beauty favorites

Natural Beauty Favorites - Nov. 2014

Natural Beauty Products – Nov. 2014

Published by Barbara Sandell

Hi There – If you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you had a lovely holiday. To everyone else, I hope your weekend was superb! Here are the products I enjoyed in Nov. 2014 that I want to tell the world about! I purchased all these products myself.

1. Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream with SPF 30 Non-Nano Zinc Oxide
I was in need of a combination moisturizer and sunscreen to save me time with my morning skincare routine. I bought this product in a Josh Rosebrook haul and this product was the immediate standout.This product is the perfect consistency; richly emollient yet greasy at all. It’s a bit pricey but I know it’s a high quality product that provides sun protection against UVA and UVB rays. Available at the joshrosebrook.com.

2. Lily Lolo BB Cream
I’m a big fan of Lily Lolo products so when they came out with a BB cream, I was an early adopter. I chose the light shade which is perfect for me. The product comes in a handy pump tube and provides a light to medium coverage but plenty for every day. Topped off with Lily Lolo Flawless Silk Mineral Powder, this BB Cream isn’t going anywhere throughout the day. A few of the ingredients in this BB cream are on my “prefer to avoid” list but it performs well and it was a favorite last month. Available at lilylolo.com.

3. Dahliana Naturals Refreshing Citrus Cleanser
I was in need of a gel based, thorough natural cleanser to use after a using a cleansing balm to remove the day’s makeup. This cleanser is a powerhouse yet doesn’t strip the skin of vital moisture. A little goes a long way and it has a pleasant citrus scent. The ingredients are rockin’ and include aloe, raw turbinado sugar, chamomile extract, rosemary extract, coconut oil and sweet orange oil. Available at dahliana.com.

4. Auromere Herbal Toothpaste in Licorice
I feel like a fickle pickle when it comes to natural toothpaste because I tend to like each new product I try better than the rest. This product is a real winner, though and I know I’ll repurchase it. I’ve been using the licorice flavor which doesn’t burn my mouth like mint toothpaste’s tend to. Free of fluoride, gluten, bleaches, artificial sweeteners, dyes, and animal ingredients. Available in 4 varieties: Licorice, Freshmint, Mint-Free and SLS-Free Cardamom-Fennel.  This toothpaste provides you with clean teeth and fresh breath using all natural botanical extracts and essential oils. If you’d like to give this product a try, it’s available here.

5. Osmia Organics Deodorant
Deodorant is another area where I tend to like the next product I try better than the last. I’ve tried several cream deodorants that you apply with your hands but they were dry, crumbly and hard to get melted into the underarm area. The Osmia deodorant is the first truly creamy product that’s easy to scoop out of the tin and melts easily into the skin within seconds. Oh, and it keeps you smelling nice all day too! Available at osmiaorganics.com.

6. Dahliana Naturals Seabuckhorn Berry Cream
I received a sample of the Overnight Fruit Lift when I purchased the Dahliana Citrus Cleanser. I was impressed by the cream and after doing some research, decided to purchase Dahliana Naturals Seabuckhorn Berry Cream for my nighttime moisturizer. I use this cream as the last step in my nighttime routine. This cream is silky smooth, super concentrated and easy to apply. Grapefruit oil provides a light citrus fragrance. Made with Natural and Certified Organic ingredients including sunflower oil, soy, seabuckhorn berries (Vitamin C), fruit stem cells, marshmallow and rose hip.  The container is pretty and contains enough product to last a long time (I’m thinking 6 – 9 months). This cream can be used day or night but I reserve this for nighttime since I’m partial to daytime products with sunscreen. Chemical and Paraben-Free, Vegan and GMO Free. Available at dahliana.com

7. Mun No. 1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum
A lot of serums are heavy and almost greasy but not this one! This product is a blend of 3 oils:Prickly Pear, Argan and Rose. It’s super light yet luxuriously emollient with a subtle pleasant fragrance. I just received my No. 11 Anarose Rejuvenating Toner and I know it’s going to be a fav for Decemver! Available at munskin.com.

8. Amara Organics Vitamin C Serum for Face 20% with Vegan Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin E
Sometimes I like a product that is a little on the medical side of things to keep my skin youthful and protected. Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid are known to be powerhouse ingredients and key to any anti-aging regime. This combination of 20% Vitamin C and other ingredients yet highly effective and proven to stimulate collagen, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, brighten and smooths skin for a more radiant and youthful complexion. Prevent and reverse sun damage and fade sun spots and discoloration. The serum is gentle and uses plant-based ingredients, contains no parabens, no alcohol, and is not tested on animals. Made in the USA. Available here.

9. Be Green Rose Hip Scar Oil Treatment
I had hand surgery 2-1/2 months ago and I’m nursing a 2 inch scar on my hand. Massage is important for healing scars and this oil makes massaging my hand a breeze and provides nourishment to speed up the healing process I found many powerful scar healing ingredients packed into this 1 oz bottle including organic rose hip oil, organic and calendula infused olive oil, organic jojoba oil, vitamin E, helichrysum, frankincense, lavender and myrrh.  Available at begreenbathandbody.com.

What products did you enjoy using in November?

-Barbara aka Curious Babs

June 2014 Beauty Favorites

Natural Beauty Favorites from June 2014

Published by Barbara Sandell
Beauty Favorites June 2014June 2014 Natural Beauty FavoritesI continue to chip away at my beauty product stash to make room on my vanity table for the new items I’m eager to try. Here is an overview of the products I enjoyed using during the month of June 2014. I purchased all these products myself and all prices are retail in USD. In many cases, I purchased the products at a discount as I’m usually on the hunt for a deal!
This product has a fairly think consistency and evens out the skin texture nicely. This is the lighter of 2 available shades. This color is a little light for me so on its own. I mix this product with Juice Beauty Perfecting Foundation in Sand to boost the shade closer to my NC25 complexion. Using both products together, I feel confidently nourished and protected.This product doesn’t provide a ton of coverage but it’s a great primer. It isn’t greasy and moisturizes very well. This is a great multi-tasker and I love that it’s SPF 30. $39 for 1.7 ounces.

 

This product has a nice consistency; not too think but not runny. I ordered the product online and couldn’t see how dark it was and it’s not the right shade for me. Sand is the middle color, in between Ivory and Tan. I decided to try mixing it with my Juice Beauty Cellular Repair CC Cream in Natural Glow and it worked out perfectly! I mix the 2 products on the back of my hand and apply it with my fingers. I use 1/2 pump of foundation and approximately about twice as much CC cream. I like the packaging and the pump dispenser. This product moisturizes, provides medium coverage and is fairly pigmented so you don’t have to use a lot. $35 for 1 ounce.

This lip product was included in Tarte’s Box & Go 2013 Holiday Set sold on QVC. I put the set on my wish list and my hubby tucked it under the Christmas tree last December. Most of the lip pencils in that set were too dark and bold for my current makeup routine but Precious is just right. Tarte describes this product as “a hybrid between a stain, glow and rich balm”. Precious is a light pink color is easy to apply and totally wearable for play or work. The product provides nice moisture, is slightly minty and provides a bit of a tingle. It was nice to bring this out of my winter makeup stash and use as a natural makeup look for summer. It’s great for on-to-go beauty for the beach or summer vacations. This color doesn’t appear to be available anymore but there are a number of nice shades and several different formulations choose from. Retails for $24.

 

I bought this face lotion as part of a Naturelle D’Argan set from a Flash site (Hautelook?) so it was a great value. This product is emollient but not greasy and moisturizes my face very well. The scent is somewhat earthy and not liked by but its just fine for me. By now, I know that many yummy smelling products contain ingredients I don’t feel great about using so the milder the scent, the happier I am. Boring, I know…. The packaging is convenient, great for travel and the product stays clean and protected. $39.99 for 1.34 ounces.

 

This product is nice and rich and works well on my “normal” (not oily or dry) skin under makeup. I love how the combination of facial moisture and sunscreen saves me time in the morning. The product is conveniently packaged and perfect for travel. I like creams in a tube (no chance to contaminate the product by sticking a germy finger into the whole container). There are some great botanical ingredients in this lotion. I’ve enjoyed Jurlique products for years and always found them high quality and effective. $58 for 1.4 ounces.

 

I  haven’t found a rich, makeup dissolving cleanser I like better than this one. This cleansing cream is thorough and doesn’t leave any makeup behind. Although it’s a powerhouse, it leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated and not greasy or oily. I don’t feel like I have to wash again with an oil-cutting facial cleanser. This product removes foundation, lipstick and mascara like a charm. Check out my Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser Review Here. Holy Grail product. $45 for 100 ml.

 

Sulfate-free shampoos are notorious for not producing a lot of suds. I’ve gotten used to hand, body and facial washes that aren’t super foamy but I do enjoy the suds factor in my shampoo. I’ve tried a few greener shampoos and in my experience, this shampoo suds more than some. The small amount of suds is enough to help massage the product all over my scalp and into my hair. This product does the job and leaves my hair feeling very soft and healthy. This product and the conditioner are for chemically treated hair. I always buy products made for “damaged”/chemically treated hair because my hairdresser works a little magic in my brunette mane. The container has a convenient flip top and the price point is good @ $8.99 for 8.4 ounces.
This product is good at detangling just shampooed hair and doesn’t leave my hair feeling heavy. I really can’t smell coconut or hibiscus in this product or the shampoo. The packaging is handy as I find squeeze bottles and pumps best in the shower. I bought this conditioner and the shampoo at my local Whole Foods which was fun (it’s always a thrill to find products you can feel good about using at a local store versus having to wait days them them to arrive at your doorstep!). This product is priced the same as the shampoo @ $8.99 for 8.4 ounces.

@ 2014 curious babs