Shi Kai • Borage Dry Skin Therapy • Lotions/ Creams

valentynka on 8/20/2011 6:46:00 PM more reviews by valentynka

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

PROS
- ingredients - mostly natural, plant derived oils, with phenoxyethanol as preservative [less irritating to sensitive skin], rates 2 - low hazard on EWG
- texture, not thin, neither thick, absorbs easily, though perhaps too emollient for summer, means ideal for winter
- convenient 'pump' packaging

CONS
none really {could be cheaper - 9$/8oz at vitacost and more easily available}

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auddity on 1/12/2011 8:47:00 PM more reviews by auddity

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This winter, I've had the worst dry, itchy skin of my life. None of the lotions that I had used in the past for my dry/sensitive skin worked, and the itching was driving me crazy. This lotion is the only thing I've found that helps. I apply it all over my body twice a day, and while I think the claim that it's "non-greasy" isn't true at all, I'd rather be a little sticky for a few hours a day than be insanely itchy all day and night. I've also used the children's version of this lotion, and I think that one is a little less greasy. Over time, it works better and better - although, I skipped a couple of days, and started itching again, so I won't be doing that again anytime soon. I wish this stuff wasn't so expensive, though - it's $12.99 for 8 ounces at my local store. But I'll keep repurchasing it as long as it keeps working.

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givemesomescents on 12/18/2010 11:20:00 AM more reviews by givemesomescents

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I love Shikai products because they are free from petrol products and parabens. This lotion is full of great stuff for your skin (borage oil, aloe, jojoba oil...), and is not greasy. It's even recommended for diabetics and those with eczema.

I love that it's fragrance free.

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*TOP REVIEWER* rebemdee on 9/9/2010 7:19:00 PM more reviews by rebemdee

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Cool   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Meh, it's not anything special. I use it on my hands and arms, it's no more or less moisturizing than Eucerin or Lubriderm. The smell is minimal, just slightly medicinal, and not offensive. I do like that it doesn't leave a greasy or oily feel. For the price I can get a bigger bottle of Eucerin or Lubriderm, so I think I'll do that instead next time.

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*TOP REVIEWER* clearady on 7/24/2010 3:35:00 PM more reviews by clearady

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is for the lotion. Great ingredients, but not a completely flawless ingredients listing like my beloved Allergenics. Easily replicated, and a bit heavy. I prefer my lotions to be a tad runnier, so as it sinks in better. my skin is not extremely dry and never cracks, so light moisture is a lot more pleasant than thick butters/creams.
This is a decent lotion though nonetheless, and it deserves 3.5 stars.
I'm sticking with my beloved allergenics, but am taking some of the best ingredients of this: wheat germ oil, borage, aloe, and adding it to my own homemade lotion, with a runnier texture to suit my needs. they've got the basics downpat in this!
price is good. availability at whole foods, good. sinks in, alright. consistency, not ideal. smell, none, great!
it is a decent lotion.

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phillygirl36 on 5/8/2010 8:26:00 AM more reviews by phillygirl36

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Got this at my natural food market. The woman who runs the department recommended it to me because of my flaky, dry skin (from acne medications). A little bit goes a long way! I'm on my second tube, love how my skin feels and looks. SPF 15 is a major plus. The price was $14, so it's affordable.

I have acne-prone skin, but this hasn't caused any breakouts. Totally recommend.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Helen on 4/12/2010 10:32:00 PM more reviews by Helen

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I have been using this product for several years. It is the only lotion that will keep my skin from being flaky. It has no fragrance and appears thin, but really moisturizes. They changed the formula a few years ago, and there's a slight scent that I can smell now, although it's still "fragrance free". I highly recommend this for anyone with sensitive skin and dry skin issues. I use it year round and it sinks in pretty quickly.

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*TOP REVIEWER* jiney17 on 1/29/2010 2:01:00 PM more reviews by jiney17

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

ABOUT ME: Normal-dry, slightly oily t-zone, moderately sensitive (especially during dry weather), prone to flakiness and hormonal zits, using Tazorac.



TEXTURE: Thick, smooth cream. Absorbs fairly quickly. It doesn't disappear, but it doesn't sit on the surface of your skin either. This cream is really better-suited for drier skin.



EFFECT: Makes my skin soft and comfortable, though it doesn't banish flakiness completely. No clogged pores, zits, irritation or other problems. this seems like a good replacement for my Desert Essence Essential Daily Moisturizer, which is similiarly simple and bland, but too light for winter. This Shi Kai cream helps protect my skin better from the elements. However, it doesn't seem to be good for healing irritation or preventing the onset of atopic dermatitis (which I'm prone to when the weather is raw). I'm using The Healing Seed's English Daisy cream now and find that it is richer and keeps my skin more comfortable. Though if you don't need such a heavy moisturizer, but want something basic for the winter, then this Shi Kai cream is worth a try.



FRAGRANCE: None.



PACKAGING: Utilitarian plastic squeeze tube with a twist-off cap. My only changes would be having a flip-top cap instead and printing the ingredients directly on the tube rather than the box.



PRICE & AVAILABILITY: Between 4 and 8 USD. Can be found at most natural foods stores. I got mine online at iherb.com, because their prices tend to be lower than most bricks and mortar joints.

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*TOP REVIEWER* junomacguff on 1/19/2010 3:48:00 AM more reviews by junomacguff

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I decided to try this since I was having eczema troubles on my hands again and I'm glad I did. It's a great moisturizer especially after shaving my legs. Dries to a semi-matte finish, not greasy at all. My skin feels so soft when I use this too. I'm going to start using this on DS b/c he has stubborn eczema on his arms. I'd like to add that my skin is very sensitive and this didn't bother me at all. No detectable scent and no fragrant ingredients.

Ingredients: Purified water, (aqua), Aloe vera gel (aloe barbadensis), safflower seed oil (carthamus tinctorius), glyceryl stearate (vegetable emulsifier), glycerine, jojoba seed oil (simmondsia chinensis), borage seed oil (borago officinalis), cetyl alcohol (vegetable wax), vitamin E acetate (tocopherol acetate), dimethicone, shea butter (butyrospermum parkii fruit), sodium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C), L-ergothioneine (amino acid), diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben.

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*TOP REVIEWER* makeupdee on 8/31/2009 1:32:00 AM more reviews by makeupdee

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

i bought the 1 oz travel size green tube and went away with it on vacation for a week, thinking i would rough it and use it for both my face and body. well i was pleasantly surprised-- it works fantastic on my face, so much so i think i'll keep using it for my regular facial lotion.

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lydiag22 on 8/10/2009 4:05:00 PM more reviews by lydiag22

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy   Eyes: Green    

I was hoping for a little more from this product - I don't mind the smell, it isn't too greasy - I just wish it helped with the dry, scaly patches on my arms. Other than that, I like this product.

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*TOP REVIEWER* lapin on 7/12/2009 5:51:00 PM more reviews by lapin

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I should say that I don't have excema, psoriasis or any other real body-skin malady (my face is a mess, but hey). I only use a body lotion after exfoliating my body 1-2x/week, so it's not frequent I pull it out, either. But I'm not a fan. It's eay to apply (slightly damp out of the shower for me, then air dry), but I don't like 2 things about it, 1) it's sticky. Not the smooth, moist feeling I'm hoping for. 2) the smell. I totally appreciate that it's fragrance-free, but the ingredients in this are not pleasant to smell, and for me they are persistent, and I'm able to smell the lotion on me all day. I tried to remedy this with a few drop of sandalwood essential oil (a fave), but I couldn't smell it, so then added more - still no scent of sandalwood, only the chemically-lotion smell. I tried adding L'Occitane Cedar fragrance, spraying 4-5 squirts into the lotion. Still nada but the lotion. Bizarre. The lotion just eats up my failed attempts.
I think my skin looks good the next day after a second shower, so it's not like it's hurting my skin or failing in the moisturzing dept. I just wish it was more cosmetically pleasing. I will move on from this once it's finished.

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elfe99 on 1/28/2009 9:25:00 PM more reviews by elfe99

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This is pretty emolient for my dry skin, but not exactly a bargain. I have keratosis pilaris/eczema, and this product is supposed to be great for both. It's a good moisturizer for these dry conditions, but it doesn't get rid of the scaly keratin - an acid or retinol is needed to reduce that.

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pyzuo on 1/7/2009 10:02:00 PM more reviews by pyzuo

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I had high expectation after reading the good reviews here and made a purchase on it. I put it on my hand first and soon found out that some of the tiny cuts on my hands felt stinging. I then applied it on a small part of my face and guess what, it still stung! Maybe there is some sort of alcohol-like ingredient in this lotion. Be careful if you have sensitive and dry skin in the winter time like me.

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jolson428 on 1/6/2009 1:21:00 PM more reviews by jolson428

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This review is for the Children's Lotion which I wanted to try for my daughter's seasonal eczema. I am thrilled to say this product WORKED! My pediatrician recommended Eucerin which was okay but my daughter still had a few rough spots. Just two days of using this lotion and her skin is baby smooth and much less "itchy". Its not greasy, absorbs quickly and is unscented. As far as price, its about $15 for 8oz, I've seen it at Whole Foods but I purchased online for about half (luckyvitamin.com, even with shipping its still cheaper than Whole Foods).

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*TOP REVIEWER* luloo on 11/26/2008 7:20:00 PM more reviews by luloo

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Other, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Other    

This works pretty well, but it's just a bit more greasy than I'd like, and it's not thick enough for chapped hands IMO. It's also kind of pricey for what it is. If you want to use it on your hands, I'd get the hand cream version. I had a lot of trouble opening the pump part of the package when I first bought it. I think it was defective. I much prefer the Gold Bond Ultimate Lotions, either the Healing Aloe, which has fragrance, or the Soothing Chamomile, which is fragrance-free.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tenderheart003 on 10/28/2008 10:31:00 PM more reviews by tenderheart003

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

My review is for the the daily facial moisturizer with SPF15. This product is mediocre at best. My skin is more normal to dry than dry and this is barely moisturizing enough for me. I don't see this working for someone with actual dry skin. I don't think it breaks me out though which is good and I like that it is natural. I paid $15 at whole foods for my tube. I will not purchase again.

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JessieWW on 10/19/2008 1:11:00 AM more reviews by JessieWW

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

This went on a little sticky but quickly disappeared. There was no smell as some of the other reviewers noticed. (I wonder if perhaps it could be related to the age of the product? Perhaps some ingredients don't remain stable indefinitely?)

I won't be buying it again--at least for my face-- since the rosacea area on my face began stinging and itching shortly after application. This might have been because of either the vitamin c or the vitamin e (see the ewg working group website--skin deep cosmetic safety database: vitamin e as tocopheryl acetate is described as a sensitizer than can cause itching, burning, etc.)

Edit: While this product was hard on my face because of the vitamin e, see my review for their hand cream--their borage oil therapy is incredible for dry skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Kylie on 5/14/2008 10:21:00 AM more reviews by Kylie

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I want to clarify that I use the children's version of this product. I like the ingredients & the fact that it is fragrance free. This was recommended to me because I get eczema on my neck and hands. My neck has been really hard to clear up lately, nothing is moisturizing enough. This is great, my neck cleared in two days! My skin is very soft and this was very soothing. It has helped my hands as well. It works great on my dd's dry skin as well.

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shushiroll on 4/29/2008 10:24:00 PM more reviews by shushiroll

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

This is for the Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15.

This didn't break me out which was good, and for 7 months I diligently used this everyday because I thought, great, sunscreen, and yay moisturizer. And yes it did moisturizer but it always felt a tad greasy and smelled a little funny. And yes it has SPF 15 but after reading up on sunscreen ingredients, I realized that the Octylmethoxycinnamate in this isn't that great, and that is when I ditched it for Elta MD UV Shield SPF 45 with Zinc Oxide. I'm also paranoid about the sun so I got a little mad when I realized that for the past 7 months I had been using a crappy SPF. I have a brand new bottle of this if someone wants it.

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