Tag Archives: paraben free

Melvita Perfecting Cream

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I went into Melvita to get my favorite cleanser and was given a sample of this Perfecting Cream. Because I love the whole Melvita story, I’m sorry to report that I don’t care for it.

It’s full of exfoliating, anti-acne ingredients, which is great for oily skin. I have combination skin that I keep hydrated for the sake of a healthy glow and minimal blackheads. The “healthy glow” can look like an oily shine by the end of the day so I’m guessing that’s why the sales rep gave me this sample.

Because I have combination oily/dry/sensitive skin, when I use moisturizers with exfoliation acids, I break out. My skin is oily with small pores which means breakouts are really frustrating. I get red bumps with nothing in them, or no way for what’s in them to get out and they take forever to heal (usually more than a week with topical acne treatment products). I do not like
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Melvita Cleansing Jelly

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Because the right cleanser can make all the difference, I tend to review them the most. Plus, it’s the one product I need to buy rather often and it’s hard for me to stick to just one (even if I do call it my favorite). This Cleansing Jelly is by the brand Melvita, which pulled me in when I was working at Burke Williams in the Westfield Mall. Melvita had posters advertising their natural products all around the mall and I had to check it out.

Here’s how I use it:
– Dry Skin: 3-5 pumps of the gel, massaged into skin while adding water bit by bit until rinsing. I do this when my skin is especially oily or dirty.
– Wet Skin: 1-2 pumps of the gel, massaged into skin until a light foam forms and then rinse. I do this after the above or if I’m feeling cleaner that day.

The upsides:
– The scent is a light and fresh barely there citrus.
– The texture is silky smooth and feels great on the skin and makes the skin feel soft and smooth cleansing.

The Company
– Melvita was founded by a Beekeeper and Biologist, Bernard Continue reading →

Avalon Organics CoQ10 Facial Cleansing Gel

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I love Avalon’s other cleanser, so I thought I’d have an easy go of it with this one but I really didn’t care for it.

Here’s how I use it:
– Like any other cleanser. Wet face, 1/2 pump, massage thoroughly into skin, rinse. Easy.

The upsides:
– It’s affordable. (less than $15 on their website or at your local health food store or apothecary)
– It’s gentle. (Chamomile is listed in the ingredients – that’s soothing for most skin)
– It comes in a pump and measured doses help maintain the veracity of the above two points.

The not-so-upsides:
– The scent is not my favorite. It’s not disagreeable, but I don’t Continue reading →

NUDE 4 piece sampler

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I got a sample set of NUDE Skincare products and I’m already in love and ready to settle down and make 10,000 babies with these products (and I’ve only used four little packets!)
I’m so in love with this company and its products that I’m breaking my standard “upsides/not-so-upsides” form.

The sample kit I got came with four little envelopes of product:
Cleansing Facial Oil (love)
My first experience with cleansing oils was in Esthetic school when we used Dermalogica’s PreCleanse in every facial. I may write about that one someday but for now I’ll say that I fell in love with cleansing oils back then and I still really enjoy them. Nude’s version is fabulous. You apply it to your skin without water and massage it in for a while. Bit by bit, you add water and watch it emulsify into a watery, creamy substance. This gets the skin super clean by attaching the cleansing oil to the oils on the skin and then rinsing them away with the water. Plus, it leaves the skin feeling conditioned and fresh and not dried out.

Advanced Eye Complex (feels wonderful)
It’s hard to say much about eye cream from a sample except for how it feels.

Age Defence Moisturiser (not too heavy, feels lovely)
Same as eye cream. Worth purchasing more of it to really see
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Avalon Organics Vitamin C Refreshing Cleansing Gel

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I first tried Avalon Organics about three years ago. Of course, it was cleanser that first drew me in (favorite product). I’m also a big fan of Vitamin C use on the skin so when I saw their Vitamin C Refreshing Cleansing Gel I got very excited. (Y’all didn’t have to hear about me getting “very excited” about a cleanser to know how much of a nerd I am about products, did you?)

Here’s how I use it:
– 1/2 pump [yes! I love pumps and I love measured doses (and spreadsheets and organizing – it all falls in the same nerdy category to me)] massaged into wet skin in the morning and evening. I use it over my eyes and it works great at getting eye makeup off without irritating my sensitive eyes.

The upsides:
The Scent
– I’ve used products in the past that look like they’re going to Continue reading →

Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner

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My name is Addy and I am a toner user.

I know a lot of people don’t want to or can’t bother taking this extra step and I respect that.

However, if you use the right kind of toner, I find it a beneficial and inexpensive step.
I’ve been using Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner for probably 10 years. There are other formulas/scents but I’ve never tried any of them. In researching this post, I discovered that they have a medicated version that looks like it could work out really well for someone with large pores and oily, acneic skin. If that’s you and you want to let me know how you like this product, I’ll post a review here with what you have to say. You can email me at addy at addysesthetics dot com.

Here’s how I use it:
– After washing my face both am and pm, I pour a small amount
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Pangea Organics Egyptian Basil & Mint Body Wash

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This post is moot because the product has been discontinued. Maybe I’m not the only one who didn’t care for the scent… My friend Eliza loves Pangea Organics products and she gave me their Egyptian Basil & Mint Body Wash to try out. I happily obliged.

Here’s how I use it:
– In the shower, I wrench the flip top lid off, just barely containing my desire to use my teeth (dentists strongly advise against such use of the teeth) and just barely getting it open after pushing really hard with both hands (maybe it’s just my bottle but it’s really annoying!), squeeze out about a dime sized amount and lather up.

The upsides:
– A little goes a long way!
– It has a pleasantly interesting scent that doesn’t linger (that’s a plus for me as I prefer to smell like my perfume).
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Pevonia Combination Skin Cleanser

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In my quest to find natural products that are effective, I started researching Pevonia products by attending a seminar that they hosted. At the end of the session, I ordered some products to try for myself since this was my first time learning about them. The cleanser I ordered was their Combination Skin Cleanser.

Here’s how I use it:
Technique 1: 13 pumps (yes, I counted every time. yes, I tested more pumps and less pumps and found this to be just the right amount for me) massaged onto DRY skin for at least a minute and then rinsed with water.
– I found this to be the best way to get soft, smooth skin that felt clean.

Technique 2: 13 pumps massaged onto WET skin for less than a minute.
– I did this when I was tired or lazy (or both). I definitely didn’t feel as clean as with Technique 1 but it did the job.
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Pangea Organics Combination Skin Cream

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I got some samples of Pangea Organics cream for combination skin Nigerian ginger, sweet lavender & thyme over at Foxglove and I totally love it.

Here’s how I use it:
– After cleansing, toning & applying a serum, I apply a bit of this cream and massage it in. I do this at night and in the morning if it’s overcast (hello San Francisco!)

The upsides:
– I love it when products come in a pump. One because then each application can come from a measured dose. This makes the product last longer because there aren’t any accidental spills or “over scoops” of product. Two because it’s so much more germ free – no fingers in jars leaving behind whatever was on the fingers when they reached into the jars.

– The price point is very approachable. I wouldn’t call it Continue reading →

Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn Cleanser

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This Aubrey Organics cleanser Sea Buckthorn & Cucumber w/ Ester C Facial Cleansing Cream for Combination Dry Skin has a mouthful of a name but is quite a simple and straightforward cleanser.
I purchased this creamy cleanser due to a co-worker’s suggestion that I was over-drying my skin with cleanser for combination oily skin. I figured I’d see if she had a point. It took me a while to find how well this worked for me but once I did, it turned out to be okay.

Here’s how I use it:
– I had to try different ways of using this cleanser. The best clean I got from it was by applying it to dry skin and massaging in for a bit before adding a little water. This technique got my skin feeling soft and clean and got completely rid of my makeup.
– Alternatively, when I applied water first, it didn’t quite get all of my eye makeup off or get my skin feeling clean enough.

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