Naturalla Beauty

The one good thing about waiting so long to write up my empties is that I actually had time to accumulate a decent pile of finished makeup!  Using up makeup takes forever, but it's always so satisfying, isn't it?  Here's everything that I finished off in the last few months:

  

Face
Juice Beauty's Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream makes a nice lightweight base.  It offers minimal coverage, but has a pretty, glowy finish.  Natural Glow, the lightest shade, was a great color match for me too.  The scent is the one negative of this product, although by midway through the tube, I was mostly used to it.  The CC Cream smells strongly like petitgrain, which if you aren't familiar with it, has quite a grassy/herbal scent.

I didn't notice any skincare benefits or reduced dark circles from Alba Botanica's Fast Fix for Undereye Circles, but it works pretty well as a yellow-toned color corrector.  It's a little sheer, so most often I used it layered under another concealer.  Alima Pure's Luminous Shimmer Blushes are a fantastic formula and Guava, since discontinued, was a beautiful shimmery peach.  I wish it was still available -- it was a great natural, easy-to-wear color!

Eyes
Zuzu Luxe Onyx Mascara is a longtime favorite of mine -- I've probably used 15 or 20 tubes of it over the years!  It doesn't give the most dramatic lashes, but it's great for a natural look and doesn't smudge or flake at all.  I've even made it through a few snowstorms with intact lashes with this guy!  The Ashley Morgan Cosmetics Black Mascara (now Purely Lulu) was a new discovery for me and a great one!  It's very black and creates beautiful, fluttery lashes.  Both mascaras are also good for sensitive eyes.

Zuzu Luxe's Russet Eyebrow Pencil was, I believe, my very first brow purchase.  I found the color slightly too warm-toned with my natural hair color, but since henna-ing my hair the last couple months, that warmth became a positive.  Color aside, Zuzu's brow pencils have a good, solid formula that goes on nicely and lasts the entire day without budging.    

I still have a ridiculous number of eye shadow samples, but at least I finished off a few more!  Silk Naturals Nekkid Eye Shadow, a supposed dupe for MAC Naked Lunch, is a shimmery pink/pale rose gold.  It's a great all-over the lid shade.  Cheeky Cosmetics Espresso Eye Shadow, a rich and pigmented matte dark brown, was another hit and fantastic as a powder eyeliner.  Lucy Minerals' Creamy White Eye Shadow is a powder, but one with a super creamy feel, similar to the company's foundation, and I liked it a lot as a brow bone highlight.  I used up samples of Silk Naturals' Beach Bunny and Malibu Miss, both technically bronzers, as eye shadows too.  Both are mid-toned warm/yellow browns -- one shimmery, one matte -- which are exactly the kinds of colors I wear in the crease most days, and the sheerer bronzer formula made blending super easy.  Since I'm not much of a bronzer wearer, I was happy to move the samples out this way instead.

Lips
I hear so many people say that they never get through lip balm, but that's clearly not an issue for me!  Rachel's Plan Bee's Lip Balm completely saved my lips last winter when nothing else was working and I'll always have a soft spot for it for that alone!  I prefer the Peppermint to this one, the Natural Flavor, but both are fantastically nourishing and buttery.  I also really enjoyed the Duckish Grapefruit Lip Balm.  It has a slightly heavier formula -- although not uncomfortably so -- and makes the perfect protective lip cover for braving the cold.  This is what I've been wearing for late night winter dog walks where the temperature is regularly around -10°C.  The Savannah Bee Co. Wild Blackberry Beeswax & Propolis Lip Balm was also great.  Less of a heavy hitter than the first two, but it still worked well and the blackberry scent is fantastic -- sweet and fruity without smelling fake or cloying.  Compared to the other three, the Sierra Bees Organic Unflavored Lip Balm was a little unimpressive.  Sierra Bees is one of iHerb's own brands and the lip balms are both certified organic and super inexpensive.  I have nothing bad to say about them -- they're good balms and the price alone (currently $2.95 for an 8-pack!) always has me tempted to throw a pack into my cart, but I realize there are other balms -- like the other three here -- that I like more. 

Nails
Priti NYC's Soy Nail Polish Remover is my gold standard for nail polish remover.  It removes polish well, doesn't dry out nails or cuticles, and it has absolutely no nasty polish remover smell.  I have mixed feelings about the Suncoat Nail Polish Remover Gel, a gel that you're supposed to spread onto the nails and let sit for 2 minutes before wiping off.  By itself, you need to reapply many times to fully remove polish -- really not worth the time or effort -- however as the first step in removing tricky glitter polishes, I did like it.  I'd leave the gel on for closer to 5 minutes and then remove it and go back in with a regular liquid remover like the Priti NYC.  I'd never recommend the Gel Remover on its own, but it definitely helpful in breaking down difficult glitter polishes.  I loved the Pacifica Gloss Top & Base Coat at first, but it was ultimately disappointing.  You can't really tell in the photo, but the bottle is only about halfway done and it doesn't work at all anymore.  The polish is gloopy and has started to dry on the nails with bubbles and divets.  I'm kind of bummed to chuck it, but it's basically unusable at this point and just ruins otherwise good manicures/pedicures.  

And that's a wrap!  I'm so happy to finally get rid of all this beauty trash!

How do you feel about less-than-stellar reviews?  It seems like there's an ongoing debate amongst bloggers as to whether or not one should share less favorable opinions of products or just stick to talking about the things we love.  Negative reviews aren't nearly as fun to write, it's true, but I've always felt it was important to share less glowing opinions as well, which is why I do these Disappointing Products posts every so often.  

As always, this isn't intended to bash any of these brands - most of whom actually make other products I love - only to share why these particular items haven't worked for me.  



Nubian Heritage EVOO & Moringa Repair & Extend Shine Gel
I actually included this in my last disappointing products post (oops!) but I forgot I'd ever written about it when I gathered up this latest batch to photograph.  Clearly I've held onto it for way too long at this point!  To reiterate that first post, the gel itself actually performed really well the few times I used it, but I struggle with the scent.  It's strong and perfumey, and lasts all day in my hair.  The ingredients list only a "proprietary essential oil blend," and while it may only be essential oils, the scent is quite reminiscent of synthetic fragrance and isn't something I can tolerate.  I haven't tried anything else from Nubian Heritage, so I don't know if it's just this one product or the entire line, but I'd advise caution if you're someone sensitive to scents.  I can't find this exact product on the Nubian Heritage website anymore and it's out of stock from a lot of other retailers, so it may have been discontinued.

Benecos Natural Creamy Makeup
This foundation baffles me, as I just can't imagine how anyone could make it work.  It's a liquid foundation with a thick creamy consistency, but it sets almost as soon as it touches the skin, making it nearly impossible to work with.  Because of how quickly it dries, it's a struggle to spread or sheer out, and tends to look heavy and cakey.  It also has a sickly sweet honey-like scent and - something I didn't initially realize - contains talc. 

Balanced Guru Antioxidant Masque
Balanced Guru's Calming Masque is one of my all-time favorite skincare items, but the Antioxidant Masque did not leave my skin happy.  The mask contains a blend of antioxidant-rich berries and spices, and it smells delicious: like cinnamon and cloves.  I've noticed a pattern recently whereby my skin doesn't do well with these warm spices in products that stay on the skin, and this mask - much like May Lindstrom's Problem Solver - left my skin red, hot, and burning.  I really do love Balanced Guru as a brand, so if you're usually okay with these spices, it might still be worth a try.  

Everyday Minerals Soft Peach Color Corrector Stick
The color of this corrector/concealer is a fantastic pale peach, but unfortunately, it blends away to nothing.  There's virtually no coverage, even with multiple layers, and any brightening or color correcting properties are very minimal as well.  The ingredients are great and it's a hydrating formula, so I may give it one more try as a sheer foundation.

Juice Beauty Nutrient Moisturizer    
This moisturizer is advertised as a nutrient-rich cream suitable for all skin types, but I found it way too heavy on my normal-to-dry skin, so I question if it would suit anyone other than the ultra-dry.  It never seemed to absorb and instead just sat on top of my skin.  As a result, it didn't work well under makeup, and even when used at night, I'd wake up with a film from the cream still on my face.  I also found my face got shiny/oily throughout the day while using it, which isn't something I normally deal with.

Have you used any of these products?  I'd love to know if you were similarly underwhelmed or if they worked differently for you!

It's no secret I've been loyal to Acure's Argan + Argan Stem Cell shampoo and conditioner these last couple years, but this summer brought with it an urge to switch things up, so I've been trying out a few new hair products.  First up, Juice Organics' Brightening Shampoo and Conditioner ($17 together, $10 each individually).  The Brightening hair products are marketed for clarifying and refreshing normal, oily, fine, and lackluster hair, but I picked them up purely based on the orange scent, which was my favorite of the brand's four hair care lines.  



My hair doesn't need clarifying products, but as it turns out, this shampoo was still a good choice as the Brightening Shampoo isn't actually all that clarifying.  It gets the hair clean, but I don't think it does a more thorough job than your average non-clarifying shampoo.  It's pretty gentle and I even find I need to double wash when I've used a lot of hair products or if my hair feels extra dirty that day.  

So, it doesn't live up to its clarifying claims, but what's really great about this shampoo is that it lathers easily and doesn't strip either the hair or scalp of moisture.  It also smells like a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice and I really enjoy the scent.  

The Brightening Conditioner, however, was much less impressive.  First off, it's not at all what I'd expect from a clarifying line and is actually a very thick, heavy conditioner.  My hair is curly and can handle a good amount of moisture and richness, but I can only use the smallest amount of this conditioner or it leaves my hair feeling dirty, greasy, and weighed down.  And, despite the weight of the conditioner, I don't find it does a good job detangling and necessitates an additional leave-in conditioner or detangler in order to comb through my wet hair.  I also don't like how it smells.  While the shampoo has a refreshing orange scent, the conditioner smells to me like citrus crossed with rubber, which just isn't appealing in any way.  

The one thing the conditioner does have going for it is that it really does leave the hair looking beautifully shiny and glossy.  I can see a difference in the shine of my hair when I use this versus other conditioners, although to me, it's not significant enough to counter the other negatives this product has working against it.

The Bottom Line
The Brightening Shampoo smells great and makes an excellent day-to-day shampoo, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone looking for a truly clarifying product.   I did not enjoy the matching conditioner, which has a pronounced rubber-like scent, doesn't detangle very well, and often left my hair feeling greasy.  
  

I debated whether or not it was worth posting this review since you may or may not actually be able to get your hands on this product, but I'm so taken with this cleanser that I decided to chance it!  Juice Organics is a more affordable subset of Juice Beauty, and while the Juice Organics hair care line has recently been expanded, the skincare range looks to have been discontinued.  Nonetheless, I continue to see this cleanser - and the company's other skincare items - at Winners (with expiry dates several years in the future), and I'd venture to guess they make appearances at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls in the U.S. too.



The PomWash Exfoliating Facial Cleanser is a lathering face wash that's intended to gently refine and exfoliate the skin with papaya and pineapple enzymes.  Like a foaming hand soap, the cleanser has a thin, watery consistency in the bottle, that's then aerated through the pump into a light foam.  



In place of water, the cleanser is made with aloe vera and antioxidant-rich white grape and pomegranate juices.  The foaming action comes from decyl glucoside, a gentle sugar-derived surfactant that's often found in baby shampoos and sensitive skin products.  The ingredients also list peach extract and the cleanser has a fairly strong peach-berry scent.  Initially, I found it a little overpowering, but it's grown on me over the last couple weeks and now I actually really like it.  The scent reminds me a lot of Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion tea, if you've ever smelled that.

When I'm able, I like to take a good couple minutes to thoroughly massage the PomWash onto my face, giving the enzymes a little extra time to work their magic.  The foam has great slip and rinses away easily and without leaving behind any residue.  As I've said before, my skin is normal-to-dry, though I'm also prone to clogged pores and congestion.  Allantoin and vitamin B5 in the PomWash help the skin retain moisture, so unlike a lot of other foaming cleansers, it isn't drying.  I've also noticed my pores have started looking smaller and cleaner since I've been using it.  In terms of makeup removal, the PomWash does fine with face makeup, but because of the enzymes, I wouldn't suggest using it around the eyes.  


The Bottom Line
The PomWash Exfoliating Facial Cleanser is an excellent product that I wish was still readily available.  It's the gentlest foaming cleanser I've used to date and it does a great job lightly exfoliating and thoroughly cleansing without drying or stripping the skin.  If you can find it, I highly recommend giving this cleanser a try!

I'm pretty smitten with Petit Vour and March's box is no exception  With a spring theme, the box looks to introduce products that will elevate your beauty ritual with purpose and innovation, while also giving you lovely things to look at on your vanity.  Here's what was included:



Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream (Sample Value ±$11.50)
I haven't tried much from Juice Beauty, but the CC Cream has gotten a lot of good press, so I was happy to see it in this month's box.  I received Natural Glow, the lightest shade, which is a good match for my fair skin.  The coverage is minimal, but it does even things out a little and gives the skin a healthy, dewy finish.  I ended up going over the CC Cream with a light dusting of mineral foundation, but I don't think it's an absolute must to top it with anything, depending on how much coverage you like and how dewy or matte you want to look.   It smells grassy and very much like petit grain essential oil (which it does contain), but the scent isn't overpowering, nor does it linger much past the initial application.  I'll update once I've used it a little more, but first impressions are good!

Metropolis Soap Co. Lavender & Spearmint Lip Cream ($7)
Metropolis Soap Co. isn't a company I'm familiar with, but I'm always happy to try new lip balms and I like how rich and creamy this one feels.  My nose really enjoys the Lavender & Spearmint scent, but it does taste a little soapy on my lips.  I also don't love that it's made with palm oil, which I try to avoid, but since I have it, I'll certainly use and enjoy it.

The Little Alchemist Cacao & Banana Face Glow ($32)
I've heard really great things about The Little Alchemist, so I was excited to give this a try.  In addition to raw cacao and banana, the mask also contains zeolite, clay, and a whole host of superfoods including acai, green papaya, spirulina, maca, and turmeric root.   I tried it out the same day my box arrived and I loved it!  Dry, it smells a little funky - sort of vinegary - but once you add water, the chocolate scent takes over.  I left the mask on for about 10 minutes, as per the instructions, and it left my skin looking healthy and radiant, and with noticeably less visible pores.

Vert Mont Perfumery Eros (Sample Value ±$5.25)
I've made no secret of the fact that I don't love receiving perfume samples, but I do actually like how Eros smells.  A blend of red mandarin, coriander, orris root, patchouli, juniper, and jasmine, it's sweet and earthy and reminds me of incense - only fresher and without the chemically, headache-inducing qualities.  I'm thinking of mixing this into my next body oil concoction.  Vert Mont perfumes are free of synthetics and are hand-mixed blends of essential oils and plant essences in organic sweet almond and jojoba oils.  



The Bottom Line
I really liked the March box.  The Cacao & Banana Face Glow was the biggest standout for me and I'm also really happy to have been able to try the Juice Beauty CC Cream.  The lip cream and perfume were slightly less exciting to me, but they're nice too - I don't think there were any duds in this box!  The total value, at roughly $55, is pretty phenomenal too.

Petit Vour boxes retail for $15 (US) / $23 (Canada) and individual products can also be bought in the Petit Vour shop.   

Badger Organic Balm Sampler ($29.99)
I think really highly of Badger - both because of their high quality products and the way the company is run.  Whether you're buying for someone who's already familiar with these balms or someone who hasn't tried them yet, the Balm Sampler is a great way to give six of the company's most popular balms a try.  The kit comes with 0.75 ounces each of the Classic Badger Balm, Cuticle Care, Sleep Balm, Sore Muscle Rub, Aromatic Chest Rub, and Foot Balm, packaged in a 100% recycled paper box.  

LuSa Organics Nourish and Lavish Gift Collections ($32.50 and $48.00)
I became aware of LuSa Organics through following Rachel's personal blog, Clean, which I've read for a couple years now.  LuSa makes natural bath, body, and baby products and is a true family run business.  The Nourish Collection (pictured above) comes with a soap, sugar scrub, body oil, and holiday ornament diffuser, while the Lavish Collection includes all that, PLUS fizzing bath salts and an allover body balm.  Both sets are available in your choice of two holiday scents: Clementine & Clove and Frankincense & Myrrh.  

Pai Rosehip Collection: Intensive Nourishing Facial Kit ($50)
Pai's Rosehip Bioregenerate oil is pretty iconic at this point and the Intensive Nourishing Kit is a great opportunity to get it, plus the limited edition Bioregenerate Face Mask, which is described as a "buttery, ultra-hydrating treatment [that] quenches thirsty skin, helping to accelerate cell repair for instant rejuvenation."  Sounds pretty great, right?  You also only pay $10 more for the set than you would for a solo bottle of the rosehip oil, so it really is a fantastic value as well.

Balm Balm Lip Balm Cracker (£15.25)
The Lip Balm Cracker is a great way to try the entire range of Balm Balm's tube lip balms.  These are wonderful multi-purpose balms that can be used not only on your lips, but also on your cuticles, face, and anywhere else that needs a little extra care.  The Frankincense Cracker, which comes with Balm Balm's complete Frankincense skincare range, looks lovely as well.

Bare Minerals READY to Go Complexion Perfection Kit ($49)
Bare Minerals is what I class as a borderline natural company, but they do have some products I feel comfortable using.  The Complexion Perfection Kit is an ultra-portable palette  of Bare Minerals' READY pressed products.  Colors vary - there are eight sets to choose from - but each palette includes a Foundation, Touch Up Veil, Bronzer, Luminizer, and Correcting Concealer, as well as a mini Precision Face Brush and mini Tapered Face Brush.  The concealer has some ingredients I don't like, but even if you weren't to use that one item, I think the set is good value as a whole.  

Kaia Bamboo Tapioca Beads ($38)
The Bamboo Tapioca Beads are a dry powder that you activate with some kind of liquid - anything from water to tea, honey, an oil or liquid cleanser - and then use as either a cleanser or face mask.  The beads, which smell fresh and citrusy, gently exfoliate, leaving behind super soft and smooth skin.  Kaia has given the beads a makeover for the holidays and they now come adorably packaged with a small vial of moringa oil and a tiny wooden spoon.

Juice Beauty Best of Juice Beauty Set ($48)
I haven't actually tried anything from Juice Beauty before, but their holiday sets tempt me every single year.  The Best of Set is a 10-day advent-type gift that comes with ten of Juice Beauty's best-selling products.  You get full sizes of the Green Apple Age Defy Handcream, SPF 8 Lip Moisturizer and Reflecting Gloss in Fig, plus various samples from their skincare line.

Yarok Holiday Quartet ($32)
This quartet, which I believe is exclusive to EcoDivaBeauty, comes with travel sizes of Yarok's mousse, leave-in conditioner, hairspray, and shine serum.  I've used two of the four and have only good things to say.  Yarok is definitely one of the best when it comes to natural hair products. 

Blissoma Aromatherapy Candle Gift Trio ($45)
Candles always make a good wintertime gift and Blissoma's 100% botanical, vegan, natural, and anti-allergenic candles are a great choice.  Made of clean-burning soy wax, they use a cotton wick and contain no dyes, synthetic scents or burn extenders.  The candles, which burn for 20-25 hours each, are small batch poured with completely hand blended scents.  Pictured here are the candles in Peace, Love and Calm, but there are also two other trios: Balance, Happiness and Energize and Celebrate, Delight and Harmony.  

Lily Lolo Laid Bare Palette ($34)
Lily Lolo has really stepped up their game recently with a classy rebranding and awesome new pressed makeup products.  With wearable neutral shades (both matte and shimmer) and a good sized mirror, the Laid Bare palette is a great alternative to the ever-popular Naked palettes, only more portable (it's only about 4.5 inches long) and without the nasty ingredients.  I've barely had mine for 24 hours, so I can't speak much to how it wears, but if you have someone on your list that's struggling to transition to natural makeup - or someone who needs some convincing to make the switch - this might just be the ticket.  There's also a second palette, the Enchanted Palette, which features darker, smokier shades and a mix of neutrals and colors.

If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you check out Part 1 of my Gift Guide, and keep an eye out for the last part, coming on Friday.  

Something you might not know about me?  Whether I'm on a spending ban or not, I'm pretty much always keeping a product wishlist.  Sure, the specifics change, but there's pretty well always something I'm eyeing on the horizon.  I've even dedicated an entire pinterest board to the subject!  

Here's what's topped my list through this month without shopping....


Stark Skincare
I've had my eye on Stark pretty much since they first launched, so it's kind of crazy that I still haven't tried anything from the line!   The new Neroli Midnight Oil sounds incredible and just might be the product that makes me take that plunge.  Among other great oils, it features evening primrose, camellia (green tea) seed, oat, raspberry, and pomegranate seed oils, as well as cocoa and mango butters.  Sounds pretty dreamy, no?

I've also got a slight obsession with argan oil, so the Argan Lip Treatment sounds pretty perfect to me.  I'm loving the simple luxury of a lip balm made only with argan oil, cocoa butter, candelila wax, vitamin E, and essential oils.

Saje Natural Wellness
Saje is a Canadian company that sells a whole host of products - everything from skincare and bodycare to essential oils and natural health products.  I've got my eye on the Sunshine Smoothie Exfoliating Tamarind Body Scrub, which combines exotic tamarind with apricot seed powder, shea butter and sweet almond, jojoba, and safflower oils.  The King & I Body Wash sounds pretty amazing too: lemongrass, lime, frankincense, bergamot, ginger, and grapefruit essential oils housed in a castile soap base made from coconut, olive, and jojoba oils. 

Genfiore Cosmetics
Genfiore is a pretty new company that I first stumbled across on Twitter.  The whole range looks gorgeous, but I've particularly got my eye on the pressed bronzers and eye shadows.  I get so excited to see natural companies making pressed makeup products and these look fantastic.  They're made with buriti fruit oil and herbal extracts and don't contain any of the usual silicones or other nasties.  

Hand Cream
Polar Vortex temperatures have wreaked havoc on my hands over the last couple weeks, which has left me searching for the Goldilocks of handcreams: something that nourishes like a balm but rubs in well and won't leave my hands too greasy.  The current contenders: John Masters Organics Cacao & Cupuacu Hand & Body Butter and Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Hand Cream. 

Have you tried any of these?  What's on your wishlist right now?



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