**REVIEW** Organic Rosehip Oil by Valentia

When you think about using natural products - either for health, beauty or nutritional purposes - you start to think of some of those products as staples. Just like you have basic cooking ingredients, you will start to collect basic health and skincare items. Rosehip oil belongs in that collection.

And when you talk about rosehip oil, you have to talk about quality. I pick this one:

A little goes a looong way

I've done a few posts on Rosehip oil and I'm learning more and more about its benefits. This particular Organic Rosehip Oil by Valentia Skin Care is of the best quality that I've tried so far. That't the good news. Some more good news are highlights of the benefits:

• Has naturally occurring antioxidants promote healthy cell development (think: help for lines, wrinkling and early aging)
• The essential fatty acids may reduce appearance of scars and burns and improve damage from acne and other skin issues
• Hydrates the skin to keep it soft
• Great for hair and fingernails (and cuticles)

I like this oil so much that I am using it despite the fact that.... I can't stand the smell.

In general, rosehip oil has a very distinct odor that you're either going to like or hate. Personally, I just don't like the extremely powerful earthy smell. I have read the opinions of other people who really love the scent. Either way, no worries because the scent does not last long. 

With other brands I tried, I had a hard time even using the oil because of the scent of it. I was determined to use this one because I like it so much more. I think there is a difference if production and, possibly, quality. The absorption for this one is wonderful. At first, I didn't want to use it anywhere near my face (read: nose), but after using it on my nails and feet, I was pretty impressed. 

Because I wanted to give this a full review (and because I will do a lot for the readers of my blog), I dived in and, smell be damned, tried using this in every way I could think of:  

• Fingernails. I have only done one hot oil or "glove" treatment so far, but I have applied the oil directly to my nails and cuticles more than once. This works really well if done after using polish remover. It's really quick and easy to rub in a little of this oil on your nails every day. I think I could see a big difference (in shine and feel) after about a week.
• Hands. If applied (very sparingly) about half an hour before I'm going to be out in the cold, I don't get as much drying - either from my gloves or the weather. I don't like to use too much unless I'm going to have time to massage the oil in really well. 
• Body. Using it underneath my usual lotion is great. Some of my body lotions are not as moisturizing as others and using the oil with them seems to "boost" their usefulness. Beats tossing out thin lotions. 
• Knees and elbows. I don't worry about skimping here. I massage in a lot of the oil and let it rest while I moisturize the rest of my body. My elbows are especially dry and just drink this up. After about 2 months us using various rosehip oils (the latest being this one), I am seeing a lot of improvement in the look and feel of my elbows. Before, they used to always feel dry and a little scaly at the end of a day.
• Feet. I'm working on my feet. That's one of my goals for this new year - to get these dawgs back into sandal-wearing shape. I'm using the rosehip oil at least once a day. This helps because I am regularly using various tools and creams to get rid of calluses.
• As a makeup remover. I use various oils for this. With the rosehip, I like to apply and let the oil rest for a while (sometimes for 15 minutes or more) to remove any heavy foundation. When I have the heavier makeup off, I will use just 2 or 3 drops of rosehip to massage the "dry" part of my combo skin. It sbsorbs really quick. (And that smell goes away fairly fast!)
• Hair. I can't use a lot of this on my hair, but I do like rubbing just a couple drops in my palm and smoothing over my hair if I'm going to be tying on a scarf for the day. It helps keep my hair from matting too badly.
• Booster. The oil is really nice for boosting my other face creams and skin care products. I have a ton of face creams that aren't moisturizing enough. I've already rescued two jars by adding just a little more than one full drop of rosehip. Makes a huge difference. 

I saw somewhere online where a user suggested applying a bit of rosehip oil on your eyelashes to get them thick and healthy. I haven't tried that one yet because I forgot about it until I was writing this post. If I try that, I'll hopefully remember to let you know how it goes.

By the way, this bottle is smaller than some of the other brands I've tried, but I have to tell you that a little goes a long way. I use by drops and I don't think that I've had to use more than 3 drops for any application. Sometimes, I just touch the end of the dropper to whatever area I'm treating. 

Bottom line is, rosehip oil is versatile. I have to hand it to Valentia for producing one of such good quality. And, yes, there are some that don't work as well. I'm going to be adding this one to my "favorites" list of rosehip oil. 

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** Joyal Beauty Timeless Skin Renewal Serum

Yes, yes, I know that I said something about taking time off from reviewing skin care products, but...

I checked out this Joyal Beauty Timeless Skin Renewal Serum (aka: Royal Jelly) because I've been wanting to try something with bee propolis for a while now. I had heard about its natural antibiotic and anti-fungal properties. What I wasn't sure about was how this serum would work on my skin.

It has a slightly slick-ish texture (not slimy), and no real odor that I could detect. Because of this texture, you don't have to apply much since the serum sort of glides over the skin. Of course, that means that this 1-oz bottle will last me for a good long while. Nice.

So that you can see how moisturizing this can be, I washed my hands and let them dry without applying lotion. Notice the result of applying just a dab of the Royal Jelly and rubbing it across the back of my hand?

Death to Ashy-ness!

This is just from a drop of the Jelly

That example of using my hand was to show you what I meant about the texture and the moisturizing effects. On your face, this works differently, depending on the climate you live in and how your skin reacts to the climate. I used it both here (dry, cold) and while visiting Arizona (currently hot and made me sweaty).

In the drier/colder climate, I tend to develop dry patches on my combo (dry/normal) type skin. When I used the Joyal Jelly, I used it underneath my regular moisturizer and foundation. After just a few days, I noticed most that my dry patches were evening out. I also noticed that my skin seemed more toned - but I don't remember if that happened in the first week or after week 2.

In AZ, which I never thought of as humid, I was sweating my makeup off like someone had sprayed water in my face. I ditched my moisturizer and just used the Royal Jelly under my foundation. Genius!

Like I said, I'm not sure at what point I noticed some firming and toning of my skin, but my family and friends (who I always recruit for help with reviews) did notice that my skin looked, as one of them put it, "more set". I didn't know what that meant until I asked  (not so nicely) for an explanation. Apparently, even without makeup, my skin looked as if I had used some of my Garnier Blur. I was told that I didn't look as "soft" around the cheeks and jawline. A compliment, I guess? Hah.

Anyway, I'm continuing to use this product to see what my results will be like after another couple of weeks. So far, I like this one. The only suggestion I have for anyone who is going to try this: depending on your climate, continue to moisturize with your usual product also until your skin evens out. There are some astringent ingredients in the product.

Speaking of ingredients, Joyal's Timeless Skin Renewal Serum contains the following:

• Organic Herbal Infusion (Excellent base to provide natural herbal protein and minerals); 
• Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe Vera) (Moisturizer,Wound healing and anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant); 
• Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) (Control acne by reducing inflammation and decreasing oil; Tighten skin; Help de-puff or reduce under eye baggage; Tighten pores; Eliminate water loss; Treats sunburns; Helps ease symptoms of eczema and psoriasis); 
• Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)(Nutrient in superfood. Softening, Deeply hydrating and smoothing; Anti-inflammatory and skin-repairing effect, useful for inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, acne and psoriasis); 
• Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil)( Natural moisturizer); 
• Mel (Honey) (Antibacterial,helps in fighting acne and pimples; skin cleanser; moisturizer; natural remedy to prevent wrinkles);
• Organic Resina Propoli (Propolis) (Natural antibiotic,Anti-inflammatory,Treat acne, eczema and skin disorders including shingles,Treat Skin cuts, burns, rashes, infections);
• Organic Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola)(Antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties; Treatment for skin conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and minor burns; collagen-boosting, Diminish the appearance of stretch marks and keloid scars;Toning and tightening;
•  Carbomer (Safe thickener); 
• (2s)-2-Amino-5-guanidinopentanoic Acid (L-arginine: Heal damaged skin,Reduce symptoms of burns and rashes; 
• Royal Jelly (Anti-inflammatory. Protection against skin damage due to sun exposure. Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improves skin texture and firmness. Skin conditioning benefits, acting as a humectant to draw water to the surface of the skin from the environment to keep skin moist and conditioned);
• Melissa Officinalis (Herb antioxidant);
• Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea)( Herb antioxidant);
• Ethylhexylglycerin (Skin-conditioning agent); 
• Phenoxyethanol (Safe preservative )

The label states that 72% of the ingredients are organic. If you check out the Amazon product page, you will also see the following:

Joyal Beauty Products are proudly manufactured in USA by our advanced FDA registered facility under strict GMP compliance. We are Natural Products Association alliance and only carefully choose vegan formulas, highest quality sustainable and biodegradable raw materials without animal testing. We adopt strict Quality Control Systems and every product passed the stability test. All of our products are paraben-free, alcohol-free, no artificial fragrance or dyes. Most of our products contain over 70% organic ingredients from certified source. Every Joyal Beauty product is guaranteed to meet or exceed the quality standards of similar product line of the leading national brands. If you are not completely satisfied, we will happily refund your money! 100% satisfaction guarantee!

I sort of highlighted the part about the guarantee... You can visit Joyal Beauty at their site.

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** Niacinamide Vit B3 Moisturizer (InstaNatural)

InstaNatural has great products and outstanding customer service and customer rapport. Naturally (heh heh), I was happy to give another one of their products a try. This time is was the Niacinamide Vitamin B3 Moisturizer.

I had to remind myself that this is a night cream because that's not mentioned on the front of the bottle. Also, the instructions indicate that it's best used "morning and night" - which was confusing. Because it is so very rich though, I used it primarily as a night cream anyway. As I've mentioned in other posts of late, I was using so many skin products - one right after the other - at the time that I reviewed this. That might be why I found that I became sensitive to this before the end of the first week's use. I had to wait a bit before I could resume using for this review.

That said, this is one of the best moisturizers that has Vitamin C in it. In my opinion face care potions that do include Vitamin C can be a little bit much and I usually test them out on an every-other-day schedule. This one has Vitamin B3 in the ingredients and I'm thinking that helped make it a little less harsh than other creams. The other thing I like about this one is how clean it smells.

I'm not really sure if this "plumped" my skin at all, but I know that it did help to keep it feeling hydrated through the night. That's a big deal for me because our winter's are normally cold enough that we run our heat pretty high. Heat is always draining to my skin - even humid heat tends to make my face feel salty and in need of more moisture. I can't testify to the relief of dark spots, hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone issues, but I notice that it does seem to be balancing out my normally combination dry/oily T-zone. (Did that make sense? Hope so.)

I had a friend try this out for a few days to get some feedback from someone with an oilier skin type. She loves this because she says it really helped moisturize without aggravating her skin. When I took a closer look at the ingredients, I noticed that this contains Avocado oil (which my friend uses) and Evening Primrose oil, which I've heard is good for soothing the skin. Apparently, this is a perfect product for my friend.

This cream seems like it's going to work well for me when I'm not using any other Vitamin C creams and serums. I figure I will be able to use this one on a more regular basis then. That will be nice because, like I mentioned, I love how moisturizing it is, and I'm going to need that for the winter.

As always, I want to mention that InstaNatural offers a 100% Money Back Lifetime Guarantee. I can tell you that I have always received prompt attention to any questions I might have about their products. 

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** Age Delay Serum (by Morea Naturals)

For a product with a long name - Hyaluronic Acid Age Delay Serum with Vitamin C + Green Tea - this works fairly simply.

loooong name, good results

One of the reasons I wanted to try it out was for the claim that it would make my skin instantly "glow". I can tell you that the minute I first applied it, I could feel something happening, and I was a little bit concerned because that "something happening" was a sort of tingling sensation. I wondered what that tingling meant - that I was allergic? or just that my skin was too sensitive for this serum? - but it wasn't too intense so I just applied some of my usual moisturizer over it. That took care of the tingling. The next time I tried it, I waited to before applying any moisturizer - just to see how long the tingle would last. Not long. It seems as if the sensation abates as soon as this dries.

My skin had been having a "dull" look for a while - as it does at the start of every of cold weather season, when the outside temp goes down and the indoor heat goes up - and after probably the second or third use of the Hyaluronic serum I noticed a little bit of relief from that. After about a week and a half, I could tell that my skin was not as dull. I haven't been using it as faithfully since that (just off and on) because of other products I'm trying out. I want to get on a regimen with it later to see if it does help boost the collagen levels in my skin - or at least from what I'll be able to notice visibly!

Overall, I really like this product quite a bit. Since this is a serum, and even though it provides moisture, I still use my regular moisturizer over it and, since it has Vitamin C in it, I make sure my moisturizer has sunscreen. I do think that because of my sensitive skin, I'll have to use on a on/off basis. That goes for most products with Vitamin C in it though.

This is not the first product I have tried from Morea Naturals, and I'm always happy with the brand and product stance. Finally, you might notice that this is not nearly as expensive as most serums of the same good quality. That's always a bonus, right? Plus, it's made in the USA. And then there's the Money Back Guarantee, just in case this doesn't work for you.

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** Sano Vitamin C Serum & Eye Gel

Because I've been trying out so many facial products, I had to take a break and let my skin rest before I even wanted to post about them! #firstworldproblems.

I was a little bit surprised by a duo of products I've been using and keeping notes about:

I love when things come in sets. This one comes from the Sano Naturals brand that is also sold on Amazon. I have learned elsewhere online that a very loose meaning of "Sano" is "healthy". At any rate, I like what Sano has to say about their brand. Now on to these products I tried:

First. let's talk about the Serum.

Some days, I get patches of dryness on my cheeks and around the sides of my nose and I don't want to use anything labeled "anti-aging". A lot of anti-aging products can be somewhat drying. I think this is because they are sloughing away old dead skin cells. That's all good, but I hate dry patches anyway. My surprise with this serum is that for something containing hyaluronic acid, it turned out to be as gentle as it was. I think this is because the formula also includes aloe. Smart move. My skin loves aloe because it is as soothing as my mother always told me it would be. Another thing that is different from other Vitamin creams I've used is that this one is so much thicker. This is a clear serum that took just one tap to soak my fingertip because of the moistness and consistency. That's good when it comes to not applying too much. And this product isn't cheap so you're going to want to be stingy with the applications. Or maybe that's just me and my broke self! Maybe you'll be able to just glob it on!

 Of course, I'm kidding. This is expensive, and I am stingy with my applications but, even if you can afford to, you won't need to over-apply. I hate using this tired old saying but, it's true that a little bit goes a long way. I do wish that with expensive products, there were more options as to container size. Thank goodness it works the way it promises. I don't have lots of lines and wrinkles, but I have had bouts with areas of dull-looking skin. (I blame it on winter. I blame everything on winter.) This serum delivers on the "revitalizing" promise. I'll use it intermittently throughout winter as I need to.

Now, on to the eye cream - which was actually an optional product for me to try out in addition to the main feature of the serum. Glad I did try it because I like it more than most eye creams I've tried. For one thing, it's not greasy or heavy - something I hate for an eye moisturizer. No one wants to have that sticky kind of feeling that you have to blot away before applying eye makeup. This eye cream is light and moisturizing. With a lot of eye creams, I will apply them a while before I do my eye makeup - just to make sure I'm not going to have that streaky effect. When I used this one, I noticed that it had absorbed withing moments. Everywhere I applied it (eyes, cheeks and forehead, because the instructions say I can) was soft but not sticky. It's hard to explain but the ladies who wear eye makeup know what I mean. This is important to me because I do like to use an eye cream - especially in the morning.

Both products are on the pricey side but, using my formula for judging what's "expensive" or not, they are more affordable in the long run. Okay, I don't really have a "formula". What I have is a simple system that I apply when buying necessities: 

A pair of $10 shoes might end up costing you way more than a pair of $100 shoes. As long as the $100 pair is worth it. Think about how much comfortable use you can get out of a good pair of shoes. Think about the damage to your feet you cause by wearing a bad pair of shoes. Then think about how often you will need to replace that cheap pair.

(Now, if you can ever score a great pair of shoes for $10, remember that I wear a size 7 1/2 to 8. )

When you opt for a more expensive product, you hope to get what you pay for. With these products, you will. And it's very easy to go light on the applications to make them last longer.

I just noticed that Sano is offering a discount on Amazon if you use the code they currently have posted on the product page. (This limited offer is mentioned in the product description section.)

Peace
--Free

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** Oleavine Konjac Facial Sponge (for skin)

I'm going to go ahead and say right now that this Konjac Sponge from Oleavine is about to be a trend in face-care products. Even though the word "Konjac" makes me think of computer hacking, I am pretty hyped about this sponge.

Looks like a pumice stone, right?
Feels that way -  until wet.

Very thick and, well, sponge-y
(The string is for hanging & drying)

Why do I like this so much? Well,for one thing, like most folks I like the way my skin feels after a good exfoliating scrub but hate the idea of abrading it with razors or other harsh tools. (Maybe that's just me, but didn't your skin crawl a little at the word "abrading"?)

Before I got the chance to review this sponge, I'd never heard of anything like it. I wanted to try it out because I like the idea of cleaning my face without too many soaps and additives. I definitely like the idea of using something as gently as a sponge.

After my first use, here is what I like most about the Konjac sponge & why I think it will be the next beauty trend:

• Easy to use. Just rinse & wring, then massage your skin with it.
• Clean. No need to add soaps, oils or other cleansers.
• Sensitive. Does not scrape at the skin the way most exfoliating/scrubbing products can do.
• Affordable. In the $10 price range on Amazon. It's supposed to be replaced every 2-3 months.
• Can use on your face or all over your body if you want.

If you just want to try this out, know that Oleavine offers a 100% money-back guarantee and they encourage customer feedback, which is always a good thing.

Since I tell you guys way too much about myself, I might as well let you in one the one super-annoying beauty problem I have: blackheads. Right on the tip of my nose. I am always tweezing and scrubbing at those pesty little things. The blackheads were the first thing I checked for after using the sponge. They are mostly gone, no tweezers or scrubs required.

Oleavine has other sponges (with different properties), but this particular sponge is infused with Bamboo Charcoal which contains activated carbon and minerals. According to the product box, this will purify the skin and draw out anti-oxidants.

I can verify that when I didn't have to use as much of my facial moisturizer after I treated my skin with the sponge. I guess because I had cleared away some of the dead skin that was blocking my face cream. Not sure, but I like the overall results.

Add to that the fact that these sponges are natural, eco-friendly and bio-degradable and I think even more people will want to give them a try. For the super-concerned folks, these sponges are not tested on animals and are vegan-approved.

I had a question about whether or not I needed to remove my makeup before using the sponge. Someone else asked and received their answer on the Amazon page. The answer is that, basically, you don't have to remove makeup beforehand. Some folks use the sponge as the remover. Nice.

One thing I will point out: in my case, I have sensitive skin and I can tell that I will only be able to use this on my face maybe once a week. I plan to use on my lips and other less sensitive areas of  my body more often. My knees and elbows? Oh, they are going to get a daily treatment!

You know your skin better than anyone so I will only recommend that you use the sponge just as often as you would use any other exfoliating product. At least, until you can tell how your skin will react. I noticed that it doesn't take a lot of massaging of the facial area to get good results. I went over my face twice when once would have been fine. I could tell when I noticed a slight sensitivity in one spot. I'm guessing that the natural state of your skin (oily, dry, or combo) will be a factor in how often you can use this. That makes sense because, according to the labeling, this product is supposed to be especially effective for "oily and acne-prone skin".

Like I said, I think this is going to be the new beauty trend, but it's one I can say I like.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: By the way, "Konjac" is the name of the fiber used in the sponge. Once I did a quick search, I found quite a bit of information online about this fiber and the various ways in which it's used (and some hazards of eating the fiber...)


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** Adovia Anti-Wrinkle Facial Moisturizing Cream

First, let me tell you how much I like the previous products I`ve tried from Adovia. I adore their conditioner and shampoo (even though I never did get my promised free bottle of conditioner :-) 

Now, about this anti-wrinkle moisturizer: our weather up here in Alaska is getting dryer and colder as winter creeps up. My skin is not happy with that. Also, I have to point out that I have been trying some facial products with Vitamin C in them, so that could account for some of the effectiveness of this Anti-wrinkle Facial Moisturizing Cream.

love the Dead Sea minerals

The ingredients: Demineralized water & dead sea water, stearic acid, cetearyl alcohol. butylene glycol, propylene glycol & charmomile (anthemis nobilis) extract & algae extract & papaya (carica papaya) extract & aloe vera arbadensis gel, sweet almond (prunus amygdalus dulcis) oil, caprilyc/caproc triglyceride, glycerin, dimethicone, carbomer, benzoic acid, chlorphenesin, dehydroacetic acid, benzalkoinium chloride, urea, vetiver, myrrh (commiphora myrrha) extract, rose absolute, lactic acid, dead sea salt, retinyl palmate.

This does moisturize a bit, but it worked better on my neck and (man, how I hate using this word) "jowl" area.  ('Jowl'. Ewww, right? Who wants to admit to having 'jowls'? Sounds like I have a face like a hunting dog. There's gotta be a better word than 'jowls', but I'm  just  too lazy to go look it up.

Anyway ...

So the cream was fine on certain parts of my face but didn't moisturize my forehead and inner facial area  as well. I had to  reapply  it a couple  of time  throughout  the day - which  was  a pain because  it   meant  having  to  touch up  my makeup  also. To compensate  for the moisture  problem curing  the  day, I made sure to do a liberal  application just before bedtime . 

What I do like so much  about this cream is what I  like about Adovia products  in general: it has a nice faint smell, good ingredients and is mild on sensitive  skin. Also, the company  has good customer service   (money back guarantee  ) and good practices (no animal testing). You can check out Adovia products either here on Amazon or on Cleopatra's Choice. Be sure to look into the incentives they offer, such as free shipping on certain orders, samples and referral rewards.

Finally, another note about what may have  affected  my results with this cream: my skin is in flux. I have a product that I have used for years because it works really well for me. Every now and  then, I have to take a break from that product and use something else for a while. Well, right now, my skin is craving that product  - probably  because  of  the  weather. In another  month or so, I will probably be able  to  use this Adovia  cream with better results .

I'd  recommend  this cream for someone with  sensitive to normal skin and living in a climate not as dry as mine is.

Peace
--Free

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** Deep Facial Cleansing Oil (by InstaNatural)

The producers of this product - InstaNatural - are the ones that made the rosehip oil I recently reviewed. I really, really like this Deep Facial Cleansing Oil. I even like the (non)smell of it.

Even though it is an oil and it is meant to cleanse your skin of dirt and makeup, it not greasy or slimy. It's sort of a "clean" oil. Because I have been keeping mine in the fridge, I do have to warm the bottle in my hands for a few moments before I can pump any out. It sort of melts at your body heat so you can apply it to your face.

I prefer using oils to clean my face (rather than soap), so I like this one. And it works. I did use a method different than suggested on the bottle for applying.  One of my favorite things to do is to give my skin a little massage with the oil, let it rest on my skin while I brush my teeth, then massage once more before wiping it off. Instead of using a cloth, tissue or cotton balls, I always use those disposable (flushable and cheap) baby wipes that I buy in bulk size at WalMart.

I experimented with removing waterproof mascara and gel eyeliner since those are the toughest types of makeup to remove. The cleansing oil worked great with one application (using my massage/rest-massage/wipe method). Nice. I'll also mention that with a lot of other makeup removers, I've had to do double applications to remove my foundation, which is dark-shaded and formulated for matte-wear. Just saying.

Of course, because this is an oil cleanser, you're not left with that 'dried-out' feeling that comes after cleaning with most makeup removers. Surprisingly, you're not left with an oily residue to interfere with your followup products. Because a tiny little bit goes a looong way, the 4-oz bottle will last you for a while. Double-nice.

Normally, I use coconut oil for cleaning my skin, but this was a really nice product. Like I said, I love the job it does of removing waterproof and other "sticky" makeup products - which I don't use everyday. This oil is also formulated to be a "pore refiner" but, because I don't have a problem with my pores, I had to use the experience of my sister-in-law. We can tell that it seems to be shrinking her larger pores after about a five-day use. Both my sis-in-law and I are now getting really interested in using more essential oil & essential oil products in our personal care regime.

Ingredients:
Organic Jojoba Oil
Olive Oil (Olea Europaea)
Lavender Essential Oil
Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil
Geranium Essential Oil (Pelargonium Graveolens)
Organic Passionflower (Passiflora Incarnata)
Hemp Oil (Cannabis Sativa Oil)
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Tamanu Oil
Sea Buckthorn Oil
Wheat Germ Oil (Triticum Vulgare)

I forgot to mention in previous reviews for InstaNatural products that the company has an excellent rating on Amazon. Once again, this is their direct site link (with the 90-day no-hassle guarantee and their customer service contact number).

Finally, the cleansing oil is not tested on animals and is made in the U.S.A. Good stuff.

Peace
--Free

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** Foxbrim Vitamin A + Antioxidant

This really feels to me like a "complete anti-aging moisturizer" and that's the truth.

Since moving to the midwest from up north, I notice that there is more natural humidity in the air. Of course, my skin and hair are loving this, but I still need a regular moisturizing routine. This product is doing a good job because it's making my skin feel very smooth and even without adding any greasiness.

So that you can get a good look at the ingredients list:

I am getting to try my product via Tomoson, but Foxbrim Vitamin A + Antioxidant can be purchased via Amazon or from the Foxbrim site.

I find that I only have to use a little bit. To be honest, because the air here in Mayberry is not as drying, I am only using the product first thing in the morning. That's been enough to keep my skin feeling extremely smooth and even.

One of the mistakes I think that we can make, when we live in a more humid area, is to skimp on moisturizer. What I do like so much about this particular product is that, even though it contains "retinol", I haven't had any sensation of tightness or increased sensitivity.

I'm going to be using this as I head into winter, even though my skin is still adjusting to temperature changes. I'll be trying other products as usual, but I already know that this is going to be a favorite.

A final Plus: the 90-day Money-back guarantee. Win. Win. Score.

Peace
--Free

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.

Thank You, L'Oreal!

Have to do a shout out to L'Oreal. Because I participated in a survey on skin, hair and makeup (through their product testing site), they sent a lovely 'Thank You' gift in the form of this:

Just like getting an extra (belated) birthday gift!
(forgive the pic quality)

Wow. All stuff that I have been wanting to try.

What was included? Well, let's see...

• Garnier 5 Sec Blur
• Lancome Blush Subtil Palette
• L'Oreal HydraFresh Toner
• Lancome High Definition Amplifying Mascara
• Kiehl's Creme de Corps (all-over body moisturizer)
• Garnier Clean+ Balancing Daily Exfoliator

Boy. I am just thrilled to have gotten over $100 worth of products. I think the two that I want to try first are the Kiehl's and the 5 Sec Blur.

I wasn't asked to review anything. This was just a gift for my having taken part in the survey. Of course, I will be reviewing each and every one of the products as soon as I get a chance to try them out! What I appreciate the most is that they paid attention to my survey and tailored my gift box to my specific preferences.

Who is a happy L'Oreal fan? Me, that's who. Yes, ma'am, I am. Not sure how participants are chosen but, go here to see about signing up.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Mineral Eye Gel by Adovia

Once again, I am having the chance to try a product by a favorite company. I'm not being generous with my praise for any other reason than I really enjoy everything I've enjoyed from the Adovia brand. They use Dead Sea minerals in their products and, apparently, it's doing good things for my skin. I'm 53 now, and I think my skin is pretty good, but my illness and the meds have taken a toll. I have to do a lot more to maintain moisture and fight off sun damage. I like that Adovia products have minerals and natural oils in them.

This time, I am using their Mineral Eye Gel. It's labeled as being ultra-light and quick absorbing to provide hydration all day.  Other claims are that the gel will reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

After a couple days' use, I can verify the claims of hydration are certainly true. I had to ask my family and friends about the lines and wrinkles. They tell me that I don't have a lot of those in the first place. Good. Thing is, I want to prevent as many signs of aging as I can, so I am going to keep using the gel.

Here is where I think the hydration comes in: this gel really is very hydrating. As soon as I used it around my eyes, I had to stop myself from dabbing some on the rest of my face. It's a little too pricey for me to over-use like that!

Made in Israel

Like what it's supposed to do

For all the skin creams and oils I have tried, I haven't specifically concentrated as much on the eye area. I once used an Avon eye cream, but found it to be too oily. I already have problems with my eyeliner and shadow oiling up. The Mineral Eye Gel is nice because I could feel the moisturizing effects immediately. I didn't have to use very much - which is nice because, like I said, the gel is pricey.

I let the gel "set" for a bit before I applied eyeliner and shadow. Really like that, while the area was still "hydrated", there was no oiliness to ruin my makeup. (I really do want to use this all over my face!)

As with most Adovia products that I've tried from Cleopatra's Choice, the ingredients are fairly straightforward:

Demineralised Water & Dead Sea Water, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol & Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Extract & Algae Extract & Papaya (Carica Papaya) Extract & Aloe Vera (Barbadensis) Gel, Caprilyc/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil, Glycerin, Carbomer, Olive (Olea Europaea) Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis) Oil, Urea, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Keratin, Peach (Prunus Persica) Kernel Oil, Cornflower (Achinicea Pallida) Extract, Lactic Acid, Hydrolized Collagen, Benzoic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzalkonium Chloride, Propylparaben, Dead Sea Salt, Exotic Verbena (Litsea Citrata) Oil, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Extract, Soybean (Glycine Soja) Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate (my emphasis)

The one thing missing in this (and other Cleopatra's Choice products I've used) is sunscreen. Granted, most of my foundation makeup includes sunscreen, but there are times when I go makeup-free.

As for the price, yes, it is up there, but the quality is so good that it's justified. The fact that it only takes a tiny dab of the gel to use around each eye means that the 30ml jar will last for weeks. Also, the standard 60-day return that Adovia offers is great if a customer decides they don't like the gel. You can also get this product on Amazon.

I like this one a lot. I like this one lots more than I like the Mineral Lift Serum.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE NOTICE: 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** Day by Day Vitamin C Serum

This is the second Vitamin C Serum I have tried. The ingredients (and results) are very similar to the first serum I reviewed. This time, I am using the Vitamin C Serum from Day by Day Beauty.

 Not to be shallow, but the bottle is certainly the prettier one of the two. Also, I find that I like having a pump dispenser rather than the squeeze-dropper type.

The ingredients were so much the same that I had trouble finding the difference. This is good because one of the things I like in any product is simple ingredients:

Deionized Aqua (Water), Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide (Botanical Hyaluronic Acid), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Carbomer, Arginine, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Phenoxy- ethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin, Organic Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola Extract), Organic Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail Plant Extract), Organic Pelagonium Gravoleons (Geranium Extract), Organic Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion Extract) 

This Vitamin C serum is a little easier to apply because it's remain damp long enough to smooth onto the skin. The smell is almost non-existent - another plus.

Is it working? Well, it's good. Because I went straight from one very similar serum into using this one, I feel that I am getting benefits of continual use. This serum costs around $30 and can be ordered via the Day by Day site or from Amazon. Day by Day's customer services is really good. They offer 3 customer promises that are really appealing:

1. Hassle-free returns
2. Fast shipping
3. Satisfaction guarantee

I can vouch for the fast shipping (and good packaging of the product). Because this one is the more expensive of the two serums, I would have to check for price breaks if I were to buy it. I do notice that I use a little less per application - due to the "wetter" formula. 

Do I like this? Yes. Will I continue using? Yes. Will I purchase in the future? Probably. Depends on price or sales. Like I said, it's a bit pricier than I can easily afford. Will I recommend it to friends? I have already.

Since I've used Vitamin C serums, I'm curious about how many other people have tried them. Unlike makeup and moisturizers, there aren't a lot of Vitamin C serums on the shelves of the well-known retailers I shop at. Of course, I haven't been paying much attention, but I will be now.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE NOTICE:

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** Frownies Immune Perfect Continuous Hydration

When I joined Swaggable, I spent weeks clicking the "Want" button for tons of products. I got discouraged and gave up when I never heard back on any samples. Finally, about a week ago, I got this one:

4 mL

Hmmm... Kind of tiny, right?

The two reasons that made me "Want" this just from seeing the description? 1) Immune and 2) continuous hydration. Sounds good to me.

There aren't a ton of ingredients. I like the first 3 things listed, but I had to look up the last one.

When I searched on"water soluble melanin", the first result was for a patent. Reading the abstract, this is the line that stood out for me:

The melanin is also useful for providing a sun-screen to mammalian skin and hair, to treat post-inflammatory hypo- and hyperpigmentation...

I lost my sunscreen the other day while making a huge mess packing things up. Plus, my skin reacts to stress by drying up, and I've had my share of stress lately, so I was even more ready to give this "hydration" a try.

Oddly colored, isn't it?

Remember that I mentioned the small sample size? Well, I didn't need much at all to cover my face and neck. The stuff is really nice. It feels thin and just kind of glides onto the skin. I've used out of the one sample twice already and think I can get another one (maybe two) more uses from it.

Because I like the way it makes my skin feel, I was sure that it was going to be priced too high for me to ever buy any. I went over to the Immune Perfect site to check things out.

Frownies (funny name) has an interesting history and some pretty interesting-looking products that are more reasonably priced than I expected. I was surprised that the Immune Perfect is a wrinkle cream. I was thrilled to see that it's available in different sizes. It's cool to have a choice to try out a smaller, less expensive size portion of the product.

Like I said, I've only gotten a couple uses out of this sample but, so far, I really do like it. I'd have to use it for a while longer to notice whether or not there's a visible change, but I like the idea of the sun protection.

Not bad for my first Swaggable sample. Of course, I haven't heard back on any of the other Wants...

Now I have to get back to packing up my life!

Peace
--Free

*REVIEW** Adovia Mineral Lift Serum

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Have been using another product from one of my faves: Adovia. This time, I'm trying out one of their face care items. It's Mineral Lift Serum and it's formulated for all skin types.

I've used Olay's Regenerist serum in the past and I like it okay, but my skin needed a break from it. The Mineral Lift Serum is a nice change. The texture is not as thin as Olay's.

Here are the things it's supposed to do:

• Firms and Tightens skin with a visible lift that can be felt immediately
• Highly concentrated serum infuses skin with Dead Sea Minerals, Green Tea, Seaweed, Vitamin C and much more.
• Protects skin from pollutants and weather damage that can clog pores and cause wrinkles and breakouts.
• Feeds skin the nutrients it needs to look youthful and naturally beautiful

You can "Use as a base under your moisturizer or anti wrinkle cream for maximum anti aging effect or use just the serum".

I chose to try it both ways: under my moisturizer and alone. With my moisturizer, it was fine, but I didn't really notice any drastic difference in the way my skin looked. When I used it solo, I found that it didn't moisturize enough because I tend to have drier skin. I did get a very faint sensation of tightening, but not much. I like the way it feels going on because it's lighter than other serums I've used and it didn't leave a sheen/shine to my skin. One thing I did see an immediate improvement in was how my skin looked without foundation makeup. That's a big one for me.

This is only Day Two, so I'll update the review in a couple of weeks. Like I mentioned, I do like that my skin looks pretty good without my foundation. Saves me some time and money.

The ingredients list is lengthy, but I always like to show what's in something:

Demineralised Water (Aqua) & Dead Sea Water,
Butylene Glycol,Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, 
Propylene Glycol & Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Extract & Algae Extract & Papaya (Carica 
Papaya) Extract & Camellia Oleifera Extract (Green Tea) & Aloe Vera (Barbadensis) Gel, Glycerin, 
Sodium Lactate, 
Lactic Acid, 
C 13-14 Isoparaffin, 
Polysorbate 20, 
Polyacrylamide, 
Urea, 
Peg-12 Glyceryl Laurate, 
Peg-36 Castor Oil, 
Farnesyl Acetate, 
Silk Amino Acids, 
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Farnesol, 
Ethyl Linoleate, Laureth-7, 
Phenonip, 
Pvm/Ma Copolymer, 
Panthenol, 
Benzophenone-3, 
Saccharide Hydrolysate, 
Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis) Oil, 
Magnesium Aspartate, 
Glycine, 
Fragrance (Supplement), 
Sorbitol, 
Tea-Lactate, 
Serine, 
Creatine, 
Alanine, 
Orange (Citrus Aurantium Dulcis) Extract, 
Triethanolamine, 
Allantoin, 
Dead Sea Salt, 
Lauryl Diethylenediaminoglycine, 
Lauryl Aminopropylglycine, 
Benzoic Acid, 
Chlorphenesin, 
Dehydroacetic Acid, 
Benzalkonium Chloride, 
Hyaluronic Acid

Whew! Like I said, lots of stuff.

You can get the product at Cleopatra's Choice (where you can read more reviews) or via Amazon. I am pretty happy with this one and can't wait to see if I get more results over time.

Finally, I have to mention one more thing about Adovia/Cleopatra's Choice: the customer service there is excellent. They respond immediately to any questions. There aren't a lot of companies I can say that about recently.

Peace
--Free

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** Insta Natural Youth Express Age-Defying Moisturizer

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Insta Natural Youth Express Age-Defying Moisturizer is certainly one of the most natural I've seen.

with a pump applicator

Here is a partial list of ingredients:

Botanical Hyaluronic acid;
blend of Vitamin C,
Vitamin B5,
MSM,
Cocoa Butter,
Green Tea
and Cucumber Distillate;
Aloe Vera,
Coconut oil,
Jojoba oil,
Sunflower oil,
Rosehip oil,
Flaxseed oil,
Avocado oil,
Lemongrass,
Evening Primrose

It's "98%" natural. There is Cetyl, Ceteayl and Stearyl alcohols and various ingredients listed that account for the other 2%.

The first two things I noticed as I read the labels: 1) Product contains an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), which may increase skin sensitivity to sun, and 2) Despite those other 2% of the ingredients, product is safe to use around the eyes.

(By the way, I like that the label included a warning for anyone possibly allergic to tree nuts.)

At the first application, I felt that it was a bit heavy for my skin - sort of weighty and sticky. After a couple of minutes of massaging it in well, I liked the feel much better. It feels nourishing and gives my skin a slightly (very slightly) tingly sensation.

My skin feels hydrated, as promised, and it also feels very toned. After a moment or two, it's as if my body heat worked with the product to let it absorb into my face so that the initial "weighty-sticky" feel dissipated completely. Any dryness was certainly gone.

I did some scanning research of a few of the ingredients and noticed that they are supposed to be excellent for skin care and hydration. And, of course, I am crazy about the "mostly natural" thing.

I like it, but I will only be wearing it to bed. My skin is one of those sensitive types and I live in a place where we get something like 18 hours of sun during the summer. Sunscreen use is advised.

You can use the link at the beginning of this post to get the product at Amazon, or you can visit the InstaNatural website here. Note the 100 Days 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Nice.

Peace
--Free

**DISCLOSURE NOTICE**
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.

**In Depth REVIEW*** Nature's Best Vitamin C Serum (PART II)

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. Okay, here goes Part 2 of this review of Nature's Best Vitamin C Serum.

First, let me say that I like the glass dropper that came with the serum because it keeps me from wasting any of the product. My next favorite thing: my moisturizer seems to work better when applied after the serum. You guys know how I am about my moisturizers!

Let's pause a moment

Before I give you my opinion, let me say here that I wouldn't use this product if I were not at the age I am. If you are young, I don't recommend using anti-aging products. Also, no matter what your age, before using anti-aging products, you should try regulating your nutrition and water intake to see if that is what your skin really needs. (By the way, I have already done these things. I am just at an age when I do need something to help my skin retain the moisture I get from adequate water intake and good nutrition.)

Now, on to the review of this particular product:

Am I noticing a difference in my skin? Some.

It's been just 8 days (and the guarantee is for after 45 days), but I can tell that my skin is less dry at the end of the day and first thing in the morning. Before this (especially in the summer), I sometimes would apply a bit of moisturizer during middle of the night bathroom trips. I hate for my skin to feel tight and dry.

I have some age spots (as you can see), and I can tell that they were not as noticeable after using the serum for just over a week. Also, my forehead lines seem to be fading (and I almost can't tell I have them once I apply my face powder).

The best way to tell if an anti-aging product is working is to ask someone who will be honest with both praise and criticism. For me, that "someone" is my sister! She says that she can tell a little bit of difference after this week. She said my lines seem "softer".

I'll take that.

For myself, I really like that I am seeing any results. I'm not seeing drastic results, but I am seeing more than I have with other products. And it's only been 8 days. I've tried other anti-aging products that didn't work at all - not even after months of trying them out - or that, if they do work, I'll never be able to afford to find out. I'm going to keep using this to see what happens in a few more weeks. (Then I'll do Part 3.)

Best of all, this is a simple and easy product to use. It doesn't take add a lot of time to my regular daily facial cleansing and moisturizing routine - which is a good thing because, otherwise, I might not bother to use it!

So, yep, this is something I would recommend to my "peers" (notice I didn't mention ages!) for a couple of reasons:

1. Excellent customer service
2. Product is not outrageously priced
3. It lasts a long time
4. It comes with the no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.

Here is what my forehead lines looked like on the 14th:

On the 14th

On the 14th

Here is what they looked like this morning:

Today (8 days)

Catch you up on the latest when I check back in another few weeks.

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.

***In Depth REVIEW*** Nature's Best Vitamin C Serum (PART I)

This is the first part of a 3-part review for Nature's Best Vitamin C Serum from Mystelic. I will do the second part of the review when I've used this product for about 3 weeks, then I'll do the third and final part in June - about three weeks before my birthday.

comes with a little stopper
to make application easier.

I'm pretty excited to try this for several reasons:

• I've got a birthday coming up next month that starts with 5 and ends with 3.
• I manage to do a lot of smiling, despite life & it's worries. And all that smiling is showing up in the corners of my eyes and around my mouth!
• In the past few years, because of my illness and the meds, I gained 60lbs and have now lost 40 of those pounds. My face joined my body in the game and went from "elfin" and "aquiline" to "round" and "chubby". And that pendulum is now swinging back to the thinner version of me.
• I've always had youthful skin and I really want to keep my face at thirty, even if my body insists on celebrating every freaking birthday...
• You'll see why I'm trying the product when you get a look at the pics posted below!

Also, right off the bat, I like what that this product is vegan (even though I'm not!) and not tested on animals. Yay. Nothing had to suffer for my vanity. Another plus: read the disclaimer at the bottom of this post. Now, on to my pre-use expectations as I begin using today (note the date of post):

• I want to see some change in skin texture (less dry, a little plumping).
• A decrease in the wrinkling around my mouth and outer edge of my eye-line.
• An overall better make-up free look to my skin.
• Any improvement that I can get with the fine lines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Directions are simple enough

I actually have heard of all the ingredients!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            What the product promises to deliver (paraphrased): 

• Clinically tested & proven to stimulate collagen, reversing the effects of aging.
• Highest quality Vitamin C serum available on the market. Guaranteed to work.
• Serum will remove toxins & create collagen, diminishing fine lines & wrinkles.
• Organic ingredients make the product perfect for all skin types (dry, oily, sensitive).
• Mfd in the USA by a top of the line FDA certified cosmetics lab.

Customers are advised to use the product for 45 days, then check for results. If not happy with those results, that's when that money-back guarantee kicks in. (I want to finish the review before my birthday, so, I'll give it 5 weeks. Close enough!) 

And.........Here we go!

These are pics of my face on this day, before I start using the product. I tried to do with and without makeup, before and after applying the product and my regular moisturizer (Anew). 

Ewwww... no makeup to hide the imperfections!

Not as bad in B&W! Note the smile lines at my mouth.
(Looking at the pic,I'm sure not smiling now!)

Better. Much better with some color,
even without makeup.

Ewww Pt 2! Hate the age spots.

All makeup removed from this area
to show mouth lines. Ugh!

This is with product and moisturizer,
 but no makeup.

Creepy eye! LOL

Lines & pores! Oh, my!

Forehead lines.
(Gotta do a dye job on the hair.)

MAKEUP! Yes!!! I should super-size this pic!

That right there, posting those closeup/no makeup pics? Sheer act of bravery! By the way, as far as how my skin feels - when I first applied it, I realized that it does dry fairly quickly. It goes on smoothly with a sort of slick feeling. When my skin dried, there was a very subtle tightness, which felt similar to when I use a toner product. Once I applied my moisturizer, my skin felt normal. 

Peace

--Free

***DISCLAIMER: I recieved this product free of charge to try for this review, but was not otherwise compensated.***

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