed oil, Organic Curcubita pepo (Pumpkin) seed oil, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Argania spinosa (Argan) Stem Cells,  glycerophosphoinositol lysine (from sunflower), Almond Extract, Cinnamomum aromaticum (Cassia Bark) Oil 

Conditioner: Organic Euterpe oleracea (Acai) Berry, Organic Rubus fruticosus (Blackberry), Organic Rosa canina (Rosehips), Organic Punica granatum (Pomegranate), Organic Fair Trade Certified™ Rooibos, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearylkonium Chloride, Vegetable Glycerin, Glucono Delta Lactone (fermented sugar), Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside (from corn and glucose), Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (guar gum conditioner), Glyceryl Stearate (vegetable-derived), L-Arginine (amino acid), Organic Fair Trade Certified™ Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Sorbitan Olivate (from olives + sugar), Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B5), Cellulose (plant derived), D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (vitamin. E), Lactic Acid (vegetable derived),  Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) seed oil, Organic Curcubita pepo (Pumpkin) seed oil, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Argania spinosa (Argan) Stem Cells,  glycerophosphoinositol lysine (from sunflower), Prunus dulcis (Almond) Extract, Cinnamomum aromaticum (Cassia Bark) Oil

Price
$10.99 for 12 ounces from Acure Organics.   $9.49 from iherb. 

My Thoughts
I really like this shampoo and conditioner.  The shampoo lathers up very well and the conditioner is rich and creamy.  They both rinse out easily and don't leave any residue or buildup on my scalp.  And, they certainly live up to Acure's promise of being moisturizing!  In fact, I find them just a little too heavy to use every single time I wash my hair.  My hair looks fantastic for the first two or three consecutive washes, but on continued use, it starts getting weighed down.  Instead, I've been mixing it up with my old standby, Organic Excellence.  Rotating between the two leaves my hair soft and shiny and gives it the perfect amount of moisture without overdoing things.

My one initial concern about these products was how they were going to smell.  I chose the Argan + Argan Stem Cell based on hair type, since it's recommended for curly hair.  It's scented mainly with almond extract and almond scents don't tend to be favorites of mine.  That said, the smell is fine.  I wouldn't say I love it, but it's not offensive and it's also not incredibly strong.  I can smell it while my hair is still wet, but once it dries, the smell is pretty much gone. 

The Bottom Line
I would recommend both these products, especially if you have dry or damaged hair.  Even if you don't, I think they'd work well as occasional, treatment-type products.  Next time, I think I'll try their Lemongrass line, which is recommended for all hair types, as I'm curious if I could use that one more regularly with better results.  Either way, I can definitely see myself keeping Acure's shampoo and conditioner in my shower for a long time to come!

ETA: Please check out my updated review on these after longer use too.