Shampoo -Unlisted Brand - JR Liggett's Old Fashioned Bar Shampoo
EcoPretty 5/9/2011 2:12:00 PM
Badly wanted this to be my new HG "shampoo." I've tried nearly every natural & organic haircare line on earth -- all with disappointing results. I'm also trying to reduce my plastic consumption. So, I thought these bar 'poos would be perfect given their good reviews. I have fine, normal hair that's been so frizzy since switching to organic haircare and moving from NYC to Chicago, which has harder water. Ladies, THESE WILL NOT WORK IF YOU HAVE HARD WATER. I first used this bar (the one for damaged hair) at my parents' home in Indianapolis, where they have a water softener. My hair felt tangled and really straw-like post-shower but once it dried, I had the fluffiest, softest hair in years. However, once I returned to my apartment in Chicago, where I don't have a water softener, this left my hair unbearably residue-y, waxy, and stiff. After doing research, I learned that soap and hard water are a bad combo. They form scum, and it's important that shampoos contain a chelator (e.g. EDTA) if you have hard water. After a week, I couldn't stand the itching and gross feeling any more and bought Pureology's Purify chelating shampoo. My hair was softer and the itching stopped!
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Dr. Alkaitis - Organic Eye Cream
EcoPretty 4/17/2011 11:17:00 AM
I badly wanted this to be my HG eye cream -- Giselle apparently uses it, and I LOVE Dr. Alkaitis's day and night cremes. The souffle-like texture moisturizes beautifully and absorbs quickly, and doesn't irritate at all. But in the 2 months I used it, it did nothing to reduce my dark circles (as the description claims it does) or little fine lines that have crept up. At the end of the day, it's simply a gentle, hydrating eye cream. But for $60 for only .5 oz, I won't purchase again.
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Scrubs -Jurlique - Daily Exfoliating Cream
EcoPretty 2/13/2011 7:50:00 PM
I bought this because I was experiencing irritation from an essential oil-heavy moisturizer I've since thrown away and I needed a very gentle exfoliator. This scrub uses a large amount of oat, which calms the skin, so I quickly bought it on vacation despite the outrageous price tag -- $25 for a measly 1.4oz. Yuck! This is too thick, isn't at all cohesive, had big chunks of almond skin in it, and barely exfoliates. On a similar note, I've been unimpressed with every Jurlique product I've tried so far....back to John Masters Jojoba & Ginseng Exfoliator for me.
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Treatments -John Masters - vitamin C anti-aging face serum
EcoPretty 10/29/2010 2:31:00 PM
Like other reviewers, I also wanted this to be my HG serum. A couple women at Whole Foods were raving about it and I loved the ingredients list: organic aloe as the base instead of water, 3 different forms of vitamin C (ascorbic acid polypeptide, acerola fruit, and ascorbyl palmitate), etc. I bought it to heal and lighten red scars on my cheeks from two big stress zits I'd had for a week that I feared would permanently scar. I used this every night after cleansing for a month an a half. Unfortunately, it neither lightened the red marks nor seemed to heal the area. I gave it three lippies because it calmed my skin tone, sank in well, and smelled amazing (like blood oranges). But the mediocre results just don't merit $30 for 1oz. Onto trying Dr. Alkaitis's Organic Night Crème.
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Conditioner -John Masters - dry hair nourishment and defrizzer
EcoPretty 10/18/2010 5:30:00 PM
Wanted to love this product since I've been unsuccessfully hunting for a natural anti-frizz product for the past 2 years and John Masters is such a clean, nice-smelling line. Sadly, it didn't do much but lend a little shine. I tried rubbing it through damp hair, then styling and rubbing it on the ends of dry hair. Neither took away the frizz or smoothed my hair. And for $16 for a tiny .5 oz bottle it should have! I'd also like to see this come in spray form with better ingredients to soften hair.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Deodorants -Weleda - Wild Rose Deodorant
EcoPretty 9/20/2010 2:28:00 PM
Sorry to ruin the rave reviews, but I thought this was AWFUL -- and a huge waste of money $16! It's not an antiperspirant, so I knew it wouldn't block sweat. But I was hoping that the wild rose scent would nicely eliminate odor. Nope. It worked for about an hour this summer and I had to reapply. Worse, this contains mostly alcohol and irritating fragrant components like limonene, benzyl alcohol and benzyl benzoate -- and it burned like crazy, especially on freshly shaved underarms. After a week of using this, I had red bumps under my arms.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Jane Iredale - Dream Tint
EcoPretty 8/19/2010 3:10:00 PM
I bought this in Medium-Light ($36) because it's the only natural makeup I can find that has non-chemical SPF and exactly matches my skin tone. This has a lovely mousse-like consistency that you THINK will give gorgeous coverage and just the right amount of moisture. Wrong. Like most mineral makeup, it made my skin feel tight when it dried and gave me that blah, chalky pallor. I had to spritz Juice Beauty's Hydrating Mist several times over it to look better. I've even tried mixing a couple drops of my oil serum into it to give a dewier look -- but it still had that chalky, tight finish. Like most reviewers have said, coverage is minimal -- but that's to be expected with any tinted moisturizer. I gave it 4 lippies instead of 3 because it didn't irritate my sensitive skin, because it uses non-chemical spf, and because it does give a slight air-brushed look.
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Shampoo -Pureology - Pureology Hydrate Shampoo
EcoPretty 7/26/2010 12:42:00 PM
I've been using really "clean", organic products for the past 3 years but recently lowered my standards and bought this shampoo and the Hydrate conditioner b/c John Masters wasn't giving me the color protection I needed, and I couldn't find another wow-worthy natural haircare line. I used Pureology 4 years ago before THEY WERE BOUGHT BY L'OREAL (which tests on animals and Pureology was once cruelty-free) and had wonderful results. One of the things that set Pureology apart was that the products had a base of three organic botanicals instead of water. Now, the base for their shampoos is H20 followed by a ton of detergents -- so they've "watered" down the product but haven't reduced the price! This shampoo hasn't moisturized my highlighted hair nearly as well as it did 4 years ago or preserved my color any better. And the conditioner has broken me out around the nape of my neck. The scent is different, too -- more chemical-smelling. Major waste of money.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Styling Products -Pureology - In Charge Plus Styling Spray
EcoPretty 6/28/2010 2:22:00 PM
I bought this because I LOVE Pureology's antioxidant-packed, color-preserving shampoos and conditioners. But this was a depressing waste of $22! I had the same experience as other reviewers -- the nozzle continually clogged and caused the hairspray to shoot out in a long, thick spray instead of a fine micro mist. I basically couldn't style my hair at all with it. Also, it's stickier than most of today's best hairsprays.
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Moisturizers -Nude Skincare - Moisture Balance
EcoPretty 6/11/2010 1:59:00 PM
I got a generous sample vial of this from a Nude rep at Sephora, so I didn't waste the whopping $68 on it thank goodness. But what a bad product--especially given the price! Like other reviewers have noted, this didn't sink in well and instead balled up on my face, especially under my eyes (where it looked like I had all these tiny flakes!) The slimy texture was unappealing. And worse, it's broken me out in a few little bumps on my cheeks.
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Cleansers -Origins - Clean Energy Cleansing Oil
EcoPretty 6/3/2010 12:13:00 PM
Holy Grail Cleanser! Thank you MUAers for leading me to this miracle-in-a-bottle! I've frustratingly battled oily, whitehead-prone skin for a decade and have tried nearly every best-selling conventional, natural and organic product on the market. This is in my top three of all time. I love the natural ingredients (no mineral oil or other pore-clogging petroleum crap). It emulsifies well when you add a dribble of warm water. And it removes all makeup and leaves my skin SO soft and balanced. I experienced a light purging process the first week I used it, but since then, I've had the best skin of my life and it's eliminated the large, hormonal zits I used to get around my chin during my period every month. They gave me the $1 pump for free with, so spillage wasn't an issue as with other reviewers. But I wish I could take off a half-lippie for the clear packaging -- exposure to light causes plant oils to quickly go rancid! But for $18.50 and natural ingredients (though not organic), this is an excellent cleanser, especially if you have oily skin.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Origins - Super Spot Remover
EcoPretty 6/3/2010 11:55:00 AM
I've been going through bottle after bottle of Origins' Clean Energy Cleansing Oil and bought this impulsively at the register -- even though I saw that alcohol's the main ingredient -- because I had a huge stress breakout that needed treatment asap. Big mistake. As with all alcohol-based acne treatments, this one took down my zit only a little and left the area REALLY red and flaky. Worse, it stings like hell when you apply it (definitely wouldn't recommend using it in the morning). I wish Origins would add aloe (or another soothing, healing ingredient) to the formulation in place of alcohol! As is, this is a ripoff at $14 and only .3 oz.
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Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Juice Organics Brightening Conditioner
EcoPretty 5/18/2010 11:50:00 AM
I've tried nearly every natural/organic conditioner on the market (including everything by John Masters), trying to find one that left my hair shiny and smooth instead of dull and frizzy. Everything has disappointed until a friend was raving about this line. AMAZING. It leaves my hair smooth, soft and brighter-looking yet doesn't contain a single silicone. I love that it contains citrus extracts and sunflower seed oil to gently clarify and keep highlights bright. And, it has a fantastic fresh peach scent -- and doesn't break the bank like John Masters and Pureology! (Just $8.99) Ingredients: Certified Organic Grape Juice, Orange Juice, and Aloe (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice, Sunflower Seed Oil (Organic), Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis) (essential fatty acids), Linseed (seed), Borage (Organic) (seed), Sugar Cane Extract (organic), Rice Syrup (Organic), Glycerin, Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus) Extract, Grapefruit Peel (organic), Lime Peel (Organic), Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Levulinate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium (anisate), Phytic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Mica, Iron Oxide, Orange Extract (Organic), Peach Extract (Organic)
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Dr. Hauschka - Mascara
EcoPretty 5/17/2010 3:13:00 PM
I'm a years-long eco gal who's tried nearly ever natural and organic cosmetic on the market. But I have yet to use a Dr. Hauschka product that wasn't a waste of money. I just don't understand DH's appeal; their prices are sky-high and their products are full of water and alcohol and gross plant oils like peanut oil. But anyway, I bought this off SkinBotanica.com so I couldn't judge the brush's thickness. It's disappointingly thin and barely coats lashes. I have to apply, let dry, apply again, let dry, and apply again. Who has the time?? Worse, it's been allergy season here in Chicago and the minute my eyes slightly water, this is half-way down my face. It doesn't irritate and has a light rose scent, but for a whopping $26 and minimal benefits, it's a rip-off.
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Shampoo -John Masters - Evening Primrose Shampoo for Dry Hair
EcoPretty 3/25/2010 12:00:00 PM
Such a disappointment! I'm an eco gal with Aveda highlighted-hair and have been hunting for a moisturizing, organic shampoo that will make my dry ends more silky. But like other reviewers have said, this did nothing. Worse, it seemed to dull my color -- maybe the disodium cocoamphodiacetate and sodium cocoyl sulfoacetateare are the culprits(??) -- and it made my scalp itch. The itching stopped when I stopped using it. I was talking with a woman at Whole Foods who said his shampoos make her scalp itch, too.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No