Natural Make Up Remover Wipes Review

by Leave a Comment

pacifica

pacificamakeupremover

Natural Make Up Remover Wipes Review

Wanting to use the most natural products on my face I have always used fragrance free, vegan, eco-friendly baby wipes to take my make up off at night. Having had a problem with styes on my eyelid a few years back I needed a product to be able to get right into my eye lashes to make sure I was scrubbed totally clean. So I steered clear of make-up remover wipes because they had far too many chemicals and ingredients on them. Until recently.

Pacifica, a natural make-up and skincare company whose products are also cruelty free and vegan, kindly sent me some make up remover wipes & deodorant wipes to try. So it was time to bring you a natural make up remover wipes review. I was a bit wary about the face wipes, as I said, my skin is rather sensitive and I am careful of what I put so close to my eyes. The wipes are fragranced, albeit naturally so I was sceptical. At first, I somewhat gingerly dabbed my eyes with the towelette to see if it stung. When I found it did not I scrubbed my face (as I usually do with the baby wipes) and despite the wipes being (wonderfully) scented with essential oils, and me getting right up close and personal into my lash line the wipes were totally effective and had no sting. I was very surprised.

So now I am using them. Living my life house sitting as I do and thus out of a suitcase means that I have only room for compact and effective items in my bag. The 30 sheet packs are ideally portable, AND they have a genius, snug fitting lid on the top so no dried out wipes. Paraben and gluten free, and with no other ingredients you really do not want on your lovely face.

They are on par price wise with other less ‘clean’ brands - $7 for 30 but they are infused with skin loving ingredients and they are wonderfully luxurious. I spotted them in Whole Foods in London, UK last week too. They were £3.99

The Pacifica deodorant wipes (shown below) were also scented (naturally) with coconut milk (natural deodorant due) and essential oils and made without parabens, gluten, sly and propylene glycol. I loved the scent and they worked well to a point but personally, even though they are biodegradable I think they are wasteful and did not offer me enough protection for all day (costly too $9). However, for carrying in my bag for freshening up and for clean ups for camping and road trips I think they are great.

Pacifica have really expanded their range of products of late. I used to only know them for their natural perfumes but they have a full, sumptious make up range now too.

 

pacificafacewipes

pacificawipes

Gluten Free Vegan Lipstick Giveaway

by 2 Comments

red apple lipstick

red apple lipstick

Gluten Free Vegan Lipstick.

Keeping it all natural, vegan and gluten free makeup is a thing. Red Apple Lipstick are a cosmetics company dedicated to allergen free products. They have a wonderful range of products to make your kissers and peepers pop.

 

We have a gluten free vegan lipstick or gloss, and an eyeliner to giveaway to one lucky winner. If you win you get to choose your perfect shade.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

 

 

Active Natural Skin Care Giveaway from The Mad Hippie

by 2 Comments

Mad Hippie

 

Mad Hippie

Vegan Skin Care

It is so important to not overload our skins with harmful chemicals to allow our skin to be at its optimal state. I’ve been showing my skin some serious love lately with Mad Hippie luxury lotions, creams and serums which are totally free of paraben and synthetic ingredients. All their products are cruelty free and 100% natural. We just had to get this Portland, Oregon company to your attention. Their products have a list of incredibly clean and beneficial ingredients;

  • Coenzyme Q10
  • Reservatrol
  • Green Tea
  • Vitamin B3
  • Polyphenols
  • Vitamin E
  • Aloe Vera
  • Coconut Oil
  • Argan Oil
  • Grape Seed Extract
  • Acai Berry
  • Pomegranate

Using their products feels like the most luxurious and kindest thing you could be putting on your face. Read here why the active natural ingredients and peptides their products contain are so good for your skin. The before and after photos of actual customers skin improvements on their website are really impressive. I’m am totally hooked on them. I know you will love them too! Mad Hippie have one set of their skin care Exfoliating Serum and Face Cream to giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just What Are Active Plant Stem Cells? [product review]

by 2 Comments


Things were very different back in 2001, when I ditched all my toxic toiletries and cleaned up my bathroom and kitchen cupboards.  The words parabens and sodium laureth sulfate scared the crap out of me.  I stopped wearing make-up (though I didn’t wear much anyhow) and started using shampoo and conditioner that never stung my eyes or smelled ‘fake’.  I stopped using furniture polish and bathroom sprays that choked me.  I felt better.  I didn’t feel like I was being assaulted by toxic chemicals.  It was liberating.  Back then though, packaging and luxury were not forth coming.  Now eco-friendly, green, and vegan - non-animal tested products are everywhere.  Thank God!  To see gorgeous packaging with contents promising to be ‘paraben free’ ‘non-toxic’ ‘safe’, is now common place. I can wear vegan non-toxic make-up (hallelujah!) and nail varnish again.  I don’t feel like I’m on the margins anymore.  I look back and I feel like I was a front runner.  I’m sure my body and the environment are better for it.

The toiletries I use are mostly from the UK, as I presently spend the majority of my time here.  When I’m in the US, I stock up on Trader Joes‘ eye poppingly zingy shampoo & conditioner.  It’s cheaper than most brands found at Whole Foods and leaves my hair nice and shiny. When my eye caught sight of Acure Organics and its beautiful packaging on a health food store shelf,  I was smitten.  Their fragrances were so natural.  I had to try them at home.

The Acure range.

Face - Sampled a few of these at Whole Foods.  Seemed good quality and smelled natural.  Didn’t use over period of time so…no comment.

Body - Deliciously rich.  Soothing.  Hydrating.  Used for 2 weeks, so far, with definite improvement on skin softness. 
Body Lotion.  My favourite flavours were the Mandarin Orange & Moroccan Oil, and the Lavender & Echinacea.  Oh, and the one with Grapefruit in.
Body Wash.  The ones I tried were luxuriously thick and silky as they squeezed out of the tube. I felt like I was at a spa! The Exfoliating Mint is a smack of cool breeze mint.  Good for those who take a while to come to in the mornings.  The Coconut Pumpkin was gentler on your senses and wonderfully scented.  

Lips - No comment.  Didn’t try any of products por la boca!
Hair - Didn’t try any of the haircare products.  
Sun Care - I’ve yet to find a cream that doesn’t leave your skin with and eerie white glow!  Tell us if you’ve found one!
The Ingredients
All products are plant based. PH balanced.  With whole food potency.  Packed with a whole list of flowers, essential oils and plants. No nasties.  (Preserved, not by chemicals but by salt, a medium our forefathers used).  Ingredients such as:

Argon oil.  Much publicised over last few years.  Proven to protect and stimulate collagen.
The science geek in me was also intrigued by ingredients called Chorella Growth Factor & Active Plant Stem Cells.  Acure’s 2nd of 3 founders and husband of Kristy, Jon, a chemical biologist, studied the use of Chorella Growth Factor before launching Acure.  These ingredients sounded like little miracles whipped up into the products, but I didn’t want to just take their word for it (have I become sceptical?).  So I  searched for evidence to back it up, it seems many studies have been conducted in Japan (Brendan Brazier has done lots of research on it and found NASA an advocate). Apparently, CGF is rich in nucleic acid which helps its own cells to reproduce rapidly and to help repair damaged tissue and heal wounds in humans. The Active Stem Cells are extracted from plants that have active ingredients. Acure tell me their products are skin type specific for type of PSC’s used. For example: The butterfly bush has a component that treats sun exposure.  Lilac reduces acne lesions. This is what I’ve found written on the internet about PSC’s - 
Stem cells are building blocks that play important roles in cellular renewal and regeneration. But they become less potent over time. Fortunately, fruits and plants are sources of “universal cells” that can increase the longevity of your skin’s stem cells, renew dormant cells, repair damage, and regenerate healthy cells. But was from a company I found was actively part of the cosmetic industry, I’ve not been able to find a peer reviewed study in my research so far that I can actually read for my self, only those mentioned by other people.

I don’t know about all that (yes, I have gotten a little sceptical!) however, in my own 3 week (and ongoing) trials, I can report my skin’s tone is more even and it is way softer and appears more hydrated.  I smell so good too!  I really enjoy using the products.

Please note * Not all products are vegan. (Boo!)  Night Cream.  Wrinkle…  Lip Balm & Line Eraser contain milk enzymes, beeswax or honey.  I would love to see the company adopting a fully vegan line by sourcing alternative ingredients.  It can be done.  Lets hope they do! Like, now!

About The Company

In 2010 a company grew out of a passion to make toiletries healthier.  Floridian and Co-founder Kristy Guerra was working as a designer whilst she witnessed  a heartbreaking 10 year battle her grandmother fought with cancer. She vowed to do something big in the world to make a difference and to honour her grandmother.  She believed harmful chemicals had a part to play in the disease.  She wanted to be part of the change.  Hence the name A Cure.  For the planet.  5% of profits go to Bright PInk.  A charity that offers free mama grams in the US.  Produced in their own laboratories, their products are free from animal testing, parabens, sulphates (known irritant), phthalates (endocrine disruptors), synthetic fragrances, harmful preservatives and artificial colours.  Breast Cancer Fund, University of Reading et al, report a link between the use of parabens/toxic chemicals and some cancers. 
Acure also told me they believe education is important.  They said they have a team of educators and hosts lectures for public awareness.

Currently, Acure can only be purchased in USA.  But they can purchased from an online store (www.iherb.com) and shipped to some European countries.



5 Natural Ingredients. Spells LOVE. Vegan Body Butter [Review]

by Leave a Comment

IMG_9157


I’m always on the lookout for new products, but my focus is usually of the edible kind. So I wanted to tell you about a lovely body butter I tested at a vegan event recently. It had a wonderful, natural fragrance and, after an initial greasiness, it soaked into my skin well. It kept my parched ‘washing up hands’ hydrated for ages. I met with the co-founders, Kelly Winterhalter and Bryan Pamplin. A sweetly pair! Kelly founded Ellovi (ell.o.v.i spells love. so cute!) when she was suffering from a skin condition that wouldn’t clear up. She looked at all the chemicals in the products she tried and just knew they couldn’t be doing her much good.  Kelly told me..

‘I started Ellovi because I wasn’t happy with the other products out there. Even the products labeled natural or organic almost always contain dozens of ingredients, are loaded with preservatives, and watered down.

I wanted to create something much better from pure and natural ingredients. Your skin is like a sponge that absorbs lotions and creams right into your body. Given the lack of regulation in the industry, I’m very careful with what I put on my skin, and that’s not something you’ll ever have to worry about with Ellovi’.

After some home-kitchen research and development, she created a cream with just a few pure ingredients. She began to notice real results and friends and family urged her to start selling her wonder cream. I was intrigued about one ingredient I’d never heard of, Marula oil. Extracted from the African Marula nut. . I asked Kelly why she used this product in her cream. She explained..


‘We source Marula oil from a fair trade organization in Swaziland. Marula oil has been used for millennia to enrich, moisturize and revitalize dry skin. I read an article about Marula oil a long time ago that said it was on the of “best buys that will change your life.”  This encouraged me to try it, and I immediately noticed improvements. My skin became softer, and sun damage began to fade. All of our other ingredients have been sourced fairly and have been selected because of their amazing skin healing benefits’. 





Butter has a very light natural SPF protection from the Shea butter. It is about the equivalent of SPF 5, and should be used under your sunscreen. 

The Butter is made in California. You can buy Butter online at www.elllovi.com.  It is not available in stores yet.