Naturalla Beauty

I finally cleared out my overflowing bag of empties this past long weekend, so next I want to talk about a few products that really stood out to me over the summer.  Summer favorites are always a little bittersweet since, obviously, summer is over, but at the same time I'm excited to share these products!  



Botanical Butter Spring Chamomile Butter*
Moisturizing oils and butters abound in the green beauty sphere, but the really good ones still manage to stand out from the masses.  Botanical Butter's Spring Butter is one such treat. A decadent mix of shea, cocoa butter, and coconut oil, the Spring Chamomile Butter is extra rich and nourishing and it smells phenomenal too!  As the name suggests, the predominant scent is chamomile, but it's also sweetened up a smidge with a hint of jasmine, lavender, and neroli.   A firmer butter, this isn't the kind of product I find myself slathering all over my body, but rather something I like to use sparingly on extra dry spots like my feet and elbows.  It's been doing a fantastic job keeping my tootsies sandal-ready this whole summer and I expect it will perform just as well heading into the colder months too.  

Silk Naturals Close Up Illuminating Powder
I can get behind an intense highlight on occasion, but for day-to-day, I much prefer a more natural glow, which is exactly what Close Up provides.  Intended as a toned-down MAC Lightscapade --with a much cleaner ingredients list, of course -- Close Up is a delicate cream with a soft gold and pink glow.  It gives a subtle sheen with absolutely no glitter.  According to Silk Naturals, the Illuminating Powders can be used all over the face to perk up a dull complexion, but I prefer the effect when Close Up is concentrated just on the high points of the face, as you would use a traditional highlighter.  It's subtle but still noticeable (at least to me!) and truly gives that candlelight, lit-from-within glow that everyone is always talking about.



Holiskin Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser*
I first reviewed this cleanser in the spring and I've only fallen harder for it since.  The Sensitive Skin Cleanser smells like fresh, rich chamomile, which we've already established I adore, and melts away makeup -- and sunscreen too -- like nobody's business.  Made with a blend of organic or wildcrafted apricot kernel, camellia seed, meadowfoam seed, and castor seed oils, it's a cleanser that's gentle enough for the most delicate skin, but also perfectly suited to virtually any skin type.  The texture/viscosity is thick enough that the oil isn't at risk of running off your face, but it's still thin enough to offer great slip and glide over the skin easily and without any excess catching or tugging.  Just an all-around amazing oil cleanser and definitely a new favorite of mine! 

What products did you love this summer?

It's been several months since my last favorites post, so it's about time I show you some of the products I've been loving more recently.  I've got all the basic categories covered here: skin, hair, body, and makeup.  Most are things I've talked about before, but there are a couple new things as well.  



Andalou Naturals Chia + Omega Radiant Skin Polish
I'm on my second tube of the Skin Polish and I can't see myself being without it anytime in the near future.  I waited about two months to repurchase after finishing my first tube, and while I was using other exfoliants during that time, I noticed my skin looking duller.  When I added the Andalou scrub back in, my skin started to perk up after a single use.  The Skin Polish is part of Andalou's Brightening line and contains turmeric, vitamin C, and white tea, as well as Andalou's patented fruit stem cells and BioActive 8 Berry Complex to brighten and refresh.  I normally wouldn't give a lot of credit to brighteners in a rinse-off product like this, but something in here really does make a noticeable difference in the overall health and luminosity of my skin.  I wouldn't say it's particularly brightening in the sense of reducing discoloration or hyperpigmentation, but rather in that it leaves the skin looking very fresh and alive.  The scrub also has a creamy, peach-scented base that perfectly balances the exfoliating chia seeds and walnut particles, keeping it from being too harsh or abrasive.     

Everyday Minerals Tinted Lip Butter in Nearly Nude
I can't be fussed with wearing full-on lipstick most days, which is why I love a great tinted lip balm.  And, these Everyday Minerals Lip Butters are just that!  The formula is made with shea and murumuru butters and a whole list of great oils including sunflower, meadowfoam, coconut, passionfruit, and marula, so they feel great on the lips.  In the case of Nearly Nude, the tint is sheer enough that you can easily apply it without a mirror, but it leaves your lips looking much more polished than just an ordinary balm.  Nearly Nude is described as a "barely there nude with a kaleidoscope of shimmer," which I don't disagree with, although in combination with the pink color of my lips, it ends up looking more like a natural mauve.  The shimmer adds a shiny look, but it's not metallic or frosty.

Bare Minerals Frame & Define Brow Styler in Universal Light
I did an entire roundup post on natural eyebrow products in June, and while I have a couple others I also like, this pencil is hands down my favorite.  It's super quick to use, has a tiny tip, doesn't require sharpening, and matches my brows perfectly.  It legitimately just looks like my natural brows and, for that reason, it's what I continue to use on an everyday basis.

Pure + Simple Face Face Colour in Glow (+ ELF Studio Stipple Brush)
I've had Glow in my collection for probably close to two years now and while I've always known it was a beautiful bright coral/watermelon pink blush, I never reached for it very often before the last couple months.  The Pure + Simple Face Colours are highly pigmented, so the combination of such a bright color and my fair skin makes clown cheeks a real possibility.  But, as I've recently discovered, when lightly applied with a stipple brush, Glow gives the most perfect glowy, natural looking flush of color, perfect for summer.  I can't get enough of it!  I seriously wore it, and it alone, for nearly the entire month of June!


Nourish Organic Wild Berries Moisturizing Cream Body Wash
I've gone through many a bottle of Nourish's body wash - and blogged about them several times before - but this spring was my first time trying the Wild Berries scent.  I like a lot of fruity scents but I'm somewhat particular about which ones and for some reason I'd convinced myself this wasn't going to be one I'd enjoy.  Well, I was wrong.  If anything, it might be my very favorite scent from Nourish - and I think I've truly tried them all now.  Scents are difficult to describe, but I'd say, while it's clearly a fruity berry scent, there's also a lighter, fresher, almost zesty (or maybe slightly herbal?) element that tones down the sweetness.

If you haven't seen my previous mentions of these body washes, they're a unique cream formula that doesn't lather a whole lot, but leaves the skin feeling clean, soft, and nourished.  They're also USDA certified organic and made with the very best ingredients.

Honest Co. Conditioning Detangler
I've been trying out a couple new shampoos and conditioners and Honest's Conditioning Detangler has been helping me out when they don't necessarily perform as well as I'd like.  When my hair is hard to comb through or if a conditioner just doesn't give my curls enough moisture, this does a wonderful job picking up the slack.  I notice better results when used on wet hair, but it does okay on dry hair too.  Honest's signature Sweet Orange Vanilla scent varies a little across the different products and the detangler isn't my favorite iteration, but since I only smell it as I'm spraying, it's not a big deal.  It doesn't linger and it isn't noticeable on my hair throughout the day.

Those are my standout products the last few months!  What have you been loving this spring and summer?  Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway with Botanical Babe Skincare if you haven't already - open until until midnight Friday (EST).