Christina Alyce Beauty

K. Voss MagiK Shimmer Full Size/My Sample: 2oz - $28 I'm a shimmer and glitter addict, so I was really excited to try this lotion. It's lightweight and subtly shimmery, which would make it perfect for shorts weather! the grape seed oil, avocado butter, and shea butter melted right into my skin and left no residue on the skin. The sandalwood scent confirms that this is the perfect beachy, summertime product to make your skin glow.

Sahajan Restorative Eye Cream My Sample: 8 mL / $25.60 Full Size: 15 mL / $48.00 This brightening eye cream was inspired by the ancient practices of Ayurveda, by a former pharmaceutical executive. This product is the perfect marriage of  science and nature. Ingredients like honey, neem oil, and Triphala fight signs of aging while coconut oil, mango seed butter, and apricot kernel oil moisturize. I have been struggling with under eye circles lately, so I am really excited to see if this product is able to make a noticeable difference with regular use. But, as far as first impressions go, this product is hydrating and does not irritate my eyes. It also has a unique, herbal smell that I really enjoy.

Yarok Feed Your Ends Full Size: 8oz - $27.20 My Sample: 20oz - $13.20 This multi use spray is actually something I am already familiar with, because I won a full size in a prior giveaway from Goodbeing! I use it regularly after washing my hair as a heat protect and, and it is perfect for breathing life back into second or third-day curls. Jojoba, Grape seed oil, and apricot kernel oil add lightweight moisture to the hair and protect it from damage during heat styling. I'm happy that I have a travel sized bottle to keep in my bag for touch ups!

Au Natural Creme de la Creme Eye Shadow in Coffee Full Size: 4 grams - $24 My Sample: 3 grams - $18 I own many eye shadows, but strangely enough, none are cream formulas. Creams have always intimidated me, (until this year I had refused to wear cream blush!) because I am convinced they just don't blend out. This shadow has proven me wrong, with a silky texture that creates the perfect wash of color over the lid. I have really enjoyed wearing this shadow all over my lid without any other shadows, for a really simple look. The bronzy brown color is a shade I would have gravitated toward if I had been able to pick my shade, and it flatters my blue eyes.

I didn't intend to publish two empty product posts so close together, but I've been busy using up lots of stuff in preparation to move! Now that we're all settled into our new home (as brief as it will be for me- I'm moving again in October!) I have some time to talk about the products I've been working hard to use up.

Body

Schmidt's Sensitive Deodorant in Lavender Tips - This was the only scent I enjoyed from my Schmidts Sensitive Deodorant Sampler, but I really really did enjoy it! This was my daily go-to from the day I opened it until it was gone. I have a lot of other deodorants to get through before I repurchase this in full size, but it's definitely on my repurchase list! I didn't have any irritation whatsoever with this formula, which something I do have trouble with in the original formula. I also want to note that I have been seeing tons of Schmidt's at TJ Maxx and Marshalls lately! No sensitive formula spotted yet, but I have seen every scent and size in the baking soda formula. It's so much more affordable there! I think I might do a post sharing my best natural beauty TJ Maxx find soon, because they seem to have some wonderful stuff lately!

The Dirty Goat Avocado Body Wash - This jar had been sitting in my bathroom closet much longer than it should have. I don't know why I let it sit so long, because once I started using it again, I really enjoyed it! The label rubbed off and I can't find the product listing online anymore so I can't attest to how "clean" it is, but I do know it was unscented and felt very gentle on my skin, and the avocado base was moisturizing. The texture was like a dense whipped soap that didn't foam, but rinsed away easily.

Scrubs - I'm going to group the Fig + Yarrow Coffee Scrub and Prim Botanicals Debauchery Detox body scrub together, because I just did a review of them both here. I have been using scrubs so much lately to keep my skin glowy and smooth during shorts season!

Face

Florapothecarie Rose & Green Tea Toner - Yes, I'm still working through my massive toner collection! I am nearing the end on two more right now, which I should finish just in time for cooler weather, when I'll be switching to my more hydrating mists. This was a really nice toner for summer, and I have a review here.

Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy Mask (not pictured) - I had been using this regularly last winter, but put it aside a couple of months ago in favor of a couple of my masks that have more antioxidant ingredients. I picked it up again a couple of weeks ago to finish off the last couple of applications, and now I want to repurchase it again! I was in the middle of a really bad breakout, and my skin looked infinitely better after using this three nights in a row. For a full review, click here.

Teeth

Products that truly make a positive difference in the appearance and health of your skin can be a challenge to find and afford. High performance ingredients are often costly, and even these luxury lines can be poorly formulated, leaving much to be desired for the price you have to pay.

The founder of Blissoma, Julie Longyear, believes in the importance of sourcing pure, potent ingredients and her masterful understanding of the skin and cosmetic chemistry shows in her finished products. She is a wealth of information, and helped me choose two wonderful serums to help my acne.

I have been on the quest for clear skin for what seems like an eternity, but in reality it's been about 4 years. In that time I have tried and essentially thrown away money on useless products. I never imagined I would eventually find my holy grail serum, much less one for $34! Blissoma's Smooth A+ Correcting Serum is that exact product that I've been searching for. I love that this product uses some less common ingredients to treat acne, instead of the typical tea tree oil, which is incredibly prevalent in natural acne treatments, and my skin does not particularly care for. Instead, Smooth A+ focuses on ingredients like rose, goldenrod, coriander, yarrow, and fennel for their antiseptic and soothing properties. One aspect I look for in acne care is gentle and soothing ingredients, because acne is essentially an inflamed, irritated pore. Attacking a spot with harsh ingredients will only further irritate the pore. With soothing ingredients like olive leaf, licorice, and heather, the pore has a chance to calm down and start healing. Something else that Smooth A+ offers that I don't often see in other acne products are ingredients like niacinamide which actually prevents breakouts in the first place, and prevent and reduce signs of aging and sun damage. For someone like me who has noticed a little bit of aging over the last year, this is an important ingredient to incorporate into my routine. Organic carrot and helio carrot CO2 lend the regenerative effects of beta carotene to increase cell turnover rate for faster healing and youthful skin. Smooth A+ contains no heavy oils, instead it features lightweight jojoba oil which makes it the perfect formula to wear in the daytime under makeup, or to layer under other products in the evening. I use Smooth A+ in the morning and evening. I love that I can barely feel it on my skin, and it has a beautiful fresh scent of frankincense, bergamot, and rose.

The second product I was sent is Restore: Deep Healing Oil Serum. I settled on this product because after so many years of attacking my skin (not only with harsh products, but I pick at my skin too) my complexion is a little worse for wear. Vitamin E oil is fantastic for diminishing old scar tissue, and Restore contains two sources of vitamin e; cranberry seed and grapeseed oil. Omega essential fatty acids from Evening Primrose oil and Pomegranate oil work wonders on inflammation and are both great antioxidants. Because much of my acne is caused by hormones, ingredients that are hormone balancing such as evening primrose and pomegranate work beautifully with my skin. Restore is a wonderful option for preventing aging and sun damage, with antioxidants and sun protection from tamanu oil and red raspberry oil. For existing signs of aging, Calendula CO2 can regenerate skin. I use Restore almost daily, only in the evening. It is such a smooth and soothing product, that it is my favorite part of my routine. The green scent is therapeutic and comforting. This product is most definitely an oil, and does not disappear into the skin the way Smooth A+ does. This does not bother me because I like the additional layer to trap in moisture, and it is not heavy or greasy feeling by any stretch.

Since adding these two products to my routine, I have noticed an immense change in my skin. I began using them during one of my worst breakouts ever, and after about 6 weeks I had an entire week with not a single blemish. Not one. That is an incredible accomplishment, because prior to that, I have not gone a single day without acne since I was 19. I have had a few breakouts since then, but they have stayed under control. I have noticed my breakouts clear much faster than they previously did as well, and overall my skin looks more youthful. I am so happy with the results I have seen, and I can't wait to explore more of the brand. I'm also excited to share that Blissoma is offering a 30% off sale to email subscribers on June 16th and 17th! This sale is especially important because Julie is trying to buy the beautiful building that is currently the hub of Blissoma. The sale is the perfect opportunity to try the brand and help Julie achieve her goal. I am curious to try the products Tone, Awake, and Flawless, as well as stock up on Smooth A+, so I can't wait for the sale!



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I have been away for too long! I have just finished up my busy season at my day job, and I have what seems like a mountain of lovely products that I have so generously been sent over the last few months, as well as a few I have purchased myself, that have patiently been awaiting review! Finally the time has come to start chipping away at it all.
First is a brand focus of an Etsy shop called Lather of the Land. Stacy reached out to me at the beginning of the year to see if I would like to sample some products, and after a browse through her instagram feed, I knew I would adore her products. She sent me a beautifully packaged Sample Box, which sells for $10 and includes a soap, sugar scrub, (you may choose your scents) and a body butter all nestled in a keepsake wooden box. She also included a tiny candle for me to try out.

Rose Soap
Before I even finished opening the shipping box, I was greeted with the strong fragrance of rose, from a beautiful piece of Stacy's Rose Soap (seriously, go look. All of her soaps are stunning.). This swirly pink and cream slice of soap is a rose lover's dream, it contains rosehip seed oil, rosehip seed powder, and rose essential oil.
Rosehip contains Vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant and helps to protect the skin from damage, which prevents signs of aging. It also contains retinol to reduce existing signs of aging, such as hyper pigmentation or sun spots. Rose essential oil is emollient and anti-inflammatory, which makes it perfect for dry and sensitive skin, and is effective at treating acne, dermatitis, and psoriasis.
It also incorporates soothing rose clay, which has made it the perfect accompaniment to my Takesumi Deodorant Detox, which recommends washing with a clay based soap.
I have only recently been enjoying bar soap, because previously I had only used soaps that were incredibly drying. This formula is so enjoyable to use though, because it is made with nourishing shea butter, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, and coconut oil. It lathers luxuriously, but doesn't strip the skin at all. I am definitely a bar soap convert! All I needed was a luxurious, natural formula.

Coffee Exfoliating Sugar Scrub
Have you ever smelled a product and wished it was edible? The Coffee Exfoliating Sugar Scrub makes me salivate. To me, it smells like a cup of coffee crossed with a rich chocolaty cake. I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I am most definitely a coffee scrub-er. I have tried many scrubs over the years and coffee based ones always stand out to me. This one is up there with my favorites! Coffee is so beneficial to the skin. It not only provides antioxidants, but it increases circulation and does wonders for cellulite. The combination of organic coffee grounds and raw cane sugar offer a gentle yet effective exfoliation that leaves your skin soft and smooth. The coconut oil locks in moisture from the shower, keeping you hydrated. I love this product for my body, but I would not recommend it for the face. Sugar is too coarse for the delicate skin on the face, and coconut oil is comedogenic and commonly causes breakouts. Sugar and coconut are perfectly ok for the rest of the body though, and his makes for a superb body scrub.

Cocoa and Shea Unscented Body Butter
I have mentioned many times on my blog how my skin is just. so. dry. I don't know what I would do if it weren't for creams and lotions and butters. Lather of the Land's body butter has some of my favorite ingredients. Almond oil, avocado oil, and shea butter absorb beautifully into the skin because they are highly penetrative, to offer their lovely softening effects. Heavier oils like coconut and cocoa butter create an occlusive barrier on the skin to trap in moisture. To get the most out of an oil based body butter, it is best to apply while the skin is damp, to lock in the hydration. I prefer to use this in the evening before bed, because it does not absorb completely, and leave my skin greasy. When I wake up in the morning, it absorbs and my skin feels soft and nourished


Thoughts
Overall I really enjoyed Lather of the Land. From the homemade packaging, straightforward ingredients, and delicious scents, this is a really lovely brand. It may not be perfect for those who wish to avoid fragrance oils, but for those who are not concerned about FO's will find the formulations are natural and high quality.



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I was lucky enough to win my very first Instagram giveaway a few months ago, and came away with a fantastic travel set from Florapothecarie. The Deluxe Travel Gift Set retails for $55, and contains 5 handmade, all natural, and vegan beauty products, as well as a beautiful handmade makeup bag. The packaging is beautiful- sleek labels, and clear glass jars which are my personal favorite. The set is semi-customizable, with your choice in scent of body scrub, type of mask, and a choice of either a facial toner or hair spray. The set always comes with Florapothecarie's best-selling deodorant cream and body butter, and you will not be disappointed with those two, trust me.


For my body scrub, I chose the Orange Sugar Scrub, and the sweet tropical orange aroma is absolutely mouthwatering, and the perfect pick-me-up this winter. The ingredients are simple- just cane sugar, jojoba oil, coconut oil, orange peel powder, vitamin , and orange essential oil - but it is so effective at sloughing off dry skin and leaving your body soft, smooth (it helps with cellulite!) and hydrated. I love sugar scrubs because they are just coarse enough to get the job done. I would definitely purchase a full size of this product in this scent, and I am curious to try out the Green Tea salt version as well.


The next product I chose was the Rose Clay mask. I had three masks to choose from, but I already have the Chocolate one which was featured in a Goddess Provisions box (and is totally dreamy), and I passed on the Charcoal option because I already own a handful of charcoal masks from other brands. So, I settled on the pretty pink-tinted Rose mask. The Rose Clay Mask is intended for all skin types, but is a particularly good choice for sensitive skin. It contains just three ingredients, rose kaolin clay, dehydrated coconut milk, and powdered rose hips. The ingredients gently exfoliate, cleanse, and mineralize the skin, leaving you with a radiant complexion. The mask is very simple to use, just scoop some out, mix with water until it forms a paste and apply. After 10-15 minutes, it's ready to rinse off. I did not have any irritation with this product like I do with other clay-based masks, nor did I have any breakouts. I do prefer the chocolate version though, because my skin did feel brighter and more hydrated after that one. The chocolate mask is a great option for those with mature skin.


The final of the 3 customizable options is the Rose + Tea Facial Toner, which I had to pick over the hair spray, only because I am a complete toner addict! I go through toner like water, so I will never pass one up when offered. Florapothecarie's toner is intended to balance and hydrate the skin with ingredients like rosewater, aloe, and witch hazel, while green tea gives the skin a boost of antioxidants. Toners are so important after cleansing to return the skin's pH to a healthy level, and before moisturizing to help products absorb more easily into the skin. I love that this formula uses classic and time-tested ingredients like witch hazel and rosewater to accomplish that. It leaves the skin feeling balanced and prepped for products to follow.



The fourth product in this set is the best-selling Deodorant-Cream, which shares it's gorgeous scent with the Orange body scrub. I am very hard to please when it comes to deodorant, because many just don't do the job. Luckily, this one preforms just as well as brands like Schmidts in regard to odor control, and I much prefer Florapothecarie's deodorant when it comes to the scent, and how it feels. My underarms can be sensitive to baking soda in deodorants, but I find that with Florapothecarie's product, I have no irritation whatsoever. I love that this product contains essential oils like tea tree combined with arrowroot powder to fight bacteria, and the coconut oil and shea butter base is incredibly moisturizing.


The fifth and final product of the bunch is the Whipped Body Butter, and this is by far the stand out product for me. I absolutely adore the natural cocoa butter scent, it is so simple and comforting. The combination of cocoa butter, shea butter, jojoba oil, and coconut oil is perfect. A small scoop of product instantly melts into a luxurious oil and spreads easily onto the skin. I reserve my little jar for the worst of my dry skin days, because it packs quite the punch, and dry patches are soothed and moisturized instantly. I always keep plenty of lotions and creams on hand, but this one out- preforms them all. I will absolutely be purchasing a big 8oz jar of this when I finish mine!
I am so thankful to have won such a fantastic variety of products (and adorable travel pouch!), and I am so excited that I have discovered some new all-time favorites. This set is such a treat, and I love that it can be customized to suit anybody. I think it makes a great introduction to not only Florapothecarie's brand, but to natural skin and bodycare as a whole because the ingredients are pure and the resulting products are truly top-notch.

Prior to switching over to non-toxic products, I spent A LOT of time and money at Ulta, and today I received an email alerting me that in order to keep my Platinum Status for 2017, I only had to spend about $80 for the rest of the year, and for a cosmetics-obsessed weirdo like me, that should be pretty easy- if I can find products to fit my new views on cosmetic safety. This inspired me to do some research, and find the safest products Ulta has to offer. I was happy to find 15 brands that fit my criteria.
Of course, this list may not satisfy the purists out there - I referred to EWG and CosDNA, and tried not to list anything with a rating higher than 3, though some overall great brands do have a few exceptions. I encourage everyone to do their own research, and consider this a starting point. If you see anything that you think truly does not belong on this list, or that I have missed a great non-toxic brand offered at Ulta, please don't hesitate to leave a comment.

Babo Botanicals - Online Only
Beautiful Life
Coola - Avoid spray sunscreens
Daily Concepts
Earthly Body - Ulta only carries one product from this brand, I have not looked into the others that are available elsewhere.
First Aid Beauty - Use your own judgement on this one. Overall they rate well on CosDNA, but some products have an ingredient rating of 4. One product I do recommend is their original facial cleanser, because it is pH balanced and clean.
Honest Beauty
Honeybee Gardens - Some products contain Ultramarines
John Masters Organics
Juice Beauty
Juice Organics
Nubian Heritage
Pacifica
Shea Moisture
Whish - Use your judgement. The only red flags I saw were fragrance ingredients, so avoid if you have a sensitivity to linalool, citral, limonene, etc. Otherwise, pretty safe.

I hope this helps my fellow clean product junkies, see ya at Ulta!

Overhauling your skincare routine can be a daunting task, especially if you are completely new to the world of clean beauty, and unaware of what brands are out there. There's also the money factor. Glowy, smooth skin doesn't usually come cheap, so when a brand offers a boxed set of things to try at a pretty decent deal, you thank the skincare gods. I was happy to see that Fig + Yarrow, (one of the first clean beauty brands I had heard about) offers such a set. At $76, for 5 trial/travel size items it seems expensive, but if purchased individually, the total would be $88, so not a bad deal, especially if you can snag a coupon, or catch a sale. In case you wish to check out any of these products individually, I will provide links to each product listing as well.
Of course when buying a set there is the downside that one or two out of the several curated products may not be the right fit for you, but I find that for the value that comes with these types of sets and the small amount of each product you get, it's not that much of a loss. Besides, the odd product out can always be used in an alternate way than originally intended, gifted, or traded with a product junkie friend. I was lucky enough to be able to use all of the products in the Fig + Yarrow Facial Care Kit, without any issues and as you will see, I was quite pleased with everything.

Cleansing Nectar [1oz $12] [4oz $32]

My main focus in my skincare switch has been to find a non-foaming, low pH cleanser, and this product ticks both of those boxes. The Cleansing Nectar is meant to be a gentle cleanser for all skin types, that exfoliates and purifies the skin while leaving the acid mantle intact. I think it does a very good job of this, particularly for oily and acne prone skin, because it does not strip the skin.
It is formulated with lavender hydrosol, which helps to soothe the skin, along with aloe and ginko bilboa, which is also excellent at improving nutrient delivery. The cleanser exfoliates with a combination of manuka honey, apple cider vinegar, willow tree bark (salicylic acid) and dead sea salt, which all contain exfoliating enzymes. This is a purely chemical exfoliation process, so it is well suited for anyone with sensitive skin. There are no salt particles or other rough ingredients to be found in this formula. Calendula repairs damage, and green tea offers antioxidants. Licorice soothes irritation and redness.
I use this cleanser primarily at night. If I have worn make up during the day, I oil cleanse first, then wet my face with water, apply the cleanser to my face, and use either my hands or a konjac sponge to spread it around, then rinse and follow with the rest of my skincare. I have never felt stripped or dry when using this product, and I do not break out. I do think it does a great job of balancing the skin and healing/preventing further breakouts.

Facial Scrub [1.4oz $14] [2.8oz $22]

• UK - £5.25/100g, £13.10/250g, £26.25/500g
• US - $13.95/ 3.5oz