Showing posts with label lip balm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lip balm. Show all posts

Summer Empties, China, Etcetera 

Wednesday, September 2, 2015 - Posted by Unknown at 7:29 PM
I didn't mean to be gone for months, but a lot of things have been going on, so this is going to be a huge empties post and probably I will still forget something!

May + June

Makeup



Real Purity Disguise System Duo Light .2 oz. - This has amazing clean ingredients. I prefer the shade Medium on me and when it's fresh its wonderful. The shelf life on this is not amazing, and I had this one a bit too long. I wouldn't purchase this shade again. I would get Medium for color but for the price point and how quickly i use it up I am less likely to purchase it again.

Lily Lolo New Black Vegan Mascara 7 ml - This is probably my new favorite natural mascara! I was very impressed with this formula and what it did for for my lashes without any irritation. I will definitely be purchasing this in the future although I currently have several mascaras to use first.

The All Natural Face Vegan Lip Gloss Frosted Peach .43 oz. - This has great clean ingredients but I hate wand style gloss because it feels so germy! As usual I used this a few weeks until it grossed me out. This is a beautiful sheer peach color with shimmer. Looks gorgeous, just hate the packaging!

Julep Nail Vernis America .27 oz. - This is completely beautiful in the bottle. Unfortunately it was absolutely awful on my nails. It was very gummy and applied very unevenly. In it's defense my bottle was a few years old. I took this off immediately and can't recommend it.

Real Purity Shrimp Lipstick sample - Real Purity lipstick is one of my favorite formulas. Shrimp is a beautiful orange-red with a bit of shimmer. This is definitely on my wish list!

Real Purity Disguise System Concealer Light, The All Natural Face Vegan Lip Gloss Frosted Peach, Real Purity Shrimp Lipstick

Skin

Pure All Natural and Handmade Facial Soap French Pink Clay FS - I bought this locally in Columbia, SC at the Soda City Farmer's Market and was so excited about it! Unfortunately this was too harsh for my skin which was quite surprising as it is considered Pure's sensitive skin soap. Ingredients include olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, avocado butter, french pink clay, essential oil, and beeswax. David ended up finishing this soap without problems, so I'm going go assume there was just too much clay in it for my skin.

Simply Eden Bath & Body Goat-Milk Soap Frankincense, Lavender & Lime 5.25 oz. - I can't really provide much of an opinion on this one as this particular soap had been around quite awhile and Simply Eden does not sell this one anymore.

Winter Rose Soap Castile Soap Loaf 3 lb. - I really liked this soap quite a bit. My gold standard for castile soap is Hill's Natural Soap. This one was more moisturizing because Cathy sent me a message and asked if I wanted to add cocoa butter! I went back and forth between the two for a long time and they are both great. I would definitely order from Winter Rose Soap again!

Trader Joe's Shave Moisturizing Cream Shave Honey Mango 8 oz. - Next to a lot of things I use these aren't the cleanest ingredients, but I find them acceptable for a shaving cream. Also, this smells awesome. It's a unisex product and David uses it a lot too.

Trader Joe's Nourish Spray Sunscreen SPF 50 6 oz. - This is the one I buy over and over again! It's only $6 which is cheaper than regular spray sunscreen.

Banana Boat SunComfort Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ - This is what happens when you run out of sunscreen and don't have time to go to Trader Joe's. I think we actually went through 2 of these this summer. Then I bought more of the Nourish from TJ's...

Alba Pineapple Quench Lip Balm .15 oz. - Much like the coconut one this started off great but over time became grainy. It was still nice and quite moisturizing with very clean ingredients. I didn't love the packing as it twists at the top which makes it difficult to open. Would still buy again.

Skin Samples:

Andalou Naturals Acai + White Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer Clarifying x2
Andalou Naturals Resveratrol Q10 Night Repair Cream
Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Beautiful Day Cream
Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Heavenly Night Cream
Bull Dog Original Moisturizer
MaMi SkinCare Satiated Moisturizer
Weleda Baby Derma White Mallow Face Cream x2
Weleda Baby Caledula Face Cream
Weleda Baby Calendula Diaper Rash Cream
Weleda Pomegranate Firming Day Cream

I would definitely love to try more of the Andalou Naturals and Weleda products!

Other:

Tom's of Maine Maximum Strength Sensitive Soothing Mint 4 oz.
Trader Joe's Anticavity Peppermint Toothpaste 6 oz.

I try to stick to sensitive toothpaste but when I run out I always go back to Trader Joes!

July

I spent the month of July in Shijiazhuang Shi, Hebei, China (yes, I have to look up how to spell that every time!) I decided not to bring any makeup to China and only pack necessities. I will admit there were times I regretted that, but it wouldn't have been practical to wear makeup anyway as it would have melted off!







All I actually used up in China was a small Juice Beauty Moisturizer and a Real Purity travel size Roll-On Deodorant. I also took a full bottle of Josh Rosebrook Deep Nourishing Shampoo and the end of a bottle of Real Purity Moisturizing Hair Conditioner. Both were mostly finished when I accidentally left them in my dorm bathroom as I stayed in five different places during the course of the month!



August



So I came back from China, went back to work, and immediately sprained my ankle. It's still recovering and I'm feeling pretty silly walking around in a big clunky boot, but... I have my makeup back so that makes me feel more glamorous!

Makeup

Gabriel Mascara Black - This is just a slightly smaller version of their regular black mascara. Performs the same. Review here. 

Skin

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub 1 oz. - This was a free sample from Whole Foods! This super dark scrub is very fine. At first I thought it was too harsh for my skin but I think it's actually just very... thorough. When I use it my skin feels ridiculously soft. I don't need to repurchase it as I have a lot of scrubs sitting around, but I could see myself getting it again in the future.

The All Natural Face Age Defying Extract Daily Moisturizer Pure and Simple 1 oz. - This is a very light facial moisturizer that smells exactly like lemons. I like it fine but I don't love it. I think I want something a bit more moisturizing but this is great for summer when you want something lighter.

Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes with Cotton Extract 30 ct. - This has been a staple lately. I will probably keep buying them. Products of this nature usually irritate my face and the irritation from these is incredibly minimal.

Silk Naturals Stark & Son Peanut Butter Matte Lip Balm .15 oz. - This lip balm is marketed to men because it has a somewhat matte finish. It really does have a peanut butter scent but more like roasted peanuts and not at all like sugary peanut butter. This is the balm that traveled all over China with me! I almost lost it on the airplane there. Close call.

The All Natural Face Organic Helichrysum Hydrosol Toner 2 oz. - This is just okay. I didn't find it particularly moisturizing which is the main thing I look for in a toner. It's supposed to reduce facial redness but if it did I didn't notice. Not likely to repurchase.

The All Natural Face Fresh Roses Facial Cleansing Cream and Makeup Remover 2 oz. and The All Natural Face Face Food Cherries & Cream 2 oz.  I don't feel like I can adequately review these as I am pretty sure both went bad before I finished them. I will definitely say don't store these products in the shower!

 Real Purity Roll-On Deodorant 3. oz. - Gold standard as always.

Hair

Josh Rosebrook Deep Nourishing Shampoo 8 oz. - I could write a novel about this, but we'll start with this: The bottle you see here is my first bottle. I took a second bottle to China and there is a third in my shower right now. Full review coming soon!

Derma E Vitamin E Skin Oil 14,000 I.U. - I'm losing track of how many of these I've gone through!


Currently Listening to The Weeknd - Beauty Behind the Madness

Recently watched The Affair 

Recently read Loot by Jude Watson

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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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In the Mail: First Products from Iherb! 

Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - Posted by Unknown at 10:03 PM
This is actually my first two Iherb orders all together. It is mostly essentials, but somehow I managed to sneak in some makeup. Oops.


Life-Flo Liquid Iodine Plus 2 oz. - Why Iodine? At the recommendation of my chiropractor back in Missouri I add a drop of this to my sinus rinse.

Alvera Aloe & Almonds Roll-On Deodorant 3 oz. - Never tried this brand before but I am always looking for new deodorants to try!

Cococare 100% Coconut Oil 4 oz. - Unlike some previous coconut oil's I've had this one doesn't have a scent. I wanted a small one to keep in the bathroom since coconut oil can pretty much be used for anything. I recall the brand Cococare from all the cocoa butter sticks I stocked up on at Walgreens in high school... to use as giant lip balm!


Bob's Red Mill Arrowroot Starch/Flour 16 oz. - I got this mostly to use as makeup setting powder, and may also use it to make my own deodorant. Also has many kitchen uses seeing as how it's actually a food. The bag burst in transit so I sent a picture to Iherb and they refunded me, but I'm going to use the half of the product that remained in the bag.

Tom's Maximum Strength Sensitive Soothing Mint toothpaste 4 oz. - I'm currently using Squiggle and I like it but it's expensive. They don't carry it on Iherb so I decided to try this toothpaste from Tom's.

Sierra Bees Organic Cocoa Butter Lip Balm .15 oz. - I needed to get to $20 for my first order and this was 49 cents! I got one for me and one for David. I will definitely be getting more of these in the future. The future in which I pretend I need lip balm.


Ecotools Detailed Lip Brush - I've been using the E.L.F. Studio Retractable Lip Brush for awhile but it isn't my favorite. I've been wanting to try this Ecotools brush for awhile. The majority of brushes I own are Ecotools and E.L.F. brand.

Sundown Naturals Vitamin E Oil 70,000 IU 2.5 oz. - Trying this to see how it compares to the Derma E for my hair and scalp.

And...

For the makeup!




    Girl's Best Friend Blush, Sweet Coral Blush, All Smiles Blush

    Gimme a Kissimmee Bronzer, Poipu-lar Shores Bronzer, Lanai in the Sand Bronzer

    Girl's Best Friend, Sweet Coral, All Smiles, Lanai in the Sand, Poipu-lar Shores, Gimme a Kissimmee

As you can see, Girl's Best Friend and Sweet Coral are both pretty pale shades. I have really red cheeks so I tend to like pale shades because they're hard to overdo, but the Everyday Minerals blushes I have tried in the past have sometimes been too pale to show up as a blush. If these don't work as blush they will make good highlight colors. All Smiles is the same color I received in the December Petit Vour Box... good thing I like it! Lanai in the Sand looks like the perfect bronzer color for me! I always want my bronzer to be paler than it is! Poipu-lar Shores is pretty yellow but I think may still work on me. Gimme a Kissimmee is that traditional way too dark bronzer color that I can never pull off. I do really like these colors but the packaging of this product is a bit problematic. I only have small sizes of Everyday Minerals products. Each one is .06 oz. These containers all seem to have the same problem where the product has difficulty coming out of the sifter. I used toothpicks to loosen it up a bit and hopefully that will do the trick.

Pretty sure Iherb is my new drugstore. It's also worth mentioning their shipping is super fast. I placed this second order January 18 and it arrived today, January 21. You can check out Iherb here (affiliate link) or use reward code LND485 - either way gets $5 off your first order. 

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In the Mail: Petit Vour Holiday Limited Edition Box 

Sunday, January 4, 2015 - Posted by Unknown at 11:00 AM
This is my first box from Petit Vour. I don't subscribe to Petit Vour but when I saw this box I got very excited. I was particularly excited to try the Jing Ai products. The cost of the box was $45 and the Jing Ai Sierra Glow Duo with Kabuki brush alone would have cost more than the price of this box, so I felt it was well worth it to try my first Petit Vour box! I was also excited to try some new brands as I had never tried any products from any of these brands before!



Here's a breakdown of the items in the box:

Aster & Bay Dandelion Face Grains: This is made with Frankincense and Myrrh! I received a 1 oz. bottle of this. You can buy a full size 4 oz. bottle here for $30 so I am estimating the value of this is $7.50. I am looking forward to trying this especially as I am transitioning back to oil cleansing and I think this will work well along with that.

Georgie Beauty Bon Ton Faux Eyelashes and Clear Adhesive: Ok, I haven't tried faux eyelashes in years. I will try these because I have them, but they definitely were not the reason I bought this box. These lashes can be purchased here for $18 and the glue is $8.

Gressa Lip Boost Aux Rouge: I am very excited about trying this product! Gressa Lip Boost's retail for $26. You can purchase the full size here. The full size is .24 oz. The Lip Boost I received is .17 oz. and looks like it will last a very long time, so it is only a bit smaller than the full size.  I will be using this product with a lip brush since in comes in a pot. This product has very nice color payoff especially for a lip product created by a skincare company! Some of the reviews on the website suggest using it as a blush as well, so I will be trying that too!

Jing Ai Sierra Glow Duo Piccadilly and Kabuki Brush - The Glow Duo is $28 and the Kabuki brush is $22. I am so excited about these products! The powder is beautifully packaged. The colors look great separately and mixed together. The powder is very soft and blendable and the brush is the softest Kabuki I have ever tried. The blush comes with a little paper filled with seeds that can be planted. The Sierra Glow Duo can be purchased here.

Gressa Lip Boost Aux Rouge, Ging Ai Sierra Glow Duo Piccadilly: pure side, love side, both sides mixed together.

One Love Organics Vitamin C Body Oil: I'm not sure if I'm going to use this because it is primarily made of shea oil and butter, which I can sometimes be sensitive to. The full size of this is $58 for 4 oz. I am not sure what size the sample is but I would guess 1/3 to 1/2 oz. Will probably pass this on to David. You can buy this here.

R. L. Linden & Co. Thousand Petal Beautifying Mist: I will try this as a toner. The really exciting thing about this product is that it offers aromatherapy benefits and relief from anxiety. Definitely an unexpected bonus in something I would use as a toner! The full size is $48 for 3.4 oz. To me that is pretty expensive for toner. The bottle I have is .5 oz. and I am looking forward to trying it. You can purchase this product here.

Overall I am really glad I purchased this box. In an effort to save money I try to avoid subscribing to beauty boxes because you never know what you are getting, but this box was great because I knew what I was purchasing. I wouldn't have chosen all of these products individually but the products I was most interested in are outstanding and now I get to try several other things, so I am very happy with my purchase. Unfortunately this box is currently sold out. I originally purchased it here. This definitely makes me want to try more things from Petit Vour but... I really need to buy a car, so.



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Mailbox: The All Natural Face November Holiday Box + SALE 35% off coupon code! 

Sunday, December 14, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 6:23 PM
Spoiler alert: If you start buying things from The All Natural Face, you will not stop. I have been purchasing from them for about a year and a half and have always wanted to try their beauty box but convinced myself not to. Since I knew I was going to Italy this summer and then moving it seemed logical to cancel any beauty boxes I was subscribing to, and I tried not to sign up for anymore when I got to South Carolina. Tried. It was a happy fail though, because I really like what's in this box!

I wasn't actually expecting to get the November box because I signed up so late in November, so I assumed I would get the December box. The box included 3 full size eyeshadows, a full size lipstick, a lip balm pot, a nail polish,  a pin, and a coupon code that I get to share with you!


The All Natural Face Eyeshadows in French Vanilla, Ice Fairy, and Dark Smoke. Top of swatch no primer, middle over The All Natural Face Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer, bottom of swatch over The All Natural Face Vegan Eye Shadow Primer Black. The lipstick color is The All Natural Face Lipstick Cherries Jubilee.

This is two coats of Sweetheart Red nail polish with Zoya Get Even Basecoat and Armor Topcoat.


I'm wearing The All Natural Face Eye Shadows in Dark Smoke, French Vanilla, and Ice Fairy over The All Natural Face Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer, RMS Beauty Defining Mascara, Lucy Minerals Lucy Light Foundation Light Medium, The All Natural Face Vegan Glow Pale Rose, and The All Natural Face Lipstick in Cherries Jubilee. 

Save 35% off your The All Natural Face Order from 12/20 - 12/27 with the coupon code Give Thanks! Yes, I am already planning... 

My thoughts are with Crystal and her family. 



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In the Mail: New Products from Silk Naturals 

Saturday, November 22, 2014 - Posted by Unknown at 12:21 PM

For my first post I'm sharing my Silk Naturals order from the holiday collection. I didn't order anything from the fall Au Naturel collection as I have been trying not to buy too much - makeup hoarding is sort of a problem of mine. But then the holiday stuff came out and, well, here we are :) I've been ordering Silk Naturals for years and find them hard to resist! Pictured ahere is everything I ordered. I haven't tried the Foundation Blending Brush yet as I am going to clean it first. The balms are Tea Time organic Lip Balm and Pear Organic Lip Balm, which was the GWP in this order. Also HD Cream Foundation in C20, C30, C40, and C50, Slick Stick in Say No More, Satellite Eye Color, Reality Highlight Powder, a sample of Close-Up Illuminating Powder, and Tchotchke Vegan Blush. 

Awhile back I had tried samples of the neutral HD foundation and didn't find a match, so I ordered some of the HD foundation cool samples in C20, C30, C40, and C50. So far I think C50 is the best match for me, but C40 is pretty good too. For the inside of my arm, C20 would probably be best!

C20, C30, C40, C50 - It was not easy to get these to show up on camera! 


Say No More Slick Stick, Satellite Eye Color, Close Up Illuminating Powder, Reality Highlight Powder, Tchotchke Blush

Say No More Slick Stick is a very pigmented burgundy gloss. Satellite Eye Color is a very sheer peach highlight or all over lid color. Close-Up Illuminating Powder is a finishing powder and can go all over for a subtle effect. The Reality Highlight Powder has a lot more shimmer. I put it under my eyes/above my cheekbones and I'm pretty shimmery! Tchotchke Blush is a shimmery nude pink. I have very red/pink skin so if I'm going to wear a pink blush, this is the kind I pick - subtle and wearable. 

I'm wearing the C50 HD Cream Foundation, Satellite Eye Color over The All Natural Face Magic Vegan Eyeshadow Primer, RMS Beauty Defining Mascara, Close Up Illuminating Powder, Tchotchke  Vegan Blush, Reality Highlight Powder, and Say No More Slick Stick. 

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