The All Natural Face April Beauty Box 

Monday, May 25, 2015 - Posted by Unknown at 11:51 AM
In case this seems later than it is, it is worth mentioning that the April box ships in May, the May box will ship in June, etc. I have had this for a few weeks and have already played with these products a bit!



Monoi Oil 1/2 oz. - Apparently monoi oil is coconut oil with French Tahitian gardenias infused in it. It smells like magic, truly. I really hate synthetic scents so this is the kind of thing I might adopt as a "perfume" of sorts. This is a pure oil so I definitely wouldn't travel with it in this kind of container. $3 value.

The Illuminator, 10 gms - This is absolutely lovely. It is really close to my favorite face powder from the All Natural Face, Desert Sand Mineral Glow. And honestly, they're both my favorite now. This one is a slightly deeper, warmer pink and has a bit of sparkle to it. The sparkle is great though, not over the top at all. This is a subtle glow and a fantastic highlighter or blush. This is a new release and does not appear to be on the website yet but I am considering it a $10 value due to the price of the other comparable products.

    The Illuminator, Fawn Eye Shadow, Antique Copper Eye Shadow

Love Spellish Fragrance Oil sample - Blech. I don't like the scents at Victoria's Secret any more than I like the scents at Bath and Body Works, so knock off's of them are pretty unnecessary for me. Probably won't be using this. This is not yet available for sale. $.82 value.

Pumpkins and Cream Face Food 1/2 oz.  - This one is dried pumpkin and dried coconut milk. It does smell like pumpkins, although not intensely. This is supposed to be good for exfoliation. Also not yet available for sale. $3.25 value.

Tomatoes and Cream Face Food 1/2 oz. - Dried tomatoes and dried coconut milk. To me this one doesn't produce the best scent but it does smell like dried tomatoes! The dried tomatoes are supposed to be good for ache control and oily skin, so this one might be a bit too strong for me. Also not yet available for sale. $3.25 value.

Vegan Eye Shadows in Fawn and Antique Copper, 5 gms - Fawn is a beautiful subtle neutral matte highlight or all over lid color. Antique Copper is a deep, shimmery metallic mix of gold and brown. I appreciate that this one doesn't come out as dark as it looks in the container. Both are quite pretty and go nicely together! $3.50 value x 2.

Total value of box = $27.32. The box is $15 and there is only one product that I won't use, and it doesn't really affect the value of the box to me.

Here's some photos for the sake of comparison. Desert Sand is similar and Edible Cocoa Love Dust and Shimmer Powder Fairy Dust are shown so you can see the variation in pigment and sparkle. The Illuminator has less sparkle and a lot more pigment than the other shimmer powders.

    Desert Sand Vegan Glow, The Illuminator, Edible Cocoa Love Dust, Shimmer Powder Fairy Dust

And here's that same hand without flash:


In the following photo I am wearing |Fawn and Antique Copper Eye Shadows with Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer and Lily Lolo Mascara. On my face I am wearing Ivory Rose Vegan Cream Foundation and The Illuminator. I am also wearing Frosted Peach Vegan Lip Gloss.


Over the weekend we went to Folly Beach in Charleston, SC with friends. We had lots of fun (and a few sunscreen fails). Here's my favorite picture, which was ironically taken in the parking lot: 


    And of course, an obligatory beach photo!


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Catching up with the All Natural Face 

Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Posted by Unknown at 6:40 PM
I have a lot of All Natural Face products sitting here that need to be discussed! This is definitely a catchup post. With the goal in mind of talking about each and every product that comes into my apartment what I am finding is that I definitely notice more when the products start to stack up! First off, The All Natural Face February Beauty Box:




Age Defying Daily Moisturizer 1/2 oz. - I already had a larger bottle of this. This is definitely a lighter moisturizer that will be good for summer. I am actually planning of saving this bottle for my summer trip to China. I will be traveling the month of July and I think this will be the perfect moisturizer to take with me! $6.49 value.

Eye shadows in Green Ice Storm and Forest Nymph 5 gms - St. Patrick's Day has come and gone but I will find these useful all year. Green Ice Storm is a silvery color that pulls green. Forest Nymph is a true leafy green. It's not too dark. There is a bit of blue to it but it definitely isn't teal. They are both beautiful on. $7 value.

Frosted Peach Lip Gloss .43 oz. - None of the glosses from The All Natural Face are very moisturizing but they aren't really drying either. This one is the closest to being drying presumably because of the addition of mica and oxides. That being said there are very few ingredients to this gloss, which is quite nice! The gloss looks quite pretty on. $4.60 value.

Aloe and Cucumber Face Food 1 oz. - This will be my second Face Food. This one sounds like it will be excellent for my sensitive skin! Not entirely sure why it smells like raisins, but maybe that's just me. $7.50 value.

Tempest Diva Stix - I had avoided this one in the past because of bad reviews of this particular shade, but I was pleasantly surprised by this color. Looks like I got a good one! Tempest is a pretty navy color. Well, it says dark purple, but it looks borderline navy to me. It does have shimmer in it but you can't really see it in application. $4.88 value.

Total Value of February Box = $30.47!

Tempest Diva Stix, Frosted Peach Vegan Lip Gloss, Green Ice Storm Eye Shadow, Forest Nymph Eye Shadow



And now for March! 



Hyaluronic Acid 2% 1/2 oz. - This says it's 1/2 oz. but the bottle is only half full and I am skeptical. I am excited to try this though. I believe this takes the place of a moisturizer but so far I have only tested in on my hand. It has a slippery gel consistency. I'm guessing but I'm going to call this a $2.74 value. 

Everyday Is a Good Day Vegan Blush 10g - I already had the cream version of this blush and love it! The powder version is basically the same color but perhaps a bit more subdued. I appreciate the peachiness as the cream is a tad orange. $6.50 value. 

Organic Green Tea Hydrosol Toner 1 oz. - This toner is supposed to be good for all skin types. There is a very faint green tea scent to this. I was planning on saving this for my China trip, but this contains Silver Citrate, which appears to be a form of silver. Since I am allergic to silver jewelry I am not sure how my skin will tolerate this, so I will probably try it out before then! $3.25 value.

Kukui Nut Oil 1 oz. - This is an oil I had not heard of before. I never use oils to style my hair but I often use them as a deep scalp treatment, which is probably what I will try this for as my scalp is very sensitive. $5 value. 

Eye Shadows in Pink Ice Storm and Iridescent Pink 5 gms. - Pink ice storm is the lightest of light pinks. Iridescent Pink, to me, is straight up purple. This would go really well with Modern Minerals En Pointe. $7 value. 

Fragrance Oil Samples, Hawaiian Coconut and Vanilla Bean Noel. I will definitely wear the Hawaiian Coconut. The scent is subtle and summery and is unlikely to irritate my sensitive nose. Vanilla Bean Noel, on the other hand, is an imitation of a Bath and Body Works scent, and I am not a fan of that place, to say the least! This one is definitely too strong for me! They do offer a regular Vanilla Bean which I would probably prefer! I'm going to call this a $2 value. 

Total Value of March Box = $26.49

Everyday is a Good Day Blush, Pink Ice Storm Eye Shadow, Iridescent Pink Eye Shadow

Everyday is a Good Day Powder Blush, Everyday is a Good Day Cream Blush

I have already received my April box and will be discussing it shortly! 


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Christopher Drummond Beauty is Rebranding! Hynt Beauty and a Light vs Medium Duo-Phase Concealer Comparison 

Monday, May 18, 2015 - Posted by Unknown at 5:05 PM
There are a ton of things I want to share with you but I just got this in the mail and it moved to the front of the priority list because... Christopher Drummond Beauty is rebranding!

The website, https://www.christopherdrummond.com/ has been advertising order doubling as a spring clearance sale recently, so I took this opportunity to try a new concealer shade. I called the company and they were willing to send me one light and one medium concealer for the regular price of one concealer. I have reviewed the Duo-Phase Hydrating Concealer in the past and it is my favorite concealer of all time, but I always wanted to try to Medium to see how it compares to the light. I got my order in the mail today and it came with this letter:



It appears that at some point this spring Christopher Drummond Beauty will become Hynt Beauty. The website is already up, http://www.hyntbeauty.com/, but it doesn't have a lot of information yet. In the meantime you may be interested in stocking up on Christopher Drummond products while the sale is still going!

And here is the concealer comparison:

Duo-Phase Concealer Medium (top) Light (bottom) no flash

Duo-Phase Concealer Medium (top) Light (bottom) with flash

And here's both shades blended together a bit on my hand

As you can see the shade Medium would probably be closer to the correct depth for my skintone, but because it is darker the yellow tones are significantly more noticable and don't really match my pink skin. I feel like the coverage is quite good but not quite as opaque as the light concealer, although that could just be manufacturing variation and my medium was a bit open and leaky when I received it. Overall I am glad to have both and will continue experimenting with mixing the shades as I think somewhere in the middle will be perfect for me.

In any event, Christopher Drummond continues to have excellent customer service. They are replacing my leaking medium concealer and have assured me that the concealer formula will not change during the rebranding! The price of the concealer from Hynt Beauty is expected to be $24 (It is currently $22.50 from Christopher Drummond).

Are you excited about the rebranding of Christopher Drummond Beauty? Tell me what you think!

I probably have one more day before Zoya Alexa starts chipping...



Recently read:

Secrets from the Eating Lab by Traci Mann This book is full of really interesting science regarding eating and weight. Definitely worth reading!

IZombie Dead to the World by Chris Roberson It turns out the tv show is absolutely nothing like the comic that it was based on, but I really like both.

Recently watched:

Avengers: Age of Ultron Went to see this on Saturday. I don't feel compelled to go to movies much but this one is definitely worth seeing in a theatre.

Happy Valley: Watched this entire series in, quite literally, one day. This is terrifying and Netflixable, a dangerous combination! Highly recommended.

I'll leave you with a photo from the Pixies show I went to in Charleston last Monday!








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April Empties 

Friday, May 8, 2015 - Posted by Unknown at 10:59 PM

Here are the things I used up in April! I'm trying to declutter my samples a bit so I am attempting to use some up. I accumulated a ton recently so I'm trying to actually use them instead of letting them sit around. I traveled to Missouri to see my family in April for my birthday so I packed a few samples in order to travel light. Here's what I've managed to use up:

Method Orla Kiely Tomato Vine Hand Wash 12 oz. - Method hand soaps are one of the few products I buy that contain SLS. I probably shouldn't, but they smell really good. Tomato Vine is very earthy and honestly does smell reminiscent of a tomato vine. I don't know that I would rush out to buy this again but it faired nicely in our kitchen.

Shamanuti Seaweed Toner 1 oz. - This came from a Yuzen box, which I got a few times last year and would like to get again at some point. This is an aloe juice based toner with a clean, botanical scent. I found it to be the tiniest bit drying and it didn't stand out for me, so I don't think I would buy this.

Real Purity Roll-On Deodorant 3 oz. - Holy grail desert island deodorant!  I used this up right before I went to Missouri and was sad I had to switch to something else. Luckily I got there and my sister Joelle gave me a birthday Real Purity Deodorant! She knows me well!

Real Purity All Natural & Organic Toothpaste Wild Mint 6 oz. - This is the first time I've tried a full size toothpaste from Real Purity. Overall I think this performed quite well and tasted ok, but it definitely does taste different from other natural brands of toothpaste. The ingredients list is pretty interesting - goat's milk is involved! It is pretty expensive to me at $9 a tube but I got this one on sale for $6. Awhile back David asked me to put my Real Purity Eye Makeup Remover somewhere else because it looked too much like a toothpaste, so I have to wonder why Real Purity puts their toothpaste in such an un-toothpaste-like container. The container is a little cumbersome and I definitely did not travel with it. I can't say I won't buy this again because I might, but I don't feel like it is essential to my life the way a lot of Real Purity products are.

Seventh Generation Lavender Soothing Facial Cleansing Cloths 30 ct. - I got these off of Amazon awhile back. I like them, but not as much as I like the Mandarin ones, which so far have been my favorite makeup wipes to date. I would definitively get these again but I usually wait for sales on makeup wipes since I go through them so fast. I think these were around $5 on Amazon when I bought them.

Zoya Armor Topcoat/UV Block .5 oz. - It's pretty difficult to use up a nail polish, but it's easy to use up your favorite top coat! Zoya Armor is holy grail for me. I have gone through more than I can count and will continue to repurchase.

Alba Coconut Cream Lip Balm .15 oz. - This is a really tasty coconut lip balm. It is unsuprisingly coconut oil based. It smells amazing and tastes sweet. It keeps my lips moisturized nicely. It will turn grainy in cold weather and can separate a bit. The main problem I have with this balm is the packaging twists at the top, which makes it difficult to open. I got a deal on this at one of the drugstores, CVS I think, and I would probably buy it again the next time it's on sale. Looking at the current picture it looks like the packaging may have been changed so I will definitely get this again! Not that I'm short on lip balm or anything.

Samples:

Lovely Lady Products Skin Toner - This is a witch hazel based toner so I doubt I would ever buy it as I sometimes make my own witch hazel toner. This is a sample I picked up at Lucky's Market in Missouri and it ended up making it's way back with me as it was the perfect size for travel. I'm definitely saving this bottle for future trips!

Acure Argan Oil Castile Soap Peppermint 5 ml - Minty soaps are generally a bit too invigorating for me. This one seemed like it wouldn't be that way and first and then... yowza. Too much invigorating! Would be interested in trying this is just about any other scent. \

Pai Chamomile & Rosehip Sensitive Skin Cream 5 ml - Mmmmmm. This was very nice. This was the first face cream I used in awhile after using oils for several months. I thought the transition would be difficult but I really like this. Unfortunately I don't love the price point. Remember the days when Clinique seemed like an expensive skincare brand? Yeah, me too. I could definitely see myself trying this again in the future.

Real Purity Velvet Glove - I think I actually received this sample in an order I bought Velvet Glove in. It was still pretty nice to receive because I can't get enough of this stuff. Current holy grail hand cream. Unfortunately I can't buy this stuff for David because he went through a tube in like, two weeks.

Giovanni Refreshing Facial Cleansing Towelettes - I haven't tried Giovanni makeup wipes before but after this they are definitely on my radar.

Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Facial Lotion, Weleda Iris Hydrating Facial Lotion - I liked both of these quite a bit. They felt very nice on, gave me moisturization without overhydration, and didn't irritate my skin. Would definitely look for these in the future. They both smelled good but the rose was much more noticeable. The Rose is marketed as anti-aging so the price point is higher but they are both relatively affordable.

Silk Naturals Lady Sheer Blush - The first time I put this blush on I was surprised by how good it looked because it seems like such an intense color. The I read the word "sheer" and was humbled. Then I went to put it on another day, not realizing my brush was slightly wet, and I looked like a clown. When all is said and done it is not a blush I need for my red face. Pictures are here. 


EO Everyone Hair Volume Shampoo - This is that shampoo you get if you are a no-nonsense girl or boy who wants to use clean products at reasonable prices. It would probably work quite nicely for most people but was way too drying for my finicky scalp. 

EO Everyone Face Cleanse - Again, I really wanted to like this, and I was super glad I had the packet for travel. I made this one packet of face wash last a week in Missouri! Unfortunately at the end of that week I felt like my face was pretty dry, so I don't see me buying this product in the future.

Currently reading: A whole bunch of children's book as I am reviewing them for a state committee that evaluates children's books! My favorite so far is A Hitch at the Fairmont by Jim Averbeck.  

Currently watching: Days of Our Lives. Always. It never gets old, except for when it does, but I still love it! 

Currently super excited about: Seeing the Pixies on Monday in Charleston!!! Early anniversary gift from my awesome husband! 


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