Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunblock SPF 100+ with Helioplex
ElleTeaSea 7/10/2012 7:19:00 PM
I have this in the 30 spf. Both my husband and I love the lightweight feel, and the convenience of the spray. It protects against sun well, doesn't sweat off and doesn't make us smell like coconut. The reason I only gave it a three is that after several days of continuous use on my arms, chest and neck, I have a hideous rash accompanied by peeling skin and blisters appearing everywhere I applied it. My husband, (naturally,) remains unscathed. I do have moderately sensitive skin, and though I had used this last summer with no ill effects, it was only intermittent use. Either they changed the formula, or my sensitivity needed concentrated use of the sunscreen to develop. My husband will probably get it again. I will not, and would recommend a test patch for anyone with moderate to severely sensitive skin.
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Treatments -Burt's Bees - Naturally Ageless Serum
ElleTeaSea 3/3/2011 3:35:00 PM
I only ever had fine lines under my eyes, but in the last year I've noticed more appearing on my forehead and around my mouth. I decided it was time to up efforts against aging. Up until now that's basically consisted of lots of jojoba and vitamin E oils. I've tried several serums or anti-wrinkle products, but this is the first one that's actually done anything. My mouth lines disappear almost instantly as well as most of my forehead lines, except for one stubborn bastard. Even so, that one is almost unnoticeable now. The fine lines under my eyes are tougher, but then, they've been there longer. They are still responding favorably, and I hope that that in time this serum will help even them. I've also had no bad reactions from my sensitive skin, and the packaging is handy. I'd like to try it on the rest of my face, as well since several people have mentioned improvement with their acne. I'd say 3 drops is enough for the whole face, if applied on damp skin, however I will occasionally use more if I'm feeling particularly dry. I think it's over priced, but I'll probably buy it again.
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Styling Products -Alterna - Hemp Seed Styling Mud
ElleTeaSea 3/3/2011 3:08:00 PM
This was perfect to get a fun piecey look with my short, fine hair, without greasing it up and making it look filthy. I loved it for the first few days, and then I broke out in a terrible acne/rash along my hairline and particularly on the sides of my face where I have a few longer pieces that rest there. I checked on the jar, and despite its organic-ness, it does has several comedogenic ingredients listed. I believe that in my case the oleth-3 was the main culprit which is a 5 for comedogenic properties and a 3 for irritation. If you've never had a bad reaction to a product, or if your hair doesn't touch your face, I'd probably still recommend it, but if you have sensitive, or acneic skin I'd avoid this like the plague. Also, this is way expensive for a hair product. I'm going to try CHI Molding Clay now that my skin is finally healed. CHI isn't organic and does have petrolium-based products,(boo,) but it was the only hair mud I could find where nothing in it is considered highly comedogenic, so hopefully it won't break me out. CHI's product is also about half the price of Alterna's Styling Mud.
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Cleansers -Beauty Without Cruelty - Aromatherapy 3% Alpha Hydroxy Facial Cleanser
ElleTeaSea 3/3/2011 12:40:00 PM
Current HG for me. I have difficult skin - dry and flaky, but with non inflamed acne and an oily t-zone,(in the summer). Though my skin is relatively thick and can handle various acid and manual exfoliation, it can be very sensitive to comedogenic ingredients. This face wash foams nicely, removes makeup and sunscreen thoroughly and doesn't break me out or irritate my skin. It also works wonders on all my skin issues when used with my clarisonic. The pump is great, simple but gets the job done, which is my preferred kind of product delivery. The only problem I have is that it is too drying to use in the winter. As I have never found a suitable winter face wash that doesn't irritate my face, aggravate my acne, or dry out my skin, that doesn't surprise me much. In the winter I use this face wash mixed 1:1 with organic raw honey, for most of the week with one or two days using it straight, and it seems to be the perfect solution. I don't think the aha's do much for my skin, since it's only on my face for a little over a minute and it's such a small percentage. However, that would be the case for any face wash with an acid ingredient, and all of its pros out weigh this one minor con.
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Liquid -Origins - Stay Tuned Foundation
ElleTeaSea 11/9/2010 2:03:00 PM
After two years of searching I have found my HG foundation. This is going to be a long review because I am so relived that I've found this :) My biggest hurdle in finding a liquid foundation has been my skin tone. I have very pale skin, but with a neutral/warm undertone. Most foundations that are made for someone as pale as me have a cool undertone, while anything with the correct tone was too dark. This left me with the difficult decision between looking pale, but orange, or normal toned and dirty. The only makeup that ever consistently matched my skin was mineral makeup, but that made my face look and feel dry and flaky - no matter how much I moisturized. So began my liquid search. I started looking at as many "natural" foundations as I could find, but as time passed, and nothing worked out I decided I didn't care what was in it as long as I didn't break out from it. I managed to find a few very expensive brands (one of them all natural,) that matched my skin, but there was a constant issue with all of them - they would rub off on anything. On everything - by the end of the day my face would be practically bare, and my phone, shirt, scarf, coat etc. would have little spots of makeup all over them. It didn't matter what I set them with or how often I reapplied. Yuck. I almost gave up - then while dispiritedly browsing the MUA reviews for my next useless attempt I spotted this. The rating wasn't too low and I've tried Origin's oil cleanser and liked it fine, so I checked out their website. Their selection of colors for pale girls like me was pretty good. I was hopeful for a color match, however it's natural label made me skeptical that it would stay on my face. I'm so happy I was wrong! The color match is as close to perfect as I'm likely to find. This also lasts me hours, and the only rub off I've noticed is when I clean my face at the end of the day. I apply with a foundation brush and then use it as a concealer for spots and set it with a light dusting of almay powder. The price is ok - 20 bucks for one oz. It's not DS priced, but it's better than any DS brand I've ever tried. My only real complaint is the packaging. It looks pretty, but I'd rather have a squeeze tube or even a pump so that I can control the amount that comes out without making a huge mess. All in all it's the my best match ever, and I hope they don't discontinue cause I'm buying it again!
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Concealers -Maybelline - Dream Mousse Concealer [DISCONTINUED]
ElleTeaSea 1/25/2010 12:45:00 AM
I bought this on recommendation from my sister, and I can see why she likes it - we both have circles under our eyes, though hers are a lot darker. This does cover very well, but I've found that it also settles into the few fine lines that I have and makes them look a lot worse. The pot container is unsanitary and I generally prefer something a little more hygienic that you're not putting your fingers in so much. Price was reasonable for a drugstore brand, but in general it was rather unsatisfactory for me.
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