Entries Tagged as 'beauty'

June 19, 2013

beauty scoop | acure organics seriously firming facial oil

To get straight to the point, I’m a bit underwhelmed by Acure Organics Seriously Firming Facial Oil.

But to be fair, I picked this up out of sheer curiosity and without a great expectation that it would do anything super-exciting for my skin type. I’ve used other Acure Organics products that I love, so just wanted to explore the brand a bit more.

So I suppose we’re in neutral territory here?

acure organics seriously firming facial serum

{I bought Acure Organics’ Seriously Firming Facial Serum for $23 at my local Whole Foods. It comes in a 1-ounce glass pump jar.}

Being in my late 20s, I’m not really after “seriously firming” products — though it doesn’t hurt to act in advance, right? That said, the real reason that this facial oil (or facial serum, as it’s marketed) piqued my interest is because it contains borage oil.

If you’re new to my blog, I obsess over anything that can help calm acne, and borage oil is one of those natural solutions that can help tame eczema and even acne in some people.

While Acure Organics touts this serum’s inclusion of borage seed oil (as well as argan and pumpkin seed), tell a slightly different story. You’ll see that safflower and sunflower are the top two ingredients (which are also fine for the skin!), but I’m a little disappointed that I don’t have as much of that coveted borage oil closer to the beginning of the list.

Organic Safflower Oil, Organic Sesame Seed Oil, Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil, Organic Borage Oil, Organic Argan Oil, Organic Sweet Orange Oil, Organic Cranberry Seed Oil, Organic Bulgarian Lavender Oil, Fair Trade Certified Organic Olive Oil, Organic Rosemary Oil

I haven’t revisited this oil since my trial run; it sits in the back of my facial oil stash, and I’ll probably end up using it as an oil cleanser, trading out my usual jojoba and coconut oils, just to get through the bottle.

Like I said, Acure Organics is a wonderful company — and this facial serum is USDA certified organic! — but it’s just a bit “meh” for me and my skin care concerns. And hey, Acure even says it’s more tailored to normal, dry and mature skin types … so what was this acne-prone, oily girl doing here in the first place?

Just causing trouble, I suppose.

While this isn’t on my repurchase list, if you’re interested in a truly green company with easily accessible, affordable products, Acure Organics is fabulous. If you’re super-new to facial oils, I think you’ll like this simple, no-nonsense oil that has an easy blend of carriers and a splash of fragrant yet tame essential oils.

If you’re a girl on a mission (pointing at myself here), move right along unless you just want something to stash as a backup for oil cleansing.

Have you tried Acure Organics Seriously Firming Facial Oil? What are your thoughts on it? Do you like anything else from the brand? Tell me in the comments section!

 

June 18, 2013

beauty scoop | hourglass femme rouge velvet crème lipstick

Women get a little funny when it comes to red lipstick.

While makeup is a highly personal thing — so many of us swear by brand x, brand y, brand z — I’ve found in my highly scientific studies (aka engaging in girl talk with other makeup enthusiasts) that when it comes to red, there’s no easy way to get someone to just try it when it comes to the flashy color.

It’s sort of like when you find your favorite deodorant (narrowing my list) or your signature perfume (still working on it): When you find something that works for you, you’re hard-pressed to stray from it without very. good. reason.

Despite knowing this, I’m going to go ahead and share with you my personal favorite showstopper-red and insist that you give it a try if your coloring is similar to mine: Introducing Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Crème Lipstick in Icon.

hourglass icon red lipstick

hourglass icon red lipstick

hourglass icon red lipstick

I immediately bought this cherry red lipstick after having it professionally applied to my pout at Woodley & Bunny in Brooklyn back in February.

Though this is an intense, bold red, I can easily apply it straight from the bullet, blot, reapply and then clean up the edges with a lip brush in about five minutes. It’s definitely a statement lip, perfect for date night and girls’ night out, but is also suitable for the office (yes, I’ve worn this color to work!) when paired with a classic, elegant outfit.

Besides the amazing color, I’m in love with Hourglass Icon because of the gorgeous packaging (the tube has a great weight to it!), decently clean ingredients (save for the carmine and dyes toward the end of the list) and easy accessibility (I bought mine at Woodley & Bunny, but it’s also available via Sephora and Barneys. It’s probably not for purists, but I’ll let you decide — ingredients are below:

Castor Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, DI-PPG-3 Myristyl Ether Adipate, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Candelilla Wax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Microcrystalline Wax, Carnauba Wax, Cetyl Alcohol, Tribehenin, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Jojoba Seed Oil, Vanillin.

May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Carmine, Red 7 Lake, Red 6, Red 30 Lake, Red 28 Lake, Blue 1 Lake

I’m going to give credit to castor seed oil and jojoba oil for the creamy, smooth finish of this lipstick. Most reds I’ve tried (typically conventional) are so drying — a consequence of a “stay put” formula. While you may need a touch-up mid-day with Hourglass, your lips won’t feel dried out at all.

All in all, this is my “fancy” red — for special occasions, when I’m feeling feisty or when I just want to make a statement … and have a little more time than my usual “swipe and go” mentality when it comes to lip color.

What are your go-to red lipsticks? Have you tried anything from Hourglass? Tell me in the comments section!

 

June 14, 2013

beauty secrets | natural beauty product staples, part 1

Inspired in part by a Neiman’s Idealist post (see my super-long comment) and a green beauty collab I somehow missed out on (see the collab master list), I’m bringing to you part one of my “natural beauty product staples” series in which I name products I constantly repurchase no matter what.

You’ll probably recognize a few from past posts, Instagram love or gushing comments and recommendations, but I wanted to embark on a series like this because as a beauty blogger, I tend to fall in love with a LOT of products.

But as we all know, money talks — which products do I buy over and over again once the PR sample is gone?

Time to keep it real, ladies.

kimberlyloc natural beauty staples products to repurchase

1. Dr. Hauschka Lip Balm

It’s well-documented that I’m a lip balm junkie. Despite my overflowing soup bowl of lippies, there’s one balm that I go a little nuts without: Dr. Hauschka. It’s the perfect texture — creamy, smooth and thick — without being too overpowering and slick for a layer of lip color on top.

Though there are so many other lovely lip balms out there, Dr. Hauschka is easily accessible at my local Whole Foods, which means it’s that much easier for me to repurchase it again and again.

2. Zum Rub Moisturizer Frankincense & Myrrh (Read the full review!)

Since first reviewing this back in November, Zum Rub Moisturizer in Frankincense & Myrrh has experienced an incredible jump in sales and stock prices. OK, maybe not (and if so, I take full credit!), but I’m trying to illustrate how much I preach this stuff. It soothes irritation from acne breakouts and can even eliminate cysts (that was my experience!) with a small number of natural ingredients.

I know my girl Neiman’s Idealist is wary of shea butter on acne-prone skin, but seriously, you just can’t knock this stuff until you try it. Anything that zaps my cystic acne outbreaks in three days (compared to the normal weeklong or more run) gets props — and repurchases — in my natural beauty (check)book.

3. Aura Cacia Organic Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil ignited my love for facial oils. As we all know by know, jojoba oil’s properties are most similar to our own natural sebum (aka facial oil), and while so many other oil-cleansing products have hit the market, I always keep my trusty bottle of jojoba on-hand.

While I used to just grab whatever jojoba was cheapest at Whole Foods, I now prefer Aura Cacia’s organic jojoba oil — which is usually on sale! I love the slightly nutty smell, the USDA organic seal and the pretty packaging on Aura Cacia’s skin care oils.

4. Evan Healy Immortelle Facial Tonic HydroSoul

I’ve yet to do a standalone review on this miracle hydrosol, but here’s the mini-review: I’d never tried anything from Evan Healy, but had heard so many good things about her hydrosols. (A hydrosol is incredible floral water — get the details here.) I chose this particular concoction after some quick research on immortelle’s acne benefits. I bought a trial size of the immortelle hydrosol (full sizes weren’t available at The Merc, a co-op in Lawrence, Kansas) about a month ago and used it religiously, every day, twice a day.

Long story short, the entire month I used this hydrosol, in combination with Zum Rub at night, I had zero major breakouts. None. Zilch. Seriously. It was the best skin month ever, and I’ve been longing for another trip to The Merc (going this evening!) to stock up on several bottles because my local Whole Foods doesn’t carry this particular hydrosol.

Since running out of this hydrosol, I decided to try Evan Healy’s Lemon Thyme Facial Tonic Hydrosol in hopes of getting the same result. No cigar, as in, I have five major blemishes on my face right now compared to zero last month. This evening can’t come soon enough!

5. Acure Organics Pure Mint + Echinacea Stem Cell Shampoo

Some people have issues with switching to sulfate-free, natural shampoo — or with just switching shampoos in general.

I’m lucky that my hair is pretty cooperative with whatever I feed it and I have very few issues (cowlicks, long dry time, etc.) to deal with. I just need a good, clean shampoo that can boost a bit of volume to my fine strands and invigorate my dry patch-prone scalp.

I stock up on Acure Organics’ shampoo anytime it’s on sale at Whole Foods. I actually have a couple bottles stashed in my beauty closet right now as I test out a different, way more expensive shampoo. And ya know, while I do like the fancy shampoo I’m using right now, I’m not sure it merits the 3x more expensive price tag. This shampoo, which is typically around $10, comes in a big bottle and is so easily accessible. Shampoo is just not one of those things that I want to be constantly ordering from online boutiques, though now that I have short hair, I don’t have to use as much. :)

6. Primavera Energizing Ginger Lime Hand and Nail Cream (Read the full review!)

We all talk about how every hand lotion we love doesn’t leave your hands greasy and makes them feel so silky smooth, but I’m for real when I say that about this hand and nail cream. I use it in the morning and at night, and typically keep a travel size in my purse. I like the light, fresh scent and the fact that I can apply this and get back to work without allowing it to dry or continually having to rub my hands together.

Primavera is a natural spa brand, and I’m lucky to live within walking distance of a fine natural spa that carries this line — makes it very easy to repurchase again and again!

What are some of your natural beauty staples? Why do you love them? Tell me in the comments section!

 

June 12, 2013

beauty secrets | best pixie hair styling products

So it’s day three rocking the pixie, and I’ve been scouring the web for ideas on how to style my new chop.

Before we get into the products I’ve armed myself with, I first wanted to present you with the two inspirations that lead me to my dream pixie cut: Michelle Williams and Shannyn Sossamon.

best hair styling products for a pixie cut

Their cuts and styling are just everything — flirty and feminine yet polished and chic without looking overly “done.”

As I continue to experiment with my new ‘do, I’ll share what I’m learning about styling a pixie cut. For now, though, I leave you with the five products that are in my pixie styling rotation.

And, if you can believe it, I already owned four of them pre-pixie! I did pick up a jar of (not exactly natural) pomade post-cut, mostly for exploratory reasons and for a little comfort in knowing that I’d have something to experiment with before I do a completely natural pixie product search.

(Just keepin’ it real with you guys.)

hair products to style a pixie cut

1. Pre-heat Styling Aids

I’ve been using some sort of pre-heat styling aid regardless of my hair length for a while now. While my picks aren’t totally pure, they work well at adding a bit of thickness and texture to my hair and keep it from drying to a super-slick, clean feeling.

  • Bumble & bumble Grooming Creme: Nope, not natural. Like, at all. It has parabens and propylene glycol in it, which are super big no-no’s, but alas, I’m at the bottom of my travel size container and am counting on you to help me figure out a solid replacement for it!
  • Kevin Murphy Full Again Thickening Lotion: I can use this very sparingly (as in, away from my roots) to add a bit of thickness to my hair. Thankfully, it’s paraben-free, though it does contain phenoxyethanol and dimethicone, which I can live with. Still, it’d be great to find one lovely, natural product to replace both of these pre-heat styling aids.

2. Texturizing Agents

Aww, the wonderful world of creams, pomades, pastes, waxes, gels and the like. Hello, confusing! This is probably the most important product (or products) to have in your pixie styling routine — where to begin?

For my styling needs right now, I’m sticking to a natural sculpting paste and a low-hold pomade. I’m keeping it tame with some piece-y texture in the front and a bit of slickness, but I have to be careful about not getting too much product in my baby-fine hair. Next agent to add will be gel for that sleek, sexy look, so please do send your recommendations for a natural, strong-hold gel!

  • Yarok Feed Your Do Styling Whip: I’m glad I got this in a recent Goodebox! The sample size is more than enough for a while, and the ingredients — shea butter, natural carrier oils and lovely EOs — are the cleanest of the bunch I’m sharing with you today. I’m definitely a fan of Yarok (remember this stuff?) and appreciate that they offer smaller sizes at affordable prices for testing. I do wish, though, that they had a few more styling options, like a great wax or gel.
  • Bumble & bumble SemisumoI picked this up post-cut (at my new salon, Hairpins, where I followed my stylist) because I felt the need to walk away with something to help me figure out my new style. Again, B&b isn’t exactly a natural brand, but a quick glance through the ingredients list shows that the main components of this light pomade are microcrystalline wax, canola oil, coconut oil and beeswax, which are low-hazard ingredients. That doesn’t discount a few other questionable ingredients, but again, I’ll pick my battles and continue researching cleaner options.

3. Hairspray

I’ve never been a big hairspray person. With long, layered hair most of my life, the only time I’ve ever needed to spray my mane was when it was curled or pulled back — two things I rarely ever did. Hairspray sales never appealed to me (I’ve got cans that have lasted sooooo long), but now, hairspray may become a regular product in my pixie cut styling. And that means I need to figure out how to not suffocate myself in smelly chemicals in an effort to achieve the perfect hold.

  • Davines N°7 Crystal Fixative Lacquer: It’s not natural by any means — but there aren’t many high-performance hairsprays that are. That said, I’m not sure how high of a performance I really need in a hairspray; my hair pretty much stays put, except for the longer front pieces, and I don’t want those to be lacquered stiff anyway. I may be more in the market for a finishing spray, which could yield greater natural results.

So, there it is. All of these hair products are working for me right now, but I’m also just on day three of figuring out this whole pixie haircut thing.

Between now and my next hair post (yes, I will not be obsessing over hair on the blog — skin care is my passion!), I’m hoping to try several other products and get recommendations from you on your favorite natural hair styling products — pixie or no pixie!

So can we start the conversation now? I’m eager to clean up my hair styling products!

Let me know in the comments section what cleaner pre-heat styling aids, texturizing agents and hairsprays you love.

 

June 6, 2013

beauty scoop | ren glycol lactic radiance renewal mask

Ever since I disclosed my secret love for orange (here and here), I figured we might as well continue the theme for the week and go over one of my favorite orange-scented, pore-degunking masks from a brand I’ve been loving for a few years now: Ren!

ren glycolic lactic radiance renewal mask

{Ren sent me a sample (a loonnng time ago) of its Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask, which retails for $55 for a 50ml plastic pump jar.}

Ren’s Glycolactic Radience Renewal Mask is a staple in my beauty wardrobe. I just finished my bottle and will be ordering another one (because that’s how staples work) to have for my at-home mask treatments.

I turn to this mask when my skin is feeling a little blah; think dullness, post-travel, poor weather conditions or during times when I just need to feel a little brighter both in my mind and in the mirror. It’s also a gem at unplugging blackheads and easing congestion.

You will either love or hate the texture of this mask. It’s a bit gelatinous, yet has enough hold to it that it’s almost like a smooth paste.

The pump bottle dispenses the product in a thick, almost toothpaste-like line, and you can coat your skin in a thick layer of orange goodness (lightly colored orange and definitely smells orange) before relaxing for a full 10-15 minutes.

Here’s what’s inside:

Polysorbate 60, Glycerin, Bergamot Leaf Extract, Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Black Currant Seed Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Passiflora Quadrangularis Fruit Extract Lemon Fruit Extract, Pineapple Fruit Extract, Grape Fruit Extract, Alcohol Denat., Cranberry Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Papaya Fruit Extract, Fragrance, Orange Flower Oil, Mandarin Orange Peel Oil, Tangerine Peel Oil, Grapefruit Seed Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Tocopherol

As you can see from the ingredients list, it’s not too shabby, though it does contain sketchy preservative phenoxyethanol and the catch-all “fragrance.”

However, I’m willing to live with this. My general rule is to keep my exposure to not-so-great ingredients to a minimum, doing a double-take at those that score above “5″ on the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep Database.

A note to sensitive-skin beauties: You should be careful with this mask. It does tingle a bit upon application, but my skin is a beast and can handle a little extra “oomph.” You should proceed with caution (patch test!) with this baby.

Have you tried Ren’s Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask or anything else from the line? What is your “number” when it comes to potentially harmful ingredients and the Skin Deep Database? Tell me in the comments section!

 



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