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.

Organix Teatree Mint

I rarely write a really bad review, but I'm afraid there's a first time for everything.

I tried the shampoo and conditioner from this collection a few years ago. And I still remember how much I hated it!

I bought this shampoo and conditioner because it said "hydrating". Well, that was not the case for me.

Let me start by saying it smells good. I think Organix has created a lot of products that smell really nice, and I have to give them credit for it. I used the shampoo and conditioner 2 or 3 times before I threw it away.

It dried my hair out! I didn't think it was possible for my hair to be any dryer, but with this shampoo and conditioner, it was! It stripped my hair of ALL moisture. UGH. My hair was also extremely tangled and frizzy afterwards.

Don't buy this product! Yuck!

Organix Brazilian Keratin Treatment

I saw the Anti-Breakage treatment long before I saw Moroccan Oil. I definitely needed a serum and wanted to try it! It was $7.99.

The Anti-Breakage treatment is great. I don't like it as MUCH as I like the Moroccan Oil Penetrating Oil, but that's because of the smell!

I definitely noticed my hair was smoother and the frizzies were much flatter after using it. I used it especially on the ends, and split ends were less noticeable.

If you like cocoa butter, you'll like this oil. That's what the scent of this oil is.

They also offer a 30 day smoothing treatment. I definitely want to try it! At $15, it can't hurt. A lot of reviews on Facebook say it works, so I'm willing to see if it works for me. I'll do a before and after photo when I try it!

Organix

The tag line of Organix hair care products is "Beauty Pure and Simple". Well, finding out if we can use it? Not so simple.

Researching this company was a bit of a headache. Sulfate free? Yes. Animal free? Well, sometimes. The FAQ's on this site are a bit annoying and confusing. So I went to the Facebook page to ask them directly, ARE THERE ANY ANIMAL BYPRODUCTS????? This is the response I received:

Yes, some of our shampoos and conditioners do contain animal by-products such as keratin derived from sheep wool and whipped egg white proteins. Our products also contain silk amino acids, but the silk is extracted naturally. This is a very tedious process of unwinding the cocoon by hand. For an animal free product I would recommend the hydrating teatree mint, renewing Moroccan argan oil, Brazilian keratin therapy or the rejuvenating cherry blossom ginseng shampoos and conditioners, but please keep in mind that while they are animal by-product free, they still contain the silk and then that would be a matter of your personal preference. In addition, please be assured that none of our products, nor its' ingredients are tested on animals. We are very proud of that fact and will not change.

 

Well, what does this mean???? I'll break it down for you. If you are looking for a completely vegan product, this isn't the brand for you. If you are looking for a HALAL product, go ahead and buy it! Since there is no whey, gelatin or anything derived from a pig, you can use it. I will classify this product as VEGETARIAN. This is my personal recommendation.

 

Organix makes countless shampoos, conditioners and stylers, which I have seen in many mainstream drugstores. I will review the ones I have tried next. There are also body products available, but I have not come across them. I definitely want to try them.

 

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.

Master Makeup!

I can't believe I've had this product for MONTHS and never reviewed it. Oh well, better late than never!

I bought the Master Makeup Collection from E.L.F. At $45, it's a great deal, but since E.L.F. always has TONS of coupons,  I got it for around $20!

141 pieces? I'm in heaven! I was looking for a palette, and the price just grabbed me. As well as ALL of the eyeshadow colors. Now, if you don't LOVE makeup, or wear LOTS of different colors, I wouldn't recommend this for you. It will just take up space. (Although it is compact and really doesn't take up a LOT of space).

I have used plenty of the products in it thus far. Lots of eyeshadows, lip colors, the blush, and the concealer. I'm not a fan of the applicators that come in the set, as I prefer brushes. The lip brush is a little small.

The colors are great and you can try any look from neutral to dramatic. I've found the golden shadows to be my favorite! I also love the darkest brown bronzer for contouring. The lip colors are nice, but since I need to reapply lip color all the time, it really isn't practical for me.

If you or someone you know is an aspiring makeup artist, or just REALLY loves makeup, this palette is for them!

Brushes!

I am always looking for good brushes that don't break the bank. I don't know about you, but $20 or more for an eyeshadow brush seems ridiculous. So I was looking for affordable brands of makeup brushes, and came across some reviews on YouTube. The only thing? They weren't makeup brushes at all!

Loew-Cornell is apparently the MAC of paintbrushes. Yes, I just said paintbrushes. Like, for paint. On paper. No, I am not crazy. I have been watching countless YouTube makeup tutorials, and MANY of the makeup gurus have suggested using the Loew-Cornell brushes as a substitute for makeup brushes. And many of them have said they are MAC quality. Well, I think you know where this is going......

I ordered a package of Loew-Cornell brushes to test out. They are made of nylon, so NO ANIMAL HAIR here! I opened the package thinking they would be rough. I was wrong! These brushes are SO soft and they really don't irritate the skin! I haven't used them for makeup yet, as I still have to wash them first! (Wash and condition your brushes before you use them; they will help the brushes from shedding!) The brushes are definitely on par with my Eco-Tools brushes, which I adore.

I also ordered another brush made from Royal Brushes. The brush is a blending brush, and once again, SUPER SOFT. I love it and I will be definitely practicing my blending techniques with this brush!

The best thing about these brushes? THE PRICE! I got 11 brushes for less than $10. I definitely recommend going into your local craft store and looking at and feeling the brushes. Decide which ones feel soft and won't irritate your skin.

Watch EnKore Makeup or Hair and Makeup How To on YouTube to see the comparisons to MAC brushes!

BARRY M!!!!

Ok, so I know I get a lot of international readers (WHO KNEW?) and a lot of you use Barry M. Well, from what I understand, Barry M is THE hottest makeup in the UK.

From the Barry M website:

Barry M Cosmetics have never tested their finished products or ingredients on animals or engaged another company to do so on our behalf.

All of our products are suitable for vegetarians but some contain animal by-products (like Beeswax) making them unsuitable for Vegans.

Ranges of products not suitable for Vegans are Foundation Creme, Shimmering Body Creme, Translucent Compact (loose powder format is fine), Natural Dazzle compact (loose powder format is fine), Shimmering Eye and Lip Crayon, Lip paint, Touch of Magic Lip Gloss, Super Soft Eye Crayon, Lip gloss Stacking Set and Lip Balm, Blusher Brush & Eye Brush.

Dazzle Dust numbers 3, 5, 6, 7, 21, 32, 33, 36, 48, 64, 85, 86, 90 are not suitable for vegans.


Isn't it fantastic? I am just hoping that it is available in the US soon!

http://www.barrym.com/

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

Yes to Carrots Body Butter

I just realized, I've been carrying this vegan product in my bag for MONTHS and I haven't blogged about it.

I was in Target, when I came across the travel sized beauty products. I'm always looking for fun stuff to put in my bag, so imagine my surprise when I saw the Yes to Carrots Body Butter in a miniature form! For a $1! Well, you probably remember that I did a post on Yes to Carrots products a while back. I thought to myself, "Hey this would be a great review for the blog!". It might be 6 months later, but you guys know I still love ya!

This body butter is FANTASTIC. Rich, thick and creamy, but NOT GREASY. Every body butter I have come across has seemed so greasy and oily. The Yes to Carrots Body Butter is absolutely not those things. I used it on my hands religiously and my 2 year old daughter got accustomed to asking me for it as well! It smells very nice and at $8.70 for 11.83 oz., you can't get a better deal.

I highly recommend this body butter for dry hands and feet. I will be definitely buying more once the winter rolls around and everyone starts to look ashy!

http://www.yestocarrots.com/