Conditioner -LUSH - Veganese conditioner
StarlitReprise 11/25/2010 3:31:00 AM
Alright, so I generally assume that a conditioner is going to be moisturizing, however I don't want something heavy that's going to weigh down by hair or end up making it appear greasy, so the sales associate reccomended this for me and was actually pretty shocked when I returned it. I used this together with the Seanik shampoo bar and after about two weeks my hair was looking and feeling really dried out and frizzy! In an attempt to add some moisture I used a bit more Veganese than I had been using originally, though instead of feeling less dry my hair now felt like it had residue leftover! I prompty stopped using this and returned it. PROS- has a nice lemon-y scent, really light CONS- $26.95 per bottle, not moisturising at all
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Gels/Soaps -LUSH - Dream Wash
StarlitReprise 11/25/2010 3:19:00 AM
I'm on the fence with this one. I didn't really hate it, but I didn't love it either. The smell isn't bad. I'm pretty sure it smells like calamine and I couldn't really pick out any other prominent scents. I didn't find it did anything for the bumps I get on the back of my upper arm, which was the main reason I bought it, so that was a little disappointing. However, everyone is different, so I can't give this a horrible scoring based on that. The one thing that really bugged me was that I tended to lose a lot of this down the drain. It just didn't want to stay on the wash cloth or my skin long enough for me to rub it around. I ended up using it up pretty quickly because of that. Maybe I'm just a little special when it comes to using this sort of product...? Either way, it was frustrating and I felt like I was contaminating the pot every time I got more out, which I probably was. I did feel clean afterwards and no irritation from this at all, but it's not worth it for the price and results for me. PROS - nice smell, non-irritating CONS - pricey, didn't help calm my skin
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Lip Treatments -SoftLips - PURE Natural Lip Balm
StarlitReprise 11/25/2010 2:56:00 AM
This is a great lip balm. I found it on sale for about $3 CAN at Shoppers Drug Mart and had to try it. It goes on super smooth and moisturises your lips with 100% food grade ingredients which is always a reassuring thing when something is going so close to your mouth. I really like the chunky lipstick tube design ( easier to find amongst a messy bag ) and the simple white design is visually appealing. I bought this unscented because the only other option was bergamot and I had no idea as to the scent of that, though apparently it's citrus-y, so I wouldn't be opposed to trying it in the future. PROS - lipstick case design, smooth, moisturising, natural CONS - a little pricey.
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Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Lafe's Roll on Deodorant Unscented
StarlitReprise 11/25/2010 12:18:00 AM
This review is for the LAFE'S NATURAL AND ORGANIC HEMP OIL DEODORANT IN TEA TREE. In my search to find an aluminum-free deodorant I went to a little pharmacy I never bother with otherwise. This was on sale for half the price, so I only paid $4 CAN ( so the normal price was $8 which I wouldn't have bothered trying at that price ). In retrospect I now see why they were trying to get rid of the stock they had left... I got it in the Tea Tree scent and when I tested the scent at the store it was really mild and I thought I'd give it a go, unfortunately when I got home and used it the smell amped up a lot and I really think it smells awful. It reminds me of the outhouse at camp. I think the smell I mean is deet? We used it to clean with. It could possibly be the hemp oil that is in this product, which is supposed to make your skin soft. However, I did try it out, but it left behind the awful smell ( which my mother said wasn't noticeable on me but when I had her smell the product she said yeah, it smelled like urine! ) It bugged me being able to smell it on myself and I'm sure someone would notice if they got too close... I liked that some of the proceeds ( although only a measly one percent ) went to cancer research, but that's probably the only thing I can think of to say in it's defense. Ingredients: water, potassium alum, mineral salts, celquat, tea tree, aloe vera, calendula extract, hemp seed oil, grapefruit seed extract. I also looked up celquat after purchasing, because I had no idea what it was. "Celquat is cotton cellulose, which is a natural cotton plant extract. Within cosmetics and toiletries it is used as a thickening agent."
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Lip Treatments -J. R. Watkins - Natural Beeswax Lip Balm
StarlitReprise 11/23/2010 8:55:00 PM
I haven't actually tried the Beeswax Lip Balm, but I do have the Raspberry Weatherproofing Lip Balm by the same brand, so my review is going to reside here. Oddly enough, there isn't any raspberry in this product. As far as I can tell the scent comes from rosemary, but it's a nice fruity/minty sort of scent that I really like, so I'm not complaining. It's really moisterising and keeps my lips really smooth and soft~ It also applies with a slightly white, glossy finish which I like because it tones down my naturally red, red lips just enough so they don't overpower the rest of my face. The weatherproofing aspect comes from the titanium oxide which is supposed to prevent chapping and sunburn. Ingredients: palm oil, beeswax, olive fruit oil, soybean oil, rosemary leaf extract, tocopherol (vitamin E), titanium oxide. PROS- 100% natural, moisturising, tones down red lips, soft and not overy waxy, weatherproofing CONS- none
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Moisturizers -LUSH - Vanishing Cream
StarlitReprise 11/23/2010 8:28:00 PM
This really isn't a bad moisturizer. It was reccomended to me for acne prone skin and for a hefty thirty something for a little tub I was a bit wary, but I wasn't getting anywhere with anything else so I went for it. I quickly realized that it wasn't quite moisturising enough for me, but that's merely based on skin type, though I applied a little more than is really needed and it sank in to my skin well enough. However, as a cream that was said to be good for acne prone skin, this did absolutely nothing to discourage those little pimples from reappearing nor did it do anything for my complexion. I was a little disappointed. However, for the price and the tub packaging, which I'm not fond of, I'm glad this wasn't an amazing product because I don't have to pay that much for such a little amount! I ended up using it up on my legs and that worked really well, oddly enough, but it's definately not worth it to buy for that purpose. Overall I liked it but it just wasn't right for me! PROS- lightweight, doesn't aggrivate skin or clog pores, subtle scent, a little goes a long way CONS- didn't help to discourage acne, pricey, not too hygenic tub packaging
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Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal
StarlitReprise 11/23/2010 7:57:00 PM
I really don't have anything good to say about this product. I was in a hurry and wanted a natural deodorant. Since this was on sale I grabbed it in Lavender, because I thought that a natural product would have a decent scent. So wrong. My first reaction upon upcapping this was a fairly prominent vinegar scent. I've used apple cider vinegar to reduce B.O and thought that the same rule would apply and the scent would fade after ten minutes and leave me smelling like lavender. Not at all. I smelled vinegar and a poor attempt at lavender for a while before it mixed with my body odour and things went downhill from there. On top of that I found that this acutally caused me to sweat more and it takes forever to dry. PROS - ...Nothing, really. CONS - caused more sweating, awful smell, didn't help with B.O I'm returning this product and spending a little extra for a deodorant that actually works.
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Gels/Soaps -Kiss My Face - Olive Oil Soap
StarlitReprise 11/18/2010 5:03:00 PM
In an attempt to find a a moisturising, non-irritating soap for the shower I was directed to pure olive oil soap, so I went to the store and found the Kiss My Face kind, a company I'm fairly comfortable with. My first problem was that the bar was HUGE and since it's so hard it's very difficult to cut. I had to heat a knife up before I could get a chunk off. That wasn't a really big issue for me, but it would be nice if the soap came in three seperate pieces or something similar. When it came time to actually use it I found that it had a subtle, light lather and the waxy smell that reminds me of crayons wasn't really apparent. I would have just rubbed it right on my skin, but the bar is too hard and the chunk I cut off wasn't smooth at all. I rubbed it on to a wash cloth and there was a green smear at first instead of lather, but it came off after I scrubbed down. I do find that the bar gets mushy quickly, but I made sure it wasn't sitting in water and it dries out alright. However, I was a little disappointed as the soap seems to be somewhat moisture stripping. My skin feels very tight until I dry off and I'm not fond of the feeling at all. I'm worried it's going to be a bad choice for the dry winter, so I'm looking for an alternative instead. Price: $5 CAN ~OVERALL~ PROS- simple & natural, non-irritating, good value CONS- very hard bar, giant bar that's hard to cut, not very appealing smell, leaves skin uncomfortably clean while in shower
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Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Beeswax Lip Balm
StarlitReprise 11/18/2010 4:16:00 PM
It says right on the tube Soothing. Cooling. Refreshing. And I really think it is. I find Burt's Bees beeswax lip balm to be really, really soothing to dry, chapped lips. When my lips feel like they're getting a little chapped I apply this right away and the tingling, minty sensation really helps calm them down. I don't think it's the best to prevent damage from the sun/wind, but it's nice as a rejuvenating lip balm if your lips chap easily. I like something with more protection for during the day to prevent chapping, but this is always nice to have around. Price: $5CAN ( after taxes ) ~OVERALL~ PROS- natural, great for chapped lips, nice minty smell, soothing CONS- no sun/wind protection
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Concealers -L'Oreal - True Match Naturale Mineral Concealer
StarlitReprise 11/18/2010 3:53:00 PM
I don't wear a ton of makeup, but the one thing I'm always looking for is a really good concealer to cover the dark circles under my eyes. I have really obvious dark circles due to anemia ( lack of iron ), which really make me look exhausted even if I've slept for a good eight hours. Although this doesn't hide them %100 percent it comes pretty close and for a drugstore item I can't complain. I think this does a wonderful job of minimizing the appearance of the redness near my nose and the occasional pimple as well! Despite it being close to fifteen dollars after taxes for such a small container, I feel this is worth it when I felt my only other option was to buy online for a minimalist forumla with good coverage ( which would include shipping & handling and probably cost more ). The one I bought has lasted me nearly two months and still has plenty of product left. I find the brush that came with it very soft. I'm not a huge fan of the packaging concept, but I don't mind it too much either. The best thing about this is that it's a very simple formula, so sensitive skinned individuals should be able to get away with it. I find a lot of makeup causes me to break out or itch, but this hasn't ever bothered me in the least. I also find that it stays on very well. The only major problem with this is that if you have a dry patch this concealer is going to make it stand out, so make sure your face is well moisturized beforehand. Dry skinned people might find this isn't the right product, but personally I will repurchase. Price: $15 CAN ( after taxes ) ~OVERALL~ PROS- simple forumla, covers dark circles well, lasts all day CONS- doesn't work well on dry skin, not the best packaging
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Shampoo -LUSH - Seanik
StarlitReprise 11/18/2010 3:24:00 PM
I really wanted to love this because the smell is really, really wonderful. I also like the concept of the seaweed in the pretty blue bar, which I know isn't really important, but it is an appealing shampoo bar visually. Since I have fine hair I was drawn to the fact that it was meant to give you some volume and the first time I used it I was really impressed. My hair felt squeaky clean and after it dried it was soft and appeared much thicker. I thought I had found a winning product, but after using this ( followed after by Veganese conditioner ) for about two weeks my hair had lost A LOT of moisture! The ends were really fried and my hair had a lot of fly away strands due to the dryness as well. That was a deal breaker for me. I won't be using this again, as I'm now looking for a sodium lauryl sulfate free shampoo and conditioner instead, but I'd reccomend a good conditioner to go with this. I found the Veganese didn't add enough moisture back to compensate for the way Seanik strips your hair. Price: $10 CAN ( Sort of pricey ) ~OVERALL~ PROS- really great smell, conveinent bar form, very cleansing, adds obvious volume CONS- very drying over a short time, contains sodium lauryl sulfate
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Other -Tom's of Maine - Peppermint plus Whitening
StarlitReprise 11/18/2010 2:59:00 PM
I started looking for a good natural toothpaste after I learned that a lot of toothpastes can irritate skin and cause acne, which I've always had a problem with on my chin. When I purchased Tom's of Maine flouride-free plus whitening in peppermint I had high expectations for this product, as I had read some good reviews for it, but it didn't quite live up to its name for me. It was generally nice. It has a pleasant peppermint taste that isn't overpowering and foams up surprisingly well. However, after reviewing the ingredients list I realized it contains sodium lauryl sulfate ( hence the foaming ), a substance I'd been wanting to avoid. It makes my teeth feel very clean, though I feel that it makes the inside of my mouth and my tongue feel a bit strange afterwards, like they've been stripped of something. ( Sort of a mild feeling similar to when you eat too many salt and vinegar chips and it makes your tongue raw. ) This does a good job of cleaning, but it failed for me as a whitening toothpaste. I don't need blinding white teeth, but this toothpaste doesn't do a good job of removing coffee stains. I'm a big coffee drinker, though I'm sure to brush my teeth promptly after. I'm rating this as a three largely because I was expecting a product that advertises as whitening to be a little more adequate in doing so. Price: Approx. $7 CAN after tax. ( from my experience, this is an average price for a natural toothpaste ) ~OVERALL~ PROS - clean teeth, virtually no pimples on chin, nice taste CONS - contains sodium lauryl sulfate, doesn't whiten well, leaves tongue feeling a bit raw
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