Naturalla Beauty

Most of us are familiar with dietary probiotics, but did you know that these same friendly bacteria also offer topical benefits for your skin?  In the same way that maintaining healthy flora in the intestine is key for good health, maintaining healthy levels of good bacteria on the skin is important for effective barrier function and overall skin resilience, and can help with numerous skin conditions including acne, eczema and rosacea.

Nayelle Probiotic Skincare is a brand new Canadian skincare company that just launched this past November.  The line, created by experienced biochemist Peter Jurkemik, focuses on melding scientific research and natural ingredients.  In particular, Nayelle highlights four core ingredients: probiotic goat milk kefir, sea kelp, snow mushroom, and glacial clay.  These four are combined with other great ingredients like aloe vera, jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil, and bamboo to create products that are both natural and effective.  Nayelle is also Leaping Bunny approved cruelty free, gluten free, and 100% Canadian owned and operated.

I had the chance to test out Nayelle's complete line over the last couple months, so I'm going to run through each of the products and my thoughts and experiences.



Cleanse: Gentle Exfoliating Glacial Cleanser
Described as a mild cleansing cream enhanced with gentle exfoliating bamboo and glacial oceanic clay, the Exfoliating Cleanser feels very soft to the touch, but in fact offers a pretty thorough exfoliation.   I actually find the exfoliation to be a little too intense for my skin on a daily basis, but I enjoy using it as an occasional product once or twice a week.  The combination of purifying clay and finely milled bamboo adds a delicate grit to an otherwise creamy cleanser.  It foams up slightly with water, rinses away cleanly and doesn't dry out the skin.  

FYI the cleanser does contain phenoxyethanol, if that's a concern for you.  The remaining three Nayelle products are phenoxyethanol-free.

Hydrate: Probiotic Moisturizing Day Cream // Rejuvenate: Probiotic Anti-Aging Night Cream
The two moisturizers are, in my opinion, the real stars of Nayelle's range.  Both are creamy, moisturizing, and all around lovely, and combine the full fusion of Nayelle's four core ingredients.

Tremella or snow mushroom is one of the richest plant sources of vitamin D and is an ingredient commonly used in Asian skincare.  It draws water into the skin in much the same way as hyaluronic acid, but, with a smaller particle size, it's able to hold onto even more water and is also able to penetrate the skin more easily.

Probiotic goat milk kefir contains beneficial bacteria that help strengthen the skin's natural barrier function, thereby helping skin hold onto moisture more effectively.  Lactic acid and vitamin A found in goat milk also gently slough off dead skin and increase cell turnover.  

Sea Kelp is rich in antioxidants that stimulate collagen production and skin regeneration on the cellular level.  Nayelle uses a fermentation process that concentrates the nutrients in the kelp and increases their bioavailibility so they can readily be absorbed by the skin.  

Glacial Oceanic Clay is a clay originally formed by the movements of glaciers over 14,000 years ago.  It's harvested from the remote northern shores of British Columbia and is rich in over 60 minerals including iron, calcium, and magnesium.  Clay not only exfoliates and purifies the skin, but also delivers nutrients and helps regulate oil production.

Hydrate, Nayelle's day cream, is lightweight and sinks into the skin quickly.  It contains additional lactic acid, beneficial for acne and hyperpigmentation, as well as anti-aging concerns like fine lines and wrinkles.  Hydrate creates a fantastic moisturizing base that works well by itself and wears well under makeup too.

Rejuvenate, Hydrate's supercharged night counterpart, is richer, but still silky smooth.  It's intensely moisturizing but doesn't feel heavy on the skin.  Both creams have a mild orange scent and leave my skin looking bright, plump and hydrated.  I struggle with visible pores on my nose and cheeks and I noticed a difference within the first three or four days of incorporating this moisturizer duo.  The pores were less noticeable and I found my skin looking just a little more perfected overall.  I also love the airless pump bottles these two come in -- they look sleek on a vanity and also do a great job protecting the ingredients and keeping the products fresh.

Purify: Glacial Oceanic Clay Facial Mask
Most of my face masks are dry powders that require mixing, so Purify, which is ready-to-go in a tube, is fantastic for when I'm a little shorter on time.  The main ingredient is, of course, glacial oceanic clay, with a few other additives to keep it moist and creamy.  It goes on easily, dries within eight or ten minutes, and does a good job detoxifying the skin and pulling any unnecessary junk out of your pores.  The mask leaves my face looking bright and healthy and doesn't overly strip or dry out the skin.  Like the rest of the Nayelle line, it features orange essential oil and smells lightly citrusy, though my nose also picks up some earthy/oceany notes from the glacial clay.



The Bottom Line
The two probiotic moisturizers, both made with all four of Nayelle's core ingredients, were the main standouts for me, but I do like the line as a whole too.  Cleanse is a nice exfoliating cleanser, although I prefer it more as an occasional scrub than an everyday face wash, and Purify is a good gentle detox mask.  

If you're interested in making a purchase, definitely take advantage of Nayelle's end of the year sale, on now through December 31.  Everything is discounted (individual products + the complete regime), plus get free shipping within Canada and the US. 

And, because this is my final post before the holidays, I want to wish everyone a fantastic Christmas, Chanukkah, New Years, and any other holiday you may celebrate this time of year.  Thanks for reading Naturalla Beauty in 2016!  I hope 2017 brings us all lots of health, prosperity, and happiness :)

Weleda is one of my favorite natural brands, so when I was asked to take part in the 30-day #WeledaHairDare, I was quick to sign on.  Weleda has sold hair care products for years in Europe - and I've heard great things from our friends across the pond - but as far as I know, the launch of their new Oat Hair Collection last year is the first time Weleda's hair care has made it to North America.  The basic idea of the challenge was to commit to only using Weleda's hair products for a full month.  For the sake of my often fussy, curly hair, I chose to allow styling products, but otherwise, it's been all Weleda, all month here.  For anyone switching from mainstream, conventional hair products, this length of time allows for a detox or transition period, and for someone like me, who already uses all natural hair care, it just gives ample time to get a feel for the products.



Shampoo
The collection has three shampoo options:

Oat Replenishing Shampoo for dry and damaged hair
Millet Nourishing Shampoo for normal hair
Wheat Balancing Shampoo for hair and scalp care

For the purpose of the 30-day challenge, I chose the Millet Nourishing Shampoo.  All three shampoos are made with gentle, biodegradable coconut- and sugar-based surfactants and the Nourishing Shampoo also contains millet seed extract and macadamia nut oil to enhance shine, revitalize and strengthen hair, and improve hair's resilience.  The Millet Shampoo is scented with grapefruit and peppermint, but to me, it mostly just has a very standard shampoo smell with a bit more freshness coming through from the mint.  I don't want to say the shampoo is thick exactly, but it's almost syrupy in consistency and can be a bit challenging to distribute through the hair.  That said, as long as my hair is very wet, the shampoo lathers well and can be worked through without too much difficulty.

The first couple weeks of use, I was left with a squeaky, almost too clean feeling after washing, but that gradually dissipated.  By about day 20, I was noticing buildup on my scalp.  I'm not sure if it was caused by the Weleda products or just other buildup (from styling products, environment, etc.) that the Weleda was not effectively removing, but I did reach for another, more clarifying shampoo at that point, before returning to the Weleda for the rest of the challenge.

I also had samples of the other two shampoos hanging around, so I decided to test them during the 30 days as well.  None of the three seemed drastically different from one another, but, surprisingly, the Oat (for dry, damaged hair) left my hair feeling more dry than the other two.  It was definitely my least favorite.  I think the Wheat and Millet could be used pretty much interchangeably, although the Wheat does contain wheatgerm oil, sage leaf extract, and rosemary, tea tree, and copaiba essential oils intended to soothe and moisturize dry and irritated scalps.


Oat Replenishing Conditioner
Unlike the shampoos, there is only one conditioner option in the collection.  Fortified with organic oat extract to help strengthen hair and reduce breakage, the Oat Replenishing Conditioner can be used with any of the shampoos.  It also contains moisturizing white mallow and organic jojoba and coconut oils to smooth hair, and increase shine.  I'm not crazy about the floral scent here, which is derived from mimosa and tonka beans.  It's just a little too sweet and flowery for my nose.  If you've smelled Weleda's Calendula Baby range, the scent is similar, but stronger and sweeter.

In spite of the scent, I really did enjoy this product.  It's very thick and rich and hydrates well without weighing down the hair.   With curly hair, I'm always concerned I'll end up with a head full of frizz instead of defined curls, but the Weleda conditioner does a great job and I haven't had even a hint of that problem.  Like the oat shampoo, it's marketed towards dry and damaged hair, but I think you could tailor the amount of product you use to suit all hair types.

Oat Replenishing Treatment
The replenishing treatment is made with organic oat extract, shea butter, and sea buckthorn and coconut oils, and is recommended for hair that is damaged by heat styling or chemical processing.  I don't have especially damaged hair and to be honest, I didn't notice a big difference between this and the already rich conditioner.  It smells the same, and while it's slightly heavier, my hair felt and looked pretty much the same with both products.  

Rosemary Conditioning Hair Oil
Hair oils are a key part of my post-shower routine, so I was excited to give this one a whirl.  It did not let me down.  Definitely my favorite part of the collection, the Rosemary Conditioning Oil is a multi-purpose product that can be used either as a leave-in styling aid, or more liberally, as an intensive treatment to be shampooed out.  You don't see peanut oil in a lot of beauty products, but it makes for a light, hydrating base that helps hair hold moisture, while rosemary, clover, and burdock root nourish the scalp and encourage hair growth.  

I swapped out my usual argan oil for this and I like it a lot.  I haven't noticed any significant difference in terms of scalp health or hair growth, but then I generally just apply it to the bottom few inches of my hair.  A little goes a long way and it does an excellent job smoothing the hair and controlling frizz and flyaways.

Something else that's pretty neat? This product is one of Weleda's oldest formulations and has been around almost as long as the company - since 1922!

The Bottom Line
Overall, I'd say I liked but didn't love Weleda's hair care line.  My hair was left feeling soft and healthy after a month of these products, but nonetheless, I'm a little on the fence about some parts of the collection.  I will say, I'd certainly buy the Rosemary Conditioning Hair Oil again and if Weleda ever decides to expand the line with matching conditioners to the Millet or Wheat shampoos, I'd be all over those too.  

Have you used any of Weleda's hair care products?


Disclosure: Products 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.

The whole idea of natural nail polish remover (and nail polish, for that matter) is a bit of a fallacy, but there are definitely healthier options than your conventional acetone remover.  It's been a long journey, filled with multiple removers and very mixed results, but I've finally found one I'm happy with, so I figured there was no better time to do a comparison post than now.  None of these removers wipe polish off with the ease of acetone, so a lot of it comes down to how much time and effort you're willing to put into removing your nail polish.  The other big factor for me is scent.  Keep reading to hear the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of these four non-toxic nail polish removers.





The smell!  Oh god, the smell!  Imagine the most horrendous fake vanilla scent crossed with acetone, and you get how No Miss' Almost Natural Nail Polish Remover smells.  And, don't think that you can escape it by washing your hands/feet afterwards.  Oh no, the smell hangs around for a good 12-24 hours, no matter what you do.  Showers, socks, and even essential oils are all powerless against the nauseating scent.  I last used this probably 5+ years ago and it's just been idling in my cupboard ever since.

If you can get past the smell, it does the job removing polish, although it does take scrubbing and multiple applications of remover.  Time-wise, it'll run you about 30 minutes.

Ingredients: Fruit acid solvent (Methyl-Pentan-2 One, Multi-fruit Acids), Amber Acid (derived from plant lichens), Deionized Water, Vitamin A, Natural Vanilla Fragrance

Today I've got the second installment of my gift guide: gifts that cost a little more, but are still very affordable.  This bunch will cost you more than $10, but still less than $25.



1. Kitchen Stories Organic Tea Bar ($16)
Your choice of three organic tea blends, served up in cute (and practical) tins.  A great choice for any tea drinker!

2. Sugared Beauty Merry Mint Value Set ($20)
Full sizes of Sugared Beauty's coveted sugar scrub and their newer body wash, both in merry mint scent: perfect for the holiday season.

3. Book of Shadows Magnetic Makeup Palette ($16.99)
These palettes are gorgeous!  They're magnetic freestyle palettes which, like the Z or Uni Palettes, will hold any depotted makeup pans.  Unlike their mass-produced counterparts, these are handmade and come in a great range of colours and patterns.

4. A Perfume Organic Sample Set ($22)
Nontoxic perfumes can be pretty pricey, which is why this sample set is so fabulous.  Here, you - or your giftee - can try all five of A Perfume Organic's scents before committing to any one.

5. Biggs & Featherbelle Mini Soap Sampler ($21.99)
Eight half-size handmade soaps, all wrapped up and ready for gifting.  You could also easily split the set up to give to more than one person.  Biggs & Featherbelle has several other tempting gift sets too.

6. Real Techniques Core Collection ($18)
Good quality brushes make a huge difference to how your makeup applies, especially when it comes to face makeup like foundation and concealer.  This set includes all the brushes you'll need to do your base and the case doubles as a stand too.

7. 100% Pure Twinkle Twinkle Gift Set ($19)
100% Pure has a whole bunch of holiday gift sets available.  This is their smallest makeup one, which comes with their Halo Satin Eye Shadow (shimmery pearl) and Pewter Cream Eye Shadow Pencil (pearly silver.) 

And that's two out of three done!  Keep and eye out for the final part of my gift guide tomorrow.