Organic Skincare – Lisa Preziosi

NOVEMBER PRODUCT REVIEW: Emtage Hair & Beauty

For November, the lovely folks at Emtage sent me a selection of really intriguing products to review. They are a natural beauty brand with products that feature botanical oils.

So first a little about this company:

“Emtage Beauty is born out of genuine passion and commitment for providing pure, premium, natural, multi-use products that are healthy for the body and the planet. We are committed to a lifestyle that focuses on the holistic approach of beauty, from the inside out. Our mission is to use only the purest, highest-quality ingredients that are fairly traded, sustainable and ethnically sourced that are effective and benefit the health of the skin, hair and scalp. We support fair trade women co-ops throughout the world, support human rights and are against the use of child labor and animal testing.”

Emtage has an extensive list of all the natural ingredients they use including things like Certified Argan Oil, Certified Sea Buckthorn oil and Mango Butter.

This seems like a super health conscious line and I’m interested to see how the products work.

Emtage Island Beauty Balm, 2 oz
(2 Oz Retail: $18.40)
Description: “An exotic blend of organic oils, fruit extracts and butters to nourish, inspired from the Tropics where women are known for their beautiful skin. This multi-use cream moisturizes, nourishes, hydrates and protect face and body. Apply to face, lips, hands, feet, stretch marks, anywhere care is needed. Use a small amount on face as your daily moisturizer, makeup remover and night cream.”
Verdict: Like
This is thicker balm so it’s not something I would use on my face during the day. It is rich and hydrating so I think it’s great for those rough areas on the body that need extra hydration (like elbows, heels,and hands). I also could see using this on your face as a night treatment during the winter months when your skin might be feeling raw. This product didn’t have much of a scent and definitely had a natural feel.

Emtage SILKtage Scalp Repair, Pre-Wash Healing Oil Treatment
(2 Oz Retail: $17.00)
Description: “An infusion of nature’s most healing organic botanical oils from around the world. This multi-purpose oil treatment nourishes the scalp, soothe itchness, dryness, eczema, psoriasis, relieve dandruff, strengthen roots and follicles and stimulate.”
Verdict: Like
I get a super dry scalp (especially in winter) which often results in that oh so fun problem of itchy scalp and oily roots. This is a treatment that you apply to your scalp and then leave on for a few hours (or overnight) and then wash off. I felt like this moisturized my scalp but it also made my hair super greasy while I waited for it to do its thing. So if you try this out just make sure you have some time to let it work before having to look presentable.

Emtage Silktáge™ Rejuvenating Styling Serum
(1 oz Retail:$15.20)
Description: ” An infusion of nature’s most exotic organic botanical oils from around the world. This multi-purpose hair oil serum is nourishing to every hair type and especially beneficial to dry, stressed, frizzy hair—strengthening hair from the root and restoring moisture lost from styling heat, chemicals, and the environment..”
Verdict: Miss for Wavy Hair, Hit for Straight Hair
So hair oils are super trendy and I’m always up for trying a new one. I have thicker, wavy hair that is prone to frizziness. I tried a bit of this and let it air dry and while it made my hair shiny and helped the frizz, it sort of weighed down the waves and made them odd. It is much better suited for applying to wet hair, then blow drying. I’m going to set this one aside for my blowout or flat iron days.

Emtage Clear Glow™ – Camellia Cleansing Oil
(4 Oz Retail:$26.00)
Description: ”An infusion of nature’s most luxurious organic botanical oils from around the world. This all-natural cleansing solution combines the ancient beauty secret of Camellia with Olive and Red Palm to calm redness, diminish pores and blackheads, rejuvenate your skin and restore your natural glow. This multi-purpose cleansing oil treatment removes makeup, dirt and impurities and leaves your skin soft and clear while treating your skin and delicate eye area with age-defying antioxidants.”
Verdict: Like
Oil cleansers are my absolute favorite type. I gave this one a “like” rating because I found it to easily break down make up and to go on smoothly. This is a natural product and has a nutty (almost cooking oil) type scent which just isn’t my favorite. It’s not overly obtrusive but I prefer a fresher scent in my cleansers, which is the only reason I didn’t give this one a “love”.

I saved my favorite items for last:

Emtage Argan Oil Rollerball
(.36 fl oz Retail:$12.99)
Description: “Rich, nourishing Argan oil provides instant hydration and age-defying benefits to nourish skin, soften cuticles and treat split ends. This precious, time proven oil in a rollerball form allows you to target and rejuvenate problem areas with powerful antioxidants, Vitamin E and essential fatty acids for a healthy and radiant glow that’s always with you.”

Emtage Argan Oil Rosehip Rollerball
(.36 fl oz Retail:$14.99)
Description: “Rich, nourishing, luxurious blend of Argan oil and Rose hip oil infused with Geranium essential oil provides instant hydration and age defying benefits to dehydrated, dry skin, wrinkles, fine lines and discoloration. These precious, time proven oils in a rollerball form allow you to target and rejuvenate problem areas with powerful antioxidants, vitamin E, C and essential fatty acids to restore skin’s radiance and youthful glow.”

Verdict: Love!
Oils are great but applying them can be an arduous process. Pure Argan Oil can also be quite pricey. These adorable rollerballs have taken all the annoyance and expense out of using Argan oil. They have a metal rollerball that makes them fabulous for using on the undereye area. It gives a nice cooling effect that feels fabulous when your eyes are tired. These are also safe to use on your lips. I’ve been using the rosehip under my eyes and on my giant forehead wrinkle and I do feel like it’s made a bit of difference. The argan oil roller is perfect on my lips. These go on smoothly and are not sticky at all. Out of all the products I received, these are the rockstars.

OVERALL

Hit!

All these products were of good quality and felt super natural. A lot of the items had multiple applications which helps you get more bang for your buck. I really loved the Argan oil rollerballs so that put this collection firmly in the “hit” category for me. The packaging on them is wonderful and it’s a inexpensive way to incorporate Argan oil into your beauty regimen.

Do you currently use Argan Oil? If so, do you notice a difference in your beauty routine?

Coupon Code: If you want to give these products a shot you can use my code at iherb.com: CVF809 for a discount on your first order. They are a fabulous place to buy everything from groceries to essential oils and they frequently offer freebies at checkout.

AUGUST PRODUCT REVIEW: Honey Girl Organics

So I’m just sneaking in my August product review. I like to hold these until the end of the month, so I have lots of time to try out the products. This month I have some skincare from Honey Girl Organics. (Isn’t that an incredibly adorable name? It totally sounds like a Japanese anime character). The Honey Girl folks were super gracious and sent me a sample of products to share with you guys.

So First let’s start with a little background on Honey Girl:

Honey Girl produces Certified Organic skin care products in Hawaii. They describe them as “Completely natural skincare made with nature’s best organic ingredients including honey, olive oil, beeswax, and propolis.” They also state that “…We collect these ingredients from our hives located in forested areas on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii , from our holistically managed hives..”

Foraged in Hawaii from holistically managed hives? Sounds awesome, sign me up for a jar of that.

Face & Eye Créme
(1.75 fl. Oz Retail: $29.44)
Description: “This luxurious emollient will soften, moisturize and repair your skin, reducing fine lines while providing protection from the harsh elements. It hydrates and nourishes to bring out your natural radiance. This crème is extremely beneficial and gentle enough to use on the delicate tissue around the eyes.”
Verdict: Like
This product is super moisturizing and quite rich. Because it’s natural, once you open it, there tends to be a little bit of oil that’s separated at the top. A quick stir and the cream is perfectly fine. This is definitely a product more geared toward those with dry skin, or for use during the colder seasons. If you have oily skin, I’d say you should probably skip this one. The scent is slightly herbal, but not particularly strong or distracting. I found this to be super gentle around my eyes (which can be a problem area for me). The packaging is quite attractive and a little of this product goes a long way. If you have dry, sensitive skin this might be the perfect product for you. (Honey Girl also has an extra sensitive version of this product as well.)

Facial Scrub
(1.75 fl. Oz Retail: $24.69)
Description: “HGO Facial Scrub whisks away dead skin cells and increases blood circulation, helping to diminish fine lines, revealing plumper, younger skin and leaving it silky smooth.”.”
Verdict: Like
Of course at first glance I adored the itty bitty metal jar. I’m a sucker for tiny packaging. Once I got into it, the facial scrub had a really unique consistency, almost like a rubbery sort of texture. It was really intriguing. I found that this product to be a good exfoliator and quite gentle. Some scrubs can leave your face feeling a little worse for the wear, but this one left my skin soft without any irritation. I think it would work really great on those with sensitive skin. Honey Girl says you can use it once or twice a week.

Rejuvenating Mask
(1.75 fl. Oz Retail:$25.64)
Description:”Enhance collagen production and stimulate new cell growth with HGO’s Rejuvenating Mask. It softens and moisturizes while providing the skin with the nutrition it needs to be the best. Good for all skin types..”
Verdict: Miss
Unfortunately, I’m someone who really doesn’t like sticky masks. I know that honey cleansing is the rage right now, but the consistency of this on my skin just didn’t work for me. While the herbal scent in this product was similar to the one in the cream, it was a bit more overpowering. My skin did feel tighter after using this mask, so it’s really just my preference for the texture of it. If you don’t mind honey type masks, you’ll probably like this one.

Lip Balm
(.33 fl. oz Retail:$6.36)
Description:”A luscious antioxidant lip treatment that soothes dry and chapped lips and protects them from dehydration.”
Verdict: Miss
This balm had a nice citrus taste and scent. Both the texture and wear reminded me of the Eos balms. It’s a harder balm and you just put a thin layer on your lips. The positive is that the balm will last you a long time, the negative is that because it’s a thin layer you’ll have to reapply frequently. I prefer thicker balms (like the Rosebud salve) so this one was a miss for me. It does feel nice on, and I love the scent. Because of the thinner application, I think this balm would be perfect layered beneath matte lipsticks. It won’t interfere with the color, but it will give you some extra moisture to combat the uber drying characteristics of most matte lip products.

Cuticle & Nail Créme
(.5 fl. oz Retail:$12.82)
Description: “This nourishing crème soothes protects and moisturizes whil providing nutrition for stronger and healthier nails.”
Verdict: Love!
You guys know I have a polish obsession so cuticle crème is right up my alley and I totally fell in love with this one. It is super rich and a little will go a long way. I found it really moisturizes my cuticles and nails and I’ve left the jar on my desk so I can apply frequently. I highly recommend this if you have problems with dry cuticles and peeling nails.

Foot Balm
(2 fl. oz Retail:$17.49)
Description: “Our rejuvenating and moisturizing Peppermint & Lavender Foot Balm instantly soothes, nourishes, restores and softens your tired and overworked feet. It will also help with dry and cracked skin.”
Verdict: Love!
I love, love, love this product. It does exactly what it says and the peppermint smell is present but not at all overpowering. I tried this cream on my feet and put some socks over it. I checked back in just a half hour and the dry skin on my feet was so much improved. This is my favorite product and the best foot balm I’ve tried.

OVERALL

Hit!

I really enjoyed trying out this organic line. All of the products were super moisturizing and had that natural feel you expect from organic skin care. Even the products that I found weren’t the right fit for me, would be great for someone with a different skin type or preference. This line is a great option for those with dry, normal or combination skin as we head into the fall/winter season. If you’re into manis and pedis, I highly recommend grabbing the cuticle and foot balms. You won’t be disappointed.

Do you regularly use organic skincare products? What are your faves?

May 2014 Product Review: CC Pollen’s Royal Jelly Skin Care with Honey

So for May’s product review I got a lovely box chock full of items from CC Pollen. They sent me a skincare collection and a fabulous assortment of honey. I figured it made more sense to review them separately so for May we’re focusing on the skincare and in June we’ll dive into sweet honey goodness.

CC Pollen sent me their Royal Jelly Skin Care with Honey line. The idea is that royal jelly has many benefits that will result in firmer, healthier and younger looking skin. The purported benefits of royal jelly include supporting skin renewal and acids that contribute to collagen production and promotion. The addition of honey is for keeping skin hydrated and because it “…supports the skin’s ability to rejuvenate and refresh depleted skin, leaving it feeling silky, soft and supple.”

I was really intrigued with the ingredients and I don’t recall ever trying Royal Jelly in skincare products before so I was excited to give these a shot.

C.C. Pollen, Foaming Cleanser, Royal Jelly Skin Care, with Honey, 4 oz
(Retail: $ $9.33)
Verdict: Miss
The packaging on this was nice and the smell was a little sweet but not flowery (almost like the scent of baby products). I found the fragrance to be really pleasant and not at all overpowering. Unfortunately the cleanser to was really drying. I have combination skin with some oily areas, so I can only imagine what happens to the folks with overall dry skin. The only way you should try this out is if you have oily skin, otherwise skip it.

C.C. Pollen, Toner, Royal Jelly Skin Care, with Honey, 4 oz
(Retail: $10.77)
Verdict: Like
After the cleanser I was afraid this toner might be really drying as well, but it was pretty nice. Toners typically fall into two categories: refreshing or astringent. In my opinion this one is actually in between. If you want an astringent toner, but don’t want one that’s really harsh, this might be a good choice for you. I’d skip this if you have dry skin, but I think it would be a great fit for the folks with oily skin or oily/normal combination.

C.C. Pollen, Anti Aging Serum, Royal Jelly Skin Care, with Honey, 1 oz
(Retail: $21.57)
Verdict: Hit!
So this has that same light sweet, scent as the other products and a wonderful gel consistency. It’s cooling to the touch and goes on light and smooth. I think the texture is a perfect match for summertime and I feel like it helped smooth out any irritation or redness my skin had.

C.C. Pollen, Royal Jelly Skin Care with Honey, Moisturizer, 2 oz
(Retail: $14.37)
Verdict: Hit!
The first thing I was struck with was the packaging. I love the metal tins. I tend to only keep a few beauty items on my tiny bathroom counter and this one (along with the night cream) were cute enough to keep out. They are a great alternative to lovely (but oh so breakable) glass and not so lovely plastic. Anyway, enough about the outside, let’s get to the inside. This cream went on smoothly and sunk into my skin pretty quickly. It had that same pleasant scent as the rest of the line. It’s a lighter moisturizer and I think it’s a good option for ladies who don’t like the feel of heavier face creams.

C.C. Pollen, Royal Jelly Skin Care with Honey, Night Cream, 2 oz
(Retail: $17.97)
Verdict: Like
The night cream was in the same adorbs packaging of the regular moisturizer and I actually found the products to be quite similar, although this one was a little richer. However in terms of a “night” cream, it’s definitely on the light side. I liked the product and found it gave me excellent hydration, but I tend to prefer more intense creams and serums at night. (I like my skin to do the heavy lifting while I sleep). I think this might be a really great fit for ladies with oily skin who still want to keep their skin fresh and hydrated.

OVERALL
Like!
I really enjoyed trying these products. The line has a lovely scent and the products go on smoothly and they all possess a pleasant consistency. I think these products would be a great fit for ladies with oily or normal skin that want their skin to look fresh without slathering on heavy moisturizers. If you’ve got dry skin, I’d probably skip these because of the drying nature of the cleanser and toner. If you just want to try out one product, I’d recommend the moisturizer, since I think it will work just as well for day or night. It’s also a great price for the size and one jar will last you awhile.

So what type of moisturizer do you use? Do you prefer heavier or lighter creams?

March 2014 Product Review: D’Adamo Genoma skincare

Do you give a lot of thought to the science behind your skincare? March’s product review is on the science focused D’adamo Genoma skincare. The folks at D’adamo were super gracious and sent me a giant box filled with their entire skincare line for me to review.

First, a little background….The founder, Dr. Peter D’Adamo is famous for his bestselling books which focus on gearing your diet toward your blood type. He’s brought his science background and the idea of matching your products to your blood type into a skincare line. It is Dr. D’Adamo’s assertion that “most other skin care products contain irritants for one or more blood types” so this line is “formulated to be right for all types.”

Here’s what this skincare like doesn’t include:

●None of the following common irritants: wheat or milk proteins; corn or coconut by-products, or aloe vera.
●Mineral oil, parabens, paraffin or petrolatum or any petroleum-based products.
●Propylene glycol or other potentially harmful ingredients used in typical moisturizers.
●They also do not test on animals.

What they do include:
●All-natural, wild-crafted and organic botanicals.
●Carnoisine, a powerful amino acid that inhibits the aging process and rejuvenates skin cells.

So what we’ve learned is that this is an uber sciency anti-aging skincare line that should be especially beneficial for those with allergies and sensitivities.

To understand where I’m coming from with my review, I’ll give you some info about my skin. I’m in my thirties and have combination skin. I am sensitive to certain ingredients, but they most frequently pop up in makeup rather than skincare. I have large pores and while acne isn’t usually an issue, blackheads can be.

Now enough gross stuff about my skin and let’s try this stuff out already.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Rejuvenating Cleanser, 3.53 fl oz (104 ml)

(Retail: $39.95)
Description: “D’Adamo Genoma Cleanser is a creamy, super-hydrating formula that gently removes dirt, make-up, and excess oils without stripping essential oils from the skin. Dr. D’Adamo uses the naturally occurring amino dipeptide carnosine to help block chronic glycation. The Cleanser is enhanced with wild-crafted extract of krameria root, a gentle cleanser, and extract of lemon myrtle, long used for healing by indigenous Australians. As an added benefit, the cleanser can also be used as a hydrating mask.”
Verdict: Like
There’s not much of a scent and the packaging is on the clinical side. Unlike the description, I didn’t find it to be “super moisturizing”, but I also didn’t feel like it stripped my skin either. I think it’s a solid cleanser and would appeal to those who are sensitive to scents and particular ingredients.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Age-Inhibiting Toner, 3.53 fl oz (104 ml)
(Retail: $39.95)
Description: “D’Adamo Genoma AGE-Inhibiting Toner provides continuous hydration to your skin. Dr. D’Adamo uses three natural mineral peptides to enhance toning of the ligaments underneath the skin, helping to tighten soft and sagging facial muscles. Wild-crafted extracts of milk thistle, neroli flower, and krameria root help to tighten pores and expel trapped dirt and debris.”
Verdict: Love!
I’ve only ever found a couple toners that didn’t make my skin super dry or sting when I applied them. This one went on smoothly and lifted any of the stubborn bits of mascara and eyeliner that like to appear even after I use a cleanser. I also loved using this as a makeup remover. If I get a little too excited with the eyeliner, I just dab a little onto a cotton pad and voila the smudge is gone and my skin is refreshed.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Day Light Face Cream, 1.67 fl oz (49 ml)

(Retail: $36.95)
Description: “This hydrating Cream plumps up and softens the skin reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Dr. D’Adamo created two powerful herbal combinations for this Cream: a lecithin, carnosine, and milk thistle complex to stop the stiffening of collagen fibers and a date, pomegranate, and strawberry complex to provide superior antioxidant protection. The addition of wild-crafted extract of cassia seed provides moisturizing benefits similar to hyaluronic acid.”
Verdict: Miss
This is a thin, more liquidy day cream. Like the other products there isn’t much of scent. I found it just didn’t do much for my skin. I prefer my day creams to have some kind of spf or more of a brightening effect. If you like lighter day creams, then this would probably be right up your alley.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Restorative Night Cream, 1.67 fl oz (49 ml)
(Retail: $36.95)
Description: “This is a heavier Cream designed to promote a more intense level of restorative support; improving hydration, firmness, and smoothness of the skin, while reducing wrinkle depth. Dr. D’Adamo blends a proprietary extract of mung bean, known for its anti-irritant properties, with carnosine and yerba mate, known for their ability to block tissue-aging glycation. The addition of wild-crafted clary sage enhances the drainage of the lymphatic channels underneath the skin and enhances tissue detoxification.”
Verdict: Like
This cream was a bit thicker than the day cream but not quite as rich or thick as most night creams I’ve used. It applies easy and I think folks who dislike really heavy night creams would like this. I didn’t find it super moisturizing but I did feel like it helped even out my skin tone a bit.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Eye Cream, .5 fl oz (15 ml)
(Retail: $39.95)
Description: “This hydrating cream, formulated by Dr. Peter D’Adamo, firms and protects, reducing the appearance of fine lines and puffiness around the eyes.”
Verdict: Hit!
This is possibly the thinnest eye cream I’ve ever tried. One pump is enough to cover both eyes, below and on the lid. The consistency is actually refreshing and maybe it’s just willful thinking but I did feel like it diminished the fine lines around my eyes a bit. Like the other products, in this line not much of a scent.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Anti-Age Serum, .50 fl oz (30 ml)
(Retail: $29.95)
Description: “This light, refreshing serum does double duty. Crafted from organic Trehalose and all-natural botanical extracts, it provides superior hydration to skin cells, while minimizing the appearance of Age-spots. Particularly suited to dry and sensitive skin, this serum will leave your skin looking lighter, brighter, and more luminous. Only the finest wild-crafted herb and botanicals are used in our products, and there are no mineral oils, parabens, paraffin, or petroleum, which can be disruptive to hormonal activity.”
Verdict: Hit!
As is the theme with the D’Adamo line this product is light with a thinner consistency and not much of a scent. I used it at night and I felt it did a really great job of evening out my skin and helping smooth out some fine lines. Personally it was a bit drying, so I probably wouldn’t use this every day and instead alternate with a more hydrating serum.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Deep Pore Cleansing Masque, 4 fl oz (120 ml)
(Retail: $36.95)

Description: “Montmorillonite, a French green clay, has been used for centuries to detoxify and lift impurities from the skin. Dr. D’Adamo blends botanicals, minerals and organic oils to heal, tone and moisturize, keeping skin smooth and supple. Weekly use of Deep Pore Cleansing Masque leaves skin feeling healthy and purified.”
Verdict: Hit
This product has the typical clay mask application where you slop on some thick sludge, let it dry and hope for the best. The mask was ready to remove in about 15 minutes. It wasn’t difficult to take off, although as is par for the course with these, it was a bit messy. I thought it did a good job of cleaning out my pores and leaving my skin refreshed. Sometimes these masks can leave your skin super sensitive or bit worse for the wear, but none of that happened with the D’Adamo mask.

Daily Repair Body Lotion
(Retail: $29.95)
Description: ”Dr. D’Adamo blended aloe vera with shea nut butter to create a body lotion that not only moisturizes, but heals dry and damaged skin.”
Verdict: Miss
With Body Lotions, I tend to like them to have a nice scent and be super moisturizing. I found this to be not particularly compelling. Again not much of a scent and while it moisturized it wasn’t at the level of my usual products. If you have a lot of allergies this might be a good option for you, but it’s a miss for me.

Cellular Renewal Body Wash
(Retail: $29.95)
Description: ”Cellular Renewal Body Wash contains two key ingredients; vitamin B5 which increases the humectant properties of the skin and plays a role in cellular metabolism, and sodium hyaluronate a naturally occurring substance that penetrates the skin’s basal layer to replenish devitalized cells.”
Verdict: Miss
This is the first product I tried in the line that actually had a scent. It was light citrus, but it still wasn’t quite as strong as most women would like in a bodywash. I didn’t find this hydrating enough for me and like the body lotion I found it pretty pedestrian.

Overall

I liked this line a lot. If I had to pick one favorite it would the toner, which I felt left my skin refreshed and did double duty by removing makeup.

This line would appeal to folks who prefer a more streamlined and not uber feminine approach to their skincare. There’s not much scent, the packaging is more science than beauty and the consistency of the product is a lot less heavy than what you’d expect. I think if you’re trying to get the man in your life to try a skincare line, this would be a fabulous choice. It doesn’t have the flowery scents or the girly packaging that often intimidates men from trying out skincare products. I also think this is a great option for the folks that have a ton of allergies and need to spend an hour reading the label of every product since this line is specifically created to eliminate many allergens.

Overall I enjoyed trying these products. I find the idea that your blood type influences the type of skincare you should use to be very intriguing and something I am going to give more thought to in the future. The D’Adamo products aren’t as feminine as I typically like in my skincare, but they are solid and high quality.

Do you have any allergies to skincare or makeup? If so, what products do you find the most problematic?

Coupon Code:
If you want to give these products a shot you can use my code at iherb.com: CVF809 for a discount on your first order.
They are a fabulous place to buy everything from groceries to essential oils and they offer lots of freebies at checkout.

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