Review with Swatches: 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Tinted Moisturizer in Golden Peach

Hello All!

First off, my apologies for the inexcusable radio silence on this site. Things have been super chaotic on my end. For anyone who is wondering: snow, frigid temperatures and a house under construction does NOT a great combination make.

I thought I would bring in the New Year with a review of my new favorite winter-time pick me up: a tinted moisturizer! I never really jumped on the double letter – sounds like a battery type – cream bandwagon ( CC cream, I’m looking at you). All I want in life is to have one product for daytime use that moisturizes, protects from the sun, evens complexion and is all natural. Complicated? No, not really. Difficult to find? Apparently. For the most part, I  grew tired of wasting money on products that were either too thick or too toxic, and ended up mixing products together to achieve my desired result. No more, my friends, no more. I have now found my HG tinted moisturizer, and it’s 100% Pure’s Fruit Pigmented Tinted Moisturizer!

Kari Gran Mineral Foundation Review with Swatches

If you have not yet heard of Kari Gran, let me introduce you. This company does beauty the way a Michelin star restaurant does food: with a small menu. You know how fancy restaurants often only give you a handful of options for each course, yet each dish is perfectly crafted and beautifully presented? Kari Gran is much like that. They only make a handful of products, but each one is perfezione!

One such product is their mineral foundation.

Buff Her House of Exfoliation Facial Scrub Review: Food Powders with Serious Exfoliating Powers

When it comes to exfoliation, I tend err on the side of “less is more”. Not that we don’t all need to encourage cell turnover, but I just can’t quite get behind the whole “scrub” your face thing. Maybe it’s the word scrub that just sounds too aggressive, or the fact that a lot of physical facial exfoliators are too coarse for my liking. Nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that we all need to slough off those dead skin cells from time to time. My skin happens to be particularly lazy, and requires some kind of exfoliation at LEAST bi-weekly. I had been on the hunt for a mild exfoliator that was effective yet gentle, when I stumbled upon Beauty Snob Sharon’s post on Buff Her: The House of Exfoliation.

Product Review of Skincando Luxe: The Miracle Cream, Eye Balm and Brew Lip Balm that I Can’t Seem to Keep to Myself

I have fully accepted the fact that I sound like a Skincando info-mercial. Even before interviewing Sara Damelio earlier this month, I was firm believer in the multi-purpose Combat Ready Balm. My entire family has used it to treat everything from eczema to dry skin to minor cuts. I always keep a jar on hand for life’s little emergencies. It is a heavy balm-like cream made with apricot kernel oil, beeswax, clove, black spruce oil and more.

Recently though, I was fortunate enough to be able to test out the Skincando Luxe line of products. The line is comprised of the Brew Lip Balm, the Eye Balm, and my favorite of the trio: the Miracle Cream. As always, all of the products are made in small, handmade batches. I like to think of them as my little “made to order just for me” luxuries.

Review with Swatches: Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil in Zinfandel and Syrah

If I have not yet mentioned this, now would be a good time to let you know that I have a bit of a love affair with lip products. Send me to a desert island and I’d be hard pressed to pick just one lippie companion.You can just imagine my dismay when I realized that my beloved lipsticks and glosses were full of things that belong nowhere near my mouth. Toxic metals on my pucker? No thanks. Lucky for all of us green beauty lovers, natural lipstick has come a long way from the chalky pastes and limited color selections of days gone by.

Bite Beauty is a natural lip care company that aims to make products that perform like the pros and are “healthy enough to eat”.

Exclusive Interview with Skincando founder Sara Damelio: For the Love of Skin

Sara Damelio is one of those people you are compelled to like. First of all, she has a bunny named Oliver (see below). Second, she has a wealth of knowledge about green beauty and is happy to share it. Third, and most importantly, she is the founder of a natural luxury skincare line of carefully crafted, handmade products that are hard to live without.

Kahina Giving Beauty Eye Serum Review: Some Serious Serum

Kahina Giving Beauty is a luxury organic skincare brand that literally gives back. They donate  a percentage of their profits to programs that support the women working to extract the key ingredient of the line: argan oil. Not only does the company have a strong sense of social responsibility, but they are deeply committed to providing quality organic skincare that is as effective as it is pure. My experience with their Eye Serum has been a real testament to this commitment.

Abel Organics Vintage ’13 Eau de Parfum

When Frances Shoemack set out to create her own 100% organic natural perfume, she ended up with a unisex fragrance that is (in her words), “not for every man or woman”. And it’s true: with only 2000 bottles made, it will not be for “everyone”. Exclusivity aside, the scent is rather unique. Top notes include clove bud oil, bergamot oil and black pepper oil, but the scent is quite complex and reactive to your body chemistry. On my skin, the clove was coming through quite powerfully. Once it dried down after about 15-20 minutes, I enjoyed the warmth and spiciness of the blend. Don’t ask me why, but it seemed to evoke warm Christmas memories, making me crave cinnamon treats and a cozy fireplace. I was hesitant to re-apply though as my husband did not seem too in love with the clove smell (he has used a fair amount of clove oil to treat toothaches and has developed an aversion to it). For €115, a bottle encased in a beautiful handmade reclaimed oak case can be yours. Unfortunately, for US buyers, it will only be available online.

Pros: Changes with your body chemistry, unique, gorgeous bottle, 100% organic

Cons: Not long lasting (though this is the case with most natural perfumes), depending on skin chemistry the scent could be too “clove-y”

Have you tried Abel’s Vintage ’13? What did you think? We would love to hear from you.

Brand Spotlight and Review: Odacité, As Fresh as it Gets

I have a tremendous amount of respect for the creator of the skincare brand Odacité. After a battle with breast cancer, Valérie Grandury detoxified her entire life. She realized that not only did most skincare products contain harmful chemicals, but that even the products tagged as natural had no expiration dates, meaning the antioxidant value of the product would be severely compromised. What’s a girl to do in such a situation? Well, if you’re Valérie, you go back to school to study plants, become a health and wellness coach and start blending your own skincare products using natural active ingredients.  

Natural Deo’s Knockout Battle, Round 2: pHresh vs. Weleda Wild Rose

Our Natural Deodorant Battle continues with victor pHresh deodorant in Sugar Mint taking on Weleda’s Wild Rose deodorant. Just to recap, pHresh dominated Round 1 against Tom of Maine’s. Will Weleda now edge out the defending champ for the title of Best Clean Deodorant?