Hair -Clairol - Herbal Essences Smooth Collection Shampoo
Kalya 5/1/2013 3:12:00 PM
The review by tricycleinskirts is bang on target! This is very devious labeling on the bottles. Conditioner bottle has label 'sulfate-free' and shampoo bottle has 'silicone-free' when the real requirement of green,natural products is 'silicone free conditioner' and 'sulfate free shampoo'. I bought the shampoo+conditioner solely for the scent. Unfortunately, the combo gave me a headache and left my hair dry like straw. Bad, bad, bad.....shame on Clairol, for the deceptive advertising!
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Moisturizers -Alaffia - Everyday Coconut Daily Face Lotion
Kalya 4/30/2013 10:40:00 AM
This has just arrived at whole foods market. New items for face, from Everyday Coconut. I bought the Daily Face Lotion and so far, am loving it! It is silky and when applied on the face, leaves a matte finish. Not oily at all. The fragrance is unique. Hopefully it does not have any phthalates in it! The lotion claims to provide spf15 protection. Perfect for summer :) Also, on the everydaycoconut website, Alaffia claims to provide 10% of the sales towards community projects in West Africa and one would hope that information is accurate. Makes me happy to be buying their products. Unfortunately, esoteric brand names like these may not gain a larger circle of users, compared to the giant brands. I hope these kind of products thrive and prosper in the market as they offer benefits to more than one ailments, be it bad skin or poverty. Ingredient list taken from their website (http://www.everydaycoconut.com) - Active Ingredient: Non Nano Uncoated Zinc Oxide 10%. Other Ingredients: Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Water*, Neem (Azadirachta indica) Extract (aqueous), Papaya (Carica papaya) Extract (aqueous), Virgin Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Oil*, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Copra (Cocos nucifera) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Lavender Essential Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid. *Certified Fair for Life - Social and Fair Trade by IMO.
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Gels/Soaps -Dr. Bronner's - dr bronners assorted scented castille soaps
Kalya 4/25/2013 3:01:00 PM
I had the trial sized 'eucalyptus' and 'lavender' bottles. Happy that I got the trial sized versions as I got tired of using the same scent. I like this castile soap, but a bit concerned about the high alkalinity. Yes, because of the high pH (8-9 according to web sources), it does leave the skin squeaky clean but it also causes my skin to flake and result in dandruff if used as a shampoo. I have also used this soap as a detergent, to clean garments requiring gentle treatment or handwashes. Works well! It is also very expensive, but worth it for occasional use. Point to note is that for sensitive skin, occasional use of this soap is good, but used daily, it can cause buildup, dandruff and flaking. 3.5/5
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Whole Foods 365 Fragrance Free Body Lotion
Kalya 4/22/2013 1:51:00 PM
The lavender, rosemary scent is appealing. The ingredients are also okay, but not natural, which is surprising, as this is a natural health store product. Even though water is the first ingredient in the list, this lotion is very difficult to apply. It does not spread easily and leaves a thick, white film that needs to be rubbed into the skin. After rubbing the skin to get the lotion in, little bits, nubs are created on the skin surface, which causes itchiness. I think it is some ingredient in the lotion, causing this. I have contact dermatitis and doing a lot of rubbing/massaging on the skin sometimes causes a rash to appear. Overall, this lotion results in some sort of rash and itchiness. I don't like this product at all!
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - 365 Everyday Value - Moisturizing Lotion
Kalya 4/22/2013 1:48:00 PM
The lavender, rosemary scent is appealing. The ingredients are also okay, but not natural, which is surprising, as this is a natural health store product. Even though water is the first ingredient in the list, this lotion is very difficult to apply. It does not spread easily and leaves a thick, white film that needs to be rubbed into the skin. After rubbing the skin to get the lotion absorbed, little bits and nubs are created on the skin surface, which causes itchiness. I think it is some ingredient in the lotion, causing this problem, as other lotions do not result in these bits/nubs on the skin surface. I have contact dermatitis and doing a lot of rubbing/massaging on the skin sometimes causes a rash to appear. Overall, this lotion results in some sort of rash and itchiness. I don't like this product at all!
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Skincare - Body -Dr. Bronner's - Organic Lotion
Kalya 4/22/2013 12:34:00 PM
I bought this lotion (trial size) in lavender-coconut. Liked the scent (although it is more coconut-y and less lavender) and also how my skin became soft and nourished after using it. One weird thing that I repeatedly saw after using this lotion is some bits and burs rubbing off my skin. If I continue rubbing, more bits get formed. It is some ingredient in the lotion causing these bits. I suspect the ethanol (grain alcohol?) thing. I had encountered this same issue after using the 365 (WholeFoods) brand lotion. Using other lotions like Nature's Gate, Nivea, Burts Bees etc, I don't see this.
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Conditioner -Trader Joe's - Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner
Kalya 4/21/2013 6:36:00 PM
Didn't work for me. This left my hair very dry, brittle and unhealthy looking. The scent is okay. Also the large bottle is very unwieldy and difficult to handle. I prefer the Trader Joes Nourish Conditioner even though it has parabens.
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Skincare - Body -Badger - Baby Balm
Kalya 4/18/2013 10:08:00 AM
This balm has also worsened, over the years. The latest tin (larger size too!) I had bought, had a nasty, rancid smell to it of oils gone bad, although the expiry date showed 2015! After I applied it to some dry areas on my face, I had immediate tiny bumps and breakouts. Something has definitely changed in Badger products! Used to be such a good, honest product line. My earlier review for the smaller tin size had been (5/5) - =========================================== best balm out there...the chamomile, calendula essential oils are soothing and have a gentle, mild fragrance. The tin is really small and difficult to handle, having an affinity to roll away....I've often had mine stroll under the bed or shelves :(
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Lips -Badger - Tinted Lip Balm
Kalya 4/18/2013 10:04:00 AM
I don't know...something has changed in the Badger product line :( I bought the Badger Baby balm and the tinted lip balm recently. Neither product was good. The Baby Balm had gone bad. Had a nasty smell to it, like rancid oils. About the tinted lip-balm - Well, these are super-pricey. Secondly, they do not do the job of moisturizing the lips (balm??) Applied, it looks cakey and uneven. Maybe I got a bad item, as the balm does not glide out and go back in the container easily. If these balms are priced a lot less, I would buy again. Quality control seems to have deteriorated at W.S.Badger :(
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Loose Powders -Coty - Airspun face powder
Kalya 4/15/2013 7:44:00 PM
Surprise! Despite the talc and parabens in this product, I really like it. I bought the honey beige shade and it looks great. No trace of oiliness on the nose and forehead area. Scent is also pleasing. Packaging and price is decent. Love the large puff that comes with this powder and the cute tin with the sifter that dispenses only a small amount of powder. It goes on evenly. No splotches or cakey creases. Have noticed skin getting a bit more dry than usual, after using this powder. Overall, a good buy.
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Gels/Soaps -Unlisted Brand - Divya/Patanjali Ojas Multani Mitti Soap
Kalya 4/8/2013 12:42:00 PM
Amazing! Amazing soap! Multani Mitti or fuller's earth is very beneficial to skin and I am happy to buy the Patanjali soap which has this as the main ingredient. Patanjali is the product line started by Swami Ramdev. The soap can easily disintegrate if left in water. The scent is just divine. I felt clean after a shower using this soap, without feeling itchy or scratchy, like baths with some lye-based soaps result in. The ingredients are mostly Ayurvedic and I did not find the english names for all the ingredients. Ingredients - Sudha Suhaga, Pudhina Sat (mint extract), Kapoor Sat (camphor extract), Ajwain Sat, Haldi (turmeric), Swet Chandan (sandalwood), Brahmi (gotu kola), Aloe vera, Neem, Manjisth (indian Madder), Tulsi (holy basil), Jatamansi (spikenard), Bringraj (Eclipta Alba), licorice, Reetha (soap nut), Nagamotha (Nut grass), Base material: Natural oil base, multani mitti, zinc oxide and mint-mogra perfume
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Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Mineral Fusion Fortifying Conditioner
Kalya 4/8/2013 12:23:00 PM
Super-expensive, but only as good as a drugstore conditioner like Herbal Essences or so. Packaging is very smart and attractive. I liked the scent of this conditioner too, and it claims to be paraben, phtalate etc chemicals-free. It didn't do much for my hair. I am quite disappointed, because this conditioner is quite expensive. $10 for a small bottle of 8 oz!
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Lacto Calamine Aloe Moisturizer
Kalya 4/5/2013 12:27:00 PM
This is the dry skin option, for the Lacto Calamine Classic brand. I personally prefer the 'Lacto Calamine Classic' lotion - the one in the lavender bottle with a purple cover. This product comes in a blue-green bottle, with a green cover. (my preference has nothing to do with bottle colours, LOL)! This lotion is meant for dry complexion and supposedly, this lotion is better than the 'classic' variant. It is a tinted moisturizer and is supposed to result in smooth, acne-free skin. For me, it caused some breakouts - possibly because of the propylene glycol or other vaguely listed ingredients! Ingredient List (from bottle cover) - Aqua, Light Kaolin, Sorbitol Solution 70%, Propylene Glycol, Glycerine, Aloe Vera Gel, Castor Oil, Zinc Oxide, Zinc Carbonate, Simethicone, Emulsifiers, Preservatives, Perfumes and permitted colours. I prefer the 'Lacto calamine Classic' lotion over this one. 2.5 out of 5
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Lacto Calamine Classic
Kalya 4/5/2013 12:14:00 PM
Since my teenage years, my favourite used to be Crooke's Lacto Calamine (the one featuring Audrey Hepburn in it's ads) which had less preservatives and other bad ingredients. Now that Crooke's is no longer available, the 'Lacto Calamine Classic' is my next favourite. This is commonly available even in small stores in India. For a sunny country, this product is heaven-sent. It provides a matte finish and protection for the facial skin. The color and scent is mild and pleasing. For folks who do not wear foundation or makeup, this lotion is wonderful. Product labeling is fishy. It does not have the ingredient names listed - just a vague mention of 'preservatives, permitted colours and emulsifiers'. Ingredients (verbatim listed on the bottle) - Aqua, Light Kaolin, Castor Oil, Glycerin, Zinc Oxide, Zinc Carbonate, Emulsifiers, Preservatives, Perfumes & Permitted Colours 3.5/5 because of the mysterious labeling and the lotion not being as good as Crooke's
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Shampoo -Aubrey Organics - Rosa Mosqueta Nourishing Shampoo
Kalya 4/3/2013 12:20:00 PM
As usual, labeling on the shampoo bottles i have is different from the labeling on the website and the labeling on MUA. The bottle I have, has carrageenan in it and 'coconut fatty acids'. God knows what that ingredient is. This shampoo is good for turning very voluminous hair limp. Scent is sort of herbal/ medicinal and a bit too strong for my liking. The poo does not lather as such, but it does clean the hair well and coats the hair shaft to smoothen it. Hair looks silky afterward. Also, I dilute the shampoo a lot - that helps in applying it evenly on the hair. But, one big drawback is the hair roots are left very oily. That results in breakouts near the hairline; i have very sensitive skin. Also i experienced significant hair loss after using this poo. Maybe the carrageenan ingredient is causing these breakouts. I also had some temporary boils near the hairline, that went away a few days after using this shampoo. I will not be buying this shampoo again. Shikakai powder does a better job, or I am better off using a glob of virgin coconut oil and glycerin as conditioner! Aubrey products need to have consistent labeling on their travel size, normal size products as well as their website! Something is not right, if they keep updating their ingredients so often.
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