Review: Aubrey Organics EveryDay Basics Cleansing Gel for Normal/Oily Skin

3.4 oz/100 mL

AubreyOrganics.com: $8.85

http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ProductInfo/991.aspx

According to Aubrey Organics, this “refreshing daily cleanser clears away makeup, excess oils and impurities to leave skin soft, rebalanced and healthy looking”. It is a clear gel with a menthol/minty scent. Organic aloe vera “hydrates and soothes skin”, organic eucalyptus, camphor, and menthol oils “cool and tone”, and organic quinoa protein “balances oils and promotes skin health”. This product is vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients:

Aqua, decyl glucoside, glycerin, leuconostoc/ radish root ferment filtrate, citric acid, xanthan gum, chenopodium quinoa seed extract*, aloe barbadensis leaf juice*, alcohol*, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil*, eucalytpus globulus leaf oil*, cinnamomum camphora (camphor), menthol*, alcohol, citrus grandis (grapefruit) extract, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil*, salvia officinalis (sage) oil*, ascorbic acid, arctium lappa root extract, avena sativa (oat) straw extract, saponaria officinalis extract, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel extract, salvia officinalis (sage) leaf extract.
*Organic

This product literally lives up to every claim it gives. And then it goes and does more. When I use this, my skin is left clean (evidenced by the amount of dirt my toner removes afterwards compared to how much it removes when I don’t use it) and my t-zone not oily, but it doesn’t feel stripped or tight at all. It deals wonderfully with breakouts as well, whenever I am breaking out I will use this and the zits will be gone or almost gone within a few days. Immediately afterwards, they will look less red. I’m pretty sure something in the eucalyptus/camphor/menthol cocktail is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, but I am not completely sure. In any case, it works.

The product does have an amazing cooling property that makes my face feel more tight. Not in the way that skin gets when it’s dry, but in the way that puffy, tired skin feels de-puffed and awake again. My pores also look considerably smaller, redness reduced, and skin overall brightened. Speaking of redness- I use this after waxing my upper lip and this really takes down a lot of the redness and irritation. The actual skin texture is also much improved, almost like there is a a gentle chemical exfoliant in the gel. It really works wonders if you have one of those days when your face refuses to work with you, and just looks terrible. PMS face, for example. In addition to making your skin feel better, it will also instantly perk you up which is a good addition.

Though it says you can use it every day, I typically don’t. This is partially because my skin is not usually very oily or break-out prone, and partly because I’m lazy and I forget. I use this around 2-4 times a week, and I use it almost as a quick mask, leaving it on for 1-3 minutes. This usually happens in the shower after I put conditioner in my hair and before rinse my conditioner out. If I wake up and my skin looks gross, I’ll also use it quickly then, but not as a mask.

I have to say the packaging makes it easy to apply because the gel is pretty liquidey, but I think there might be some problems getting the last of the product out which is a bit annoying.

I will say, though, that the label normal/oily is accurate. Sometimes I get a combination deal where my t-zone is oily yet I’ve got random dry patches on my cheeks. Using this product doesn’t aggravate my dry patches unnecessarily, but I do definitely need a good moisturizer afterwards. So basically if this extreme combination situation sounds like you, this will still work but just make sure you’re moisturizing well. If you’re dry, I wouldn’t really recommend this.

Overall this makes my skin look amazing and is a real life-saver on those days when your skin looks dull and/or puffy. If you have normal/oily skin I would highly, highly recommend it.

Rating: A+

Review: Cattier Paris Rosee Florale Soothing Beauty Lotion

200 ml/6.76 fl oz

Douglas: € 10.95

Beautorium.com: $23 (USD)

http://www.douglas.fr/douglas/Soins-Visage-Nettoyant-Cattier-Soins-démaquillants-nettoyants-Rosée-florale_productbrand_3000052568.html

http://www.douglas.de/douglas/Pflege-Gesicht-Reinigung-Cattier-Gesichtsreinigung-Rosée-Florale_productbrand_3000052568.html

http://www.beautorium.com/natural-organic-face-care-114/toners-124/cattier-rosee-florale-soothing-beauty-lotion-513.html

Found on Cattier-Paris.com

This product is an alcohol-free liquid toner (NOT lotion, at least in the English sense) that “completes cleansing and gently awakens the radiance of the complexion”. It is “enriched with organic rose and camomile waters and organic calendula extract” and “soothes, refreshes and softens the epidermis”, using “moisturising and nourishing wheat proteins [to] tone and firm the skin”. Cattier claims it is suitable for all skin types.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Rosa Damascena Flower Water*, Glycerin, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water*, Calendula Officinalis Extract*, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool. *from certified organic sources

I originally bought this as a possible substitute to the more expensive (and also now shown to be not so cruelty free!) Caudelie Eau de Beaute. Unfortunately the mist was not fine enough nor the liquid essential oil-rich enough to be used in the same was as the beauty water, but it did prove to be an excellent toner. I have combination skin that can lean more oily or more dry, and this product can accommodate both quite well. I cannot comment on its effectiveness with either of the extremes, though. The toner is soothing but still thorough; it removes dirt and makeup residue left after cleansing and leaves the skin clean but comfortable. It also calms skin, reducing redness considerably afterI wax my upper lip. As for brightening, it does help some in this regard; my skin can tend to get rather dull and while using this I did notice some brightening.

For application, I typically spray this on a cotton pad and then wipe my face, rather than spraying it directly on my face.

The only thing I really don’t like is the price for us North Americans (on beautorium.com). $23 is kind of steep, and I don’t really like spending that much when there are other good toners for cheaper. At the European prices, though, I would not hesitate to buy it. It is really difficult to find carriers because the Cattier website has virtually no information regarding the matter, but I know that the German and French Douglas carries it online at least (I think the larger shops should carry it, in Germany at least). Beutorium.com ships to  the US and Canada.

Overall I would highly recommend this product if you can pick it up at European prices. If you are ever in France or Germany (or anywhere you can find that carries it cheap) check it out! I will also keep hunting for an alternative to the Caudelie Beauty Water for y’all 🙂

Rating: A

Review: The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Lotion (SPF 15)

50 ml

The Body Shop UK, £10

The Body Shop EU, €16

(This product did not seem to be available on the American site)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Body Shop describes this cream as a light, easily absorbed moisturizing cream with an “SPF 15 for UVA and UVB protection” that “leaves the skin soft and healthy looking”. It is formulated with Vitamin E, community fair-trade sesame seed oil, and wheatgerm oil. Suitable for all skin types.

 

Key Ingredient(s)

▪                 Vitamin E

▪                 Community Fair Trade sesame seed oil

▪                 Wheatgerm oil

Full Ingredients

Aqua (Solvent/Diluent), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (Sunscreen), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (Emulsifier), Cyclopentasiloxane (Skin-Conditioning Agent/Emollient), Octyl Salicylate (Sunscreen), Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (Sunscreen), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), Butylene Glycol (Humectant), Phenyl Trimethicone (Emollient/Hair Conditioner), Potassium Cetyl Phosphate (Surfactant/Emulsifying Agent), Cetyl Dimethicone (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Triethanolamine (pH Adjuster), Sesamum Indicum Oil (Emollient), Tocopheryl Acetate (Antioxidant), Parfum (Fragrance), Carbomer (Stabiliser/Viscosity Modifier), Behenyl Alcohol (Emollient), Cetyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), Methylparaben (Preservative), Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil (Emollient), Citronellol (Fragrance Ingredient), Tetrasodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Butylparaben (Preservative), Ethylparaben (Preservative), Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone (Fragrance Ingredient), Isobutylparaben (Preservative), Propylparaben (Preservative), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Geraniol (Fragrance Ingredient), Tocopherol (Antioxidant).

 

First of all let me say how nice it is to be able to get a hold of a day cream that has UVA protection. It is really great that I don’t have to go through all the hassle of hunting down a separate sunscreen, then after slathering it on, becoming super paranoid as to whether it will break me out or not. So kudos to you, Body Shop.

The formula is relatively light and feels very nice on the skin. It does sink in pretty quickly, but until it has done so completely, it leaves a slight greasy residue. The residue goes away pretty quickly, leaving the skin very smooth and hydrated, but that still is an iffy point for me. Despite the residue, the texture is still such that it allows for mixing with foundation to create a tinted moisturizer, which is definitely a plus.

Speaking of hydration, this cream is a very, VERY hydrating one. Before I started using it, I had a couple of dry patches on my cheeks. Afterwards? Nada. My face was nice and smooth. On the other hand, it didn’t make me break out on my forehead, where I typically get very oily. This leaves me to believe that the claim that it is suitable for all skin types is a relevant one, and that is something that my finicky combination skin greatly appreciates.

Although one of the things that makes this product good in my books is the fact that it can be substituted for sunscreen, one of the things that I do not like about it is that in some ways, it is too much like sunscreen in that it smells like it. Though sunscreen is very good and I am glad that it was invented, I am not terribly keen on the smell. And having that in a moisturizer is not really something that I enjoy. The smell wears off after a while, so it’s not so bad, but for me it is definitely a weak point in an otherwise good moisturizer.

The packaging is also pretty good in my books, as it is a squeezy tube rather than a tub. I prefer squeezy tubes because they are more hygienic as you do are not repeatedly dipping your fingers into the same product. In addition, it is better for creating DIY tinted moisturizers, as the product comes out it a specific place so the whole back of your hand isn’t covered with cream. Unfortunately, there is always the hassle of having to cut the top portion off to access the cream when the product starts to run out.

 

Overall, this is a pretty good product, especially due to its moisturizing properties and SPF (with UVA!). One of its greatest bonuses, though, is that it is so versatile in terms of skin type, so if you are someone whose skin is either really dry and really oily at the same time, or whose skin type varies drastically from one time to another, this cream should be able to keep up. The smell and slight residue do provide a slight irritation, but probably would not keep me from repurchasing the product. And hey, some people seemed to even like the smell!

 

Rating: A-