hair

August 18, 2015

My Ipsy August 2015 & EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database scores for each of the products

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

My Ipsy August 2015 and EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database scores for each of the products

Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in Elegantly Wasted – this is a slightly dusty light purple. Very interesting shade. One that I think may look better on than in the bottle. Something about it seems kinda 90’s to me and I’m not sure why. Not in a dated way but in a resurrection of a style way. This nail polish is 5-free. Since I ran the EWGEWG Environmental Working Group - an organization focused on research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment. score for the OPI that came in my birchbox, I’m running the EWG score on this too. So while this is “5-free,” the OPI is healthier. This comes in at a 5. Still going to try it because it’s nail polish.

LATHER ultra mild face wash – didn’t I get this recently in my birchbox? It seems familiar…Wait … nope. It was the face lotion not the wash and it was an ipsy glambag. Anywho. Nothing bad looking in here. Scores a 3 and none of the ingredients scream “run” so I may give this a shot. I am however very happy with soapless cleansers like the Liz Earle now so it would take a lot for this one to win me over.

Hikari Cosmetics Lip Gloss in Salsa – Parabens, Mineral oil, I’m out even if this one has a healthy score. Lip glosses that use mineral oil just feel weird and wrong on my skin now. This comes in at a 4 – not horrible but I know better.

Briogeo Blossom & Bloom ™ Ginseng + Biotin Volumizer – I really liked their conditioner and the ingredient list here looks excellent too. This scores a 3 and one of the ingredients it was docked for was over contamination concerns … so if they sourced that one well it isn’t really a concern right? Anyway – looking forwards to trying this one.

Starlooks Luxe Longwear Eye Liner Pen – no fragrance and no cones or parabens. Looks good. Though I tend to personally aim for a waterproof eyeliner which seems to be the only downside. So the EWG score is only a 2 which is good. Might try it when I want a distinctive cat eye just to see…

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June 14, 2015

Ipsy Glambag June 2015 – & EWG Scores

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

Posted in Subscription boxes

Ipsy Glambag June 2015 - & EWG Scores via ClothingCult

Dr. Brandt® Skincare pores no more® vacuum cleaner – no cones, no fragrance, no parabens. Some of the “bad” ingredients in this are doing what they are intended to do but a 4 (which is what it is with the EWG skin deep cosmetics database) is still a bit high. Not too high to try at night and then moisturize.

J. Cat Beauty Liptitude Hydrating Lip Stain – I’m neither here nor there on this. The ingredients aren’t too bad but this is higher than most of my favorite lip glosses. No cones (an issue I have), no parabens, no fragrance. Take a look over the ingredients and decide for yourself – this is a 4 with the EWG skin deep cosmetics database.

Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Foundation Primer – the ingredient section says to contact support for the ingredients. Most primers are primarily dimethicone and this one is no different. I had to ask for the ingredient list but Ipsy was prompt in responding. I get the sense that the company doesn’t want the ingredients posted but I think it’s important for all ingredients to be posted so here it is.

Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Foundation Primer INGREDIENTS: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Trisiloxane, Silica, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Extract, Propylene Glycol, Water/Aqua/Eau, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Cola Acuminata (Kola) Seed Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract.

And the EWG score is a 5.

tre’StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon in Venetian Gold – I’m just going to have to assume that “dimfri-iicone” is actually someone trying to figure out how to spell dimeticone here since “dimfri-iicone” isn’t a word or a chemical. So that ruled that out for me. “blue i lake” is also not a thing so I had to leave it out of the ingredients in order to get a hopefully more accurate number (Ipsy, you are getting sloppy with the typing this month!) Other than my own issue with dimethicone though this is a pretty healthy product. It shows up as a 2 with the EWG cosmetics database.

Keratherapy Daily Smoothing Cream – dimethicone immediately rules this one out for me. The second thing has to do with inaccuracies in the ingredient list. 3 of these are misspelled (and the other two are not found in the EWGEWG Environmental Working Group - an organization focused on research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment. cosmetics database but aren’t misspelled.)

So the EWG cosmetics database score is a 4.

Beyond the clear misspellings, my nose says that the list is missing an ingredient entirely, fragrance.

What frustrates me the most is that the Keratherapy killed me – the scent permeated the entire bag & did a number on my nose. It had to go in the trash immediately (sorry folks!) worse though is that ALL of the other products smell like this now and it’s still bothering me sitting next to them typing this. Sure it smelled all summer fresh but synthetic summer fresh head pain and some sneezing. Grrr…

June 1, 2014

Natalie Zea short to medium hair (bob) from The Following
{ Season 2, Episode 12, Betrayal }

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

Posted in Hair

Natalie Zea short to medium hair (bob) from The Following • via ClothingCult.com I’m a little obsessed with Natalie Zea’s (character Claire Matthews) short (er) to medium length curly bob in this episode.

It’s like a shorter version of Connie Britton’s hair and I think it would work well with my hair and be an easier length to manage particularly during the summer. Maybe also look good with a slight ombre / highlights on the bottom (nothing too harsh) or just lightening from summer sun and the pool. 🙂

I may see if I can find someone who can actually cut my hair for a change as I’ve been cutting my own hair for years. Why? Because of too many stylists no matter the price gave me the exact same cut no matter what I ask for and I could cut my own hair better. I spent $20 and I spent $120 and did not get the cut I asked for really any time I went.

But I don’t think I can pull off this cut on my own so it’s probably time I risk letting someone else try again. I would be armed with a whole series of photos and different angles though so maybe I’ll have better luck? 🙂

May 15, 2014

Ipsy glambag May 2014

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

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

Hang Ten Classic Sport SPF50

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 5 This one I’m kinda on the fence on this one. No cones (issue for me, not everyone) and no synthetic fragrances and some of the other common nasties. It can be hard to find a good healthy sunscreen but not impossible. Or at least it’s easier online. This one based on the ingredients ranks a 5 with the cosmetics database. Good enough if you have very little in front of you to choose from and are in a pinch. But not quite good enough in my opinion for any advanced planning situations. Take a look at my previous post on natural / healthier sunscreens.

Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 2 Dimethicone rules this one out FOR ME. But you know me, I LOVE most of Pacifica’s products so if you aren’t sensitive to cones, go for this one. This ranks a healthy 2 with the cosmetics database.

Avène Thermal Spring Water

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 0 It’s water. In a spray can. BUT I’ve learned that not all water is created equal. Minerals in the water can make a HUGE difference in the quality. I doubt I would buy this though simply because it’s an aerosol spray and at $12.50 per bottle. It’s ph 7.5 but I also wish it had details about mineral content. http://www.aveneusa.com/products/thermal-spring-water But it does make me consider adding mineral water to a pump spray bottle. …. I do have a bad feeling that I’m going to actually like this one despite the aerosol and price….

Side note: I’ve been drinking a lot of Gerolsteiner Mineral Water because of it’s mineral content. Magnesium in a bioavailable form in particular and I think I might pop some of that in a spray bottle. For a fraction of the cost. I know it’s not the same but again, not aerosol.

On the plus side, this one was from Drugstore.com which means that there’s a discount this month for Drugstore.com orders.

Balanced Guru No Frizz Organic Sesame and Lemongrass Balancing Oil

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 0 AWESOME ingredient list. This one I’m looking forward to trying. I wish it didn’t have soy oil BUT it’s organic so I’m going to give it a try. This one ranks a 0 (super healthy) with the cosmetics database.

Boo-Boo Cover-Up

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 6 Dimethicone rules this one out for me. Also bad is added synthetic fragrance and mineral oil. This ranks a 6 in the cosmetics database.

So the May 2014 Ipsy glambag overall: some things I’m really excited to try and some things that aren’t my cup of tea. Still worth the $10/month to try some new products!

April 10, 2014

SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Hold & Shine Moisture Mist
empty and re-purchase

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

Posted in Hair

Empty & repurchased – love this stuff. No hold on my hair but excellent detangler and light shine / moisture. More like a leave in conditioner spray.

Though someone else mentioned that for their hair it had hold so be warned … 🙂 I’m applying it to wet hair pre-blow drying in case you’re curious.

October 16, 2012

October 2012 Birchbox Goop edition

Posted by By Hilary Baumann

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

What was in the box:

DDF® Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum – Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquiioxane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium Hayaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Panthenol, PEG-100 Stearate, Carbomer, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Triethoxycaprylysilane, Titanium Diozide, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Polyhydrozystearic Acid, Mica, Methicone, Dimethicone, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Alumina, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, DMDM Hydantoin, Disodium EDTA, Phenozyethanol, Fragrance, Iron Oxides.
As I’ve said before, cones break me out so I won’t even be trying this product. There are however many other ingredients here that make this a non-natural product.
OROFLUIDO Elixir – Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cyperus Esculentus Root Oil, Parfum (Fragrance), Isopropyl Palmitate, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed)Seed Oil, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, CI 47000 (Yellow 11), CI 26100 (Red 17)
Another I won’t be trying: It says “fragrance” but in this case based on the rest of the ingredients I’m inclined to think it might be from oils. The “Dimethiconol” is a cone however. Probably does amazing things for your hair though.
LUNA Bar – unfermented soy. If you’re fine with soy, go for it. They’re tasty (I’ve had them before) but soy and I are not best buds.
Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss – the ingredients were not readily available but I did find them on another blog, “Truth In Aging” here. I’m not wowed. A $32-$34 lip gloss that touts natural ingredients that’s full of bad for you ingredients. I’m inclined to believe the post since Chantecaille’s own website avoids listing the full ingredient list as well.
So I probably won’t be trying this one on. The other problem here is that even if I liked it, I’m not sure what color it is. It’s not labeled on the product or the card. I think it might be “Folly” but it’s hard to tell when you’re looking online. Could be “Charm”?
Miracle Skin Transformer SPF20 Face – They say “Free of synthetic fragrances, dyes, wax, mineral oils, and talc. Developed with selected natural ingredients.” Notice the “selected” in that statement. That doesn’t mean it’s natural either.
Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Octisalate 5.0%, Oxybenzone 2.0%, Zinc Oxide 1.5%.
Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Water/Eau, Dicaprylyl Ether, Boron Nitride, Octyldodecanol, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Dimethiconol, Ubiquinone, Tapioca Starch, Mica, Physalis Angulata Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrated Silica, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Silica, Isoceteth-10, Retinyl Palmitate, Benzyl Alcohol, Phytonadione, Cholecalciferol, Tocopherol, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.
Again: cones.

So while I had high hopes for at least two products initially, the hair elixer and the lip gloss, we struck out across the board on all products. 3 of which included dimethicone. :/

What’s funny is that at the end of my video I said that none of my boxes have been a complete bust and this one ended up having nothing in it that I’m going to try.

via YouTube

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