Naturalla Beauty

Happy Canada Day!  Grounded Sage (formerly Batty's Bath) is one of my favourite Canadian skincare brands, so today is the perfect day to share their Floral Aura Skin Assessment.  I've also teamed up with Grounded Sage for a giveaway over on Instagram, so make sure you check that out too!



In case you've missed my many previous raves, Grounded Sage, based in South-Western Ontario, features an extensive handcrafted product line that includes skincare, body care, and makeup.  The brand is constantly innovating with exciting new launches (like the dreamy-sounding Cucumber Refresh Facial Moisturizer they released just last week!) and always provides a ton of educational content in addition to their excellent products.  

My biggest issue with blogging these days is that there's just never enough time to write about everything I want to share.  I've been more active over on Instagram the last couple months, but I know not everyone follows me on there, so I always want to keep current here on the blog too.

With that in mind, today seemed like the perfect time to talk about some recent favourites.  These 6 standouts are products that I've been loving and consistently reaching for over the last few months.  We've had some crazy cold temperatures here in Toronto, so, not surprisingly, these all ended up being products that excel in the moisture department.

I've been experimenting with vitamin C products recently and have found it to be an ingredient that my skin really loves.  And, it's pretty clear why -- vitamin C offers a multitude of amazing skin benefits. 

Vitamin C....
- stimulates collagen production and increases cell turnover
- has antioxidant benefits that fight free radicals and treat UV photodamage
- evens out skin tone and uneven texture
- lightens hyperpigmentation
- brightens dull skin
- reduces surface inflammation and puffiness
- helps skin defend itself from external stressors like pollution
- improves skin hydration
- offers acne benefits (certain types of vitamin C only)

It's a bit of a skin superstar!  Today I'm sharing four affordable products that I've been testing out over the last several months.


Today's lineup feature three different forms of vitamin C:

L-Ascorbic Acid: the most researched form of vitamin C.  Proven to be effective, but can cause surface skin irritation.  It also has stability issues and can oxidize both in water formulas and on the skin.

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate: a stable water-soluble form of vitamin C that converts to ascorbic acid after absorption.  SAP is gentler and does not cause the same irritation as ascorbic acid, and has also been researched and shown to have acne benefits.

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: a stable fat-soluble form of vitamin C.  Because it's lipid-soluble, tetrahyxyldecyl ascorbate is able to penetrate deeper into the skin's dermis, where it can have more of an effect on collagen production.

Current Deal: Free US/Canada Shipping, Free Refresh Face Mist with $75+

If you're familiar with Sonja, one of Double Happiness's two founders, from her blog, Life in Blush, you'll know she's no stranger to quality skincare, so naturally when she launched her own line, it had to be top notch.  With 4 concentrated, waterless products, the line is simple but really lovely.  

This is the only brand on the list from which I haven't personally used any of the products beyond testing on my hand -- only because they're too floral for my sensitive, picky nose -- but great reviews abound and I swoon over the ingredients lists which include unique botanical picks like schizandra berry and magnolia leaf.  

I'm officially declaring the rest of this week empties week here on the blog!  My last empties post was way back in September, so there's a fair bunch of stuff to talk about -- thus, the decision to sort and split everything up into multiple posts.  Today's post is all about skincare and hair, body, and makeup will follow.  

Before I get into the specifics, here's a peek at the chaos that was my floor while sorting through 5+ months of empty products:


Face Wipes
I've said it before, but as ridiculous as it sounds, I'm a reluctant face wipes user, only regularly using them due to plumbing in an older house.  I much prefer oil cleansing to remove my makeup, but my bathroom sink is less of a fan, so I use a face wipe to remove the oil, and then follow up with a regular cleanser at the sink.

Since I use them in combination with an oil cleanser, I'm not overly picky, beyond looking for something with clean ingredients that's biodegradable, mildly scented and non-irritating.  Both the Boo Bamboo Makeup Remover Wipes and the Honest Co. Honest Baby Wipes fit the bill for me and are ones I'll continue to buy.  The Boo Bamboo Baby Wipes, on the other hand, are just okay.  The ingredients include Polysorbate 20, which I don't love, plus I'm not crazy about how they smell -- like an odd mix of baby powder and lavender.  They do the trick and don't bother my skin, but just aren't a favorite.  Lastly, I used up a pack of the Acure Unscented Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes, which were a complete fail for me.  They irritated my face and quickly got relegated to cleaning up swatches and dusting duty.



Cleansers
I seriously love all three of these cleansers!  Holiskin's Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser made it into my 2016 favorites and is a phenomenal oil cleanser and makeup remover.  It's incredibly gentle and I love its delicate chamomile-lavender scent too.  Ursa Major's Fantastic Face Wash is another favorite and something I've bought more than once.  It's a great gel formula that produces a light lather and rinses away cleanly without leaving skin feeling dry or stripped.  The Batty's Bath Soothing Cleanser is a beautiful creamy cleanser laced with gentle jojoba beads.  I think I'd like it even more without the beads, as I don't feel like they do much, but the citrus/mint scent was a big hit with me and I also was impressed with how incredibly effective the cleanser is at calming the skin and reducing redness.



Moisturizers
The Mad Hippie Face Cream was a last minute iHerb grab, but one that I ended up really liking.  Mad Hippie's products are inexpensive and loaded with active ingredients -- in this case, peptides, niacinamide, sodium PCA, and antioxidants.  To me, it was a good basic lightweight moisturizer.  No crazy anti-aging results -- at least from the one tube -- but it moisturized well and I enjoyed using it.  

I also used up a bunch of Andalou Naturals minis, although I won't dwell on them too much, as Andalou has recently overhauled their entire line and almost everything has been reformulated.  The Probiotic + C Renewal Cream was super lightweight and quick to absorb into the skin, but did a great job hydrating nonetheless.  It almost felt like a cross between a gel moisturizer and a more traditional cream.  The Purple Carrot + C Luminous Night Cream and Super Goji Peptide Perfecting Cream are both a little heavier, but also nice moisturizers.  All of these were the old formulas, I can't speak to any of them in their current formulations.



Masks
Blissoma's Lavish Loving Recovery Beta-Glucan Mask is a wonderful multi-purpose hydrating and soothing product.  I like using it both as a wash-off moisturizing mask and as a hydrating leave-on overnight treatment.  (And, if you saw Blissoma's latest newsletter, it apparently has even more applications as a hand cream, hair mask + more!)  I've used up a couple samples now and I'll definitely consider the full size as soon as my mask stash is a little more manageable.

Andalou Naturals's 1000 Roses Rosewater Face Mask, which somehow missed the photo, was a decent moisturizing mask too.  The scent was a very sweet rose and not too overpowering, even for me, who often doesn't get on with rose or heavy florals.  The mask moisturized well enough in the moment, but I didn't notice any long term hydrating benefits.  In a choice between this and Blissoma Lavish, I'd definitely pick the Blissoma.

Likewise, the Kombucha Enzyme Exfoliating Peel did very little for my skin.  The BioActive 8 Berry Fruit Enzyme Mask offered gentle exfoliation from fruit acids and enzymes and was nice, although again, nothing spectacular.  When spaced out, it seemed to do a good job cleaning out pores and left skin feeling very soft to the touch, but if I used it twice in close succession, it did nothing the second time.  Again, the three Andalou masks were all the company's old formulas.  I don't know how the new versions compare, in either performance or ingredients, and to be honest, all the reformulations have left me a little disillusioned with Andalou overall.    



Extras
Young Living Frankincense and Roman Chamomile Essential Oils are both great.  I regularly add Frankincense to DIY toners and masks, and also use it on pimples and blemishes.  The Roman Chamomile has been sitting lost and unloved in my essential oils for several years, but I finished it off in the DIY Oil Cleanser I've been making the last several months (recipe here).  Both oils are pricey, no doubt, but a little goes a long way.

Stay tuned for more empties over the next few days.  I've also got some fun new products to share next week!  

Ideally this post would have gone up a few days ago, but better late than never, right?  I'm fortunate to have tried lots of fantastic products in 2016, but for the purposes of this post, I'm highlighting just the very top -- the best of the best.  These are the 8 products that, out of everything I used, truly stood out to me the most over the course of the last year.  I'm pretty sure I've mentioned all these items at least once, but if I've done a more in depth review, I'll make sure to link it below, in case you'd like more information.



Rocky Mountain Soap Vanilla Mint Hand Cream
I loved Rocky Mountain Soap's hand cream when I first used it in 2015, but the new Vanilla Mint scent that launched mid-2016 fully cemented my adoration.  The hand cream hits that perfect balance of richness and quick absorption and is loaded with nourishing plant oils, shea butter, antioxidants, and other emollients.  The Vanilla Mint scent is both fresh and sweet, and it's a lighter scent, so while it smells wonderful as you apply it, it doesn't fragrance the entire room or smack you over the head all day long.

Sola Skincare Balancing Face Oil   [Review]
I've tried a lot of oils over the years and Sola's Balancing Face Oil, which incorporates traditional Chinese herbs, brings a little something extra to the table.  The blend includes some of my favorite hydrating and healing oils -- argan, tamanu, and jojoba, to name just a few -- alongside Chinese herbs that reduce inflammation and improve circulation.  It works incredibly well at targeting not only obvious acne and breakouts, but also more subtle skin congestion and clogged pores.  It's a beautiful product and one I'd recommend to anyone struggling with these kinds of skin issues.



Kari Gran Lip Whips
I go through phases with more full-on lipstick, but the reality is that, for everyday, I prefer more sheer lip colors and glosses.  Kari Gran's Lip Whips offer exactly that -- sheer, glossy color -- and they feel like a hydrating treatment for your lips.  Potted lip products aren't usually my favorite, but these are worth it.  They're comfortable and easy to wear, and come in an ever-growing range of beautiful shades.

Holiskin Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser   [Review]
Oil cleansers are my favorite way to remove makeup and Holiskin's super affordable Sensitive Skin Cleanser is one of the best I've used at any price point.  The simple but thoughtful ingredients list includes organic apricot kernel, camellia, meadowfoam, and castor seed oils, as well as vitamin E and chamomile and lavender essential oils, and it's a real gem of a product.  It smells awesome, glides over the skin easily, and effortlessly removes every last trace of makeup.  It doesn't sting around the eyes and wipes away easily with a washcloth or face wipe.

Batty's Bath Whipped Cream Foundation   [Review]
My skin usually reacts to cream and liquid foundations when worn for more than a day or two in a row, but the Whipped Cream Foundation from Batty's Bath, formulated especially for acne and rosacea-prone skin, is the one exception.  The ingredients are free of often problematic coconut oil and the Whipped Cream Foundation offers medium/buildable coverage with a unique cream-to-almost-powder finish.  It feels lightweight on the skin, isn't drying at all, and sets to a pretty and natural looking semi-matte finish.  It also doubles as a concealer -- I especially love using it to cover up dark circles.

Argillaceous Naturals Detox Facial Masque   [Review]
I tried two masks from Argillaceous Naturals last year and I was not expecting to fall nearly as hard as I did for the Detox Facial Masque.  On first glance, the ingredients read like many other detox masks, but performance-wise, it stands apart.  In addition to detox mask classics like clay and activated charcoal, the formula also includes colloidal oatmeal to soothe and citric acid to gently resurface the skin.  The citric acid also balances the extreme alkalinity of the clay, which means the mask can work without negatively impacting the skin's natural acid mantle and barrier function.  The Detox Masque is particularly awesome for clearing blackheads and clogged pores and it never leaves the skin feeling raw or stripped.  For me, someone without very oily or problematic skin, I like it best as an occasional refresher once or twice a month, but depending on your skin, you could definitely incorporate it more often.



Mineral Fusion Sheer Moisture Lip Tint
Along with the Kari Gran, the Sheer Moisture Lip Tints from Mineral Fusion are my other favorite tinted lip product.  They come in a fun crayon form and again provide sheer color with a balmy, nourishing feel.  Glisten, a warm caramelly-nude, is my absolute favorite from the range, but all the shades are pretty.

Duckish Body Butter   [Review]
Some of you will remember that I was a little heartbroken when Nourish discontinued their Body Butter about a year ago, but I've got to say, Duckish's Body Butter, which I've since replaced it with, is even better.  An emollient blend of shea butter and plant oils, the Body Butter is phenomenal on dry and irritated skin.  It's super rich and is the kind of product I reserve for those extra dry spots like feet and elbows as opposed to all over (although Duckish's Lotion Sticks, which go on like solid oils, are fantastic for everywhere!)  I've even used the Body Butter as an intense lip treatment this winter and it worked great in that capacity too.  

What were your biggest green beauty standouts in 2016?

The last couple months have been quieter than usual here on the blog, but there are lots of good things coming up, I promise!  Today, I want to talk about a few stellar skincare items that I've been using recently.  Here in Toronto, where the weather has yet to make up its mind between winter and spring, these five items have been keeping my skin healthy and happy despite all the back and forth temperatures.  

If you'd be interested in seeing a full skincare routine too, let me know in the comments and I can definitely put that together soon!


Batty's Bath Soothing Cleanser*
The Soothing Cleanser is a gentle, soap-free cleanser designed for sensitive, inflamed, and rosacea-prone skin.  It's packed full of nourishing oils, along with soothing aloe vera and chamomile flower water, and is a real treat to use.  Witch hazel and burdock root also offer anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits, making it suitable for those prone to acne, eczema, and psoriasis too.  The cleanser itself is a bright yellowy-orange cream, courtesy of sea buckthorn oil, and is laced with red jojoba beads, making it quite fun from a purely aesthetic perspective too.  It also has a lovely fresh citrus and mint scent that I can't get enough of!

An exfoliating cleanser isn't normally what I'd think of first for sensitive or reactive skin, but the jojoba beads are smooth and rounded and glide over the skin very gently, offering just a hint of delicate exfoliation.  I don't have rosacea, but my skin is prone to redness and the Soothing Cleanser legitimately eliminates any color or irritation.  It's not uncommon for my skin to be pink and flushed for a few minutes after cleansing, but with the Soothing Cleanser, my skin is left milky, white, and above all else, calm.  When I have time, I like to leave the cleanser on my face for an extra minute or two before rinsing to let the great ingredients work their magic even more.  



Homemade Witch Hazel Toner
 As much as I appreciate the difference a good toner can make in my skin, toners aren't a product that generally inspires me to spend a ton of money, so I often resort to DIY-ing my own.  Witch hazel is great for keeping pores clean, and with just a few added ingredients, you've got yourself a great toner.  I shared this recipe on the blog several years ago and this variation more recently on Instagram, and I still come back to it, though I vary the essential oils depending on mood and skin needs.  I've also started adding a small amount of zinc oxide, which is great for calming down redness and minimizing skin sensitivity.  If you want to amp it up even more, you can also pre-infuse the witch hazel with herbs.



Niora Naturals Silk Basic Makeup Remover*
Niora Naturals' Makeup Remover has an emollient texture that falls somewhere between a cream cleanser and an oil.  It works best when massaged onto dry skin and removed with a damp washcloth or face wipe, much like you would an oil cleanser.  It's a light emulsion that removes makeup with the same ease as an oil, but wipes - or even rinses away - much easier.  With a base of organic jojoba oil and glycerin, the Makeup Remover is very gentle on the skin, but still manages to remove every speck of makeup -- even tricky things like eyeliner and mascara!  It does sting if you get the product directly in your eyes, but as long as I keep my eyes tightly shut while using it, I don't generally have any problems.

Dr. Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel
I've raved about the multi-functional Soothing Gel before and I've discovered yet another use for it!  I already love using it on active blemishes and pimples, but I've recently learned it works great at stopping breakouts before they strike too.  Overall, my skin isn't very acne-prone, but, strange as it sounds, my eyebrows have a tendency to react to any brow makeup.  With an aloe vera base and tons of great herbs, the Soothing Gel has both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and as soon as I started running a couple drops of it through the hairs before applying makeup, I noticed a big difference.  As I've said before, I find the gel a bit drying when used all over the face, but it's fantastic as a targeted treatment on smaller areas.

Nourish Organic Unscented Body Butter
My under eyes, along with a couple other small areas, have gotten extra dry the last couple weeks and, on a whim, I started using Nourish's Unscented Body Butter to treat them.  A longtime favorite of mine for dry patches on the body, I was happy to discover that it works just as well on the face.  The butter, made of mainly organic shea butter and sunflower seed oil, does contain coconut oil, but it's one of the last ingredients and, used conservatively on just small areas, my skin has not reacted negatively at all.



Have you tried any of these?  What skincare products have been helping you transition to spring?

I'm usually a year round powder foundation wearer, but once the colder temperatures hit this winter, my regular mineral foundations just weren't doing the trick anymore.  Right around the same time, I was offered the chance to try out a couple products from Batty's Bath, a London, Ontario company I'd seen raved about before and had followed on Instagram for several months previously, and I knew right away I wanted to try out the company's Whipped Cream Foundation*.

The Whipped Cream Foundation ($34 CAD for 0.5 oz) is both vegan and gluten free, and, as the name would suggest, has a creamy, moussy consistency.  The ingredients are super clean and natural, and the formula is free of common allergens and skin sensitizers. 



My skin has reacted negatively to a lot of cream and liquid foundations in the past, so I was cautiously optimistic to try the Whipped Cream Foundation.  My problem with most cream and liquid formulas is twofold: 
1) they often feel heavy, or, at a minimum, noticeable on the skin
2) they leave me with clogged/congested pores if I wear them for more than a couple days in a row.

Happily, I haven't had either problem with the Batty's Bath foundation!  

The foundation is very creamy, but at the same time, it has a drier feel on the skin than other cream products I've used.  It doesn't quite set to a full powder finish, but once it's applied and blended, skin feels basically dry to the touch and not tacky, greasy, or coated in makeup.  This finish also means that - at least in the winter - it isn't a product I absolutely need to set with powder, although I do find that a light dusting helps the foundation wear a few hours longer.  The foundation also feels very lightweight on the skin and isn't makeup that I can feel sitting heavily on my face throughout the day.  

As for the second point, I've been wearing this foundation pretty much exclusively since early January and haven't experienced any skin issues.  I don't wear makeup every single day, but there have been weeks when I've worn it five or six consecutive days and I still haven't had any problems with clogged pores or congested skin, something I credit to the foundation's simple and skin-friendly ingredients.

Instead of the coconut oil frequently found in natural cream products, Batty's Bath relies on a base of organic jojoba and apricot kernel oils and organic shea butter.  All three rank considerably lower on the comedogenic scale than coconut oil, and are suitable for both sensitive and acne-prone skin types.  The formula also includes lavender and rosewood essential oils, great for multiple skin concerns.  The essential oils also give the foundation a delicate herbal scent.  The remainder of the ingredients list is short and excludes unnecessary bulking agents and fillers.

Coverage
The foundation has a good, solid medium/buildable coverage.  A light application evens out skin tone and makes skin look pretty and perfected, but still natural, while fuller coverage can be achieved with a heavier application.  The finish is very natural and skin-like.  It's not overly dewy or glowy, but it's also not a flat matte on the skin.  

The foundation also easily doubles as a concealer.  My undereyes tend to be pretty dark and most days I'll opt just to use a second thin layer of foundation topped with a brightening powder, rather than adding in a separate cream concealer.

Check out the before and after photos! (Click to enlarge.)  Relying on natural sunlight in the middle of winter means the lighting changed a little between photos, but hopefully you can still get a good representation of the foundation.  The first photo is bare faced, second is with just the Whipped Cream Foundation, and the third is the foundation + a setting powder, blush, brow pencil, and lipstick.  I've also posted a couple photos of me wearing the foundation on Instagram this past month.



Application
My favorite way to apply this foundation is with my fingers.  A little bit goes a long way and fingers help the product spread and sheer out easily for a lighter makeup look -- my preference day-to-day.  Because of the foundation's thicker, cream consistency, I find it difficult to get a light application with a brush, but if you're aiming for fuller coverage, a buffing brush and a little more product will easily accomplish that. 

As with any foundation, well-prepped skin is essential.  My skin leans a little dry, and if I haven't moisturized quite enough, the Whipped Cream Foundation can cling to drier patches on my face.  Patting over it with a damp sponge usually does the trick when this happens, so it's not been a big deal.  Batty's Bath also suggests mixing the foundation with a small amount of a hydrating product like their Hydra Healing Rescue Gel for dry skin, but that's not something I've experimented with so far.  

Color Range
The Whipped Cream Foundation comes in seven shades.  I chose Fawn - the second lightest shade in the range - because of its pinker undertones.  My skin is very neutral, but happily Fawn isn't super pink - it's more peachy than anything - so it matches my skin very well. The seven shades offer a good range of both cool and warm shades for light and medium skin tones, but I'd love to see Batty's Bath add a couple darker shades in the future as currently there's only one color suitable for deeper skin tones.  



The Bottom Line
Definitely a big hit!  With wonderful ingredients and great buildable coverage, I think the Whipped Cream Foundation would work well for a lot of people.  The foundation never feels slippery or greasy on the skin, and it wears well throughout the day.  Despite being a cream formula, my skin has been very okay with it - truly, I don't think my skin has ever been this happy with cream or liquid makeup before - and it's a product I see myself using and enjoying for a long time.  If you're in the market for a new foundation, I highly recommend giving this one a try!