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!

I like tracking empties for a number of reasons, not the least of which that I find it really interesting to notice how much of various kinds of products we actually get through.  It's not always what you think.  Case in point: today I learned that I use a lot of soap.  Keep reading for the details + the lowdown on all the body products I've used up in the last 5+ months.  

Bar Soaps
I'm a fan of gentle bar soaps, especially through the winter months when my skin is more prone to drying out.  The Mamma Oceania Antioxidant Soap, SBT Seabuckthorn Berry Bar, and Rocky Mountain Soap Pumpkin Soap were my favorites of the bunch -- all three are very gentle, palm oil free, great for sensitive skin, and made by fantastic Canadian companies.  On a Branch's Apple Cider Soap -- also Canadian and palm oil free -- had the most amazing spicey cinnamon scent, but the bar got a little gloopy and melted away quicker than I would have liked, even left to dry in a draining soap dish.  I did have this particular bar hanging around for a good while before I used it, which could maybe have impacted it.  The Graham Gardens Lemongrass Milk Soap, sent to me by the lovely people at The Choosy Chick, smelled wonderful too and produced a great luxurious, rich lather, but it's one that I likely would not repurchase since it does contain palm oil.




Body Wash
I'm not sure why I've never used Acure's body washes before, but they're really lovely!  They have the feel and lather of a traditional shower gel, but leave skin feeling a lot softer and more hydrated than most gels.  I didn't notice any significant formula difference between the two, just the scents -- the Clarifying Body Wash is minty and fresh, while the Cell Stimulating Body Wash (now the Energizing Body Wash) smells like almonds.  If you're familiar with Acure's hair care, the body washes smell exactly the same as the Volume and Ultra-Hydrating hair products.  

Nourish Organics' Moisturizing Cream Body Washes are a longtime favorite of mine.  They have a creamy/milky consistency and are extra gentle on the skin.  Wild Berries was discontinued last year, but I still have a couple bottles stashed away.  I also like The Honest Co.'s Honest Shampoo + Body Wash, mostly for its yummy orange-vanilla scent.  This mini came in one of the company's trial kits, but I've also bought the full size before.  



Moisturizers
The Savannah Bee Company's Unscented Honey Body Lotion is a fantastic unscented lotion.  It's rich and nourishing but doesn't leave you feeling greasy or slippery, or take forever to sink into the skin.  No odd 'unscented scent' either, if you know what I mean.  I also really loved the Duckish Lavender Lotion Stick.  It's solid in the tube, but melts into the skin immediately on contact.  Rocky Mountain Soap's Dry Skin Butter is a similar concept, but the actual product is much more solid and slightly waxy.  It does a good job treating dry skin, but doesn't feel nearly as luxurious as the Duckish.  

I held onto this bottle of Rachel's Plan Bee Body Oil for far longer than I probably should have, but I really did love it.  It's pretty much the perfect body oil in terms of feel and consistency, but I couldn't always tolerate the scent, which is why it lasted me so long.  It's an undeniably beautiful orange-vanilla fragrance and completely essential oil-based, but it was a little too strong for me a lot of days.  As I've told Rachel before, if she ever creates an unscented version, I'd be all over it!  The Honest Co. Organic Healing Balm, from the same trial kit as the body wash, didn't make a strong impression.  It's a fine product, but I think there are better balms out there, so it's probably not something I'd purchase again. 



Teeth
I'm pretty set on keeping my mouth care completely free of glycerin and the Miessence Mint Toothpaste is a new favorite.  It tastes a little salty, but is very minty and leaves your mouth feeling super fresh.  I wish Miessence was a little more accessible -- the only reason I haven't replaced this already -- but I'm sure I'll place an order eventually.  Tierra Mia Organics Healthy Dent Tooth Regime, on the other hand, didn't work for me at all, at least not as toothpaste.  Teeth felt clean after using it, but the mint was so subtle as to be undetectable, so all I got was a strong soap taste that would not go away, even after multiple rinses.  No exaggeration, it lingered in my mouth for hours!  Since they're basically just shreds of bar soap, I ended up adding the tooth chips into loads of laundry, just for the sake of using them up.  They actually worked great in that capacity and I'm totally sold me on DIY/bar soap laundry detergents now!



Essential Oils
Clearly essential oils don't sit unused around here!  Thieves is great for boosting the immune system and overall health through cold and flu season.  I like it as a preventative and also used it to help kick a flu bug I caught early in the fall.  Peace & Calming is one of my favorite blends to use before bed, particularly if I have trouble winding down or falling asleep.  Lastly, Orange and Cinnamon Bark (along with Clove) were frequently enjoyed in my oil diffuser through the fall months.  

Stay tuned for makeup empties over the weekend -- the last of this ginormous batch of empties!

Tuesday I covered all the body and hair products I've used up in the last three months, but I've still got skincare and makeup to discuss today.  There's a lot to talk about, so I'll try to keep it short, but if there's anything you'd like more information on, I'm happy to answer in the comments!



Holiskin Chamomile ACV Facial Toner*
Holiskin really emphasizes simple formulas made from high quality ingredients, and this toner, a blend of Roman chamomile hydrosol and raw organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar is exactly that.  Apple cider vinegar toners are a bit much for my skin every day, but I enjoyed using this a couple times a week.  Repurchase? Maybe.  I'm on a homemade toner kick at present.

Province Apothecary Invigorating + Balancing Toner with Rose & Geranium

Andalou Naturals Probiotic + C Renewal Cream // Purple Carrot + C Luminous Night Cream
Andalou Naturals makes great basic and affordable moisturizers and these two, both part of the brightening line, are my favorites to date.  The Probiotic + C Renewal Cream is lightweight and absorbs super quickly, while the Purple Carrot + C Night Cream is significantly richer, but still not heavy.  The Night Cream truly did have me waking up the next morning with more luminous skin, but its grape juice-like scent took a little getting used to.  Repurchase? Yes.  I've still got mini tubes of both of these, but I would rebuy one or both in the future.  

Face Wipes
I'm not a fan of using face wipes on the daily for environmental reasons, but sometimes needs will.  The drain in my bathroom sink has been having issues the last few months (clearly it's all glamour, all the time here!) and since it does better without a lot of oils or makeup going down, I'm reluctantly using wipes for the time being.  I still use a separate oil cleanser/makeup remover to make sure everything comes off, but instead of using a washcloth, I wipe it all away with a disposable wipe.  Then, I follow up with water and a second cleanser as usual.  

Both the Kaia Juicy Bamboo Natural Facial Cleansing Cloths and the Boo Bamboo Skin Balancing Makeup Remover Wipes are made of bamboo, which from everything I've read biodegrades within a few months, so there's that at least.  The Kaia cloths smell better and feel a little more luxurious, plus I love the fully closeable container, but they're also more expensive and sting my eyes.  Otherwise, the two are fairly comparable - both remove makeup decently well, don't irritate my skin, and are Canadian-owned companies.  Repurchase? Boo Bamboo, yes.  These are probably my favorite wipes and, as a bonus, I can usually find them discounted at Winners.  Kaia, I'm not sure.  

Young Living Lavender, Peppermint + Frankincense Essential Oils
MLM's get a lot of flack in the green community, but I've only had positive experiences with Young Living and will continue to purchase from them.  Whatever your thoughts on the business model, my bottom line has always been quality and I believe YL sells some of the highest quality oils available.

I use all three of these on a regular basis.  Lavender and frankincense are two of my favorites for just about any skin concern, and I also use lavender for headaches, de-stressing, and relaxation.  Peppermint is great for digestive upsets, congestion, muscle pain, and again, headaches.  Repurchase? Yes.  These are staples for me and I've already replaced all three.

Lip Balms
Finishing lip balms is never an issue for me!  I loved the Rachel's Plan Bee Peppermint Lip Balm, which Rachel kindly sent me when I mentioned I was having issues keeping my lips protected in the cold weather this winter.  It strikes that perfect balance between a healing balm that treats any damage already there and a more occlusive, protective formula that blankets your lips in such a way as to prevent further chapping.  

The Sierra Bees Tamanu & Tea Tree Lip Balm tasted awful - like straight up tea tree oil - but I did get used to it, and I have no complaints in terms of how it worked.  The Sierra Bees lip balms are generally a great formula and, taste aside, if you're someone who deals with cold sores, I think this is a great option as both tamanu and tea tree oils are great preventatives.  I don't personally get cold sores, so I'll likely stick to the other, yummier flavors in future.  

I like Epic Blend's lip balms a lot too, although the Pineapple- Mint* is not my favorite from them.  Part of the vegan line, it's a little thinner and more slippery than the company's other two formulas, and although the pineapple and mint pairing worked, it wasn't a flavor I'd necessarily rush back to.
Repurchase? Rachel's Plan Bee, definitely!  Both the Sierra Bees and Epic Blend I'd buy again in different flavors.  



Tinted Lip Balms
I've been making an effort to use more colored lip products and have managed to finish off several tinted balms as a result!  Ellovi's Tinted Lip Butter came in a Petit Vour box a while back.  It has the same great formula as their original lip butter and gives a nice subtle red color to the lips, courtesy of an alkanet root infusion.  

Brija Cosmetics' Jelly Balms are a moisturizing, softer lip formula, so they get used up pretty quickly, but I enjoyed this one while it lasted.  Sparkles, a shimmery peach, was a limited edition color with added cocoa butter, and I'm not sure if it was the slightly different formula or the more subtle/nude color, but it worked a lot better than, Yvonne, the other Jelly Balm I have, which tends to go on a little patchy.  

The Yes to Carrots Colorbalms are long discontinued, but I do like them.  Peachy Keen was a pretty orange/peach, but Soft Plum leaned a little more brown than I like one me, so I used it mainly when I was at home.  I finished Peachy Keen completely, but started getting a slight reaction from Soft Plum and gave up on it with about a third still left.  
Repurchase? Yes to the Ellovi.  Neither this particular Brija color or the Yes to Carrots are sold anymore.

Dr. Hauschka Volume Mascara
This was a good mascara! It was very black, provided good volume, and didn't give me any problems with irritation, smudging, or flaking.  I don't have anything negative to say about it, but at the same time there are other mascaras I like more.  Repurchase? Probably not.

Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Finishing Powder
I got this as a freebie from Lauren Brooke a long time ago and I loved it!  The tiniest bit did a great job diffusing fine lines and never left skin looking dry or makeup cakey.  Repurchase? Maybe.  I'm using a different finishing powder now, but I'd definitely consider buying this again in the future.

Silk Naturals Tchotchke Sheer Blush
I love the Silk Naturals blushes!  Tchotchke was a pretty nude-pink, but it had a bit too much shimmer for me.  Some days it was okay, and others, my cheeks had a slightly metallic sheen that I wasn't crazy about.  Repurchase? Not this particular shade.

Eye Shadow Samples
My loose eye shadow stash is ridiculous, so I'm still actively trying to work through some colors.  Thing is, even samples tend to last 10-20 uses, so it's taking a bit of time!  I love Cheeky Cosmetics eye shadows, and all three shades - Moroccan Sunset, Sugarplum, and Mauvelous - were beautiful.   The other three, from Pollen Cosmetics, Persephone Minerals, and Sassy Minerals, were also great, but none of the three companies are in business anymore from what I can tell.  Repurchase? No, but only because I have still have so many eye shadows!  I'd come back to Cheeky Cosmetics when I do need more.

Winter weather may have come late to Toronto, but now that it's here, it's not kidding around.  Monday saw temperatures as low as -15°C - and that's before factoring in the windchill!  Brr.  Inevitably as soon as the negative temperatures hit, my skin needs a little extra love, and that's where these products come in...



Wildcraft Cell Regeneration Face Serum
I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica and Laura from Wildcraft at a green beauty event a couple months ago and got to learn a little about this local Toronto company.  Everything is handcrafted in small batches and made with predominantly raw, organic, and local ingredients.  The Cell Regeneration Serum features a blend of rice bran, meadowfoam, rosehip, hemp, seabuckthorn, and sunflower oils, and hydrates the skin beautifully without any heaviness or greasy residue.  Carrot seed extract and frankincense and palmarosa essential oils provide additional anti-aging benefits and give the oil a unique spicy/earthy scent that I really enjoy as well.  You could certainly use the oil by itself, but since I've been on more of a cream moisturizer kick of late, I've opted to use it a little differently.  I like to mix a couple drops into my moisturizer for an extra punch on days when my skin feels more dry or in need of a boost.   

Rachel's Plan Bee Bee Cream
I've written about Rachel's Plan Bee several times before, but the Bee Cream is a new discovery for me this winter.  It's a concentrated product that hits that perfect intermediate between a balm and a body butter.  You get the richness and nourishment that you would from a balm, but with a softer whipped consistency.  Like a balm, a little goes a long way and you don't need to use a lot to get great results.  The Bee Cream has the lovely RPB signature citrus vanilla scent, though I find it milder than in some of the other products like the Body Oil and Polish, which, for my sensitive sniffer, is another plus.  I've been using the cream mainly on my feet and cuticles - both of which are super soft now - but it's one of those great products that you could probably find a million and one uses for.  

SBT Seabuckthorn Lip Balm*
In the winter, lip balms always get split into two categories in my head: indoor and outdoor.  Its slippery, thinner consistency puts SBT Seabuckthorn's Lip Balm firmly in the indoor category, but where this Canadian balm really excels is in its ability to heal and nourish sore chapped lips.  I'd go for something heavier and more protective before braving a snowstorm, but this is what I'd reach for right after.  Made with both seabuckthorn seed and fruit oils, as well as shea butter, beeswax, and a host of other nourishing oils, it feels like a product that really feeds your lips, helping to repair any cold-weather inflicted damage.  The balm is unscented and unflavored, so the earthiness of the seabuckthorn does come through, but it's in no way overpowering or offensive.

Ilike Carotene Essentials Gel Mask*
The Carotene Essentials Gel Mask was specifically formulated for summer skin, but I've been finding the same hydrating soothing blend of carrots, fruit, and honey fantastic for winter skin needs too!  Our first tendency is often to reach for rich oils and butters to combat dryness, but skin really needs a combination of oil AND water for optimum health.  The Gel Mask provides that water component and only needs to be left on for about 15 minutes.  It's soothing and provides light hydration - which you can then seal in with those richer creams and oils if you want.  I did a more detailed review of this mask over the summer.

Dry Brushing
Don't get me wrong, I love a good body scrub or polish, but some days they just feel like that extra step I can't bring myself to do.  What I can get behind any day of the week is dry brushing!  It takes less than two minutes to brush your entire body, leaves no slipperiness or oily coating on the tub, and in addition to exfoliating away dead skin, it also offers lymphatic and circulatory benefits.  There's tons of information about dry brushing out there, but it's hard to get wrong: just start gentle and make sure to brush in a direction towards your heart.

Has the cold weather hit where you are?  What are your winter skin essentials?

Last week's gift guide covered gifts suitable for introducing a newbie to green beauty and today, I want to flip to the complete other end of the spectrum: shopping for the experienced green beauty lover.  She's already a clean beauty devotee and has sampled the gamut herself.  In a lot of ways, I think this is one of the most challenging giftees to shop for, but I've put together a good mix of new releases and lesser known companies and products to help you out.  
Rachel's Plan Bee x kimberlyloc Limited Edition Body Oil
A collaboration between Rachel's Plan Bee and Kim of kimberlyloc.com, this limited edition body oil features two types of jasmine, rose, vanilla, and sweet orange.  The company's original body oil is a firm favorite of mine that hydrates like a dream without leaving your skin feeling greasy or coated, and I have no doubt that the jasmine-infused oil is equally beautiful for jasmine and floral lovers.  

Henné Organics Luxury Organic Lip Balm
USDA certified organic, made with minimal ingredients, and packaged in beautiful and luxe Miron glass,  Henné Organics lip balm epitomizes elegant simplicity and is just the thing for the tough-to-shop-for green beauty lover.  After all, who doesn't love a good lip balm - especially in the dead of winter?

Ilia Beauty Fall/Winter Collection
Ilia recently expanded their collection to include eyeliners, shadow sticks, and liquid foundation.  I'm swooning over the idea of twist up liners - virtually unheard of from natural brands - and the shadow sticks look great too!  I haven't heard a lot about the foundation so far, but so long as you're confident in your ability to color match your recipient's skintone, it could make a lovely gift too.

NCLA Nail Lacquers
I don't see NCLA talked about a lot, but these 5-free and vegan lacquers are one of my favorite nail polish formulas.  They dry quickly and wear well, and with tons of colors, multiple finishes and several different gift set options, there's lots to choose from!

A Fantastic Face Mask
What beauty junkie doesn't love a good face mask?  Pictured above are Balanced Guru's Calming Masque - a favorite of mine that equally detoxifies and soothes the skin - and two that are new to me: Corpa Flora's berry-packed Caviar Rouge and Consonant's multitasking (exfoliating, detoxifying + moisturizing) DHE Mask.  All three brands have excellent products but tend to fly slightly under the radar in the green beauty community.  

An Essential Oil Diffuser
Essential oil diffusers are great for scenting your home, setting a mood, and purifying the air.  Pictured above is Young Living's Dew Drop, the one I'm currently using.  I like it because it's quiet and it creates enough of a scent throw to be noticeable throughout a large room or even an entire floor.  Because it uses water to create a cool mist, it also acts as a small-scale humidifier, so it's great for keeping skin hydrated too.  

Napa Organics Plum Oil / Océopin Maritime Pine Seed Oil
Any green beauty devotee is sure to have tried their share of oils, but they may not be familiar with these two lesser-known beauties.  Both are harvested in limited quantities - in California and southern France, respectively - and are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that are great for cell renewal and maintaining the skin's elasticity and barrier function.  Napa Organics' Plum Kernel Oil has a light almond/cherry scent and is excellent for balancing oil production and minimizing the appearance of scars and fine lines.  And, Océopin's Maritime Pine Seed Oil, which uses a patented cold extraction method to extract oil from the pine cones of organic Maritime pine trees, has an extremely high antioxidant content that actively protects against skin aggressors and free radicals. 

What would you suggest when shopping for a fellow green beauty lover?  

Avalon Organics Clarifying Lemon Shampoo
I bought this when I was having issues with buildup and an oily scalp and alternated between it and another non-clarifying shampoo.  The combination worked well without over-stripping or drying out my hair.  I figured out a few months ago that my scalp problems were more likely a mild case of seborrheic dermatitis, rather than just oilyness, and started treating that internally with oregano oil, and since then, my scalp issues have stopped, so I don't have any need for a clarifying shampoo anymore.  
Repurchase? For the time being, no.

Rachel's Plan Bee Original Body Polish*   [Review]
I've raved about the Rachel's Plan Bee body polishes several times now, so I won't go into too much detail here. These are one of my favorite scrubs.  The texture is perfect, they don't separate, and they're highly moisturizing, but not overly greasy or oily.
Repurchase? Yes.  There are a couple different scents I want to try in the future.

Meow Meow Tweet Grapefruit Mint Soap
I have problems with some bar soaps drying out my hands in the winter and unfortunately this was one of them.  The soap smelled nice and has worked great during the summer, but I had to put it away in the colder months when my hands became dry and cracked.
Repurchase?  Probably not.

Desert Essence Italian Lemon Hand and Body Lotion
I really enjoyed this lotion.  It was scented with only essential oils and had a much milder fragrance than most Desert Essence products.  My big nitpick is with the packaging.  The label started wearing off early and quickly began shedding blue flakes.  In and of itself, not terrible, but the flakes would magnetize and stick to anywhere I applied lotion, which became a big nuisance.  
Repurchase? Maybe.  The lotion itself was great, but I'm not sure I want to deal with the hassle of the label again.

Nourish Organic Wild Berries Body Wash
I featured this in my most recent favorites post, which is a pretty good hint about how I feel about this product.  Nourish's body washes are a longtime favorite of mine and the berry scent is really lovely.  It's sweet and fruity but also has an herbal/fresh note that keeps it from being overly saccharine or sickly.  
Repurchase? Yes.



Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Oil*   [Review]
This is a great multi-purpose oil to have on hand.  Made with just almond and plum kernel oils, it has a light marzipan-y scent and is very soothing and gentle on the skin.  I liked it a lot as both a regular face oil and to remove eye makeup, and I even used the last inch or so of the bottle as an allover body oil.  I'm actually very tempted to buy it again specifically to use on my body, as it left me with the softest skin ever.
Repurchase? Maybe.

Weleda Rosemary Conditioning Hair Oil*   [Review]
I mostly used this oil as a leave-in on my ends, but I also used it as a pre-shower treatment a couple times too.  Honestly, my hair is easygoing when it comes to oils, so I don't notice a huge difference between different ones, but this one worked well.  It smelled like rosemary and did a good job taming minor frizz and flyaway hairs. 
Repurchase? I'm not sure

Acure Marula Oil
I'm a little conflicted on this marula oil.  I loved it at first, but partway through the bottle, it stopped agreeing with me.  It stopped absorbing into my skin at all and would just sit on top and feel greasy.  I used the last half as a body oil and while it was fine in that capacity, it wasn't anything spectacular.
Repurchase? Probably not.

Yarok Feed Your Ends Leave-In Conditioner
I used another mini Feed Your Ends a couple years ago, and while the first one didn't impress me all that much, I really loved it this time around.  On my hair, it feels very lightweight and non-greasy and I also enjoy Yarok's signature lemon scent.  I used the spray mainly as a refresher on dry second-day hair, but it's also marketed as a heat protectant.  
Repurchase? Yes.  I have a couple other hair products to use up first, but I think this will be my next purchase after those.



Triumph & Disaster Old Fashioned Shave Cream (samples)
Triumph & Disaster is marketed as a men's line, but the Shave Cream certainly works for women too.  With a lotiony consistency and a great cushiony feel, it worked really well and, though definitely more of a masculine scent, I thought it smelled great too.  That said, as much as I enjoyed it, as someone who doesn't even buy shave cream half the time - that's what failed conditioners are for! - I can't see myself spending the extra money on a higher end shave cream.  tl;dr: Great product, but a little pricey for what it is.
Repurchase? I doubt it.  

Weleda White Mallow and Calendula Face Creams (samples)
I've used samples of both of these creams before, and they're okay.  The White Mallow contains coconut oil, which doesn't tend to agree with my face, and I don't love the scent of Weleda's Calendula line, so I actually used these sachets on my body, not my face.
Repurchase? No.

Studio 78 Off We Go Concealer in At Dawn (01) (sample)
I'm going to do a full review of this concealer once I get around to ordering the full size, so I'll save the details for that post.  Needless to say, I like it.  It's a much-talked about product amongst green bloggers, but I'd say it's worth the hype.
Repurchase? Yes, I plan to very soon.

Ilia Vivid Concealer in Cassava (C1) (sample)
The concealer itself was okay - light to medium coverage and nothing extraordinary - but what tipped this product over for me was the smell.  I don't even know what it smelled like, but it was fairly strong and I was not a fan.  I know I swatched this in The Detox Market a few months ago and I don't remember noticing a smell then, so I'm wondering if this sample just went off or something.
Repurchase? Definitely not.

Mineral Foundation Samples
I've been working through an accumulation of mineral foundation samples the last couple months.  I ran out of ones that actually matched me, so this batch is a mix of ones that, by themselves, did not, but I was able to mix and tinker between the lot to make them work.  Lucy Minerals is still the biggest standout for me and unmatched by any other mineral foundation I've tried in terms of both coverage and lasting power.  I also like Urban Minerals a lot and The All Natural Face foundation is okay too, though pretty light coverage.  As I've said before, I'm not a big fan of the Alima Pure foundation, which I find disappears off my face by halfway through the day.
Repurchase? I'm leaning towards going back to Lucy Minerals when I next need foundation, but I'd also consider purchasing Urban Minerals.

Real Purity Desert Rose Blush (sample)
Desert Rose is a very pigmented matte mauvey-rose shade.  I liked it, but it needed extra care and blending to not look ridiculous and clown-like on my fair skin.  I enjoyed using the sample, but considering the number of blushes I have and the little bit of extra work this one required, I'm not sure I liked it enough for a full size purchase.
Repurchase? Probably not.

Total Products Used Up in July
Skincare: 2  (Lip Balms: 0)
Bodycare: 4
Haircare:  3
Makeup: 0
Skin/Body/Hair Samples: 5
Makeup Samples: 7

Total Products Used Up in 2015
Skincare: 23 (Lip Balms: 7)
Bodycare: 28
Haircare:  9
Makeup: 9
Skin/Body/Hair Samples: 54 
Makeup Samples: 19

I'm not one for professional pedicures, but I do enjoy taking a little extra time to do my own, at home version.  I don't think we appreciate just how much of a beating our feet take until sandal season is upon us, but those tootsies definitely deserve some TLC too!  I've gotten into a bit of a routine with my feet pampering products recently, so I thought I'd share those with you, as well as a new nail polish find that's perfect for summer.  


Priti NYC Soy Nail Polish Remover
Switching from conventional nail polish remover is a challenge, but Priti makes it a little easier.  Along with the toxins, you can say goodbye to dried out nails and that horrible acetone smell.  The Soy Nail Polish Remover actually leaves your nails feeling moisturized and cared for, and rather than smelling like chemical solvents, it has a subtle lemongrass scent.   (There's also an unscented version available.)  And, yes, it actually works too.  You'll want to allow a little extra time for glitter polishes, but everything else comes off pretty darn easily.

Rachel's Plan Bee Body Polish*
I love a good DIY scrub, but there's something extra special about the Rachel's Plan Bee Body Polishes.  Aside from smelling great - this one is the company's signature vanilla/citrus scent - they also have the most perfect consistency.  There's no separating, and with ingredients like shea butter and Moroccan lava clay, the texture is buttery rather than oily, like you find with a lot of other scrubs.  The sugar crystals are gentle enough for your entire body, but with a little extra buffing, they easily take on rough, seasoned feet too. 

Ellovi Mint Chocolate Butter
I've been savoring this small sample that came in a Petit Vour box several months back and happily a small amount goes a long way with this product, so it's still hanging on.  With only six ingredients - macadamia oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, non-GMO corn starch, and peppermint essential oil - Ellovi Butter is a smooth, rich moisturizer that actually has the consistency of soft butter.  It's an intense moisturizer that melts into the skin beautifully and is perfect for feet or other extra dry spots, though you could, of course, use it on the rest of your body too.  I also can't get enough of the Mint Chocolate scent.  It's reminiscent of Thin Mints or mint chocolate chip ice cream: minty and chocolatey, but not overly sweet or cloying.  

Sheswai Lacquer in Good Vibes
Early this spring, I got a random yearning for a particular shade of yellow nail polish - something bright (but not neon) and with a cream finish - and ever since then, I've been on the hunt for what's turned out to be a surprisingly illusive shade.  So, when I spotted Good Vibes on sale from Clementine Fields, I quickly snagged a bottle.  I will say, while the color is on point, the formula isn't the best.  This is the only Sheswai polish I've used, so I don't know if it's the individual color or the entire line, but Good Vibes needs a little more work than your average nail polish.  I wasn't at all impressed the first time I wore it, but after redoing my nails, I've realized the key is multiple thin coats and plenty of drying time in between.  It's certainly a fussier polish, as yellow polishes tend to be, but the color really is beautiful for this time of year.

Pacifica 7 Free Gloss Top & Base Coat
I bought this a couple months ago and I have nothing bad to say about it.  It's great as a base coat to prevent staining and also as a top coat, lending a great, glossy finish.  And, it also works well to smooth out rougher glitter polishes and dries pretty quickly too.  I'll definitely be trying more Pacifica polishes in the future!

The nail polishes may change, but the rest of the products stay pretty constant.  What are your mani/pedi essentials?