I'm back! (For now) Moe's Apothecary Peppermint Eucalyptus Natural Zinc Cream Deodorant Review9/16/2014 Okay, so I know I have been gone from the blogging world for a while…life has been crazy!!! At work we have been without a Pastry Chef for 10 months now (we finally have one starting in October!!), and we got a puppy (now dog) in January. In a nutshell, we have been a little busy!
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Happy New Year, everyone!! Sorry for the long hiatus, but working in a 5 star hotel kitchen can be a bit demanding during the holidays! Gingerbread men and holiday dinner services has been occupying all of my free time! I will be splitting this entry into two separate posts, due to the amount of products I am reviewing! In part one, I will be reviewing the following products: Acure Organics Shampoo Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell, Acure Organics Conditioner Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell, Acure Organics Sensitive Facial Cleanser with Argan + Probiotic, Acure Organics Dark Chocolate + Mint Lip Balm. In part two, I will be reviewing these products: Dr. Bronner's Magic Organic Peppermint Lip Balm, Rainbow Light Certified Organics Women's Multivitamins, and the Clarisonic Mia 2! I purchased all of these products on http://www.luckyvitamin.com about a month ago, and I got a really good deal! Everything was about 40% off, so make sure to shop around before you buy products! There are always sales!! So, let me just say that I now LOVE the Acure Organics line! The first product I purchased and reviewed of theirs, was the eye cream. (Review here). I also tried the conditioner in this post too, and loved it so much, I bought it again! Acure Organics Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell Shampoo $8-10: This shampoo says it is for Normal to Dry/Damaged/Curly hair. I have normal, wavy-curly hair, so I think I fit into that category. It has a natural Almond scent to it, so if you don't like Almond, I would choose one of their other shampoos. It is a clear shampoo as well, which I find to be more clarifying than moisturizing. It does get sudsy, and leaves your hair feeling clean. It doesn't leave a filmy residue either. At first, it took a little while for my hair to adjust to it, but I found that using it with the matching conditioner, works wonders! After about a week, I noticed that I was using less and less of this product to fully clean my hair. My hair is so soft these days! Since I have switched to all-natural shampoo and conditioner, my hair is so much less frizzy, and extremely shiny! When using a different conditioner, this shampoo left my hair looking a little limp and crunchy, so I recommend using both together! Overall, I really like this product! Also, before I used this shampoo, I would wash my hair every day, no exception. Now, if I'm running late or behind, skipping one day of washing isn't as big of a deal, and my hair still looks great! Acure Organics Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell Conditioner $8-10: Okay, let me just say that I love this conditioner! I have long hair, and normally I use a LOT of conditioner. Like, 2.5 bottles of conditioner to 1 shampoo bottle ratio! Ridiculous, I know…but the long hair calls for it. BUT, with this conditioner, I use so much less! It has a looser consistency that most other conditioners, and like the shampoo it too has an almond scent. It isn't overpowering though, and is actually quite lovely. For me, the most effective way to fully benefit from this conditioner is to brush your hair with a wide-toothed comb in the shower with the conditioner in your hair. That way you get rid of any knots, and end up with silky smooth hair after rinsing out the conditioner! I definitely recommend this product, and will be purchasing it again! And most importantly, there is nothing bad in the product, and the packaging is eco-friendly as well! Good kudos all around :). (Please click the links above for all the ingredient listings!) Here's a picture of my hair today actually, and me being silly as usual! The lighting in my bathroom is obnoxiously bright, so it makes my hair look reddish. You can see the shininess and smoothness though, which is the point :) All I do is part my hair, blow dry my cowlick, and curl the front parts. I usually use my Gnarly Whale Beach Wave spray too, but I didn't today. Acure Organics Sensitive Facial Cleanser with Argan + Probiotic $12-15: I was a little skeptical if I would like this product, but I needed to change my face cleanser during the "cold" month(s) in San Diego. My skin FREAKED out around Thanksgiving when the temperature dropped. My skin broke out like crazy, and for the first time ever, my entire face was peeling, itchy, and extremely irritated! My esthetician suggested changing my cleanser, because the rest of my routine was great! Anyhoo, I ended up choosing this one, and I'm so glad that I did! It is a thick, creamy consistency, and jam-packed with awesome ingredients for your skin! I have been using it day and night for the past month now, and my skin has improved tremendously. It may not be from the cleanser alone, due to purchasing a Clarisonic, but my skin started improving before I ever used the Clarisonic with this cleanser. This cleanser foams up nicely, and doesn't leave a residue on your skin. It leaves my face so soft as well! I only need about a pea-sized amount to fully cleanse my face, and roughly double that amount if using a Clarisonic. I would recommend this product for people with very sensitive, or dry skin, even acne prone skin. My biggest concern was that it would make my face break out, and it actually helped clear up some blemishes! Overall, I am pretty happy with this product! I'd purchase it again in the future, but I will most likely switch back to my Desert Essence Tea Tree Cleanser because the weather is starting to get warmer again!
Acure Organics Argan + Mint Lip Balm $3-4: Okay, so, I don't know about the rest of you, but I am a lip balm freak. Ever since I first got those Bonne Bell flavored and sparkly lip balms on a necklace in grade school, I have been addicted to lip balm. I'm pretty sure I had like a collection of 25 or something in every flavor. My addiction is so bad, that I double-check my purse before I leave the house to make sure I don't forget it. There are moments of panic when it rolls out of my chef pants pocket at work too! No panic on potentially burning down the kitchen, nope, but pure terror when I realize my lip balm is gone! Thoughts like "How will I survive the rest of my shift?" and "My lips are going to be chapped. I guess I could use the cocoa butter chips until I get home" go through my mind when that happens. Lol, okay maybe a bit extreme, but I. LOVE. LIP BALM! Now, not only do I love lip balm, but I love anything peppermint or mint. I have been searching for the perfect natural and/or organic lip balm…and nothing has been working for me. They ALL make my lips chapped and peel/crack, which is the complete opposite of it's purpose! Even this one did that to me at first. I kept switching from this one to the Dr. Bronner's one that I will review in my next post, which also made my lips peel. I was about to give up and go buy a Blistex, but I decided to give it another try. Little did I know, is that my lips just needed to get used to the all-natural stuff! My lips stopped peeling, and now this lip balm is so silky smooth and tastes delicious! Also, a percentage of this particular lip balm's proceeds goes to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation! You get a great organic lip balm with green packaging, quality ingredients, and good motives! Love it! Well there you have it! I'm very happy with Acure Organics products that I have tried thus far, and will definitely be exploring there line more in depth in the future! Stay tuned for part two of this post, featuring reviews on Rainbow Light's Certified Organics Women's Multivitamins, Dr. Bronner's Magic Organic Peppermint Lip Balm, and the Clarisonic Mia 2! Here's to health, wealth, and green beauty in 2014! Stay green and sweet! Cheers :). Oh boy, what a week! This blog post has been bouncing around in my brain for the past week, but due to an unexpected trip to the ER last Wednesday, I wasn't able to make it! (I am okay, by the way!) Before I started this blog, and even before I switched to green products, I was a product junkie. To your benefit, nothing has changed :). Today's product reviews include Chagrin Valley Soap Company's Mint Mist deodorant and their Clay Silk Tea Tree Deodorant, as well as the Chlorella and Edelweiss Stem Cell Eye Cream from Acure. Deodorant Reviews: Before I started the Soapwalla Challenge, I had already tried the Mint Mist deodorant when it was called Coconut Mint Mist. I believe it is still the same exact product, but the name and label has changed. Mint Mist Deodorant Ingredients: Organic Virgin Coconut Oil; Organic Jojoba Oil; Organic Cornstarch; Baking Soda; Organic Beeswax. Organic essential oils: Peppermint, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Spearmint, Lime and Tea Tree. Now alone, this deodorant doesn't really do it for me. I love the mint scent, but I had to re-apply it multiple times a day due to smelling like a dirty hippie, and it didn't really help at all with sweating. BUT, because I got a rash from Soapwalla, I decided to order it again, along with the Clay Silk Deodorant. Clay Silk Deodorant Ingredients: Organic Virgin Coconut Oil; Organic Jojoba Oil; Bentonite Clay; Organic Unrefined Beeswax; Organic Cocoa Butter; Organic Arrowroot Powder; Organic Tea Tree Oil; Organic Rosemary Oil Extract. I also tried the Clay deodorant alone, and basically had the same results as the Mint Mist. Bummer right? WRONG. I got the brilliant idea to mix the two together. HELLO results! It doesn't work just AS well as Soapwalla, but it DOES work when you mix both! Now, you are probably asking yourself "Why the heck would I buy two deodorants when I can buy one?". Great question, but since I got a horrible rash from Soapwalla, I wanted to find something that worked just as well. Here are some pros & cons of these two deodorants: Pros:
Clearly the pros outweigh the cons, and overall I am happy with these deodorants! I did stumble across a natural deodorant from an online store with probiotics that has rave reviews that I would like to test out. But, for now, I'd say the Soapwalla (and alternatives) Challenge is over for the time being! Yay :). Now for Acure's Eye Cream: This is the first product from Acure that I have tried. I'm actually going to pick up a few more of their other products at Sprouts this week, since they are 25% off for this ad week. Thumbs up to that! Ingredients: Organic Acai, Organic Blackberry, Organic Rosehips, Organic Pomegranate, Organic Calendula officinalis, Organic Chamomile, Fair Trade Certified Organic Rooibos, Organic Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Fair Trade Certified Organic Theobromo Cocoa (Cocoa seed) Butter, Organic Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) Oil, Organic Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, Glyceryl Stearate SE (vegetable derived), vegetable glycerin, Organic Helianthus annus (Sunflower) Oil, Infusion of Organic Calendula in Fair Trade Certified Olea Europea (Olive) Oil, Organic Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Chlorella Growth Factor) extract, Leontopodium Alpinum (Edelweiss) Stem Cell, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Organic Argania spinosa (Argan) Oil, Glucono Delta Lactone (fermented sugar), 100% natural vitamin E, Organic Oenthera biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Potassium sorbate (food grade preservative). Before I tried this cream, I had been using Devita's Eye Cream for a year. Why did I switch? Well, for one thing they were out of it the three times I tried to get it at Sprouts, and I didn't feel like ordering it online. The other reason was that I realized it had Retinol in it, which isn't exactly good for you. So, Acure was staring me in the face at Sprouts, and I went out on a limb to try it! I'm actually quite pleased that I did! I have been using the cream for about two weeks now, and alongside using my Mun Skin's Nighttime serum (which I am absolutely in love and OBSESSED with), I have definitely seen results! The skin around my eyes is a lot smoother, and instantly less puffier when applied. The area also feels more awake when applied as well. As for dark circles, I'm not sure if it is the mixture of this cream and the Mun oil, but mine are looking less noticeable too! Overall, I like the cream. It is a great daytime cream for under your makeup. I'm not sure that I will fully switch to it from Devita, as I may try some other creams first before I stick to a new cream for a while. That being said, I am going to promote Mun Skin's No. 1 Aknari Nighttime Dream Youth Serum again!! So many people have been commenting on my skin since I started using it, and I even got one of my good friends Lorraine addicted to it as well! Some days I honestly feel like I don't need to wear any makeup because of it! Not to mention it has sold out at 3 different online retailers since I first blogged about it. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not :D! Reader Awareness: If you are starting to wonder what exactly is in all of your products, PLEASE check out www.ewg.org/skindeep. There are over 76,000 products in their database. They list every ingredient, and give it a ranking of how toxic it is. You might be surprised as to what you put on your skin! (Make the switch to green products!!) Their main site also has a ton of great information about green living too! Check it out!! Coming up this month: I am currently working on/researching a gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe! I have an awesome recipe with gluten that I made last year, so I am trying to convert it! Next product review will be comparing natural and organic mascaras! I just ordered another brand, so I will be testing them out in the coming weeks! Happy Fall everyone!! I just decorated, and am so happy I purchased cinnamon scented pine cones. Ahhhmazing! I am also helping out with/making all the food and goodies for my friend Michelle's baby shower, so I will post anything that is gluten-free! Keep on reading, and spread the word if you enjoy it!! Thanks! Good evening everyone! So, I've already posted my daily routine for skincare products. But what goes on the outside isn't even the most important part! What you eat has a HUGE part in having clear skin. Not only the kind of food, but the quality of it matters. Here I posted a photo of the salad I bring to work every single day. Yes, I make it every day, because the food at work in the cafeteria is gross. Anyways, fresh and organic fruits and veggies will help you have clear skin. Not only will your skin look great, you will feel better too! Chelsea's Garden Salad:
Okay, so to the left is a photo I took this afternoon of my skin. The left is without makeup, the right is with. Honestly, my skin has not been this clear in basically forever! I was actually a little inspired by it to start this blog today, so here I am! I thought I should share just exactly what I use on my face that made it so clear! Onto my daily skincare routine...Some products I have been using a lot longer than others, but I suppose that doesn't really matter. AM Routine: First I wash my face with Desert Essence Thouroughly Clean Face Wash, which has Tea Tree Oil in it. Then I use Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick on any problem areas on my face, back, or chest. Okay, this stuff is AWESOME. It is a roller ball, which helps keep bacteria away from blemishes. Basically, if you put this stuff on, your blemishes of any kind will be smaller very soon! Desert Essence is reasonably priced too! The face wash is about $7, and the blemish stick is no more than $9. Both are all-natural of course :). After that comes Devita Revitalizing Eye Lift Cream. I actually use this cream all over my face, but not in globs. You can find the cream for less than retail on various websites, but even at Sprouts, it is only about $23. The reason I love this cream is that it isn't heavy or oily. It is light, and absorbs fast! I have seen a difference in fine lines around my eyes since using this for the past year. I'm a big fan! Okay, lastly I use Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+. I am just going to go ahead and say this now, I LOVE DEVITA!!! I have tried many of their products, and love every single one of them! Just like the eye cream, this sunblock is not oily whatsoever, absorbs quickly, and a little goes a long way! It is $26, but it lasts a few months for me. Now for the makeup products! I really didn't have a hard time justifying spending more on natural green makeup, because I used to spend that much on products anyways (oops). Also, I really don't wear much makeup since I live at the beach and work in a kitchen, so it is kind of pointless! But I do use the basics! Makeup Products: I'm still not 100% on this concealer (no pun intended), but I am happy with it for now, 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Concealer in White Peach. It covers up blemishes and dark circles. My only problem with it, that most won't have, is that when I am at work running around sweating in a hotel kitchen, it starts to look cakey. Other than that, I like it! I haven't tried too much from 100% Pure, but I love their philosophy, and that everything is plant based and for the most part, organic. It runs for $16, but you can get a sample either on their site, or on http://www.bewellstaywell.com. Now for one of my FAVORITE products that I have ever purchased...I got this as a sample first, and as soon as I finished it, I bought the full-sized product. Alima Pure Color Balancing Powder in Buttercup. My cheeks in particular tend to always be red regardless of if I am overheated or not. I have used various green and yellow creams to tone it down, but never a natural one. This. Powder. Rocks. It isn't overkill coverage, and you could basically wear it alone. It does what it says it does, it balances your complexion. This one is $20 for 5 g, which doesn't seem like a lot, but mine still seems almost full. The next product goes back to my favorite brand, Devita. I use Devita Absolute Mineral Base Powder in Waterford #1 (Yes, I am that white). What I love about all these natural products and sites, is that they let you buy samples! I got a sample of this guy first too, and loved it! The coverage is great, it has natural sunblock, aloe, and other awesome ingredients in it, and my container is more than half-full still, and I purchased it in May. This is one of the most expensive products I buy, priced at $40, but I absolutely love it! Man, I need to stop being so PUNny ;). I am still testing out various natural blushes, but for now I am back and forth with two different shades from Alima Pure. Alima Pure Luminous Shimmer Mineral Blush in Freja and Guava. I got these two shades, as well as Leigh, as samples a couple months ago. I am still using the samples! That's how much they give you. Anyways, both Freja and Guava are a coral color. I was trying to match Nars Orgasm, because that was my favorite blush ever! Freja is more toned town, where Guava has way more shimmer. I thought I liked Freja better, but I'm finding that Guava goes better with my skin tone. Anyways, a sample is only $1.50, where as the full-sized is $20. Another Alima product that I am using, (also a sample), is their Satin Matte Eyeshadow in Java. I actually use this as a subtle eyeliner, getting my angled liner brush damp, and dipping it in the loose powder. It really gives my eyes a good pop! I'll most likely purchase the full-size when I run out. Okay, lastly I have been using Physicians Formula Organic wear 100% Natural Origin Jumbo Lash Mascara. This mascara isn't half bad! I'm kind of a mascara snob, and Diorshow has always been my favorite. Finding a natural mascara has been extremely difficult for me! This one works well though, but not for dramatic eyes. It works for everyday eyes. I did just purchase the Kjaer Weis mascara online, so I will be trying that out and blogging about it soon! Lastly, my PM routine is very similar to the day. PM Routine: I use all the same products as AM, minus the sunblock. I sometimes also use Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleansing Pads if I feel gross after work running around. And lately, I have been using my sample of Mun Skin No. 1 Aknari Nighttime Dream Youth Serum. HOLY FREAKIN' MOLY, I have fallen in love with an oil. I have only used this for four days at night, and my skin is already brighter and clearer. Unfortunately, the little bottle costs $95. I got a sample from GreenGrabBag.com, which actually has a discount code currently for Mun. I'm seriously considering purchasing that little bottle of goodness, only because I have never seen a product work so fast on my skin! It is made from prickly pear oil, argan oil, and rose oil. Most of which are organic. All three have known anti-aging properties, and it smells wonderfully like roses. It absorbs into your skin nicely, and does not feel oily or heavy AT ALL! I'm telling you, this stuff is the oil of the Gods. I might just have to suck it up and buy it! Before I used that oil, I was using a small dab of Organic Coconut Oil. I love that stuff! I'll have an entire post dedicated to Coconut Oil soon :D. Just a disclaimer: I know it seems like I spend a LOT on products, which I do, but I was spending probably 3-4x more struggling to find products that were chemical filled and really bad for you beforehand. I have used every drug store brand, and even many many high end brands, and nothing fully worked. I tried expensive supplements, I even went to the dermatologist, who wanted to put me on Accutane straight away. If you really want clear skin, you have to change your routine, and your diet! Not only to my products account for my clear skin, I eat a TON of organic fruits and veggies, and pretty much only drink water and teas, with the occasional coffee. If you give the effort, you will see the difference inside and out! |
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I am Chelsea, a 26 year old pastry cook living in San Diego with my boyfriend, and border collie pup. I try to live as green as possible, but my main focus has been green and organic skincare. Archives
April 2015
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