Tag

Pacifica

April 23, 2015

My Ipsy Glambag April 2015 – and EWG scores

My Ipsy Glambag April 2015 - and EWG scores

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 4Hikari Cosmetics – Blush in Tango – I’m not much of a blush person because I’m naturally a bit pink. Add in talc and mineral oil and parabens and I’m even less of a blush person. A few of those aren’t harmful but they feel weird on my skin (talc and mineral oil.) I will say the packaging is sleek though. Simple and elegant on the packaging. No fragrance or parabens either. It ranks a 4 with the EWGEWG Environmental Working Group - an organization focused on research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment. Skin Deep Cosmetics database. Not great but not the worst (0 is the best, 10 is the least healthy.)

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 4LATHER – ultra light face lotion – All the ingredients look good here at a glance. But bam, Vitamin A which increases skin sensitivity particularly to light. You know that Vitamin A is something I don’t mind in a peel and even an exfoliator, but maybe not something you want in a product you are going to wear all day… I’m half and half on this. I might try it as an overnight moisturizer still even though it ranks a 4 with the EWG cosmetics database.

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 2theBalm Cosmetics – NUDE Dude Eyeshadow Single in flirty – cones rule this one out for me because they cause me to personally break out (allergy?) otherwise the ingredient list is pretty sound here. Usually theBalm products seem to rank as healthy but have cones I can’t use. And I’m right, it’s a healthy 2 with the EWG Cosmetics database. Too bad I can’t personally use this one.

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 2MicaBeauty – Eye Primer –  no cones, no fragrances, no parabens, nothing bad here as far as I can tell. I’m excited to give this a try. I really loved the black micabeauty eyeliner I bought previously. The downside of the eyeliner though was that I tried to stock up and since it’s a natural product, it dried out. Even the one container I was using dried out before I was halfway through it. It’s something I keep thinking about re-purchasing but haven’t since I have kinda fallen for the Pacifica eyeliner and a few others. So back to the eye primer. I AM excited to try this one out. And it’s also a healthy 2 with the EWG skin deep cosmetics database.

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 0Mullein & Sparrow – Mini Lip & Cheek Tint – two blushes in one bag? Well at least it looks like it would make a better lip tint anyway. 🙂 So this is again a very natural looking product. Nothing bad stands out on this ingredient list and many of the ingredients are organic (maybe all of them actually.) It’s as healthy as it can get, ranking a zero with the EWG skin deep cosmetics database. 🙂


Bonus time! Since I had enough bonus points to earn a reward, I chose to get the Pacifica natural mineral coconut eyeshadow in treasure. I received one of the other color previously and liked it but thought this color would actually be something I would use even more.

And cute bag right?

 


Sign up for Ipsy: 
ipsy logo
http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-h051sec1kqq5g8p
{affiliate link – I get 250 points which points equal products but it’s still a little unclear how many points to the dollar}

September 19, 2014

Ipsy glambag September 2014

Ipsy glambag September 2014

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.

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 5Hikari 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?

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 1Pacifica 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.

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 4Briogeo 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.

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 1LeeAnni 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.

 

 


Sign up for Ipsy: 
ipsy logo
http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-h051sec1kqq5g8p
{affiliate link – I get 250 points which points equal products but it’s still a little unclear how many points to the dollar}

 

May 15, 2014

Ipsy glambag May 2014

Ipsy glambag May 2014

Hang Ten Classic Sport SPF50

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 5This 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 2Dimethicone 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 0It’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 0AWESOME 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.

 

Balanced Guru hair oil - no frizz oil

Boo-Boo Cover-Up

ewg skindeep cosmetics database score 6Dimethicone 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!


Sign up for Ipsy: 
ipsy logo
http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-h051sec1kqq5g8p
{affiliate link – I get 250 points which points equal products but it’s still a little unclear how many points to the dollar}

September 14, 2013

Pacifica perfume & makeup haul September 2013

What I ordered:

  • Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Reed Diffuser $16.00
  • Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Pillar Candle 2×3 $8.00
  • Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia Pillar Candle 2×3 $8.00
  • Pacifica Purify Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes $6.00
  • Pacifica Enlightened Lip Gloss Shade: Pink Coral $12.00
  • Pacifica Enlightened Lip Gloss Shade: Opal $12.00
  • Pacifica Smolder Eye Lining Gel Shade: Tahitian Pearl $14.00
  • Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia Solid Perfume – .1 oz Sample $0.00

And I used the ipsy discount for 20% off on this order

I’ll be doing a few swatches of each of the lipglosses and the eyeliner hopefully sometime soon. Watch the video above to get a quick idea. 🙂

REFERRAL NO LONGER ACTIVE – CHANGING THIS OUT THIS EVENING
Get $10 off with your first order of $25 or more!
{ affiliate link so, yes, I would get $10 credit too! }
https://www.pacificaperfume.com/referral/2f781a79

 

August 21, 2013

My Birchbox vs Ipsy August 2013 unboxing

Product details and rating are below my Birchbox vs Ipsy August 2013 unboxing video:

Birchbox August 2013

August-2013-Birchbox2

Curly Hair Solutions™ Curl Keeper – no cones yay! A custom report with the cosmetics database returns a 4 which is ok but it would probably rank lower if they didn’t have synthetic fragrance which as an ingredient on it’s own is an unhealthy 8. As long as it doesn’t make my nose curl though I will be trying this one but I would encourage the company to consider going with natural fragrance sources or no fragrance. starstarstarstarstarempty 4/5 stars – docked one for fragrance

Whish Hair Inhibiting Deodorant Swipes – anything “hair inhibiting” creeps me out a little. And although this has a lot of natural ingredients, it also has a lot of questionable ingredients. One ingredient didn’t even register with EWGEWG Environmental Working Group - an organization focused on research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment. which was Amino-esters. This one is one that although it doesn’t have a lot of the usual suspects when it comes to ingredients I avoid but it’s a 7 based on a custom report and fragrance isn’t the only ingredient that concerns me a little. Plus if it’s supposed to help inhibit hair growth, how are you going to be able to tell if that’s actually happening with one wipe? I think I’m going to pass on this one. staremptystaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty 0/5 stars (creepy and toxic! in my opinion…)

Whish Exfoliating Body Wash in Coconut Milk – So this product is a winner in the quality ingredients category with the exception of about 4 ingredients. The overall score for a custom report was a 4 with the cosmetics database but the four ingredients that on their own rank a lot higher are: fragrance (again), geraniol (which is a natural fragrance but possible allergen … I’m not too concerned about this one personally), citral (which is a skin irritant … but it’s natural and I suspect they are using this as a natural preservative), limonene (again natural, again low on the list and I suspect used for preserving.) So overall other than the synthetic fragrance on this one this is a good one. I’m going to give it a try.  starstarstarstarstarempty 4/5 stars – docked one for fragrance

OC8® Professional Mattifying Gel – holy cow I’m actually excited about this one. No cones, no parabens, no fragrances, no other major nasties AND it ranks a 2 with the cosmetics database! AND mattifying products are something I’ve been casually looking for. Birchbox you are redeeming yourself with this one!  starstarstarstarstar 5/5 stars

CAILYN Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner – dimethicone is on the ingredient label. Here’s the thing though, on their website the ingredient list does not include dimethicone so I’m wondering if a) they haven’t updated their labels, b) this is an old batch of eyeliners c) well it’s possible they missed it in the ingredient list on their website. I sent them an email and I’m waiting to hear back. MEANWHILE there is a redeeming quality here – the brush lid that it comes with fits my Mica Beauty eyeliner jar! So I’m going to give the brush a try. Honestly these two look so similar that it makes me wonder (if the ingredients don’t actually include dimethicone) if Mica Beauty and Cailyn are using the same supplier.  starstarstarstaremptystarempty 3/5 stars Response from the company about the ingredients: “We are updating our website recently and the new ingredients hasn’t [sic] been updated yet in the ingredients section. I apology for the confusion. The ingredient label in the gel eyeliner label is the most updated one.”

Ann Taylor discount codes … so I’m going to treat this like the ipsy bag and not count it in the star rating because I do have to still spend money for this to be of benefit but I did just want to quickly mention it. 20% off one product or 30% off two or more products from Ann Taylor. Valid from August 12 – Sept 16 2013. I’m wondering if this can also be used with Ann Taylor Loft but it’s a nice little extra here since I like the brand. UPDATE: Nope, it doesn’t work on the Ann Taylor Loft site.

Ipsy August 2013:

August 2013 Ipsy

Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black good looking set of ingredients, no dimethicone, no fragrances AND after checking out there website I found out it’s waterproof which I prefer. Waterproof mascara is one of the few times I will accept a slightly less healthy score since I have yet to find a natural AND waterproof mascara rolled into one. But I don’t have to sacrifice on this one because it’s score is only a 3 with a custom report on the ingredients. I will probably be doing a waterproof mascara review post sometime in the near future. starstarstarstarstar 5/5 stars

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub excellent list of ingredients. Michael Todd True Organics – I’ll have to do a little research and see how organic this brand is but this particular product has no dimethicone, no parabens, no synthetic fragrances, no other toxic ingredients. It’s a 3 on a custom cosmetics database report. I’m a big fan of facial scrubs so I’m really looking forward to this one. Stress and dimethicone have the biggest effect on worsening my breakouts but exfoliating either with a scrub or something like an exfoliating glove helps to keep breakouts at bay when stress and dimethicone aren’t playing a role. starstarstarstarstar 5/5 stars

City Color Cheek Stain dimethicone and parabens and paraffin and synthetic wax – this one isn’t natural or as healthy for you. It’s only a 4 with the cosmetics database (keeping in mind one ingredient wasn’t found in the database) but because of the demethicone though I’m not going to be trying this one. staremptystaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty 0/5 stars

noya Lip Balm excellent list of ingredients. I’ve already tried this one and it’s REALLY moisturizing. I’ve been leaning towards lip glosses more instead of chapstick types more lately though so I’m not sure how much use this will get. I’m going to throw it on the desk and see if I end up reaching for it. It’s a really good quality product though and rates a 1 with a custom report (natural flavor shows up as “flavor” and as such I think this is a real world zero for being healthy.) starstarstarstarstar 5/5 stars

Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream LOVE this brand and with them I feel fairly certain (given their stance on fragrances and the fact that they started out as a natural fragrance company) that when the ingredients say “fragrance” they aren’t likely to mean synthetic. However this product has dimethicone in it so this product is ruled out for me. IF however you are looking for a BB Cream, I hear this one matches skin tones well and has a dewy shimmeryness to it so if that’s your cup of tea, you might want to give this a go. A custom report ends up getting it a 4 BUT it doesn’t distinguish that this company only uses natural sources for fragrance so I re-ran the report without “fragrance” and it gets a 2 which is more realistic for this product. For the box and how this product fits for me I give it starstaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty 1/5 stars – I gave it a star because if it simply didn’t have dimethicone in it I would try it in a heartbeat.

 

August Birchbox 2013: starstarstarstaremptystarempty 3.2/5 stars
August Ipsy 2013: starstarstarstaremptystarempty 3.2/5 stars

We’re on pretty even ground for the two boxes this month and I’m really happy with the selection that I got from both Birchbox AND Ipsy this month. For only $10 per box I got a variety of products that I’m actually interested in trying and I’m introduced to several new brands I’ve never heard of before that I’m going to check out to see what else they carry. 🙂


Birchbox – all August products page: http://www.birchbox.com/shop/august-2013-box
Ipsy – other August products:

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