Naturalla Beauty

It’s been a while since my last favourites post here on the blog, so I’m pretty long overdue!  Today's batch is mostly skincare, but I think that’s pretty fitting for this year -- my focus has definitely been more consistently on skincare than makeup since staying home these last many months. Also, while I’m calling this Fall Favourites, most of these are things I’ve been loving since at least the summer...

  

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.

Since discovering oils, cream moisturizers aren't something that I always keep in my routine, but they certainly have their moments.  Here's my brief take on four I've tried recently:


Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Nourishing Facial Cream
I really like Sibu's body lotion, so I'm always optimistic when trying other Sibu products, but sadly most of the face line has disappointed me.  The Nourishing Facial Cream just felt sticky and tacky on my face and never seemed to absorb or dry down.  I wasn't a fan.

Consonant Skincare Ultra Moisturizing Face Cream for Dry Skin
I put this sample to use during our first cold spell this winter and I quite liked it.  It absorbed into the skin well and gave a good amount of moisture without feeling heavy.  I like that it's unscented and it felt nice and gentle on my face.  I would consider buying it once I've used up a few other products.  

Weleda Soothing Almond Facial Lotion
It's no secret that I think highly of Weleda's Soothing Almond line, so I'm sure it won't come as a surprise that I enjoyed using the Facial Lotion.  It's a great basic, lightweight moisturizer and the ingredients are about as minimal as you can get in a cream formulation.  Still, lately I've been moving towards wanting my skincare to be more "active" and do more than this simple lotion offers, so I'm not sure I'd buy a larger tube unless my skin was acting up or in distress.

Weleda Hydrating Iris Facial Lotion
The Iris Facial Lotion has a very similar, lightweight feel to the Almond, although it has a few more ingredients and is targeted more towards those with normal to combination skin looking to regulate oil production.  It has a mild floral scent, but nothing overpowering.  I like it, but again, I'm not sure it's a product I would buy in full size, if only because I don't think my skin really fits the target demographic for the Iris line.

Do you have a sample stash hanging around?  Does it ever seem like a bottomless pit, like mine?

I've used Pure + Simple's Eye Brightening Cream for most of the last year, but when it ran out in August, I decided to dig out all my eye product samples and give them a whirl before replacing it. 

Here's what I had hanging around my stash and brief opinions on each:



Weleda Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream
I liked how lightweight this was during the hotter weather.  It gives a slight tightening feeling as it goes on, but it didn't do much of anything for my dark circles or puffiness.  Smelled fruity but not overpoweringly so.

Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Eye Cream
Still pretty light, but a little heavier than the Pomegranate, this was definitely my favorite of the two Weleda eye creams.  Again, I didn't notice drastic results, but it helped a little with puffiness and was great under makeup.  The scent was also mild and completely non-offensive, even for a non-rose lover like me.

Kahina Giving Beauty Eye Serum
I love other Kahina products, but this one just didn't do it for me.  I didn't notice any difference in my eye area, and I wasn't impressed with the slight tacky film that the serum leaves behind after it dries.  Layering another cream on top gets rid of the tackiness, but I'm still not completely sold.

Consonant Ultra Moisturizing + Ultra Firming Organic Eye Creams
I'm grouping these together because, honestly, I didn't notice a big difference between the two.  They're both thick, rich, unscented creams that work really well for puffyness.  If puffy eyes are your main concern, they're fabulous - they work better in that regard than anything else I've tried - but they didn't do much for dark circles.  I also find them a little too heavy for mornings, if I don't have time to wait before applying makeup.

Young Living Wolfberry Eye Cream (not pictured)
When my mom heard I was testing eye creams, she gave me a sample of her eye cream to try too.  I used to use this as a teenager, and I do notice it makes my dark circles a little bit lighter.  It's good at night, but like the Consonant, I don't love it in the morning, since it needs that little extra time to soak in before I can comfortably apply concealer on top.

The Bottom Line
My under eye area is probably my biggest skin concern these days, so I can be a bit fussy with eye products.  I know you can't always adequately judge something like this from just using a sample, but nonetheless, none of these sold me enough that I'll be buying the full size.  I'm still on the fence about what I want to use.  I really like the Pure + Simple, but after almost a year, I'm up for using something different....

What are your favorite eye products?  I'm totally open to recommendations!

It's that time again: empties!  I used up a decent number of samples this month, but only four full sized products.  Keep reading for my thoughts on everything...

FULL SIZED PRODUCTS

George's Always Active Aloe Spray Mister   [Review]
I was in love with this spray initially, but I'm no longer convinced it does anything more than water.  It does work well for setting your makeup, hydrating or cooling your face, and helping oils/serums rub into your skin better, but since this ran out, I've been using plain water in a spray bottle, and I haven't noticed any difference.  
Repurchase? Maybe.  

Acure Argan + Argan Stem Cell Conditioner   [Review]
Love this conditioner!  This is the first summer that I haven't struggled with frizzy hair in the humidity and I credit a lot of that to Acure's shampoo and conditioner.  
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

South of France Lemon Mint Liquid Soap   [Review]
Really great as either a hand soap or body wash.  Lathers up well, smells fresh and lovely - lemony with a touch of mint - and does not leave your skin feeling tight or dry.
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

(Seed) Grape Seed Enriched Body Lotion   [Review]
(Seed)'s lotion is on the lighter side, which was great for the summer.  It rubs in super easily and still moisturizes well.  The pump is a nice added convenience too! 
Repurchase? Maybe.

SAMPLES

Consonant Ultra Firming Eye Cream
Consonant was kind enough to send me a few samples after a conversation on Twitter, and this was the first one I reached for.  They recommended it for both under eye circles and puffiness, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to do much for my dark circles.  It does, however, take down puffiness like no other eye cream I've used.  This plus my Pure + Simple eye cream - which is great for darkness but falls short with puffiness - makes the perfect combination, but I'm not sure it's feasible to layer two eye creams in the long run.  I have a sample of Consonant's Ultra Moisturizing Eye Cream to try next, so I'm hoping that one will end up being a better fit.
Repurchase? Probably not. 

Cheeky Cosmetics Honeycomb Eye Shadow   [Review]
I really like Cheeky Cosmetics' eye shadows, but Honeycomb wasn't a standout colour for me.  It's a pretty golden brown, don't get me wrong, but I have an abundance of eye shadow and it wasn't unique enough that I need to replace it immediately.
Repurchase? Probably not.

Face Naturals Peppermint & Tea Tree Deodorant
The mini deodorant is super cute and the perfect size for toting around, which I guess is good, since it's something that needs to be reapplied throughout the day!  Even on days when I do nothing, this deodorant doesn't get me through the day stink-free unless I use it more than once.  It's also the worst for getting deodorant marks on clothing.  It doesn't seem to matter how I put my shirt on, I always end up with an awkward white smear on it somewhere!  I've loved plenty of other Face Naturals products, but I really had to force myself to use this one up!  
Repurchase? No.

Dr. Bronner's Citrus Orange Pure Castile Soap
I'm pretty sure everyone knows Dr. Bronner's.  This castile soap is insanely multi-purpose and is a great product to have on hand.  Since it's so gentle, I used the sample to hand wash some delicates.  The citrus scent isn't my favorite, but it worked just as well as any of the other ones.
Repurchase? Yes, but not in this scent.

Himalaya Neem & Turmeric Face Wash
Himalaya is a new-to-me brand, but I was excited to try out this sample whilst hunting for a new cleanser.  I'm still curious to try more from the line, but this face wash just didn't work for me.  It's a gel cleanser that's difficult to wash off and it left my skin feeling tight and a little dry.  It's recommended for normal to oily skin, so it may work better for oilier skin types.
Repurchase? No.

Green Beaver Boreal Body Lotion
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this, since I usually choose unscented lotions.  It has a subtle scent that dissipates pretty quickly and I was completely fine with it. It's a little richer than my usual Acure lotion, which I imagine will be fantastic come winter.  And, I love that, unlike the Acure, it's a lotion I can actually buy in stores here.  
Repurchase? It's very likely.  

Black Rose Minerals Skink Eye Shadow   [Review]
Skink is another shimmery tan/light brown/gold and really lovely.  These kinds of shades are my favorite for an everyday eye and I'm starting to running low!  Definitely considering ordering a full size.
Repurchase? Maybe.

That's all for August!  Have you tried any of these products?