Travel Supplies

This weekend I went away on a short trip to Niagra Falls.

Here are the skin care/beauty supplies that I brought with me.

• bareMinerals Naturally Luminous Duo - samples of cleanser and moisturizer for combination skin
• bareMinerals Renew & Hydrate Eye Cream
• The Planet Spa aromatic body lotion plus ginger and vanilla
• MineralFusion mineral body lotion
• LaVanila Healthy Baby Lotion

• natural soap (I can't remember the brand)
• Greenbody Greenplanet Shampoo and Conditioner
• razors

• Crystal Essence Mineral Deodorant Towelette
• Clean Well All-Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipe
• an expanding towel
• Crystal Body Deodorant Roll-On
• nail file
• tweezers
• compact mirror
• floss
• contact lens case
• tooth paste

• tarte blush in Adored
• bareMinerals Pretty Amazing LipColor in Confidence and Oomph
• Physicians Formula Organic Wear Lash Boosting Mascara
• Everyday Minerals Finishing Dust
• Everyday Minerals Foundation in Fair Neutral, Fair, and Sandy Fair
• Everyday Minerals Concealer in Aussie Perk Me Up
• bareMinerals Blemish Therapy

See anything I forgot?

...I forgot to bring a brush and eyelash curler. I ended up skipping mascara because I find that it really doesn't look good without curled eyelashes. I applied foundation with my fingers - I dipped them into the mineral foundation and rubbed it in my skin. I actually liked the effect this gave! It felt a but smoother because I really pressed it into my skin. I didn't use the concealer or finishing dust.

Next time I go on vacation I'll have to remember to bring all my supplies!

~ Susan

Green or Unclean: Bare Escentuals Active Cell Renewal Night Serum

Bare Escentuals has a new serum. They've been giving free samples of this with purchases and for stopping by their boutiques. I got a sample myself recently.

This has a Skin Deep Rating of 4

This serum promises to work while you sleep to help create firm, healthy, and younger-looking skin.

This is formulated without:
- parabens
- sulfates
- synthetic fragrances
- synthetic dyes
- petrochemicals
- phthalates

Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Xylitol, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Glycyl Glycine, Methyl Gluceth-10, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Soil Minerals, Soil Minerals/Syringa Vulgaris (Lilac) Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Zizyphus Jujuba Seed , Phytoecdysteroids Extract, Maltodextrin, Ppg-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Peg/Ppg-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Trisodium Edta, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Limonene, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum

In general, I'm okay with using products with a Skin Deep Rating under five (I am transitioning to using all natural products). However, I saw that the ingredient was Butylene Glycol, which reminded me of Propylene Glycol, an ingredient I avoid. It turns out that Butylene Glycol is a humectant. However, sources vary on whether or not it's a good  ingredient. The FDA has approved it for use in cosmetics and as a food additive. Yet others list this as a skin, lung, and eye irritant. The books on green beauty I have also differ about whether or not this is an ingredient to avoid. O.o I suppose it's better safe than sorry, so I'll put this aside in favor of a more natural serum.

Can anyone shed some light on Butylene Glycol?

~ Susan

Seasonal Favorites

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Here are some products that helped me get into the spirit of the season:

Yellow Stone Bees Tea Tree Peppermint Hand and Body Cream

This cream smells delicious! It's minty and sweet. If I could eat it, I would. 

Sumbody Peppermint Body Soap

This soap is both moisturizing and tingly. I like how it looks like a candy cane. This also smells mouth-wateringly sweet. 

Scrubz Peppermint Scrub

What can I say, I really like peppermint at this time of year. :) The grains in this worked to exfoliate my skin while the oils helped moisturize it. 

WYK Candle in Whispering Pines

The smell of pine makes me think of Christmas. It's fresh without being overpowering. 

bareMinerals Eyeshadow 2.0 in The Top Shelf

I've really been feeling these shimmery eye shadows at this time of year - they seems festive without being garish. This duo contains a champagne color and a light bronze.

I'm going to keep on enjoying these products all the way until Twelfth Night!

~ Susan

November Favorites

I've been without internet for the past couple of weeks, and now I am SO glad to have it back! Here are my favorites from the month of November.

Tarte Full Coverage Foundation

This is the only foundation I've been wearing recently. It gives me the coverage I want without making my face look cakey of streaky. It feels moisturizing without making me constantly aware that I've got a "mask" of makeup on.

This is only available from qvc.com, and it comes with a brush, which I don't use. I'm hoping that when I'm through with this tube it will have be sold elsewhere, because I'd rather not get a brush I'm not going to use every time I buy this. /: It's pretty comparable in texture/feel to the smooth operator Amazonian Clay tinted moisturizer with SPF 20 that Tarte sells which is available at a lot more places. The foundation has more coverage and staying power.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush

Mostly, I love the colors they have of these blushes. I also like that they require little thought when applying - one sweep on the cheeks, and I'm good to go. My favorite shade is Exposed, though I own a few others.

I know that Tarte isn't as pure as many other natural companies, but I think they're a good transition for people who are just starting to pursue greener and cleaner makeup choices (i.e.- people like me =D)

Bare Minerals Ready Eye Shadows

These shadows are very smooth and have a really good color payoff.

Trader Joe's Tea Tree Shampoo & Conditioner

I was having a crazy hard time finding a shampoo and condition with really good ingredients. There were a bunch that were almost perfect except for fragrance. Finally, I found these, and I couldn't be happier. Also, these are pretty cheap - $3.99 a bottle. Not as a cheap as say, Suave, but a lot cheaper than the other natural options I was looking at. The bottle says that Trader Joe's worked with a professional boutique to create this - I think it might be Giovanni something or other. They have a tea tree line which looks very similar to this one. Most of Trader Joe's products are created by another company and differ only in packaging and price.

These feel a bit different from other shampoos and conditioners in the shower; my hair feels kind of dry... even though it's wet. Maybe it just feels really clean. As soon as my hair is dry it feels extremely soft AND non-oily. I would continue to purchase these even if I wasn't concerned about ingredients. I wash my hair at night, it air dries while I sleep, in the morning I brush it once and then I'm good to go. No other products needed. :)

Rainwater Botanicals - Herbal Herbal Healing Salve & Intensive Repair Cream

I've been loving all of the things I got from Rainwater Botanicals - especially the moisturizers/salves. My top favorites are the Herbal Healing Salve, which I use on my hands to keep them soft in this cold weather, and the Intensive Repair Cream, which I've been using on my legs. The scents are nice but not overpowering, and they make my skin feel truly moisturized. I've already repurchased both of these.


This past month's dislike: my difficulty with finding a good, facial skin care routine. I've just been washing my face with Tea Tree Soap, and that's it. Maybe that's all I really need. It's definitely the cheapest skin care routine I've had in a long while!

~ Susan

BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow - The Truth

After reading and watching reviews of the new BareMinerals "Ready" products, I got really excited. I have a bunch of loose mineral eye shadows that have good ingredients, but I find them more difficult to use than mineral foundation - because the container/lid it smaller, I end up wasting a lot of product. All the reviews lauded the Ready eyeshadows' pigmentation and butteriness. Also, the eye shadows include a special "SeaNutritive Mineral Complex" that contains powerful antioxidants, cold-pressed borage oil, caffeine, and cucumber. The Complex was formulated to provide anti-aging benefits without any: parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs, or triclosan. Finally, a pressed eyeshadow with good ingredients!

I got a quad in "The Truth." Included shades: Serendipitous (delicate peach), Magnetism (brushed taupe), Fate (light mocha glaze), and Apropos (twinkling espresso).

I like the packaging. Very clean-looking. The material is similar to the one that NARS uses. I know that that can pick up some dirt/dust because of the rubbery texture, but the texture also allows you to get a good grip while applying the makeup.

From top left, clockwise: Serendipitous, Magnetism, Fate, Apropos

I love these eyeshadows! Here's a look using the quad that I wore to work:

I

I used Seredipitous all over my lid, up to my eyebrows. I put Magnetism in the crease, and Fate on the outer third of the lid to darken it up. (In person the colors make more of an impact.) I think this quad is really wearable for the day, but could also be used at night if you were to use the darker shades to do a smokey eye.


With these eye shadows, I only need to touch the brush to the shadows to pick up a lot of pigment. They're also incredibly easy to blend. They stay really well over a primer. I think I may get some more!