Empties | July

There's something incredibly wonderful about these sample entries. For me, anyway.

It always freaks me out how much I have and have yet to use. It's why I'm always incredibly excited every time I post a Sample Selection Saturday.

With empties, I'm always super excited to see those empty jars pile up. You have no idea how excited I am when I take all those empty bottles to the recycling bin.

Seriously. You have absolutely no idea.

1. Lush Herbalism: Gentle. Natural. Playful. Green. It was nice using a cleanser that was so much fun to use. The ground almonds were fine enough that they didn't tug, pull or nick at my skin and provided a coarse graininess that gently exfoliated my skin.

2. L'Oréal Ombrelle Face SPF 45: The absolute best chemical sunscreen that I've tried yet. It doesn't make me ashy, lasts a long time, doesn't irritate me and doesn't feel heavy on my skin. Best of all, it provides ample moisture. It's amazing.

3. Coconut oil. This is one of the few HGs I can own up to. This jar was pretty full when I first mentioned it, but I use it for so many things including cooking. On the beauty front, I use it for oil pulling when it's in its liquid form (whiter teeth is just one of the benefits), as a daily moisturizer, as a hair treatment and as a makeup remover.

Pro tip: Coconut oil has a multitude of uses, including helping to speed up healing from bites and minor irritations. This has been hit and miss with me and mosquito bites, but when it does work it's amazing!

Sample Selection Saturday empties

4. Weleda Wild Rose Body Lotion: My nose hurt so bad after wearing this. Not only that, but it left me feeling a bit dry. All around, total let down.

5. Lush Mask of Magniminty: Amazing! It kind of looks like mint chocolate ice cream. I love the mint smell and it left my skin a bit calmer when I used it. Strike that, markedly calmer. Don't think those were chocolate bits though, I think those were beans based on Lush's ingredient list.

6. The Face Shop's Intevia Emulsion: Ugh. I don't normally like slamming products, but this was all sorts of bad. Well, not really. But any good that this product was is eclipsed so totally by what's bad.

7. Innisfee Eco-Science Skin (toner): Unlike the previous sample selection, this is part of a line that you can still purchase. It took me forever to realize this sample was toner, as opposed to serum. It's runny, but a little thicker than toner. It smells refreshing and was gentle on my skin.

Review | Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is one of those very special products that I never get tired of using. It's one of the few HGs I have.

I could go all day talking about how much I love this product and what I love about this product, but I'll try to keep it brief.

Haul | iHerb

I love iHerb. What kind of beauty shop is iHerb, you ask? It's not a beauty shop. But it's where I get most of my natural beauty products at a discount. Some examples of what I've bought from iHerb include clay masks, lotions, coconut oil and toners.

Here are the goods that I got this time around:

1. Heritage Store Rosewater and Glycerin. I'm so excited to try this! It's a toner that I've heard very good things about on MakeupAlley.

Note: There are two types of rosewater sold from this brand: regular rosewater and a more hydrating rosewater and glycerin. (I chose the one with glycerin). I've been told it can be a good toner, serum, moisturizer and even perfume.

2. Thayers Witch Hazel I've talked about this toner before. It's hydrating, gentle and calming. I use it as a toner after cleansing and as a mist to refresh my skin throughout the day.

3. Vitamin C crystals. This is mostly going to be used topically for a DIY serum, but I've been told you can dissolve this in water and ingest it. So happy with my iHerb purchases. I bought this late last week and got it within two days. Especially happy because international mail never comes that fast!

Sample Selection Saturday | Innisfree Eco Science Skin

The last of the July Sample Selections! Up this week is Innisfree's Eco Science Skin. Unlike last week, Innisfree still sells this line (see?!). Score!

This is pretty amazing, so it would have been a major shame if the line was discontinued.

what is it:

A toner, which took me forever to figure out and which I had to research before I was completely certain that's what it was. This line is an anti-aging line derived from ocean plants found near and in Jeju, a big island off the Korean mainland.

In brief: the Good and the Ugly

The good: 

Strictly talking about the sample, it has a couple days' worth of applications. Twice daily applications. You don't need a lot of product for the face and neck – about five or six drops.

Based on that, the full-sized bottle will go a long way. (As a full-sized product, this is pretty decently priced at 23,000W, which is roughly $23CDN.) I found the toner to be runny, but a little thicker like a serum.

Definitely a toner, though. I found it to be non-irritating, moisturizing and didn't leave a weird finish on my skin. Its scent is awesome, but a bit strong at first. It's fresh and perfect for summer since it smells like a beach day. It has a subtle sea smell.

A personal preference, I really like that this product is EcoCert certified. This "skin" is an "organic cosmetic" and has at least 95 per cent of its plant-based ingredients that come from organic farming. Doubly awesome for my skin!

The ugly: 

The scent is a little strong for my tastes, but it isn't unpleasant. It leaves a subtle scent, but it takes a while before it diffuses.

Would I purchase?

Yes.

Sample Selection Saturday | The Face Shop Intevia Active Original Emulsion

The Face Shop is amazing. I get samples just by going there sometimes. Well, not just by going there, I think you have to hit some sort of quota. Although those baskets they hand out sometimes have a sample just there.

Anyway, this week's sample selection is care of The Face Shop.

What is it?

Apologies, I've scratched most of the writing off the tiny bottle. This is from The Face Shop's Intevia line. Placenta proteins, apparently, were part of the ingredient list.

Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your view, The Face Shop has since discontinued this line.

FYI: The emulsion is a light moisturizer, that typically follows toner and essence/serum.

In brief: The good and the ugly

The good:

It's an okay moisturizer. Light and perfect for the summer, providing enough moisture to the skin without weighing it down.

The ugly:

The smell is a bit off-putting. I don't know how to describe it. Like a foul-smelling flower would be the closest thing comparable.

The texture it left on my face felt a bit weird. After a while, once it dried, I touched my face and it felt as if I had put mattifying primer on top. (I did not). My skin felt moisturized, it was just accompanied by a weird texture. I'm not a fan.

I'm sure the placenta proteins that were in this emulsion was minimal. But that idea of putting something like that on my skin sort of grosses me out. This coming from the girl who slathers on snail cream daily.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Would I purchase?

No.

 

Review | Lush Herbalism cleanser

This is cleanser unlike anything I've ever seen before. First off, it's green. Second, it's made of clay. Third, it's in a tub. The woman at Lush had to cut the cleanser off from a larger roll. But I didn't allow any of those concerns to detract me from purchasing it. In fact, a good number of those reasons made me game enough to try it out!

Three things…to beat the heat

My hood is going through a brief heat wave. I love it!

What I don't love is that slightly gross look I tend to sport when I'm out and about in this heat. Shiny face and I feel just a little bit sticky.

Since sweaty and shiny aren't a good look for me, I'm sharing some of my favourite products for staying and looking cool when it's so hot.

1. Etude House Wonder Pore Freshener: It's something I've talked about in the past. While I love its makeup removing superpowers, it also works well as a mist. I don't notice any of the benefits that the bottle purports – deep cleansing, smaller pores, refined skin tone. What I do notice is a nice layer of moisture to my skin right when it needs it.

Pro tip: transfer some of the freshener into a small spritz bottle and mist and refresh your look.

Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner can be found online.

2. Avène Thermal Water This is quite possibly the most frivolous and wasteful thing that I have ever bought, in terms of skin care. Most people will get more out of it if they live in an area that has hard water since rinsing your face with hard water is not good for the skin. Fortunately, I now live in an area with soft water which is amazing for skin and hair.

Now, its only true moment of glory is the month and a half of summer where I spritz myself with some water and mist my skin when it needs an extra dose of cooling and moisturizing love. It's good to use after applying makeup to set it, use throughout the day as a mist and good on sunburns.

Pro tip: Keep it in the fridge for extra cooling powers.

Though if anyone is interested, I did live in an area with hard water before and I used a full bottle of this thing and my skin stopped having crazy breakouts.

Pro tip: If you live in an area that has soft water, what you could do to save money is DIY. Hit the dollar store for a spritz bottle and fill it up with regular water. I don't know how it'll set your makeup but it should be a pretty comparable alternative.

If you live in an area with hard water, have skin and hair that is sensitive to it and/or want the makeup setting benefits, just bite the cost and head to the drugstore for any thermal water.

Avène can be found in Murale and select drugstores, including London Drugs and Shoppers Drug Mart.

3. Nature Republic Aloe: I haven't reviewed this yet, but just know that I love it. It's a perfect allover moisturizer for the summer: cooling and soothing to the skin, it's light but delivers an ample amount of moisture. It's also multipurpose! It can soothe sunburns and act as a nice, light face mask.

Nature Republic Aloe can be found online and at T&T Supermarket.

Sample Selection Saturday | Lush Mask of Magnaminty

Another week, another sample selection!

What is it?:

This week's selection is a two-in-one product. Lush's Mask of Magniminty is a pretty generous product. It can be used as a mask and a cleanser.

In brief: the good and the ugly

The good:

It's a two-in-one product (cleanser and a mask).

I like the minty and slightly earthy smell.

As a cleanser – YOU CAN USE THIS ANYWHERE. This is kind of too strong to use as daily face wash. I'd suggest using this as a treatment mask. Definitely once or twice weekly, tops.

As a mask – YOU CAN USE THIS ANYWHERE. It left my face soft and minimized some swelling and some redness from my spots.

The ugly:

For the occasional user, it costs a lot ($12.95CDN for 125g; $24.95CDN for 315g).

It can be far too much product if you're going to use this primarily as a (face) mask, even if you're going to be using this as a face cleanser. Most of the Lush products I own can be used on the face and body, so this isn't really a problem.

It has a shelf-life of only four months.

The perils of buying products with ingredients I can pronounce. /sarcasm

Would I purchase?

Yes

Summer spotlight | SPF

Sunscreen. It's a topic I can't really get enough of, especially now that the weather is getting so good.

How should it be used

Sunscreen should be used daily. Slathering it on during the summer or just when you're about to leave the house should not be the only times you use it. Winter calls for sunscreen, especially if you're heading out to the slopes. Higher altitude increases UV exposure and snow reflects the sun's rays.

Stay vigilant about sun protection in all seasons to stave off wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and other nasty stuff! Sunscreen might need some time to kick in and protect you from the sun's rays.

If it's a chemical sunscreen, aim to apply it a half hour before heading outside. If it's a mineral (physical) sunblock, you are protected as soon as you slather it on. Mineral sunscreen is made up of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Each type of sun protection has its advantages and disadvantages. Some mineral sunblocks can break out skin and leave a whitish cast on skin. Chemical sunscreens can irritate skin. Experiment with both and see which one your skin prefers.

How much should you use

Apply about a shot's worth of sunscreen. That should cover an average adult body. Apply everywhere, even where skin is covered and often. Two hours at a time and more often if you're sweating or swimming. If your skin feels red or itchy, seek shade and reapply more often.

Kick it to the curb

Open bottles really should be tossed within a year. Don't keep used bottles for next summer, as tempting as that is. Chances are the filters will deteriorate and your sunscreen won't be as effective.

Keep it cool

Like time, high heat is sunscreen's mortal enemy. Too hot temperatures can degrade a sunscreen's efficacy.

Pro tip: Hide your sunscreen at the beach by burying it under the sand and covering it with your towel or beach read.

SPF is not enough!

Practice safe sun. Carry a parasol or seek shade under a tree, beach umbrella or a canopy/tent if you want to be really fancy about it. If you do overdo it, aloe is your best friend!

Sample Selection Saturday | Weleda Wild Rose Pampering Body Lotion

Sample Selection Saturday is a new column where, every week, I will review a sample that has somehow landed on my lap.

Wild Rose body lotion was a bonus that I got when I purchased Weleda's Skinfood.

My body was definitely not pampered by this lotion. I applied it after my shower first thing in the morning and I used it all up in one go. Several hours later and my nose is still recovering from the fake rose smell.

In brief: The good and The ugly

The good:

It's a pretty good-sized sample (20ml).

It comes in a pretty tube, easy to tote around in a purse and use as hand lotion.

The ingredient list. With the exception of fragrance, because I never know exactly what that entails, I only had to look up one ingredient. Glyceryl Stearate SE is an emulsifier (stabilizer) derived from vegetables. It can be found in cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, creams and lotions.

The ugly:

The smell. I'm not one who loves scented products as it is, but I think this might even offend people who do like scents. You'd think with "wild rose" in the name it would smell like roses, but it does not. The scent is so unbelievably artificial and its a poor imitation of a floral. It is way too overpowering.

Makes sense, though. Fragrance is the seventh ingredient on the list.

I don't normally like lotions. I find them to be a bit watery in consistency and don't moisturize my skin as well as a cream or an oil. This Wild Rose body lotion was not an exception.

This is a very light moisturizer, probably better suited for summertime use.

(For reference, it's summer now and it still doesn't make the cut with me.)

Would I purchase?

No.

Review | Missha all-around safe block SPF25 (kids)

“Kids. For kids,” said the saleswoman in broken English.

“Yes, I know,” I replied in Korean.

“금!” she said pointing to the bear on the box. Presumably emphasizing the kids' aspect of this sunblock.

“Yes, I know,” I replied again in Korean.

“금!” she jabbed at the bear one last time before venturing to find another customer, hopefully with enough sense not to buy products designed for children.

I was looking for a portable sunblock for sensitive skin. This bear and his sunblock checked off all the boxes.