**REVIEW** Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré (Hidden Beauty Gem)

 Those beautiful French women have been holding out on the rest of us! I see you, Marciella!

As you all know, I have been going through a cycle of trying-loving-ditching face moisturizers. Mama did not tell me that my skin was going to go through this many changes as I age...

For the record, I am still using my homemade goat milk-glycerin lotion as my go-to body moisturizer. I am still using German Nivea as a night face cream and foot cream. But, for taking care of my aging (dry, sensitive, and tap-dancing on my last good nerve) facial skin, this is what I have landed on. 

I love this Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré and still have to Google how to pronounce the name. Shut up. (BTW, it sounds like  "om-bree oh-leese lay crim". You're welcome.)

I'm sure that in 6 months or a year, my skin might do an about-face and possibly need a change-up but this stuff satisfies all my facial skincare needs - including price. And we all know that for my broke self, that price is the deal-breaker.

Here is what I like, love, and crave about this:

• The texture. It's like a wet cream. It's light, non-oily, not thick (or too thin), and very spreadable.
• There is no scent. 
• The first ingredient is water.
• The main ingredients (other than water) are shea, beeswax, aloe, and soy.
• It's affordable at $14 a tube. (And a dot the size of a baby aspirin treats my entire face.)
• It's not made in China.
• It doesn't break out my skin - nor make it shiny.
• It makes my skin feel supple & it immediately soothed it and cleared up any dryness.
• It's multi-use & can be used on the face & body; as a mask; as a makeup base & remover; and as an aftershave.

It's been since before the pandemic that I've even thought about wearing makeup. If I'm feeling pippy, I might put on some lip gloss. To be honest, I was thinking about getting a tinted moisturizer though because my face has been so dry and dull-looking. The Nivea and my oils work to make my skin feel better but I'd lost some of the natural natural-ness if that makes sense. 

I'm not mad. That's just my regular face!

About two days after I started using this, I noticed that my skin was looking back to its old self - "old self" as is healthy, not as in "I'm 30, y'all!" I mean, this stuff is good but it's not magic!

In addition to what this does for my skin, I have to add that I'm impressed with how well-packaged the product is. It's been a long time since I've used a beauty product that was very clear and detailed about ingredients and manufacturing. Our French brothers and sisters are on to something.

Anyway. Unless something drastic happens, you all won't hear me talking about another "holy grail" moisturizer for a long while because I did a subscription to this.

So now, I have this, my oils &  homemade goat milk body lotion, and the Nivea for my feet. I'm done.

Peace

--Free

By the way, unlike the TikTok and YouTube folks who tout "holy grail" products, I do NOT get paid, sponsored, or compensated in any way for the items I review. I don't even have an Amazon page that I link to for affiliation or compensation. So there.

Bottom line: I only review products that I actually buy & use. #just saying.

**REVIEW** KOSE SOFTYMO Speedy Cleansing Oil

When I learned about (and fell in love with) the Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture, I also heard of the Speedy Cleansing Oil. The oil is featured on the product page for the lotion and both are often featured together on other sites. As with the lotion, I can't read much of the label.

I can read about 6 words here :-)

I am happy to say that the oil works just as well - or even better - than described. I have already been using oils to clean (and moisturize) my face for years. I've used whichever of my fave oils I have around - olive, vitamin e, jojoba, pumpkin or watermelon seed, coconut, castor, etc. Depending on which oil I've used, I've had to add another oil or mix with water to thin it out. The Speedy Oil is a one-step deal.

The ingredients in the Speedy Oil as shown on the Amazon product page are simple. When I was looking for other reviews, I found a wonderful resource (which I will be checking out on a regular basis now that I've found it) called My Dad the Chemist. The blogger, Emily, provided such a detailed overview of the ingredients that I'm poaching:

• mineral oil: an oil that has been found to help improve softness of skin and lend benefits to the skin moisture barrier function, according to this scientific review
• peg-8 glyceryl isostearate: an emulsifier that helps mix the water and oils in this formula together
• cethyl ethylhexancate: an emollient
• cyclomethicone: another emollient
• jojoba seed oil: has been shown to help provide anti-inflammatory benefits for skin, according to this study
• isostearic acid: a surfactant, which helps the oils in this formula wash off when you apply warm water
• glycerin: moisturizer/humectant
• phenoxyethanol: serves as a preservative in many personal care products

 (source: My Dad the Chemist)

(Oh man! I am so getting in touch with Miss Emily!)

I've talked before about how I "listen" to my skin. Within minutes of using most products, I can tell whether or not my skin likes it. If something dries me out, oilies me up, or irritates me in the slightest, I'm done. There are only a few brand items that I can use on a regular basis that don't cause one of those problems. This is why I usually stick to whipping together my own concoctions. Well, I'm glad that I found this Speedy Oil.

The price on this is super affordable - more so than mixing up my own blends - and the 230ml bottle is generous. That's almost 8 ounces and it only takes a very little bit to cover my entire face and neck. When I need to, I can purchase a refill pack.

Another benefit I discovered with this is that I find myself massaging my face more when applying. The texture is so smooth and soothing that I can't help but spend at least a couple of minutes doing a vigorous massage.

When I use my own oil blends, I have to be careful to remove most of it so as not to cause a breakout. The Speedy Oil wipes off well with a tissue or baby wipe and doesn't leave behind any clogging residue.

One thing I do want to point out is: do NOT use the oil near your eyes. I got some on my waterline and had some irritation for a couple of days. Now I just keep about a quarter inch away from my eyes when I am massaging this in.

I'm pretty thrilled with the product. Having discovered this and the Kikumasamune really makes me want to look at more Asian skincare products. Too bad the makeups are never in my shade range!

Peace
--Free


P.S.
I was chatting with a friend about this product and she mentioned that she too loves Asian products of all kinds. She lives in a major U.S. city that has one of those huge sub-city "Little Asia" market areas. I remember going there when I visited her some years ago. I wish I had focused more on shopping than eating! She is going to see about scouting out some products for me. Also, for those of you are interested, Reddit has a category for Asian Beauty. I will be checking that out for sure.

**REVIEW** Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture

This is a copy/paste of the review from my Amazon Reviews blog.

Full Product Name & Link: 8 Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture

SELLER REVIEW (3 stars)

PRO: Arrived quickly. Large size for the price.

CON: My first bottle came in one of those plasticized mailing envelopes. The bottle had gotten crushed or something so that the plastic over the pump was torn. The bottle leaked quite a bit as you can see from the pic on the right. Amazon did give me a refund so I was able to reorder.
NOTE: The bad packaging could be a fluke. I will see when the second bottle arrives.

PRODUCT REVIEW & PHOTOS (5 stars)

Why I ordered: My hair is finicky and starts to dry out as soon as the weather begins to cool. Age probably has something to do with this too. I heard about this product via a Reddit forum for black hair - even though the product is made for the face.

 I will just cut right to the chase and let you know that I LOVE this stuff.

Remember, the bottle had leaked into the mailer so when I opened it, I got the liquid all over my fingers. I knew that the leaking was caused by the bottle getting banged around in the mail so, being me, I wiped the liquid right onto my face. Waste not, my loves.

Let me tell you wot. Yes, "wot". This stuff is truly a game changer.

Once I applied this, I didn't need to use any other lotion, cream, moisturizer - nothing. My skin was magically and instantly hydrated.

The texture of this - we will just call it "lotion" from here on out - is almost that of most thin serums. Like water with just a touch of something. The appearance is just like cloudy water.

I couldn't identify the smell at first until I remembered the full name of the product and, yep, the smell is very much like Sake - which I have had - but I cannot describe that smell to you. It's not pleasant or unpleasant, in my opinion. The scent is mild in this product and fades as soon as it starts drying.

This is good stuff. If I could, I would give it ten stars. I am awaiting the delivery of some "Speedy Oil" that was mentioned by someone, but I have no plans to get any of the other Kikumasamune type items other than this lotion. And I do plan to stay stocked up on this!

I had to update this because I forgot to list the ingredients as shown on the Amazon product page:

Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, rice ferment filtrate (sake), glutamate, arginine, leucine, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6 II, placenta extract, arbutin, Glycyrrhizic acid, soy protein, maltitol, methyl gluceth-10, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethyl cellulose, alkyl styrene/acrylic acid copolymer, citric acid, sodium citrate, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, fragrance

Peace
--Free

NOTE: Since I got my first bottle, I noticed that the price went up almost a dollar. Maybe the popularity will affect the price???

**REVIEW** Organic & Vegan Ultra Hydrating Facial Moisturizer

Of all the beauty moisturizers I have tried - and there have been a lot - this is the first time I tried something vegan. This is what the product touts:

Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Non-Toxic, All-Natural Face Moisturizer for Dry, Sensitive, Eczema, Combination, Mature Skin

How could I resist?

This is Nouveau/Organica Ultra Hydrating Facial Moisturizer.

Though my review of this got off to a bumpy start, I'm glad that I gave the product a try.

I'll address the one issue I had with this before I get to the rest of the review.

When the package arrived, we were having one of our famously warm days here in Anchorage. And I mean it was warm. For a week, we had temps that ranged from 80 to close to 90 degrees. Yeah. Warm.

melted

1 hour in fridge

The jar is slightly smaller than I expected (because I am bad a visualizing sizes by volume amounts) and I tilted it to get a better grip when I opened it. Lucky that I turned it right side up before the lid came off. Because of the warmth, the contents were completely liquefied. (There is a mention on the label that "softening" can occur.) I ended up spilling only a tiny bit o the product, but I am warning other users ahead of time.

Now.

This is more of an oil than a cream. I don't mind that at all because I love using oils on my skin. For people that tend to avoid oil products, I will tell you that the results are not what you might think.

The moisturizer is very non-clogging. My skin is not only a combo that runs from dry-to-oily, those zones fluctuate, but my nose is the spot that suffers when I use anything that irritates my skin or clogs the pores. The Organica passed that immediate test. When I used the moisturizer as an overnight treatment, I was even more pleased.

There is a faint smell to this that reminds me of used cooking oil. It's not unpleasant and I don't notice it when the moisturizer is in a solid state. When it's all liquefied, the scent is more pronounced. The important thing is that it doesn't linger on the skin.

I am surprised that I like this so much. I don't know what I expected. For some odd reason, I've never had the same positive view of 'vegan' products that I do of those labeled as 'natural'. It's a mindset of mine.

This product has me anxious to try others like it. Of the benefits I noticed in a few days' use, the main one is that this absorbs well. I didn't have to use a lot. I just scraped my fingernail over the surface to get slivers to apply. The oil melts on contact with my skin. I ended up being able to control how much I was applying to the different areas of my face. I like that.

Organica (which is just what I call it!) softens and nourishes. I noticed that it seems to work with my skin. It moisturizes deeply where my skin is driest, yet it didn't "grease" up my skin where it was already hydrated. Very weird but, again, I love the results.

I read reviews by other users and saw that people with various skin issues and they seem to have had positive results. I don't suffer from serious facial skin issues, but I do have 'mature' skin (hah!) and this has turned out to be a nice treatment.

When I went on a water challenge recently, my skin felt better, but I noticed that it tended to dry out a lot whenever I drank less water. It's as if, having gotten so much natural  hydration, my skin rebelled whenever I dropped back to my usual water intake. Since then, my regular moisturizer hasn't been working as well. This brought some balance back to my skin.

I've been using this on my elbows as well as the area at the back of my ankles to soften the skin. The most surprising way I've found this to be helpful is to oil my scalp. Because of the melting factor, the oil really soaks in without getting all over my hair. I just make little parts in my hair, apply the oil, then massage my whole scalp with my fingertips.

I like this a lot. I do wish that I didn't have to keep returning it to the fridge. Actually, I don't have to. I could just use it in the liquid state, but I like being able to better measure out applications by slivers.

For users who prefer truly vegan properties, this product hits high marks:

• Raw food grade
• 100% USDA Certified organic
• vegan
• gluten-free
• soy-free
• dairy-free
• cruelty-free
• No animal testing
• made with ingredients sourced from USDA certified organic farms

The ingredients:

Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Organic Argania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Organic Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Organic Rosa Mosqueta (Rosehip) Fruit Oil, Organic Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Organic Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage) Oil, Organic Cananga odorata (Ylang Ylang) Oil, Organic Boswellia carteri (Frankincense) Oil, Organic Pelargonium roseum asperum (Geranium) Oil

Kind of nice that I didn't have to provide links to explain any of the ingredients, right?

There is a "no questions asked" guarantee in place. Can't beat that on top of all the other benefits.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE: 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** Organic Rosehip Seed Oil by Aveya Beauty

I just reviewed another oil by Aveya Beauty that I was pretty happy with, so I was anxious to try their Rosehip Seed Oil. It's certified 100%  organic and there's a 30-day, no-risk guarantee attached.



 The Prime price for the 2-oz bottle (which is plenty) is excellent considering the quality and the no-risk guarantee.








This rosehip seed oil is labelled for multiple benefits (as are most good rosehip seed oils), such as for helping with:

• Anti-aging (I'd think "pro-active" care)
• Wrinkles and fine lines (maybe if you were not pro-active)
• Healing acne scars and burns
• Age spots
• Brittle hair

I do like to be pro-active when it comes to taking care of my skin because (though I hate to say it), I'm a bit vain, and because I don't want to get damage that could cause serious problems. This oil fights a lot of skin and hair issues because of the fact that it replenishes moisture and prevents skin dehydration. That's the basic key to preventing (or alleviating) common skin problems.

By the way, here is some good info on rosehip seed oil, and more usage info here.

This oil is absorbent, and that's important since any oil that just sits atop the skin or hair does no good. I tested this one by washing my hands and letting them dry completely. I then applied some of the rosehip seed oil to a spot on the back of one hand and used a bit of petroleum jelly (PJ) on the back of the other hand. I waited a few minutes to see which product seemed to do best at moisturizing my skin. Here is what the results looked like at each step:

This is my dry hand

This is with the Rosehip and the petroleum jelly just after applying

Rosehip near my knuckles, PJ near my wrist

This is after about a minute and a half

The rosehip was absorbing with no blotting
The PJ is still as heavy as when applied (no blotting)

 And this after about 10 minutes

The rosehip has pretty much soaked in (still no blotting)
The PJ is still as heavy as when applied (no blotting)

I tried to keep my hand in the same position for each photo so that you could get the best idea of how the different oils worked. Of course, I would rather not use PJ on my face but, even on the body, I don't want something that won't absorb. (By the way, for this post, I used a common brand of store-bought petroleum jelly.)

Petroleum jelly (PJ) will obliterate skin "ash", but the problem I have with it is that I can't use it on my hair and I don't really like using it on other parts of my body if I have a more natural alternative. PJ basically only seals the moisture already present in your skin, but it doesn't actually moisturize it. Also, PJ is made up of something called "hydrocarbons" (thank goodness for Wikipedia!) and I don't even know what that really is.

Once again, quality and price are the main considerations when it comes to choosing good products. This one scores on both counts. I also like that I can stand the smell of this one. Ah! Happy days! Rosehip seed oil has its own very special, um, scent. Some people like the stronger scented ones, but I just don't like the particular odor rosehip seed oil has. I was so glad that this one was scented so mildly that I could stand to use it on my face without holding my breath. By the way, the milder scent doesn't seem to indicate a lesser quality.

So, yeah, this one gets a five-out-of-five star rating in my book. This is one of two Aveya products I've used and I've been happy with both.

Since I've heard that rosehip seed oil is so beneficial to acne scars and burns, I dug around a little to see why that would be. Apparently, the fact that it's high in certain fatty acids plays a key role. I don't claim to understand the science behind it all, but I can tell you that it does wonders for my skin. I don't think that enough people use it on their lips or on their hair. Actually, I don't use it on my hair as much as I do on my scalp when it gets dried out after from washing or product buildup. I do think it would make a moisture sealer for the ends and edges for natural hair wearers. I do know that it's nice good for adding underneath your lipstick to stop the chapping caused by some of the "long-wear" lip colors.

This is another of those oils that makes for a wonderful cuticle treatment. It goes a lot farther than some of the store-bought cuticle oils that are only for use on the nails and cuticles (and is a lot more cost-effective). Also, it lasts longer than those types of products.

Lots of ways to use this one bottle of oil, so that's just the final Plus.

As with the other Aveya product I use, the one gripe I have is about the tiny printing on the label. Other than that, this is another winner from the brand.

If anyone else has found other ways to use rosehip seed oil, do share with me.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: 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.

**TrueSol Moroccan Argan Oil

Argan oil is one of the richest and most versatile of all the oils I use. I love it. I really like when one is good quality. This one is of great quality and feels marvelous on my skin:

This is 100% pure Moroccan Argan Oil by True Sol Nutrition.

I have used this on my skin, nails, feet, and hair. I judge the quality of it based on the fact that I can just straight apply it to my face and hands and get instant relief from dryness - without an overly oily residue. (Although, I do lightly blot my face when I'm going to be applying makeup afterwards.) When I use it on my feet and hands, I get almost zero residue. Guess that tells you about the state of my feet and hands...

Paraben free

This is one of the 2 oils I used as a carrier while using the tea tree oil I am also beginning to love. The Argan oil is rich enough to protect my skin from the straight tea tree for spot treatments while the odor-free factor allows me to use it with my fragrant essential oils.

Once again, to go over the general benefits of Argan oil:

• Moisturizing for dry (and even acne prone skin)
• As a makeup remover and skin cleanser (rub in and wipe off with a towelette)
• Improving skin elasticity (which could help with stretch marks)
• Soothe chapped lips, and
• mix with tea tree to make a lip treatment, or
• mix with an exfoliant to make a lip scrub
• Mix with an exfoliant to make a face/body scrub
• Help soothe razor burns
• Treat dry scalp and hairline
• Use on nails and cuticles
• A hot-oil treatment for hair (and for the skin - especially good on feet!)
• Tame your flyaway hair
• Add shine to hair
• Use as a leave-in hair conditioner
• Fade sunspots on the skin (I've heard it can possibly heal sun-damaged skin)
• For dry facial skin, you can add a bit to your cosmetics
• The oil is high in anti-oxidants

And the list goes on and on and on.

This brand is really good. The one drawback for some might be that the price is higher than for other brands. I counter that with the fact that this oil is of a really good quality (and that makes a big difference). I used this on my face and was happy that it didn't clog my pores or leave a nasty residue. I wouldn't be as picky for an oil that I was going to slather on my feet or knees, but when it comes to my face, I prefer quality over quantity. The other thing that I noticed was that the website listed on the bottle is no longer working. By ordering through Amazon, customers will be protected with the standard Amazon return policy.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE: 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** goPURE Naturals Fractionated Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is one of my favorite natural ingredients. I like using it for my food and for my skin. The one drawback to coconut oil is that it will stain fabrics. Also, even though I love the smell, there are times when I'd rather not have it.

Fractionated coconut oil is starting to get popular for some good reasons. It doesn't stain clothing and there is no scent. This is one I just got to try out and it's nice:

100% Pure Fractionated Coconut Oil by goPURE Naturals.

Another reason I like fractionated oil is because it tends to absorb so much better than the oil I like using in my food and coffee. It's light enough to even use on my hair. I'm not big on using too much oil on my hair because I don't want the greasiness or the weight. I tried this one as a scalp oil and on my wet hair to calm down the natural frizz. It worked, as long as I didn't use too much. If I overdo it on my hair, I lose some of my curl definition.

My favorite way to use the oil? On my skin after a bath or shower - especially when I am in a hurry and don't have time for my 10-minute lotion routine. You can literally drench yourself in this oil and, before you finish brushing your teeth and toweling your hair, it will have absorbed enough for you to dress without worries.

Also, like "regular" coconut oil, it makes a great makeup remover and, um, personal lubricant. Because it doesn't stain fabrics.

You know the makeup hack we ladies use of putting a little Vaseline on our teeth to keep lipstick stains off them? Well, this oil is also great for that. It doesn't leave that thick petroleum jelly film on the teeth, but it works to keep the lipstick were it belongs: on your lips and not on your teeth. (I have a problem with lipstick, so this is my new thing.)

I don't know if I talked about this before so I'll mention again the difference between fractionated coconut oil and the regular variety. Actually, I'll just let you get that info from WiseGEEK.

For those of you who, like me, are into using a lot of the more natural ingredients for your lotions, soaps and fragrance items, this oil is great as a "carrier oil". Just recently, I've been experimenting with tea tree oil. Initially, I was using an argan oil with the tea tree for a chapped lip remedy. I have now found that the coconut oil works just as well in place of the argan oil.

Since the fractionated coconut oil is fragrance-free (and so light), it works really good with my scented essential oils. I love Sweet Orange, Vanilla and Bergamot oils in place of store-bought perfumes. I had been using some of my heavier carrier oils with the scented oils. Guess what I just realized? Because the coconut oil is lighter and really absorbent, it is a better carrier for those scented oils. The coconut oil helps me get more body coverage with the fragrant oils. I can't really tell yet if it helps the scent last longer or not, but I'll keep an eye on that.

Now, some big Pros for this brand:

• Produced in small batches for control of quality and freshness
• Has excellent shelf life
• 100% Natural, Paraben Free, Phthalate Free, Free of Any Fragrance or Color

What it is & what it isn't

Because the fractionated oil is getting so popular, there are a lot of brands out there. Some oils are not the best quality. You will want to do a smell-test to check for any rancid odors. I like this brand because of the quality of the oil and goPURE is associated with a business I have worked with previously and I can tell you that their customer service is top notch. And, in my opinion, most important is that they offer a 1-year Money-back Guarantee. By the way, you can check out their Facebook page if you want to keep up with them.

If you have been wanting to add some natural oils to your own beauty routine, this a a great one to start with. Keep in mind that this is not meant to be ingested. 

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: 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** Derma Roller System

This was one review that I was a little frightened of once I saw the actual product. The Derma Roller System is a skin care product device that is meant to

"naturally stimulate collagen and elastin in the skin to promote healthier skin cells"

Also, use of the Derma Roller is promoted as being able to "treat common problems such as wrinkles, skin hyperpigmentation, scars (including acne scars), uneven skin, stretch marks and even hair loss." Please remember all that for later in the review...

This is the device -

1.0mm needle length

Those little "teeth" on the rolling part at the top? Small as they are, those made me nervous - much the way toddlers can do. Those needles are tiny and the length you choose are based on how you plan to use the Derma Roller: 0.5 - 1.0mm for face; 1.0mm (and up) for body; 0.5mm for hair.

Thank goodness I chose the right size for either face or body! Once I saw the device, I decided a body treatment was the way to go. No way am I rolling those little needles on my face! I'm sure there are people with more guts, but I'm just a chicken about scratching, poking, or doing anything the slightest bit invasive to my facial skin.

Even the Roller is not huge

Since I decided to do a body treatment, I wanted to start with a "test" area. My legs could use some work. They look lots better now but, after losing weight, I could use a little help in the skin tone.

I prepared for my first treatment and immediately ran into issues with the directions and the other item included in the package. There are only 2 items in the packet - the Roller and this "Purederm" mask of mysterious uses.

A mask comes *with* it? Well, duh!

Let me say this: I can be excited about almost anything that is described as "Soothing. Relaxing. Moisturizing." The thing is, from what I can tell, that mask has not one thing to do with the Derma Roller Treatment.

Oh. Wait! I might be wrong...

 Item Number 2 of the instructions (for the face treatment) indicate placing "one sheet of Peptide Mask" on your face for 10 minutes.

Nope. Not wrong. The mask they included is not the mask they are referencing.

Oh boy.

As I continued reading the instructions, I realized that it wasn't just the Peptide Mask that wasn't included. Depending on which treatment you chose, you were going to be making a store run for something.

It was at this point that I started to wonder about the effectiveness of a treatment that:

1. Claims to help stimulate collagen and elasticity to my face, but instructs me to purchase collagen, peptide masks, etc.
2. Claims to help treat wrinkles, etc., but instructs me to purchase a "nutrient rich" lotion; and
3. Claims it can help treat hair loss, but instructs me to purchase Minoxidil at my pharmacy.

I didn't expect to have to go shopping

Why wouldn't I just purchase all those things in the first place and skip this Derma Roller treatment?

Could it be that the wording promoting the Derma Roller is just twisted around? Maybe they should inform potential customers that use of the Roller enhances the use of other skin and hair products? 

I don't know.

This all put me off a little. I didn't expect to have to round up a bunch of other products in order to use this one. You know?

At any rate, I went ahead and tested the Roller on a spot on my leg. I used my own "nutrient rich" lotion after and the results aren't in yet. I do know that I'm very glad I tested this NOT on my face. My leg tingled for about an hour after the treatment. I don't know if it was a cell-renewing tingle or not, but it's not a tingle I'd want on my face. Other than that tingle, which started about 10 minutes after treatment, I can't see any real difference. 

I even marked the treated area on my leg

Maybe I'm not supposed to see immediate results, but I don't think I will be using this device again. I'll just stick to my nutrient rich lotion.

If you want to know more - because I only tried the one treatment - this is the website for the Derma Roller System. You can try the product for 60 days, risk-free, with their guarantee.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE:

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** Majestic Pure Rosehip Oil

A 100% organic, cold pressed Rosehip Oil from Majestic Pure

Let me start this post with a little bit of a rant about my phone... Somehow my photos of this product was lost in that thing that I use to do almost everything but make phone calls. That's why I had to snag a product photo.

There. Done. Now on to the review:

It may not sound very objective of me to say how much I like the products from this company, but it's the truth. The reasons: the quantity and quality as compared to a lot of similar products from other brands. Majestic Pure is pretty consistent with what they put out there. That's important. This, straight from their site

Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals  essential oils are 100% pure with no diluents or additives. We provide high quality organic and/or 100% natural botanicals to the public at very competitive prices, with an emphasis on the pure aesthetics and freshness. We have always put an emphasis on conducting business in an ethical, responsible, clear, and ecological way. 

Some of you know that I have a love/hate thing with Rosehip Oils. It's the smell that puts me off. A while back, when I was still getting used to R.O. in general, I almost couldn't stand it. But the benefits to the skin and hair are so good that I have tried different brands. I really, really like this one by Majestic Pure.

This R.O. feels thicker, or heavier, to me, which is good. That odor is still there but it fades fast (or maybe I am just getting used to the smell after using several brands). Because of the thick texture of this one, I came up with a really good use for it on my hair (especially natural, kinky/curly types) and on my hands.

For the hair:

1. Shampoo the hair and rinse really well. (I find that the better I rinse out the shampoo, the better the rest of this treatment works.) 
2. Get ready a small size plastic bag (trash or grocery) and some really warm water (not boiling!) so you can use it in a moment.
3. While hair is still very damp (just "squeezed dry"), rub the R.O. on your palms. Pat palms on your hair. Add more to the ends of your hair (and to the more damaged areas).
4. (Optional) Instead of wiping your hands free of the R.O., moisturize the edge of your hairline - and the backs of your ears.
5. Soak a towel (or, as I prefer, a t-shirt) as wet as you can stand to have wrapped around your head.
6. Fit the plastic bag over your towel-covered head and...
7. ... Relax. for a while. I like waiting for about 15 minutes before I rinse with lukewarm water.
8. Couple tips: for different textured hair (fine or not as kinky/dry), you might want to rinse with warmer water, or just use less oil - concentrating on ends and damage. Also, I have done this after just rinsing my hair instead of washing. Whatever works for you.

For the hands:

1. Use this - instead of or along with- regular lotion before wearing gloves out in cold, dry weather. 
2. Use after shaving, exfoliating, masking or konjac sponging the skin. You can coat the skin, then blot or wipe clear, or just leave on for soothing effects.
3. This can be used (very lightly) as a facial moisturizer if you allow time for it to absorb, then blot. At least it works when my skin is super dry. I don't know how it will work for those with different skin types.

The ingredients? Just one:

Like I said, this is a really nice oil. Rosehip seems to be one of those oils that actually provides most of the benefits we hear associated with it.

Finally, Majestic Pure offers a guarantee: they will refund your entire purchase price if you aren't happy.

Peace
--Free


DISCLOSURE:
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** Poppy Austin Eye Cream (with Green Tea & Vitamin C)

It might sound a little silly that when I received this product to review, all I could think about for the first ten minutes is how good it felt on my skin. I didn't think about smell, ingredients, or if it would irritate my face. I was mesmerized by the texture of the cream. Nothing else.

please ignore my dirty laptop screen!

It's Poppy Austin's Eye Cream with Green Tea and Vitamin C. And, by the way, according to my sister, it's very faintly scented and smells of... green tea? (I have a cold so I had to get her opinion.)

Okay, that photo sucked just a little, so...

Thankfully, I pulled myself together and got back to the job of doing an objective review for this eye cream - (though it's not just for the eye area).

This comes in a pump jar. I like products in a pump jar, but only if I can get a lot of use with minimal pumps. So, the first question, for me, was: How much coverage would I get per pump? Answer: one pump to do my undereye area and across my nose. One pump. Nice.

The reason one pump of this covered so well is because of the texture I was raving about right off the bat. The cream is super moist (I think I described it as almost damp. Most creams - even the most moisturizing - don't have that kind of "wetness"). I believe - and this is just me - that it's what the label calls its "enriched blend" of ingredients. The aloe could also lend to the high moisture level.

Whatever the reason, the texture and the feel on my skin is what really wowed me. The cream itself looks like just about any other facial moisturizer: white, thinner than body lotion, and really creamy.

Because what dispensed with one pump was more than enough for my undereye area (and because the cream can be used as a full-face product), I went ahead and, well used it full-face.

Dispensing the cream onto the back of my hand, I used my fingers to just dot tiny amounts around my face, then rub it in. Know how we are warned to be so gentle with the eye area? So that we don't tug at our skin? Well, there's no tugging with this. It's so moist that it just glides over the face, Good coverage, small amount. Love that this will last a long time.

This is how the product defines its use:

 Directly Tackles Dark, Sagging, Baggy Eyes as well as Fine Lines, Crows Feet and Wrinkles.

Well. I don't have the dark or sagging or baggy eyes, but I do have the fine lines, crows feet and... Well not a lot of wrinkles.

#SmileLinesAreNotWrinkles!

Moisture is the biggest weapon against fine lines on the skin, so I think this is going to be great for minimizing, or at least keeping those lines in check. I'd love to hear from someone else about whether this works as well for dark circles. Lord knows, we are all living with enough stress to develop some of those skin problems.

Now. That is all what I love about this product. I didn't have any negative issues with it, but ran into something that is my personal flaw: I have combo skin. Depending on the weather, my face is "Normal/Dry" or "Normal/Super-dry". (As in arid as the Sahara.) This cream worked amazingly well as a moisturizer of the Normal and Dry parts of my face...

... Except for my chin. My chin is just ri-dic-cu-lous!

The Poppy Austin cream actually did soothe the dryness of my chin, but after a while, I had to add more product to that one area. Who knows, maybe with continued use, even that part of my face might get better? Let us hope.

Now, for the other important stuff, I'm going to leave you with a list (well, a photo) of the ingredients, and the happy note about the manufacturer's guarantee of a FULL refund if you are not happy with the product.

Also be sure to check out the actual Poppy Austin site! I like what they have to say on the "Our Story" page.

Here is a partial list of ingredients from the product page on Amazon, and a photo of more ingredients as shown in the product page photo:

"Poppy Austin® revitalizing under eye cream contains a cleverly combined blend of 72% organic and natural ingredients. These include our luxurious organic Aloe, Grapeseed Oil, organic Jojoba Oil, Green Tea, Lemon Citrus, organic Rosehip Oil, Vitamins E and C and many other sumptuous moisturizers and natural antioxidants. A full list of ingredients is located on the product packaging" 

Since I had trouble with the image copy, my photo attempts to better show all ingredients listed:

Peace
--Free



DISCLOSURE:
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** Seaweed Complex Lotion (with Blue Green Algae)

To tell you why I wanted to try this lotion, I have to explain that I became fascinated with blue-green algae first as a nutritional supplement. That's because I heard that the algae might boost the immune system. I also saw mention of its energizing effects, among other interesting things. However, since I never got around to checking with my own doctors about this, I never tried it as a supplement.  

When I saw that this Seaweed Complex Lotion contained blue-green algae and "ocean minerals" (which sound like the same thing, right?), I wondered if the ingredients would be as good for my outside as claimed for my insides. I still don't know much about the nutritional properties, but I can tell you that I am loving what these ingredients are doing for my skin.

By the way, I like Foxbrim as a brand. I've tried many of their products and have never once had any problem with customer service, questions being answered, or anything - regardless of  however I have reviewed their products.

While I don't think that I would use this regularly as a body lotion (it's a bit too pricey for that), I do know that it works better than a few of my facial creams as a moisturizer. For one thing, the texture is perfect for the face.There's no "slick" feeling to it (which also means there is no sheen or shine left behind), and the lotion really blends right into the skin. That sounds weird because I'm trying hard to explain what I mean. When you apply the lotion, it doesn't rub or glide all over your face. It goes on and you can massage it for a few seconds before it's absorbed completely.

Another thing I'll saw about the texture of this lotion is that it's best to apply it in small dabs. Because it does absorb fairly rapidly, I am finding that it's best to apply in small patches - instead of just slathering it on. The moisturizing properties are so good (and this absorbs fast), that it's a waste to use more than you have to. 

Now. As for the smell. (And you all knew I'd get around to this.) I love it. Maybe because of the mention of blue-green algae and "ocean minerals", I detect a really nice "blue" scent that reminds me of those fragrances that mention "cool" and "ocean" and "blue". It's not strong, but it does linger a bit. I find it pleasant so I'm not bothered by it. I just wanted to mention it.

The bottle is nicely sized for use as a facial lotion (and the label directions are to use a dime-sized amount), but I can't justify using this for body care. At the current (moderate, sale) price, I would use it occasionally as a body lotion but, at the non-sale price, I couldn't justify that. The bottle is 1.7 ounces, which works for using dime-sized amounts at a time. (I personally used about 2 dime-sized amounts to treat my face. I applied those amounts by finger-dabbing spots of cream all around my dry spots before rubbing in.)

I like that I can tell the difference in the way my skin feels before and after applying. It leaves my face feeling nice to touch. My favorite thing about this lotion is that I can immediately apply any of my makeup over it. When I used a little, tiny bit of this behind my knee (to test it as a body lotion), the results were just okay. That could be because that part of my skin is drier than my face or (and this is what I'm thinking) I was too stingy to apply enough lotion on my leg... 

I'm going to do more reading up on how blue-green algae benefits the skin but, in the meantime, here are the claims specifically for this product:

• Age spots fade while filling in existing wrinkles. 
• Boost collagen production. 
• Restore firmness and youth to skin elasticity. 
• Leave your skin clear, smooth and glowing.
• Restorative and healing agents from ocean 
• Perfect for all skin types. 

And, as for what the respective ingredients offer (their description, my linkage):

The answer from nature... Ocean Mineral Lotion includes:
+ Phytochemicals - Effectively prevents premature aging of the skin.
+ Polysaccharides - Essential building block for skin repair and renewal.
+ Organic Spirulina (Blue Green Algae) - Reduce skin inflammation while boosting antioxidants and defending against free radicals.
+ Hyaluronic Acid - Unmatched natural moisturizer for plump and smooth skin

Last (and always most important), Foxbrim guarantees a full refund of your money if you are not happy for any reason.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE:
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.