Moisturizers -La Roche Posay - Toleriane Soothing Protective Light Facial Fluid 
OPLALS 5/12/2013 4:21:00 PM
Toleriane Fluid Soothing Protective Non-Oily Emulsion I used this last summer, and it was great for no-nonsense light moisture. I have oily combination clog-prone skin. I could use this all over, night and day, and my dehydrated cheeks drank it up happily (became silky) while it didn't make my oily forehead shine more than it has to :) No problems using it under sunscreen and foundation and no break outs or clogs. Main ingredients, on a short list, are squalane and glycerin. Squalane, not squalene. So if you know whether you fare well with those you'll know how you'll probably do with this moisturizer. If you don't know but have combo or oily sensitive skin and need to try something, go ahead and try it. The main reason I didn't repurchase is the cost. Yes, I only needed one or two pumps each time, but I still went through the bottle in a few months. That's too expensive. So after using it up, on the rec of the skin board, I bought olive squalane oil. I have been using that same bottle (which is the same size bottle as this product) for almost a year now! Will write a separate review, but it's almost as good as this. Reading between the lines, it seems LRP uses animal squalane, by the way (shark liver oil). With the minimal ingredients, this gets top health marks from goodguide.com.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Estee Lauder - Double Wear LIGHT Foundation SPF10
OPLALS 5/12/2013 3:52:00 PM
This was my go-to foundation when I needed really good coverage. It really does that well. It's also the right amount of mattifying for my combo skin. It's got silica in it, which soaks up some oil for you. My biggest problem with it was the color match. I have the lightest (1.0) shade but it's still too dark for my skin. Now that my skin's better I don't wear this all over the face. I'm using up the bottle by using it occasionally as a spot concealer. This gets a 4/10 for health on goodguide.com, and I'm on the prowl for a foundation to better suit my current needs: color match, better ingredients, lighter coverage.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Gels/Soaps -Unlisted Brand - Tisserand - Cream Body Wash in Wild Rose and Lemon Leaf
OPLALS 3/19/2013 3:29:00 PM
I received this as a gift from someone who knows I love the fragrance combo of rose and lemon. Be aware it is aromatherapy, so you'll definitely need to like the scent to enjoy it. I can smell the black pepper as well. It is creamy. The smell lingers on the skin and even on clothes, so be aware of that as well. I only use it when I'm in the mood for scent. Bottle also says: organic and ethically harvested essential oils and plant extracts, free from synthetic fragrances, parabens and sles, not tested on animals, vegan, made in England
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Aveeno - Active Naturals Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion
OPLALS 9/24/2012 6:51:00 AM
This is good at moisturizing and absorbs quickly. However, I won't buy it again because it leaves the skin tacky - if you feel the skin afterward, it isn't very smooth. It was bad enough I found it noticeable and bothersome. In case you're interested, this gets the top health rating from goodguide.com and a low hazard rating of 2 from EWG.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Eucerin - Daily Protection Moisturizing Face Lotion - Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen - 4.0 FL. OZ. 118mL
OPLALS 9/23/2012 6:35:00 AM
I used a bottle of this a few years ago. I don't know why I kept using it - I guess I was blinded by all the good things I heard about it. The fact is, it left a white cast on my face (I'm very pale, but when I started using this people started commenting that I looked extremely pale), it made my face oiler and shinier than usual and it made my foundation slide around. I don't know, it might work better for someone with drier skin, but I still don't recommend it. I guess it was the zinc oxide that achieved the white cast, but now I use Burn Out Clean and Clear with zinc oxide and it doesn't do that to me. It's true as others have said that the smell is like sunscreen. Also note that this gets a bad rating of 7 from EWG. I now wouldn't use a facial moisturizer that contained the things this does: octinoxate, alumina, phenoxyethanol, etc. On the up side, the pump bottle is nice, it works as a sunscreen and is relatively unexpensive. There are certainly worse things out there.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal Spray Mist
OPLALS 9/22/2012 7:39:00 AM
Pros: -really does prevent odor all day for me, even in warm weather -doesn't stain clothes -very few ingredients (water, potassium alum) -doesn't interfere with perfume Cons: -not an antiperspirant (you still sweat) -applies wet so you have to wait a minute before getting dressed -maybe not optimal for traveling, as it's a bit on the bulky and heavy side -stings after shaving, so I used a different product on those days -on me, I found it turned my skin yellowy after I'd been using it about three weeks I think this is a good product, but I have moved on to using the Crystal Body Roll-On (unscented). It doesn't have those last three cons listed above, and I think it dries more quickly. Also, as an asthmatic, I try not to use spray products that do get in the airways, no matter how natural the product is. If you don't shave your underarms and don't mind using sprays, you'll probably like it more than me. If that's you, I recommend this if you're looking for a deodorant (not an antiperspirant) that works and you don't mind using potassium alum (I know there are some people who feel healthwise it's not that different from using aluminum chloride.) This is now my husband's staple. He prefers a spray product and finds it works better than stuff he was using before.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Crystal Roll-On Body Deodorant
OPLALS 9/22/2012 7:31:00 AM
Finally found a deodorant I'm really happy with! Pros: -really does prevent odor all day for me, even in warm weather -doesn't sting even if I just shaved -doesn't stain clothes or skin -very few ingredients (water, potassium alum, cellulose) -doesn't interfere with perfume (I have the unscented version) -dries quickly compared to other non-solids Cons: -not an antiperspirant (you still sweat) -applies wet so you have to wait a minute before getting dressed -must be applied to clean skin (it works by forming a protective barrier) so you can't just add another layer before going out for the evening - you have to spot wash first I prefer this to their rock version, which I used two sticks of in the past. I found it would eventually break and become unusable. Also, it took that little extra bit of time to wet it before using. I also prefer this to a spray version (I used the Naturally Fresh brand, but again just potassium alum and water). I found it stung after I shaved, and, strangely, turned my skin yellowy after I'd been using it for a while. Also, as an asthmatic, I try not to use spray products that do get in the airways, no matter how natural the product is. In comparison to those two previous products and other roll-ons I've tried, I feel this dries quicker. I haven't timed it, but I feel like it dries particularly quickly. I've never had to postpone getting dressed just because of this - I just moisturize my legs and find it's dry. I had to get used to the application at first. The roller part is smaller and doesn't "roll" as much as other roll-ons I'd used. So at first I felt like it wasn't going on, but when I looked, I saw it was. It can stick a bit, which you can ready by quickly turning it upside down before you unscrew the cap. Also I learned to make sure to screw the cap tightly when traveling by plane (a small amount leaked into the cap once). I highly recommend this if you're looking for a deodorant (not an antiperspirant) that works and you don't mind using potassium alum (I know there are some people who feel healthwise it's not that different from using aluminum chloride.)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -The Body Shop - Hemp Hand Protector
OPLALS 9/1/2012 10:10:00 PM
This is a good hand moisturizer. A little goes a long way - I had the small size and carried it around with me everywhere for a long time. I bought it in an airport on layover after a transatlantic flight when my hands needed serious moisture. I was only planning to "sample" it to fix my immediate problem but circled back and bought it because it worked so well! Despite the fact that I hated the scent. I did get used to the scent, but, yes, it's strong. I think they should make the cap a little taller as it can be difficult to screw on. Also, I am not planning to buy this again. I have since become interested in very safe products - this contains fragrance, retinol palmitate, coloring, phenoxyethanol....
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Badger - Cuticle Care
OPLALS 9/1/2012 9:00:00 PM
This is a great cuticle moisturizer - it really worked for that purpose. I'm going ahead and giving it 4 lippies because of that. However, I hated this. The scent made me feel kind of ill. I suspect it was the geranium essential oil as I've had another bad experience with that. I also had someone wrinkle their nose when I applied this so I don't think I'm the only one who hates the scent. Anyway, the tin is cute and convenient for carrying around. I found it changed but basically held up at a range of temperatures as well. I think it's expensive though, especially since the eos definitely didn't add to the experience for me! I have moved to pure shea butter or Mad Gab's Moose Balm in Light Citrus. A relief. However I'm keeping the tin and planning to make my own version. I got some beeswax in a swap. If you mix that with olive oil you've got the unscented Badger Balm. If you add shea butter to that you've got something pretty close to this.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Parachute Coconut Hair Oil
OPLALS 9/1/2012 7:55:00 PM
I wasn't sure whether to add my review here or to the Coconut Oil (All Brands) entry since I didn't use this on my hair, which has oily roots, but as a body moisturizer. But I did use the Parachute brand, the 100% coconut oil version. And it is different from the more common solid coconut oil. This is a liquid. I can confirm it's popular with Indian women for their hair. Anyway, I wasn't impressed with this as a body moisturizer. Yes, it is moisturizing. But I found it took just as long if not longer than sweet almond oil to sink in. I also found the coconut scent really overwhelming. I don't like coconut scents in general, but I can deal with my Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo, for example, so I wasn't expecting this to be so off-putting. It is, for me anyway. Also, note that coconut oil can be clogging. I used a concealer once that caused clogging, and I suspect it was the coconut oil in it as that was the most comedogenic ingredient and it was the first thing I ever tried on my face with coconut oil. So I wouldn't recommend it as a facial moisturizer if you're prone to clogging.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Deodorants -Weleda - Weleda Citrus Deodorant
OPLALS 9/1/2012 7:37:00 PM
Besides potassium alums, this was the first non-antipersperant deodorant I tried. It was a fail: didn't last long and stung after shaving (active ingredient is alcohol). Scent was just okay, and I like citrus scents in general. This concern probably doesn't apply to many, but I also felt like I was accidentally inhaling it when I sprayed it on. Note that it contains irritants: d-limonene, linalool, geraniol, citral, farnesol. I think most of those are just natural components of the lemon peel oil, but I really don't want them getting in my airways since I'm asthmatic. Hope that helps someone. I'm going back to crystal (potassium alum) for now.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Boots - No7 Extreme Length Sensitive
OPLALS 9/1/2012 7:19:00 PM
I got this in Black. It comes in a silver tube. I've never had a sensitivity problem to mascara before, using conventional mascara, but this product intended for sensitive eyes made my eyes sting! Not a good start. It also smudged quite badly by the end of the day. Not volumizing either, though I wasn't expecting that. The only good thing I can say about this is the brush separated the lashes well - there was no clumping.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Faith in Nature - Chocolate Conditioner
OPLALS 8/25/2012 7:28:00 PM
I tried this conditioner solely because it's pretty easy to find in the UK and it gets the top health rating on goodguide.com. I found it wasn't moisturizing enough for my long, wavy hair. It's quite lightweight. It wasn't bad, so I finished the bottle but moved on to something else. The chocolate scent isn't strong and goes away quickly. Ingredients: Aqua (water From the Lake District), Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol, Brassica Oleifera, Theobroma Cacao (cocoa), Melaleuca Alternifolia, Salvia Officinalis (sage), Cetrimonium Chloride.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Mad Gab's - Moisturizing Moose Balm in Light Citrus
OPLALS 8/25/2012 7:04:00 PM
I picked this up in Maine and am glad I did. I really like it for getting shiny lips. It's sold as a moisturizer for hands and elbows, so I listed it there and do find it's good for my cuticles, but I think it stands out among natural products I've used for not only moisturizing my lips but giving them a real shine. I'm sure it would be great on top of a matte lipstick. My husband also sometimes uses this sparingly as a hair product. The citrus scent really is light. The concept is the same as Badger Balms, but it's cheaper. About $7 for a 1.5 oz. tin. I also like it better than any of the badger balms I've tried. Ingredients: Olive Oil, Sweet almond oil, Shea butter, Beeswax, Essential oils of Grapefruit and Orange and Vitamin E.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Dr.Organic - Manuka Honey Conditioner
OPLALS 8/25/2012 6:20:00 PM
This conditioner is a staple - I'm on my third bottle. I have naturally wavy hair with oily roots but that needs plenty of moisture in the length as it's long. I don't apply it to the crown. I decided to try this as it was on sale and I kept coming across honey as an ingredient in products for curly hair. I guess it's moisturizing. I was sceptical of the scent, but I've been surprised that it doesn't bother me. You do smell honey when applying, but I don't find it cloying. The scent dissipates quickly for the most part, though my husband commented on it in a good way 14 hours later (from very close!) It gives me a good amount of moisture. I'd say it's medium weight - I've tried others that were too light or too heavy. No silicones, parabens or artificial fragrances, which I was also looking for.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No