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October Goodbeing Box Recap + Review




Long overdue, but I'm here with my thought on the October Goodbeing box. Right off the bat, I'll say that I was considerably less excited about the contents of this one, compared to my August box. It's no secret that I can be sensitive and particular about scents and several of this month's items just didn't agree with my nose.

Here's what came in my October box....

Yarok Feed Your Ends ($13.20)
Feed Your Ends is the exception. It's not a new product for me, nor is it one that bothers my nose. I like Yarok and I've gone through at least a couple bottles of this leave in conditioner/detangler/heat protector in the past. I mainly use it as a second day curl refresher, as it works great to revive curls and tame frizz. The spray is lightweight, lightly lemon scented, and even the small bottles have a nice fine mist.

Modicum #3 Essential Serum ($25.00)
The #3 Essential Serum is an oil-based formula made with squalane, argan, rosehip, sea buckthorn, black cumin seed, and other great oils, in combination with helichrysum and rose essential oils and boosted with antioxidant superstar astaxanthin extract. I'm curious about the astaxanthin, which isn't something I've seen in a lot of skincare, but I struggle with many floral/rose scents, and just sniffing this in the bottle, I'm fairly sure it's not something I'd be able to tolerate on my face. For that reason, I'll be passing it on to someone else.

Good Medicine Beauty Lab Purity Perfectly Clear Skin Tonic ($20)
I've wanted to try Good Medicine Beauty Lab for quite some time and this was one of my two product picks in this box. This Purity mist is packed with great clarifying and anti-inflammatory ingredients -- aloe, dandelion leaf, honey, and trace minerals, to name just a few -- and the product description highlights lime, peppermint, and sage, but sadly, to my nose, it smells a lot like pool water, which clearly isn't the elegant skincare experience I'm after. I've used it a couple times, but not enough to really comment on performance.

Isa's Restoratives Immortelle Beauty Balm ($8.00)
My second pick! I liked the Blue Beauty Balm from the last box so much that I immediately jumped on this guy when I saw it as an option. It's a nice product, but I'm not as enamored with it as the Blue Beauty. The Immortelle Balm, whose ingredients include helichrysum (immortelle), rose, and carrot seed essential oils, as well as sea buckthorn, red raspberry seed, and jojoba oils, and cupuacu and murumuru butters, is mainly targeted at anti-aging and skin regeneration. The scent, as you could probably guess from the essential oils, is quite floral, but it's not overpoweringly, in-your-face rose. The balm feels just slightly weightier than the Blue Beauty, though it also melts into the skin nicely and without the waxy residue that some other balms leave behind.

AfterSpa Eye Mask ($12.00)
This eye mask is supposed to block light while keeping your eye makeup intact, which admittedly sounds pretty neat, but I just don't use eye masks, so this is another one that will be passed onto someone that will appreciate it more.

The Bottom Line
I can't really complain -- great customer service, impressive brands, and money-wise, the value is there -- but I was, nonetheless, a lot less excited about this box than my last. I like the Yarok mist and I'm happy to have tried the Isa's Restoratives balm and Good Medicine Beauty Lab mist, but I also ended up with two products that I'm unlikely to ever use. That's just the nature of subscription boxes, but given the extra cost to ship to Canada, plus the exchange and potential tax/duty on delivery, I did ultimately decide to cancel my subscription for the time being. I still think Goodbeing is one of the better boxes out there, I'm just happier right now putting my money towards products that I know I want versus rolling the dice with a surprise box.

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Consonant Skincare 100% Natural Skin Renewal Kit

Happy New Year!  2017 was not a great year for content here on Naturalla Beauty, but I want to do better in 2018.  As you may know, last spring I switched from mainly freelancing to working full-time again and I currently work two jobs for a combined total of six days most weeks -- not including the freelance work I still do on the side.  I don’t think I ever gave enough credit to bloggers that also work full-time, but really, there’s just not a lot of hours left in the day after full-time work + a commute!  Nonetheless, despite a still-hectic schedule, I’ve missed blogging and I want to make a point to do more this year.  I’ve got lots of great content planned and I’m hoping to set up a more regular routine.  

 And, that starts today.  I was pretty restrained on Black Friday, but my one spur of the moment impulse buy was the 100% Natural Skin Renewal Kit from Consonant Skincare.  Consonant is a Toronto-based company that makes natural, high-performance skincare.  The brand takes a scientific approach to formulating and creates healthy products without synthetic ingredients or skin irritants.  Most products are unscented and everything is designed to function in harmony with the skin’s natural chemistry.   

The Skin Renewal Kit was a limited edition set for the holidays and included small sizes of the brand new Maximum Glycolic Meta Serum, the award-winning, cult favorite, HydrExtreme Extreme Hydration Booster, and one of two moisturizers: the Ultra Moisturizing Organic Face Cream or the Ultra Moisturizing Organic Face Cream for Dry Skin.  The kit is currently sold out, but the products can be purchased individually, both directly from Consonant and on Well.ca.

 Let’s get right to the review!  Here are my full thoughts after using these three products for the last month.

Ultra Moisturizing Organic Face Cream
I picked the lighter of the two moisturizers because I was more drawn to the ‘active’ ingredients in this one, but, considering it’s winter, I might have actually done better with the dry skin option.  The Ultra Moisturizing Face Cream is a lightweight moisturizer made with grapeseed, olive, and avocado oils, plus niacinamide and tea tree oil which target blemishes, uneven skin, and enlarged pores.  The formula also contains cassia angustifolia seed extract, the star hydrating ingredient in Consonant’s HydrExtreme booster (more on that shortly!)

 The ingredients are fabulous, but it’s a light product, and, on its own, I don’t feel like the Ulta Moisturizing Face Cream offers enough moisture for my skin this time of year.  I do, however, like it as a base for cocktailing skincare.  Most often, I’ve been mixing in a drop or two of a face oil or blending in some HydrExtreme for adding moisture and/or hydration.  I feel like the cream alone would do the trick for me in the summer, when my skin typically need lighter products, so I may end up saving the rest until the weather warms up in a few months.

HydrExtreme Extreme Hydration Booster
HydrExtreme is a hydration booster that regularly garners raves from bloggers and traditional media alike, and it’s a product I’ve been curious to try for years.  Made with just two ingredients, cassia angustifolia seed extract and vegetable glycerin, HydrExtreme is a hydrating serum that’s been found in independent double blind studies to outperform traditional hyaluronic acid formulations.  

 Cassia angustifolia, or senna, is best known for its use as a laxative, but it also has skin conditioning benefits and anti-inflammatory properties, and offers improved skin hydration, moisture and suppleness.  Glycerin is a natural humectant, meaning it attracts and binds to water, helping skin draw in and hold onto moisture.  

 HydrExtreme has a thin, watery consistency.  It can be applied on its own, layered under other products, or mixed into a cream moisturizer. The last way has been my favorite method of using the booster.  It’s hard to get a single drop of liquid to spread across your entire face, but that’s all that I’ve found my skin really needs, so mixing it into a cream is a great way to make the most of the product -- and to conserve this 4 ml baby size and help it to last me a little longer!  

 At $72 for 10 ml / $149 for 30 ml, HydrExtreme is Consonant’s most expensive product, but it works very well, lives up to its claims, and, unless your skin is ultra, ultra dry, you don’t need a lot.  Like I said, I only add one drop into my moisturizer, once a day, and I’ve seen a noticeable difference in both the hydration and plumpness of my skin, so a little really does go a long way.  

Maximum Glycolic Meta Serum
The Maximum Glycolic Meta Serum is a new product to Consonant’s range, launched just last month, and is the item that I was most excited to test out.  The serum is made with the maximum allowable concentration of AHA’s -- thus the name -- to exfoliate and break down dead skin cells, and it also contains soothing botanical extracts and hydrating sodium PCA and niacinamide to counter any harshness from the acids, minimize irritation, and prevent dryness.  

 I’ve never used a glycolic acid product before, so I cautiously started out using the serum only twice a week and have gradually worked up to nightly use.  The Glycolic Meta Serum is considerably thicker than the HydrExtreme and has more of a gel consistency.  It applies smoothly, absorbs quickly, and is very gentle.  I’ve had zero irritation, tingling, or burning, all of which I’ve experienced with other acid products in the past.  I didn’t see a lot of results immediately, with more infrequent use, but by the time I worked up to every other night, and later every night, I could see a tangible difference.  My skin is more even and it's incredibly soft to the touch, with very little texture remaining at all.  The serum has also left my pores looking cleaner, and thereby smaller and less visible.

(L to R) Ultra Moisturizing Face Cream, Maximum Glycolic Meta Serum, HydrExtreme
The Bottom Line
The kit was a great way to try multiple products and I’m really glad I picked it up!  The moisturizer hasn’t blow me away -- although that might be different in the summer -- but both the Hydrextreme Hydration Booster and the Maximum Glycolic Meta Serum are products I’d consider purchasing in full size once I use up these minis.  

Have you used anything from Consonant?  What are your favorites?  (Me, I’ve got my eye on trying The Perfect Sunscreen and DHE Mask next!)
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Six Canadian Brands To Try NOW

I won’t be publishing my usual Black Friday sales roundup this year, partly due to time constraints and partly because I've been feeling a little overwhelmed by all the BUY-BUY-BUY hyper-consumerism this year.

Instead, I'm taking today to highlight a few exceptional Canadian companies that I've been wanting to talk more about for quite some time.  We have some great brands here -- I had a hard time narrowing things down to just these six, in fact -- but I wanted to focus on companies that maybe don't get talked about as much as some others.



[P.S. If you are looking for sales this weekend, I have it on good authority that all six of these have something special up their sleeves! I'll update to include any sale/deal details as that info becomes available]

Based in: Halifax, N.S.
Current Deal: 25% off for email subscribers

 Duckish's colorful labels make me happy every time I look at them and what's inside is next level amazing too. The lotion sticks glide onto the skin like luscious, hydrating, melting butter and are unbeatable for dry winter skin. (No question, I'll be taking advantage of that 25% to stock up!) The body butters and lip balms are also excellent, as are the pretty bath salts and bath bombs, if bath products are more your jam.

Based in: Toronto, ON
Current Sale: 3 new deodorant launches, up to 40% off + a free travel size deodorant for email subscribers

If you don't already know, I work part-time for Mabrook & Co., which means I'm very familiar with the entire line. With small-batch handmade products made from minimal top quality ingredients, Mabrook & Co. is a brand that takes minimalism to a really intentional and elegant place. The deodorants are undoubtedly Mabrook's claim to fame, but the rest of the line performs very well too and I have a special love for the minty-citrusy Glow, one of the brand's multipurpose face/body/aromatherapy sprays. A portion of every sale is also donated to Women for Women, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering women in conflict-ridden countries.
Based in: Vancouver, B.C.
Current Sale: 25% Off

I've tried the majority of Sola’s products and I've yet to discover one that disappoints! Christine, one of Sola’s two founders and the creative force and formulator behind the company's products, combines nourishing plant botanicals and traditional Chinese medicine ingredients to create unique formulations that truly work.  I'm on my second bottle of the Balancing Face Oil and use it just about every day -- it's serious skin magic both on its own and in combination with other serums and moisturizers -- and I don't see myself switching any time soon!

Based in: London, ON
Current Deal: 10% off on Friday, free US/Canada shipping on $40+ Monday

 Batty's Bath has an impressively large range of products that includes skincare, body care, and makeup, and they regularly add new items to the lineup.  What I love most about Batty's Bath is that everything feels very real and genuine.  The products aren't clinically white or watered down and, as such, they feel very vibrant and 'alive'.  Batty, the company's eponymous founder, is something of a problematic skin expert too -- be it acne-prone or sensitive -- and the company produces a lot of great educational content as well.   

Based in: Toronto, ON
Current Deal: Free US/Canada Shipping, Free Refresh Face Mist with $75+

 If you're familiar with Sonja, one of Double Happiness's two founders, from her blog, Life in Blush, you'll know she's no stranger to quality skincare, so naturally when she launched her own line, it had to be top notch.  With 4 concentrated, waterless products, the line is simple but really lovely.  

 This is the only brand on the list from which I haven't personally used any of the products beyond testing on my hand -- only because they're too floral for my sensitive, picky nose -- but great reviews abound and I swoon over the ingredients lists which include unique botanical picks like schizandra berry and magnolia leaf.  

Based in: Canmore, AB
Current Deal: Free Body Lotion with $75+, Free Shampoo and Conditioner with $150+

 Rocky Mountain is significantly larger in scale than the rest of the companies on this list, but they still never compromise quality or ingredient integrity and they've got some truly standout products. For anyone looking for a replacement for Bath & Body Works and the like, Rocky Mountain is always my top recommendation -- great product selection, tons of scents, including fun seasonal options, and even in-person stores if you're lucky enough to live in certain parts of the country.

This is by no means an all-inclusive list -- what other Canadian brands are you loving?

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Everyone Hair Styling Products: Style Gel, Tame Cream & Volume Serum

I'm always game to try out new #curlygirl hair products, so when I spotted Everyone's small hair styling line at a local health food store for a super inexpensive $5.99 each, I decided to pick up all three products to test out.  Everyone is a budget-friendly offshoot of EO Products, specifically designed for younger consumers, large families, and others who might have less money to spend on quality, natural products.  The products are made for "every budget" -- something you know really resonates with me -- and contain no GMO's, parabens, sulfates, synthethic fragrances, gluten, or synthetic polymers.  The hair styling products are also phenoxyethanol-free.  

 I've been testing this hair trio out since the summer -- keep reading for my thoughts on each product!

The Style Gel is your basic no-frills hair gel.  It has good hold, isn’t sticky, and, just like the bottle says, doesn't flake or crumble throughout the day.  The gel isn't specifically designed for curly hair, but it works well for curl definition nonetheless, and even leaves curls looking pretty great on the second (and sometimes third) day.  

 The scent on this one is my favorite of the three.  It’s a mild, sweet blend of citrus, vanilla, and coconut that smells nice as you use it, but isn't noticeable much beyond that.  

The Hair Cream doesn't offer much in the way of hold, but it’s fantastic for defining curls and taming frizz.  It has a creamy consistency and gives hair a bit of moisture too, similar to a lightweight leave-in conditioner. For my hair, this is the best of the bunch for first day curls, but, because its hold is so light, by the second day (and beyond) my curls have fallen considerably.  

 Again, the scent is fairly mild -- this time a mix of lavender and coconut -- and I don't notice it in my hair other than when I'm first applying/distributing the product.

Volume Hair Serum
Of the three, the Volume Serum is the one I’d say you can skip.  It has a thin gel consistency and claims to add volume, bounce and body, but I don't find it does much in my hair. On days that I air dry (which, let's be honest, is most of the time), the serum does basically nothing.  When I blow dry instead, I do get more volume, of course, but I'm not convinced it's any more than blow drying without the serum, either with or without a different product.

The scent on this one is lemon and coconut and, again, it's very unobtrusive, although you can initially smell some alcohol -- the third ingredient in this one -- coming through too.

The Bottom Line
I'd pass on the Volume Serum -- I just haven't found a good use for it -- but I really like the Hair Cream and Hair Gel.   Both give light to medium hold, offer good curl definition, and do well at controlling frizz and flyaways. The ingredients are also great and Everyone's inexpensive prices really can't be beat!

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August Goodbeing Box (All Beauty)

I’ve got so many ideas for blog posts I want to do, but very little time of late to actually sit down and write them!  Thanks for sticking with me, even when things are slow.

 Today I want to talk about Goodbeing. I haven't done a subscription box post in quite some time, mainly because I haven’t gotten any boxes in a while.  With trying to limit the amount of product I bring in, spending on guaranteed items has made more sense than risking it on the unknown, but when Goodbeing had an offer that was too good to pass up, I decided to subscribe for the August box.  

Goodbeing (formerly Goodebox) is one of the longest running natural sub boxes. They have a "pick your product" feature that lets you choose 1-2 of the 4-5 items in the box, which I think is fantastic. Boxes retail for $24.95 in the US and $33.95 in Canada and internationally. With the exchange, I ended up paying just under $44 CAD.  Mini boxes and discounts on prepaid yearly subscriptions are also available. I chose the all beauty box, but there's also a lifestyle option that contains a mix of beauty, lifestyle, and wellness products.

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have already seen what came in my box, but I want to share my thoughts a month later, now I've had a chance to use (almost) everything in the box. Ultimately I think mini reviews are more valuable than first impressions, which is why I waited until now instead of doing a quick unboxing as soon as it arrived in the mail.

Let’s get to the goodies inside!

Previse Hydrofoam Moisturizer ($48)
The Hydrofoam Moisturizer was a bonus for new subscribers in August -- what finally sold me on the box -- and I have lots of thoughts on it.  As part of Previse’s new ZeroFragrance line, the Hydrofoam Moisturizer is marketed as a lightweight antioxidant-rich moisturizer with a unique aerated micro-bubble mousse consistency.   The ingredients caught my eye right away -- specifically hyaluronic acid, which I already know my skin loves, and ceramides, which I'd been interested in incorporating into my routine for some time.  The bubbly mousse consistency is unconventional -- similar to that of a foaming hand soap -- and, according to Previse, serves to activate the antioxidants in the formula.  

 Honestly, I’m not sure if the aeration making the product any more active is just a gimmick or not, but it’s a fun item to use and I like the results I’ve gotten from it so far.  I also consider it to be more of a serum or essence -- and a pretty watery one at that -- than a moisturizer.  Aerating the liquid into a foam may temporarily change its consistency, but it doesn't significantly  impact the weight or feel of the product once it’s on the skin.  My skin has been verging on oily this summer, and the Hydrofoam Moisturizer is still nowhere near enough moisture for me.  

 To be clear, I really enjoy this product as a serum layer, either mixed with a couple drops of my longtime favorite Sola Balancing Face Oil to create something of a micro-emulsion, or followed with a separate moisturizer or balm. For my skin, it just doesn't replace a moisturizer and isn't something I can use by itself, even in the humid summer.

Emani Hybrid Cream Color in Speechless ($20)
Emani’s Hybrid Cream Colors are multipurpose cream products for eyes, lips, and cheeks and Speechless is a pretty copper shade.  It’s not a color I’m likely to wear on my cheeks or lips, but it’s very pretty on the eyes.  As you can see in the photo, the product comes with an abstract sparkle overlay, but it doesn’t significantly impact the shade.   Speechless has a pretty sheen throughout.  

I've been enjoying wearing the Cream Color all over my lid, paired with a mid-toned taupe powder shadow in the crease for a little definition, and I really like the look it creates. In terms of wear, the Cream Color fares pretty well -- much better than I expected! It does fade throughout the day, like any natural cream shadow, but it does so in a very natural way without any obvious creasing or patchiness.

Osea Malibu Ocean Cleanser ($16)
Osea has been on my to-try list for literally years and the Ocean Cleanser did not disappoint.  With a creamy gel consistency, the cleanser doesn't lather or foam, but it does thoroughly cleanse without stripping or drying out the skin.  It also smells great - mild, fresh and a little beachy, if you will - and leaves my skin soft and happy. I'm even more eager to try more Osea now!

Isa’s Restoratives Blue Beauty Balm ($7.50)
The Blue Beauty Balm was the surprise star of the box.  I haven't been completely sold on face balms in the past, but this one has been changing my mind.  The texture, once melted by the heat of your skin, is quite thin and light, leaving the Blue Beauty Balm feeling more like a plush oil than a balm.  It's not at all heavy, waxy, or occlusive and I love it! The balm is loaded with great ingredients that moisturize without feeling greasy and my skin is left soft and supple.  The scent -- a mix of blue chamomile, neroli, and carrot seed -- is intoxicatingly lovely too.  

In fact, I liked this guy so much that I was quick to scoop up the company’s Immortelle Balm when I saw it as a choice in Goodbeing’s October Pick Your Products.

St. Tropica Coconut Hot Oil Hair Mask ($5)
Life gets busy and hair masks easily fall off the agenda, so this is the one thing from the box that I've yet to try.  I like the simple ingredients -- it's basically a boosted virgin organic coconut oil that’s loaded with good for your hair ingredients like biotin, amla, horsetail, green tea, and hibiscus.  I'll report back on Instagram or in an empties post once I give it a go.


 The Bottom Line
I think this was a great box!  I expected to love the Previse moisturizer and while it’s great, the Osea Ocean Cleanser and Isa’s Restoratives Blue Beauty Balm were even more so the standouts of this box for me.  Goodbeing consistently includes fantastic brands and I like that they also let you pick some of the items in advance, so it’s not a complete surprise.  I opted not to get a box in September, but I am getting one in October and will decide whether or not to continue from there.  

Have you subscribed to Goodbeing or used any of these products?  What’s your take on subscription boxes in general?

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