Annmarie Gianni Skin Care – A Product Review

During the month of February, I tried out another set of skin care products.

This set was given to me as a gift to enjoy and not necessarily for a review.  Overall, I’ve enjoyed the products, so I thought I’d put together a review for you.

The brand is Annmarie Gianni Skin Care.  Her tag line is organic, natural, and wild-crafted.  Seriously, how could you resist a tag line that has the words “wild-crafted” in it?

I had three products to try out.  The first was the Aloe-herb Facial Cleanser.  The second was a Neroli Toning Mist and third, the Herbal Facial Oil.  I used the cleanser and the oil every morning and every night.  I used the toner less often, probably once every couple of days.

Annmarie Gianni – Cleanser, Toner and Moisturizer

Scent

Each of these products has a fairly strong scent.  I was not surprised, given the “wild-crafted” theme.  The scents are herbal and last for a few minutes.  However, even with the strong scents, I didn’t notice them for long.  For the record, they aren’t unpleasant.

Aloe-herb Facial Cleanser

This cleanser has the consistency of a thin lotion.  I experimented with different amounts and eventually settled on using two pumps each time I washed my face.  As you can see from the photo, two pumps from the bottle is not too much in my hand.  The cleanser does not foam up at all.  Rather, it coated my skin with a thin film until I washed it off.  I always find non-foaming cleanser and soaps to be a little deceiving.  I was brought up thinking that foam and suds were signs of effectiveness.  The cleanser washes off very easily, leaving skin clean, despite the lack of suds.

Aloe-Herb Facial Cleanser

Neroli Toning Mist

This toner has a citrus scent, which I love.  I ended using a couple of sprays each time and I found that it was enough to cover my skin well.  It’s light and refreshing.  It also never caused my skin to break out!

Herbal Facial Oil

I’ve used many face oils in the past couple of years.  I went so far as to start making my own, which I have come to love.  This oil worked fairly well for me.  I found it to be a little on the thick side, so I used a scant single pump each time.  I found that any more than that was too much for my skin and I would end up feeling like I had greasy skin. Again, the scent is on the strong side, but pleasant.

Herbal Facial Oil

Effectiveness

Like I said earlier, I like the set overall.  My preference would be to have a slightly thicker cleanser and a slightly thinner oil.  I think that would work a bit better for my skin.  Having said that, I had clean and moist skin all month while I was trying this out.  Perhaps it’s time for me to break out of my norms and get used to something new!

Packaging

The cleanser and the facial oil are both housed in dark glass bottles with pumps.  The dark glass (Miron Violet Glass) helps to protect the oils.  When I originally opened up the gift bag, I noticed that there was a little mesh bag of fresh lavender included.  It’s a lovely touch to the presentation of the products.

Ingredients

The entire Annmarie Gianni Skin Care line is made with natural, organic and wild crafted ingredients.  The ingredient list for the cleanser was included right on the bottle.  Here’s the list:

Love, aloe vera juice infused with (Lavender flowers, calendula flower, life everlasting flowers, hyssop, lemon balm, neem leaf, olive leaf, plantago leaf), coconut oil, cocoglucoside (coconut oil & glycerin), vegetable glycerin; aspen bark extract; ruby grapefruit oil, lemon oil, green mandarin oil, xanthan gym, rosemary oleoresin

I love that the first ingredient is Love!  I also love that the she explains right on the bottle what things like cocoglucoside are.  I always take a lot of comfort in knowing what I’m putting on my skin and this list of ingredients helps with that.

Aloe-herb facial Cleanser Ingredient List

The sample of the toning mist was simple too small for an ingredient list.  A quick look at the website told me everything I needed to know about the toner.  It has a total of two ingredients, Love and pure organic neroli distillate.  That’s my kind of ingredient list!

The facial oil didn’t have an ingredient list on the bottle, which I found disappointing.  However, I suspect it’s an issue of space on the label.  I found the full ingredient list on the website:

Love, herb oil (grapeseed oil, life everlasting, green tea, gotu kola, rosemary, calendula, lavender, milk thistle, lemon balm, licorice root, roobibos, hibiscus, rhodiola, gingko, plantain, amla, ashwaghanda, acai, goji berry, horsetail, comfrey leaves, comfrey root, rose petal, echinacea, ginseng, lotus, boswellia, blue violet), fractionated coconut oil, oleic sunflower oil, olive oil, aloe vera oil, passion fruit oil, tamanu oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E tocopherols, evening primrose extract, seabuckthorn berry extract, red raspberry seed oil, cranberry seed oil, rosehip extract, calendula extract, buriti fruit oil, sandalwood oil, jasmine sambac oil, bergamot oil, blue chamomile oil, rosemary oleoresin. Organic or Wildcrafted.

Affordability

With each of these products, a little goes a really long way.  For that reason, they will each last a long time.  I can’t get a great feel of exactly how much I’ve used in the past month, mainly because the Miron Violet Glass is so dark!

The Facial Cleanser is the more economical choice, if you’re looking for a deal. For about $25, you can get a 50 mL bottle.  I imagine that bottle would last a few months.  The Facial Oil, on the other hand, is a bit more pricey at about $35 for only 15 mL.  Though I only used one pump at a time of the facial oil, I find the price quite a bit more than for the cleanser.  And having said all of that, my personal opinion is that these products are priced within a reasonable range.

For what you pay, you are getting an effective product that is made with natural ingredients, free from all unnecessary chemicals.  Knowing that I’m using safe cosmetics on my skin goes a long way in my books.

My Recommendation?

If you’re looking for skin care products that are free of unnecessary chemicals, this is definitely a set to try out.  You need to be willing to accept a different texture for the cleanser.  If you can get past that, this might just work for you.  I would definitely recommend giving it a try!

Annmarie Gianni Skin Care

Evande Facial Care – A Product Review

For the month of January, I have been using a whole new set of skin care products.  It’s the Evande Skin Care Set.  This set was sent to me free of charge.  In return, I’ve been using it religiously so that I could provide you all with my personal review of the set.

Scent

The scent of any skin care product is really important to me.  I have to like it or I simply won’t use it.

The scent of the Evande set reminds me of a light baby powder.  It’s a very feminine and delicate scent.  I love the way it smells when I put it on.  I also love that I catch a whiff of it every once in a while throughout the day.

Each of the products in the set has the same scent, so they work really well together.

Evande Cleanser and Make-Up Remover

The soap-free cleanser is light and creamy all at the same time.  It works well as a makeup remover.  The hardest makeup I had to remove was some lipstick that had lasted beyond its best before date.  It was very sticky on my lips and felt horrible.  A dab of the cleanser/makeup remover allowed me to wipe it off in one swipe.  So yes, it works as a makeup remover.

As a cleanser, it is gentle on my skin.  After I’m done using it, my skin feels clean without that dreaded squeaky clean feeling.  My skin doesn’t feel dry afterwards, either.

Evande Cleanser

Evande Alcohol-Free Pore Minimizing Toner

This is the only toner I’ve ever been able to use without breaking out.  In fact, I had all but given up on toners until I received this set to try.  I figured I had to give it a try in order to do a complete review.  To my surprise, my skin didn’t react poorly at all.  I love spraying this toner on my face and neck after cleansing.  It seems like such a lovely way to ensure my skin stays moist.  I am totally hooked.

Evande Face and Neck Moisturizer

The moisturizer is light.  I just need a little bit for my face and neck, especially after the toner.  It leaves my skin well-balanced and hydrated, but not greasy or feeling heavy.

Evande Face and Neck Moisturizer

Effectiveness

This skin care set has served me well for a whole month.  It’s been cold and dry for most of the month and my skin has been well hydrated throughout.  The cleanser is gentle and the moisturizer is nourishing.  It’s exactly the right combination I need to keep my skin clean and moisturized.

Packaging

The packaging is simple.  The pumps for the cleanser and moisturizer and the spray nozzle for the toner make each product really easy to dispense.  I personally like the clean look of the white bottles and the touch of gold classes it up a little bit.

Ingredients

The Evande brand uses the tag line, “Feel the Natural Elegance”.  Evande prides itself on creating products that are great for your skin without using harsh unnecessary chemicals.  On their website, they have listed the chemicals that are prohibited from use in their product line:

•    DEA (Diethanolamine)
•     Dyes
•     Mineral Oil
•     PABA
•     Parabens
•     Paraffin
•     phthlates
•     Sulfates

I love that Evande uses more natural substances to create their products.  They also clearly list all their ingredients right on the back of each bottle.  I’ve also reproduced the ingredient list below, in case you’re interested.

Evande Ingredient Listings

Cleanser and Make-Up Remover:

Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Cocomidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbedensis Leaf Juice, passiflora Edulis (Passion Fruit) Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Glycol Distearate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

Pore-Minimizing Toner

Extracts of (Marigold, Chamomile, Rosemary, Cucumber, Elder, Arnica, Linden, Cornflower, Matricaria, St. John’s Wort, Hops, Horsetail, Pine Cone, Mallow, Ivy, Pellitory, Burdock, Sage and Soapwort) in Water, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Glycerin, Propylene Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbedensis Leaf Juice, Laureth-23, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Fragrance

Face and Neck Moisturizer

Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cetyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Aloe Barbedensis Leaf Juice, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Almond Butter), Silk Amino Acid, Ficus Carica (Fig) Extract, Kigelia Africana Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Niacinamide, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycol Distearate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol,  Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Fragrance

I looked up this brand on the Good Guide and on Skin Deep.  Unfortunately, it was not listed on either site, most likely because it’s such a new brand.  I’d love to know how these products rate on either of those sites.

Affordability

Is this magic skin care set affordable?  In short, YES!

Each bottle contains 200 mL of product.  My best guess is that, after one month, at most, I’ve used about one-quarter of each bottle.

You can buy the whole set of three for $24.99!

Honestly, I didn’t even look at the price until it was time to write my review.  I was floored when I saw how well priced the set is.

Would I Recommend Evande?

Yes – I most definitely would.  I’ve had a great experience using this set for the past month.  My skin feels great and I’ve finally found a toner that works for my skin!  I also love the clean packaging and the great price.

Homemade Deodorant Using Clay

I recently took the plunge into the world of homemade deodorant.  I tried for months and years to find a store-bought brand that worked for me.  After absolutely no long-lasting success, I made my own.

I was thrilled with my first go at it.  Click here to read all about it.  This recipe worked SO well for me!  In fact, it worked better than my regular store bought deodorant. The one complaint I had was with the consistency.  I found that it separated easily, requiring a vigorous stir prior to each use.  I was also concerned that it would not travel all that well.

I set out to find a recipe that was more solid and would fit into a deodorant stick.  I didn’t have to look that hard.  I went back to the Crunch Betty site and found a recipe that fit the bill.  Click here to see exactly what Crunchy Betty says. 

Unlike many other deodorant recipes out there, this recipe doesn’t use baking soda, cornstarch, or arrowroot powder.  Instead, it uses clay to help absorb extra moisture.

The Ingredients:

1.5 Tablespoons of Beeswax beads

4 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil

1 Tablespoon of Shea Butter

4 Teaspoons of clay ( I used White Kaolin Clay)

20-25 drops of Essential Oils ( I used Tea Tree, Rosemary, Lemon and Bergamot)

The Method:

I melted the beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter over low heat on the stove.  Had I actually done what the recipe said, I would have added the Shea Butter after the beeswax was melted.  Shea doesn’t do withstand heat all that well, so it’s best to heat it as little as possible.  Having said that, I was excited and put all three into the pot together.

Raw Ingredients

Once that was melted, I removed the pot from heat and whisked in the clay.  The mixture turned a gray colour.  Then, I stirred in the essential oils.

Deodorant in the Making

I cooled the mixture by putting it in a cold water bath.  It wasn’t elegant, but it did the trick.  The mixture started to set up in about a minute.

Makeshift Water Bath

Finally, I poured and scooped the mixture into 5 mini deodorant stick containers and popped them into the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Mini Deodorant Sticks

Did It Work?

I tested this stick for 3 days.  I even managed to convince two good friends of mine to give it a try.

The texture of the stick was pretty slippery.  After coming out of the freezer, the mixture softened considerably.  While applying it one day, I thought it might do better in a roll-on applicator.

The scent was unique.  One friend of mine went through several love/hate cycles with the scent each day that she wore the deodorant.  I noticed the scent, but didn’t find it offensive.

The deodorant was effective for a few hours at a time, provided there was no undue stress or mild physical activity (like walking).  Yes, you read that right.  This stick just didn’t do the trick.  I really wanted to love it, but after several days of this, I couldn’t justify using it anymore.  This was far less effective than the first homemade deodorant that I made.

It’s back to the drawing board for me.

Disclaimer

Deodorant is a very personal thing.  What works for one person may not work for another person.  Further, what works for you one day may not be the solution on another day.

While this didn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean that it won’t work for you.  If you walk down this path of homemade deodorant, I think you’ll learn, just as I am learning, that experimentation is key.  Don’t discount this recipe just because of my experience.  Who knows, this may be just the right concoction for you!

Belly Butter for Pregnant Mamas

A dear friend of mine recently announced to me that she was pregnant.  Yay!!

About five minutes after she told me her great news, she asked if I could make her some belly butter to help avoid the dreaded stretch marks.  Not only was she looking to avoid the actual stretch marks, but she had found that the stretching her skin had already done in the first few weeks had been a bit painful.  She had tried to find a butter in the stores, but found that many of them had unnecessary ingredients.  My heart warmed and I assured her I would help her take care of her skin.

Belly Butters

I made a two separate butters for her.  One is for the morning and one is for bedtime.  I made two jars of each one.  I made both with base oils that are great for the skin.  The main oils in both are Jojoba and Kukui oil.

Belly Butters

Belly Butter in the Morning

I scented this belly butter with a mixture of citrus scents.  It’s perfect for awakening the body in the morning and having a fresh scent on your skin to start the day.  I also made this butter quite soft, so that it’s easy to apply.

Bedtime Belly Butter

For nighttime, I scented the butter with a soothing lavender.  The scent is calming and will help my dear friend get her sleep.

Why not a straight oil?

Oils are also great for moisturizing the skin.  I find that, to achieve a deep moisturizing effect, a butter, lotion or cream is more effective.  Once your skin is well moisturized, an oil is excellent and keeping the moisture in.  To learn more about my take on the difference between oils and creams/lotions, click here.

Clean Ingredients Make for Safe Cosmetics

When a woman becomes pregnant, she starts sharing everything that she takes into her body, whether through eating, inhaling, or through her skin, with her growing baby.  For that reason, it’s so important to pay attention to what that new mama is taking in.  Why use a product with unnecessary parabens or other chemicals that will be passed on to the new baby when there are equally effective and less harmful options available?  Sometimes, we do it because it’s convenient or because we don’t have access to a better alternative.  I was so happy that my friend is paying attention to what she shares with her growing baby and it was such a pleasure to be able to make a belly butter that is safe for both of them.

Indie Lee’s DIY Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub

Who doesn’t love a little bit of pumpkin pie?  It’s creamy, smooth and tasty.  Now, you can have that for your skin too!  Want to know more?  Read on!

Indie Lee

I was recently approached by the marketing firm for Indie Lee.  As described right on Indie Lee’s website,

“Indie Lee is devoted to making all natural beauty products from the world’s finest ingredients. What you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it. We must nurture our soul to let our inner beauty shine through. Live life to its fullest, one moment at a time.”

Indie Lee also likes to share DIY recipes and that’s where I came into the picture.  I was asked to try out this DIY body scrub recipe and write about it.  There’s absolutely nothing in this for me, except of course, I get to try out a new body scrub and pamper myself.  Tough life, isn’t it?

Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub

Here’s the recipe, as it was sent to me:

Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub

Unfortunately, I didn’t have all of the ingredients on hand.  So, I made do with what I had and made a modified version of this body scrub.

My Modified Recipe:

1 cup of white granulated sugar
1/8 cup of coconut palm brown sugar
4 tsp of pumpkin spice*
1/8 cup of coconut oil
4 T of olive oil

Ingredients From My Cupboard

As you can see from the photo of my ingredients, I didn’t have a whole lot of white sugar left.  So, I opted to make half of the amount in this recipe, just so I could have a cup of sugar left over at the end.

I used coconut palm brown sugar. It’s not quite as soft as regular brown sugar, but it worked just fine in this recipe.

I used my homemade pumpkin spice instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg.  My pumpkin spice recipe comes directly from Heidi at Lightly Crunchy.  It’s a great little recipe that includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.  Check out the recipe here.  I used quite a bit more spice than the original recipe calls for.  I did that to compensate for the lack of actual pumpkin in my concoction.  I used the spice to simulate that spicy pumpkin pie scent.  If only I could transmit smells through my blog, you would know that it worked.

Sugars and Pumpkin Spice

I used both coconut oil and olive oil.  While the original recipe did not call for olive oil, I found that I needed to add some moisture to compensate for the lack of pumpkin.  I could have just as easily added more coconut oil.  Both coconut oil and olive oil are good for your skin, so I didn’t mind having both in this scrub.

Adding Coconut Oil

Finally, it’s obvious that I didn’t include any actual pumpkin.  Pumpkin pie mix is just not something that I have on hand.  I would have loved to include some pumpkin puree or butternut squash puree.  Alas, I had used my entire supply up already (mostly on baby food).  So, I did without and added both olive oil and a lot of pumpkin spice to compensate.

The Result

The result of my little concoction looked like this.

Final Product

The mixture was fine and felt pretty smooth.  It smelled like baking, which was exactly what I wanted.  I used it on my arms and legs and ended up with very soft and polished skin.  I could feel the difference right away.

Would I Make It Again?

Sure!  I would certainly make this again.

This scrub, like most scrubs, serves two main purposes. It exfoliates the skin and it also provides moisture, by virtue of all the oils.  I’m someone who always has to apply lotion to my skin after a shower.  However, I was able to skip that step when I had used this scrub.

I love recipes like this one because you can make it with common ingredients found in your kitchen.  And if you’re faced with a problem like I was, in that you didn’t actually have some of the ingredients, you can use substitutes and still come up with a great product for your skin.

Homemade Deodorant

After many years of searching for a store-bought deodorant that works for my body, I have resigned myself to admitting defeat.  And in order to pick myself up, I decided to (finally) learn how to make my own!

Inspiration!

A few months ago, I was browsing some of my favorite blogs and I saw a post on Homemade Wellbeing by Kristina.  She had written about making her own deodorant and how successful it had been for her.  She made it sound so easy and I was inspired to finally get off my butt and do something about my deodorant situation.  Check out her post here!

Off I went to the Crunchy Betty website to read about making deodorant at home.  I almost fell off my chair when I saw how easy it is!  With nothing in my way, I was off to the races.  Click here to see the recipe that I used.

Making my Own Deodorant

It was really easy.  I followed the recipe on the Crunchy Betty site to the letter and I was not disappointed.

First, I took some coconut oil and some sweet almond oil and infused with dried chamomile and calendula flowers.  She recommends that you leave it alone to infuse for a couple of weeks.  I ended up getting a little busy and it sat there for about 7 weeks.  It wasn’t a problem.  If anything, the oil came out with a stronger infusion of the flowers.

Infused Oil

Second, I strained the oil.  I ended up getting about 8 tablespoons of oil.

Strained Oil

Third, I mixed in equal parts of arrowroot powder and baking soda.  You use 1/4 cups and 2 tablespoons of each one.   Stir well.

Homemade Deodorant

And Voila, you’re done!

Testing my Own Deodorant

It was easy to make, but did it work?

I tested it for 10 days.  I applied it once each day, in the morning after my shower.

During that time, I continued with my daily routine just like normal.  This included things like my Jillian Michaels workouts (there’s a lot of sweating involved in those!) and long walks in the sun with my little boy.  I even used it when I was around other people!

This deodorant worked for me for every single minute of the ten-day trial. That’s more than I can say for any of the other store-bought deodorants I have ever tried.  It simple works perfectly with my body!

I did find that the mixture separated in the jar throughout the day.  So, I kept a small spatula on hand so that I could give it a vigorous stir before applying it in the morning.

Three Jars of Homemade Deodorant

One Huge Step Forward

Finding a natural deodorant to use has been a long time coming for me.  I’ve learned how to make many of my own skin care products, like lotion, cream and soap, over the past couple of years.  I’m so excited to have a product that works for me.  It’s got a handful of ingredients, it’s easy to make and most importantly, it works for me!  The only drawback for me with this deodorant is the need to mix it up again each morning.  Perhaps I’ll have to keep experimenting with the recipe.

Do you use a homemade or natural deodorant?  If you do, what’s YOUR secret for the perfect product?

In Search of a Natural Deodorant

I’ve been looking for a natural deodorant for some time now.

Without a doubt, there are lots to choose from. I’ve tried many of them.  I’ve tested each one for days and days at a time.  I’ve given my body several days to get used to each one in the hopes that it would embrace the new deodorant.  Despite my patience, each one left me sporting quite the unpleasant odor.   While I’m sure that they may work for some, they have not worked for me.  😦

I won’t go into detail about each of these products, as I don’t want to make this into a product review post.    They are all great products and I’m sure that they work for other people out there.  After all, they were each easy to find on the shelves of my local health food store, so they must be doing something right!  In fact, if you’re looking for a more natural option, I encourage you to try some of these.

It’s Personal

Finding an effective deodorant is a very personal thing.  Everyone’s body is different and of course, it also changes over time.  When you choose to forgo the strength behind the more popular antiperspirants and deodorants, some fine tuning is definitely warranted.

Antiperspirant vs. Deodorant

Antiperspirants are used to keep your underarms dry.  They do this by preventing perspiration in the first place.  Most of them contain aluminum salts to help accomplish this task.  Basically, they work by blocking the pores from releasing the sweat.

Deodorants, on the other hand, mask body odor with a scent.  They do not prevent sweat or perspiration.  Instead, they work to neutralize or cover the odor with something more pleasant.

Complaints About Antiperspirants and Deodorants

Both products contain lots of ingredients that seem unnatural, including parabens and preservatives.  The ingredient that has the worst reputation, is aluminum.  It has been linked to both breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

Despite the bad reputation that aluminum has, there is quite a bit of conflicting information available concerning how bad or not aluminum is for you.  Some say there is no need for worry and there is no link to these diseases.  Others conclude that the chronic exposure is certainly linked to these illnesses.

I learned a bit on this subject when I read Gillian Deacon’s book, There’s Lead in Your Lipstick.

Why Choose a Natural Deodorant?

I’m no scientist or expert when it comes to the ingredients used in these products or their effects.  If you read enough material, you could find an opinion to support any point of view.

In my humble view, I believe that a product with fewer ingredients is usually a better choice.   I also believe that I should be able to understand the ingredient list of the products that I put on my skin.  With those two principles in mind, my only choice is to go with a natural deodorant.  And even some of those have a long ingredient list!

How do you stay fresh and dry?

Until I find a good alternative, or figure out how to make an effective deodorant on my own (hint, hint!), I continue to use my store-bought deodorant.  It works, but I’m not thrilled about using something with such a long list of ingredients.

What do you use to stay dry and sweet-smelling all day?

Perricone Product Review – Part III

Welcome to the final part of my three-part review of my stash of Perricone skin care products.  Click to see Part I, to see the first part of my review and to find out which products are included in my stash, and Part II to see my review of three Perricone moisturizers.

In this final part of the review, I will give you my thoughts on two serums that I had in my Perricone stash.  I tried out the Advanced Eye Area Therapy and the Neuropeptide Deep Wrinkle Serum.

Advanced Eye Area Therapy

The Advanced Eye Area Therapy comes in a small bottle with a pump.  It’s a thick cream that is dark in colour.  You only need a teensy weensy bit and it can be dabbed on in the eye area.  I found that it provided good moisture to the area around my eyes.  However, I also felt a slight tingling/burning when I put it on.  It only lasted for a second or two, but I’m pretty sure that I didn’t imagine it.  I wasn’t too keen on the tingling on my skin.

I’ve used this cream each night before bed for quite a few weeks now.  Despite the many weeks of use, I can’t honestly say that I’ve noticed any differences to my eye area.

Neuropeptide Deep Wrinkle Serum

The Neuropeptide Deep Wrinkle Serum comes in a dropper bottle.  Inside, it’s a clear, thin liquid.  It’s intended to be applied to deep wrinkles.  The idea is that, after 8 weeks of application, the wrinkles will be less noticeable.

I used this on my neck area.  I used it twice a day (morning and night) for several weeks.  I’m probably not the best test subject for this serum since I don’t actually have deep wrinkles (yet!).  My skin definitely feels softer, but once again, I can’t honestly say that I have noticed a difference in my skin.

The Verdict

As you can probably guess, I wasn’t overwhelmed by either of these products.  Having said that, I don’t think that they are bad products by any stretch. Rather, they simply aren’t right for my skin.  Given the success I’ve had with other Perricone products, I’m sure that these would work great for someone who has the issues that these products target.

I’m glad that I got to try them, as well as the facial cleanser and the moisturizers that I reviewed in Part I and Part II of this series.  Overall, I’m quite pleased with my Perricone stash and I’m looking forward to finishing it all off!

My Perricone Stash

Let’s Talk About Talc

There’s a lot of controversy about talc. From all of the reading I have done, there doesn’t seem to be a whole of evidence either way.  Despite that, the very fact that there’s controversy has steered me away from using talc in my skin care routine.  In my very simple words, here’s a very short summary on the talc controversy.

Talking about Talc…

There are some who avoid talc because it is thought that it might contain tiny fibers related to asbestos.  People are concerned because these fibers could cause talc to behave like asbestos inside your body.  For this reason, long-term use of talc is suspected to contribute to serious illness, such as lung cancer.

The use of talc has also been linked to ovarian cancer, for folks who use talc in that area of their body.

On the other hand, I have also read that there are reports that say that talc used in cosmetics have such fibers removed and therefore, there is no need to worry.

Why Do People Use Talc in the First Place?

Talcum powder is great at absorbing extra moisture and keeping your skin dry.  Such a product is great as a baby powder for babies in trying to prevent diaper rash and great for adults in avoiding excess moisture during the day.  It’s especially good for areas of the body that get sweaty, like underarms and feet.

Alternatives to Talc

As I was getting some skin care products ready before my son’s arrival, I endeavored to make some talc-free baby powder.  I’m certainly no expert on talc.  However, there’s enough controversy about it for me to look for a less controversial option.  Fortunately, I found a few readily available options quite easily.  Powders can easily be made with cornstarch, arrowroot powder, oat flour, or baking soda.  All of these would be good at keeping the skin dry.  I ended up making a powder with a mix or arrowroot, cornstarch and baking soda.  (Then, I ended up barely using it because he didn’t need the extra drying power of a baby powder!)

Unscented Baby Powder

Resources

Want to know more about what people are saying about talc?  Check out these links:

Personal Care Truth

Dr. Weil

EHow

Cinco Vidas

 

Perricone Product Review – Part II

This is the Part II of my three part review of my Perricone skin care products. Check out the first part, and the contents of my Perricone stash, here.

For this part of the review, I’m going to focus on the three moisturizers I have in my stash of Dr. Perricone products.  As you see below, I have three items:  More Than Moisture SPF 30, Face Finishing Moisturizer, and the Advanced Face Firming Activator.  I have been using all three for the past few weeks.  Check out my thoughts on each one below.

More Than Moisture SPF 30

First of all, the scent in this cream is heavenly.  Every time I use it, I detect hints of cocoa butter and orange.   It smells really rich!  Perhaps that contributes to my feeling that it’s also a bit of a heavier cream.  It’s not greasy on my skin, but definitely feels like a thicker moisturizer.

I have used this cream every time I’ve gone out for a walk.  It does a good job of protecting my skin from the sun.   It’s lovely to have a cream that acts like a sunscreen, but doesn’t smell too strong or feel heavy on my skin.

Face Finishing Moisturizer

This cream comes in a jar with a little spatula.  The cream is more gelatinous and a bit thicker than the other moisturizers.  I guess that’s why the spatula is included.

The moisturizer felt the thickest out of the three that I tried.  It also provided the most moisture out of all of them.

This cream has a floral scent.  Fortunately, it’s not overpowering.  While I’m not usually a fan of floral scents, I quite like this one, probably because it’s not that strong.

Advanced Face Firming Activator

This is the one cream that I had used before.   As soon as I opened it, the scent brought me right back to the time when I was first introduced to this cream.  It was such a memorable time that I’d like to digress slightly here and tell you about it.

A short side story…

Remember the 2010 Winter Olympics?  Well, I was there!  For real!  I was one of fifty people that my company sponsored to volunteer at the Olympics.  I worked with a group of people in the head office.  Our job was basically to help people keep motivated, especially those in the head office who didn’t get a chance to be at the events.  It may not sound like much, but it was a great job.  The easiest way to motivate people was to give out free tickets.  We handed out lots and my team also attended lots of events.

Here’s a photo from one of my first days on the job!

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Back to the Advanced Firming Face Activator

I was saying…the scent brings me right back to the first time I used it.  Similar to the SPF cream, I smell a bit of cocoa and a bit of citrus.  It’s a light, refreshing scent. (and to me, smells of the Vancouver Olympics!)

This cream is the lightest of the three.  It moisturizes well, without feeling heavy on the skin.

Which One Do I Like Best?

Well, it depends!  I really like each of these creams.  They all serve a different purpose for my skin.

I like using the SPF when I’m going to be outside.  It does a great job as a sunscreen.

I love the Advanced Firming Face Activator for the morning.  It’s light and moisturizing.

Finally, I really enjoy using the Face Finishing Moisturizer at night time.  It’s thick and moisturizing and is perfect for overnight rejuvenation.

Having said all of that, if push came to shove and I was forced to choose just one, I would go with the Advanced Firming Face Activator.  Not only does it remind me of my Olympic adventure, it also does a great job of moisturizing all day long.

Have you tried any of these moisturizers?  If you have, let me know what you think of them!  For those of you who want to learn more about these moisturizers, or see the ingredient list, check out the Dr. Perricone website here.