Naturalla Beauty

Not a ton of empties this month, but nearly everything is something I've either already repurchased or something I anticipate buying again in the not too distant future.  Here's what's headed to the bin this time around:



Suki Concentrated Balancing Toner (now the Concentrated Clarifying Toner)
I like the signature, lemony scent that most of Suki's line has, and the Balancing Toner was no exception.  It had a good, even spray and felt light and non-sticky going on - perfect for summer.  The trial size only lasted me about two weeks, but even in that short time, I noticed my pores looked cleaner and less visible.
Repurchase? Yes.

Vice1960 Facial Oil*   [Review]
Vice1960 was one of my favorite discoveries of this year and I particularly enjoyed this oil.  It's a gorgeous blend that includes hazelnut, radish, meadowfoam, and jojoba oils, and it consistently left my skin hydrated, glowy, and very clear.  The company is going to be launching five (!) new oils soon too, which is super exciting.   
Repurchase? Yes.

Aura Cacia Organic Argan Oil   [Review]
Argan was the first oil I really fell for and it's a still a staple in my haircare routine.  I use it on the ends  of my hair and also sometimes on my face too.  Aura Cacia's organic argan oil is affordable and the quality is generally great.  I've gone through multiple bottles without issue, but this particular one smelled strangely minty, even though it's labelled as 100% argan oil.  
Repurchase? Possibly.  I ordered Acure's argan oil this time, but I'd likely buy Aura Cacia's again too. I'm hesitant to order it online though, after the peppermint scent of this bottle.

Pure + Simple Eye Brightening Cream   [Review]
I wasn't completely sold on this eye cream when I wrote my original review, but I ended up picking up a full size jar anyways and slowly came to love it.  It doesn't do a lot for puffiness, but it's amazing on dark circles.  It's also gentle and very moisturizing without being heavy.
Repurchase? Yes.

Pretty Pure Radiance Day Cream   [Review]
I've enjoyed many of Pretty's products, but I think the Pure Radiance Cream is my favorite to date.  It's a rich cream, but it sinks in quickly and never leaves my face greasy or shiny, no matter how generously I slather it on.  It has a soft, neutral scent and is also the best base I've found for applying makeup.  It won't get rid of pores or fine lines like a silicone-based primer, but it does soften both, plus I think my makeup lasts better on top of this than anything else I've tried.
Repurchase? Definitely.

Peppy Galore Diva Face Moisturizer (sample)
I liked everything about this moisturizer except the vanilla scent.  Because of the smell, I actually ended up using most of my sample as a body moisturizer.  Peppy Galore has recently shut down, so I'm just as happy this didn't turn out to be a perfect product for me.
Repurchase? No.

Balm Balm Hibiscus Face Mask (sample)
Balm Balm's Hibiscus mask is a simple formulation made of just brown rice powder, hibisicus flowers, and rose geranium essential oil.  I think it'd be great for super sensitive skin that might not be able to tolerate other masks, but personally, I found it was so gentle that it didn't really do much at all.  The second time I used it, I boosted it with some green clay and I enjoyed the combination a lot more than I did this mask by itself.
Repurchase? Probably not.

EvanHealy Blue Rosehip Treatment Serum (sample)
I like EvanHealy's Rosehip serums, but in terms of what they do for my skin, I don't notice any difference compared to using a much less expensive, plain rosehip seed oil.  The Blue Serum is my favorite of the two though, purely because of the chamomile/lavender scent.  
Repurchase? No.

ZuzuLuxe The Mascara in Onyx   [Review]
Another tube bites the dust!  No matter how many other mascaras I try, I always come back to Zuzu.  It's gentle and doesn't irritate my eyes, plus it doesn't smudge or flake on me at all.
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

And that was it for August.  I'm happy to use things up, as always, but I'm a little sad to see some of these products go!

I love a good mask.  The results can be pretty astonishing and, unlike other skincare products, you can generally determine if something is working or not after a single use.  Really, I can't think of a better product to try in sample form.  

My skin is generally pretty easy - if a little sensitive - but I do have some visible pores, so what I look for in a mask is something that will keep those looking squeaky clean without causing any irritation.  Enhanced brightness and glow is always welcome too.  With that in mind, here are my first impressions of six masks that have been kicking around my sample pile.



Stark Green Tea Detox Clay Mask
I got this - and the next two - from Fresh Faced's sample program.  I really love the idea of this mask - green and rhassoul clays detox the skin and remove impurities, while green tea provides a boost of antioxidants, apple extract (rich in AHA) exfoliates, and lime extract brightens.  In practice, I didn't notice anything more than I would with plain ol' green clay, so I likely will not be buying the full size.

Kahina Giving Beauty Antioxidant Mask
With my big love for Kahina's Cleanser, I had high hopes for this mask, and happily, it delivered.  A blend of light florals, peppermint and eucalyptus smells fresh and lovely, and the consistency is pretty perfect too - like rich, decadent frosting.  It didn't dry super hard or tight, but it still did an excellent job cleaning out my pores, and also left my skin looking glowy and feeling extra soft.  At $62, I'm not rushing out to buy it, but it would be a great product to splurge on one day.

May Lindstrom The Problem Solver
Made with raw cacao, bamboo charcoal, soil nutrients, salts, and warming spices, The Problem Solver is a bit of a cult favorite.  It's a powder that, with water, foams up into a light mousse and makes for a pretty intense treatment.  May recommends leaving the mask on for 45 minutes (or until fully dry), but I only made it to about the 12 minute mark before my face felt uncomfortably hot (using just a small sample, the mask was pretty well dry at this point too.)  My skin was red and flushed when I washed it off, but it settled down within just a few minutes, leaving behind only clear pores and soft skin.  I'm not sure this was the best mask for my sensitive skin, so I won't be investing the $90 (!!) just yet, but I'd be tempted to try a second sample at some point in the future.

Balm Balm Hibiscus Face Mask
Balm Balm's mask is a three ingredient blend of brown rice flour, ground hibiscus, and rose geranium essential oil that's supposed to gently draw out impurities while deep cleansing and exfoliating the skin.  I won't be buying this one as, quite frankly, I didn't notice much of an effect - good or bad - from using it.  

Sibu Sea Buckthorn Purifying Mask
Surprisingly soothing and gentle for something called a purifying mask.  It was calming and reduced redness while at the same time leaving my pores looking pretty good.  There are a couple ingredients I'm not too crazy about - SD alcohol and glycerin are pretty high up on the list - but my skin seemed to like it, so I would, potentially, consider buying it in the future.  

Pretty Ginger & Cypress Soothing Beauty Mud
Pretty is great for simple creations that deliver, and this mask is no different.  Two kinds of clay combine with aloe, green tea extract, and essential oils to make a gentle, but effective treatment.  I'm curious to try the Brightening Mud next, but I might come back to this one at some point.

Have you used any of these?  What are your "must try" mask favorites?

Since discovering the magic of face oils (cue angels singing), I haven't been reaching for cream moisturizers nearly as often.  Bearing that in mind, one gem that's still managed to consistently stay in my rotation is Pretty's Pure Radiance Day Cream.  Pretty's cream is a beautiful blend of sunflower and coconut oils that moisturizes like you wouldn't believe.  And while it's got some weight to it, it's never heavy or greasy.  


The rich cream sinks in beautifully and is fully absorbed in seconds.  It leaves my skin hydrated and glowy, but also completely matte and touchable.  In fact, if you've been searching for an alternative to silicone-based face primers, this just might be it.  It can't completely erase pores or fill in lines, but it does visibly soften both.  I also notice less makeup settling into the creases/lines of my face when I wear this underneath.  

For more long term results, Pretty has also included sea fennel and alfalfa, which stimulate cell renewal, thereby promoting collagen production and, over time, actually helping to minimize scars, fine lines, and wrinkles.  Rose, neroli, lavender, chamomile, and frankincense give the cream a soft scent - mainly floral, but not at all overpowering - while simultaneously helping to improve skin elasticity and giving your skin that bright, radiant look we're all searching for.

The Bottom Line
Whether you're looking for a superb moisturizer or a healthy makeup primer, Pretty hits it out of the park with Pure Radiance.  The cream moisturizes like a dream - even the driest of elbows - and it plays well with other products too.  I've used it both by itself and layered with serums or oils, and it works incredibly well both ways.  

Another great product from Pretty!  I'm beginning to think this line can do no wrong!

Where to Buy: $29 from Pretty 

Ingredients: Organic aloe vera leaf juice, organic sunflower seed oil, cetearyl alcohol (plant emollient), cetearyl glucoside (corn), alfalfa extract, coconut oil, cetearyl wheat straw glycoside, aspen bark extract, organic vegetable glycerin, maltooligosyl glucoside (plant emollient), hydrogenated starch hydrolysate (corn), cetyl esters wax, sea fennel extract, olive leaf extract, organic lavender flower oil, organic neroli oil, organic chamomile extract, organic rose damascena oil, rosemary leaf extract, frankincense extract, xanthan gum, p-anisic acid (anise derivative). 99.9% of ingredients are derived from plant-origin, 83.7 % from Organic Agriculture.

I know I've mentioned that I recently started working at a second job, but I don't think I've talked about what I've been doing.  I'm working, a couple days a week, in the cosmetics/bodycare section of a local health food store.  I figure, while I'm working semi dead -end, low-paying jobs in this "figuring out what to do next" stage of life, I may as well work somewhere where I can at least get behind most of the products.  One of the perks, aside from being surrounded by lovely green beauty goodies, is that occasionally companies will send along a few extra products for staff to try, which is how I was introduced to this gem.