natjtan Beauty Finds is back!
These are a few finds from way back in November and December last year. Some products you know what will work or not work straight away, others takes a few weeks. As our skin renews itself every month I like to give most products a chance to see if they work.
I have a few requirements with beauty finds. No animal testing and no animal ingredients apart from honey as I’m a bad vegan and eat it. Bee venom, royal jelly, snails slime, shark squalane, lanolin, no. No crap ingredients like SLS, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil aka petroleum that I know of. I try to avoid 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation petroleum derived ingredients. No palm oil as I prefer orangutans and tigers more. I prefer products containing natural ingredients which with makeup can be tricky so I go with what I can get with makeup. My love of Korean products is still going strong! My skin’s combination oily, more on the oily side.
Nacomi Body Mousse Delicious Chocolate Cookies
This a Druni Pharmacia find. I was out of my usual Alba Botanica Hawaiian Cocoa Butter Lotion and thought this would be a good substitute until my usual lotion arrive. It was the only cruelty free body moisturiser with cocoa butter I could find. It’s actually even cleaner with fewer ingredients than Alba Botanica’s and smells delicious!
Unfortunately it’s too greasy for an everyday body moisturiser. It’s mousse like consistency melts in palms but takes forever to work into my skin and absorb. Definitely not for when you’re in a rush. Once absorbed my skin felt great however it made my clothes and hair greasy. I wash my hair daily and later in on in the day, I noticed the ends were looking extremely oiled up lanky dry looking. Like when you’ve put too much oil or serum on the ends. I realised after a few days it was the mousse. It’s been relegated to an over night foot and hand lotion and works a treat! While I recommend it as an overnight hand cream, a day one, no on the account of it’s greasiness. Will I buy it again? Yes, for my hands and feet. I’ve had a lot less dry skin patches since using it as a foot lotion. TMI?!
Dr Organic Organic Hemp Oil Intensive Eye Serum
As the laugher lines are more than showing themselves, I need a more intensive eye cream. Finding one that hydrates throughout the day, seems to improve appearance of lines that doesn’t cost a fortune or contain nasty ingredients or animal products is hard. Or for me it is. This is another Druni find and one of the few British products I’m currently using. I know nothing will stop ageing, but I can give it a run for its money.
I noticed an improvement in the appearance of lines for the first few months. For under eye bags, sleep and de puffing eye massages, keeping hydrated will help more. Since I’ve been using this I don’t get many eye cream recommendations in Sephora. It’s packed with essential fatty acids, Omega 3, 6 and 9 which are amazing skin rejuvenators helping boost dermal stem cells firmness and skin elasticity and help epidermal stem cells regenerate in the epidermal layer. However maybe I’ve lost a little too much weight from my face, not getting enough sleep or maybe my skin’s used to it, I don’t find it to be working as well or read more lines. I think the is more the 1st 2. During the day it blurs lines and keeps the under eye hydrated. At night I use my own mix of oils as a eye oil/serum. As a inexpensive eye cream, €9.99 for 15ml I recommend giving it a try!
I’m From Magnolia Wake Essence 
This gets rave reviews on Wishtrend however I should have taken advice of reviews saying this is more suited to dry skin, but you know. My skin sometimes looks a little lacklustre in the mornings as needs help! Begin a wake up, skin brightening, get that glow essence used as part of my morning routine I found it did nothing. If anything I didn’t way I it felt on. A little too chemically for me and drying. I’m From is a mid range Korean brand and for what it is I think it’s over priced. The one thing I do like about it is it’s fragrance, it reminds me of my Grandma. She always used to have Marks and Spencers Magnolia range throughout her house in soaps, air fresheners. Plus it’s a beautiful flower to have around!
I first came across maracuja oil or passionflower oil on Tarte. I needed to add €10 to get free shipping (it would have been more in shipping if I didn’t. I don’t always add extra items for free shipping if there’s nothing else I want) and added their travel sized maracuja oil. Short story, I would have preferred one with just pure maracuja oil and found Russell Organics on iherb. It’s properties: it’s a great emollient aka moisturiser, it’s pack with antioxidants, vitamin C and fatty acids (it contians high doses of linolenic acid or vitamin F), can help acne prone skin, help treat sun damaged skin and boost collagen production thanks to those fatty acids. It can be used on it’s own for skin, cuticles, hair or mixed in with foundation for a glow. I use it as part for my night routine in-between my all in one toner essence and serum and my skin loves it! Almost like my skin’s waiting for it. Though I’ve been saying wrinkles are coming through, since I’ve been using it I’ve noticed improved texture with those lines looking smoother, yes, you forehead lines. If oils can be dry, this is a dry, very faint fragrance oil with an almost translucent golden colour. It’s expensive €26 for 60ml and it’s worth every penny! It fast became a night routine staple as I’m on my 2nd or 3rd bottle already!
Dear Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner
This is another product that gets rave reviews so I was excited to try this vegan toner only to be disappointed after about 2-3 weeks. It did nothing for my skin. Dear Klairs is brand I find hit or miss. Some products are so so, others not so great and others great like their Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil. There’s not much I can say, my skin didn’t feel any different for using it, or look any better for using it. In fact it left my skin feeling a little dry and I must be one of the few people who didn’t find it life changing or added permanently to their routine.
Natural Pacific Fresh Herb Origin Serum
This know as the damm serum. Why? It makes your skin tingle so damm! I know, marketing. But does it make your skin tingle? The idea is that the tingle is damaged oxidezed skin being repaired. Removed blackheads or out all day in pollution? You’ll feel this after cleansing and toning. Honesty, the tingle’s not much and after a while your skin gets used to. This is also one of the few products I’ve gone back on my word about palm oil. My excuses, this is one of the few serums that’s high in natural anti oxidant oils and ingredients, that doesn’t contain crap ingredients or cost a fortune. As far as I know it’s cruelty free with the last ingredient adenosine being okay (it was a minefield finding out). It’s marketed as a anti wrinkle, pore control, bouncing, brightening, smoothing, balancing as skin trouble solver serum. So does it?
Used with the maracuja oil at night and as my only day serum, I’ve noticed an improvement in overall skin tone. The wrinkles are coming, but they soft. Edges of my acne scars are smoother. Pore control, I can’t say I’ve seen an improvement, but they haven’t got bigger with the exception of my nose where there has been some improvement. Bouncing? I think this refers to youthfulness. Yes texture’s improved! Brightening, well, my skin’s oily so sometimes I’m is this oil or that glow later on in the day. Smoothing, yes, better texture and my skin feel hydrated. Balancing erm, it hasn’t irritated my skin. I’m on my 3rd bottle so I like it. It’s fragrance at times smells a bit like Dettol, but it’s very mild. As the oils separate you have to give it a little shake and it’s formulated not to run in palms which saves a lot of wasted product if you dab it on before patting. Prices vary depending on which site you order from, from €14 to €26 so shop around!
What are a few of your recent beauty finds? Have you tried any of the above? What’s your favourite cruelty free serum? Please share in the comments!
