Naturalla Beauty

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?  
 

The first thing that stood out to me about Mamma Oceania Handmade Soap was their tag line.  After all, it doesn't get much better than "Mermaid Approved Clean," does it?  Add in a cute logo, great ingredients, minimal packaging, and the fact that the soaps are handmade in small batches here in Toronto, and I was sold.  



Anna Mattiuzzo, Mamma Oceania's founder and soaper-in-chief,  was working in fashion PR and publishing when she started making soap for her own personal use.  When she began sharing the soaps with friends and giving them as presents, people loved them and asked for more, and one thing led to another until Mamma Oceania was born.  

Anna was kind enough to send me all eight of her soaps to try and I've been having the best time testing everything out.  The soaps are made with USDA certified organic ingredients and are free of controversial palm and canola oils, as well as artificial colours, fragrances, and preservatives.  The entire line relies on a gentle, moisturizing base of olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, colloidal oatmeal, and banana and Canadian kelp extracts, and each individual soap varies from that point on.  Soaps are cured for four to six weeks using the traditional, cold-process soap method, ensuring that you get a firm, solid, hefty bar of soap that really lasts and won't melt away in just a couple washes.  (Though you'll still want to keep your soap out of the direct shower spray and let it dry between uses to help it along!) 

Each soap produces a beautiful, rich lather that feels very soft and gentle on the skin.  I always keep bar soap at my bathroom sink and I've had several culprits over the years leave me with dry, papery hands, but I haven't had that problem with any of the Mamma Oceania soaps, even through colder weather.  Instead, my skin is consistently left feeling clean, soft, and touchable.  Without any added scent ingredients - either natural or synthetic - the soaps just have a very light, clean scent that's basically undetectable as soon as you rinse off.  

My absolute favorite of the bunch has been the Baby Clean Soap, made with chamomile extract.  It has a slightly creamier scent than some of the others and feels extra soft and almost buttery on the skin.  Other favorites have been the Skin Nourishing Soap with rosehip, and the Gentle Exfoliating Soap with pomegranate and coconut milk.  Regular readers may recall that I don't generally enjoy exfoliating bits in my bar soap, but the Gentle Exfoliating Soap is, as the name suggests, extremely gentle and actually feels basically smooth to the touch.  If you like your soaps extra gritty, this isn't the one for you, but if you prefer a creamy lather with just a hint of exfoliation, it's just the ticket.  Mamma Oceania also makes two face-specific soaps, the Brightening Facial Soap and the Pore Saver Facial Soap, but the entire line is so gentle that I would honestly feel okay using any of them on my face.

Photo Credit

The Bottom Line
Mamma Oceania soaps are especially wonderful for those of us with sensitive skin and noses, but I really think they'd be a treat for any soap lover.  With a rich, creamy lather, an abundance of organic ingredients, small batch manufacturing, and no animal testing, Mamma Oceania is beautiful traditional handmade soap at its best!

The Mamma Oceania website will be set up for transactions very soon, but in the meantime orders can be placed by contacting the company through the website, Facebook page, and by email.  

For Torontonians, the soaps can regularly be found at Nepal Pari Salon on Front St. W., and Anna will also be at the following markets this Spring:

I regularly receive emails from readers looking for unscented product recommendations, so I figured it was past time I did a dedicated post.  As many of you know, I'm sensitive to scents, so while there are many scented products I enjoy, I like to keep unscented options around as well.

An important thing to keep in mind is that unscented does not automatically mean there are no scent components added.  Many ingredients have a scent, so some companies add fragrance components or essential oils to mask that and help the product to smell less.  On the flip side, unscented products that don't have added scent will often have a smell, just by nature of the other ingredients.  Neither is inherently a bad thing, but I do recommend - as always - reading ingredients so that you know exactly what you're getting.  

Now, without further ado, I bring you my favorite unscented products:



Acure Cocoa Butter + CoQ10 Ultra-Hydrating Unscented Body Lotion
This lotion strikes the perfect balance between moisture and easy application and absorption.  With great ingredients and an affordable price tag, it's pretty much an automatic re-buy as soon as I start running low.  

Lina Hanson Global Baby Serum
Lina Hanson is a master of scents, but she also knocked it out of the park last year with the unscented Global Baby Serum.  Kalahari watermelon seed oil lends a light - or even dry - feel to the oil, which nonetheless hydrates the skin very well.  Originally intended for babies, maybe, but it's equally awesome for grown ups too.  

Graydon Face Food Mineral Mist
Face Food is a mineral mist made only of water and ionic copper, zinc, and silver.  The minerals, which help stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, kill bacteria, and reduce redness and irritation, are scent-free and the mist offers light, soothing hydration.   I especially enjoy this product when my skin is more acne-prone or reactive.

Weleda Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion
I'm a big fan of Weleda's entire almond line, but if I had to pick one standout product, it would be the Cleansing Lotion.  With only seven ingredients, it's a super basic cream cleanser that very gently cleanses the skin without anything harsh or stripping.  This isn't part of my day-to-day routine anymore, but when my skin is more sensitive or reactive, it's one of the first things I turn to.

Nourish Organic Pure Unscented Body Butter
If you're looking for something richer than a body lotion, Nourish's body butters are a great choice.  They're USDA certified organic, super hydrating and just melt into the skin beautifully.  I don't use this all over my body very often, but it is the best for those extra dry spots like elbows or the bottoms of your feet.  Nourish's Pure Unscented line also includes their body wash, hand soap and deodorant - all three of which I love, although I've only tried their scented counterparts thus far.  (I'd recommend steering clear of the body lotion though, which I didn't find moisturized enough and which has a strong alcohol scent.)

Dr. Bronner's Unscented Baby-Mild Castile Liquid Soap
I'm pretty sure everyone knows Dr. Bronner's soaps by now, but if for some reason you haven't tried them yet, you really should.  Truly a multi-purpose product, I've used Dr. B as body wash, hand soap, makeup brush cleaner, dog shampoo, dish soap, laundry detergent, and even in a few DIY's.  I always buy the unscented one, which gives you the option to use it as is or to add your own scents.

Epic Blend Unflavoured More Moisture Lip Balm
It's hard to find good unscented/unflavoured lip balms, because without a scent or flavour, I often notice the natural oils and butters leaving an icky taste in my mouth.  Not the case with Epic Blend.  If I stick my nose right up to the tube, it has a very slight sweet smell, but it's very neutral and with regular application, I hardly notice it.  Epic Blend's More Moisture lip balms are one of my favorites and they do a great job keeping your lips soft and well moisturized.

Blissoma Pure Sensitive Skin Soothing Complex
Packed with amazing ingredients like marshmallow root, plantain and self heal, Pure is an exceptional moisturizer for sensitive skin and for soothing any skin irritation or redness.  The formula contains no added scent, but it's the one product on this list that does have a fairly noticeable herbal smell from the other ingredients.  

Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz Natural Styling Serum
The place where I notice smells lingering on me the most is in my hair, so leave-in products with strong scents are often a no-go.  I featured the Spiral Spritz in my Best Curly Girl Hair Products of 2014 for how well it works as a light-hold, curl defining gel, but the scent (or lack thereof) is also noteworthy.  It smells lightly of aloe vera on application, but that dissipates almost immediately and I - refreshingly - don't smell anything on my hair throughout the day.  

Do you look for unscented products?  What are your favorites?

Lina Hanson's Global Body Serum took the green beauty world by storm last year and Lina's hit the mark again, this time with a baby product.  The Global Baby Serum launched this past Mother's Day, and while this blend was created with delicate baby skin in mind and is gentle and safe enough for newborns, it's also perfect for adult sensitive skin and anyone in search of a gentle, unscented body oil.  It's even recommended for pregnant bellies and new mamas, since several of the ingredients increase skin elasticity and help treat stretch marks.

The star ingredient is kalahari or watermelon seed oil, which is high in essential fatty acids, but still has a light feeling on the skin.  Watermelon seeds are harvested by women's co-operatives in West Africa, using fair-trade practices that support entire communities.  Camellia seed oil, harvested from the same plant that produces tea leaves, also stood out to me in the ingredients list.  This oil, most well known for its use by Japanese geishas, is extremely soothing, suitable for the most sensitive skin, and full of antioxidants.  Other ingredients include safflower, jojoba, sunflower, apricot, and grape seed oils.  To eliminate potential allergens, the blend is free of both essential oils and tree nut oils.

The oil feels very light going on, but still manages to hydrate really well.  I'm well aware that body oils don't always get enough love from me, since, although I appreciate the results they give, I can't always commit those extra few minutes straight out of the shower to massage an oil into damp skin.  Not a problem with the Global Baby Serum.  It's an oil, yes, but it's a dry oil and absorbs quickly and fully, even on completely dry skin.  Damp skin will make the oil spread a little further, but either way - on dry or wet skin - there's no greasy residue left behind.  

And, it's fantastic on more troubled skin too.  My legs had been reacting to something and were irritated and very itchy right around the time the sample of Lina's oil showed up at my door, and this beauty soothed my inflamed skin like nothing else.  The oil is also truly fragrance free, with no detectable scent to my nose.   

The Bottom Line
The Global Baby Serum is an excellent choice for babies, expectant mothers, and anyone else looking for a gentle, quick absorbing, unscented body oil.  The deceptively light feel hides a highly moisturizing, nourishing treat that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.  

Where to Buy: $35 from Lina Hanson, Spirit Beauty Lounge

Ingredients: Citrullus vulgaris (watermelon) seed oil, arthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, camellia oleifera (camellia) seed oil*, prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, tocopherol (non-gmo)


Disclosure: Product provided for  review.  I was under no obligation to write a positive review in return for free product, nor was I compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own.  Contains affiliate links.