Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser.

Hey, lovely!

First of all, I'd like to apologize for my absence. Even though school ended a month and a half ago, I have been preoccupied with endless hours of practicing swim team followed by resting.. and more swim team.

But that's all about to change. I'm doing my best to make time for you, and today I have a review for you!

If you've been reading my blog, you'll know I'm trying my best to use more natural skincare and haircare.

And to my luck, I discovered what might possibly be my favorite cleanser, 100% natural and all!

 The Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser has the texture of a gel and the aroma of fresh-squeezed oranges.

This particular cleanser is the perfect pick-me-up for sensitive skin, normal skin, or dry skin. The sweet orange oil invigorates your senses while the glycerin draws moisture to your skin, therefore leaving your skin hydrated not tight and parched. It removes any trace of makeup, dirt, and impurities.

Ingredients:

glycerin, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, avena sativa (oat) kernel flour, lanolin, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, quillaja saponaria extract, avena sativa (oat) kernel oil, vegetable oil, beta-carotene, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil, tocopherol

Sorry the review is so short, but I encourage you to try this! One last note: This facial cleanser will not produce a lather because it doesn't contain any synthetic ingredients that lather. It still makes a wonderful cleanser.

XOXO,

Gabby

 

Bath Junkie Body Dessert Shea Butter Allover Conditioner

Body Dessert.

The name makes me want to eat my hydrated self.

And its smell only increases my cravings...

At Bath Junkie, its believed that the beauty product-obsessed, shouldn't be searching for a cure, but rather a new lotion.

Walking into a Bath Junkie is like being a kid in a candy store. To the left, pounds of body lotions, sprays, conditioners, and scrubs are shelved to the ceiling. To the right, an entire wall stuffed with over 80 different fragrance oils to choose from. 

The whole Bath Junkie process is pretty simple.

1. You pick your product (I chose Body Dessert)

2. Sniff the fragrances that appeal to you and choose a mixture you like. There is usually a book with recipes like Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. You tell one of the employees the product, your scent combo (choose up to 3 oils), and your color.

3. Stand in awe and watch as an employee mixes up your customized concoction.

For the record, I chose the combination of Pink Grapefruit and Vanilla, along with the color Pink to go along with the grapefruit.

Benefit Ultra Plush Glosses.

I'm a sucker for cute and enticing advertisements. Cute ad = I'll definitely purchase. And Benefit hit it right on the nose with their advertisements for their newest launch: Ultra Plush Glosses. It's a line of color- coordinated glosses for those who wish they could just apply the boxed powders on the lips. Check it out:

I'm sold!

XOXO,

Gabby

Trader Joe's Nourish Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer

Who would've guessed a store carrying delicious foods would also be experts when it comes to skincare? 

Certainly not moi.

After testing an edible sample, I caught a glimpse of this facial moisturizer. With a price tag of $5.99 and my need for a little extra hydration, it was bound to be mine.

Now, here I am, a little more than 24 hours later, 101% satisfied with my little purchase.

Not only does this hydrator feature an abundance of natural soothing ingredients, but it's paraben-free and 2 oz larger than your average moisturizer.

Before Trader Joe's, I was under the spell of Neutrogena's Sensitive Skin Oil-Free Moisturizer, which in addition to containing parabens, was 4 oz for $10!

One pump of this dreamy concoction is infused with pomegranate extract, green tea Extract, shea butter, aloe, and more, which ultimately results in a smoother and more hydrated complexion.

Sensitive skin? No need to fear! The contents of this moisturizer are perfect for anyone, from acne-prone to very mature.

Aloe Vera comes in second on the INCI label? That's impressive. And check it out; Soluble Collagen is high on the list, too!

Let's break it down.

Packaging: A rounded bottle containing 6 fl oz of product with a black pump for dispensing.

Formula: A lightweight white lotion. It contains a good amount of skin-soothing ingredients like chamomile and aloe as well as hydrating ones.

Cost/Availability: $5.99 for 6 fl oz of moisturizer. You can find this at most Trader Joe's.

Rating: ***** 5 stars out of 5. I seriously recommend this stuff. It's affordable and works beautifully!

XOXO,

Gabby

J.R. Watkins Hand & Cuticle Salve

I am rather picky when it comes to what I rub into my cuticles. Mine have been conditioned with all sorts of cuticle balms, whether its Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (Currently my #1) or Dior's Creme Abricot. Unfortunately, these 99.5% natural  salves didn't please me one bit. 

This set in particular came with two miniature versions in Lavender and Lemon. And this is exactly where the product went downhill. 

When you say put the words 'lemon' and 'cuticle' in the name of an item, I immediatly imagine Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, a pure and uplifting conditioning cream scented solely with Lemon Peel Oil. Yes, J.R. Watkins includes this 100% natural oil in their product, but they keep secret another infusion: eucalyptus. Lemon eucalyptus or lavender eucalyptus still is a delightful scent, but I was expecting a full-on tart lemon drop type of aroma, you know?

The false advertising issue was the least of my problems with this cuticle product. It was the formula that really led me to loathe this. From the first touch, this salve melts down into a viscous liquid. This product is meant for use on cuticles as well a cuticles. I do not know about you, but I'm not one to enjoy applying oils to my hands. Aside from the texture, the ingredients list is pretty lacking. It consists of beeswax and a few oils. Very meh.

"Canola oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, beeswax, Citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil, tocopheryl acetate, Ormenis multicaulis oil, Eucalyptus globulus leaf oil"

Overall, I'll definitely be staying with my Burt's Bees.

XOXO,

Gabby

J.R. Watkins' Head to Toe Kit.

About four months ago, I developed a growing passion for organic and natural beauty products that remains to this very day. So, when I stumbled upon this set from J.R. Watkins (a mostly natural apothecary), I immediately  pulled out $13.99. 

All 8 of the items featured in this kit are at least 96.40% natural, which honestly left me in disappointment after purchasing. The two words 'naturals' and 'apothecary' convinced me that most of the items would have bragging rights for being 100% natural.

This set, complete with a easily broken bag, contains a Natural Beeswax Lip Balm in Peppermint (100% natural), a Rejuvenating Foot Cream in Peppermint (98.90% natural), two Hand and Body Lotions in Aloe Vera & Green Tea (97.90%) and Mango (99.02%), Two Hand Creams in Lemon Cream (98.90%) and Aloe & Green Tea (96.40%), and two Hand & Cuticle Salves in Lavender and Lemon (both 99.50% natural).

Woah. That's a lot. And that is exactly why I'm going to divide the review into 5 parts, discussing a product per post.

Expect the Cuticle Salve review soon!

XOXO,

Gabby

The Chubby Stick Collection Just Got A Whole Lot Fatter!

Chubby Sticks: I've been obsessed since the first time I brought Chunky Cherry home. The tinted balm nestled in a fun crayon was indeed hydrating and gave lips a sheer yet buildable hint of color.


And this line just gained a few pounds.
Check it out! Clinique just added 8 more shades: Oversized Orange, Curvy Candy, Mighty Mimosa, Two Ton Tomato, Pudgy Peony, Voluptuous Violet, Heaping Hazelnut, and Bountiful Blush.


It seems that Clinique added many modern shades, from the vivid orange to the intense violet. All of them are on my wish list now, but I think I'll purchasing Oversized Orange ASAP.


Price: $16.00


Look at the new ad! It's so fun and..jello-filled.

Stay chubby!

XOXO,
Gabby