Naturalla Beauty

I haven't tried many EO products, mainly because of the brand's fondness for preserving with phenoxyethanol, but when I was offered the chance to sample the company's new Ageless Skincare line and realized these new products were phenoxyethanol-free, I was quick to say yes.  The Ageless Skincare line is a little more luxe than EO's previous skincare offerings, featuring glass bottles and more advanced formulas.  These changes are reflected in the price point, though everything is still reasonably affordable ($19.99 to $39.99 full price, less on discount sites like iHerb and Vitacost).

Obviously, as with all my Sample Stash posts, I haven't tested any of these products extensively, but keep reading for my initial impressions.  Also, stay tuned all the way to the end for a chance to win one of these products in full size!



Coconut Cleansing Milk
Creamy cleansers are my favorite for a morning cleanse and this one did the trick nicely.  It had good slip to it, felt gentle on the skin, and rinsed away easily.  It does contain coconut oil, but my skin is fine with that in wash off products like cleansers and I had no issues.  In fact, the Cleansing Milk left my face feeling very balanced and calm. 

Moroccan Lava Clay Exfoliating Scrub
Probably my favorite product from the entire line, the Exfoliating Scrub is a powder cleanser/mask made with oats, Moroccan clay, and papaya and pineapple enzymes.  Powdered cleansers have been popular from higher end green brands for a while, but I haven't seen any inexpensive lines jump on this trend until now.  The scrub has great ingredients and you can easily tailor the amount of exfoliation by playing around with what you mix into the powder.  I like that it can double as both an exfoliant and a mask and it smells really lovely too - a mild fruity/vanilla scent.

Organic Argan Face Oil
Although this is called the Argan Face Oil, the first ingredient is actually organic ethyl palmate, a palm oil derivative that gives the oil a super lightweight texture and fast absorption.  Organic argan oil is also in there, along with organic jojoba and avocado oils, but the overall feel of the oil is very light and skin is left dry to the touch within a minute or two of application.  I'm not big on palm oil or palm oil derivatives from an environmental standpoint, but I did really like the feel of this oil.  If you've been reluctant to use oils during the day, it might be just the thing.  

Transformative Night Serum
The Transformative Night Serum features a great blend of plant oils, including argan, pumpkin seed, rosehip, evening primrose, pomegranate and macadamia.  Heavier than the Argan Face Oil, but still not what I'd consider a heavy oil by any means, it hydrates well without leaving the skin feeling greasy.  I don't love the rose scent, but that just comes down to personal preference - it's not overly fragranced, I'm just not a big fan of rose.

The Bottom Line
I didn't try the Hydrating Face Moisturizer, which contains dimethicone, but I enjoyed my brief time testing the rest of the products in the EO Ageless Skincare Line.  Across the board, everything felt gentle and non-irritating and I think would be very suitable for a variety of skintypes.  I'm hoping this is the beginning of many more phenoxyethanol-free offerings from EO!

GIVEAWAY
January is my birthday month and with that in mind, I'm going to have a few giveaways staggered throughout the month.

This week, you can win EO's Transformative Night Serum with Tsubaki & Rose.  As I said earlier, I think this is a great oil, but rose scents just aren't my jam, so I'd love to share the full size with one of you instead!   

And, I'm keeping the rose theme going by adding in a few other small rose goodies as well, including a mini SW Basics Rosewater Cleanser, a rose-colored eye shadow from Modern Minerals, and a couple rose-flavored teas.  



Giveaway is open worldwide.  Follow the Rafflecopter widget, below, to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I recently shared my summer pedicure essentials, but these two minis have been giving a couple of those products a real run for their money!  The Spa Collection, a new two product range from Odacité, includes the Invigorative Jasmine Mimosa Body Scrub and Intensive Hand & Heel Therapy and is intended to "nurture your skin, mind and body and make it glow."  

Jamie MacLean, president and founder of the new Toronto-based e-boutique Petal & Post, very kindly sent me samples of the Spa Collection to try and I've been happily doing so for the last couple weeks.  Keep reading for more details on both products.



Invigorative Jasmine Mimosa Body Scrub
My favorite thing about the Jasmine Mimosa Body Scrub is that it contains gentle, coconut-derived cleansing agents that create create a creamy lather and help the scrub rinse away cleanly.  I can't think of anything LESS spa-like than having to scrub the tub as soon as you get out - a necessity with a lot of oil-based scrubs - so I appreciate that Odacité has completely circumvented that issue with this emulsifying product.  And, the lack of oil doesn't mean the scrub is missing moisturizing ingredients either.  Glycerin, milk thistle extract and aloe vera leave skin feeling soft and hydrated, just without the slippery mess.  The exfoliation comes from finely ground walnut shells, which do a great job but don't feel harsh or scratchy.  The scrub spreads really nicely too, so you don't actually need much product to get a good exfoliation.  It smells mostly of jasmine in the pot, but the scent mellows into a more balanced blend of citrus and floral on the skin, thanks to lemongrass, geranium, ylang-ylang, litsea cubeba and rose essential oils.  The scent is still a little heavy on the florals for my nose, but I could see it being a big hit with a lot of people.

Intensive Hand & Heel Therapy
I can't get enough of this one!  The Hand & Heel Therapy is a lovely rich moisturizer that provides the skin with great, intense hydration without any greasy or oily feel.  I was initially concerned this would be too heavy for hands, other than overnight, but it absorbs so well that it works great during the day too.  I also love it for feet and elbows.  Again, a small amount is all you need.

Alpha hydroxy acids derived from fruit and sugar gently tackle any dead skin, helping moisturizers like shea butter and olive and sunflower oils deeply penetrate to hydrate dry and damaged skin.  Another interesting ingredient to note is galactoarabinan, a plant collagen derived from larch trees and more often seen in face products.  Known to increase cell turnover and reduce transdermal water loss, it's another powerhouse ingredient that fits in perfectly, helping to deliver soft and smooth skin.   Essential oils of lemon, spearmint, grapefruit, rosemary, clary sage, lavender, and geranium blend together into a refreshing, herbal scent that really is reminiscent of a spa, and also offer anti-fungal and anti-bacterial benefits.  

The Bottom Line
At $45 for the Hand & Heel Therapy and $55 for the Body Scrub, these don't come cheap, but like all Odacité products, they have exceptional, high quality ingredients and do deliver on the promised spa-like experience.  I'm a little less certain about the scrub, mainly because of the scent, but I can see treating myself to the Hand & Heel Therapy in the future, particularly come fall and winter.

What are your favorites from Odacité?

Evolvh SmartStart Leave-in Conditioner
Leave-in conditioners always function as second-day curl refreshers for me, so when I got this in the January Petit Vour box, I was cautiously excited even though the scent didn't seem like my cup of tea.  Evolvh's products list only essential oils in the ingredients, but they smell very perfumey to me, and even - dare I say it - synthetic.  Nonetheless, I saw a lot of good feedback on this product - and I'd already taken the photo for this post - so I decided to give it a try.  As a leave-in conditioner, it worked fine, but I should have gone with my gut on the scent.  I used it in my upstairs bedroom and it still managed to make half my house smell like perfume.  The scent was also crazy strong in my hair, to the point where my mom - who is possibly even more scent-sensitive than me - could barely stand to be in the same room as me!  I ended up having to take a mid-day shower to wash it out, and even after triple-shampooing, the smell was still noticeable in my hair.  I'm not interested in calling anyone out, but I've never had such a difficult time getting rid of a 100% essential oil-based scent, which, combined with the scent itself, makes me a little skeptical.  Take that for what you will.  

The Body Deli Melon Foaming Cleanser
I always get sucked in by skincare products that promise to brighten and the combination of turmeric, licorice root and vitamin B-12 sounded great.  After using the cleanser, I'm sort of on the fence.  I don't hate it, but I don't love it either.  I like the fresh melon scent and it works fine, but I haven't noticed any brightening or other improvements in my skin while using it.  

F. Miller Skincare Body Oil
F. Miller is a fairly new Toronto company and one I wasn't familiar with before attending a press event at The Cure Apothecary.  Made with a blend of argan, jojoba, fractionated coconut, borage, sweet almond, sunflower, and apricot kernel oils, the oil feels deceptively light in texture for something that's actually very nourishing to the skin.  The scent is an earthy/citrus blend with neroli, bergamot, frankincense, grapefruit, and palmarose essential oils.  I enjoyed the sample, but if I were to splurge on a $60+ body oil, it would still be Lina Hanson's Global Body Serum.  

Nourish Organic Coconut & Argan Body Lotion with Hibiscus
I've never been too impressed by Nourish's body lotions, but the Coconut & Argan has a slightly different formula that I like a lot more.  It's both thicker and richer, and doesn't have the strong alcohol scent I'm used to from Nourish's lotions.  I've mostly used it as a hand cream, as the mini size is perfect for carrying with you, and it's worked great.  The coconut scent isn't my favorite, but it's not an overly strong or fake coconut like a lot of others.  It reminds me of a cross between a fresh, young coconut and sunscreen.  Unfortunately, it looks like Nourish has replaced this variety with a Tropical Coconut scent, but that one doesn't have the argan oil or hibiscus extract, so I don't know how similar it is.  If you can find this version and you like coconut scents, I think it's worth picking up.

So, all in all, nothing I'm fully convinced to buy this time around, but I'm still glad to have had the chance to try these four items out.  If you've used any of them, I'd love to know what you thought!

I've used face oils almost exclusively since discovering them, but when the cold weather hit this year, oils alone just weren't doing the trick.  My skin didn't feel dry, so it took me a while to clue in to the fact that my fine lines suddenly seeming more pronounced and a worse overall skin texture could both be signs of dehydrated skin.  It amazes me how much of a difference adding in a water-based moisturizer has made!  I'll have more on my full skincare routine soon, but for today's sample stash post, I want to focus on a few of the moisturizers I tested during this dry spell.  All are very gentle and formulated specifically for sensitive skin, but there are some notable differences between them as well.



Blissoma Pure Sensitive Skin Soothing Complex
I actually had two samples of this - one from a Petit Vour box and one that I received in a Foxy Mango order - so I was able to test this out for close to a month and get a good feel for it.  Blissoma products are always packed full of herbal goodness and this is no exception.  With shea butter, marshmallow root, plantain, self heal, heather, and lots more, Pure is an excellent product for soothing redness and irritated or inflamed skin and it's been a pleasure to use.  It's a thick, substantial moisturizer, but it melts into the skin beautifully and actually ends up feeling quite weightless.  The formula is unscented, but it does have a very herbal scent from the ingredients.  Definitely a product I could see buying in the future.  

Trilogy Very Gentle Moisturizing Cream
Trilogy's Very Gentle line is fragrance and essential oil free and the moisturizer is intended to soothe and protect the skin barrier while deeply hydrating and comforting the skin.  The cream instantly eliminated any redness on my face and I also noticed less redness over the course of the day.  It felt pretty rich - though not overly heavy - and did take a couple minutes to fully sink in.  I'm using one of Trilogy's other moisturizers now, but I might come back to this one in the future.

Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Beautiful Day Cream and Heavenly Night Cream
I'm not usually one for rose scents, but these ones - which were something of a sweet, candy-like rose - were surprisingly okay.  And, I liked the creams themselves too.  Both were soothing and quite hydrating, while also absorbing quickly.  I preferred the Day Cream over the Night, as I noticed a bit of a slimy coating when I wet my face in the mornings after using the Night Cream the night before.  I didn't have any adverse skin reaction in the few days the sample lasted, but I worry that whatever the coating element is might cause one with longer use.  The Day Cream was a little lighter in texture and didn't leave any kind of coating on the skin.

Pai Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream
I always want to love Pai, but their products sometimes just don't do it for me.  I think this is one of the richer moisturizers in the line and it felt too heavy for my skin.  The jasmine scent - although light - wasn't my favorite either and didn't help to endear this product to me.  I'd be curious to try a different moisturizer from the line, but this one wasn't a hit.

Green Beaver Green Tea Facial Cream
Green Beaver is good for affordable, basic skincare and the Green Tea Facial Cream was no different.  There's nothing wrong with it - it's a decent unscented, lightweight moisturizer - but there are other moisturizers I like a lot more.  

Have you used any of these?  What do you look for in a moisturizer?

I've yet to settle on a replacement product since finishing my Pure + Simple Eye Brightening Cream at the end of the summer.  Instead, I've been working through a whole bunch of sample, trying to explore what else is out there.  My main eye concern is dark circles, but I also do get some puffiness.  Fine lines aren't an issue, except in the preventative sense.  

Obviously I can't speak to long term results with most of these, but I still wanted to share my initial impressions.  Since they're reserved for such a small area, even the sample sachets provide enough product for a week or two of use. 



Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream
I've been using Balance Me's Wonder Eye Cream on and off for a couple months now and I like it.  It feels very light and weightless but also provides a good amount of moisture.  I haven't found it to dramatically reduce either darkness or puffiness, but it does make a small difference in both regards.  I'm very happy to use this hefty 10 ml travel size to the end, but I'm not sure I'd buy it again after that.  

Absolution Le Soin Regard Eye Contour Booster
I've wanted to try Absolution's eye cream ever since Kim (of KimberlyLoc) wrote about it being a staple in her routine.  The Contour Booster has a light gel consistency and contains mica to diffuse light and brighten the under eye area.  The sachet didn't last long enough for me to discern any long term effects, but the mica really does brighten and the cream also provides an instant tightening effect that (somewhat) minimizes puffiness.  I'd be much more inclined to buy the full size if it didn't smell quite so heavily of roses - I'm sure by now I've made it abundantly clear that I'm just not a rose fan.  

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair Eye Treatment
The Stem Cellular Repair Eye Treatment is a light gel purported to increase cell turnover, improve elasticity, and minimize dark circles, puffiness, and wrinkles.  A lot of claims, but - bearing in mind that, again, I just had a small sample - I really didn't see any noticeable effects with this product.  I also noticed a few small milia while using it, so it's not something I'll be picking up for a longer trial.

Dr. Alkaitis Organic Eye Crème
Given how strongly I feel about the Soothing Gel, I really expected to love Dr. Alkaitis' Eye Cream as well.  Unfortunately, I just don't. It's a thicker cream that feels very nice and rich going on, but like the Juice Beauty, I just didn't see any difference in my eye area when using it.  It also stung a lot if any migrated too near the eye.  There were a couple nights where I was left tearing up for a good 40 minutes because a speck of the eye cream somehow made it into my eye.  

I'm starting to think that finding a perfect eye cream is something of an unattainable holy grail!  Have you found it?  What are your favorite eye products?  

My last Sample Stash post was just a week ago, but what can I say, the samples, they just don't end!  Here's the most recent batch I've been working on:



EarthBody Dream Body Oil
This is the second EarthBody product I've received in a Petit Vour box, and they've both been awesome.  The body oil, which includes nourishing jojoba and rosehip seed oils, is perfect for deeply moisturizing and protecting your skin through these colder months.  Dream is scented with frankincense, lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood, and it smells lovely.  The frankincense and sandalwood add a earthy and woodsy element that really elevates it above your standard lavender-chamomile scent.  

Nonie of Beverly Hills AHA! Body Lotion
Nonie of Beverly Hills recently sent me some products from their skincare line to try (more on those later) and they also included this sample of the body lotion.  Like most of the line, the body lotion is made with naturally occuring alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) from various fruit extracts, so it acts as a gentle chemical exfoliant.  It's the first body lotion I've used with AHA's, and it's great.  I can just imagine the acids going all ninja on any dead skin or impurities, since what's left behind is so incredibly smooth and soft!  It also smells yummy, like lemon ice.

Dr. Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel
The Soothing Gel has been well hyped by several different green bloggers recently and I was curious to try it for myself.  It's essentially a whole bunch of healing herbs and botanicals - nettle, sea oak, kelp, and chamomile, to name just a few - in an aloe and witch hazel base.  It has a watery-gel consistency. 

Since discovering oils, cream moisturizers aren't something that I always keep in my routine, but they certainly have their moments.  Here's my brief take on four I've tried recently:


Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Nourishing Facial Cream
I really like Sibu's body lotion, so I'm always optimistic when trying other Sibu products, but sadly most of the face line has disappointed me.  The Nourishing Facial Cream just felt sticky and tacky on my face and never seemed to absorb or dry down.  I wasn't a fan.

Consonant Skincare Ultra Moisturizing Face Cream for Dry Skin
I put this sample to use during our first cold spell this winter and I quite liked it.  It absorbed into the skin well and gave a good amount of moisture without feeling heavy.  I like that it's unscented and it felt nice and gentle on my face.  I would consider buying it once I've used up a few other products.  

Weleda Soothing Almond Facial Lotion
It's no secret that I think highly of Weleda's Soothing Almond line, so I'm sure it won't come as a surprise that I enjoyed using the Facial Lotion.  It's a great basic, lightweight moisturizer and the ingredients are about as minimal as you can get in a cream formulation.  Still, lately I've been moving towards wanting my skincare to be more "active" and do more than this simple lotion offers, so I'm not sure I'd buy a larger tube unless my skin was acting up or in distress.

Weleda Hydrating Iris Facial Lotion
The Iris Facial Lotion has a very similar, lightweight feel to the Almond, although it has a few more ingredients and is targeted more towards those with normal to combination skin looking to regulate oil production.  It has a mild floral scent, but nothing overpowering.  I like it, but again, I'm not sure it's a product I would buy in full size, if only because I don't think my skin really fits the target demographic for the Iris line.

Do you have a sample stash hanging around?  Does it ever seem like a bottomless pit, like mine?

I've used Pure + Simple's Eye Brightening Cream for most of the last year, but when it ran out in August, I decided to dig out all my eye product samples and give them a whirl before replacing it. 

Here's what I had hanging around my stash and brief opinions on each:



Weleda Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream
I liked how lightweight this was during the hotter weather.  It gives a slight tightening feeling as it goes on, but it didn't do much of anything for my dark circles or puffiness.  Smelled fruity but not overpoweringly so.

Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Eye Cream
Still pretty light, but a little heavier than the Pomegranate, this was definitely my favorite of the two Weleda eye creams.  Again, I didn't notice drastic results, but it helped a little with puffiness and was great under makeup.  The scent was also mild and completely non-offensive, even for a non-rose lover like me.

Kahina Giving Beauty Eye Serum
I love other Kahina products, but this one just didn't do it for me.  I didn't notice any difference in my eye area, and I wasn't impressed with the slight tacky film that the serum leaves behind after it dries.  Layering another cream on top gets rid of the tackiness, but I'm still not completely sold.

Consonant Ultra Moisturizing + Ultra Firming Organic Eye Creams
I'm grouping these together because, honestly, I didn't notice a big difference between the two.  They're both thick, rich, unscented creams that work really well for puffyness.  If puffy eyes are your main concern, they're fabulous - they work better in that regard than anything else I've tried - but they didn't do much for dark circles.  I also find them a little too heavy for mornings, if I don't have time to wait before applying makeup.

Young Living Wolfberry Eye Cream (not pictured)
When my mom heard I was testing eye creams, she gave me a sample of her eye cream to try too.  I used to use this as a teenager, and I do notice it makes my dark circles a little bit lighter.  It's good at night, but like the Consonant, I don't love it in the morning, since it needs that little extra time to soak in before I can comfortably apply concealer on top.

The Bottom Line
My under eye area is probably my biggest skin concern these days, so I can be a bit fussy with eye products.  I know you can't always adequately judge something like this from just using a sample, but nonetheless, none of these sold me enough that I'll be buying the full size.  I'm still on the fence about what I want to use.  I really like the Pure + Simple, but after almost a year, I'm up for using something different....

What are your favorite eye products?  I'm totally open to recommendations!

I'm still slowly trucking through my sample box.  For today's batch, we have even more cleansers!



Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash
Your average gel cleanser, with a pretty strong, sunscreeny coconut scent.  If you like Pacifica's scents and foaming cleansers, this might work for you, but I found it left my face with that dreaded tight/dry feeling.

Trilogy Very Gentle Cleansing Cream
I really liked this one!  It's a thick, unscented cream cleanser that easily removes makeup and leaves skin super clean, but never stripped.  It reminded me of Weleda's Soothing Almond Cleanser, which makes sense as the Trilogy also has an almond oil base.  

Blissoma Fresh Mild Rice Facial Cleanser
Did this cult favorite live up to the hype?  I've got to say yes!  It's gentle and non-irritating, but provides a slight exfoliation from the rice.  I also enjoyed the fresh citrus scent.  Now that Blissoma is available in Canada (through Nuciya), I think I'll be picking up a bottle at some point!

May Lindstrom The Clean Dirt
Another much hyped product, The Clean Dirt is a powdered cleanser that you activate with water and then massage into the skin.  With ingredients like clay, cacao, cinnamon, and clove, it smells amazing, but it's not something my skin could tolerate everyday as a cleanser.  A couple times a week, maybe, though it's hard to say after just one use. 

Moody Sisters Goats Milk Cleanser
I liked how gentle this one felt on my skin, but it had a thin, watery consistency that made it difficult not to lose the entire sample down the drain.  I also didn't like the scent - it reminded me of generic, hotel soap - though there is an unscented option as well.

So, two winners (Trilogy and Blissoma), a maybe (May Lindstrom) and two no's (Pacifica and Moody Sisters).  Not too bad!  Have you used any of these?

I knew I'd accumulated a lot of samples recently, but it wasn't until I was able to scrounge up enough shampoo and conditioner packets to last me the entire three weeks it took for my Acure replenishment to arrive, that I realized just how out of control this sample situation has gotten.  Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful I had these, but it does makes me wonder just how long I could manage off my sample box alone!  (A challenge for another time, perhaps?)

I'm not always the bravest when it comes to trying new haircare products, so this was also a good nudge for me to try some new things and get a look at what's out there.  Keep reading to see what samples I had kicking around and my first impressions of each.


Seaweed Bath Co. Unscented Argan Shampoo + Citrus Argan Conditioner
So-so.  The shampoo was pretty thick and was a little difficult to work through the hair at first.  It produced a decent lather, but left my hair feeling a bit too squeaky clean when I rinsed it out.  The citrus conditioner smelled great, but it didn't give enough moisture to my hair.  When all was said and done, my curls were left looser and frizzier than I'd like.

Bröö Frizzy to Sleek Shampoo + Conditioner
Mostly nice!  The beer in Bröö's products has always seemed a little kitschy to me, but the shampoo lathered well and wasn't drying at all.  From the feel, I thought the conditioner would be too light, but it worked well also.  The duo also smells like you're walking by a Cinnabon - a mix of cinnamon, sugar and yeast (maybe from the beer?)  It's a strong scent and it hung around for two more washes before it was completely gone, so bear that in mind if you're sensitive to smells.  Unfortunately, I got a massive pimple right on my hairline the same day I tried these, so something in them obviously didn't suit. 

Himalaya Rejuvenating Shampoo + Amla & Holy Basil Conditioner
Not impressed.  The shampoo smelled fresh and minty and it worked fine, although it had a funny, jelly-like consistency.  The conditioner was, quite frankly, horrible.  It felt like I hadn't used anything and I had to use something else immediately after.  I was also not a fan of how the conditioner smelled. 

Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender Shampoo + Conditioner
I liked this one, but I'm not sure it would work for me on an every-wash basis.  I did a double wash with the shampoo and while my hair felt okay after the first wash, after the second, it was pretty dry and straw-like.  It removed some buildup that I'd been struggling to get rid of since my 30-Day #WeledaHairDare though, so that was great.  The conditioner was nice enough, but nothing spectacular.  Also worth mentioning is that the lavender scent of both products was a win.  It smelled like real lavender, not the perfumey imitations that you sometimes get, even in natural products.  I like to keep a more clarifying shampoo on hand for occasional use and I think I'll be picking this up - or another of Avalon's shampoos - for that purpose. 

Rahua Original Shampoo + Conditioner
A total letdown!  Rahua has gotten a lot of hype, but neither product especially impressed me, and they both smelled heavily of palo santo.  Palo santo is often described as a smokey/woodsy scent similar to sandalwood or cedar, but to me it always has notes of burnt rubber as well.  Sadly, the smell lingered and was strong enough to give me a headache.  I ended up taking a second shower within a couple hours just to wash it out!

Green People Intensive Repair Conditioner
I only tried the conditioner here, but it was lovely.  The scent is pretty flowery, but not offensive - even to a non-floral lover like me - and it left my hair feeling very soft and my curls well defined.  Green People isn't the easiest to get one's hands on here, but I'd consider buying it in the future.  

John Masters Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructing Shampoo + Hair Reconstructor
So good!  I've tried several different John Masters shampoos and conditioners and have always been underwhelmed until this set.  These are really all around lovely.  The shampoo is slightly creamy and the conditioner is great too.  The duo is intended for dry/damaged hair and offers the perfect amount of moisture - eliminating frizz and defining my curls without weighing them down.  The scent is floral and a little perfumey, but hibiscus is a scent that usually works for me, and this one was no different.  The only thing stopping me from scooping these up immediately is the price.  At $26 for 6 ounces of shampoo and $28 for 4 ounces of conditioner, they're John Masters' most costly range.  I'm holding off for a sale! 

Green Beaver Cranberry Delight Shampoo + Conditioner
There are Green Beaver products I love, but unfortunately, the shampoo and conditioner didn't make it onto that list.  The shampoo was another one that I struggled to distribute through my hair, and perhaps for that reason, I didn't feel like it cleaned my scalp very well.  The conditioner was a little better, but ultimately too light for my hair.  The duo left my hair okay in terms of frizz, but while I initially had good curls, they ended up falling pretty flat within 2-3 hours of drying.  

The Bottom Line
So many samples!!  After testing all these, I'm still feeling pretty loyal to my Acure Argan + Argan Stem Cell duo, which I think says a lot about just how good those are.  Out of the all these samples, the only ones I can see myself buying are the John Masters (if I'm feeling flush), the Andalou Naturals (as an occasional clarifying shampoo) and maybe the Green People conditioner (if I was already placing an order from the UK).  The rest will be getting the pass from me.  

Because of my curls, I think haircare is possibly one area where I'm pickier than the average consumer, so do bear that in mind.

Have you used any of these?  What's your favorite shampoo/conditioner?