Beauty & Skin

September 19, 2014

Ipsy glambag September 2014

Posted in Hair, Makeup / Cosmetics, Skin Care, Subscription boxes

Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush – synthetic fibers double ended brush. I don’t have a preference over synthetic vs natural on brushes as long as it’s a good brush for the job. At first glance and feel this seems like a good quality brush and both ends I think I would be likely to use. I think the only thing I’m not sure about is that it’s double ended. I’ve been using brush guards on all of my brushes since I throw them in a bag. I don’t think I can use the brush guard with the double ended brush though. I’m excited to try this.

Hikari Lipstick in Cabernet – so one, I wear more lipgloss than lipstick. Two, I’m not big on red lipstick. It just looks weird on me (or maybe that’s just my imagination.) The good: No fragrance, no dimethicone. The bad: it has parabens and mineral oil. The mineral oil isn’t toxic but it feels weird on my skin so I avoid it. This lipstick is a 5 with the cosmetics database. Do you know how much lipstick and lipgloss you eat? Mmmm?

Pacifica Natural Water-Proof Eye Pencil in fringe (brown) – pacifica is pretty much a hands down winner brand in my opinion. A few products I can’t use because of cones but otherwise it’s a sure bet when it comes to healthy ingredients and a quality product. No cones in this (a reminder, cones aren’t unhealthy, they just break out my skin personally) so I’m excited to try it. Even better that it’s waterproof!! This is a healthy 1 with the skin deep cosmetics database.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair!™ Deep Conditioning Mask – Let’s start with the fact that upfront they’ve said “This product is free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, silicones, artificial fragrances, artificial dyes, and gluten. It is cruelty-free and contains organic ingredients.” WOW. A company that seems to get it. So let’s just check out the cosmetics database report on the full ingredient list. Sooooo EWGEWG Environmental Working Group - an organization focused on research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment. judges vitamin A just a little more harshly than I would and it gets an 8 … which makes this a 4 with the cosmetics database. I’m giving this one some slack since the vitamin A seems to be the worst thing here. My hair could use some deep conditioning mask after all of the swimming this summer.

LeeAnni Eco 3-in-1 Revolution Light – Toner, Serum, and Moisturizer in One … and I just ran out of my face moisturizer. No cones, no parabens, no synthetic fragrances, excellent ingredient list … done and done. The cosmetic database ranks it a 1. Trying this asap.

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September 19, 2014

Birchbox unboxing September 2014

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

Posted in Makeup / Cosmetics, Skin Care, Subscription boxes

Harvey Prince Hello – Hello seriously? I just said last month that they should stop sending me fragrances and products from this brand. Synthetic fragrance is an 8. Nuf said. Moving on (and Birchbox PLEASE stop sending me Harvey Prince!!!)

TOCCA Crema da Mano Luxe – Hand Cream – I had high hopes for this one but oh well. Anything over a 4 and I usually start questioning whether I want to use it and I definitely don’t want to use it regularly if it has synthetic fragrance as an ingredient (which this does.) It’s a little too unhealthy for a lotion for my tastes as it ranks a 5 with EWGEWG Environmental Working Group - an organization focused on research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment.’s skin deep cosmetics database.

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Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish™ Hot Cloth Cleanser Starter Kit – Ok so I chose this sample deliberately even though I’ve received it before. I looked at the things I could choose from this month and nothing was appealing so I figured I would add this and have a travel version. I’ve been re-purchasing and using the full size of this since the first sample I received last October and I LOVE it. Since I’ve never done the EWG ranking for it (it has crazy healthy ingredients) I figured I should go ahead and post that info now too. The few ingredients that cause this to be a 3 with the skin deep cosmetic database do not concern me. There are no parabens, no synthetic fragrances etc etc.

Skin&Co Roma SICILIAN LIGHT™ SERUM Vitamin C Brightening Face Serum – so this has dimethicone in it which rules it out for me (cones break out my skin). This is also a 5 with the cosmetics database with fragrance being one of the bigger bad ingredients.

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ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 5 TEMPTU S/B Highlighter – this has cyclomethicone which rules another one out for me personally. This is also a 5 with the cosmetics database.

ChapStick® Dual-Ended Hydration Lock Day & Night – Ok this one is going to be a weird one in that the two ends have completely different ingredients. At a glance the day side looks toxic to me and the night side looks healthy and perfectly fine to use. So let me run each set of ingredients through the cosmetic database separately:

Day side ingredients: is a 6 with the cosmetics database.

Night side ingredients: is a 2 with the cosmetics database.

So chapstick made half their product good and healthy. I’ll give that side a try. I’m not sure how much I’ll use it though because I don’t want to accidentally use the wrong side. Actually I’ve already solved this – I put some masking tape on the end I don’t want to accidentally use so it would be hard for me to make that mistake.

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August 19, 2014

Worth sharing: Mascara smackdown
What’s Non-Toxic, Cruelty-Free & Works?

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

Posted in Makeup / Cosmetics

They missed my new favorite which is Pacifica’s Aquarian Gaze. It’s a 2 with EWGEWG Environmental Working Group - an organization focused on research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment. AND waterproof! Look for a review and photos here on this mascara soon!

via: http://kriscarr.com/blog-video/all-natural-mascara-reviews

August 16, 2014

Ipsy Glambag August 2014 unboxing

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

Posted in Subscription boxes

Glamglow Youthmud® Tinglexfoliate Treatment – eeee it’s a 5 with ewg’s cosmetics database. The big negative is the fragrance. I’m not sure yet if I’m going to try this one or not. It’s right there on the edge. A bit higher than I would like on the ratings but for using maybe once or twice I might consider it. I like a good mask…

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara not waterproof or even water resistant. Therefor not my cup of tea. BUT it is a healthy 2 with the ewg skin deep cosmetics database so it does have that going for it. I just have now found some healthy AND waterproof mascara so I’m not even really interested in trying anything that isn’t waterproof.

Jersey Shore Sun Mongongo Lip Conditioner Uber healthy ingredients and ranks a 1 with the cosmetics database. No cones, no synthetic fragrances. Basically a healthy chapstick, no color. Plain, simple, healthy. Should be great for winter or for after the pool where the chlorine dries out my lips some.

Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil no cones, no fragrances but it does have parabens. This is the most unhealthy product I think I’ve been sent in awhile, ranking an 8. It is also the smallest black eyeliner sample I’ve seen. I went to check the price just to see if there was some reason the sample was so small but their online store is offline. So if you want to take advantage of the ipsy discount promo code right now you can’t.

Manna Kadar Cosmetics Sheer Glo dimethicone rules this one out for me. It also uses parabens. It also ranks an unhealthy 6. This looks pretty similar to the e.l.f. Essential Shimmering Facial Whip but at $30 a bottle instead of $1. I will admit that since I’m not going to try this one there’s a chance that it may actually have more staying power than the elf product since the ingredients aren’t an exact match so it may be worth the money.

Given the other products that people were sent this month, I don’t think there were really better options. The few things that looked like I might be interested were ruled out by cones for me.

So some good chapstick. A little underwhelmed this month. But it does also come with a cute polka dot tube shaped makeup bag. 🙂

August 16, 2014

Thought of the day: ingredients in your … razor?

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

Posted in Skin Care

razor stock photo 839248_58527818 So I was thinking about this the other day, my skin seems to be reacting a tiny bit to my razor. It suddenly occurred to me that I’ve never checked the ingredients associated with my shaving razor. WHOA. Yeah. Think about it. That moisturizing strip on your razor, there can be some pretty scary ingredients there.

Most razors these days include a moisturizing strip so what healthy hair removal options are out there?

Natural razors? Nope. None that I’ve found yet. “Natural” is not a regulated term so there are still some pretty ugly ingredients on the list for most of these.
Using a safety pin to remove the moisturizing strip from your favorite razor? Maybe. Some are probably easier than others. With the Schick Hydro for example that moisturizer is embedded deep down in there. For some though that strip actually sits on top so some people seem to have had some luck with removing the moisturizing strip. I’m wondering if I could maybe soak the razor in warm water to remove the embedded kind. I haven’t tried that yet.
Go old school with a safety razor? Yes. Maybe. Ok yes this is an option but I’m still not sure about it because it seems to require more skill to shave without nicking yourself. And the bikini area … this scares me a bit. Modern razors have the ease of use thing down. I think I need to do some more research on this one. There’s definitely no moisturizing strip on this kind of razor.
Electric razor? Yes. The trick appears to be finding one that is meant for use on legs, bikini area, and underarms and doesn’t quit working after 6 months. Ideally waterproof and cordless. I’m open to suggestions from anyone who has a favorite brand/model.
Switch to another form of hair removal? Yes. Maybe. At least if you can find something that works well and works well for you personally.
- Epilator? Haven’t tried that yet and is maybe one of the more promising options. But I think the hairs have to be long enough and not too coarse.
- Sugaring? I haven’t been successful with that personally.
- Waxing? Maybe I need some tips but I always have hairs left.
- Threading? Is that even possible for legs? That seems like it’s not an option.

Most of the alternatives are extra time consuming. I don’t want something that takes too long either.

I’m absolutely not going to go all hippie granola on this one and go the “accept your body hair and don’t shave” route because I personally don’t like body hair. I shave because I want to not just because of what society says. I actually find armpit hair on guys rather gross too and I just try not to think about it. I don’t expect guys to shave their underarms but it does make me gage a little just thinking about it. So no. Not shaving is not an option (for me at least – what you do to your body is your business.)

So what kind of razor or hair removal method do you use?

Do you have any suggestions on hair removal options that are natural / healthy ingredients? Any tips on razors without the moisturizing strip? Any tips for women shaving with a safety razor? (I haven’t googled that yet so there may be plenty of resources out there I don’t know about yet.) 🙂

August 14, 2014

Birchbox August 2014 unboxing

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

Posted in Subscription boxes

Laura Geller Beauty Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow so clearly this is the item I chose for myself as I mentioned in my last birchbox post. So as I mentioned previously it doesn’t have cones, it doesn’t have perfumes or parabens or other nasties. This is a really healthy product and I’m excited to try it. It’s a gorgeous neutral silver with just a hint of taupe. It should work well on a lot of skin tones. Not glittery but shimmery and looks like it will stay put and also act as a primer for other eyeshadows.

Harvey Prince Ageless Body Cream so even if this were healthier this is still not a product I’m interested in. Besides being synthetic, I think everything Harvey Prince smells just awful. That’s my personal opinion since I’ve had the perfume in a previous Birchboxes. Harvey Prince skinny chic made me gag on opening the box, Harvey Prince eau flirt yuck, Harvey Prince yogini made me sneeze when I opened the box. Birchbox should really just stop trying to send me this brand. I’m typically allergic to it on top of it being a synthetic fragrance. Nothing like a headache or sneezing on opening the box. This is only a 4 with the cosmetics database and most of that is because of the synthetic fragrance. So while I won’t be using it, if you like the scent and aren’t opposed to synthetic fragrance, then it’s not that bad.
ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 3 nügg Beauty Revitalizing Face Mask free of petrochemicals, parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances or colors. It’s only a 3 with the skin deep cosmetics database. One of the ingredients concerns me just a hair since it’s a known allergen. I think I want to test this on my arm because of the benzyl alcohol. There’s only one of these pods so I’m hoping it won’t dry out between my test and getting to use the product if I’m not allergic to it!
Neil George Shampoo no cones, no parabens, fragrance is iffy. Based on how it’s listed it’s not clear if it contains synthetic fragrances on top of natural ingredients used as a fragrance or not. That and the benzyle alcohol are probabaly my main concerns with this shampoo. It ranks a 4 with the ewg skin deep cosmetics database if it uses a synthetic fragrance.
ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 4 Neil George Conditioner dimethicone rules this one out for me personally. Same concern on the fragrance as with the shampoo. It’s another 4 with the ewg skin deep cosmetics database.

Soooo…. It’s an ok box. Mostly I’m happy with the fact that I got to select one of my items this month so it ensured one item I could try. I DO like the element of surprise though too so letting me select one thing is the best of both worlds.

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