What: A fast-absorbing, creamy body lotion with resurfacing properties
For: Rapid hydration, and particularly good for smoothing bumpy upper arms
Review: This moisturiser was a surprise. The first time I used it, I was pleased with the warm, comforting fragrance and how quickly it absorbed into skin, but wasn’t blown away. I kept using it - just a pump or two of product to cover each arm in the morning - and then noticed something. The tiny bumps on the tops of my arms, which had never developed into a severe case of keratosis pilaris but which were uneven enough to make me feel slightly self-conscious, were slowly disappearing. The tops of my arms were not only softer, but smoother - something I hadn’t come across before in a moisturiser. A quick Google of the key ingredient ‘baobab’ has revealed that it is great to smooth skin without clogging pores, and encourages regeneration of skin cells.
Continued use of this cream has delivered more even skin texture and skin tone and, as an added bonus, I LOVE the fragrance - best described as woody yet chocolately, and it lingers on skin throughout the day. The cream is absorbed super rapidly into skin - there’s no waiting around for it to sink in before dressing. It’s not the type of rich buttery cream that you apply after a long bath and lounge about in a slinky robe, but a great one to apply when you only have a few minutes to spare but still want something that delivers results. Particularly perfect to prime arms for summer!
Buy it here
My name is Britanie Faith and I am a Freelance Photographer, Makeup Artist and Skincare Enthusiast Specializing in Non Toxic Products. Creator of Concoctions. Animal Lover. Tea Addict. I am very passionate about Health, Beauty and Photography. I believe in applying and ingesting the least amount of chemicals possible which has lead me to a path of researching and reviewing many organic and non toxic makeup and skincare products.
I have suffered from chronic pain due to Endometriosis, Gastroparesis, and Fibromyalgia. Having these conditions has increased my passion for helping others deal with their own personal health issues in a positive way. I am constantly researching to find natural ways to heal myself and others through herbs, acupuncture, holistic and Chinese medicine, diet, exercise and meditation. I am committed to sharing my experiences, likes and dislikes in regards to everything from day to day life, health and where i get my inspiration and positive outlook on life from beauty of all kinds.
AM
I like to keep it simple in the morning. If I know I will be wearing makeup on a specific day then I will especially make sure that my skincare routine that day is extra simple as I want my skin to breathe!
I like to start off by splashing my face with warm water to open up my pores and then I finish with cold water to close the pores. I will then apply a light serum. For my morning serum I like something not too heavy. My go-to day serum is Osmia Organics Active Gel Nutrient Serum. I love the feel of this serum and it has never felt too heavy and I find it wears perfectly underneath makeup. Last but not least, I always tone and moisturize. The product I use works both as a toner and a moisturizer in one. I use Heritage Store Rosewater and Glycerin spray. The rosewater serves as a toner and the glycerin works at retaining moisture in the skin. It’s perfect to use before or after makeup as a setting spray. This is all I will usually apply during the day either on it’s own or underneath my makeup for the day.
PM
Shower
I prefer to take my showers at night so that I can be more relaxed before bed! I also like to get rid of all the toxins that I accumulated throughout the day.
I start by dry brushing my skin which helps to detoxify the liver and can help fight against cellulite and also gets rid of any dead skin cells and makes your skin extra soft!!
I only use natural soaps to wash my body and my current favorite find is local Goat Soap. I love how it leaves my skin feeling so soft and doesn’t make me feel itchy or dry afterwards which I find a lot of soaps do. When I get out of the shower I always moisturize my skin with lotion or body oil. My favorite body lotion is the Fragrance-Free Moisturizing Lotion For Sensitive Skin by Nature’s Gate and when I need extra moisture (especially in winter months) I use Osmia Organics Body Oil.
I have tried a number of shampoos and conditioners and I always seem to go back to my beloved Nature’s Gate Herbal Shampoo and Conditioner. They are super affordable and make my hair feel and look its best. I absolutely love the smell of this stuff too. It makes my shower smell like an herbal garden. I love it!! For an added hair treatment I like to use a hair masque once a week. My all-time favorite hair masque is the Intensive Hair Repair Argan Oil Masque by DermOrganic.
Skincare
It is very important to me to keep my skin super hydrated while I sleep so I am more generous with products and usually up the steps to my routine at night.
First step is removing makeup from throughout the day. For this I like to use Organic Jojoba Oil. It works amazingly well at removing all makeup even the toughest waterproof mascara! It’s cheap and works better than most expensive makeup removers I have tried. Next I use some type of facial scrub or face wash. I tend to use Burt’s Bees Citrus Facial Scrub most nights as it is truly my favorite scrub. If my skin is feeling particularly sensitive or I just don’t need that added exfoliant I will use something more gentle like my favorite Rose Clay Facial Soap from Osmia Organics which makes my skin feel velvety soft and thoroughly cleansed. I usually like to use a toner before I apply my serum and moisturizer. Lately at night my favorite toner has been DeVita’s Morrocan Rose Toner. My favorite night time serum is Osmia Organics Facial Calibration Serum which adds lots of moisture on it’s own so I find on most nights I don’t even need to follow with a moisturizer. I use 100% Pure Coffee Bean Eye Cream to help combat dark circles and I always apply my Hurraw! Lip balm in either Coconut or Vanilla before bed!
COLOUR
I love makeup and I love to do glamorous looks but on a daily basis I do not wear a lot of makeup at all. I like to keep it natural unless it’s a special occasion or I just feel like being fancy with my makeup! On most days I have been wearing Jane Iredale’s Glow Time Full Coverage BB Cream. It is full coverage but doesn’t feel or look too heavy, It gives me the perfect coverage and glow. For dark circles I apply a tiny amount of Vapour Organic Beauty Illusionist Concealer in ‘010’ and it helps to get rid of any darkness under my eyes. It also works well for covering blemishes or redness around the nose or face. I always add a bit of blush to liven up my face! Vapour Organic Beauty in the color ‘Courtesan’ is the perfect rose and adds a beautiful natural flush to my face which I love. I like to add a bit of color to my lips as well and my current favorite lipstick is the color ‘Galaxy’ by Zuzu Luxe. I then apply a tiny bit of Sante Eyeshadow Stick in the color ‘Pearl’ to the inner part of my eyes to add an illuminating effect and help further combat my stubborn dark circles! I always comb and darken my brows up a bit using Sante Brow Pencil and last but not least I apply two coats of Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara and voila! I’m ready to go!
EXTRAS
I like to create my own face mask which consists of Indian Healing Clay and Raw Manuka Honey. I mix a tablespoon of the Honey and a teaspoon of the clay and stir it in a tiny bowl. Once it is all melted together I apply it all over my face and neck and leave it on for about 20 minutes. I do this once a week and my skin has never looked and felt clearer! It is super affordable and fun to apply!
I love collecting perfumes and essential oils. My favorite scents are Vanilla, Coconut, Rose, Amber, Sandalwood and Almond. Applying scents to my wrists and neck just make me feel luxurious and the essential oils calm my senses. It gives me a boost of confidence to smell delicious!’
Connect with Britanie:
What: Nourishing & restorative serum.
For: All skin types (even oily)
Review: Meet Lina. She’s rosehip oil’s smarter, harder working, more refined sister. Not to diminish rosehip oil’s work at all - it’s just that Lina does everything that rosehip oil does, only… better. Skin is smooth. Skin is plump. Skin is glowing.
The brilliant thing about Lina is that, not only does it leave skin super supple & nourished, but it is absorbed into skin instantly. This means that makeup sits beautifully on top, and there’s not mid-afternoon oilies brought on by using a serum during the day. But of course, it’s at night that Lina truly shines - a generous drop massaged over skin left me with an ‘I’ve just had 10 hours sleep’ glow. Elasticity and suppleness improved, texture was more refined, and skin less red and sensitive.
Clean creds: Free of parabens, artificial fragrance, silicone, petrochemicals and synthetic fragrances . Made with a blend of essential oils (including baobab, which, as I will reveal in an upcoming post, is My New Best Friend).
Verdict: Skin just looks better with this - it’s that simple. From first to last drop, this is a little bit of luxury that’s worth splashing out on.
Buy it here
*This product was sent to me as a PR sample for my honest review.
The Clean Beauty Blog recently hit 50,000 followers - so what better way to celebrate than with a giveaway of some of my favourite clean beauty products?! To kick things off we have the wonderful Australian brand Planet Eve Organics (hot on the heels from winning a coveted Glosscar!):
Planet Eve Organics’ products are 100 per cent naturally derived and processed, and it takes your skin back to a more pure state – no toxins, no synthetic chemicals, pesticides, fragrances, preservatives, colours or GMOs.
One lucky reader will win the Daily Essentials Face Care package valued at $AUD147, which includes the Facial Cleansing Oil (one of my staples - read the review here), the Facial Balancing Toner and Anti-Ageing Daily Face Moisturiser.
To enter, simply -
- Like the Planet Eve Organics Facebook page;
- Spread the word! Reblog, tweet or share this post, and follow The Clean Beauty Blog on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest. The more ways you follow/share, the more entries you get; and
- Leave a comment below, including details of how you shared if relevant. Please make sure you include your email address in the form so that I can contact you if you win!
This is an international giveaway, which will close at midnight (AEST) Tuesday 17 April 2012. The winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday 18 April 2012.
You must be a fan of the Planet Eve Organics Facebook page to be eligible to win.
Good luck! More giveaways coming up over the next few weeks so make sure you are following to stay updated! x
I’m excited and humbled to introduce you to the wonderful, inspirational, cancer-kicker Jess Ainscough for today’s Clean Regime. Jess Ainscough is a writer, holistic health coach, and the creator of the health and wellness website, The Wellness Warrior. Via her e-books, daily blog posts, and videos, Jess’ goal is to empower people to take control of their health and show that the quality of our lives is directly linked to how we treat our body and mind. Her transformation from champagne-guzzling, Lean Cuisine-loving magazine writer to all-out nutrition nerd was made after she was diagnosed with a rare, ‘incurable’ cancer back in 2008. Deciding she wasn’t having a bar of that ‘incurable’ nonsense, Jess took responsibility for her condition and healed herself with two years of Gerson Therapy. Along the way, Jess developed a obsession with passing on all of her newly learnt wellness wisdom to anyone who was parked in front of her for long enough to listen.
After reading Jess’s clean regime, might I suggest making yourself a cup of herbal tea or a green juice, checking out her blog, and reading her brilliant eBook, Make Peace With Your Plate. If there was ever a poster girl for the old adage ‘beauty comes from the inside’, Jess is that gal.
AM
‘My first order of beauty business is dry body brushing for five minutes before stepping in the shower. I dry brush to get my lymphatic system moving, but as an added benefit it sloughs off dry skin, and helps to get rid of cellulite.
In the shower I cleanse my face with a tiny amount of Mukti’s gentle foaming cleanser, and wipe off with a bamboo face washer. Every second morning I will wash my hair with Mukti shampoo and conditioner.
Out of the shower, I use a tiny amount of Mukti (can you see a pattern?) balancing facial moisturiser and I’m good to go.
I love Mukti stuff because it’s one of the only beauty brands I’ve found that is totally clean, certified organic, and actually works on my skin. It’s also local to the Sunshine Coast, where I am from.
PM
At night I cleanse my face again with Mukti’s gentle foaming cleanser. Out of the shower, I wipe my face over with 3% hydrogen peroxide to help remove blackheads, and then I moisturise my face with organic coconut oil (mostly around the eyes and forehead).
COLOUR
I don’t wear make-up very often, but if I need to go somewhere that calls for a bit of prettying up I use INIKA mineral powder foundation, bronzer, eyeliner, mascara and eye shadow. I don’t wear anything on my lips besides a bit of Aubrey Organics raspberry lip balm. It’s so yummy, and it’s so clean you could probably eat it.
EXTRAS
About once a week I have a bath with two cups of organic apple cider vinegar
added to my bath water. This not only detoxifies the body through the skin, but it also leaves you feeling so silky smooth. And the vinegar smell doesn’t stick around long.
Also about once a week I will apply a natural clay facemask, followed by a Mukti facial scrub.
To lighten my hair, every now and then I will spray it with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Because this can dry it out, I will then put coconut oil through my hair as a deep nourishing mask.
I used to feel naked without perfume, but these days I very rarely wear it. If I do, it’s only a bit of essential oil or some Pegasus perfume made from essential oils.
Now that we are coming into the cooler months, I may need to moisturise my skin a bit more, so I will just add coconut oil to my body as well as my face.
We also always have aloe vera in the garden, so if I’m out there I will break off a bit and rub it into any dry spots and my cancer scars’.
Connect with Jess on …
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JessAinscough
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewellnesswarrior
Website: http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au
What: The perfect cleanser.
For: Removing makeup and impurities. For all skin types.
Review: There are a few products that I use so regularly that I take them for granted and forget to focus on them with a review. MV Organics Gentle Cream Cleanser is one of them. This is the perfect cleanser. Thoroughly cleanses makeup? Tick. Removes impurities and keeps breakouts at bay? Tick. Leaves skin super soft & nourished? TICK.
In addition to its skin loving properties, it was the scent knocked my socks off - as most people who read the CBB regularly have probably realised, I need only a drop of citrus fragrance to fall in love with a product, and this cleanser is a delicious blend of rose, chamomile and mandarin. Heaven. This cleanser makes your morning shower feel like a mini spa session.
The cleanser is best used with a muslin cloth. Only a few pumps of product are needed to cleanse the really face well - the texture is thick, luxurious and creamy. After massaging the product into skin, hold a damp warm muslin cloth over skin for about 5 seconds (the steam from the cloth will further soften skin). You then use the cloth to gently buff the cleanser off skin, which doubles as gentle exfoliation.
Clean creds: 75% organic - and just look at this ingredients list! Water, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside, Vegetable Glycerin, Glyceryl Monostearate, Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Honeysuckle (Lonicera Caprifolium & Lonicera Japonica) Extract, with essential oils of Rose, Chamomile and Mandarin. Nothing scary there.
Verdict: I can recommend this cleanser for almost all skin types, unless you are very sensitive to essential oils. It worked beautifully on my skin and, although not a conventional ‘anti-acne’ cleanser, it kept breakouts at bay without drying skin. Although it’s on the pricier side - $45 - a bottle lasted me for about 3 months of consistent use. It’s also a great one to take travelling as it comes in a super lightweight bottle and a no-mess pump dispenser.
Buy it here
*This product was sent to me as a PR sample for my honest review.
What: Makeup remover and cleanser.
For: All skin types, particularly dry or sensitive skin.
Review: I’m all about oils these days - oils to cleanse, oils to moisturise, even oils to eat! This cleansing oil by Vapour Organics is a nice addition to my oily routine, as it is brilliant for removing makeup & thoroughly cleansing without stripping skin. Skin nourishing ingredients include camelia oil, jojoba oil, and evening primrose oil, which all work together to gently cleanse skin and leave skin plump & hydrated. It is safe to use on eyes and easily removes waterproof makeup. As with all oil-based cleansers, you will need to remove it with either a muslin cloth (my preference) or cotton pads.
I have previously reviewed and used Planet Eve Organics Cleansing Oil, and would recommend & repurchase both products. The main differences between the two is that the Planet Eve oil feels a little more luxurious to me (thanks to the lovely warm sandalwood scent), but Vapour Organics is probably a little better at removing lots of makeup, including eye makeup.
Clean creds: Made with 95% Certified Organic Ingredients and 5% wildcrafted essential oils, 100% natural, chemical free, cruelty free, gluten free, made with wind power, biodegradable ingredients, inner & outer packaging recyclable.
Verdict: If you haven’t made the switch to a cleansing oil, this is a good one to transition with, as it still gives a thorough deep down clean but delivers all the skin-loving benefits of an oil. An oil is also great if you find that water dries your skin, as you can wipe away excess with a dry cotton pad and skip washing with water altogether.
Buy it here (affiliate link)
*This product was sent to me as a PR sample for my honest review.
What: A moisturising day cream
For: All skin types
Review: I’m struggling to know where to start with this review. Do I start by telling you that Natalie Portman is a huge fan of Pai skincare? Or that Pai was the first skin care company to list all ingredients in plain English, so you don’t need a chemistry degree to understand what’s in the bottle? Or that Pai’s skincare line is one of the cleanest out there, certified organic by the Soil Association, with no alcohol, no artificial fragrances, no formaldehyde, no parabens, no petrochemicals, no phthalates, no phenoxyethanol, and no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
Based on what Pai doesn’t contain you could be forgiven for thinking that I have been applying some nicely packaged air to my face every morning for the past few weeks, but Pai’s Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream is jam packed full of delicious, skin nourishing ingredients. The day cream has done a fantastic job of providing deep moisture to my winter ravaged skin, whilst being balancing enough to leave a lovely silky smooth (totally ungreasy) (that’s definitely not a word but you know what I mean) canvas for makeup. I have incredibly acne prone skin and just looking at a creamy moisturiser will usually break me out, but I have had no breakouts as a result of using Pai and it’s been such a pleasure to use during winter. You only need one pump or so to cover the entire face so a bottle will last forever, and it is only very lightly (naturally) fragranced so it’s also a great unisex moisturiser. It’s not particularly fancy, it just does its job and does it brilliantly!
Clean creds: See above.
Verdict: Highly recommended as an everyday moisturiser to provide hydration and restore skin to its natural balance. Makeup sits very nicely on top so it’s a great primer too!
Pai Buy it here
Pai Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream was sent to me for my honest review.
What a gorgeous idea! This company ticks all the boxes - vegan, cruelty-free, natural, pure, organic - and fully customisable products. Truth Art Beauty’s ethos is simple:
By enabling our customers to select their own ingredients and build their own blends, we are empowering them to learn exactly what’s going onto their skin. And into their bodies.
Create your own blend of eye balm, face oil, body scrub & body oil in Truth Art Beauty’s modern day online apothecary. There are also suggested blends on their site for different skin types (but choosing your own is the fun bit)!
I am off for a long weekend of rest & relaxation in the mountains. Here’s a peek into what I packed in my beauty bag:
Aurora Spa Rituals Ultra Rich Body Cream: Leave the perfume at home and cocoon your body in this deliciously moisturizing body cream, delicately scented with rose.
Ikou ‘Sleepyhead’ Rolette: Sleep like a baby (even in an unfamiliar bed) by rolling a few dabs of ‘Sleepyhead’ on your temples and chest before drifting off.
Evodia Hydrating Mist Toner: Perfect whether you’re travelling to a hot or cold climate: refreshing on summer days, and hydrating when switching from the cold to sitting in front of the fire (it’s a tough life, I know…).
Full reviews of all the products mentioned above coming soon, but for now I am off to toast marshmallows!
