geoGirl

geoGirl is a makeup company whose target consumers are eco-friendly young girls. geoGirl describes its products as "fun, good-for-skin makeup for lips, cheeks, face & eyes & great skin care made with healthy, natural ingredients like White Willow Bark, Chamomile, Lavender & Calendula & Ginseng, 2 name a few. & we use 100% natural fragrances." I first heard of the brand on Lauren's blog.

These are available for purchase at drugstore.com, but the prices were a bit lower at my local Walmart. I decided to pick up a couple of things to try them out.

I picked some shades of lip gloss and eye shadow that I don't currently have: a purplish berry eyeshadow and a sparkly, pinkish red lip gloss.

 

Each  has a Skin Deep Rating of 4

VBS LipGloss in Tutti Frutti

Ingredients:
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil,  Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebaic Acid Copolymer, Polybutene, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Flavor, Trihydroxystearin, Synthetic Flourphlogopite, Ammonium Glycryrrhizate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Punica Granatum Extract, Ascorbyl  Palmitate, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Red 28 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Red 7 Lake















iCU [iSeeYou] Cream2Powder Shadow in Barely Berry
Ingredients:
Isododecane, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ozokerite, Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Talc, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Lanolin Acid, Propylene Carbonate, Phenoxythanol, Butylene Glycol, Water, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Mica. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Manganese Violet, Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide Greens, Yellow 5 Lake, Ferric Ferrocyanide. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ 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!

Haul: Everyday Minerals (Part Deux)

I was having so much fun on Everyday Minerals' website after I placed my order (the one I shared with you yesterday), that I... bought some more stuff. /: I am pronouncing a ban on any more makeup purchases for at least a month. This shouldn't be hard for me as I've acquired a bunch of things to try out in the meanwhile.

 With order #2 I received:

• The Everyday Minerals Glow Kit

These powders have a Skin Deep Rating of 2

This came with:

- mini size of Pearl Beige, a concealer that camouflages imperfections by matching your skin's undertones
-mini size of Wet Sand, a highlighter
- mini size of Light Pink, a slightly shimmery blush
- mini size of Natural, a natural face powder
- a baby Flat Top brush
- Everyday Hydrate Oil, 100% pure Argan Oil - this is the perfect size for traveling!

These mini sizes are 0.06 oz. which should last me for a long time since I'll mainly be using these on my cheeks.

• Mini Freestyle Collection 

 This set contains:
- mini size of Rhapsody in Peach, a slightly sparkly coral blush
- mini size of Sand Cherry, a sparkly deep peach blush with cherry undertones
- mini size of New Car Smell, a sweet peach and coral blush
- mini size of Truly Tiger, a coral shimmer blush
- mini size of Summer Stroll, a coral pink blush
- Angled Blush Brush

These are also 0.06 oz.

• Foundation Brush

The eye shadow has a Skin Deep Rating of 2

I decided to buy this brush because it intrigued me. It looks like a brush for liquid foundations, but the website says that this is "perfect for even full coverage powder applications." As an added bonus, it came with a freebie: an eye shadow in the color Parasail. The brush is made of synthetic fibers and has a bamboo handle.

• Base Sample Kit

These have a Skin Deep Rating of 2

I picked up another sample kit of bases. These are the same shades that I got with my previous order, but with a semi-matte finish. The semi-matte bases are meant to be hydrating. It will be interesting to see how these look/feel on my skin. Each of these jars is 0.03 oz.

• Face Promo

 

The face promo was still going on, so I also got another set of these powders. :) Each jar holds 0.03 oz.

I obviously really liked Everyday Minerals' website, now I'll have to see how I like their powders and brushes!

Haul: Everyday Minerals

I heard about Everyday Minerals on Hayley's blog and Mary's blog and decided to get some things when I saw the affordable prices. I picked up a bunch of powder for mah face.

• Big Finishing Dust

Skin Deep Rating of 1

This was on sale for $6 (usually it's $12). This is a translucent powder that's meant to set your makeup and get rid of excess shine. I've used Bare Minerals' mineral veil, and I think this is the same idea. On days when I don't need as much coverage, I plan on using this over a little bit on concealer.

•  Base Sample Kit

These each have a Skin Deep Rating of 2

You can get a free sample kit of bases (foundation powders) whenever you want - no purchase necessary! If you don't make a purchase, you just have to pay for shipping. These are really nicely sized. According to the website, each sample lasts for five to seven applications. This is the Fair kit (there are four different kits - the darkest is called "Tan") and as you can see it really covers all the possible fair skin-tones. Between these samples and the ones I got from my recent Alima Pure Haul I should be able to figure out what my matches my skin tone PERFECTLY!

• Face Promo

These each have a Skin Deep Rating of 1

I'm not exactly sure what these powders are for. I'm guess that the Bamboo Face Powder in Yellow is a correcting powder, the Kaolin Powder in Soft Bronze is a bronzer, and the Kaolin Powder in Sunlight is a highlighter.

• Travel size 10 piece eye shadow kit

The eye shadows have a Skin Deep Rating of 2

This kit contains eight neutral eye shadows and two eyeshadow brushes.  Though the eye shadows are "travel-size," they contain 0.02 oz of product which I feel will last me a long time. For comparison: a MAC eyeshadow is 0.05 oz while one from Bare Minerals is 0.02 oz; so, this is actually a good-sized eyeshadow.

The eye shadows come in a roller-ball applicator which seemed a bit weird, but I tested it out on my arm and there wasn't any extra product coming out though I'm still curious as to how it will work on the eye. I'm also wondering why this kit came with two eye shadow brushes, considering that they're unnecessary due to the roller-balls. It's always cool to get new brushes, though!

 Here's how it looked on my arm. On the left is one swipe, on the left is three.

Now I have enough samples of non-toxic foundation to keep me going for a looooong while. I'm confident that I will find the perfect shade of foundation when I'm done trying them all out.

I actually kept searching the Everyday Minerals website after I made this purchase... and ended up buying some more stuff. I'll post the other stuff I got tomorrow. :)