Tag: cruelty free skin care

Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: Sioris Stay With Me Day Cream

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Beauty Finds: Sioris Stay With Me Day Cream

Welcome back to another Beauty Finds! This edition Sioris Stay With Me Day Cream!

I have a few requirements when it comes to cosmetics and skin care: cruelty free, natural, clean, vegan better. I do my best to avoid the nasty ingredients such as SLSs, parabens, PEGs, silicones, etc. Petrochemicals are the sneakiest with so many derivatives and aliases. I also avoid palm oil and it’s derivatives as I prefer orangutans. Coconut oil marketed as the good oil I’m also cutting down on as it can be just a damaging crop as palm oil. If I do get products with these ingredients in I try to get organic or sustainably sourced. With make up it’s a little harder so I go for cruelty free brands. I prefer products with less plastic and thankfully more brands are aware consumers don’t want unnecessary plastic (or governments are telling them less plastic). My skin type’s oily sensitive, acne prone and now wrinkles. I know nothing stops those lines, but if I can delay them then….

I discovered Sioris in Miin Cosmetics last year. Initially I was a little skeptical. The packaging is minimal, I didn’t want a plastic packaging brand again (dream on Nat) but I wanted to try new moisturisers. Their own site is mostly in Korean so I rely on stockists for product and brand info such as Miin Cosmetics. I believe the packaging is minimal with investment in the actual lotions and potions. Previously I was using Kora Organics and Honest Beauty moisturisers but I wasn’t happy with them. Kora Organics lotions (from douglas.es) are expensive for what they are, Honest Beauty, Honest Hydrogel Cream (from douglas.es) I liked, but couldn’t find what their hyaluronic acid sources were. Honest Beauty last year dropped a vegan line which had me questioning the hyaluronic acids used as they can be animal derived.

I decided to try Sioris Stay With Me Day Cream which the girls at Miin Cosmetics recommended. My skin in a day or 2 looked so much more healthier I went back to purchase the You Look So Young Night Cream and A Calming Day ampoule. Sioris isn’t an organic brand but everything they use is natural, mostly vegan and seasonal. Yes, seasonal. They use seasonal ingredients in many of their products. This also means that sometimes products aren’t available due to selling out fast until the next batch. Their prices aren’t cheap, but they’re not too expensive being mid range price with a little going a long way. All products are nasty ingredient free save one below. The products also are fragrance free, with no artificial fragrances or perfumes added so the smell of products is subjective. Some say it smells bad, but honestly it doesn’t smell of anything. Their Forever Young Night cream does as it contains tamanu oil, but the scent dissipates quickly and I’ll take that scent over artificial heavily scented or perfume any day.

So far most Sioris products I’ve used I’ve liked. Stay With Me Day Cream is a Daily Moisture Cream formulated with Schisandra fruit to help hydrate the skin intensively without being oily. Jeju Calendula and Ceramide also help soothe and strengthen a weakened skin barrier.

The cream has a slight pink hue which varies from batch to batch as it doesn’t contain any colouratives. The only ingredient that is on the bad list is butylene glycol. It’s rated 1 on ewg safety list and it is in the first 1/4 of ingredients. I’m hoping however all the other ingredients cancel out any damage done. It’s first ingredient is citrus junos fruit or yazu fruit which renowned for it’s high vitamin C properties (I’ve just started a yazu serum: by Urang (Miin Cosmetics here. Yes, I love Miin Cosmetics!) which it packed with it and have noticed a huge improvement in skin tone). Schisandra fruit is renowned for it’s skin calming and restorative properties. I’m in! Calendula calms skin and acne. 

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Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle, Recycle Less

Beauty Finds: Ola Tropical Apothecary Hawaiian Body Products Ocean Elements Kai Toner

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Beauty Finds: Ola Tropical Apothecary Hawaiian Body Products Ocean Elements Kai Toner

Welcome back to another Beauty Finds! This edition, Ola Tropical Apothecary Hawaiian Body Products, Ocean Elements Kai Toner.

I have a few requirements when it comes to cosmetics and skin care: cruelty free, natural, clean, vegan better. I do my best to avoid the nasty ingredients such as SLSs, parabens, PEGs, silicones, etc. Petrochemicals are the sneakiest with so many derivatives and aliases. I also avoid palm oil and it’s derivatives as I prefer orangutans. Coconut oil marketed as the good oil I’m also cutting down on as it can be just a damaging crop as palm oil. If I do get products with these ingredients in I try to get organic or sustainably sourced. With make up it’s a little harder so I go for cruelty free brands. I prefer products with less plastic and thankfully more brands are aware consumers don’t want unnecessary plastic (or governments are telling them less plastic). My skin type’s oily sensitive, acne prone and now wrinkles. I know nothing stops those lines, but if I can delay them then….

Kai toner blends Distilled Water to purify the skin, Aloe Vera and Coconut Sugar to exfoliate the skin, naturally astringent Witch Hazel and an infusion of mineral-rich Hawaiian Seaweeds and Nigari to support exfoliation, purification and balancing of the skin. 

I found Kai toner in a department store in Honolulu on holiday last year in the main shopping/high street. There were so many local skincare and cosmetic brands I wanted to take them all back with me. Luggage allowance and pennies prevented me. Lets not talk about Target’s beauty department, Ulta or Sephora on the ‘mainland’ either. I’d have needed an extra suitcase just for beauty products as I’d have gone crazy if it was unlimited. We did get another suitcase each, but mine wasn’t filled entirely of beauty products!

Toners are the one product I’m not that loyal with. Creams, cleansers I’ll stick with a brand for a few bottles. Toner’s being the link between restoring ph levels after cleaning and before serums, oils and creams I switch out a lot more regularly. Maybe this because I can tell if my skin likes them more than other products. 

Aloe vera, coconut sugar, Hawaiian seaweed and formulated for oily skin had me. Even more so hibiscus flowers my favourite flower. Made in Hawaii, I’m in. Local crafted, I’m in. Sustainably crafted, locally harvested, naturally active and certified organic, I’m always in. I really like Hawaiian Body Products ethics and use of ingredients and materials. 

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Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: Freshly Cosmetics Energy C, Emerald Clay and Cherry Blossom Facial Masks

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Beauty Finds: Freshly Cosmetics Energy C, Emerald Clay and Cherry Blossom Facial Masks

Happy New Year!

Welcome to another Beauty Finds! Freshly Cosmetics Energy C, Emerald Clay and Cherry Blossom Facial Masks.

Scroll down 5 paragraphs for the reviews or stay to read on about why I like Freshly Cosmetics concept.

I have a few requirements when it comes to cosmetics and skin care: cruelty free, natural, clean, vegan better. I do my best to avoid the nasty ingredients such as SLSs, parabens, PEGs, silicones, etc. Petrochemicals are the sneakiest with so many derivatives and aliases. I also avoid palm oil and it’s derivatives as I prefer orangutans. Coconut oil marketed as the good oil I’m also cutting down on as it can be just a damaging crop as palm oil. If I do get products with these ingredients in I try to get organic or sustainably sourced. With make up it’s a little harder so I go for cruelty free brands. I prefer products with less plastic and thankfully more brands are aware consumers don’t want unnecessary plastic (or governments are telling them less plastic). My skin type’s oily sensitive, acne prone and now wrinkles. I know nothing stops those lines, but if I can delay them then…. 

Freshly Cosmetics every month usually towards the end of the month and when releasing a new product have 20-25% off everything for 2 days. It’s good time to stock up! Masks are sold as a trio for €72 or €26 each. If you wait for discount days you save. With the 3 masks there’s at least one for your skin type.

I like the concept of Freshly Cosmetics. All natural, recyclable glass pots and bottles or metal bottles. In store you can refill shampoo and conditioner bottles. Some products are carton/cardboard box free. Only plastic being the lids, pumps, seals and product labels. They used to use plastic shipping bags in addition to cardboard shipping boxes however this year they started shipping just the boxes only. Filling packaging is shredded unbleached paper. While they try to eliminate all unnecessary plastic, you do get plastic stickers which you can’t opt out of. They’re usually cool stickers however for me they’re just waste if each order you receive them. After trying several of their products most don’t work for me apart from the Healthy Protection Facial Sunscreen which is my go to face sunscreen, one mask and their toothbrushes. I can’t put my finger on why they don’t work, they just don’t. I feel I can get better products for around the same price that work. Out of all the masks there was only one I like and repeat buy. 

One thing aside from the glass jars I do like about the masks are that they’re quick working for busy people masks. Five minutes is the recommended time before removing with warm water. That’s about the time to apply, quick body brush, comb hair before showering to make sure it’s tangle free post shampoo, turn the shower on, wait for hot water to come through before jumping in. 

As for the ingredient list, refer online. I have good eyesight close up, but man, the print’s so small on some they’re crazy to read as the colour bounces with the background colour like on the Energy C mask.

Energy C Facial Mask

This antioxidant facial mask provides an extraordinary luminosity to the skin, thanks to the combination of 9 natural clinical active ingredients that target dull skin, wrinkles and blemish, while also providing firmness. Among its ingredients, we find the kakadu plum, an active that counts on the highest concentration of natural vitamin C, and an innovative natural technology of chicory oligosaccharides that provides a natural lifting effect. Thanks to its natural amino acid content, the Energy C also repairs and fills wrinkles by 17%, and protects the skin from harmful blue light with the B-carotene active. This magnificent fruit cocktail is perfect to achieve smooth, luminous and revitalised skin up to 20 applications. Forget dull skin! The Energy C Facial Mask is the energy injection your skin needs.

I now have issues with ‘glow’ masks. They do give a glow. Nearly all I’ve tired afterwards my skin is on full shine. Shine. I have oily skin so now I avoid them. They also again nearly all make my skin feel weird. It’s hard to explain like my skin is dehydrated but not and agitated on attention and full on oil slick. This one was no exception. I think it’s the kakadu plum as most contain it. Wrinkles lifted? My skin did look smoother but I couldn’t deal with the shine. If you have dry skin and want a glow for the day try it. If you have oily skin, skip it. Let your oil work for you. I did like the texture: custard like gel. It’s smell is nice too. Sadly it didn’t work for me. Would I repurchase? No.

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Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle, Recycle Less

Beauty Finds: Bar Body Soaps

by natjtan2 Comments on Beauty Finds: Bar Body Soaps

Welcome to another Beauty Finds! This edition is soap. More specifically body soap. One of the first things I switched out when I started wanting to use less plastic was shower gel. Its alternative being soap. An old fashioned bar of soap which I think now is having a huge comeback as people leave plastic bottles behind.

And not just any soap! Firstly it has to be cruelty free, plastic packaging free, palm oil and it’s derivatives free and petrochemical and it’s derivatives free along with being free of a host of other nasty ingredients. With most of my beauty products I try to think about the environment after products have been washed or flushed down the drain. Just like all my other beauty products, in addition to being cruelty free, palm oil and petrochemical and their derives free (I might allow 4th or 5th generation petrochemical) I do my best to avoid parabens, phthalates, SLS, PEGS and a load of other nasty ingredients. I choose to avoid palm oil as I prefer orangutans. Its alias like petroleum can be tricky. I try if possible not to go coconut oil as it’s crops can be just as bad as palm oil crops. If I can I prefer to use sustainable palm and coconut oil. With skincare it’s bit more tricky so I go for cruelty free and try to avoid some nasty ingredients. My skin type is oily, sensitive, acne and now those wrinkles! Body skin type dry. 

Outlaw Soaps Home On the Range Soap 

I was sad when I finished using this as I know I won’t be able to get it again. It was a USA find earlier this year on holiday from Wholefoods. Blackberry scented but not if you get me. It’s a little more musky than I go for but I liked it nonetheless. It didn’t irritate my skin, it left my skin hydrated, I liked it’s creamy texture and it didn’t leave scum marks in the shower that are a bugger to clean off. It’s scent so strong that between uses it lingered in and around the bathroom. Even the packaging I saved to write it up still has its scent. As for the packaging, I like it for what it is. Undyed cardboard to fit its rustic feel. The only cons I have are: the colourings as it what they are, is it vegetable colouring, is it natural, is it environmental friendly and the fragrance oil: what is it in case of reactions. Would I repurchase? Yes if I could get it in Europe. 

The soap swirls are cool! Mona Lisa here
Dog or cat here.
The surprises inside the packaging added to the soap! The horse reminds me of ballon horses!

Sappo Hill Almond Soap

Another USA find I was sad to finish. I found this in a weird organic, super health food shop in Oahu. An expensive health food shop. But it is on an island with prices higher due to import. There’s nothing fancy about Sappo Hill’s packaging. Only plastic the price sticker. It comes in a display box which you select from. It was also the cheapest cruelty free soap I found in the USA and for now in Europe that’s plastic packaging free.

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Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: Frank Body, Blossom Jeju and Olivarriel, Controlling Cystic Acne and is Hyaluronic Acid Vegan?

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Beauty Finds: Frank Body, Blossom Jeju and Olivarriel, Controlling Cystic Acne and is Hyaluronic Acid Vegan?

Welcome back to another Beauty Finds! This edition I tried and tested, Frank Body Creamy Face Scrub and Anti-Make Up Cleansing Oil, Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming Vitamin Radiance Booster and Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming Essence Facial Oil and Olivarriel Skin Barrier Emollient Cleansing Bar. 

As always I look for cruelty free, vegan if possible, natural, clean ingredients. I eat honey so depending on the product and if I think the honey source is good I use some products with honey in. Another other animal derived ingredient is out and that now includes hyualauric acid (see Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming Vitamin Radiance Booster review). I do my best to avoid palm oil as I prefer orangutans, petrochemicals and their aliases (3rd or 4th gerneration derivates maybe), parabens, phtalates, SLS, silicones and other nasty ingredients. With skincare it’s a lot easier. With make up I go for cruelty free products. My skin type is oily, sensitive, acne and now anti aging. 

Frank Body Creamy Face Scrub Now Original Face Scrub*

For babes that have one minute to get their glow on, I’m the guy for the job. I’m a targeted exfoliator that cleans pores, buffs away dry skin, and keeps skin clear thanks to my blend of coffee, bamboo, and walnut. Your skin will look glowing and even from the moment you rinse me off. For best results use me 2-3 times a week after cleansing. Acne and blemishes don’t stand a chance.

The ingredient list on this scrub I like. No nasties and all natural. It’s not vegan as it contains honey, but I eat honey (from good sources) so sometimes depending on the brand I’ll buy products with it in. My skin felt smooth afterwards but it wasn’t a scrub I reached for often. This could be because I prefer Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening and Exfoliating Mask. It’s quite liquidly and the walnut granules take some time to rinse off. I found it better to rinse off in the shower with a face cloth than just the sink and face cloth. If I’m honest as I use Frank Body body scrubs if I haven’t used the Kora Organics exfoliating mask before showering I’ll the use the body scrub on my face as I feel I get better results. Would I buy again. No. I’d prefer to just use sugar in my face cleanser or Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening and Exfoliating Mask.

Frank Body Anti-Make Up Cleansing Oil*

I’m a natural cleansing oil that takes your second face off. My combination of coffee, grapeseed oil and vitamin E dissolve dirt, helps acne, makeup and all your attempts at winged-eyeliner. It’s a wipe-free makeup remover that starts oily then evolves into a creamy, milky liquid when mixed with water. Leaves your skin clear, bright and panda-eye free.

Again I liked the ingredient list as it’s all natural however I felt it just didn’t remove make up especially eye make well or leave my skin feeling cleansed even with a foam cleanser afterwards. I also didn’t like the packaging. Way too much plastic used. Would I repurchase? No.

* The only Frank Body products I use now are their body scrubs. I stopped drinking coffee a few years ago switching to hot lemon in the mornings and more green tea. After a month I noticed a huge change in my acne or rather cystic acne. I was however still using until last year Frank Body Caffeinated Face Moisturiser which has coffee in. When I stopped using it while I had still had at that time of the month mild cystic acne, I noticed after switching to products not containing any coffee my acne improved especially that time of the month cystic acne. I know cystic acne is also hormone related, but since I’ve stopped using coffee products on my face I rarely get any now, only when a little stressed.

Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming Vitamin Radiance Booster

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