Skincare - Face -Jurlique - Daily Exfoliating Cream
missweetp 1/14/2009 2:06:00 PM
This product has been renamed Jurlique Daily Exfoliating Cream. I don't use it daily. Instead, I use this product when my skin starts looking a little dull (anywhere from two or three times a week to once every week or two). I love this stuff because it seems to slough off the duller, blotchier top layer of my skin without irritating it or causing redness. After using this product my skin is smooth and almost poreless, and it feels noticeably softer to the touch. I'm not currently dealing with acne (since changing my diet - forgoing gluten, dairy and most processed foods in addition to meat), but some products will break me out and this does not. The consistency of this stuff is...interesting. When washing your face with this product you will basically feel as if you have smeared your breakfast/oatmeal/granola all over your face. Some ingredients include oat bran, soaked almonds and tahini. Afterwards the sink will not look pretty. I find the scent (not sweet) interesting and sort of invigorating and refreshing. There is some sourness to it (the tahini?), but I don't find it unpleasant. I prefer the food-like scent of this product to the artificial scent of most cleansers. I love that this stuff doesn't contain many of the potentially harmful ingredients (like parabens) that most cosmetics do, and that Jurlique doesn't test on animals. This stuff is pricey - $54 for 4.3 oz! - and I like the old, sort of apothecary-style design of the (perfectly funtional) packaging better. But I will continue to buy/use this product because it works better than any conventional face wash or form of exfoliant I've used, contains fewer questionable ingredients and leaves my skin smooth and renewed, not irritated.
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Mascara -Dr. Hauschka - VOLUME mascara!
missweetp 1/14/2009 1:36:00 PM
This is one of the best "natural" mascaras I've tried. It creates much more volume than the rest. However, it doesn't create the kind of volume some conventional mascaras I've tried do. I don't notice any "fumes" when using this mascara. All I notice is a pleasant, rose-centric, typical Dr. H product scent. I find this mascara quite easy to apply. It doesn't make my eyes water and I can create a pretty look, certainly comparable to the look I can create with most drugstore or department store mascaras. The forumla is on the wet side and leaves my lashes soft with sort of a glossy finish. It's not gloppy, but it will clump if you're sloppy about application (unlike the very subtle, tint-like original Dr. H mascara, which will not clump no matter what you do) Unfortunately, this mascara runs easily. If I rub my eyes, it smears. If I cry, it's everywhere. Although I like that it's easy to wash off. I'm not a fan of waterproof mascara, but I don't like how smear-prone this is either. That said, if I remember not to rub my eyes, it doesn't budge. I love that Dr. Hauschka products contain fewer potentially harmful ingredients than most cosmetics and are not tested on animals. The price of this mascara is high - $29.95! However, it does seem to last a long time. Overall I really like this mascara and would recommend it.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Lavera - Volume Mascara
missweetp 1/13/2009 11:11:00 PM
This is not only a great "natural" mascara, but a great mascara, period. It's sort of like a healthier version of my HG mascara - Maybelline Full 'N Soft. It's super easy to apply. It doesn't take much effort to get a pretty, sweeping effect. It's a fairly wet formula, but it's not at all gloppy or clumpy. This mascara doesn't create a huge amount of drama, but it's not the sort of mascara that just darkens your eyelashes either, like Dr. Hauschka's original mascara - which I think is fine, but not nearly as good as this. This is one of the best mascaras of any kind that I've tried. It's subtle but adds definition, length and some volume. I think it creates a really elegant look. It doesn't smell toxic and I love that it doesn't contain the potentially harmful ingredients (like parabens) that most cosmetics do and isn't tested on animals. The packaging is lovely - very narrow brushed silver tube with black script. Fairly expensive ($21), but I think it's worth it. Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Alcohol, Sorbitol, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Tricaprylin, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Hectorite, Lysolecithin, Rosa Damascena Flower Water*, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Fragrance (Parfum), [+/- Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Ultramarines (CI 77007)] *ingredients from certified organic agriculture. BDIH certified, pH value: 7,0-7,5 oil in water emulsion. Approved by Ecocontrol.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -Dr. Bronner's - Lavender Liquid Soap
missweetp 1/13/2009 10:05:00 PM
Yum. I love that this is gentle, doesn't contain the potentially harmful ingredients many cosmetics contain and is not tested on animals. Lovely lavender smell, not too sweet. The container is a bit of a drag because it often gets plugged, but that is remedied easily enough - I use a hair clip to poke through the gunk. I also like peppermint, rose and unscented (I haven't tried any other scents), but I like lavender best. I use Dr. Bronner's liquid soaps in the shower (I shave with them actually) and as hand soap. I like the weird, eccentric rant on the simple purple and white label.
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Lotions/ Creams -Weleda - Calendula Baby Lotion
missweetp 1/13/2009 8:20:00 PM
I love this stuff. I first bought it at a health food store in Sweden and I've been using it ever since. This has a runny consistency, but I actually find it easier to apply evenly than most lotions. As soon as you apply it it warms up on your skin and starts soaking in. It gives my legs, arms, shoulders and "decolletage" a pretty toned look. If you like that shiny legs/calves look that is so flattering, this is a "natural" product that will give you that effect. I love that Weleda products are free of the potentially harmful ingredients most cosmetics contain and are not tested on animals. And I love the heady, spicy-sweet scent of this stuff. People have commented on how good I smell after I've used this. Cute, cozy, unpretentious, functional Weleda packaging. One of my favorite Weleda products!
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Shampoo -Aubrey Organics - Green Tea Hair Treatment Shampoo
missweetp 1/13/2009 8:02:00 PM
This is the best "natural" shampoo I've tried. It lathers well and it doesn't give my hair that knotty, squeaky-clean feeling before I condition. My hair feels very light after using this, but not dry at all. In fact, I find this less drying than Aubrey's Honeysuckle Rose shampoo - I switch between the two. Sometimes I follow with the Green Tea conditioner, other times the Honeysuckle Rose. I love that AO products don't contain the potentially harmful ingredients or parabens most cosmetics contain, and that they aren't tested on animals. This product is also vegan. It has a fresh, herbal tea scent - yummy if you like that sort of thing, which I do! AO packaging is not glamorous, but I think it's sort of cute in a 70's-earthy way. This is not only the best "natural" clarifying shampoo I've used, it's the best clarifying shampoo of any sort that I've used.
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Shave Products -Weleda - shaving creme
missweetp 1/13/2009 7:45:00 PM
I'm not fond of this product. It has a strange sour smell to it, sort of like curdled milk. It does contain goat's milk. Perhaps that has something to do with it! This came out in an odd spongy-clumpy consistency along with some yellowish milky liquid. Not cute. It doesn't lather - not a big deal, but it was fairly difficult to spread evenly on my legs. It did make my legs feel soft, but it also caused them to sting afterwards. I appreciate that Weleda products don't contain the potentially harmful ingredients or parabens most cosmetics do, and that they aren't tested on animals. But sour milk is not a hit with me, nor is stinging legs. Cute and functional packaging as is the case with most Weleda products. I usually love Weleda, but this was a disappointment.
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Shampoo -Aubrey Organics - Honeysuckle Rose shampoo
missweetp 1/13/2009 7:33:00 PM
I like it - leaves my hair soft and shiny, not weighed down (in conjunction with the Honeysuckle Rose conditioner). I prefer Aubrey's Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo, as it lathers better and doesn't give my hair that knotty, squeaky-clean feeling in the shower that must be immediately remedied with conditioner. This product has that effect to some degree. However, after using it, along with the HR conditioner, and blow-drying or letting my hair dry naturally, my hair doesn't feel dried-out. I love that AO products are free of the potentially harmful ingredients and parabens most cosmetics contain, and that they're not tested on animals. This product is also vegan. I love the scent of the Honeysuckle Rose line. It's heavenly. It lingers (in a subtle way) all day. I don't find it overwhelming, but I can understand why some find it cloying as it's very true to nature - honeysuckle blossoms of course have a gorgeous but almost sickly sweet scent. The packaging is not glamorous, needless to say, but I am digging it actually. It's very 70's-earthy-chic. Ha. All of the Aubrey products I've tried (those from the Green Tea line as well as from the Honeysuckle Rose line) leave my hair as nice as Kerastase products once did. They work differently but as well. Good stuff.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Weleda - Everon lip balm
missweetp 1/13/2009 7:05:00 PM
I love this stuff. It's waxy in the tube, but I don't find it waxy on my lips the way I found Burt's Bees products when I tried them ages ago. I find it's easier to apply if I sort of dab it on (with the tube - I don't use my finger) instead of applying it like lipstick. I wear this alone, with a bit of very nude lipliner just on the cupid's bow part of my lips or under lip gloss. It leaves my lips soft even after it's worn off. It lasts forever if I don't eat and, although it's colorless, it gives my lips a moisturized, pale baby pink look. My lips haven't felt chapped since using this. I love that Weleda products don't contain the parabens or other potentially harmful ingredients most cosmetics do, and that they're not tested on animals. This product smells delicious - like roses and vanilla. Although, unfortunately, I can't really smell it anymore. I love the peach and white tube and the way it looks sort of typically German and home-remedy-like.
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Conditioner -Aubrey Organics - Honeysuckle Rose
missweetp 1/13/2009 6:22:00 PM
I was skeptical a "natural" conditioner could work as well as Kerastase products once did for me, but I was pleasantly surprised! I have long, fine, naturally wavy-curly, dark brown hair (not dyed) that I usually blow out and straighten. I've switched back and forth between Aubrey's Honeysuckle Rose and Green Tea lines, but I haven't used conventional shampoo or conditioner since trying Aubrey products! This conditioner in conjunction with the HR or GT shampoo leaves my hair soft, light (not weighed-down) and more wavy than curly. I usually don't feel like I have any product or residue in my hair after using this. But when my hair begins to get a little dull or weighed down, the Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo seems to remedy this. I'm less crazy about the HR Shampoo than the HR Conditioner - or the GT Shampoo. Ironically, since the HR shampoo is supposed to be moisturizing, I find it more drying than the GT Shampoo. I love that Aubrey products are free of the harmful ingredients and parabens most cosmetics contain, and that they're not tested on animals. This product is also vegan. The scent is gorgeous! I love the way it lingers. I've wanted hair that smells like flowers since Kevin Arnold remarked about Lisa Berlini's and his dream-girl-from-the-movie-theater's scented hair on The Wonder Years! I don't find it overwhelming, but I can understand why some find it cloying - it's very true to nature. It smells like actual honeysuckle. When you smell a honeysuckle blossom the scent is gorgeous but a bit much, almost sickly sweet. I used to be turned off by Aubrey's packaging. I think I once described it as hideous : ) Although I don't entirely disagree with my original assessment, I now find it sort of charming! Of course this has something to do with the fact that I've had success with Aubrey products. But I also like the unpretentious-70's-household-shampoo/conditioner vibe it has about it. I don't find it difficult to squeeze out of the conditioner even though it's so thick. This product in conjunction with Aubrey's HR or GT shampoo works differently but as well as Kerastase products did for me, and I get to know I'm not damaging my hair as much as I used to, or supporting animal testing! My mom also loves this conditioner and the HR shampoo.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Josie Maran Cosmetics - Blush
missweetp 8/17/2008 3:37:00 PM
I have this blush in Blossom as well as Passion. Blossom is my favorite. It's a dusty, subtle, peachy-pink. There is a slight shimmer to it, but no sparkle. Sometimes I wear a dusting of it over Josie Maran cream blush in Sunset or Sunrise or Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera. Although, I like it on it's own too. Passion is cooler and brighter than Blossom. It's a perfect true pink. However, it's very natural-looking, on the face and in its compact. It's not only flattering, but a shade one truly blushes. Both Blossom and Passion are velvety, highly pigmented and easy to apply. I imagine both colors would be very flattering on a variety of skin tones. I also appreciate that Josie Maran products are safer and more eco-friendly than most cosmetics and aren't tested on animals.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Josie Maran Cosmetics - Tinted Moisturizer
missweetp 6/3/2008 1:02:00 PM
This product gives my face a very fresh, pretty, glowy look. Depending on how much you apply, you can achieve anywhere from barely-there to very substantial coverage. I've never worn foundation, but I've tried a lot of tinted moisturizers and I've never tried one that provides more coverage than this can when layered. That said, my skin is in good shape and I prefer to use just enough product to enhance and even out my skin tone. I use JM concealer too and it works beautifully. I'm fair with a dusting of freckles and wear this product in Butter (the lightest shade). It looked too dark for me when I first tested it on my hand, but when I blend it into my face, it actually suits me very well and gives me a natural, warm look. In fact, I've never used another tinted moisturizer that gave me such a healthy glow. Many detract from my natural coloring and give my skin an orange or sallow cast. Unfortunately, this product is not long-lived on my face. I don't have very oily skin, but this begins to slide off and look slightly shiny and slightly blotchy within four hours of being applied. Dusting a little JM pressed powder on my chin and the creases by my nose keeps it looking decent until the end of the day, but I'm not a fan of powder. The packaging is attractive and functional and I appreciate that JM products have fewer potentially harmful ingredients than most cosmetics and aren't tested on animals. I would rate this product a 5 if it looked reasonably good by the end of the day without touch-ups. According to the JM Cosmetics website, this product has an SPF of 30. I don't like to wear sunblock daily (I like a little color along with some natural vitamin D!), so if this product had little or no sun protection (in addition to lasting), I would rate it a 5+. If it contained no ingredients ending in 'cone' (it contains dimethicone - only rated a 2 at cosmeticsdatabase.com, but I prefer cone-free makeup), I would be thrilled. But alas...4 out of 5.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -BeneFit Cosmetics - High Beam
missweetp 6/3/2008 12:43:00 PM
Gorgeous. I apply this in little dots to the tops of my cheekbones, the inner corners of my eyes and my brow bones and blend. It brightens up my whole face--much more so than any other similar product I have tried. This product has an ethereal sheen about it as opposed to a shimmery or glittery effect. It's palest pink-white opalescent. It lasts me six or eight months before it becomes a bit thicker at which point it's still usable but I repurchase. I took off a lippie because I prefer makeup that doesn't contain potentially harmful parabens or petroleum derivatives and has been certified as not having been tested on animals - so I may not repurchase this product, despite its appeal.
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Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Lemon Aid
missweetp 6/3/2008 12:34:00 PM
I really like this stuff. I tap it on underneath my eyes. I don't really have dark circles, but it makes my eyes "pop" and makes me look fresh. I find the lemon color much more flattering than white-ish or beige. The texture of this product is very light and perfect, I think, as long as you tap it on instead of trying to smear it on. I occasionally use this product lightly on my eyelids as well. It does even out discoloration, though I don't normally wear makeup on my eyelids and prefer this product as an under-eye concealer. This product lasts a very long time. I gave this product a four out of five because I prefer to use products that don't contain potentially harmful ingredients like parabens and are certified as not having been tested on animals.
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Mascara -Dr. Hauschka - Mascara
missweetp 6/3/2008 12:10:00 PM
If you want to darken and minutely lengthen your lashes without looking like you're wearing mascara, this is the product for you. As others have said, it's impossible to get this mascara to clump. It does run slightly by the end of the day (nothing major) and it smears if you rub your eyes. But the only reason I have rubbed my eyes while wearing this is because it feels weightless on, so I forgot I was wearing mascara. I love how easy this is to rinse off. I wear it when I'm wearing little to no other makeup and being very casual. This is the subtlest mascara I have ever tried. It's nothing I wear every day, but I like it for what it is - an incredibly natural-looking mascara with fewer iffy ingredients than most mascaras, and I appreciate that it hasn't been tested on animals.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No