Review – Hey Honey Walk the Walk Propolis Foot Cream

I was very excited to see this in my December Bitchbox.  I suffer from dry skin and especially dry feet.  I’m constantly trying to moisturize them and add some softness.  So Hey Honey Walk the Walk was a nice surprise.

This retails for $23.00 USD for 5 Oz.  The sample which was under an ounce, lasted me for over a month.  I used this almost every night before bed.

What the manufacturer says:

WHAT IS IT:
A highly effective foot balm that softens, protects, and refresh your feet while repairing your dry, cracked heels.

WHY USE IT:
Propolis extract purifies and nourishes while naturally antiseptic sage and basil essential oils eliminate bacteria. Vitamin E promotes a supple, renewed texture as chamomile and Aloe Vera extracts soothe inflammation and discomfort. Take care of the feet that carry you around so you are ready for whatever the day brings! Bonus: It’s an excuse for a great foot massage!

WHO IS IT FOR:
Anyone with feet in need of TLC.

HOW TO USE:
Apply balm to clean feet and massage until absorbed.

What Fairy Godmother says:

The first thing I noticed about this was the scent.  It smells like herbal. Sort of minty, sort of menthol.  It smells natural, I liked it

When you apply it, it feels cool on your skin.  This feels so nice before going to bed, it cools down your tired feet and relaxes you.

It’s not greasy and quickly absorbs into the skin.

In the morning, you wake up with noticeably softer feet.

Any downside?  No, this does what it says.

Would I purchase?

Yes.  This is a nice foot treatment to keep around when your feet need a little extra attention.

What I’m testing now – Simple eye make-up remover pads

I heard some good things about the Simple Eye Make-Up Remover.  I have been trying to get my hands on the liquid version, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere in my area.   Since I ran out of Klorane, which I adored, I decided to pick up the wipes instead.

These ran me around $6.00 for 30 pads.

I’ve used these a couple of times, and I’m still working on a full review of these babies.

Have you ladies used these?  Thoughts?

~Thanks for reading!

Anna

Review – Simple Micellar Cleansing Water

I have been using the Simple Micellar Cleansing Water every day for a number of weeks now, and I am ready to do a full review.

I bought this at Walgreens for just under $8.00.

What they claim:

Smile, It’s Simple

Helps Cleanse, Remove Makeup & Hydrate

Kind to Skin

No Harsh Chemicals, Artificial Perfume or Dyes That Can Upset Your Skin

Simple® Micellar Cleanser Water is our most advanced yet gentle cleanse to date.  It is made with skin-loving ingredients, including Vitamin B3 and C, and Triple Purified Water, our purest possible water, to help remove contaminants known to irritate skin.  Our beauty benefits include:

Promoting a thorough cleanse:  Helping to remove make-up, dirt, impurities & unclog pores.

Helping to instantly hydrate skin:  Made with Triple Purified Water, skin loving ingredients & multi-vitamins, promotes an instant boost of skin hydration by 90%!

No residue:  Applied with a cotton round, Simple® Micellar Cleanser Water helps leave skin feeling fresh & revitalized, no rinsing required!

My thoughts:

At first, I was sort of weirded out that you use a cotton ball or pad to wipe your face clean.  To me, it seemed like a toner instead of  cleanser.  But I followed instructions, and did as I was told.

So?  OMG, I loved it.  My face felt so clean!  It didn’t sting.  It didn’t have any weird lingering scent.  It wasn’t sticky.  It just felt clean.

After a few weeks of use – my pores are smaller and visibly look cleaner.  I don’t have blackheads on my nose.  My skin looks good, and it’s been a pretty stressful few weeks for me.  But my skin looks GOOD!!!

A little of this goes a long way.  I barely used any of it from the bottle.  But I swear, I cleanse my skin daily!

This was the first micellar water cleanser I have tried.  I would like to try others, but this was is so good, WHY?  Right?

Have you guys tried Simple or other micellar water?

Thanks for reading!

~Anna

Review – Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser was a Birchbox winner.  I like Kieh’s products, but I don’t love them and I don’t go out of my way to purchase much from the brand.  This may change that.

I was happy with how  generous this sample was.  A full 1 fl oz!  It took a while to use it all up, so that I felt like I got a good amount of time with the product. This retails for about $20.00 for 5 fl oz.

From the Kiehl’s website:

A quick–lathering, refreshing facial cleanser

• Thoroughly removes impurities and visibly reduces excess oil on skin’s surface, while leaving skin looking more balanced
• Leaves skin clean and refreshed without over–drying
• Contains Imperata Cylindrica Root and Lemon Fruit Extracts
• Oil–free, paraben–free, fragrance–free, colorant–free
• Gentle enough for sensitive skin

My thoughts:

This product was just as it it is described.

My skin felt really clean and never felt too dry.  It did a very good job with removing all the make-up and gunk off my face

It felt really nice on my skin; it had a sort of pearly texture.  Then it foams up somewhat when you are distributing it on your skin.

My skin is normal during the summer, and I think this would work well with people who have oily or dry skin.  My skin does get easily over-dried, and this didn’t cause any of that dry nonsense.

Would I purchase?

Yes I would.

Have you tried Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser?

Thanks for reading!

~Anna

New Purchases – Soap and Glory and Simple Micellar Water

A local Walgreens drugstore (thanks Park Ridge, Illinois!!!) has an entire display of Soap and Glory brand.  I was super excited to see this.  Of course, I wanted to buy everything.  However, reason prevailed and I bought one item.

It cost me around $5.00.  With winter coming, I am happy to have this in my beauty collection.

My second purchase was from the brand Simple.

I’ve been wanting to try micellar cleansing water for while, and then this appeared right in front of me.  So of course, I had to buy it.  I heard good things about this brand from other beauty bloggers, so I’m confident I will like this.  It’s marketed as a natural brand, and I like that.  I think I paid less than $10.00 for this bottle.

I can’t wait to do full reviews on these two!

Thanks for reading!

Anna

LeeAnni Eco 3-in-1 Revolution Light time saver or not?

Multi-tasking is a huge trend right now. Our phones are doing it and beauty products are starting to do it too. We’ve seen this trend emerge with the introduction of BB and CC creams.  The next thing?  A multi-functional moisturizer.

 LeeAnni Eco 3-in-1 Revolution Light was in my September Ipsy.

From the manufacturer:

“LIGHTER version of 3 in 1 Revolution.  Great for normal to oily skin and during warmer weather. 

Toner, Serum, and Moisturizer in One. This Revolutionary Lotion will save your time during busy morning rush and moisturize your face all day long!   

Skin type: Oily skin

Properties of ingredients: Help tighten Skin, reduce breakouts, relieve dark circles under Eyes, moisturize, fight Aging, treat sun damages, and calm irritated skin.

Gluten-Free *  Natural  * Vegan”

Sounds great, right?

My thoughts

At first glance, I hate this packaging.  I think they were intending to look natural and simple.  In my opinion, I think it just looks budget.

And this stuff isn’t exactly priced at “budget”,  a 2 fl oz bottle will cost you $17.48.

But, you don’t judge a book by its cover!  On to the actual product.  Did I like it more than the packaging?

Well, not really.  The constancy is sort of weird;  it just globs on.  I don’t think it feels good during application, and I’m not wild about the scent.

I don’t think it moisturized very well and I think it caused a few blemishes.

We are in December, and I’m not even remotely finished with this sample.  That’s how little I like it, and how often I reach for other products.

Also, I think it sort of “pills” under foundations/BB creams and etc.

Would I buy this? 

No.  I think there are better 3 in 1 products on the market.

Have you tried  LeeAnni Eco 3-in-1 Revolution Light?  Do you like it?

~Anna

 

 

Review – Josie Maran 100 percent Pure Argan Oil Light and Regular Strength

Argan Oil continues to be a very popular beauty ingredient.  We are seeing it used in hair care and skin care products.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with it, it is an oil made from the nuts of a Argan tree.  The Argan tree is only found in Morocco, which is the reason for its high price.  This is also why most Argan oil products aren’t cheap.

(Argan Tree)

I used Argan oil years ago, and it gave me an allergic reaction.  I’m allergic to some tree nuts (hazelnuts, but you taste soooo goooooood), and Argan oil dried out my skin.  It was bad enough that I spent over $40.00 on a bottle and used it as a hair oil treatment.

However, I never stop in the name of science and beauty.

A friend of mine gave me two sample of the Josie Maran Argan Oil.  One of those packets is a Light version, the other is a regular version of the oil.  Both of these vary in price from $16 to $96 USD depending on size.

If you are new to Argan, this stuff lasts a while.  I used to get a 3 oz bottle and it lasted me a year.  Don’t be afraid to buy the smaller size for $16.  You will get a good amount of uses out of this.

Back to the review –

The Light formula is supposed to absorb quicker and be less oily.

Here is what Sephora says about the Regular version:

What it is:
A lightweight oil that can be used as a daily moisturizer or treatment for skin, hair, and nails.

What it does:
This 100% Pure Argan Oil is a legendary oil that’s rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, and grown organically in Morocco. With its multitasking benefits, Argan Oil can be used for many areas including hydrating and nourishing skin, as a daily moisturizer, skin treatment, treating spilt ends, and softening cuticles. It’s gentle enough to use on all skin types and is believed to help with skin conditions including acne. Argan Oil easily absorbs into skin to give you a youthful, dewy glow, and has astonishing healing, conditioning, and antiaging properties to keep your skin and hair nourished and revitalized and to keep you looking beautiful from head to toe.

And here is the Light version:

What it is:
An ultralightweight, quick-absorbing version of Josie’s cult-favorite 100% Pure Argan Oil.

What it is formulated to do:
A featherweight version of the world champion of oils, 100% Pure Argan Oil Light moisturizes deeply and absorbs quickly, leaving a semi-matte finish. Produced by Moroccan women’s co-ops, this top-grade Argan Oil is extracted from the nut of the argan tree, then first-cold-pressed to protect its healthy, hydrating properties. Wear it under makeup or instead of makeup, and fear not if your skin is oily. This must-have oil actually reduces sebum production, so it is ideal for all skin types, especially breakout-prone and sensitive.

My thoughts:

It didn’t dry me out!

In fact, after one use my dry patches disappeared.  This made me very happy.

I don’t see a huge difference in the two formulas.  This may be due to my skin being very dry in the winter, so everything just sort of sucks right in.  If you are more oily, you may want to get the Light formula just to be safe.

The oil has a pleasant scent.

It quickly absorbs into the skin.

It feels good under CC and BB cream.

It feels good under the eyes.

It didn’t break my out

It moisturized my dry skin, but it wasn’t heavy on my oily forehead.

Would I purchase full size?

Yes, but the smallest size.  I know my skin well, and won’t need this in the summer months.

Have you tried Josie Maran 100 percent Pure Argan oil?  Do you like it?  Do you have another favorite brand?

~A

What I am loving – Coconut Oil

I’ve been resistant to jump on the coconut oil band wagon because last time I tried a  natural approach to my hair, this happened. It was a mild nightmare.

However, soooooo many beautiful ladies were talking about this and a co-worker brought me a sample a couple of months ago.  I liked it.  Eventually, I bought my own.

I bought this Spectrum Organic Coconut Oil from a grocery store for around $10.00. You can also get it on Amazon here.  Since then I have been using it daily as a body lotion.

It works very well on my dry skin. My legs actually feel silky smooth at bedtime!  That’s more than 16 hours of moisture.

I use it once a week or so on my hair.  Sometimes I apply it at night and leave it on while I sleep.  Sometimes I apply it for 30 minutes to an hour and wrap my head in plastic.  #twinpeaksreference

The only complaint I have is that it doesn’t moisturize my hands!  Sup with that???  After I apply it post shower, I have to apply a second hand lotion to my hands.  That seems stupid.

It’s in a solid form in the jar, white in color, very lightly scented of sweetness.  I wouldn’t call this a coconut scent.  The scent disappears when applied.  It turns to liquid pretty much on contact with skin.  It applies really easily.

Are you a fan of coconut oil?  What brand?

~Anna

Review – All Natural Deodorant by NorthCoast Organics

Winter is a great time to switch to an all natural deodorant. I know this can seem scary (and stinky) but regular deodorants/antiperspirants have not so healthy ingredients in them. There are products out there that actually work at de-stinky you, it’s just a matter of finding one that works with your body’s chemistry. It’s also good to have a close enough friend who will tell you if you stink.

I personally use Death By Lavender from NorthCoast Organics. Look how cute this is!

The skull is totally why I tried it, not gonna lie.  “An elite assassin of odor you can trust.”

Their line of deodorants include three scents: Revolver [Cedarwood, Cypress and Clary Sage], Naked [unscented] and Death By Lavender [lavender, duh]. All three scents are totally unisex, although Revolver seems to be the most masculine.

Does it work? Will i smell?

First things first, I think it smells amazing! I am super biased though because I love lavender scented things. Revolver also smells great, very natural and kind of woodsy.

The deodorant lasts me all day and keeps me smelling fresh. I will admit, I don’t use it on the weekends if I know i’m going to be at a hot club or dancing around, I am just not that brave. Those nights I use regular, nasty ole Secret.

Remember, this is an deodorant not an antiperspirant so you will sweat a little. Although, since baking soda and corn starch are the main ingredients, it does absorb a good amount of the pit moisture. I even wear it working out and don’t find my pits to sloppy.

As I said before, everyone is different.

The one main draw back to this product is that it doesn’t glide on as softly as regular deodorants and I have heard complaints about it causing some irritation for some people as a result of that.

Where can I buy it?

I found it at Whole Foods. They also sell travel sized so you can try it out, or keep one in your purse or gym bag.

You can also find it online directly from the Chicago-based company: CLICK HERE

You can also click here to see the list of other retailers in your area.