Naturalla Beauty

My empties bag filled up SUPER quickly this time, not because I finished a ton more products than usual, but because most of what I did finish are larger items.  Generally my empties include a lot of smaller, sample size products, so it's pretty satisfying to see so many full sizes here!



Andalou Naturals Argan & Sweet Orange Shampoo + Conditioner   [Review]
I was a little mixed on these -- especially the conditioner -- when I first reviewed them, but by the end of the bottles, I was sold on both.  The conditioner didn't last as long as other brands, but once I got used to using more product, it was a great fit for my hair.  Repurchase? Yes! I ordered replacements earlier this week.

Alaffia Everyday Shea Vanilla Mint Body Wash
The Alaffia body washes are both massive and very inexpensive, making them a great bang for your buck.  This bottle lasted me a full six months or more and it worked great.  Easy to lather, gentle on the skin, and smelled nice too -- though it had much more of a minty-herbal scent than vanilla mint.  Repurchase? Yes.

Deep Steep Tangerine Melon Body Wash
I like Deep Steep's Tangerine Melon scent in other products, but I didn't love it so much as a body wash.  Plus, the wash itself had a strange, jelly-like texture.  I'm wondering if something was off with this particular bottle, as I've never seen anyone else mention this consistency.  It did make a TON of bubbles though.  Repurchase? Probably not.



Niora Naturals Silk Basic Emollient Makeup Remover*   [Review]
I tried out the entire acne range from Niora Naturals this past winter, and this makeup remover was my very favorite product from the line.  As the name suggests, it has an emollient, lotiony texture, but melts away makeup just as effectively as an oil.  And, the emulsified consistency means that it rinses away much cleaner and easier, giving you the best of both worlds. Repurchase? Definitely!

Devita Fragrance Free Shea Butter Brulée   [Review]
I liked this lotion, but I wish it offered a little more intense hydration.  For a product described as "ultra rich" and "saturated with 100% shea butter," it was surprisingly light.  On the plus side, it's enriched with peptides and vitamin K, which you don't often see in body products, and does make skin look lovely and slightly perfected or airbrushed.  For that reason, I liked using it on my legs when they were going to be exposed, but it didn't keep my skin feeling moisturized for very long.  Repurchase? Probably not.

Acure Organics Tropical Citrus Argan Oil Castile Soap
I hate that I keep coming down on Acure products lately, but the castile soap was another disappointment for me.  The Tropical Citrus smelled great at first, but the scent completely disappeared within a month or two of being open.  The consistency was also very watery -- a lot thinner than other castile soaps -- so while it was cheaper than something like Dr. Bronner's, it seemed less concentrated.  Repurchase? Doubtful.  I can't find it online anymore to link even, so it looks like it may have been discontinued.

Deep Steep Peppermint Vanilla Argan Oil Foaming Hand Wash
Deep Steep's Foaming Hand Washes are awesome.  They're gentle and non-stripping, smell great, and the bottles last a surprisingly long time too.  Peppermint Vanilla was a seasonal scent and not as vanilla-y as I would have liked, but overall, it was a great soap.  Repurchase? Yes!



Suntegrity 5 in 1 Face Sunscreen in Fair + Light (samples)
I've been really into BB/CC creams and tinted moisturizers the last couple months and Suntegrity is one of the best.  Well worth the hype in my opinion.  My only problem with it is that it contains dimethicone, something I usually avoid.  Funny story, but before trying these samples, it had been so long since I'd used anything with silicones, that I'd forgotten just how good they are at smoothing out any texture issues and was blown away with how flawless my skin looked wearing just the Suntegrity and a light dusting of powder.  The 5 in 1 doesn't offer a ton of coverage, but, in addition to fixing texture issues, it also does a good job evening out skin tone and covering minor imperfections and blemishes.  It's also quite moisturizing, and leaves skin looking luminous and dewy.   In terms of colors, Light was too dark for me -- and definitely a little on the orange side -- but Fair was a great match.  Repurchase? Not sure.

Boo Bamboo Bamboo Makeup Remover Wipes   [Review]
I've talked about these before and they're still my favorite makeup wipes.  Gentle and effective, and they don't irritate my skin.  Repurchase? Yes.

Baby Spa Ultra-Soft Baby Wipes
I used these as a face wipe too and they were okay.  The actual fabric of the wipe felt a little rough.  This smaller 10-pack would be great for travel, but beyond that, I don't see myself buying them again.  Repurchase? Probably not.

Young Living Eucalyptus Radiata Essential Oil
I don't see eucalyptus in a lot of skincare, but my face really likes it.  I use it all the time in DIY toners and masks, and also as a spot treatment on blemishes.  Eucalyptus is, of course, great for any respiratory issues too.  Repurchase? Yes, I already have.



Femme Fatale Cosmetics Heroic Eye Shadow (sample)
I'm still (slowly) chugging away at shrinking my loose eye shadow stash and this sample was the latest to bite the dust.  Heroic, now discontinued, was a pretty gold, though nothing super unique or mind blowing.  Femme Fatale shadows always have great color payoff though and are, as a whole, a formula I'd recommend.  Repurchase? No.  

Rocky Mountain Soap Lemon Lime Lip Butter
I love Rocky Mountain Soap and the lip butters are one of my favorite lip balms.  Lemon Lime was a great fresh and zesty citrus scent, just what the name would suggest.  Repurchase? Yes.

Lily Lolo Black Mascara   [Review]
I love how this mascara performs, but it's a little frustrating how quickly it dries up.  I'm good about tossing my mascaras around the 3 or 4 month mark, but Lily Lolo's always dries up on me long before then -- usually after about 2 or 2 1/2 months.  I've also had good luck with other mascaras recently, so I'm not feeling especially loyal to any one brand just now.  Repurchase? Maybe.

See anything familiar?  What products have you used up recently?

Unscented lotions aren't something you see raved about very often, but they're a staple product for me.  Whether it's because I don't want to deal with anything scented, or because I want a moisturizer that won't interfere with other scents I may be wearing, they're something I reach for on a regular basis.  

I've been pretty dedicated to Acure's Ultra-Hydrating Body Lotion for several years, but last fall I discovered that, due to reformulations, it just doesn't cut it anymore.  Around the same time, I conveniently had some iHerb credit saved up and burning a hole in my pocket, so I figured it was a good time to set about finding a replacement.  

With that in mind, I ordered three new lotions to try.   The goal?  Something without any added scent (or a strong unscented smell).  It would need to be rich and hydrating but not greasy, and something that wouldn't need to be reapplied multiple times a day -- because, really, who has time for that?!

The Contenders:
Acure Fragrance Free Ultra-Hydrating Body Lotion
Clearly I've already spoiled that this was not what I wanted it to be.  The current formula feels very watery and rubs away to nothing.  If you like your lotions incredibly light, it might suit your purposes.  It certainly won't leave you greasy, and it legitimately has no discernible scent.  

Acure Fragrance Free Bare Baby Lotion
Sorry Acure, it's just not your day!  The Bare Baby Lotion is much better in terms of richness and hydration, but it smells awful - like a combination of feet and stinky cheese.  Yuck!  My tube was sealed and is well within the best before date, so there's no reason why it shouldn't be okay, but I'm wondering if maybe I got a bad bottle, as I can't imagine anyone actually trying to sell a product that smells like this.  We don't have access to Acure in stores here, so I have no way of checking, but if you've used this lotion before, I'd love to know if yours smelled gross like this too!

DeVita Shea Butter Bruleé
I like this one, but I don't love it.  Described as an "ultra rich hand and body bruleé," the Shea Butter Bruleé is surprisingly very lightweight.  It sinks in quickly and moisturizes well in the moment, but it doesn't keep my skin feeling hydrated for as long as I'd like.  It also smells a little like sunscreen, although the scent doesn't linger past application.  

The great thing about this cream, however, is the way it gives the skin a slightly perfected, tauter appearance.  There's no mica or other colorants like in most "perfecting" lotions, but it somehow makes skin look just a little bit better.  I expect it'll be great in the summer!  The Bruleé is made with vitamin K, hyaluronic acid, plant collagen, and peptides to increase circulation and target spider veins and stretch marks.  I haven't used it consistently enough to notice a difference in any of those areas, but I'm guessing these same ingredients are responsible for the instant tightening effect I noticed.  

Savannah Bee Company Unscented Honey Body Lotion
Saving the best for last!   The Honey Body Lotion has a thick, rich consistency without feeling overly heavy or greasy as you work it into the skin.  It has a very slight nutty scent - nothing super noticeable - and leaves my skin moisturized enough that I can go a couple days between uses without any ill effects.  It's obviously not vegan (honey + beeswax), unlike the other three, but it's a great lotion.  Probably the only one of the lot that I'd purchase again.  

The Bottom Line
I wouldn't recommend either of the Acure lotions - one for its scent and one for its performance - but I like both the DeVita and Savannah Bee lotions to varying degrees.  The Savannah Bee Honey Lotion has a great balance between richness and easy absorption and is what I'd opt for on an everyday basis, and the DeVita Shea Butter Bruleé has an interesting tightening effect that leaves skin looking slightly perfected without bronzing or color change and would probably be great in the summer.  It's something I'd reach for before wearing shorts or showing more skin, but it doesn't do the trick through these colder winter months.

What are your favorite body lotions?  
 

For my actual birthday today, I've teamed up with one of my favorite online stores, iHerb, for my final giveaway of the month.  iHerb is an online retailer selling all kinds of healthy products: supplements, food, cosmetics, household supplies, and more!   Basically they sell the same kinds of things you'd find in a health food store, but at a substantially lower cost.

I've been ordering from iHerb since 2011 (I even documented very first order here) and I've always had a great experience.  From a Canadian viewpoint, I get access to brands that we don't have here, as well as lower prices on the ones we do.  Even with the exchange and the Canadian dollar doing so poorly, most things still work out to lower, or at least comparable, prices to what I'd pay locally.  iHerb lets you check out in Canadian dollars (or other currencies) and they've also recently added a new DHL shipping option that collects tax on Canadian orders, so you don't have to worry about being charged tax or fees at the door.  I also received this most recent order in 1 day with the new DHL shipping, which is crazy impressive!

Customer service is also great.  I haven't had any major issues in the more than 30 orders (!!) I've placed, but any problems have always been taken care of easily and appropriately. iHerb also has a simple rewards program if you want to refer friends, as well as new loyalty credits that reward everyone with 10% of all purchases back in store credit.

Clearly I've done my share of shopping with iHerb on my own dime , so when they offered to sponsor this post, I was excited to work with a company I already think highly of AND to have the chance to give two of you a chance to try iHerb for yourselves (more on that later!)  All opinions are, as always, fully my own.

Keep reading for a peek at my latest iHerb order and first impressions on the things I picked up.  

Stick around until the end to enter the giveaway, or if you don't want to wait, use my referral code ITI429 for $5 off your first order now!


Andalou Naturals Chia + Omega Radiant Skin Polish + Blemish Vanishing Gel
The Chia + Omega Skin Polish was featured as one of my Top 15 of 2015 and is a firm favorite of mine.  This will be my third tube of the scrub, which offers a perfect balance between gentleness and thorough exfoliation.

The Blemish Vanishing Gel is a salicylic acid spot treatment.  I didn't actually pick this up for pimples, but instead for use on a single millia-like blemish that I've had on my cheek for a few months now.  Nothing else has worked on it, and after seeing multiple recommendations for salicylic acid, I thought I'd give it a try.  Usually a higher content than the 2% in this spot treatment is recommended, but I haven't seen any higher ones with clean ingredients, so I thought, since salicylic acid hasn't touched my skin in more than 10 years, the lower percentage MIGHT still do the trick.  And it has, sort of.  The bump got noticeably smaller within the first couple days using the Vanishing Gel, but it hasn't gone away completely yet.  The Blemish Gel also works great on regular breakouts/pimples.  

Both products also came with free minis of other Andalou products.  I received the Purple Carrot + C Luminous Night Cream, which I've actually been using for the past few months, and the new to me Kombucha Enzyme Exfoliating Peel, which I'm excited to try.  I love when Andalou includes freebies like this!

DeVita Revitalizing Eye Lift Creme
I was debating between DeVita's Eye Creme and Eye Serum, but this review on kimberlyloc.com pushed me over the edge on the creme.  In addition to the affordable price point, what intrigued me about both eye products was the inclusion of Vitamin K, a circulation booster that can be very effective on dark circles.  The Eye Creme is a rich cream that also includes hyaluronic acid, shea butter, oat beta glucan, and Tetrapeptide-3.  I've been using it for almost two weeks now and I can't say I've noticed much difference beyond moisturization, but I'm hopeful for more visible results with longer use.

Pacifica Camellia Blushious Coconut & Rose Infused Cheek Color
I've had my eye on these Pacifica blushes ever since they launched a few months ago, and I finally picked up Camellia, a light pink/peach with slight gold sparkle.  I really like it!  The Blushious blushes are described as sheer mineral cheek colors, and as the description suggests, Camellia isn't highly pigmented.  It's a pretty color, but I do find I need to layer quite a bit on even my fair skin, so I doubt this color would show up very well on deeper skin tones.

Mineral Fusion Ruby Lipstick
After falling in love with Mineral Fusion's Sheer Moisture Lip Tints last year, I thought I'd try one of their regular lipsticks.  Happily, it's been an all around hit as well!  The copper tube is beautiful, the formula is great, and I love the color I chose as well.  Ruby is basically my perfect red: a bit deeper than a classic red, with very slight berry tones.  It's a gorgeous shade that reminds me a lot of the much spendier Aux Rouge Lip Boost from Gressa, only a hair darker and housed in a traditional lipstick bullet.

Emani Plush Hydrating Lip Color
My love for sheer lip colors is no secret, so when I spotted Emani's Hydrating Lip Colors, I thought they'd be right up my alley.  After looking at swatches, I chose Plush, a medium/bright pink.  The formula is sheer but buildable and although it's not extremely hydrating, it feels comfortable on the lips.  My only issue is that the lipstick has a sweet, almost vanilla-like scent and there's nothing in the ingredients list to account for that smell.  I've contacted Emani for more information, but I haven't heard back so far.

Everyday Minerals Sugared Mauve Tinted Lip Butter
The Tinted Lip Butter in Nearly Nude is one of my favorite everyday lip products, so I decided to pick up another color.  The formula on these is wonderful and Sugared Mauve is a pretty, sheer mauvey-nude - very wearable and also great for everyday!



Hurraw! Sun Balm
Sun Balm is my favorite SPF lip balm and it's a product I'm happy to have it back in my life.  SPF 15 from non-nano uncoated zinc oxide and no real whitecast make this a fantastic product to keep in your sun protection arsenal.  It also smells yummy - like a vanilla-orange creamsicle.  The Sun Balm has a thicker/creamier formula than the regular Hurraw! balms and I prefer both the feel and how it lasts considerably longer on the lips.

Blum Naturals Oil Absorbing Facial Tissues
I feel like you should be able to just pick up blotting tissues at the drugstore, but it's amazing how many additional ingredients sneak into those things!  The Blum Oil Absorbing Tissues are basic powderless blotting papers and they work well at removing oil/shine without disturbing makeup.  They're a staple in my purse.

Mineral Fusion Northern Lights Mini Nail Polish Kit
Mineral Fusion nail polishes are 5-free and one of my favorite formulas.  If I could buy all my nail polishes as minis, I totally would, which is also why I love these kits so much.  The Northern Lights Kit, specifically, was a 2015 holiday release and includes Coal Mine (black with silver shimmer), Cascade (shimmery silver), and Blue Nile (metallic dark teal).  I can't wait to use these!

I'm excited to give away two $50 shopping sprees to iHerb!  Follow the Rafflecopter widget, below, to enter.  

The giveaway is open to anywhere iHerb ships.  Winner must have an iHerb account (or register with iHerb) to claim the prize.  Shipping will be taken care of by iHerb, but the winners, if outside the US, are responsible for any additional taxes/duties/brokerage fees levied to them by their Customs Agency and/or Postal Service.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's that time again, and in the interest of spicing things up, I filmed an empties video this month.  I'll also run through everything in writing below, if you prefer to read versus watch.



Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz   [Review]
This was my second bottle of this and I'm already onto my third.  It's a good, light hold, aloe-based hair gel.
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

Rahua Voluminous Spray   [Review]
I have mixed feelings about this one.  Some days I liked how it made my hair look and others  I didn't feel like it did anything at all.  Plus, it leaves your hair very tangly.
Repurchase? No.

Devita Gentle Aloe Face Scrub   [Review]
Very gentle, as the name suggests, but also pretty effective.  Super affordable too!  
Repurchase? Not right away.

Graydon Face Food Mineral Mist*   [Review]
Graydon is a great line and I liked this mist well enough, but I notice the biggest difference on days when my skin is acting up.  When my skin is behaving, I can take it or leave it.
Repurchase? Not sure.

Shea Terra Argan Oil + Acacia Honey Facial Wash*   [Review]
One of my favorite cleansers.  It's a blend of honey and a gentle castile soap that leaves your face really clean, but not stripped or dry.  
Repurchase? Yes, but not immediately.

Nourish Organics Spiced Citrus Body Wash
You guys know I love these body washes.  The Spiced Citrus scent could have been spicier - it smells like orange candy to me - but I still enjoyed it.  
Repurchase? Yes.

Nourish Organics Fresh Fig Deodorant
If I want this to last all day, I need to combine it with another deodorant, but I'm still a big fan.  The formula is gentle enough to use right after shaving and the fig scent is fruity and lovely.
Repurchase? Yes.

Sibu Beauty Clarifying Toner (sample)
Not a hit.  It left my skin feeling dry and I didn't like the scent.  
Repurchase? No.

Ikove Organics Acai Chocolate Radiance Moisturizing Cream (sample)
The sample was separated and I wasn't impressed.  Hopefully full size jars can stay better emulsified!
Repurchase? No.

Kaia Bamboo Tapioca Beads* (sample)    [Review]
I really enjoyed using this dry, powdered exfoliant.  It's easy to customize just by switching up what you liquid you mix it with, and it does a great job.
Repurchase? It's quite likely.

MUN Brightening Youth Serum (sample)
Despite the accolades, I wasn't blown away.  It was fine, but not revolutionary enough to convince me to splurge on a full size bottle.
Repurchase? No.

#NoBuyJanuary is officially over and I'd say it went exceptionally well.  I stuck to it and didn't buy anything beauty related for the entire month and the fact that it didn't end up being all that difficult, leaves me feeling pretty good about my spending habits.  I always strive for conscious spending, so I guess not spending anything at all is just an extension of that.  

Along those same lines, I want to talk about a few products that stood out as favorites while "shopping my stash" this past month...



Amala Brightening Toning Essence*
I did a full review of this toner back in November, and even though I liked it, in true beauty blogger fashion, I moved onto other things shortly after that.  So, what's so great about this product?  It completely lives up to its claims and brightens like nothing else I've tried.  However, keep in mind that it isn't something that makes your skin instantly look brighter or more luminous.  Instead, it brightens by improving skin tone and evenness over a period of time.  Since I last pulled it out, I've had a couple blemishes that left behind those charming dark spots and once I reincorporated Amala's toner into my routine, I could see a difference within about a week (of morning and night use.)  They still aren't 100% gone, but I'm confident that the toner is helping them fade. 

Nourish Organic Purely Unscented Body Butter
These body butters are the perfect consistency!  They're solid (though not overly hard) in the pot, but as soon as they touch your skin, they transform into a creamy butter.  I especially love slathering this rich, unscented butter all over my hands and feet.  It's been working wonders at keeping them soft and hydrated through all the cold weather we've been having.

Devita Moisture Tint in Light
I purchased this sample from White Rabbit Beauty and I really like it.  It's a tinted moisturizer with SPF 15 and very minimal, light coverage, but it just about evens out the skin and leaves you looking incredibly glowy and healthy.  My favorite way to wear it has been with a light dusting of Honeybee Gardens' powder on top.  The powder adds a bit more coverage and takes down the dewiness of the moisturizer just slightly, to a point where I'm more comfortable with it.  Together, these make the perfect pair to counteract dull winter skin.  The color I've been using, Light, leans pretty golden/yellow, but the coverage is so sheer that it blends into my skin just fine.  

Homemade Lip Balm
The pink pot in the middle of the photo is a tinted lip balm I made a while back.  I don't remember the exact recipe, but I know I used a base of coconut oil and beeswax and colored it using a mineral blush sample.  It's really soft and lovely on the lips and pulling it out again this month has reminded me that I need to get back into the habit of making my own lip balms.

Vapour Organic Illusionist Concealer in 010*
This is another rediscovered favorite.  010 is a fantastic color match for me and while I've always loved it for under the eyes, I've just recently started using it for more spot concealing.  I apply it straight from the tube and just blend it out with a finger, so application is a breeze, and as long as I set it with some kind of a powder, it lasts all day.  I've also sheered the concealer out and used it as an all over light foundation (à la RMS Un Cover-up) and it works well that way too!

What products did you love in January?

As much as I've enjoyed using my Nourish Body Polish on my face, I wanted to pick up an actual face scrub to incorporate into my skincare routine.  I was able to test out a few different scrubs on my hands at a local health food store and decided on Devita's Gentle Aloe Facial Scrub.  I did end up ordering it from Vitacost, rather than just buying it in store, as, in a classic case of Canadian pricing, the markup was a little extreme.  As much as I like supporting local, Canadian businesses, the health food store was selling it for $28 or $29 and I was able to get it on Vitacost for less than $17.

I've been using this scrub for about a month now and overall I'm pleased with it.  Jojoba beads tend to be my favorite exfoliant, and Devita's scrub doesn't disappoint at all in that regard.  It does a fantastic job exfoliating and my skin is left feeling extremely smooth and soft.  As you may already know, I'm usually drawn to simpler skincare products and this fits the bill in that area as well.  It has a short ingredients list and in terms of appearance and feel, it really seems like it could just be jojoba beads in a base of aloe vera gel.  (Obviously there are a few more ingredients than that though!)  For whatever reason, it also reminds me a little of those conventional, drugstore scrubs with the perky, bright colored beads that many of us used as teens.  



I prefer using this scrub in the shower, as the scrubby bits really cling to your face and it can be difficult to get them all off at the sink.  The scrub has no added essential oils or fragrance and it smells pretty neutral.  I want to say it smells the tiniest bit like alcohol, perhaps from the sorbitol, but even that is extremely mild.  

My only complaint is that it sometimes leaves my face feeling tight.  I've been using the scrub about twice a week, and on those days, to compensate for any potential dryness, I make sure to use a pump of Aura Cacia's argan oil in between my regular toner and moisturizer.  With this extra precaution, I haven't had any problems with the scrub drying out my skin.  

The Bottom Line
I've always heard amazing things about Devita's skincare products and I'm glad I finally gave them a try with this scrub.  While I wouldn't say I'm crazy, head-over-heels in love with it, it does work well.  I'm curious to check out more from the line in the future! 

Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis* (aloe vera gel), saponaria officialis (soapwort) extract, jojoba esters (bead), sorbitol, simmondsia chinenesis (jojoba) seed oil, hydrastis canadensis (golden seal) extract, sodium chloride, allantoin, vitis vinifera (grape) seed extract.
*Certified Organic




Disclosure: Contains affiliate links.