I wanted to start off the new year with a new skincare regiment. As my handmade soaps can only do so much.

After I finished using SIBU lotion, I am switching to Korres. It’s an all natural skincare line from Athens, Greece and is known world wide. They’ve been around for a while and thought I would give it a try.

This is the kit I got from Sephora.  Korres Brightening & Anti-Aging Rose Collection which includes:

- 1.35 oz Wild Rose Moisturizer
- 1.01 oz Wild Rose Serum
- 1.35 oz Wild Rose Mask
- 1.69 oz Rose Showergel
- 1.69 oz Rose Body Butter
- 0.21 oz Wild Rose Lip Butter

This kit is formulated with wild rose oil, which is a really luxurious and expensive skincare oil. I’ve only used this kit for about one week and so far my skin really likes it.

The best thing about Korres that it’s gentle and good for those with sensitive skin. And it’s also formulated without Parabens, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, GMOs, and Triclosan.

My product review:

Wild rose moisturizer has a nice rose scent. It’s a very heavy cream great for winter. It has spf 6, which is not enough for me. But I also use bronze mineral powder for additional sun protection.

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These are my new “Seabuckthorn & Green Tea Handmade Soaps”. Since I was having so much fun with hot process soaping, I decided to make these the same way.

You can usually tell if it’s hp soap by the little bubbles around the surface. This is noticeable even when I made sure to fill the mold all the way with soap. Hot process soap is tricky in that sense.

Ingredients: Olive oil, soybean oil, coconut oil, palm oil, distilled water, seabuckthorn oil, rice bran oil, green tea powder, and green tea melon fragrance. Because they are half circle bars, they fit well in the palm of my hands.

The last Seabuckthorn soap I made was was nice and I added lots of good ingredients. Including red palm oil, which gave it the deep golden color.

For this version, I just kept it simple. Except I also added green tea powder. Green tea is making it’s mark in many cosmetic products due to it’s benefits to skincare.

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My beauty product review today is St. Ives “Warming Scrub”.

I’ve been away from St. Ives for a while now. Mainly it was due to the strong scents.

But this new facial scrub actually has a very light scent. It is also made of good ingredients including sunflower and jojoba oils (the same vegetable oils I used for my soaps!).

I also like how the scrubs heats up just a little once you start applying to your face. It could be scary to those that have never tried such a product before. But don’t worry, it’s safe.

The extra heat is suppose to help relax and mildly cleanse the pores of clogging dirt and oil. I think it just feels like a nice facial, especially with summer skin.

The best part of this particular product:

100% natural exfoliants (sugar & silica or sand)
Formulated without parabens and phthalates
Vegan and not tested on animals

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My latest hair care review is made by Giovanni. It’s an invigorating shampoo and conditioner made with tea tree oil and other great essential oils too. It’s called “Tea Tree Triple Treat” and it’s the perfect summer time shampoo. 

Image from .  Available in pack of 3 for about $19.

Tea tree oil is known to be very good for treating troubled skin. In this case, it also helps deal with dry, patchy, or itchy scalp.  So it would make sense to add tea tree into a shampoo.

Tea tree oil on it’s own can smell really strong, but in combination with other essential oils, it’s much nicer. I’ve noticed it works well with such oils such as lemongrass or peppermint.

It was really the ingredients used in Giovanni’s that got my attention.  Such as organic eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint, and other good essential oils.  It’s even got sea salt and trace minerals.

It’s also vegan (no animal by product), cruelty free (no animal was harmed to make this stuff), and sulfate free (no extra chemicals used to create lather).  It’s also made right here in the U.S.A.

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Ever since Açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berries came into the health market, it’s interest has not slowed down. Native Brazilians have been eating acai berries long before the rest of the world knew about it. And to the natives, it’s just part of their daily diet.

My latest bar of Açaí Berry Superfruit handmade soap.  It’s made with acai berry extract. And also other superfruit such as pomegranate juice powder.  I also included organic beet powder and grape seed extract.

Acai has also found it’s way to the beauty industry too.  Some of Ikove Amazonian beauty products are made using Açaí as it provides a remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help to combat premature aging.  It contains essential amino acid complex and valuable trace minerals.

The Acai berry extract or pulp can be added to anti-aging creams, after sun products, body creams and lotions. Science Daily News noted, “Acai berries are packed with antioxidants that are essential to assist our bodies as they help fight illness and reduce the aging process.” It’s just good all around.

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Recently I did a review for Pacifica’s Tahitian Garden solid perfume. In addition to the solid perfume, Pacifica also makes perfume sprays. And if you’re a fan of tropical fruits (or any fruity scents) then you’ll love Pacifica’s Brazilian Mango Grapefruit. It smells very natural, almost like cutting into sweet ripe mangoes.

The Brazilian Mango Grapefruit perfume spray is also very easy to wear. What’s neat is that there is no artificial fruit scent here, just Pacifica’s natural blend of essential and natural oils of grapefruit and orange.

Citrus scents are some of my favorite essential oils, as they are very uplifting and energizing.

Pacifica sent me this bottle of Brazilian Mango Grapefruit perfume spray to try out. I love the design of the bottle. It’s small enough you can bring it with you and just spray a little bit on your wrist for a quick perky scent.

Ingredients: Pacifica’s Brazilian Mango Grapefruit Spray Perfumes contain natural denatured alcohol (from corn) and Pacifica’s own fragrance blend with natural and essential oils including grapefruit and orange. No parabens, animal testing, animal ingredients or artificial colors. 100% VEGAN and Gluten-free.

Other fruit scents in Pacifica’s line include Bali Lime Papaya, Tuscan Blood Orange, Mediterranean Fig, and of course my favorite Hawaiian Ruby Guava.

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Pacifica, a company from California, first started out making beautifully scented natural soaps and soy candles. I remember seeing them for the first time and thought how pretty everything was packaged. The design was a bit vintage, but also very cheerful too.

Most of all, it was their lovely scents that got my attention. Especially the tropical fruity scents like “Hawaiian Ruby Guava“. I have always enjoy having a ripe pink guava around just because it smelled so nice. Much like ripe quince.

So it was exciting to know that these scents can be replicated using only essential and natural oils of pomelo and grapefruit.

Now Pacifica has expanded to include solid perfumes and spray perfumes. Pacifica sent me a sample of their floral Tahitian Garden solid perfume to try out.

I don’t usually wear too much perfume or scent of any kind, as I am very sensitive to certain fragrances. Just coming near strong scents (such as cologne) could trigger an instant headache for me. But one thing I noticed is that essential oils don’t bother me at all.

I was glad to see Pacifica uses only essential and natural oils.  It is also made with organic (non-GMO) soy and coconut wax. I also like that it’s in a small tin that’s very portable and convenient.

Tahitian Garden solid perfume smells just like being surrounded by blooming gardenias and spring jasmine. The scent never gets overpowering and is very floral. The scent is blended using natural and essential oils including ylang ylang, osmanthus and jasmine. Ylang ylang essential oil is beneficial for relaxation.

Photo from Garden Express from Australia.  These variety are called “Gardenia Florida”.  They are such beauties and highly fragrant flowers.

Gardenia’s are some of my favorite flowers. I love the glossy green leaves and the pure white blooms. Unfortunately, I’ve never had much luck with growing them.  So having this tin of solid perfume in “Tahitian Gardenia” is perfect.

For more info, visit Pacifica: Fun, fresh and perfect for layering. $9 for Solid Perfume.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful antioxidants and nutrients found in many green leafy vegetables. Including kale, spinach and brocolli. It is also found in egg yolks and the bright petals of marigold flowers.

Harvard researchers found that women whose diets are high in lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin E have a reduced risk of developing cataracts.  Every time I eat carrots or egg yolks, I start to think about how they are good for my eyes.  Now it turns out they are also good for the skin.

Marigolds are already in bloom in California. Extracts of lutein from these petals are now used in skincare.

The latest research published last year in the Journal of Skin Pharmacology and Physiology states that lutein is also beneficial to the skin. Lutein improves skin hydration and elasticity, increases skin moisture and also enhances the skin’s ability to shield itself from the sun.

In skincare, lutein works best as a combination of topical and oral applications. Therefore some new skincare products have been introduced in combination with lutein.  Taking lutein supplements would also been beneficial too.

BIOELEMENT.  This beauty product contains lutein made with lutein from marigold petals.   Photo from Zappos. 2.5 oz for $49.50

Product Information:

* BIOELEMENTS® Lutein Indoor Protective Day Cream protects your skin against indoor environmental assaults that can cause dehydration, dullness and surface wrinkles.

* An advanced antioxidant moisturizer that provides high-impact hydration and restores skin’s protective barrier.

* Golden-yellow lutein, extracted from marigold petals, filters out the potentially skin-aging effects of blue rays emitted from artificial lighting.

* Sheilds skin from effects of low humidity, forced heat and stale, re-circulated air.

* Used daily, skin becomes visibly smooth, comfortably moist and perfectly hydrated. Radiance is restored and your complexion becomes less reactive to environmental irritants.

* Used daily, skin becomes visibly smooth, comfortably moist and perfectly hydrated. Radiance is restored and your complexion becomes less reactive to environmental irritants.

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Today I introduce Moroccan Red Clay used in skincare. Other common names of this clay is Rhassoul clay, Moroccan lava clay, red clay, and red facial clay.  This interesting clay is mined from the Atlas Mountains in Eastern Morocco. It is a reddish clay that feels very smooth and silky.

Moroccan Red Clay may look like dirt or rust, but it’s very good for the skin. And it also washes out very easily.

Photo from Camden Grey.

This clay has been used for health and beauty regiments for centuries. And it’s popularity is growing as more people become aware of it’s benefit.

This clay is especially useful to those with oily skin and acne prone skin. As the clay helps draw out toxins and impurities from the skin.

It is a great way to stimulate and exfoliate the skin in a gentle manner which leads to a smoother complexion.

When the clay is dry (powder form), it’s okay to store them in plastic containers. But when you are ready to mix it, use only glass, wooden, or ceramic containers.

To make clay mask, just mix a small amount with water into a paste. Apply to your face, body, hair for about 5 minutes if you have sensitive skin. 10-15 minutes if you have regular skin. Just rinse and follow with a facial toner or moisturizer.

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I am always on the look out for new and neat soaps.  Except this bar by is not exactly soap. As it does not contain caustic soda or tallow.  It’s labeled as a cleansing bar.

The makers of this cleansing bar had this to say about it, “has a pH of 4.5 to protect your skin’s natural acid mantle.  This unique cleanser contains the specific amount of allantoin needed to help your skin maintain its youthful glow. Free from the harsh, irritating ingredients found in soap and enriched with 500 IU of Vitamin E.”

Allantoin is a unique product that is used for skin protection. Allantoin is a white, odorless, crystalline powder. Allantoin is also used to hasten the growth of new, healthy tissue. Allantoin increases the desirability of cosmetic creams and lotions by its action as a skin protectant. - The Sage

As for my review of Nature’s Path beauty bar:

It’s a very hard oval bar.  The scent reminds me of Pine Sol but more on the citrus side.  So not too bad, but I would prefer a more neutral smell.  The yellow color is also too much and can leave yellow messes on you soap dish and bathtub.  I would say they tone down on the yellow color too.

Otherwise, it makes a nice facial bar and can even be used as shampoo bar too.  Washes off clean and easy, leaving no residue.  Your scalp fees very nourished from the Vitamin E and Allantoin.  But it does leave your hair a bit dry.  I guess you can always follow this with conditioner or use hair oil after.

A little more info about the pH of your skin:

Nature endows human skin with a natural pH range of between 4.5 and 5.5. Regular soaps tend to be alkaline, effectively removing the “acid mantle” that your skin drier, less pliant, less vibrant than it should be. Natural Beauty Cleansing Bar are pH balanced, protecting the skin’s natural “acid mantle.”

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