I’ve always heard that unrefined coconut oil is the way to go when it comes to cooking, and this makes plenty of sense.  Apparently the polyphenols in coconut oil, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, are damaged during the refining process. I’ve also read that the proteins/minerals are significantly diminished after being refined.

 But because it was the cheaper option at the health food store, I’ve been moisturizing my body with organic refined coconut oil for the past couple of weeks. Common sense tells me that since my skin is  my largest organ, I might be better off opting for unrefined coconut oil when it comes to moisturizing, but frugality tells me to get over it. After all, it is still organic, expeller pressed, and processed under the same guidelines as any USDA organic product. Like I said, I’ve found plenty of information that would be helpful if I were cooking with it (one & two)…but not so much related to putting it on my body.

Any helpful input is encouraged. : )

Image Source

Leave it to me to be the last person on earth to try something useful, but are you guys familiar with dry skin brushing? Danielle mentioned incorporating it into her daily routine a couple of months or so ago, and (as with most awesome things she tries) I simply told her to let me know how she liked it.

I had all but forgotten about dry skin brushing until I saw a recent morning routine on No More Dirty Looks that mentioned it, and soon after that I stumbled upon an article about it. What did I learn? Apparently it’s a great way to improve circulation, brighten one’s complexion, and even detoxify the body. Whether or not these claims are founded,  I am beginning to think that maybe I should take a brush to this neglected skin of mine. What’s the worst that could happen (aside from wasting $40 on a fancy skin brush)?

Are you a fan of dry skin brushing? If not, then maybe you could save a girl some dollars by being honest.

Image Source

Remember my mention of the Olivella Nourishment Cream sample I received? Well, today I’ll be reviewing it!

Ingredients (provided on product packaging)- water, olive fruit oil,glycerin,cetearyl olivate,shea butter, hydrogenated olive oil,sorbitan olivate,olive oil, sweet almond oil, rose seed oil,sunflower seed oil, corn oil,chamomile extract,carrot root extract,hypericum perforatum extract,glyceryl linoleate,glyceryl caprylate,sodium dehydroacetate, ascorbyl palmitate,lecithin,tocopherol,xanthan gum,citric acid.

The preliminary report I created for this product in the Cosmetics Database gives it a hazard score of 5. Fragrance is the only ingredient with a hazard score above a 3 (ingredients with large data gaps aside). I’ve emailed the company to see if the fragrances they use are phthalate-free. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, and I’ll let you guys know as soon as I do.

Some great things about this product:

1. It’s free of parabens, phenoxyethanol, and gluten.

2. It’s cruelty-free.

Product Description(provided at olivellausa.com)- “Olivella Nourishment Cream is a natural night and day face cream, rich yet light and extremely
absorbable, non-greasy, leaves skin perfectly nourished, granting an immediate pleasant feeling and an extraordinary vitality and softness. Great cream for dry skins, protects skins from external agents and prevents aging. Uses an exclusive natural Nourish-compensator which exercises a fundamental role in maintaining and/or restoring the surface lipidic barrier.”

Price-$18.99 for a 1.69 fl oz container.

Performance- Since it’s pretty rich, I’ve been using this product strictly underneath my eyes. It’s perfect for this area, and it consistently leaves the skin feeling soft and moisturized. And even though it’s rich/thick, it has a nice and surprisingly lightweight feel after it’s applied. It wears well under concealer, which is a definite plus.

Scent- Rich, floral, and almost a little masculine. I like it, but it might be a bit overwhelming if I were applying the product to a larger area.

Rating- Assuming the fragrance is phthalate-free, this product deserves a 9/10 (subtracting half a point for the heavy scent and another for the price). I will edit this rating if I hear otherwise regarding the fragrance.

Yeah yeah yeah, I get it. Vaseline is a miracle worker. The uses are endless. I’ve heard it all before, and I even moisturized with it once or twice before I knew any better. Unfortunately, as versatile as that little guy may be, it’s petroleum jelly…meaning it’s a petrochemical. That’s a big deal breaker for me (regardless of the differing opinions on the matter), and it isn’t doing any favors for the environment either. Why on earth would we want to coat our skin in something that has to be heavily and carefully refined to be even moderately safe?

So now that I’ve made perfectly clear my distaste for petroleum jelly, let me tell you guys about its safer, fancier, and all around more awesome competition: Waxelene.

Ingredients (provided at waxelene.com- ”organic soy oil, beeswax, natural vitamin e oil, organic rosemary oil.”

The preliminary report I created for this product in the Cosmetics Database gives it a low, low hazard score of 0. There are no individual ingredients with hazard scores above 2.

Here’s what the Waxelene website has to say about each of its carefully chosen ingredients:

“Organic Soybean Oil- Non-hydrogenated, non-GMO, and of the absolute highest quality, our certified-organic soy oil is full of anti-oxidants, soy isoflavones, and unsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acids are extremely important in maintaining and restoring the health and the balance of the skin. Anti-oxidants such as Vitamin E and Vitamin B complex are fantastic for helping to keep the skin naturally beautiful and to prevent the development of wrinkles. Soy isoflavones such as Genisten help to increase the firmness, elasticity, and suppleness of skin.

100% Natural Beeswax-Our natural beeswax locks in moisture, which protects, softens and regenerates skin. Beeswax also provides superior and lasting chafe/friction prevention for sports such as running and surfing as well as restrictive clothing/diapers, etc. We use only unbleached raw beeswax so it retains all of its beneficial natural qualities. It is naturally anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant. According to the Food and Agriculture Association (FAO), “even small quantities show effects of improvement…”. The Mayo clinic recommends balms made from beeswax for prevention and care of chapped lips. It has been used in skin balms for centuries because it works beautifully.

Organic Rosemary Oil- A touch of Certified Organic, non-GMO Rosemary Oil rejuvenates skin by providing natural anti-oxidant properties and improves blood circulation. It also works as a natural preservative and anti-bacterial for Waxelene without having to use synthetic preservatives like parabens.

100% Natural Vitamin E Oil- Distilled from non-GMO soybeans, our natural unrefined Vitamin E oil (also known as mixed tocopherols) is wonderful for the skin. We don’t use synthetic Vitamin E such as Tocopherol Acetate. Its renowned anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help to protect and regenerate skin cells.”

Some great things about this product:

1. It’s free of parabens, petrochemicals, GMOs; you name it!

2. It contains organic ingredients.

3. It’s cruelty-free.

4. The glass jar will fit right in with my growing collection.

5. It’s eco-friendly and biodegradable (see above: reduce, reuse, recycle)!

Product Description(provided at waxelene.com)-

“USE WAXELENE FOR:

• Anything you would use petroleum jelly for and more!
• Skin moisturizing, protection, and lubrication - lips, feet – anywhere!
• Protection from chafing, friction, and wind burn - jogging, biking, volleyball, etc.
• Make-up & removal - add extra gloss to lips/face or remove make-up the healthy way.
• Soothing chapped, dry skin (Eczema & Psoriasis)
• Reducing diaper irritation - babies love Waxelene!
• Aftershave for face/legs etc.
• Wetsuit rash prevention - won’t deteriorate wetsuit and no petroleum in the water!
• Hair - thick texture aids in styling while moisturizing and nourishing
• After Sun
• Hands - relieving drying effects from repeated hand washings or doing dishes
• Tons of other creative household and cosmetic uses”

Price- $6.99 for a 2 oz. jar or $15.99 for a 9 oz. jar (not too shabby, considering the endless uses listed above and below)

Performance- I probably couldn’t say enough positive things about Waxelene if I tried, but I’ll go ahead and give it a shot. I’ve managed to find a new and helpful use for it each day since I received it, and my skin has truly improved in each area it has been applied.

In addition to the many uses listed above, I’ve found this product particularly useful in the following areas:

• Lips-I’m particularly partial to a generous application before bed and a light coat underneath my W311 People Universalist Multi-Use Stick (mixing the two results in a pretty, natural tint that I’ve yet to achieve otherwise).
• Eyebrows- These furry monsters, especially the left one, can get a little out of control every now and again. A swipe of Waxelene on each one before heading out the door and they’re tame, dark, and decidedly fierce.
• Elbows and knees-The four most neglected areas of my body appreciate it the most.
• Inner Thighs, Breasts, Hips- Nothing is a complete miracle worker for puberty’s few remaining stretch marks, but this stuff (with its regenerative beeswax and vitamin E) certainly can’t hurt!

Scent- It has the faint, pleasant scent of rosemary. Think slightly sweet and a little green.

Rating- I wouldn’t dream of giving this product anything lower than a 10.

A few nights ago, and for no good reason, my skin was looking a little splotchy and a lot dull. I wanted to make a mask that I hadn’t tried before, and I recalled reading a few articles about basil’s ability to combat blemishes. I knew that I also needed a gentle exfoliant , so I got out the old fashioned oatmeal as well. I threw together the following mask, and I was pretty happy with the soft, glowing skin that resulted:

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1/4 cup oatmeal

Image Source

Remember my recent post about giving rosewater and glycerin a try? Well, I pretty sure I’ve been using it long enough to form an opinion…which means it’s time for a review!

Ingredients (provided on product packaging)- “Vor-Mag Water (water that has been vortexed and magnetized to raise the energy to a higher vibration that we believe to be more beneficial), Natural Vegetable Glycerin and Hydroessential Rose Oil.”

The preliminary report I created for this product in the Cosmetics Database gives it a hazard score of 0. I can definitely live with that!

Some great things about this product:

1. It’s free of parabens.

2. It’s free of pesticide residues.

3. It’s cruelty-free.

Product Description(provided at lamazon.com)- “Certified. Soothing and old-fashioned. Skin lotion you can trust. Harsh weather defense.”

Price- around $5 for a 4 oz. bottle.

Performance- I’d be lying if I said that this product altered my skin dramatically. It wasn’t hydrating enough to use in the place of my current moisturizer, but it was certainly a nice addition. It didn’t make my skin look especially radiant, but it did feel a good bit softer. I wasn’t disappointed, but I wasn’t amazed either.

Scent- Believe it or not, it smells like roses.

Rating- 8/10

When Stevonne from Beija-Flor Naturals contacted me about trying the company’s Beija-Flor Naturals Amazon Anti-Oxidant Treatment, I was intrigued. Stevonne was remarkably upfront about the product’s ingredients, and with good reason—they’re pretty stellar. After seeing such impressive ingredients, I was expecting a lot from this product…and I wasn’t disappointed!

Ingredients (provided in the Beija-Flor Naturals Etsy Shop)- “Murumuru Butter, Cupuacu Butter, Cocoa  Butter,Tucuma Butter, Rice Bran Oil, Passion Fruit Oil, Vitamin E, Acai Oil”

This preliminary report I created for this product in the Cosmetics Database gave it a very low hazard score of 0, with none of the individual ingredients having hazards scores above 2. The only ingredient I left out was tucuma butter, since I couldn’t locate it in the database.

Some great things about this product:

1. It’s free of parabens and petrochemicals.

Product Description(provided in the Beija-Flor Naturals Etsy Shop)- “Face moisturizer that shows results in the first use. Smooths rough areas, lines and wrinkles and gives a healthy glow to skin. This facial butter kicks the butt of any anti-aging product on the market today! Our all natural blend of Brazilian butters are a non-greasy blend of Cupacu, Murumuru, Tucuma, Cocoa Butter, Passion Fruit, and Acai extracts that liquefy upon contact and absorbs into skin quickly.

This product is full of antioxidants that decrease cell destruction, which in turn combats the aging process. The Amazon Antioxidant Treatment is a great night cream or daily moisturizer, and safe to use under makeup. The natural cocoa fragrance of the ingredients will make you do a little samba!”

Price- $12.95 for a 2.5 oz glass jar.

Performance- To be honest, I wasn’t completely shocked to discover that I absolutely love this treatment. It’s probably hard to go wrong with such a dreamy mixture of oils and butters.

I’ve found this product to be a real miracle worker in the following areas:

• elbows
• under my eyes (I’m young so I hardly have any lines under my eyes to begin with, but this treatment has made even the tiniest lines seem less obvious).
• knees
• feet

Scent- This product has a nice, nutty scent; it also smells a little like chocolate (probably because of the cocoa butter). You won’t hear me complaining!

Rating- 10/10

Hello Mellow’s luxurious body oils aren’t the only way to achieve softer than soft skin. Their body butters are pretty dreamy as well! Today I’ll be reviewing Uplift and Unwind.

Ingredients (provided at hellomellow.com)-

Uplift: avocado butter, mango butter, and essential oils of grapefruit and vanilla and love.

Unwind: avocado butter, mango butter, and essential oils of benzoin, cedarwood and vanilla and love..

The preliminary reports I created in the Cosmetics Database give these products both low hazard scores of 0!

Some great things about these products:

1. They’re free of artificial fragrances/colors, parabens, sulfates, and petrochemicals.

2. They’re cruelty-free.

Product Description (provided at hellomellow.com)-

Uplift: your skin will happily devour these nutrients while your senses luxuriate in our simply sweet, subtly soothing, UPLIFT blend. this feel-good scent of pink and white grapefruit with a hint of warming vanilla will shift you into your happy place in a single application

Unwind: ready to unwind? UNWIND soothes your soul with a calming breath of tranquility.
our blend of cedarwood, benzoin, and vanilla seduces you into a mellow state of being.

Price- $6 for a mini container, $22 for a 2 oz container, or $30 for an 4 oz container.

Performance-  You know those pesky little dry skin bumps that sometimes appear on your forearms/just above your elbows in the coldest months? Well, these body butters made mine disappear completely within the first two days of using them. In keeping with the themes of the names, I used the uplift in the morning and the unwind before bed. The scents suited each time of day perfectly (see below), and the consistency was rich but not annoyingly thick. They both immediately melted into my skin and made it so soft without leaving the greasy residue that often accompanies body butters. Now that’s impressive!

Scent-  The website describes the scent of uplift as subtly sweet citrus of pink and white grapefruit with a hint of vanilla, and it describes the scent of unwind as lightly earthy with a hint of sweetness. That seems about right to me!

Rating- 10/10 for each of these lovely little guys

Have you guys heard of Hello Mellow? I hadn’t until recently, but their bright, fun packaging immediately grabbed my attention. It was their safe and simple ingredients that held it, and I was thrilled to receive several samples in the mail for review. Today I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the two body oils I tried: Revitalize and Rejuvenate.

Ingredients (provided at hellomellow.com)-

Revitalize: avocado butter, mango butter, essential oils of geranium and lavender and love.

Rejuvenate: avocado butter, mango butter, essential oils of lemongrass, lavender, and litsea and love.

The preliminary reports I created in the Cosmetics Database give these products low hazard scores of 0 and 1 respectively. None of the individual ingredients have hazard scores above a 1.

Some great things about these products:

1. They’re free of artificial fragrances/colors, parabens, sulfates, and petrochemicals.

2. They’re cruelty-free.

Product Description (provided at hellomellow.com)-

Revitalize: refresh your spirit with a vital surge of clarity. lavender and geranium melt away stress and keep you going.

Rejuvenate: awaken your spirit with a powerful burst of energy. lemongrass, lavender and litsea combat mental fatigue and recharge your spark.

Price- $12 for a 2 oz bottle, $22 for a 6 oz bottle, or $28 for an 8 oz bottle.

Performance-  I’ve always heard that moisturizing damp, freshly-washed skin is the way to go, but I hadn’t quite experienced the dreaminess firsthand until using these products. I put the bottles of oil in the shower with me, and immediately after turning the water off (and wrapping my hair in a towel) I applied a generous amount of the oil to my entire body. After massaging the oil into my skin for a few minutes, I gently patted it dry with a towel. Not only was my skin uncharacteristically soft for winter, but it also felt incredibly smooth until the next day’s shower. I plan to moisturize this way daily and probably exclusively from now on. Also, a few drops of either oil in a warm bath is pretty special.

Scent-  Revitalize has a nice earthy scent, and rejuvenate is bright with a citrus feel that is reminiscent of citronella. I love them both, but I’d definitely prefer revitalize for everyday use.

Rating- 10/10 for revitalize and and 9/10 for rejuvenate (since I prefer revitalize’s scent and its hazard score is a bit lower). Collective score: 9.5/10.

Along with the Mocha Body Butter, Rebecca from Wash The Day Away also sent me a bottle of Calming Chamomile Facial Elixir to review. One look at the ingredients told me that I was in for a treat!

Ingredients (provided on the product page)- “Macadamia Nut Oil Infused with Organic Burdock Root, Jojoba Oil, Castor Oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract (Natural Preservative and Anti-oxidant), Vitamin E (Natural Preservative and Anti-oxidant), Organic or Wildcrafted Pure essential oils of German Chamomile, Lemon, Rosemary, Red Thyme.”

The preliminary report that I created in the Cosmetics Database gives this product a low hazard score of 1. There are no ingredients with hazard scores above a 3.

Some great things about this product:

1.It’s free of parabens, sulfates, retinyl palmitate, and fragrance.

2. It contains organic ingredients.

3. The small glass bottle and dropper can easily be reused, and Rebecca also allows and encourages her customers to return their empty containers. She takes out the price of the container, the cost of shipping, and allows them to subtract this from a future order. How neat is that?!

Product Description(provided on the product page)- “Calming Chamomile Facial Elixir helps balance problem skin. The combination of organic pure essential oils provides an antiseptic, antibacterial formulation that calms skin, reducing redness and inflammation. It also normalizes dry areas,regenerates cells, and stimulates circulation. Most may be apprehensive in using an oil/elixir for acne problems, but this treatment works by adding moisture while extracting impurities in the body through the skin. I use this myself whenever I have a rare bout of acne, and usually after using 2-3 nights in a row, my skin looks great.”

Price- $6.50 for a .50 oz. bottle with dropper and $12.75 for a 1 oz. bottle with dropper.

Performance- The directions suggest massaging 3 to 7 drops of this elixir into freshly cleansed skin, but that’s not quite how I’ve been using it. Since this product contains castor oil, which is a cleansing oil, I decided to use it in place of my current cream cleanser. I’ve been splashing my face a few times with warm water, massaging a few drops of this product into my skin, draping a hot wet bath cloth over my face for a few minutes, splashing my face with cool water, and then gently patting my skin dry with a towel. Call it a variation of the oil cleansing method. Afterwards I’ve either been moisturizing with a couple drops of argan oil or aloe vera lotion. The moisturizing step probably isn’t a necessary one, because the chamomile elixir consistently leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated on its own. I guess it’s mostly done out of habit. Regardless, my skin looks fantastic and I might just be done with cream cleansers altogether, or at least temporarily. This product is a real winner!

Scent- It’s an invigorating scent that’s reminiscent of thyme and is actually quite nice to inhale.

Rating- 10/10. I have no complaints.