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.

I’m crazy about Etsy for too many reasons to count, but the excellent customer service that tends to accompany a small business is probably the greatest selling point for me. When I contacted Rebecca from Wash The Day Away to request a product to review, I was delighted by her quick and friendly response, as well as her willingness to also do a giveaway on Turby and John. Check back next week and see how you can win your own jar of the lovely body butter I’m about to review. Trust me, you’ll love it!

Ingredients (provided on the product page)- “Coffee Butter, Organic Cocoa Butter, Rice Bran Oil, Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Emulsifying Wax, Optiphen, Cocoa Absolute.”

The preliminary report that I created in the Cosmetics Database gives this product a hazard score of 2. The only ingredient I couldn’t locate in the Cosmetics Database was coffee butter.

Some great things about this product:

1.It’s free of parabens and fragrance.

2. It contains organic ingredients.

Product Description(provided on the product page)- “Mocha Body Butter is a great skin conditioner. Treat your skin to a dose of anti-oxidants, Vitamin E & D, Fatty Acids and Proteins. Mocha Body Butter will nourish and keep your skin touchably soft all day long with the help of nature’s richest and most moisturizing ingredients.

The scent of Mocha Body Butter is just like a mug of hot Mocha Cafe Latte. Coffee, Intoxicating Dark Chocolate. Yum! A wonderful way to start each morning!”

Price-$12.00 for a 4 oz. jar.

Performance- The light, whipped consistency of this body butter left me with unbelievably silky skin. After allowing the product to dry for around 5 minutes, my skin didn’t feel the least bit greasy. It did, however, feel thoroughly moisturized all day long. Now that’s impressive!

Scent- This product has a lovely, deep, rich scent; it’s reminiscent of coffee and dark chocolate. However, it isn’t so overpowering or lingering that it’s a problem.

Rating- 9/10. I subtracted 1 point for the less than perfect hazard score, but this product is otherwise pretty remarkable.

Ingredients (provided at persephenie.com)- “Certified Organic Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis), Coconut Oil (Cocus nucifera), Organic Rose hydrosol (Rosa damascena), plant based emulsifying wax, Organic Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cocao), Organic Marula Oil (Sclerocarya birrea), Vitamin E, Certified Organic Pomagranate (Punica granatum), Grapefruit Seed Extract, Certified Organic Glycerin, Certified Organic Helichrysum (Helichrysum stoechas), Certified Organic Calendula (Calendula officinalis), Rosemary Oleoresin, Rose de Mai (Rosa centifolia) and a combination of botanical essential oils and absolutes.”

The preliminary report that I created in the Cosmetics Database gives this product a hazard score of 2. The only ingredients with hazard scores above a 3 are emulsifying wax (4) and unspecified oils (4). I left out absolutes since the site didn’t recognize it, but Persephenie has since assured me of their safety.

Some great things about this product:

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

2. It contains organic ingredients.

3. It’s cruelty-free and vegan.

Product Description(provided at persephenie.com)- “An incredibly rich regenerative butter formulated specifically to balance, soothe, buffer, and heal. Botanical extracts of rose, helichrysum, pomegranate, and calendula, all known for their beneficial properties, work synergistically to restore and renew. A wonderful replenisher against the effects of the sun, aging, and wind. Rose Paka’s Organic marula oil is hand pressed from a woman’s collective in South Africa. Completely botanical. 75% ORGANIC. ”

Price- $36.00 for a 3.4 fl. oz. tub.

Performance- This body butter is unlike many other body butters I’ve used in the past in that it doesn’t make my skin feel sticky or greasy. It’s more hydrating than lotions tend to be, but it’s not excessively rich (which means I can safely moisturize my neck and chest with it). I’m a fan!

Scent- This product has a deep and rich floral scent that’s surprisingly long-lasting. It could actually effectively be worn in place of perfume, which I love.

Rating- 8.5/10. I subtracted half a point for the  price and a whole point for the 2 ingredients with hazard scores above a 3.

Ingredients (provided at ewg.org/skindeep)- “Aqua (Purified Water); Vegetable Glycerin; Triisostearyl Citrate; C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate; Stearic Acid; Ethyl Macadamiate; Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride; Stearyl Alcohol; Dimethicone; Polysorbate-60; Aspalathus Linearis (Red Tea) Leaf Extract; Polylysine; Copper Gluconate; Zinc Gluconate; Manganese Gluconate; Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vit. C); Sodium Hyaluronate; Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract*; Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Gel*; Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E); Sodium PCA; Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*; Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil; Allantoin; Curcuma Longa (Tumeric) Root Extract; Glyceryl Laurate; Potassium Cetyl Phosphate; Cetearyl Alcohol; Ceteareth-20; Sorbitan Stearate; Carbomer; Potassium Hydroxide; Benzyl Alcohol; Potassium Sorbate; Sodium Benzoate; *Certified Organic”

This product receives a hazard score of 4 in the Cosmetics Database. The ingredients with hazard scores above a 3 are Ceteareth-20 (4-7, depending on usage), Benzyl Alcohol (6), Manganese Gluconate (5), and Tocopheryl Acetate (4).

Some great things about this product:

1. It contains organic ingredients.

2.It’s cruelty, fragrance, and paraben free.

Product Description(provided at jason-natural.com)- “JASON Red Elements Hydrating Night Crème delivers intense moisture and nourishment to renew and revitalize skin overnight. Red Tea Extract protects skin against free radical damage while Polypeptides maximize collagen production and strengthens collagen fibers which keep skin looking youthful. Copper, Zinc, and Manganese are minerals that fight for healthier, smoother, more radiant skin. This Hypo-allergenic, fragrance and Paraben free crème hydrates and firms skin, combating the signs of aging overnight, leaving only soft, dewy fresh skin by morning.”

Price- around $20 for a 1.5 oz. container.

Performance- I’ll be honest. I was a little worried about using this product at first, since it has way more ingredients than the Karen’s Botanicals moisturizers I’ve been using. Surprisingly, though, my skin didn’t revolt at all. I woke up each morning after using it with the loveliest glowing skin. The silky consistency of the night crème was also pretty dreamy; it made my skin feel incredibly smooth. I audibly sighed when I realized my sample had run out. What a bummer!

Scent- This product is fragrance free, so it doesn’t have much of a scent at all.

Rating- 8/10. I subtracted 2 points for the questionable ingredients.

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I’ll get around to trying the Oil Cleansing Method eventually, but for now I’ve got a big bottle of Green Tea Toxin Cleanser that I cannot stop using.

Ingredients (provided at madefromearth.com)- “Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Green Tea, Milk, Organic Lavender Distillate, Organic Roman Chamomile Distillate, Rose Distillate, Grapeseed Oil, Witch Hazel, Vitamin E, Polysaccharide Gum, Organic Honey, Vitamin C Ester, Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin A (Retinol Palmitate), Black Willowbark Extract, Neem Oil, EDTA, Rosemary, Citric Acid.”

Since I couldn’t locate this product in the Cosmetics Database, I’ve linked to each ingredient individually above. The only ingredient listed on the website with a hazard score higher than a 2 is Vitamin A, and it has a high hazard score of 8. Since this product is a cleanser and is not ever on my face when I’m in the sun (and since retinyl palmitate is most dangerous when exposed to UV light), I have accepted this ingredient’s presence in this product and feel okay about it. There are a couple of ingredients listed on the bottle that are not listed on the website (maybe because a recent reformulation?), and they are as follows: Emulsifying Wax NF (4), Vegetable Glycerin (0-no data), Phenoxyethanol (3-4, depending on usage), and Mannan (0).

Some great things about this product:

1. It contains organic ingredients.

2.It’s cruelty, paraben, and sulfate free.

3. The bottle is made from #1 plastic and can easily be recycled.

Product Description(provided at madefromearth.com)- “Green Tea is a base antioxidant. Our healthy cleanser is enhanced with vitamins A, B, C and E. Since it contains no chemicals, the cleanser is hypoallergenic and non-irritating for people with sensitive skin. The Aloe Vera base in the cleanser combines with Green Tea to provide an antioxidant boost to remove free radicals restoring healthier skin. This product does not contain the typical surfactant or detergent ingredient that most cleansing gels contain; it is a chemical-free gentle cleanser.”

Price- around $16.00 for an 8 oz. bottle.

Performance- Between this product and Karen’s Botanicals Gentle Cleansing Lotion, I’ve been completely converted to soap-free cleansers. My ordinarily combination skin has ceased to be especially dry or oily, and breakouts have been at a minimum. My favorite way to use this product is as a mask, which I’ve been doing each night before bed. After applying the cream to my face and neck, I wait three minutes or so before rinsing it off with warm and then cool water. My skin is so soft when I’m done that I feel like I’ve been treated to a day at the spa! While in the shower, I simply massage this product into the skin on my face and neck for about 30 seconds and then rinse.

Scent- It has a very faint aloe and lavender scent.

Rating- I’m subtracting 2 points for the questionable ingredients, but this product easily earns the remaining 8 points. 8/10.

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The second and last facial sunscreen I used while at the beach was Arbonne’s SPF20 Restorative Day Creme, a product with many positives and one big negative.

Ingredients (provided at arbonne.com)- “Active Ingredients: Octisalate 5.0%, Octocrylene 8.0%, Zinc Oxide 7.35 %. Inactive Ingredients: Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-40 Stearate, Dimethicone, Orange Peel Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Betula Alba Leaf Extract, Matricaria Flower Extract, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Hypericum Perforatum Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Clover Flower Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Thioctic Acid, Ceteareth-20, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Polyamino Sugar Condensate, Urea, Panthenol, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride, Lecithin, Sodium PCA, Stearamine, Squalane, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyglycerin, and Phenoxyethanol.”

None of Arbonne’s current formulations of products are in the Cosmetics Database, so I’ve linked to each ingredient individually above. The ingredients with hazard scores above a 3 are as follows: PEG-40 Stearate (3-6, depending on usage), Retinyl Palmitate (8), Tocopheryl Acetate (4), Ceteareth-20 (4-7, depending on usage), Lecithin (3-5, depending on usage), and Phenoxyethanol (3-4, depending on usage). Additionally, there is no data for Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Polyacrylate-13, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7.

Here’s what the EWG has to say about Retinyl Palmitate (the ingredient in this product with the highest hazard score)- “Retinyl palmitate is an ingredient composed of palmitic acid and retinol (Vitamin A). When exposed to UV light, retinol compounds break down and produce toxic free radicals that can damage DNA and cause gene mutations, a precursor to cancer. Recently available data from an FDA study indicate that retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions. FDA also raised a concern that extensive, daily skin application of vitamin A creams may build up in the woman’s body a high enough level of Vitamin A that may be toxic to the developing fetus.”

Yikes!

Some great things about this product:

1. It’s free of parabens and petroleum-based ingredients (like Benzene, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Phthalates, and Toluene).

2. It’s cruelty-free and there are no animal products or animal by-products.

Product Description(provided at arbonne.com)- “High concentrations of advanced moisture-enhancing ingredients support collagen, and protect and restore skin’s youthful appearance.”

Price- From around $40 to $50 for a 1 oz. bottle.

Performance- This sunscreen managed to keep my skin from burning while also keeping oiliness at bay. My skin actually looked radiant for the few days I was using this product. Also, applying this creme takes no time at all; it absorbs quickly and stays put for hours.

Scent- It smells nice, light and citrusy, with a mild sunscreen finish.

Rating- 7/10. I’m subtracting 2.5 points for the questionable ingredients, 2 of which are being subtracted specifically for Retinyl Palmitate (an ingredient that, in my opinion, has no business being in sunscreen). I’m subtracting another half a point for the price.

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