Rambly post about Skincare. Organic… or NOT!?

Tags

beauty, organic, pro and cons, skincare, SPF

It has been quite a while since I wanted to address the matter of the oh-so-trendy Organic Skincare issue! Is it better than the “traditional” skincare we all used at a certain point in our lives?

I did my research, I have tried a lot of organic/natural skincare products! Some worked fine, some literally did wonders and some didn’t worked and made my skin worst!

Please don’t get me wrong! There are great organic products on the market at the moment! But there are also organic skincare products that are really damaging for your skin! That is because of certain plant extracts or oils that are only considered to be organic. I have also discovered that certain companies, by adding this so-called “organic” ingredients to their products, literally ruin an otherwise good skincare either because they wanted it fragranced, or they simply want to use that specific plant oil because that’s what’s trending at that moment! So, I ended up buying a product labeled as “organic” and by consequence “harmless” that was very irritating for my already sensitive skin, and I kept wondering how that was even possible?!

My skin is highly sensitive and it won’t take me too much to form an opinion on a certain product! I will know right away if a skincare product is good for me to use or if I should stop using it immediately. You might have a “good” skin and put whatever you want on it, I have nothing to object, that’s your choice/luck! But if your skin is not prone to any immediate reaction, that doesn’t necessary mean that a skincare product isn’t damaging while sitting on your face/skin, weather the damage is radical and you can clearly see it with your own eyes or the damage happens, in time, on cellular level which will later on will be followed by redness, irritations, which will cause inflammatory problems, and in the end premature aging and irreversible wrinkles.

My point is that you have to be careful with choosing the products you insert in your skincare routine! Read first about the ingredients in that INGREDIENTS list on the back of any product! If they look like a total nebulous to you, go on the good ol’ faithful WWW or on Beautypedia and do your own research ( Paula Begoun from Paula’s Chioce has spent all her adult life doing research and explaining all those “hieroglyphs” for you! ). But first of all take time to really know your skin: what type of skin you have, what works better for it…

I have used a lot of skincare, from the most expensive ( Sisley, Chanel etc. ) to the most inexpensive drugstore or homemade concoctions, and everything in between. And let me tell you this: even if a skincare product ( high end or not, organic or not! ) will cost you an arm and a leg, it’s more likely that it is waaay overrated!

But if you are a snob like me, and you still want to use “the best” that’s on the market, splurge on your serums, your skin hydraters and toners. Makeup removers, cleansers and all that won’t stay on your face too long, and precisely the ingredients in your toners or serums that are really going go help change the texture and the appearance of your skin, getting it ready for and easing up the makeup application.

One last piece of advice! I used to collect skin care! Because someone recommended it, because I was curious about it, and if it worked for that person’s skin it should’ve worked for me too! WRONG! I ended up with quite a skincare collection that only looked good on my shelves and did nothing good for my skin! With skincare it’s not like you can have 10 pink eyeshadows and use them whenever you like or if you’re in the mood! With skincare you have to be consistent, stubborn and to always keep in mind that it goes so quickly out of date! That’s also one of the reasons why it’s highly recommended to change your skincare routine every 3 to 4 months!

FINAL RECAP:

– “study” your own skin

– make research on the ingredients, in general, and what works best for your skin type

– organic doesn’t necessary mean good for your skin, they same way traditional skincare doesn’t have to be “the bad guy”

– choose carefully the products in your routine and stick to those for a few months: you’ll be able to see results and decide if to change them or not

– also, choose your skincare according to what your skin needs and ALWAYS use SPF! 

– invest in some skincare that has the potential to become holy grail items for you and stick to those, no matter how expensive they are!

I hope I managed to express myself in a non offensive way, because I clearly understand that skincare is a matter of personal choice, and hopefully you can find this article somewhat helpful!

Thank you for sticking with me until the end!

Any opinion is highly appreciated – scolding included!

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

Ambre Luxurious Oils Blend Vitamins & Fatty Acids Rich Face Serum – first impressions

Tags

Ambre, beauty, oils, organic, review, skin, skincare

I have already featured Ambre products in a previous blog post – the SPA AT HOME – Luxury products 1 – Body. But I have never done a proper review on any of these amazing natural findings. So, I thought it would be about time to start appreciate them also in writing.

Ambre Botanical is a small business based in Islington, London which produces raw, pure, natural skincare products. Every item is handmade, produced in small batches, using 100% natural ingredients and nothing else.

They source their ingredients from a local UK, fair-trade and organically certified suppliers. Their products are industry certified and fully conform to the European Cosmetics Products Safety Regulations. Free from any chemical additives, Ambre products deliver a healthy, effective, enjoyable and luxurious skincare experience.

Their products are created based on simple, effective, highly concentrated formulations that DO NOT contain any water and consequently NO CHEMICALS. They use ingredients derived from the plant source and a special cold process to retain their natural, potent, active nutrients in the final product.

They say that to create the Ambre Luxurious Oils Blend Vitamins & Fatty Acids Rich Face Serum they used the most rare and precious pure oils in generous quantities. It contains Marula Oil, one of the most valuable African oils, extremely rich in antioxidants and oleic acid. Also, cold pressed Rosehip Oil wich helps the regenerative cellular process helping reduce the lines, scars or burn marks. Another one is Primula Oil that is very rich in ama linoleic acid ( GLA ) to help restructure and maintain skin’s elasticity.

My thoughts on this particular face serum, after using it for a while, are that it helps regenerate the complexion without leaving a greasy film on the skin. Therefore it can be used at any time of the day, even before applying your makeup. It is very hydrating. After using it my skin didn’t felt dry or devitalized anymore. So it was easier for me to approach a no-foundation makeup look.

It has a very concentrated formula because it contains no water. So, a small amount of product is enough to cover the entire face area and neck. It also comes in a small 20 g bottle with a pipette – very convenient because I don’t have to stick my fingers inside the recipient to use the product. Hygiene matters!

It is suitable for all skin types, sensitive skin like mine included.

I got mine here, but you can also buy it directly from the company’s site here.

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

New in… Alorée Chlorocosmétic “detox scrub” facial kit – Review

Tags

aloree, CHC, chlorophyll, detox, face mask, natural, organic, skincare, skinmagia.ro

Alorée Chlorocosmétic is an organic French brand which proposes natural skincare products based on active chlorophyll. The chlorophyll is extracted from barley sprouts using an eco certificate procedure (more about here  ECOCERT and  COSMEBIO ).

The CHC (Chlorophyllin Hordeum Complex) is an active phyto-complex rich in chlorophyll, polyphenols, natural oils and Omega 3. All these elements help with the cellular metabolism of your skin and protects it from premature aging.

All the ingredients are 100% natural and  come from France, Provence of  Languedoc Roussillion. The actual products contain NO parabens, NO preservatives, NO artificial perfume, NO allergens.

My kit contains a 100% natural powder made of organic alfalfa seeds and olive kernels which are know for their detoxifying and brightening properties, a small dish and a handy spatula.

You can use the powder in a mask, as I actually did, or/and as a gentle scrub for a more often usage. It also came with a sample of the Chloro Vitae Radiant Mask, an antioxidant and detoxifying mask.

So, what I did was mixing the content of that mask sample with some organic powder, applied it on my freshly cleansed skin ( but only in the areas where my skin needed some brightening and detox action: forehead, around my nose and chin area ). I let it work its magic for 5 minutes then I massaged it into my skin, for a gentle exfoliation. Then I cleaned my face with some lukewarm water and a soft cloth.

Except for a bit of redness I got on my cheeks which disappeared in a few minutes anyway, my skin felt amazing. It was clean, bright, soft and smooth. A good thing is that it has no particular smell. I can sense though a scent of grass ( ?! ) if that is even possible.

I plan do apply this mask once a week as I did with my REN Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask, which unfortunately is gone. I will try the product as a scrub more often too just to see how it performs.

I got mine here.

Hope this was helpful!

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

TRIO VERDE – coconut and apricot oils

Tags

apricot oil, coconut oil, cold pressed, eco oils, hair, help, mask, nature, organic, raw, review, romania, skincare, trio verde, winter

First of all HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY beautiful people!

I have been in a healthy kick lately. I exercise more, I’m more careful with WHAT and WHEN I’m eating and I’m drinking more water… Also, I’m trying to use more organic skincare and makeup products and I’ve discovered that even my hair likes better, shampoos without as many sulfates, even if there are less bubbles involved! And you should know that I have this thing for bubbles! They make me happy!

In my quest to be healthier I made a lot of research. But I remembered that the simple things work best! “Less is more”, they say… So I remembered I liked a page on Facebook that proposed healthy products: oils, body butters, natural waters enriched with plant extracts… It was TRIO VERDE‘s page.

I wanted some coconut and apricot oils. So I ordered some coconut oil and apricot oil. But on their website, they have a variety of bio oils: argan oil, avocado oil, apricot oil, coconut oil, jojoba and macadamia oils, almond oil and carrot oil with a helpful description for each product – what is it for, how was it made…

The package came in 48 hours ( Oh, joy! ) and when I opened it… There they were! My Cold Pressed Coconut Oil and my Apricot Oil.

The coconut oil smelled ah-mazing. The benefits of the coconut oil are well known: rich in saturated fats ( 90% concentration ), lauric acid and vitamin E it is a good antioxidant and prevents premature aging but also helps cure some skin affections like dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema and other skin infections. It’s a good hair treatment helping it regenerate, grow faster and ads shine to it. Helps with dandruff too.

But the apricot one smelled like a regular oil – this let me down a little. But not for too long because when I applied it on my face and lips, my skin felt so soft and smooth… I loved it! Enriched with vitamins A and E, this oil is found in almost every care product for children. It’s emollient, but not greasy. It has lots of linoleic acids that fight against aging, dryness and skin irritations. 

HOW I used this oils:

– COCONUT OIL: I incorporated it in a handmade hair mask. I took one tsp of coconut oil, heated it in the microwave to make it more “liquid” I added one tsp of castor oil ( or Palma Christi – Ricinus Communis ) and one egg yolk, mixed all together and applied it on my dry hair. You, guys, don’t want to see how ridiculous I looked!… After 30 minutes I washed my hair as I usually do and let it air dry by itself… My hair was soft, shiny and easy to brush. And the smell… OH! the smell… If you like coconut scented things like I do, you know what I’m talking about.

– APRICOT OIL: I used it as a treatment on my face, at night and also in a scrub I made myself. The scrub was made of a few tsp of grounded coffee, a pinch of sea salt, some olive oil and a lot of apricot oil… Rubbed everything on dump skin, rinsed it all clean and after that my skin didn’t felt dry nor itchy anymore.

I still use this scrub every other day and the hair mask once a week.

The retail price for these oils is 5-6 euros for a 100 ml of coconut oil and 4 euros for 50 of apricot oil. For the apricot oil I found an offer with buy one get one free so I got 100 ml of pure organic cold pressed oil for an infinitesimal price.

I hope you enjoyed my experience with these oils. Please tell me if you used it, and how…

Have fun today with your loved ones!

See you soon!

xx, Annie