paraben free – Page 3

Review: Revitalising Skin Treatment by Jurlique

April 10, 2010

As someone that has oily skin, I need to exfoliate on a regular basis. I also have very sensitive skin that get easily irritated so I need to get products that do the job…but gently. I’ve tried products by Jurlique before and I know that they pride themselves on natural products that are innovative and organic. While shopping I came across the Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator and decided to give it a try since it exfoliates your skin with natural alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) instead of using grains, sugars or beads. When I got home I tried the product right away (hey who has time to wait)! I cleansed my face I applied the treatment and left it on for about 5 minutes as directed. There was no itching, burning of other discomfort while the treatment was on, thank goodness. After about 5 minutes I rinsed my face off with water and gently dried it with a towel. What I initially I noticed was that was face was not dried out or irritated and there were no signs of redness and secondly it felt smooth – very smooth. Ahhh success!

I have to say that I like this product very much, it does what it’s supposed to do. What I did not enjoy as much was the scent of the product, honestly it’s not very pleasant. The scent is not overly strong and it does not have a chemical scent but rather something more “bark” like, I could not really nail what it was. I do like that this formula is non-abrasive and that there was no redness after use (which is something that I have encountered more often that not with new products). The product over all is pretty good, but it is a little pricey for the 1.7oz bottle that I purchased. I also must mention that you will need to use sunscreen if you use this product (although you should use sunscreen every day) ;). AHA’s have been known to increase the skins sensitivity to the sun and this can result in sunburn, so while using this product be sure to liberally apply a facial sunscreen and limit your exposure to the sun.

Jurlique indicates that these are the key ingredients in their formula:

*Australian Desert Fruits Complex: Indigenous Quadong, Desert Lime, and Acacia (Wattle) contain fruit acids gently and naturally exfoliate the skin.
*Pumpkin Enzyme: Provides gently exfoliating, leaving skin refreshed and healthy looking.
*Willow Bark Extract: Improves tones, texture, and appearance with natural Beta Hydroxy Acids.
*Prickly Pear: Offers excellent hydrating properties and antioxidant help promote firmer skin.

Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator retails for $45 and is available at Sephora and the Jurlique website.

Review: tokidoki mini haul + swatches

April 2, 2010

Welcome to the world of Japanese inspired edgy makeup, welcome to tokidoki. If you are not familiar with tokidoki, it’s a brand that’s been around for about 5 years that makes apparel, footwear and accessories using art and playful characters. tokidoki is a high-end brand that has partnered with other brands such as Levi’s, Mikasa, Skull Candy, Lesportsac, Smashbox and Hello Kitty to create everything from sneakers to children’s clothing.

When I learned that tokidoki was going to create their own makeup brand I was really curious as to what it would be like. I was anxious to see if they would could quality products, the types of products they would be creating and especially what the packaging would be like. I read that Sephora was going to be the exclusive carrier of this brand so I decided to go into the store and take a peak. I spoke with one of the sales people and she told me that this was one of her favorite new brands and she gave me some swabs and told me to try everything out and have fun. I had a great time testing everything out so take a look at what I ended up buying:

tokidoki Royal Pride Inferno Bronzer — tokidoki Royal Pride Inferno bronzer

I do love a good bronzer and I probably have at least 10 at home now. When I tried tokidoki I just loved it, the color was that I chose was Royal Pride which is a has a slight gold shimmer to it. The color goes on light but you can build it up to your preferred shade of bronze. This compact retails at $22

tokidoki Monkey Pirate Prisma Gloss — tokidoki Monkey Pirate (brown) Prisma Gloss

The second item that I loved were the lip glosses – there were so many that I did not know which one to choose. I decided to go safe and get a neutral tone and I went with Monkey Pirate which is brown. This lip gloss is a must have item – for one it smells and tastes like blueberry and has a really good amount of shine to it. The gloss goes on really smoothly and is not sticky! My lips were very moisturized which is a big plus for me because my lips can get pretty dry. The applicator is a clear flat paddle that gives you a smooth application. The packaging is beyond beautiful, the gloss cap has a tiny character inside – it’s like a mini snow globe

There are 16 shades that you can choose from so you’re bound to find a great shade that you will love. The glosses are very reasonably priced at $15. How can you not swoon for glosses with names like Strawberry Latte, Diamante Dark and Adios?

The last item that I purchased was actually the first item that caught my eye, a bright purple and white Kabuki brush. This face and body brush has antibacterial bristles and unique square base adorned with tokidoki characters. The brush is soft on my skin and picks up just the right amount of powder. This brush retails for $28.

I must say that tokidoki is one of my new favorite brands, I am very impressed with the quality of their makeup. My only regret is that I did not pick up more products like the Perfetto quick-drying eyeliner pen and the Cromatico quad eyeshadows. Now that I’ve tried their products and I know that they can deliver I am heading straight to their section in Sephora. Have you tried out tokidoki? I’d love to hear your feedback.

Review: Juara Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner

March 15, 2010

Over the years I’ve tried many toners and even used witch hazel on my face. But none quite had that wow factor that Juara’s Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner has. This toner is water based, dermatologist tested and suitable for all skin types so it’s great for sensitive skin. The key ingredients are hyaluronic acid, tamarind and three types of teas. Hyaluronic acid is a protein that is naturally found in skin and it decreases with age. When applied to skin it helps skin retain its natural moisture, studies have also shown that it helps to decrease skin irritation and may even enhance healing. The extract of the tamarind seed has been found to increase skin hydration and stimulate the skin’s regenerative process. The white, green and black teas all of which have been shown to decrease the free radical damage to the body and help stimulate cell repair and who couldn’t use a little bit of that?

Application:

Immediately after washing you would apply the toner is with your hands, no cotton ball required.

Results:

The texture is not like other toners as it’s a little bit thicker with a gel like consistency. The toner immediately was absorbed by my skin and the scent was light not too heavy like I expected. My skin felt silky to the touch and was so soft! I have combination skin and my cheeks tend to get dry without any moisturizer but in this case I really did not need any.

Have you tried this toner?

Juara Tamarind Hydrating Tea Toner retails at $27 for a 4.75 oz bottle.