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A Year of Empties {Part #3: Body Care}

Body care is a big one -- apparently I use a lot of soap! Keep reading for the nitty gritty -- pun intended -- on all the body products I finished up over the course of the last year...


BODY WASH
The Lavera Refreshing Lime & Verbena Body Wash was a good, basic shower gel -- it smelled good and did the job.  I adore the Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Body Washes, especially the now discontinued Wild Berries scent.  I have one more hoarded bottle in my shower and then I'll have to reconsider the other scents. I also enjoyed the Honest Co. Sweet Orange Vanilla Shampoo + Body Wash, although I probably won't buy anymore Honest due to all the hoopla surrounding the brand. The Apricot Kiss version also smelled terrible -- like gross, fake honey.  I used it up as laundry detergent -- since there was no way it was getting near my person -- and thankfully the scent did not linger.  I also used a bottle of the BR Naturals Lavender Body Wash, and while the lavender wasn't my favorite, the wash itself was nice, as was the DivaWash Cleanser, a multi-use product that I finished off as a body wash when my Diva Cup ended up sitting mostly unused in a drawer.  

 HAND WASH
The Nourish Organic Moisturizing Hand Wash has also been discontinued, but I'm fairly certain it was identical to the body washes, packaging aside.  Both make a great non-drying drying hand soap and the fig scent is a good fruity go-to.  The Everyday Shea Hand Soaps have become my absolute favorite -- dare I say holy grail?  My hands dry out easily, especially in kitchen situations where I'm washing them countless times in a short period of time, and these are the best.  I haven't strayed to another hand wash since discovering them mid-2017.  The Mandarin Mango is my top pick of all the scents I've tried, and while the Lemon Verbena wasn't bad, it mostly smelled like lemongrass to me and isn't one I'm rushing to buy again.

BAR SOAP
I use bar soap in the shower, as a hand soap, and also as an ingredient in my homemade laundry detergent, which explains how I went through so very much of it!!  I’ll continue to purchase longtime favorites like the Green Beaver Castile Sunflower Soap, Rocky Mountain Soap, and Mamma Oceania, all three of which are lovely and palm oil free, but I likely would not buy the BR Naturals Exfoliating Peppermint Leaf or Dr. Jacobs Luscious Lavender Loofah Exfoliating Castile Soap, both because of their palm oil content and the exfoliating bits -- I generally prefer a smooth bar of soap.

 CASTILE SOAP
A Dr. Jacobs product that I do love is the Liquid Castile Soap, used here in the Peppermint and Citrus scents.  Dr. Jacobs uses a mix of saponified plant oils -- like traditional castile soap -- and coco-glucoside, a mild surfactant, to create a hybrid soap that's the best of both worlds.  It's ultra-gentle, thick, and foamy. These are great for sorts of uses -- body wash, deep cleaning makeup brushes, laundry, and household cleaning.  

 DEODORANT
As a green blogger and, more specifically, after judging the CertClean awards last year, I literally have a shelf of deodorants that I rotate amongst, so it's a wonder I finished up any at all! These are two of my very favorites: the Ursa Major Hoppin’ Fresh Deodorant, which is the only natural deodorant I’ve used that actually mimics the feel and consistency of mainstream deodorants, and the Mabrook & Co. Clean Deodorant, a more ubiquitous coconut oil/baking soda formula, but one that's executed extremely well.  Both are ones I’ll happily continue to use!

BODY MOISTURIZERS
I finished up one body oil, the Sukin Wellbeing Body Oil, which smelled incredible -- Sukin’s signature citrus-vanilla - and moisturizes like a dream, as well as several body butters.  The Duckish Natural Skin Care Unscented Shea Lotion Stick is my favorite for dry, scaly legs in the winter, and I also loved the Nourish Organic Pure Unscented Body Butter, also a victim of Nourish’s mass discontinuations.  The Rocky Mountain Soap Lemongrass Body Butter was nice too, although I definitely prefer the consistency of the Duckish.  Rocky Mountain’s body butters are equally moisturizing, but they're a little heavier on the beeswax and don’t melt into the skin quite as elegantly.  

 I stayed loyal to my two favorite hand creams: the Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Hand Cream and the Rocky Mountain Soap Vanilla Mint Hand Cream.  I have another tube of the Trilogy on the go now and although you can’t buy this exact version of the Rocky Mountain anymore, I am curious to try the reformulation that just launched.  I also used up samples of the Gabriel Organics White Seaweed Hand & Body Lotion and the John Masters Organics Lemon & Ginger Hand Cream, both of which were fine, if not standouts.  

OTHER/MISCELLANEOUS
A shaving cream I always come back to is the Kiss My Face Key Lime Moisture Shave.  It’s inexpensive, works great, and a bottle lasts ages.  If I’m not shaving with an otherwise unloved conditioner or other re-purposed product, the Moisture Shave is likely what’s in my shower.  I also really loved the Perk Citrus Mistress Body Scrub.  I'm not sure if Perk is around anymore, but Citrus Mistress was top notch.  Lastly, while I'm not a big user of hand sanitizer, I always keep a bottle of Young Living Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier in my purse for times when I can’t get to a sink.  It does the trick and, although it’s, of course, full of alcohol, it doesn’t seem as drying as many other hand sanitizers.  

That was a long one!  Makeup is still to come over the weekend and more regular content will resume next week.

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A Year of Empties {Part #2: Skincare}

Chugging right along to skincare!


CLEANSERS + SCRUBS
I stocked up on the old versions of some Andalou Naturals favorites as soon as I heard they were reformulated, so several of these will be versions you can no longer get your hands on.  The Citrus Kombucha Cleansing Gel, Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk, and Chia + Omega Radiant Skin Polish have been longtime favorites, but I can't speak to them in their current, updated forms.  The Osea Ocean Cleanser was my favorite Goodbeing Box discovery and is something I’ll be buying in full size sometime soon.  It’s a gentle non-foaming gel that smells fresh and lovely and leaves skin clean but not squeaky.  The POLYN Invigorating Face Wash is a multi-functional foaming castile-based cleanser that works equally well for face and body, and as a shaving foam.  I also used samples of the Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash -- a longtime favorite, I have a full bottle in my bathroom right now -- and the Pure Anada Refreshing Cleanser, which I really don't remember much about at all.

OIL CLEANSERS/MAKEUP REMOVERS
I fell hard for the Clean Kiss Organics Kiss Me Clean Cleansing Oil, a phenomenal oil cleanser that takes off every last speck of makeup and leaves my skin happy.  Definitely something I’ll re-buying at some point.  The Province Apothecary Moisturizing Cleanser + Make-Up Remover is also lovely, although I’m not sure I'd spend the extra money when I love the more affordable Clean Kiss (and Holiskin) cleansing oils so much.  I’m also a big fan of DIY Cleansing Oils and, blended with castor, rosehip, and essential oils, that's how I used this bottle of Aura Cacia Organic Sweet Almond Oil.

 MAKEUP WIPES
It's a little horrifying to see how many wipes a person can get through in a year! I used five packs of my current favorite Everyone Chamomile + Aloe Baby Wipes, two travel packs of the Honest Co. Honest Baby Wipes, which I tend to pick up when I need something more compact or at the last minute, and one pack of the Avalon Organics Brilliant Balance Purifying Towelettes, which were pretty terrible. People complain about wipes being too dry, but these are on the complete other end of the spectrum -- ultra-saturated and almost soapy.  They smell strongly of (cheap/bad) lavender and leave a weird film on the skin. I used them purely for cleaning off swatches and dusting around the house.

I also used a pack of the Boo Bamboo Skin Balancing Makeup Remover Wipes, which used to be my favorite but seem to have very inconsistent quality of late.  I think I have another pack tucked away somewhere, but since they've started to vary a lot pack-to-pack -- in feel, smell and efficacy -- I won't be buying anymore.   Lastly, I used two travel packs of the Boo Bamboo Baby Boo Wipes.  I don't love these ones either, but they don't irritate my skin, so I’ll pick them up in a pinch.

 To the best of my knowledge, all of these brands are biodegradable, but I do still ultimately want to move away from using so many disposables like wipes.

TONERS
Not a big year for toner! I have a couple teetering on their last legs now, plus I made my own witch hazel concoctions for much of the year, but the only non-DIY I finished completely was the Niora Naturals Alpha Clear Exfoliant, a very gentle AHA product that's good for those with ultra-sensitive skin. I liked it at the time, but it's not something I'd go out of my way to use again as I've since found more effective acid products that I prefer.

 SERUMS/OILS
The Sola Skincare Balancing Face Oil is one of my all-time favorite oils and was almost immediately repurchased when this bottle ran out.  It’s light textured and moisturizing, and is especially ideal for anyone looking to target acne, oil production or irritation. I also really enjoyed a sample of the Province Apothecary Rejuvenating + Hydrating Face Serum, which I'd consider buying in the future.

 I used a sample of the Pure Anada Smooth Priming Serum early in the year and ended up scooping up a full size bottle.  It’s a basic hyaluronic acid serum made of just hyaluronic acid and chamomile floral water that's gentle and inexpensive enough that I have no gripes about adding a few drops into my body lotion or foot cream when things are looking especially dry.  Another great sample was the Dr. Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel, which I like to use as a targeted/spot treatment on blemishes and other small irritations.

MOISTURIZERS/BALMS
The Andalou Naturals Probiotic + C Renewal Cream used to be my favorite moisturizer from Andalou. I recently bought a trial pod of the updated version to see how it compares, but I haven't broken into it yet.  The Andalou Naturals Night Repair Cream was nice too, but again, this was the old version.  

 I loved the Rocky Mountain Soap Pomegranate Day Cream, a rich moisturizer that sinks in nicely and thoroughly moisturizes without feeling heavy or greasy.  Rocky Mountain recently sent me a few of their bestsellers, including a new jar of this guy, and I'm excited to have it back in rotation.  The Huna Skin Nutrition Balm is also a lovely product, if a little too heavy for my skin as a moisturizer.  I adored using it as a balm cleanser though!  

 I was not a big fan of the Pure Anada Green Tea & Grapeseed or Scentless Moisturizers.  Both were a little too heavy for me and seemed to just sit on top of the skin.  The Green Tea & Grapeseed also smelled way too strongly of a strangely pungent neroli for my liking.

 EYE PRODUCTS
I have a lot of love for the POLYN Cooling Under Eye Serum, a beautiful aloe-based eye gel that feels ultra cooling and works wonders on under eye puffiness.  I even used it as an all-over face serum a few times during the summer and it was lovely for that too!  The Pure Anada Awake Eye Gel, on the other hand, was just okay and didn't seem to do a lot for me.

 SHEET MASKS
No regular masks used up, which I think tells you something about both the state of my life (busy) and that of my mask stash (unreasonably large). I'm not a huge sheet mask user, but I did try out two: the Andalou Naturals Lift & Firm Hydro Serum Facial Mask, which I found cold, sticky, and ultimately unimpressive, and the Boo Bamboo Pore Refining Bamboo Fiber Charcoal Sheet Mask, which I quite enjoyed. It’s not pore refining in the same way as a clay or other detox mask, but it felt nice and left my skin plump and hydrated, which, really, is about all I think you can reasonably expect from a sheet mask.   I did end up buying a few more of this one to keep on hand.


And that's a wrap for skincare! Body care and makeup are still to come...

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

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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Life-Flo Skincare Mists: NaPCA + Thermal Spring Water

For me, winter skincare is all about building and layering moisture.  From a non-drying cleanser to a moisturizing toner, hydrating serum, moisturizer, and/or oil, they all do their part in keeping skin happy and healthy through the cold months. Today I want to focus on two mists from Life-Flo.  Life-Flo is a wellness brand with an extensive array of products, including skin, body, and hair care.  I’ve been trialing the Thermal Spring Water Spray and NaPCA Mist over the last couple months and I’m excited to share my thoughts...

NaPCA Mist
NaPCA, also known as sodium PCA or sodium pyroglutamic acid, is a water soluble potassium salt that acts as a humectant.  Like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, it attracts moisture and can hold onto several times its weight in water, helping to prevent moisture loss in the skin.  It’s something that our skin naturally contains and is an important component of the skin’s protective acid mantle, but since levels deplete as we age, it’s a good hydrating ingredient to seek out in skincare products.

In addition to sodium PCA, the Life-Flo NaPCA Mist contains aloe vera, glycerin, and cucumber extract, making it a great lightweight and hydrating boost for the skin.  It’s unscented and very gentle, and I definitely notice hydrating benefits.  I mainly use the mist as the toner step in my routine, spraying it onto my hands and gently pressing into my skin. The mister is not as fine as I would like it to be for use over makeup or as a skin refresher throughout the day, but if you transferred the product to a better bottle, it would likely work great for that as well.  

 I bought the mist mainly for my face, but since it's marketed for "face, body, and hair,” you know I had to try it for those too!  I like it on the body, particularly under a weightier oil or cream, as, just like on the face, it quickly adds a light watery layer of moisture that the next product can seal in.  For hair, it does a good job moistening and refreshing curls, and I appreciate that it doesn’t add any oil or greasy feel, but I also found it has a tendency to make hair more prone to tangling, so it's not a product I reach for much for my hair.  

 Thermal Spring Water Spray
Thermal water is basically water that originates from underground hot springs.  It starts out deep underground and is heated by geothermal activity as it passes through the Earth’s crust and various layers of earth to reach the surface.  Along the way, it absorbs dissolved minerals and, because it generally hasn't been exposed to surface elements, is purported to contain less bacteria and pollution than ordinary water.  Thermal water is a big trend with a lot of French skincare brands and I came upon the Life-Flo version when looking for a cruelty-free option.  Unlike the others which are packaged in aerosol cans, the Life-Flo comes in a more traditional spray bottle.  Again, the mist isn’t super fine, but it does the trick.  Life-Flo's thermal water is extracted from the Zechstein salt layers in Europe, at a depth of 1600 meters, and contains, among other minerals, magnesium and calcium.

I like to keep a spray bottle of plain water around to help face oils and serums spread and absorb, and I feel like the Thermal Spring Water just takes that one step further.  I haven't noticed a big tangible difference in my skin, but it feels nice and cooling and seems to leave skin a little softer than ordinary water. I'm not sure it's something I'll continue to buy, but I admit, I do like the idea of using something with potentially more skin benefits than plain water.

The Bottom Line
Life-Flo's Thermal Spring Water Spray and NaPCA Mist are two good and inexpensive skincare mists.  The NaPCA Mist is a fantastic hydrating spray, perfect for layering extra moisture, particularly for dry or winter-weary skin.  It's a little harder to pinpoint the effects of the Thermal Spring Water Spray, but if you’re looking for a cruelty-free thermal water, it’s a great option to consider.  

Have you tried anything from Life-Flo?
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Mid-Winter Favorites (ft. Apoterra Skincare, POLYN, Mabrook & Co., Brija Cosmetics + More!)

Winter’s more than half over, so I wanted to share some of the products I’ve been loving the last few months, ever since the weather turned colder.  If you keep up with me on Instagram, some of these may look familiar...


 Apoterra Skincare Neroli Clarifying Toner
Part of Apoterra’s Clarifying line for oily/acne-prone skin, the Neroli Toner is made with vitamin C, green tea, niacinamide, and willow bark extract, housed in a base of aloe vera and neroli, helichrysum, rock rose, and thyme hydrosols.  It’s a beautiful product and one I’ve fallen back in love with over the last few weeks.  The toner smells fantastic -- mostly like neroli -- and is gently clarifying.  It’s hydrating as well, with ingredients that target redness and inflammation, increase cell turnover, and boost overall skin luminosity.  It leaves my skin looking healthy and glowy and, in combination with the next product, has made my face super smooth and even, with virtually no skin texture issues remaining.  The toner also helps regulate oil production and I feel less need to blot throughout the day since reincorporating this product into my routine.  

 Consonant Skincare Maximum Glycolic Meta Serum
I reviewed Consonant’s Natural Skin Renewal Kit at the beginning of January, and while I liked all three products in the kit, the Maximum Glycolic Meta Serum has become my hands-down favorite.   I gradually built up to using the serum every night and my skin looks fantastic -- which, like I said, I fully credit to a combination of this product and the Apoterra toner.  Acid products can often feel harsh or drying, but the Meta Serum is truly non-irritating, despite being formulated with a full 10% glycolic acid.  In fact, made with sodium PCA, niacinamide, and soothing botanicals, it even functions as a light hydrating serum too!  I’m still working on the mini from the kit, but I’m fairly certain I’ll be buying the full size as soon as it runs out.  

 Mabrook & Co. Sensitive Deodorant
I go back and forth on the whole baking soda/no baking soda thing, but wherever you stand on the issue, Mabrook & Co.’s new Sensitive Deodorant is one worth trying.  The formula is unscented and baking soda free, but still ultra effective.  It relies on a combination of magnesium and kaolin clay for odor protection, and also includes shea butter to soothe and calm sensitive skin.  As well as being a good deodorant, the formula has also cleared up a lot of the shaving-related irritation I tend to get in my pits.  I used an entire mini stick already and was quick to replace it with a full size tube.

 Duckish Lotion Sticks
Winter dry skin is the worst!  When I started seeing flakes of skin on the inside of my black pants at the end of the day (sidebar: eww!), I knew I needed to get a lot more diligent with my moisturizing.  Enter Duckish’s Lotion Sticks, which I’ve raved about many times before.  The sticks are solid in the tube, but they glide on like butter and melt into the skin beautifully.  A mix of grapeseed, coconut, olive, almond, and jojoba oils deeply moisturize, while beeswax and shea butter create a protective barrier to seal that moisture in.  The result?  Happy skin and no more yucky shedding.

 Brija Cosmetics You Know Who Face Highlight
You Know Who, part of Brija’s Harry Potter collection, is another rediscovered favorite: a beautiful pale cream highlight with gold, silver and blue iridescence.  It’s perfect for fair skin and works as both a subtle glow and an in-your-face highlight, depending on how heavily you apply it.  I love using it for a targeted glow, especially with the more matte foundations I’ve been favoring over the last few months.

 POLYN Purifying Face Mask
Although it’s called a mask, the Purifying Face Mask is really a dual product that can be used as a powdered cleanser/scrub and either rinsed off or left on to dry as a mask.  Mixed with just water, it offers pretty intense exfoliation.  I like to use the product this way about once a week, carefully exfoliating and then leaving it on for 5-10 minutes as a mask.  A mix of, among other things, bentonite clay, rice flour, adzuki beans, rosehip, and green tea do a fantastic job sloughing off dead skin, leaving everything smooth and soft to the touch.  The clay, when left on as a mask, also sucks up excess dirt and oil.  When not using it as a mask, I also like mixing a small amount of the powder into a creamy cleanser for a more gentle scrub.  

 Homemade Bar Soap
I attended a cold process soap making workshop at The Cure Apothecary in December and came home with a loaf of soap to cure, use, and share.  The scent, which started out as bergamot and spearmint, didn't last very well through the curing process, but it's still a lovely, if mostly unscented, soap -- mild and non-drying with a good creamy lather.  Further soap experiments probably won't happen any time soon, but I had a lot of fun making these and it's a craft I definitely want to explore more at some point in the future.

 What products have you been loving this winter?

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