Brand Review: MooGoo and Dusty Girls

Little by little, but I'm finally eliminating my wishlist. Some of the products or brands were on it for years (and I mean literally years). One of such brands is an Australian company MooGoo. I'm pretty sure I know the reason why I kept procrastinating to get some of its products as for a long time I preferred something with fragrance, especially something sweet. I still remember how smelling Pangea Organics and Evan Healy products for the first time made me gag... Yet, I love those two brands now, and their scents are amazing! That's how much my nose changed during the years of using natural/organic products.

Anyway, MooGoo products do have a very neutral, almost non-existant smell. At least the products I'm currently using. Since I didn't try all the range, I cannot speak about everything, but reading the ingredient lists, looking at the packaging, and description, that's exactly what I imagine - clean, fragrance-free, non-irritating products.

I was very excited to receive my package, and I was even more excited to see how carefully and beautifully wrapped it was. I should apologize for the messy background, but I opened the box at work and wanted to take pictures before it's too late.

The two items that I got from MooGoo are Fresh Cream Deodorant and Milk Wash. I do not have much to say about body washes in general as I like most of them, but this one is a little different from the rest. The texture is creamy and kinda sticks to the body a little, which is good as it doesn't wash away once the water touches the skin. It's a big bottle, and I've been using this body wash for over a month now, but still have more than half a bottle left, so it's worth the price.

The deodorant is exactly what I expected - fragrance-free and doing its job. I was hesitant to try it in the hot weather as I didn't want to stink at work or while meeting my friends in the city in case it didn't work, but I did try it out for a short period of time, and then felt comfortable to wear it all day. It really feels you odor-free for the whole day even in hot weather, yet, I think it's on the lighter side (I mean that there are stronger natural deodorants). While it proved it worked, I will put aside this deodorant until the weather cools a little, and will use something stronger during this hot and humid summer.

As you can see in the photo, there are two more items in the box, and those are from MooGoo's makeup line Dusty Girls. To tell the truth, I wasn't sure if I want to try a new mineral foundation as I never find anything better than my favorite Everyday Minerals foundation. So, after considering all the options for items to try, I picked a "Night Fall" Natural Mineral Mascara and Natural Mineral Foundation Powder in color "Fair Minerals". 

I probably knew that before getting it, but I'm not crazy about the mascara, because the effect is too natural for me. However, it does not clump the lashes, it covers them nicely and makes them tidy. To get more volume, I use this mascara when layering with some other mascara. The only problem I have is that almost every time I use "Night Fall", I smudge my lid just above the eyelashes, and I do not have this issue with other mascaras.

While I'm just ok with mascara, I love the mineral foundation, and cannot imagine my life without it now. This foundation applies easily, has great coverage, which you can build up, if you need more. It feels very nice and a little "creamy" (it is powder, but not dry one), it does not dry the skin, and it wears fantastic even in hot and humid weather! I picked color "Fair Minerals" as this is the lightest color they have. The price is $26.50 for 10g box, which is a good price for the amount of product (most mineral foundations come in 8g boxes). 

After receiving the item, I wasn't sure if the color matches my skin tone, but after testing it on my hand, I was relieved as it fits fine. I was wrong! I mean the way it swatched, and the way it looks on the skin seem like two different powders, because it is darker on my skin. This photo shows the difference well as it represents true colors. 

However, an interesting thing happened the first time I wore this foundation. I do not use concealers, but I will apply my foundation first to the spots I want to hide, and then to the rest of the face. So, the first time I was using this foundation, I applied it around my nose, etc., and I was shocked that not only it hid what I didn't want to show, but I didn't even need the foundation on the rest of my face as it seemed to blend in with my skin color perfectly. While I do apply foundation all over my face, I usually do it with a fluffy powder brush. 

As for the color, my skin is quite fair, and I didn't have a proper tan for at least 5 years. However, this summer I'm doing a lot of boating, which gave me a really big tan (at least big for me). The first time I used this foundation I didn't have any tan yet, and it did look natural, but, of course, it looks more natural now when I have some color on me. I do use this foundation alone or sometimes mix with my Everyday Minerals foundation to get a lighter shade, but both ways it looks good, and natural, and I haven't heard from anyone that my foundation is too dark. I am very self conscious when it comes to that, so I'm sure it looks good. However, I'm not sure it would look so good during the winter when all the tan is gone.  

So, my only complaint about the foundation is the lack of lighter colors. "Fair Minerals" is the lightest shade the company offers, but it is not fair at all. I'd say it is meant more for light to medium skin tones, so I wouldn't recommend this shade to those who have a truly fair skin. I love this foundation, and I enjoy using it, but once the winter comes, I'll have to take a break from it as I will ont be able to get away with this shade.

Overall, I'm very very satisfied with MooGoo and Dusty Girls, and I do want to try more items from both lines. One thing for sure, I will repurchase the mineral foundation again and again.       

 

Brand review: In Love With Body Care

At least a year ago I came across the brand called In Love With Body Care. Actually, I was looking for a good natural deodorant, and this brand had one with great reviews. I saved it to my wishlist, but only got to try it now. In fact, if not for the company sending me all the goodies, I might still be having my wishlist full (not that it is ever empty).

The products that I was mostly interested, and that were sent to me (including the extras added by the company) are these:
-spray'n'towel hair cleanser
-conditioning hair plumper
-deodorant in "Greece" (I picked this fragrance as I love neroli)
-body lotion in "Lemon Meringue" fragrance
-lip balm in "Coconut Lime".

Spray'n'towel hair cleanser: this is the only product that I didn't like, but that might be because I don't know how to use it. I mean I know what it's supposed to do, and I follow the directions, but I was expecting something else. I was hoping this will be like a dry shampoo, except that it's a spray. The description also mentions refreshed "beach hair". Well, I did try it out on my second day hair, and it seemed to revive my hair, but only for a short period of time as I wasn't happy about my hair at the end of the workday.

Conditioning hair plumper: I enjoyed using the product, and I still have a little bit left. I use it as a spray conditioner on the lower part of my hair. This spray helps to detangle the hair and leaves it soft and moisturized.

Deodorant in "Greece" fragrance: I love Greece, but I love neroli scent more, and this was the only reason why I picked this specific fragrance. Too bad it has a very light scent, so I don't pick out neroli note. I was a little concerned that this deodorant might dry my underarms, yet after using it quite regularly, I must admit it's not drying at all. It leaves me smelling good all day long even in the hot and humid weather, so I don't have to worry about raising my arms in public (e.g. while commuting). I'm not 100% sure yet, but I think it might leave white spots on the clothing. I'm trying to track it to be certain, but it seems like sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. I wonder if that might be due to the amount applied and the salts in the ingredients. However, I do have one thing to complain about. The consistency of this deodorant is to the softer side, and feels kinda creamy. Don't get me wrong, it's a stick deodorant, and it doesn't melt in the hot room, but when applying it to the skin, it becomes soft. This is not a big problem, but it is inconvenient if I'm in the rush as I have to rub it in with my hands. Also, the sides of the tube get messy, so those require wiping as well. While the texture gives some inconvenience, it's not gonna stop me from buying the deodorant again, because it's really one of the greatest that I've ever tried.      

Body lotion in "Lemon Meringue": this lotion has an interesting texture as it's quite thick for the lotion (as you can probably see from the photo below), but it's not greasy or heavy on the skin. It absorbs well and gives plenty of moisture for the skin. The sample size lasted me for a pretty long time I'd say around 2 weeks. The scent is sweet and strong, so if you are sensitive to that, you might not like it. I enjoyed using the sample, but not sure if I wouldn't get tired of this scent when using the full size product.

Lip balm in "Coconut Lime": lime is not something I like in cosmetics, and it didn't sound a good combination with coconut at first, but I love lip balms, and since the company sent this to me, I decided to give it a try. OMG, I love it! I can barely taste any lime, the smell of the lip balm is very light, not overpowering at all. The texture is perfect (not too soft, not too hard), and the oval shape makes it very easy to apply it on the lips. The balm glides like a dream, and gives fantastic softness to the lips! I know I sound very excited, but that's how I feel about this lip balm.


In general, I really enjoyed using In Love With Body Care products, and highly recommend to try out the brand for yourselves. As for myself, I will very likely repurchase the deodorant and lip balm (both in different scents), because these products really wow-ed me. I wasn't thrilled with body lotion's scent, but it does come in "Coconut Lime" as well, which I'm very tempted to check out (if it smells as good as the lip balm, I'll be more than happy).   

June Empties

It's a cold and rainy June weekend, but this miserable Sunday evening is quite fine for blogging as I'm not tempted to do something else and delay my writing (which I've been doing for a while recently). I have a whole bunch of products used up during the month that I want to share, so let's move on to the list.

-Desert Essence "island mango" shampoo and conditioner: usually I will only buy a shampoo and use Earth Science hair mask (review below) as a conditioner, but this time was an exception, because "island mango" was a new duo in the market. I've used probably all of Desert Essence's shampoos+conditioners (some more than once), and I like each and every one of them. I think this mango set is on the richer/heavier side compared to some others (e.g. apple, raspberry, or lemon), but it doesn't make hair look greasy or over-moisturized. The result I get is pretty much the same I get from other Desert Essence products. The only con for me was the smell, which was on the stronger and sweeter side, and it was a bit unnatural. I expected this set to have a fresh juicy mango smell, but it wasn't anything even close to that. I'm currently using the new "Italian lemon" duo, and I already love it because of the fresh smell. 

-Desert Essence hair mask: I'm sure I've told about it already more than once as it's my must have product. I don't use it as a mask, but as a hair conditioner by applying to the ends of my hair (sometimes up to half hair length, but never the roots). It leaves hair silky smooth and soft. 

         

-Aubrey Organics shave cream in "orange cream": I've repurchase all 3 fragrances that these shave creams come in as I wanted to see if I still liked them. I do like the product, and the way it smells. I also like the texture, which is silicone-y feeling, BUT... because of the texture it's quite hard to clean the blades of the razor, and it seems like the razor doesn't last as long as it would otherwise. As far as I remember, this is the problem I has with these shave cream a few years ago when I first tried them, so I don't think I'll be repurchasing them again.

-Aubrey Organics "raspberry and orange" body scrub: Yes, I knew what I was ordering size-wise, but I was still surprised how small the container looked in person. It's a sugar scrub that I was looking at for a while, and when JMO website had a coupon code, I didn't think twice before ordering it. I was disappointed about the smell as I wouldn't describe it as having any raspberries or oranges in it - there was nothing fruity sweet or citrus-y, and all I smelled was sugar, which reminded more of a cake. While that wasn't what I expected, I was still hoping that the scrub itself will be great and will save the situation. Well, it wasn't and it didn't. It seemed like a very basic sugar and oils scrub that I could mix myself for 1/10 of the price. It didn't help that it wasn't long-lasting as I needed quite a lot for my whole body. If you don't want to experiment in your kitchen, save the money and get Hugo Naturals scrub - you will get a better product and twice the amount for half the money. 

-Milk+Honey body cream: no matter how much I love m+h spas and their products, I do have something negative to say about this cream. Well, let me start with the good things first, one of which is the effect. This rich cream makes the skin soft and gives plenty of moisture without leaving any residue. I love the natural smell of it as well. It kinda smells like an expensive high end cream, and well, it is pretty expensive ($34 for 8oz.). The cream was easy to apply and lasted a pretty long time, so the price isn't so bad. Yet, when paying that money, I want to get my money's worth, which is I want to be able to use all of the product. This is the problem that I had with this cream: the pump would stop dispensing the cream when there was still a good amount left on the bottom, so I decided to remove the pump and shake the cream out. My plan was working until the shaking part as the cream is so rich that it barely moves in the bottle. After good 5 minutes of vain effort (and a hurting hand) I gave up, and put the bottle into my empties bin. I'm pretty sure there was still about 4-6 days worth of the cream left in it, so that's something that keeps me from giving A+ for the product.   

-Alba Botanica "island citrus" body wash: you get the bang for your buck when you get this product. I'm not picky with my body gels, so as long as they smell good and last a long time, I'll use any of them. This body wash was exactly that, and I wouldn't mind repurchasing it in the future.

-Alba Botanica "acne dote" wet wipes: I love face & body scrub from the same line, but these wipes were just ok. I used them as an extra way to remove makeup, and give that extra cleanness to my face, but I had to be careful not to used them too close to the eye area as they would make me tear. Also, they were on the dryer side and didn't give any visible effect, so I'm not gonna buy these again.

-Thayer's "rose petal" witch hazel: it's one of my must have products as I use this toner constantly for probably 5+ years now. The brand has a bunch of fragrances, so I keep switching among them and I never get bored. I use toner on a cotton ball just to wipe of my face in case there's any makeup left after washing the face, so for that purpose it's a great product for a good price. 

-Aura Cacia tea tree oil: this thing is magic! I use tea tree oil as a disinfecting remedy for any skin irritations, pimples, cuts, etc.  

-Alba Botanica "acne dote" invisible treatment gel: not sure if I would buy it again as I rarely get any pimples (and when I do, tea tree oil works just as fine for me), but I really enjoyed using the product. It worked great against any pimple or soon-to-be-pimple. I must admit the gel did dry the skin a bit if applied few times in a row, but I didn't find that to be a big issue as it's used locally on the problematic spot.

-Mineral Fusion hydration mist: I wanted to use it on top of my makeup during the day to refresh the face, but I didn't like the smell, and ended up using it as a regular toner. I really can't say anything bad or good about this mist, except that the smell irritated me (can't even tell what was wrong with it as it wasn't strong or smelling a certain way).

-Vivi toothpaste with kalident, mango flavor: this toothpaste lasted me 2 months, which is a good time. My opinion about it didn't change much since my Vivi brand review almost a month ago. I know many people don't like that it doesn't foam, but that wasn't an issue for me. I did enjoy the mango flavor, and while I heard reviews that it doesn't give the fresh breath, I didn't expect that from a fruity toothpaste. Besides, Vivi makes this toothpaste in mint flavor, so no one is stopping mint lovers to get that flavor. As for the toothpaste, it does the job pretty well - the teeth feel clean and the breath is good. Yes, you don't get that minty freshness, but you're not even supposed to, so all is good. The only complaint I have is that the toothpaste seems to disappear once inside the mouth, and usually I used it with a bit of another toothpaste to get a more tangible feeling.  

-Plus White the coffee drinkers' whitening toothpaste: to tell the truth, I didn't notice any difference when using this toothpaste. It was a nice one, but just like any other minty toothpaste. However, I did start drinking coffee almost every day, and sometimes a few cups a day, so I'm thinking that maybe it did work on not making my teeth yellow. But then again, I've always been a tea drinker with at least 2 cups a day, so switching from tea to coffee shouldn't have made such a difference, which means the toothpaste wasn't working for me....

-Golden Rose matte nail polish: I don't know what I was thinking when I got this color a few years ago while on vacation in Lithuania, but I don't think I've used it once or twice ever since, and each time I was sorry I applied it the moment I did it. It's a nice color, but it's just not the color I wear. In fact, tonight I went through my nail polish box and took out the colors I've never worn or would not wear ever again, and put them into the empties bin for the next blog entry. 

-Emily super-dry skin sooth (sample size): this is one of those products that are petroleum jelly alternatives. I don't see much difference among different Emily's skin soothers as they all feel the same for me. They are good moisturizers, and I also used this one on my dog's paws during the winter.

-Everyday Minerals flat top kabuki brush: I like EM brushes a lot! This one was really great for applying mineral foundation. I did find a couple other uses for it as well as my likes and priorities in brushes changed throughout the years. I think I had this brush for at least 3-4 years now, and I've used it constantly. When I was washing it the last time, I noticed that it started shedding some hair. I didn't pay much attention to that, but it didn't stop when the brush dried, and since I have plenty of other brushes, I'm just getting rid of this one instead of using and being unhappy about hair on my face and everywhere around.

Brand review - KIDE

Fairly recently I found out about KIDE and its amazing products containing diamond dust. Not that I believe in gold/diamonds or other such stuff doing anything when applied to the skin, but I was attracted by wonderful packaging and good ingredients, so ever since I wanted to test a few products. However, some things are easier said than done. I could find only a few photos/swatches online, and the only place to buy KIDE in North America is The Detox Market. I did purchase my Kide "y-highlighter" there (review here), but I was hesitant to get other products, because they are quite expensive. Long story short, the products arrived, and here's my opinion on them.
      

-NE Correcting Powder
-KU Mineral Foundation in color "Natural"
-KA Shading Powder in color "Sunshine"

Swatches (bottom to top): correcting powder, mineral foundation, shading powder

These swatches are very very hard (not sure it would be possible to cover the face that much and look natural). The shading powder is still much lighter than it turns out to be in reality. 

NE Correcting Powder - I was probably the most excited about this product as I was hoping to use it as my main foundation to even out the skin tone and give natural glow (think of a natural option for Guerlain meteorites). The reality was that it did nothing for me. When I was trying it out, I had a red spot on my face, and thought that it's a perfect chance to see the real results of all these products. I applied this powder with a concealer brush to my red spot, and... nothing! I applied more and more, but still it didn't conceal it. I did use a concentrated powder brush to cover my whole face, but this powder just didn't seem to do anything. Later I did try to apply it on top of other mineral foundation, but since it gave no obvious results, I'm not sure if it did anything in that case or not. 

KU Mineral Foundation, color "Natural" - Even before getting it, I knew that it gives quite little coverage, but I was fine with that as I only need to even out the skin, and don't have much to cover. I was more worried about choosing the right color than about the coverage that it gives. The color is okay for me (I am "fairly light" from Bare Escentuals, and from Everyday Minerals I wear either semi-matte in "2N", or jojoba in "cream"), but the coverage, or should I say the lack of coverage, was the problem. Again, I did not get what I was hoping for from this foundation, and since it's called "foundation", I expected it to give that minimal coverage I was looking for. After applying the product quite heavily, I could still see my red spot very clearly, and the rest of the skin didn't look radiant or healthy - it just looked the same as with no makeup. However, I did find a way to use this foundation. I apply it when I want to refresh my makeup before going out in the end of the day, and it sets everything back in place pretty well. Yet it's not worth $85 for that purpose...

KA Shading Powder, color "Sunshine" - all that can go wrong went wrong with this one: wrong color, too pigmented, not matte enough. I was hoping to get a perfect shading/contouring product as this bronzer (and specifically this color) was described as a light matte one. Well, it's not light, it's not completely matte, and it's too pigmented. The color is more orange-y for my very light skin tone, so there's no way I could use it. Other than that, it's super pigmented, which would be great in other circumstances, but in this case it just makes things harder. I have a hard time to apply it light enough. Also, it has tiny shiny particles, and that is not what I was looking in the contouring product. Do I need to say I really didn't like it?

All in all, I'm happy I got a chance to try out more of Kide products. I do love my Kide "y-highlighter" in "gold", and I use it every day (no exceptions!). As for the products reviewed in this post, I will only continue using the correcting powder and mineral foundation, but I don't think I will even try to find a way to use the shading powder as it's too far from what I could work with.                  

Out With The Old, In With The New (empties and new purchases)

It's been a while since I shopped at Iherb.com, but I ran out of some of my favorite products, and needed replacement for them. I also finally got few items that I was postponing to purchase. If it's your first time shopping on this website, use code PIL356, and you will get $5 off your order ($10 if your total is $40 or more).

-Organix South nail & cuticle pen: while buying bottled nail oils is cheaper than buying pen type oils, I specifically wanted a pen so I could carry in my purse and use on the go. I already tried this pen, and I like that the oil is not runny and is not greasy making it very convenient to use (I tried it at work, and I had no problem working with papers after applying the oil on my cuticles).
-Alba Botanica 'acnedote' scrub: I'm getting predictable and boring with this one. It's my must-have product, and once I finish one, the next one is in my bathroom.
-Radius travel toothbrush: I wanted it for a while, so I was super happy to purchase the last one in stock. I use the regular Radius toothbrush, but this one seemed like a better option for traveling or just keeping in my purse in order to be able to brush my teeth while I'm on the go or at work. Besides, I don't need to carry an additional toothbrush case when I have this one. A big pro is that the head is changeable.
-Body Benefits massager sponge: I haven't tried it yet, but I'm very excited to.
-Nature's Way "hair & skin" supplement: I always try to use something extra to my regular multivitamins, fish oil, and calcium. This time I decided to work on my beauty.  


I love my Kide y-highlighter in "gold", so I was tempted to try few more items from the brand. While waiting for some discount on The Detox Market, I came across some Kide products on ebay. Usually I avoid buying cosmetics from ebay, but since this is such a rare brand, and the products were brand new, I took the risk. I admit that the ad sounded a bit too good to be true ($29 per item, free shipping), but I wanted them sooo badly. Well, when I received my package I was unpleasantly surprised ad the items were tested for sure (the was no texture on the top of the product, and it was clear that they were swatched). Long story short, my money was refunded, and the products stayed with me, so I was wondering if I should just throw them away, or if I should scratch the top layer and use them. I stick with the latter one.

-NE Correcting Powder: when trying out on my hand, it looked like it would give a pretty coverage, but on the face it wasn't that great in making the skin tone even. I need to test it more, but I don't think I would repurchase it.
-KA Shading Powder in color "Sunshine": The color is not exactly what I was looking for, so I need to play more with this bronzer, and see if I can find a good use for it.
-KU Mineral Foundation in color "Natural": This is a quite sheer foundation, but I don't have much to cover up, and I think I will enjoy using it everyday day to work. Just as the products above, this foundation is soft, and natural looking, and doesn't give cake-iness to the skin.


I also received some products from In Love With, but I will share my opinion on these in a separate post.

To balance out my purchases, I emptied out a bunch of products.

-Shikai "platinum" shampoo: not sure if it's the greatest purple shampoo out there, but I use it quite regularly, and always come back to it.
-Nubian Heritage heat protect keratin spray: It does have a strong sweet smell, so if you are sensitive to that, you might not like it. I was ok with it, and I enjoyed using this spray. I used as a leave-in conditioner. While I like the product, I'm not sure if I would repurchase as I like Aubrey Organic "jasmine" conditioning spray more (besides, it's more travel friendly).
-Garnier hair color in "white chocolate": Yes, it's far from natural, but this is an exception I will make. This is my summer hair color, and I only keep the dye for 10 mins on my hair (I wonder how succesful I am at justifying my actions),...
-Giovanni "50:50" shampoo: Some years ago Giovanni shampoos and conditioners were one of my favorites, but not anymore. I did like using this one, but I'm not so crazy that I would go back to buying another one.

-Aubrey Organics conditioner spray: It's light, but conditions well enough, and it gives nice shine to the hair. I also love how this spray smells. I have a new one on my bathroom shelf, and it's the product I will be repurchasing over and over again.
-Thesis "raspberry mint" toner: I'm not big on toners in general, but I was looking at this brand for a while, and when I saw it at Whole Foods, I couldn't resist. I'm obsessed with raspberries, so chose this one. Though in reality it's more minty, and I don't smell raspberries at all. I used it up, but would not repurchase.
-Giovanni "tangerine & papaya butter" body lotion: The texture was quite nice and light, it absorbed well, and gave enough moisture, but the fragrance is a bit too sweet, too strong, and too unnatural for what I prefer. I would recommend it to someone looking for a light body lotion, but I would not buy it myself again.
-Bath Petals "california rose garden" sea salt souffle: When buying this body scrub I was imagining a different texture, something more creamy/souffle-like. This is just basic sea salt scrub that is on the dryer side (damp salt basically, no oils). It was really sharp and I didn't like using it unless I missed with a whole lot of shower gel or some oils. If I used the scrub by itself, it would scratch my body.  
-Red Apple Lipstick lipstick samples: I was super excited about this brand, and I got one full size lipstick, and a couple of samples to try out different colors. The packaging and amount of those samples disappointed me as once opened, they cannot be closed, so you can't keep them around for longer period of time (and you cannot keep them in your purse). There is a tiny amount of the product in a sample, so I think they should either be free or shouldn't cost what they cost now. However, I love my full size lipstick and I use it quite often. I guess the company has few different textures, but the one I have is very pigmented, creamy, and tastes nice.

-BabySpa baby wipes: Originally bought these to use for cleaning my handbags, but I ended up using for cosmetic purposes too. They were ok, not too dry, not too moist, so probably I would buy them again.
-Evan Healy whipped shea butter: That smell! It is on the more expensive side, but worth every penny. I've used a couple of the jars in the past, and will repurchase in the future.
-Tatcha rice enzyme powder: I'm sure you're wondering what I'm talking about as you don't see the product in the picture. Actually, I poured it into that white bottle to have a more convenient access. I'm not a big fan of powdered products that need to be mixed with liquid before use, so this one spent time in my bathroom cabinet without being used. When I finally decided it was time to use it up, the smell was weird, and I ended up throwing it out. I did use it a couple times when I first got it, and the result was nice - the polish gave soft skin.
-Andalou Naturals face polish: In my mind face polish has to have tinier and more abrasive particles than the face scrub, so this Andalou polish wasn't what I was hoping for. I love most of Andalou Naturals products, but this was just a scrub, which means I wouldn't repurchase it.
-Alba Botanica "acnedote" scrub: Do I even need to say anything about it when it's the second time you see it in the same post? It's probably my most used/photographed/mentioned product in this blog. It's magic in a tube!

-Living Nature luminous pressed powder in color "Light": I was hoping to use this powder for setting my concealer in the undereye area, but I didn't like it for the job as it would crease, you could see the powder, and it wasn't giving flawless result. I did try to use it for the whole face to give some healthy glow, but it didn't work that way too. Finally I gave up, and the powder was buried deep in my makeup drawer. After a while I decided to try it instead of my Everyday Minerals mineral foundation, and to my surprise, I liked the result. The coverage wasn't great, but my face looked fresh, and natural. I used it for my "no makeup" days when I wanted something on my skin, or I would use it every day for workdays. While I think I liked it more than I didn't like it, I had days when I thought this powder didn't match my skin color (I think it's a bit pink toned, and I need neutral/yellow toned products), or that it wasn't giving any coverage. Overall I'm happy with the powder, but I will not repurchase it due to color.
-The All Natural Face vegan edible love dust in "Cocoa Sparkle": I tried a couple different products from the brand, and I wasn't impressed with any. I got this dust thinking how cute it would be to put some sparkle on my body when going out, but dreams were so different from reality. The product had tiny and huge chunks of glitter that just wouldn't stay on the skin, which means messiness all around. Besides, it didn't look right even on my pale skin, so I tried to find another way to use it up. I tried this as a dry shampoo-hair sparkle, but again I was disappointed as in my hair it looked darker than it should have.
-The All Natural Face food cleansers: I've had the majority of them, and they all smell divine (except for the avocado & cucumber one), but that's about all that's good about these cleansers. They are powder type, so you have to mix them with liquid before applying to the face. I always find it hard to find the perfect amount of dry and liquid to get the ideal combination. Another con for me is that these keep sticking together and dry up into a rock hard piece even when not handled with wet hands and kept tightly sealed. While using they give a super soft skin, but the effect is not lasting, and for me it's too messy of the process to use them.

Review: 100% Pure caffeine face mask

I like 100% Pure as a brand a lot, but was saddened by their recent price increase. I understand that raw materials go up, but some of the products increased by 30%, and that's not what materials increase by in one night. I assume there were more factors involve including shipping costs as 100% Pure now ships everything for free. The other awesome thing is their 25% flash sale on specific item. I do not remember for how long the sale lasts, but that information comes in the newsletter if you're curious. Anyway, one of the emails was promoting caffeine mask, and I just couldn't resist (they do have them in packs of 5 as well).

The mask is placed with water inside, and I was wondering how it's gonna feel on the skin. I was also worried that it will keep slipping off the face, but once put, it fell comfortably in placed and stayed on without a problem while I was working on my blog. The only weird things was the upper lip part which just wouldn't stay in place - if I fixed it, then the bottom of the mask wasn't feeling right, but if all else was fine, the upper lip part would just slip on the lip. That's how I left my mask on.

I kept the mask for about an hour even though the recommended time is 15-20 minutes. The directions mention that the longer you keep, the more moisture your skin absorbs, and the thinner the mask becomes. I didn't really notice the thinning effect. However, after removing the mask, my skin felt super soft and hydrated. In fact, I had a facial on Sunday, and the softness that my skin has after it up to today is the same one that 100% Pure mask gave me as well (except that caffeine mask's effect laster just for a day).

In general I'm not a big fan of masks, especially not the sheet ones, but I like this one. I"m still debating whether to get the 5-pack or not, but I'm leaning more towards yes.


 

VIVI Experience and Product Review

On my recent trip to Lithuania I got a chance to try out some new brands that are not available in the USA. I was especially interested in Lithuanian products as during my trip a few years ago there weren't that many to choose from. This time I was super curious about VIVI, which uses natural and organic ingredients in their products. There was a store (Palangos g. 2, Vilnius) located a few minutes walk up the street from my hotel, so that's where I went to explore this brand.

I did visit VIVI's website, and I've heard/read reviews about their products before going there, but I didn't expect to be so impressed with the store. While the products are very reasonably priced, the store looks like some high end boutique.It's very bright, very clean, and aesthetic. The store, as well as the products' packaging, is very minimal, and neutral. I loved the fact that there's a separate table with all the testers.

When I entered the store, there was another customer shopping, and hearing how the staff was interacting with her, I was happy to see knowledgeable and helpful people working there. I've seen and heard many stories of bad customer service while shopping in Lithuanian stores, but to tell the truth I haven't experienced any during my recent trip. VIVI was no exception, and I was treated wonderfully there too. Turns out that one of the ladies working there is the owner of that franchise. She was an amazing person to chat with about the brand, the store, and natural products in general. I feel proud that such beautiful, smart, young women are so entrepreneurial and so caring about what they use. VIVI was very generous, and gave 3 products to try out (I got one more myself).

The products I picked are: kalonji cream, facewash foam with silk and aloe vera, hair mask with argan and hemp oils, and toothpaste with kalident (mango flavour). I wanted to pick a variety of products in order to try different departments. So, here are my thoughts on these.

Kalonji cream: I have dry-normal skin, but I picked this cream even though it is meant for problematic skin. The ingredients offer anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, skin soothing properties, and while this is best suited for acne problems, I use it too. I tend to vary my face creams, including those for oily or combination skin. I'll choose lighter textures for summer, and richer ones for winter. I chose VIVI's kalonji cream as my nightime summer cream, because with this hot and humid weather the skin sweats during the day, and I wanted something anti-bacterial to fight whatever ugliness I have on my skin from the whole day of sweat/makeup mixture. The cream is perfect for my skin, and doesn't irritate it. I've been using it for the past 3+ weeks each night, and it didn't dry my skin. I can't tell how it works for acne, but I'm sure it won't dry the skin, which is an important factor for all skin types. Too bad there's no way to see how much product is left in the bottle, but I hope it will last long as I only need a small pump for my face.

Face wash with silk and aloe vera: I haven't tried many foam face washes, and what I tried, I wasn't thrilled with. However, hearing millions of comments on how amazing this particular face wash is, I just had to get it. The store owner suggested rose face wash foam, which is especially good for dry skin, but I'm not a big fan of roses in cosmetics (not only I don't like the scent, but I do get allergic reaction once in a while). Again, I've been using the face wash for 3+ weeks now, and it's super economical. The bottle is 155 grams total, and I haven't used even 20 grams yet (the bottle has a mark for 135 grams and what's above the line is 20 grams). I take 2 pumps for my entire face, and I only use this foam to wash my face in the evening. I love the smell as it smells like my favorite almond cake (I guess it's toasted almond fragrance), but it's not overpowering, and very gentle. The description says it does not irritate eyes, but for me it does sometimes feel uncomfortable for the eyes if I have more foam around that area and if I open my eyes. That's just a habit I have, because I want to look at the mirror and make sure that all the makeup, including mascara, is gone. I've been using the foam long enough to be certain that it washes very well and leaves no residue of makeup, so I try to remind myself that I can keep my eyes closed. It washes away makeup easily, but doesn't dry the skin, which was surprising, because I'm used to foam products (face washes, hand soap, etc.) making skin dryer. The other thing that I liked about this product is that the foam is thick and creamy (you can see in the picture that it won't fall off my hands).

Hair mask with argan and hemp oils: I usually use all hair masks as conditioners, so this was no exception. I tried putting it into my hair, braiding, leaving through the night, and washing my hair in the morning, but it's just something I don't do regularly. As for the result, I think I prefer leaving it for a minute or so while using as a conditioner. I have long, blonde, and very fine hair. I take good care of my hair, so it is healthy and shiny, but no matter if I use my all time favorite Earth Science hair mask or any other conditioner, I do put extra products on the ends to moisturize them even more. This mask works like magic, because it leaves hair soft and smooth, and I don't need to use additional products for my ends. I can run my fingers through the hair without a problem! As with the previous products, a little goes a long way, so I hope I'll enjoy this effect for a long long time.

Toothpaste with kalident (mango flavor): I knew that it's a non-foaming toothpaste, and that some people don't like it, but I didn't think it was that different from other toothpastes. This toothpaste comes in 3 flavors: mint, mango, and clover. I didn't want mint as it's just too traditional, and clover is something that makes me sick even thinking about, so I picked mango flavor. It's not the worst toothpaste, but I'm not sure if I would buy it again (and foaming is not the reason behind this). I love the mango flavor though! It doesn't give mint freshness to the mouth, but that doesn't bother me as long as my teeth feel clean and look shiny. The instructions recommend taking a small amount of toothpaste, but I take a lot in order to feel something. Even with that un-economical usage, I still have a little more than half of the tube left, and I've been using it for almost a month. Anyway, as I mentioned before, I don't really feel anything when I put the toothbrush into my mouth, and it seems that the toothpaste disappears. I know it's there just because of the mango taste, and full mouth of liquid. This is a part that bothers me as it's hard to comprehend if something is or is not going on in my mouth. While I used the toothpaste like that many times, I realized there's another way to use it. Instead of using just VIVI's toothpaste, I'll squeeze some other toothpaste on the brush as well. This way I can feel the texture as well as mango flavor. The other inconvenient thing for me is the residue that this toothpaste leave. I'm guessing it's kalident (a bioactive calcium) that does it. After brushing my teeth I have to look at the mirror to see if no toothpaste is left somewhere on my face, because otherwise it's not easy to wipe off. Any leftovers with harden and won't be brushed off by just wiping with a towel. I'm mentioning that, because I almost left the house with my "white lip liner" few times. After using regular toothpastes, I just wipe my face with the towel, but with this one it doesn't seem to work that great as it dries really fast. It kinda reminds me of liquid calcium supplement, and how it hardens around the cap.

I'm happy I got a chance to try these products, and I like every single one of them, but I don't think I will repurchase the toothpaste as I want products to make my life easier, not complicate it (even if those are small things). I would definitely buy hair mask and face wash again in the future. I'm sure they will last me a long time, but I'm already planning the best way to get them shipped to me. The kalonji cream is nice, and I enjoy using it, but not sure if I want to get a second one right away. I would probably want to try some other face creams from VIVI before returning to this one. Even while exploring the products in the store, I had 3-4 creams on my list that I was interested in, but picked only this one as I realized that I can't use that many items that quickly (I had some open ones waiting for me at home).

VIVI's products look and feel like high end natural/organic products, but the price is quite low for what you get, so I would definitely recommend trying something out from this brand.    

The English version of VIVI's website is here. If you live abroad, and spend 60 EUR or more, the store will give you free international delivery (put your shipping address in the comments field)! That's a piece of information that got me very excited as I know I want to try so many more items from this brand.  

Review: KIDE y-highlighter

Finally the beautiful Kide y-highlighter is mine! I could not stop thinking about this brand ever since I saw it online for the first time. However, it's not something I could check out in person as The Detox Market is the only one store selling Kide products in the USA, and I don't live close to it. They did have a sale on Kide products once, but I missed it, so when I saw that y-highlighter is on sale, I didn't miss my chance anymore.

It's a whole long story of how complicated my shipment was. The post office delayed the delivery, and on the day I was supposed to get it, I didn't. Turns out my package was left on top of mailbox on a pretty busy street, and someone stole it. :( The worst thing is that there was nothing the post office could do... I wish they were smarter then to leave packages outside. Anyway, the store was super generous, and sent me a new one, which I received yesterday, and I fell in love right away. Now I wanna try other products from Kide too!

I shipped the package to my work address this time, and all of my work stopped as I unpacked the highlighter - I had to take pictures and swatch it right away.

I wasn't sure what to expect as there aren't many swatches or real/user pictures of Kide cosmetics on the internet. I did find some YouTube video, but it wasn't of the best quality. Since the packaging was so cute, and I didn't expect anything less than perfect for the price, I decided to try it myself. I was debating, but chose color "Gold". I'm happy I got this color as it's not too gold-ish, and I think "Silver" could be too demanding for my makeup skills (I wear very simple and quick makeup, so "Gold" is a more universal and easy to use color).

The highlighter (just like all other Kide products) comes in a wooden package that feels really fancy in hands. It retails for $85, and there's 10 grams of product, so it's a bit pricey, but could be a great way to reward yourself.

As you can see from the pictures, the color is very universal, and the product doesn't have single glitter particles, but instead is very even. The highlighter feels nice and soft, kinda creamy/silky (not chalky at all). It's well pigmented, and it's easy to take on a brush and transfer on the skin. I fell in love with it the moment I touched it at work.  

It's definitely the most luxurious feeling highlighter that I've ever used, and I would recommend it to anyone without a blink. I understand it is a rather expensive product, so I'm sure one can find very similar looking (in terms of effect) one cheaper, but if you can afford it, and want something special for yourself, go for it!.

So many empties

This is going to be a long post as I have a bunch of products that I've used up. This is from around 4-6 weeks time. Some I finished before my trip, and others after the trip, but I used up a lot during my trip as I took a lot of samples and leftovers in order not to have to bring stuff back home.

-MyChelle "tropical skin smoother" face scrub - it's a very gentle, yet effective product. I've had it before (still in old packaging), and wanted to try again. Since the tube is so small, I took it on my trip, and used it up. I used it every day for 2 weeks, but it would obviously last longer when using 2-3 times a week. 

-Andalou "apricot probiotic" cleansing milk - that smell! It smells divine and it does the job. I had it a few years ago, and I wasn't disappointed now either. 

-Deep Steep "honeydew peppermint" moisture stick - never ever again I'm getting this product. I thought it will be so easy and mess-free to apply this body butter to my skin, but the stick is way too soft and melts easily when it's touching the skin. I used it on my soles to give moisture, and it lasted me less than 7 times (can't remember exact number, but I think around 5). The only good thing is that it wasn't greasy and felt quite light on the skin.

-Weleda "white mallow" body lotion - just like all Weleda's body lotions, this one was amazing! It was light, but moisturizing, it absorbed quickly, and had a pleasant smell. Since it's from a baby line, the fragrance was lighter than the regular ones. I would definitely buy full size.

-Deep Steep "daily reparing" shampoo and conditioner - these were just ok. I wouldn't buy them and I don't recommend to anyone as for that price you can get something really good. However, it's my personal opinion, and since everyone has different taste and needs, maybe for someone it's a great product. 

-Giovanni 'frizz be gone" hair serum - around 5 years ago I had this and was very happy with the product, but when trying it now, I wasn't so thrilled. It was an ok product, but I can't say anything good/bad about it.

-Himalaya toothpaste - it was a great size for traveling, but I lacked freshness in my mouth.          

-Alba Botanica "acne dote" face & body scrub - I'm sure you've seen it in my blog already, so I won't write too much about it. It's my must-have product, and can't imagine my life without it anymore. It usually lasts me much longer as I only use it for my tights, but this one I've used up during 2 weeks of my trip, because I used it as a full body scrub (and I used more than needed so I wouldn't have to take it back home).
-Andalou "sunflower & citrus" shampoo - this is a mini one, which I got for traveling specifically, but it's one of my favorite shampoos, and I do have a full size bottle in my bathroom.  

Mineral Fusion cleanser and face cream, Dolce & Gabbana "dolce" fragrance sample, Madara "deep moisture" cream, Trilogy "very gentle" moisturizing" cream, and Melvita "youthful" day cream - all products were ok, but I liked Mineral Fusion cleanser and Trilogy cream more than the rest of the items. Not sure if I'd buy them myself, but I would use them if I had them.

Weleda "skin food" cream, body lotions in "citrus", "pomegranate" and "evening primrose", and Barefoot SOS cream - I love all of Weleda's body lotions, so I enjoyed using these samples. The lotions absorb quickly, are light, but moisturizing, and they smell lovely. Skin food is a very rich and super moisturizing cream, which is too heavy for my face or body on a regular basis, but it's great for feet or dry hands. I've never used anything from Barefoot SOS, but I did enjoy this sample - the cream was rich and very similar to "skin food".

Surya Henna "color fixation" shampoo and conditioner, Giovanni "golden wheat" shampoo, Broo "warm vanilla" conditioner, Giovanni hair and body super potion, Mineral Fusion "minerals on a mission" shampoo, conditioner and beauty balm, Giovanni "tea tree" shampoo and conditioner, Giovanni super potion and hair towelette - I do like Giovanni shampoos from the old lines ("golden wheat" and "tea tree"), and I've been a fan of those for years, but I do not like any new lines (the ones coming in colorful packaging). The super potions and hair towelette was just the same as "frizz be gone" serum, and all the products were slippery and didn't do much to my hair. However, out of this bunch I loved Broo conditioner, especially the way it smelled! The smell stayed in my hair for a while and I loved that. Full size bottle is in my wishlist now.  

-Too Fruit "banana and fig" face cream - it is from a kids/teens line, but I couldn't resist the smell. It does smell like bananas mostly. The cream was moisturizing, but wasn't heavy and didn't leave oiliness on my skin. I used it as a part of my evening skincare routine.
-John Masters Organics "rose & aloe" toning mist - I used it as any other toner, and I didn't see any difference with this one. I wouldn't buy it again as it wasn't any different from other toners that I've used.
-Nature's Gate toothpaste - I like NG toothpastes, and this was no exception. 

-Earth Science hair mask is a favorite of mine! I do have the full size tube in my bathroom, but I bought this one specifically for traveling. I've been using this product for years, and I'm still not bored. If I had to choose only one hair mask/conditioner, this would be my choice.
-JMO "rose & apricot" hair milk - I just don't care for it. I was super excited to try it, and had this product in my wishlist for a while. I was hoping for a light texture, something similar to JMO's detanglers, maybe even thinner since it's a hair milk. Yet, I was so disppointed when I received the product. I wasn't thrilled about the smell, but I got used to it. What made me sad was that this was quite a thick cream that made my hair sticky and "I didn't was my hair for 5 days" looking. No matter if you use a tiny bit of the product or a whole lot of it, the hair just doesn't look good. I used it up as an overnight hair mask by applying a lot of the product to my hair, braiding them and sleeping like that.
-Veria ID conditioner - recently I used up shampoo from this line, and I've just finished the conditioner. I didn't like it as it did nothing to my hair. I wouldn't buy this conditioner, because I can buy the one I love for the same price, so why waste my money on something I don't enjoy using.

-Aubrey Organics "raspberry honey" shave cream - it's not the first time I'm using it, and I still like it. It lasts pretty well, and the smell is nice. The texture is a bit sliperry/silicone-y feeling, but I don't mind that.
-Giovanni "tea tree & mint" shave cream - another favorite of mine. It does the job, the price is good, and the quantity is fine too. Nothing to complain about.
-Another one of Alba Botanica's scrubs - refer to the review above.
-Nubian Heritage "raw shea butter" body wash - the smell is sweet and strong, and was a little too much for me, but the creamy texture feels amazing! I highly highly recommend these body washes.
-Seaweed Bath Co. "citrus scent" body wash - OMG, I'm in love with this scent! It's citrus-y, but very natural and pleasant, and it has a nice texture. The only con is the color, which is a little weird, but that's nothing compared to all the pros. 


While I try my best to use all natural products, there are some exceptions that I will make, e.g. mouthwash+toothpaste for traveling. There are also some categories of products that I can't find equivalents to in natural department.

-Crest mouthwash and toohpaste, Dolce & Gabbana "light blue" fragrance, and Buxom "full & fabulous" mascara. "Light blue" is one of my all time favorite scents, and I've gone through a couple full size bottles as well as these travel sized sprays. I do have one 1.7 oz bottle that I currently use. As for Buxom mascara, I did like it, and it made my lashes full, and I would recommend it to anyone. Yet keep in mind that the mascara seemed to get thicker after some time and you could see chunks of it on the brush, so I had to make sure to wipe the brush before using.

-Garnier "white chocolate" hair dye - this is something I can't fully convert to in the natural department. I've used natural hair coloring products, but they don't give the results I want, which is very light blonde hair without any yellow/orange tone. Garnier does the job, so I keep using it for probably 6 years now. I do switch to natural hair dye once in a while (usually during winter), but I can't give up Garnier completely.
-Veet hair removal gel cream - I don't know about the "gel" part as for me it's a cream, but the product works, and that's all that matters. I know it's not the best option, but I never came accross natural hair removal creams. I wonder if there are any at all. I only use it for bikini, and this bottle lasts me about 6 months, so I don't put too much thought into switching to something better, but I definitely would if there was a natural product out there.