Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub

I purchased this facial scrub because : 

A. I wanted a facial scrub.

B. I had a coupon. 

C. I wanted to try it.

D. The music from the commercial was stuck in my head.

E. All of the above.

If you guessed E, you're right! I've been seeing these products at all the major drugstores for quite a few months now. I finally remembered to pick it up. 

I was relieved and surprised to see that the label clearly stated no animal ingredients were used! Upon further review of the website, I read Simple Face Care products in GENERAL contain no animal ingredients. Yay! Another product for us to use!

So, does it work? Yes, it does. I feel like my face looks fresher and feels softer after I use it. It's not too gritty, like some other scrubs, yet it exfoliates well. The scent is interesting though. There are no perfumes or dyes in it, so I assume it's the scent of the rice granules. Yes, we're scrubbing our faces with rice. Welcome to the 21st century.

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

I bought this scrub with the hopes of avoiding a breakout

From the St. Ives website:

This dermatologist-tested scrub can actually help to clear and soothe your skin as well as reduce redness. An active blemish-fighting ingredient fights the flare-ups, while 100% natural exfoliants encourage healthier, clearer skin.

I like the exfoliating power of this scrub. Not too gritty, yet not too smooth. It feels like it works. Unfortunately, I did not see a difference in my breakout. It did help clear up a little bit of redness, but not much more than that.

It also really smells like tea. My husband told me it smelled gross when I got to bed. Oh well.

St. Ives Apricot Invogorating Scrub

I boycotted St. Ives products until they specifically stated on their label which products didn't have animal ingredients!

Now, I've returned to one of my original loves: Apricot Scrub! I originally started using this as a teenager, but lost touch with it.

I was looking for a cleanser/scrub and happened to see the Apricot Scrub on the very bottom shelf. I thought to myself, "Well, since I can use it again, why not?"

The Apricot Invigorating Scrub is just that: Invigorating! It is designed for Fresh Skin. I use it once a day and it never fails to leave my skin looking fresh, clean and bright. It's especially great to take off makeup or clean the skin after sweating! I am prone to dry patches, blackheads and whiteheads, and the scrub helps with ALL of those problems. I also notice that my complexion looks more even.

They also make the Apricot Scrub for Sensitive Skin (Gentle), Timeless Skin (Renew and Firm), and Naturally Clear (Blemish and Blackhead Control). There is an Apricot Scrub for every skin type, so there are no worries about hurting your skin.

Another great plus? It's AFFORDABLE! I don't know about you, but I am not about to spend more than $10 on a facial scrub. The Apricot Scrub retails for about $5.99.

St. Ives Apricot Invigorating Scrub

St. Ives

This is HUGE! I've been boycotting St. Ives for sometime now, since a majority of their products contained animal byproducts. I then see a commercial for St. Ives today, talking about their "natural commitment". Honestly, I didn't give it much thought, until I was able to see they specifically tell us which products DO NOT CONTAIN ANIMAL DERIVED INGREDIENTS!!!! I've compiled a list for you, to make it easier.

This is an amazing advancement in the beauty industry. Instead of having to contact companies constantly and go back and forth, the information we need is available up front.

FRESH SKIN (Facial Cleansers)
Invigorating Apricot Scrub
Gentle Apricot Scrub
Moisturizing Olive Scrub
Warming Scrub Olive Cleanser
Make-up Remover & Facial Cleanser
Collagen Elastin Facial Moisturizer

NATURALLY CLEAR (Facial Cleansers)
Blemish Fighting Apricot Cleanser

TIMELESS SKIN
Renew and Firm Apricot Scrub Daily Microdermabrasion

PREVENT AND RELIEVE DRY SKIN (Lotions)
Hydrating Vitamin E
Soothing Oatmeal Shea
Soothing Aloe & Chamomile
Replenishing Mineral Therapy
Restoring 24 Hour Moisture Intensive Healing

TOTAL INDULGENCE (Lotion)
Softening Whipped Silk

FLAWLESS BEAUTY
Cellulite Shield Lotion Cellulite Shield Gel Crème

CLEANSING (Body Wash)
Oatmeal Shea
Creamy Vanilla
Energizing Citrus
Exfoliating Apricot
Cucumber Melon
Hydrating Vitamin E
Whipped Silk
Mineral Therapy
Soy Milk & Lotus Blossom

EXFOLIATING (Body Scrubs)
Oatmeal Shea
Mineral Therapy
Collagen Elastin

www.stives.com

Burt's Bees Vegan List!!!

OK, So I emailed the company for a vegan list, but it turns out they had one available for download already! Silly me! I removed one product from the list, because it contained Carmine. The products listed in bold contain Bee by-products, such as honey and royal jelly. Just print out this list and take it along with you when you shop!

Baby Bee
Baby Bee Apricot Baby Oil
Baby Bee Dusting Powder
Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash
Baby Bee Bubble Bath

Face & Body
Carrot Seed Oil Complexion Mist
Citrus Facial Scrub
Garden Carrot Complexion Soap
Garden Tomato Toner
Vitamin E Bath and Body Oil
Wild Lettuce Complexion Soap
Citrus Spice Exfoliating Shower Soap
Grapefruit Complexion Mist
Lavender Complexion Mist
Cucumber Chamomile Complexion Mist
Deep Clean Cleanser
Deep Pore Scrub
Therapeutic Body Butter
Richly Repairing Body Butter
Radiance Eye Cream
Radiance Day Cream
Radiance Night Cream
Radiance Body Lotion
SPF-15 Sunscreen
SPF-30 Sunscreen
Radiance Body Lotion
Thoroughly Therapeutic Hand Lotion
Thoroughly Therapeutic Foot Lotion
Naturally Ageless Day Cream
Naturally Ageless Night Cream
Naturally Ageless Serum
Radiance Body Wash
Radiance Soap Bar
Citrus & Ginger Soap Bar
Healthy Treatment
Parsley Blemish Stick
Pore Refining Mask
Rosewater and Glycerin Toner
Repair Serum

Men’s Grooming
Bay Rum Aftershave Balm
Bay Rum Cologne
Bay Rum Shaving Soap
Burt’s Bees Natural Body Wash

Natural Remedies/Outdoor
Doctor Burt’s Blemish Stick
Doctor Burt’s Herbal Deodorant
Doctor Burt’s Lavender Mint Toothpaste
Doctor Burt’s Cinna-Mint Toothpaste
Herbal Insect Repellent
Peppermint Breath Drops
Peppermint Shower Soap
Poison Ivy Soap
Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar
Therapeutic Bath Crystals
Peppermint Foot Lotion
Bug Bite Relief
Miracle Salve
Muscle Mend

Lip
Medicated Lip Balm

Hair Care & Cleansing
Super Shiny Grapefruit Shampoo
Super Shiny Grapefruit Conditioner
Ginger Citrus Body Wash
Color Keeper Shampoo & Conditioner
More Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner
Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner
Deep Repair Conditioner
All-in-One Wash
Citrus & Ginger Hand Wash
Green Tea & Lemongrass Hand Wash
Deep Repair Conditioners

Biore

Biore products are only made with plant or synthetic products. WOO HOO! I love a good nose strip!!

But, in all seriousness, the scrubs are really great. They are gritty enough to strip your skin of dirt and pollutants, but they are gentle enough to use everyday. I personally need to use a scrub as opposed to a facial wash, but from the experience I've had with the facial cleansers, they are pretty good too. I personally like the Detoxify Daily Scrub. It seems to make my skin look fresh. And, of course, I love the Deep Cleansing Pore Strips. But, I have yet to meet a woman who doesn't!

I have been looking for a new moisturizer for my face, particularly one that has an SPF. I see that Biore has a number of moisturizers available, so I will definitely be trying one out!

By the way, Biore's website is wonderful! They have each product they offer, along with exactly what it does, what other products it would work well with, and the INGREDIENT LIST! That is what every company needs to do in order to keep consumers informed!

www.biore.com

Noxzema

I'm really heartbroken. After years of trying new facial cleansers and scrubs, I always reverted back to my trusty old Noxzema. The smell reminded me of my Mom. Look what I have found out now:

The gelatin used in the Noxzema Deep Cleansing Cream is animal-derived. The gelatin used is a key ingredient in the product which is critical to the unique formula

EEEEEEEWWWWWWWW. I'm pissed! Why is melted animal bones integral to a formula for washing my face? I don't understand at all.

The email goes on to list a number of alternative products. I don't want alternatives, I want the original in HALAL FORM!!!!

These are the Noxzema products that do not contain any gelatin ingredient:
Daily Cream Cleanser
Deep Lathering Cleanser
Wet Cleansing Cloths
Daily Exfoliating Cleanser
60 Second Cleansing Whip
Triple Clean Anti-Blemish Astringent
Triple Clean Anti-Blemish Pads
Triple Clean Blackhead Cleanser
Triple Clean Anti-Bacterial Lathering Cleanser
Continuous Clean Citrus Scrub with Vitamin C and Long Lasting Microbead Cleanser

Now, I'm not sure if this email means that the products are animal free, or that they are just free of gelatin. I'm still waiting for a response on that question.

www.noxzema.com