Naturalla Beauty: Wildcraft

I haven’t shared any empties since February of last year, so, needless to say, I’ve accumulated quite a pileup! In the interest of finally clearing that out, I’m dedicating the rest of this week to empties posts. Today will be hair care, followed by skincare, body care, and makeup. Out of necessity, individual reviews will be brief, but I’m happy to expand on anything in the comments if you’d like more information.

SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER

I haven't been particular to anything specific for shampoo or conditioner, so I've basically just rotated through several of the more inexpensive options on iHerb. I’ve gone through multiples of the Broo Malted Mint Invigorating Shampoo and Conditioner before and it’s a good, non-drying duo. You can definitely smell the beer in the formula, alongside the mint, but it’s not overly strong or offensive. The Desert Essence Italian Lemon Revitalizing Conditioner smells nice and is nicely moisturizing while still feeling quite lightweight. Its matching shampoo, the Italian Lemon Revitalizing Shampoo is great as an occasional clarifying shampoo, but I found it a little too harsh for use every wash. The Andalou Naturals Argan & Sweet Orange Shampoo + Conditioner (now the Moisture Rich Argan Oil & Shea) has been a favorite of mine for a couple years, but it’s been reformulated and, since I stocked up before the change, I haven't tried the new one yet. I also used samples of the Stop the Water While Using Me! Rosemary Grapefruit Shampoo + Conditioner, which didn’t make a huge impression after one use, and the John Masters Organics Spearmint & Meadowsweet Scalp Stimulating Shampoo, which I’ve used before and like quite a lot. I believe John Masters has also reformulated many of their products and I’m unsure if this particular item has changed.

STYLING PRODUCTS

I’ve used countless bottles of the Kinky-Curly Spiral Spritz Styling Serum and while it's a great weightless product, I’ve started to prefer something with a little more hold. The Original Sprout Natural Hair Gel, for babies and up, does the trick nicely with a medium hold, light scent, and similarly affordable price point. I went through two tubes and I have another on the go now. The Wildcraft Cell Regenerating Face Serum hasn’t been miscategorized -- I just really enjoyed using it as a hair oil. A few drops after styling does a fantastic job moisturizing my ends, adding shine, and taming frizz. It a nice face oil too, but the real standout for me was in my hair.

HENNA

I started and ended the year with Rainbow Research Burgundy Henna and it’s what I’m still using. The color, a dark burgundy, covers my greys, last well, and fades naturally. It’s also pretty accessible and easy to get my hands on. I also enjoyed the Henna Color Lab Wine Red Henna, but it’s definitely a more high maintenance color to maintain. It’s a beautiful brighter red, and also works well at covering greys, but it bleeds red for weeks and fades much more quickly and noticeably than the Rainbow Research. I’ve said before that I only dye my hair because I have noticeable greys and it’s not a process I enjoy by any means, so I’m always going to go with the less work, lower maintenance option. For both of these, I'm able to get at least one full head and one root touchup out of a single container/package.

That's it for hair! Stay tuned for lots more empties over the next few days...

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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?

*Press sample
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Naturalla Beauty

A Year of Empties {Part #1: Hair Care}

Winter Skin Heroes ft. Wildcraft, Rachel's Plan Bee, SBT Seabuckthorn, Ilike + more!

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