InstaNatural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil

I've used facial cleansing oils a few times before and was happy to try InstaNatural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil.  The directions say to use it on a cotton pad or washcloth or with your hands.  I prefer using my hands.

I dispense a few drops into my hands and rub into my face.  If I am wearing makeup it takes all of it off really well; even waterproof mascara.  I then use a washcloth and warm water to wipe the oil off of my face.  My skin is left super soft and smooth.

The scent is fantastic.  It is made with jojoba, olive and other oils.  I think the scent I notice and like so much is the Pink Grapefruit oil as it is really light and fresh.

Before I ever used oil to clean my face I worried that applying oil to my face would make me break out but I actually think it's the opposite.  The cleansing oil helps to break down other oil on your face and leaves your face well moisturized and protected so your skin doesn't overproduce oil that will make you break out.  I like using this as a part of my night time skin care routine.

InstaNatural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil is on sale at Amazon.com right now and is a great value compared with other facial cleansers and facial cleansing oils.  It is a 4 oz. bottle and seems like it will last a long time.

Click here to find it on Amazon.com

#InstaNatural


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

UNi 100% Organic Pure Moroccan Argan Oil

I like to use natural and organic beauty products if I can and especially if they are effective.

A few years ago I tried some argan oil hair products but felt strongly I was paying top dollar for chemicals and scent.  I have read great things about Argan Oil.  UNi Argan Oil is cold pressed from unroasted Argan kernels and is considered extra virgin grade.

I have been using it on both my hair and my skin and have been happy with the results.

It has a light nutty scent that goes away after it is applied so it doesn't leave any scent at all.  I use it very sparingly when my hair is damp from a shower and apply it to the heat damaged ends.  Using more than a few drops on hair is not recommended as your hair will feel a bit heavy; not necessarily greasy.  I like that it makes my hair feel soft and I feel like the Argan oil is protecting the ends of my hair from curling iron and flat iron damage.

I have also used it in place of lotion on my knees, elbows, legs, hands and feet.  I like it the best for my legs as I think it lasts a long time and I have noticed my skin is softer after just a few weeks of use. I also really like how it has moisturized my cuticles.

I much prefer using UNi 100% Organic Pure Moroccan Argan Oil instead of Argan Oil hair products available at salons.  It is a much better value and I feel, a much higher quality product with more uses.

Click here to find it on Amazon.com

#argan


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil

Lately I have been trying to minimize the number of man made harsh chemicals I use in my household and unnecessarily on my body.  I have always loved tea tree oil and didn't realize all of its benefits. I think it is really clean smelling.  Among other qualities, tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and also antibacterial.

Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil comes in a huge 4 oz. bottle.  I don't think I have ever seen a bottle of tea tree oil this big before.  I got it from Amazon.com and have used it successfully in a few ways already.

First, I used some of the tea tree oil to make insect repellent.  I mixed apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil and water together in a spray bottle and spray around our screen porch to keep mosquitos and flies away from us.  They seem to hate the smell of both the tea tree oil and the apple cider vinegar.  I am relatively pleased with the results and am so happy to not have to use bug spray with DEET around me, the dogs and the little one.

I also used the tea tree oil to make homemade deodorant.  I am happy to report it works and I don't stink!! I've been wanting to do this for a while.  I have read a lot that the aluminum in deodorants and antiperspirants we use are carcinogenic.  Long story short I mixed up a batch of deodorant using beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter, kaolin clay, tea tree, lavender and orange oils.  I melted the mixture down and poured in to a sterilized deodorant container and am thrilled with the results.  The coconut oil and tea tree oil are both antibacterial and minimize the stink factor.  The clay is a wetness absorber.  The consistency is a little looser than store bought deodorant but I think my armpits are less dark than they used to be and are much softer!

Even after using the tea tree oil the way I did I have so much left in the bottle.  I think it's really well priced for the amount you receive and there are a million ways you can use tea tree oil.  When you buy Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil you also get a downloadable recipe guide with over 50 ways to use tea tree oil.

Click here to find it on Amazon.com

#teatreeoil


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Review of Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Built-In Whitening Pen

I received these products to sample via Influenster and Influenster's Target Spring Preview.

I have been using teeth whitening products for some time and have varied from using supplies available only through the dentist to over the counter products available at mass merchandisers.

The neat thing about this product is that the whitening gel is in its own pen that fits conveniently into the handle of the toothbrush.  This makes it more likely that you'll whiten your teeth in my opinion.

I can't really think of any negatives of this product.  I like the fact that the whitening gel doesn't burn my gums like other whitening gels I have used in the past and that its readily available for purchase at mass merchandisers like Target.  Also I really like that the gel is easy to apply and you can make sure to apply it in between teeth too.  This can be challenging with whitening strips.  Colgate's Optic Whitening Pen does not require you to use trays over your teeth which is a helpful feature.   You're not stuck at home with strips or trays on for any duration of time where you are limited in talking with people or going out.  I think the consistency of the gel is perfect too; it doesn't get all over your mouth and seems to disintegrate after a few minutes.

Another feature I like is that the toothbrush is different than a traditional manual toothbrush.  There are rubber nubs in the center of where you would normally find bristles give a nice gum massage.

I give this product a firm thumbs up!  I've seen it for sale at Target recently for $12.99.

As I mentioned I received samples of this product to try via Influenster and Influenster's Target Spring Preview promotion for free but these opinions are my own.

Thanks for reading!

Review of L'Oréal Paris Magic BB Cream

Not sure if any of you have been trying the numerous BB Creams available as I have.  I've tried Dr. Jart, Skin79, Garnier, and Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream and have had mixed results.  

As far as I  understand, BB Creams in general are based on beauty balms in Korea made for post plastic surgery.  They are supposed to contain ingredients to soothe and heal skin as well as provide light coverage.  Most of the versions I've tried have a few shade variations but they have little microspheres that burst and oxidize into color on your skin, the actual cream is grey or white.  Most of them claim to be multi tasking products that contain moisturizers, primer and other ingredients. 

L'Oreal Paris Magic BB Cream is different than the other BB Creams I've tried in that it is a drier feeling formula and this is the only BB Cream that I feel I can use without a primer.  It provides a bit more coverage than a tinted foundation however I did feel the need to use concealer to cover some spots that needed more attention.  If you're looking for full coverage, try layering the BB Cream under powder mineral foundation.  I used Bare Minerals.

Also I would not necessarily recommend this BB Cream for dry skin as it can highlight dry spots.  Or I suppose you could use it after a solid moisturizing.  


I'm a big fan of this BB Cream in Medium and would likely purchase it again.  

I received a free sample from SheSpeaks to test for my honest opinions.

Salon Grafix Conditioning Cleanser

A few months ago I tried a sample of Wen Hair Care in Sweet Almond Mint. Wen is a sulfate free cleanser for hair that's advertised on infomercials.

 

I liked the results and the scent of Wen but was completely unwilling to commit to the price. I believe the introductory kit is about $30 and you can reorder for $49.50 per shipment, not for me.

 

I found a drugstore knockoff of Wen called Salon Grafix Conditioning Cleanser in Citrus Creme. I've purchased Salon Grafix Dry Shampoo in the past because they make a version for brunettes and have been satisfied with the brand in general. Their Conditioning Cleanser retails for $7.99 for 12 ounces at Walgreens. I have very long hair and it took me about 2 and a half weeks to go through this bottle.

You apply it like regular shampoo but need to use more than normal. Since its sulfate free, it won't get sudsy like shampoo. This is a positive, there are many who believe sulfates are bad for your hair, its color and texture and that they could cause you to need to wash your hair more often. I massage the product into my scalp as well as the length of my hair. I use a wide tooth comb in the shower to comb through my hair and help work the cleanser through it and get rid of any tangles. Rinse and style as usual.

 

I find my hair is soft and smooth after use and I can go every other day washing my hair without it feeling or looking dirty or greasy on day 2.

 

If you like or are interested in Wen, I highly recommend trying Salon Grafix Conditioning Cleanser, what a great value! Check it out here.

 

This review is my own opinion, I did not receive products to test or compensation.

 

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October 2012 NewBeauty Test Tube!

I'm a bit overdue with this blog entry but still need to share with you how happy I am with this quarter's NewBeauty Test Tube!

 

I look so forward to receiving this each quarter, as it is one of the best beauty values out there. I paid $29.95 plus $9 shipping and handling. Here's what was in the Test Tube:

• IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye concealer - deluxe sample size 0.11 oz, full size 0.28 oz for $24
• Moroccanoil Intense Hydration Mask - deluxe sample size 2.53 oz, full size 8.5 oz for $32.80
• Dr. Brandt dark circles away collagen eye serum - sample size 0.085 oz, full size 0.5 oz for $55
• CellCeuticals CellGenesis Eye Serum - full size 0.5 oz for $65
• philosophy hope in a jar - sample size 0.4 oz, full size 2 oz for $39
• Yon-Ka Anti-Age Masque No. 1 - full size 1.7 oz for $58
• Olay Professional Pro-X Deep Wrinkle Treatment - full size 1 oz for $43.99
• Kneipp Pure Bliss Mineral Bath Salt Red Poppy Hemp - sample 2.1 oz, full size 17.6 oz for $19
• 😥 Kniepp Eucalyptus Herbal Bath - this was missing from my Test Tube. A sample was supposed to be included, full size is 3.4 oz for $20
• A copy of NewBeauty Magazine retails for $9.95
• Discount cards towards spalook.com

The Test Tube comes with a handy guide that tells you about each product.

 

 

 

 

So according to my calculations...I received over $200 worth of products for $40.

A lot of what I receive in the Test Tube is new to me. They do a good job of mixing up cosmetics with skin and hair treatments mostly geared towards anti-aging. I keep wanting to subscribe to the QVC version as well but can't justify the $$$$. From what I've seen the QVC version includes more products from mally, philosophy and tarte. You can find out more about the QVC version by clicking here.

The magazine is a decent read, it's a heavy magazine that seems to be focused on anti-aging including cosmetic surgery. A section in the back of each issue is dedicated to profiling cosmetic surgeons in your region of the country. I like that the magazine gives suggestions on how to look younger with cosmetics, skin and hair treatments and not only cosmetic surgery. I prefer to think that if I take good care of myself I can avoid the cosmetic surgeon.

I highly recommend this....again! Find out more about the NewBeauty Test Tube by clicking here.

 

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