moisturizer

Sicilian Orange & Mandarin Body Hydrate Oil / Rejuvenating Face Cream / Active Face Hydrating Gel

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:52:00 +0000

My skin is dry. How dry is it? It's so dry that it makes the Kalahari look like the Everglades. It's so dry, that it makes the Gobi look like the Ganges. It's so dry, that I'm going to be flayed for Sham-wows. The lizard-leather shins and cracked elbows do not appeal. What to do?

Thank goodness I discovered Organic Apoteke products. The Rejuvenating Face Cream and Active Face Hydrating Gel samples did not allow evaluation of the results of extended use, but were not unpleasant after a single application. The Body Hydrate Oil—Sicilian Orange & Mandarin—definitely addressed my dermal crevasses to sealing and healing effect. The Sicilian orange oil contains vitamins A, B, C, and E, and is a reputed anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory. Vitamins A and E increase repair and regrowth of the skin. This potion also contains carrot and coconut oil. The carrot oil increases the manufacture of natural body oils, and coconut oil is rich in antioxidants.

Organic Apoteke products are made in England and conform with ECOSERT standards: 95.4% of the ingredients are organically farmed, and 98% of all ingredients are of natural origins. Few things smell as good as a freshly-peeled orange. Given its range of applications, hopefully a whiff of me with orange oil will be more reminiscent of a crate of clementines than industrial cleanser. Regardless, it's a relief to have my skin transformed to a texture closer to the orange tree's blossom than its bark.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, October 6th 2009

Pregnancy Body Oil / Nursing Tea / Skin Food / Sea Buckthorn Body Lotion

admin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:51:00 +0000

By Weleda

Mean, lean, and green is not a trend come-lately. Weleda has been producing natural, organic beauty products since 1921. Dr. Rudolf Steiner, a founder of anthroposophy, joined forces with Dr. Ita Wegman to take this transcendentalist world view to a personal practical level. They offer salves and solutions for human afflictions ranging from stretch marks to dental plaque, all derived from some of the two hundred species of plants cultivated in their medical plants garden. All items are certified organic by BDIH standards, and their U.S. affiliate assisted in the formation of the NPA (Natural Products Association) rules.

The Pregnancy Body Oil soothes stretching skin by combining arnica flower and wheat germ oil with an almond oil base. It application is obviously enriching without being at all 'greasy.' In addition to attending to maternal hides, Weleda offers tea for a mother's insides: their Nursing Tea supports healthy lactation. The calming tea is a mix of organic fenugreek, anise, fennel seeds, and other herbs. I asked my test-mommy if it was working, and she just snarled and demanded a foot massage and some sushi with unagi, NOT uni, plus green tea ice cream for dessert. Perhaps she did not let the calming tea seep long enough.

The non-reproducing are by no means neglected: body lotions for dry skin are made with Wild Rose, Aloe Vera, Mallow, and Sea Buckthorn. The Sea Buckthorn Lotion combines buckthorn and sesame seed oil in a vitamin A and E-rich formula that delivers antioxidants in a solution scented with essential oils from mandarins, oranges, and grapefruits. It applies lightly and lasts all day.

My personal favorite is the Weleda Skin Food. This nourishing moisturizer hydrates the skin by including organic pansy and rosemary extract with the fatty acid and vitamin E abundant sunflower seed oil. I'm currently combating dry facial skin, and the Skin Food out performed the department store it-shall-remain-unnamed-in-its-ostentatiously-scientific-packaging eye goo. Next time, I'm reaching for the bright green tube.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, September 29th 2009

Pink Grapefruit Body Lotion / Linen Spray / Botanical Facial Moisturizer, Facial Wash / Shea Body Butter Bamboo / Green Tea Facial Scrub

admin — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:31:00 +0000

By Dancing Dingo

I am, obviously, pro-choice. And if you are similarly inclined to an abundance of options in personal products as well as personal life, I recommend a visit to Dancing Dingo. They offer unctions and salves for all members of your family, including the four-legged. Dancing Dingo lotions, moisturizers, oils, scrubs, and sprays are paraben, formaldehyde, mineral oil, sulphates, SLS, and phthalate free. Their 'Dog De-funkifier' and other products are approved by Leaping Bunny and PETA. The shea body butter rendered my reptile-scaly dry shin skin mink oil smooth. I opted for the refreshing pink grapefruit, but other scents offered include Coconut Lime Verbena, Carrot Seed, Grapefruit Mint, Rosehip Seed Total CO2 Extract, and Vanilla Planifolia. (Not all products are offered in all scents.)

The Botanical Facial Wash contains aloe vera gel, green tea extract, comfrey, fruit extracts (billberry, bitter orange, and lemon), aspen bark extract, and lavender, and chamomile essential oils. Dancing Dingo's bamboo and green tea facial scrub exfoliates much more smoothly than the apricot-kernel containing products I've used previously. The Botanical Facial Moisturizer uses extracts of gingko biloba, green tea, and gotu kola to protect and firm the skin. Now I can take my freshly defoliated and moisturized self to unwind on grapefruit-refreshed sheets. I don't have a dingo, dancing or otherwise, but if I did, I would not hesitate to spritz my spitz with one of their dog products.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, September 25th 2009

Rosehip & Hibiscus Facial Lotion / Tea Tree and Vinegar Toner

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:27:00 +0000

By Heavenly Skin Care

Rosehips and hibiscus have long been combined in teas. Rosehips provide vitamin C and are also a source of A, D and E. Rosehip tea is said to prevent bladder infections and ease headaches. Hibiscus tea contains phenolic compounds, reportedly a positive in preventing heart disease and promoting arterial health. A 2008 study linked hibiscus tea to decreasing hypertension. In India, hibiscus is used in medicinal Ayurvedic preparations and hair care. This is my first topical experience with the combination, and it is positive.

Truly organic natural lotions are at least half plant-based. To their credit, Heavenly Skin Care prints the percentage of organic components in each product right on the label. Look for natural oils, plant-based waxes, vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants. Other body lotions include Herbal, Jojoba, Goat Milk, and Soothing. The Goat Milk is particularly well-suited for dry skin. The Soothing lotion is soothingly scented, indeed, and none of the products are overwhelmingly fragrant. A good thing: too much scent in a crowded elevator can be construed air pollution and olfactory assault. Subtlety and moderation are virtues, in perfume, at least. Their Tea Tree and Vinegar Toner is recommended for acne and is ninety-seven percent organic. Tea tree oil or melaleuca oil is from the Melaleuca alternifolia native to New South Wales, Australia, and is reputed to have antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties. In addition to lotions and toners, Heavenly Skin Care produces serums, scrubs, cleansers, astringents, salts and soaks, soaps and lotion applicators. Order today and receive two free samples.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, September 4th 2009

Mandarin Maximum Moisture / Sweet Orange & Silk Protein Styling Gel

admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:54:00 +0000

By John Masters Organics

'Orange' is an unrhymable word. Of course, you can get around this by utilizing some poetic license. Willard Espy's “The Unrhymable Word: Orange” jams with enjambment by informing us that: "The four eng-/ineers/Wore orange/brassieres."

I don't own an orange brassiere, but I am fortunate to own both a rhyming dictionary and some fine John Masters Organics products.

Admittedly, I go for orange because I like the scent. The boom in orange-peel-based cleansing products has been a boon to me. John Masters Organics provides a less industrial option for spot removal, presenting a Mandarin Maximum Moisture 'concentrated revitalizer' with glycoproteins. Apparently glycoproteins are instrumental in skin and hormone metabolization, and some varieties function as antifreeze in the plasma of certain coldwater fish. The moisturizer applies light and clear, and reportedly reduces age spots with six weeks of consistent use. I do not have any age spots (yet), but I do find the cream enriching and refreshing. The alcohol-free hair gel likewise has a sweet scent and is not too heavy. John Masters has been running a 'clean air salon'—meaning that no services that require toxins (i.e., perms, manicures, and most coloring) are performed—for a decade and a half. Mr. Masters' products perform well, and I look forward to trying others.

Photo depicts Shine On Leave-In Hair Treatment and Sweet Orange & Silk Protein Styling Gel

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, August 26th 2009

Butter Cream Salve

admin — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:08:00 +0000

By Suki Pure Skin Care

The butter cream salve by Suki promises to relieve dry skin with natural ingredients and prevent further damage. They tout it working on everything from dry elbows to eczema and stretch marks. As I have no dry elbows, my eczema is currently under control and I lack stretch marks, I’m basing my review of this product on how well it healed my dry hands after working in a coffee shop all night.

The salve works like ointment, and has a medicinal, greasy feel to it – much like Neosporin. However, after it’s on there’s a slight cool, tingling feeling that’s refreshing. The salve even smells like mint. After a few minutes of soaking in, it feels less like grease or medicine and more like lotion and much more tolerable.

The trick to using this salve is to use small doses. A tiny sample pack has more than enough to treat several dry spots of skin. While my hands definitely felt softer and smoother after using the salve, I did not think the product worked any better than other lotions I’ve used before. However, the smell alone sold me. It was soothing enough that I’d want to use it over and over again yet not so over powering that I got sick of it.

Written by: Katie Peoples, March 11th 2007

Velvet Facial Creme

admin — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 23:14:00 +0000

By Suki Pure Skin Care

I am on a constant quest for new and improved beauty products. To me, a new lipstick or hand lotion are one of life's little pleasures. Not only do I enjoy using them, but it's a small fantasy fulfillment as well. Realistically, I know that a new hair product will not make me a supermodel, but I humor myself anyway; and the end result is that I feel glamorous, so it's a moot point.

One frequently used tool in my beauty arsenal is facial moisturizer, so I was looking forward to testing out this product. “Velvet” is an apt word to describe it because I have never used such a smooth, lightweight moisturizer before. It glides on effortlessly. One problem I've had with other face products is that my finger ends up tugging on the skin when I attempt to smooth it across delicate areas, such as around the eye. This tugging and pulling always seemed counter-productive to me, since the main reason I use moisturizer is because I like to think that if I baby my skin enough, I won't get so many wrinkles later on (remember that fantasy fulfillment I mentioned?). This crème is not only great for delicate skin, but it also absorbs instantly – no need to rub in. This makes my other “lightweight” moisturizers look like lard. I'm so impressed with this stuff that I'll probably buy more when my sample runs out, although at $26.25 for 1.7 ounces, it's quite pricey; but such is the cost of fantasy fulfillment.

Written by: Beeb Ashcroft, February 19th 2007

Facial Moisture Serum with Blue Chamomile

admin — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 21:02:00 +0000

By Suki Pure Skin Care

Although I am blessed with a complexion that is normally clear, in the past few months I've had some trouble with blemishing. I've tried anti-pimple potions before, though I steer away from most of them due to the harsh chemical content, as my skin is somewhat sensitive. I was interested to try Suki's facial serum, since it's made from all-natural ingredients and would, theoretically, be gentler on my skin.

The primary ingredient is Jojoba oil, so it has a somewhat greasy consistency. Rubbing oil on my zits gave me the look of a teenage pizza delivery boy, so I would recommend using this at night or under powder. (I know, I know, that's why I have pimples in the first place...) That aside, I really liked this product. It was very mild and kind to my skin. It did seem to improve the pimple situation a bit, although there is still no magic cure for zits. I would recommend this to anyone seeking something a little more soothing than Clearasil.

Written by: Beeb Ashcroft, February 11th 2007