Boscia Oil Free Daily Hydration SPF 15

Photo Credit - Sephora

After putting off using sunscreen all of winter, I thought I might get into the habit before the summer started. I actually found this SPF while waiting on line at Sephora. I heard many good things about the Boscia brand and since I need a sunscreen, I thought I might as well kill two birds with one stone. The lotion scent was not very pleasant; it reminded me of freshly cut grass.  I do love the scent of flowers, nature and blah blah but just not on my face. The non-greasy lotion went on smoothly and had matte finish.  You might want to follow with a moisturizer as my skin felt dry afterwards. This natural product is paraben, phthalate, preservative sulfate, synthetic fragrance and dye free.

VMV Hypoallergenics Re-Everything Lotion

Photo Credit - VMV Hypoallergenics

My hands are constantly dry no matter how many inches of lotion I pile on. I read online that this lotion gives the skin the appearance of a post peel glow. I couldn’t wait to try it.  The thick lotion goes on smoothly and my skin does look dewy after application, but it did have a bit of a greasy feel.  My hands did remain soft and smooth throughout the day. The glycolic acid removes dead skin and kinetin growth factor speeds up cell renewal. The glycerin locks in the moisture and green tea and rice phytic has proven anti-aging effects.  An added bonus for anyone who is hypoallergenic, the lotion is fragrance, dye, phthalate, paraben and preservative free.  The lotion is quite pricy, $45 for a 6.3 oz bottle, so try it out first to see if you like it.

Zoya Nail Polish – Kristen

Spring is here and to celebrate this long awaited season we tend to wear pretty pastels. I never really like wearing pastel colored clothing or makeup. Don’t get me wrong, I like the candy colors during spring, but I just can’t pull it off. I really wanted to try the pastel trend so decided to start off small and used pastel colors on my nails. I decided to try Kristen, which is soft pale blue from Zoya Feel Collection.  I love how soft the color was and I can’t wait try the other pastel colors. I also liked how my polish lasted a whole week before it started chipping.

Indie Lee - Lemongrass Citrus Body Wash

Photo Credit - India Lee

In a never ending battle to make my skin care regime greener while keeping my skin healthy, I came across this widely recommended natural body wash. I liked the refreshing lemongrass and citrus scent and how it revitalized me during my morning shower.  Formulated without the icky parabens, phthalates and sulfate, it left my skin soft and lightly scented. However, I noticed it didn’t lather very well and I did have to use a lot more body wash to make sure everywhere was nice and clean. I also would recommend following up with a moisturizer as my skin felt a bit dry about an hour later.

Head and Shoulders Dry Scalp Care

Photo credit - Head and Shoulders

The warm scent of cinnamon and hot chocolate floating in the air makes me excited knowing winter is near. But Mother Nature is not the only one that has white flakes falling in the winter. The only thing I dread about winter is the harsh toll it takes my skin and scalp. When my scalp needs TLC, I always turn to Head and Shoulders and have never been disappointed. Not only is my hair soft, silky and shiny but my scalp no longer has those pesky white flakes. The scent of the shampoo is fresh so it can be for both genders.

LaLicious Moisturizing Body Scrub - Sugar Kiss

Photo Credit - Laliclious

 

As seasons change our skin need the occasional scrub down. Body scrubs is one of best way to remove dull skin. I was bit hesitant in trying LaLicious body scrub because the name sounds a bit childish, but now I am in love. But don’t be fooled by the name, this is one top notch product. The scrub made my skin silky smooth and soft.  My skin was hydrated and well moisturized. The scent was sweet and the soft scent lingers.  The only thing that was a bit disappointing was that the scrub was hard to rub into my skin. It took quite an effort to rub in the scrub into my skin. Other than that, I recommend taking a look at this body scrub.

Macadamia Natural Oil – Healing Oil Treatment

Photo Credit - Folica.com

It seems once, one company makes a hit product every company is trying to release their own version of that product. Five years ago, if you asked me if I used hair oil, I would have been mildly offended thinking you are asking if I use Rogaine or some “natural” remedy to cure my hair problems. Now, hair oil treatments are mainstream and the name no longer carries a negative meaning [well at least not for me anymore]. As much as I like the Moroccan oil, I wanted to see what else the market had to offer [a typical makeup lover that always want more J]. Like all the other oil treatments it promises to reduce drying time and improving hair quality. Along with providing UV protection and when added to hair dye prior to application it extends the life of the dye job [I haven’t tried this yet..I am giving my hair a break from the dye jobs]. My hair became soft and shiny. The only downside is that when I applied this oil to my newly washed hair it became really greasy.

Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

Photo Source - Burt's Bees

As a nervous nail bitter, my cuticles are saved because of this cream.  This lemon cream is infused with sweet almond oil, cocoa seed butter, vitamin E and sunflower oil. The cream goes on smoothly and softens cuticles quickly. I love how well-manicured this cuticle cream makes my hands look.  It is a nice cheap organic way to pamper myself.

Nick Chavez Ultra Shine Honey-Peppermint Conditioner



Photo Source - Dermstore

I love the sweet scent of this conditioner. While the peppermint overpowers the honey scent it still has a quite delicious scent.  My hair feels soft and full of luster after one use. The conditioner does cause a tingly sensation, but it was quite relaxing. I love massaging this conditioner into my head.

AHAVA Pure Salt Revival Bath Salts: Mandarin – Cedarwood



Photo Source - Amazon



After finishing your entire to do list for the week, the last thing you want to do is anything else. Taking some time to indulge in you is what the body, mind and soul needs. A bath is the best way to unwind and renew your senses.  I have used Ahava products for a while but I have not noticed anything special about them. These bath salts have changed my perceptions about this brand. The citrus scent is invigorating and the scent lingers long after my bath finished. My skin was left soft and smooth. I can’t wait until my next bath!

Dermaquest Skin Therapy – Skin Vitalight Therapeutic Care

Photo Source - Dermaquest

While having dark skin has its perks, it does get annoying when you get a breakout. Boy, those dark spots don’t ever go away. I read a couple of reviews about this lotion and I couldn’t wait to try it. This creamy lotion left my skin soft, dewy and supple. I also noticed that after 2 weeks of use my dark spots have started looking less noticeable even if they have not completely disappeared.

Kinerase Photofacial Sun Damage Reversal System – Day Moisturizer SPF 50

Photo Source: Kinerase

I have used their eye cream and was quite taken with the results. I needed a new moisturizer and this was on sale. Oye! Now, I know why this was on sale. The formula was greasy and had a chemical smell. The lotion went on smoothly but it left a white film on my skin. It also left my skin feeling dry and sticky. I have not gotten chance to use the other products and probably will not be willing to try them now.

Lime Crime – Great Pink Planet

Photo Source: Lime Crime

I never knew this brand even existed until randomly looking for a new lipstick to try. I wanted to give the pink lip trend a go. While this bubblegum pink looks pretty on the screen, it became a fluorescent pink. I thought if I walked into a dark room, my lips would glow in the dark. While the cotton candy color is not for me, I love the lipstick in general. The creamy lipstick goes on smoothly and makes my lips really soft. The formula itself is very long lasting and left a nice pinkish tint after the lipstick wore away. I can’t wait to try the other colors in this line, most especially the Glamour101 from the Lip Noir line.

The tint of the lipstick after it wears off

The swatch of the lipstick

Frais Hand Sanitizer

Photo Source: Frais

It seems every consumer commodity is coming out with a luxe version.  Hand sanitizers are no different when joining the fray.  Frais hand sanitizer is known as the luxury hand sanitizer and is packed with essential oils and is sugarcane alcohol based. The hand sanitizer moisturized my hands more than the regular triclosan and alcohol based sanitizers. It smells refreshing thanks to the ginger, tangerine, grapefruit, basil, and lemon myrtle.  While I do like this hand sanitizer it leaves my hand feeling a bit sticky [not as bad as sticky candy] after using, just like Purell.

Suave Professional Dry Shampoo Spray

Photo Credit: Drugstore

After reading all the rave reviews about dry shampoo, I decided I should give it a whirl. I decided to give this brand a test drive before I committed to a more expensive brand. This dry shampoo spray is formulated with mineral clay, which helps refresh hair.  I found the formula to be very sticky and have decent scent. It did get rid of some of the oil and added some texture to my hair, but I did not like the way my hair looked or felt. I am not fan of this brand, but I am willing to give dry shampooing another try.  Perhaps, I will try Tresemme Fresh Start or Batiste Dry Shampoo.

Camille Beckman Glycerine Hand Therapy - French Vanilla

Photo credit - Camille Beckman

The French vanilla hand therapy lotion is packed with Glycerine, vitamin E, aloe vera, wheat protein, almond oil and plant extracts. This creamy hand cream left my hands feeling soft and lightly scented of vanilla. The cream was long lasting but it was a bit greasy.  I like the .25 oz pursette size, it is very small and conveniently fits into even my smallest bag.

Bath and Body Works – Country Chic body wash

Photo Credit : Bath and Body Works

I work within 7 minutes of my local Bath and Body Works. As usual, during lunch time and especially during the holidays BBW was packed. Trying to avoid the crowds, I was mostly browsing the corner displays. I came across this lovely floral scented body wash. I am especially fond of floral scents; they always seem to take me to my happy place. The body wash lathers well and leaves my skin freshly scented. It does provide ample moisture but the best thing about this body wash is the great aroma it leaves in your skin. The scent might be too strong for some, so try the travel size before committing to the full size if possible.