Naturalla Beauty

It's that time again: empties!  I used up a decent number of samples this month, but only four full sized products.  Keep reading for my thoughts on everything...

FULL SIZED PRODUCTS

George's Always Active Aloe Spray Mister   [Review]
I was in love with this spray initially, but I'm no longer convinced it does anything more than water.  It does work well for setting your makeup, hydrating or cooling your face, and helping oils/serums rub into your skin better, but since this ran out, I've been using plain water in a spray bottle, and I haven't noticed any difference.  
Repurchase? Maybe.  

Acure Argan + Argan Stem Cell Conditioner   [Review]
Love this conditioner!  This is the first summer that I haven't struggled with frizzy hair in the humidity and I credit a lot of that to Acure's shampoo and conditioner.  
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

South of France Lemon Mint Liquid Soap   [Review]
Really great as either a hand soap or body wash.  Lathers up well, smells fresh and lovely - lemony with a touch of mint - and does not leave your skin feeling tight or dry.
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

(Seed) Grape Seed Enriched Body Lotion   [Review]
(Seed)'s lotion is on the lighter side, which was great for the summer.  It rubs in super easily and still moisturizes well.  The pump is a nice added convenience too! 
Repurchase? Maybe.

SAMPLES

Consonant Ultra Firming Eye Cream
Consonant was kind enough to send me a few samples after a conversation on Twitter, and this was the first one I reached for.  They recommended it for both under eye circles and puffiness, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to do much for my dark circles.  It does, however, take down puffiness like no other eye cream I've used.  This plus my Pure + Simple eye cream - which is great for darkness but falls short with puffiness - makes the perfect combination, but I'm not sure it's feasible to layer two eye creams in the long run.  I have a sample of Consonant's Ultra Moisturizing Eye Cream to try next, so I'm hoping that one will end up being a better fit.
Repurchase? Probably not. 

Cheeky Cosmetics Honeycomb Eye Shadow   [Review]
I really like Cheeky Cosmetics' eye shadows, but Honeycomb wasn't a standout colour for me.  It's a pretty golden brown, don't get me wrong, but I have an abundance of eye shadow and it wasn't unique enough that I need to replace it immediately.
Repurchase? Probably not.

Face Naturals Peppermint & Tea Tree Deodorant
The mini deodorant is super cute and the perfect size for toting around, which I guess is good, since it's something that needs to be reapplied throughout the day!  Even on days when I do nothing, this deodorant doesn't get me through the day stink-free unless I use it more than once.  It's also the worst for getting deodorant marks on clothing.  It doesn't seem to matter how I put my shirt on, I always end up with an awkward white smear on it somewhere!  I've loved plenty of other Face Naturals products, but I really had to force myself to use this one up!  
Repurchase? No.

Dr. Bronner's Citrus Orange Pure Castile Soap
I'm pretty sure everyone knows Dr. Bronner's.  This castile soap is insanely multi-purpose and is a great product to have on hand.  Since it's so gentle, I used the sample to hand wash some delicates.  The citrus scent isn't my favorite, but it worked just as well as any of the other ones.
Repurchase? Yes, but not in this scent.

Himalaya Neem & Turmeric Face Wash
Himalaya is a new-to-me brand, but I was excited to try out this sample whilst hunting for a new cleanser.  I'm still curious to try more from the line, but this face wash just didn't work for me.  It's a gel cleanser that's difficult to wash off and it left my skin feeling tight and a little dry.  It's recommended for normal to oily skin, so it may work better for oilier skin types.
Repurchase? No.

Green Beaver Boreal Body Lotion
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this, since I usually choose unscented lotions.  It has a subtle scent that dissipates pretty quickly and I was completely fine with it. It's a little richer than my usual Acure lotion, which I imagine will be fantastic come winter.  And, I love that, unlike the Acure, it's a lotion I can actually buy in stores here.  
Repurchase? It's very likely.  

Black Rose Minerals Skink Eye Shadow   [Review]
Skink is another shimmery tan/light brown/gold and really lovely.  These kinds of shades are my favorite for an everyday eye and I'm starting to running low!  Definitely considering ordering a full size.
Repurchase? Maybe.

That's all for August!  Have you tried any of these products?

I've always liked face masks, but it isn't until the last couple months that I've gotten into the habit of consistently incorporating them into my skincare routine.  Now I'm a bit obsessed!  Masks are a great way to maintain your skin and when you find a good match, the results can be pretty astonishing.  A fairly new addition to my mask rotation is Skin Essence Organic's Facial in a Jar, which is a unique combination of marshmallow root, jasmine flowers, green tea extract, corn meal and kaolin clay that simultaneously deep cleans the pores and nourishes the skin.

It's a dry powder that, with the addition of water, transforms into a slightly gelatinous, gritty paste.  You then have the choice to either use it as a face scrub, or leave it on as a mask and reap the full benefits of all the powerful ingredients.  I generally leave it on for about 10 minutes and then do a gentle exfoliation as I wash it off.   While it's on, the mask feels very cooling (lovely during the summer months!) and after I wash it off, my skin is left feeling refreshed and incredibly soft.  Marshmallow root and allantoin are known for their soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, and Facial in a Jar is also good for taking down redness and soothing mild skin irritations.  

I think it would be a great mask for drier and more sensitive skin types, as while it effectively draws dirt and oil out of your pores, it's much gentler than a straight clay mask.  It also provides a dose of antioxidants, vitamins and  minerals from the other ingredients.  The corn meal is decently gritty though, so those with more sensitive skin will likely want to be careful not to over-exfoliate when removing the mask.  

I will say that I'm not crazy about how Facial in a Jar smells.  If I had to describe the scent, I'd say it smells herbal and sort of doughy...almost yeasty.  It's not terrible, just not especially appealing to me as is, so I happily cover up the smell by mixing in a couple drops of either an essential oil or Skin Essence's Nourish serum.  I also like to mix in some extra clay to up the intensity of the mask and make sure every last bit of gunk is sucked out of my pores. 

Facial in a Jar, dry

Facial in a Jar, mixed with water

The Bottom Line
Facial in a Jar is a great option for anyone looking for a soothing, nourishing mask that also exfoliates and deep cleans your pores.  I love how gentle it is and also how incredibly easy it is to customize the mask to suit how my skin feels on a given day!

What are your favorite face masks?

Where to Buy: $34.99 from Skin Essence Organics (100 ml.)  There is also a smaller, 50 ml size, but it doesn't seem to be available on the Skin Essence website.

Ingredients: Marshmallow Root Powder*, Jasmine Flowers*, Oats*, Green Tea Extract*, Corn Meal*, White Kaolin Clay*, Stevia Leaf Powder*, Allantoin 
*Certified Organic

I've been very curious about exfoliating toners ever since hearing how highly skincare expert Caroline Hirons speaks of them.  Unfortunately, there just don't seem to be very many of these toners in the natural skincare world, so my curiosity was temporarily shelved.  That is, until, while placing an order for some other ingredients for DIY's, I stumbled across Multifruit BSC and decided to try my hand at making my own...

What is Multifruit BSC?
Ingredients: Water & Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Extract & Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract & Acer Saccharinum (Sugar Maple) Extract & Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract & Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Extract.

Multifruit BSC is a concentrated blend of five botanical extracts: bilberry, sugar cane, sugar maple, orange, and lemon.  These extracts contain naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) - mainly lactic and glycolic acids, with lower levels of citric, malic, and tartaric acids.  AHAs are chemical exfoliants that weaken the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, helping you shed dead skin and other build-up, while simultaneously stimulating skin cell renewal.  Chemical exfoliants also penetrate deeper than a manual scrub, allowing you to exfoliate more than just the very top layer of your skin.  

Multifruit BSC is a water soluble, clear solution that is best used in either formulations without heat or added towards the end of recipes involving heat, making it a perfect ingredient to use in a toner.  I was a little nervous at the thought of working with acids, but it all turned out a-okay.  (However, I do urge you to read safety and usage information, like this information sheet, before working with an active like Multifruit BSC.  You'll also want to test the pH of your final product, when working with AHAs, to ensure it falls in a safe range.)  

I used about a 10% concentration, but recommended use levels are anywhere between 5-15%, so that's something you can play around with to suit your skin.  

DIY Exfoliating Toner

120 ml (4 oz) Aloe Vera Distillate or Juice
12 ml Multifruit BSC
20 drops vegetable glycerin

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight bottle.  To use, saturate a cotton pad and swipe across face.  Avoid the eye area.

The Results
My skin seems a little softer and smoother since I've been using this toner, but to be totally honest, I haven't noticed drastic results or improvements.  The toner is on the gentle side and I don't get much tingling from the AHA's at all.  I'm actually considering upping the concentration to 15%, to see if that has a greater impact. 

If, like me, you enjoy experimenting with DIY skincare, Multifruit BSC is an interesting ingredient to pick up.  This toner hasn't blown me away, but I'll definitely be playing around with it a little more and seeing what else I can come up with!

I'm a huge fan of the No More Dirty Looks community, so I'm  extra excited to share my morning (and part of my night) routine on there today!  Check it out here.

The whole idea of natural nail polish remover (and nail polish, for that matter) is a bit of a fallacy, but there are definitely healthier options than your conventional acetone remover.  It's been a long journey, filled with multiple removers and very mixed results, but I've finally found one I'm happy with, so I figured there was no better time to do a comparison post than now.  None of these removers wipe polish off with the ease of acetone, so a lot of it comes down to how much time and effort you're willing to put into removing your nail polish.  The other big factor for me is scent.  Keep reading to hear the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of these four non-toxic nail polish removers.





The smell!  Oh god, the smell!  Imagine the most horrendous fake vanilla scent crossed with acetone, and you get how No Miss' Almost Natural Nail Polish Remover smells.  And, don't think that you can escape it by washing your hands/feet afterwards.  Oh no, the smell hangs around for a good 12-24 hours, no matter what you do.  Showers, socks, and even essential oils are all powerless against the nauseating scent.  I last used this probably 5+ years ago and it's just been idling in my cupboard ever since.

If you can get past the smell, it does the job removing polish, although it does take scrubbing and multiple applications of remover.  Time-wise, it'll run you about 30 minutes.

Ingredients: Fruit acid solvent (Methyl-Pentan-2 One, Multi-fruit Acids), Amber Acid (derived from plant lichens), Deionized Water, Vitamin A, Natural Vanilla Fragrance