Christina Alyce Beauty

Today I'll be exploring the brand that has made me ditch shower gel. I spoke about my newfound appreciation of bar soap in my brand focus of Lather of The Land, and it has only continued to grow after being introduced to a wonderful Oklahoma based brand called Dulce de Donke. What began as a quest to find a cure for a little girl's autoimmune disease, blossomed into a handmade soap company and conservation effort of the critically endangered American Mammoth Donkey. Dulce de Donke soaps feature donkey milk as their star ingredient, sourced from their very own American Mammoth Donkeys. The family behind Dulce De Donke breeds the wonderful animals to bring up their population, utilizes their precious milk to keep their little girl healthy, and then every remaining drop of milk goes straight into the decadent soaps.

I was sent two bars of soap, Rosemary Mint and Charcoal. Each contain a base of saponified olive oil, coconut oil, and of course, donkey milk. These rich oils and soothing donkey milk are hydrating on the skin, and don't strip you of your natural oils. My dry skin loves such a gentle soap, and donkey milk is wonderful for psoriasis and eczema. Because of the donkey milk and oils, this these soaps are high in fatty acids which help to keep the skin plump and youthful.



With such skin loving ingredients, some of these soaps are fabulous to use on the face, as well as the body. I personally don't do very well with coconut oil products on my face, but if you don't have such a sensitivity, acne and oily prone skin would probably adore the Charcoal soap. Activated charcoal gives this black bar it's drawing properties. Charcoal can bind with the impurities in your pores, drawing them out and clearing your complexion. Combined with the antimicrobial and antiseptic properties of clove and lavender essential oils, this soap makes for a simple yet effective acne cleanser. Though I don't use this on my face, I have had great success in clearing the acne on my back and shoulders.

Rosemary Mint is probably a soap best designated to the body (or at least not rubbed directly on the face) because it is very scrubby, and has strong but refreshing rosemary and mint scent. This soap is perfect if you're trying to streamline your shower routine and nix the sugar scrub - it's wonderfully exfoliating on it's own. I also really enjoyed the scent of this soap for the summer because the peppermint is so cooling on hot days, it makes your body tingle! The rosemary oil is also a fabulous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, making this the perfect soap to do some repair work on your skin after a long day in the sun.

Both of these soaps lathered beautifully, cleansed effectively without stripping, and had absolutely heavenly aromas. They felt like a truly luxurious shower product, while being ecofriendly and low waste. I am totally prepared to ditch plastic shower gel bottles after trying out these soaps, and I cannot wait to explore more of the scents! Saundra has done some wonderful work on these soaps, and I highly recommend them!

As someone who previously worked at a local coffee chain, and has a sensitivity to caffeine, coffee is not my first choice when it comes to a morning beverage. But, about a year ago, I was introduced to my very first body scrub, made from coffee, and I absolutely fell head over heals.
Coffee scrubs are typically made of pretty basic ingredients, and are super easy to DIY. They contain coffee grounds and any variety of plant oils as a base, and may also utilize sugar or salt for extra exfoliation, and essential oils for any number of skin benefits. I absolutely adore the texture of coffee scrubs. The coffee is more gentle than salt or sugar because it doesn't have jagged edges, and the consistency makes for a wonderful, dense product. My favorite thing about coffee? It stimulates blood flow to tighten and brighten skin, and can even lessen cellulite. I like to apply my scrubs almost like a body mask to get the full effect: I rub it in all over my body to exfoliate, and wait a couple of minutes before I rinse, so it has a moment to absorb and work its magic. My skin glows afterwards. Sounds delightful, doesn't it? I'll share two of my favorites with you below:

Prim Botanicals Debauchery Detox Body Scrub [SHOP]

This is my go-to summer scrub. Instead of that warm cup-o-joe  scent you would expect from a coffee scrub, this one smells more earthy. Lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender essential oils mix with the coffee to create a scent reminiscent of a forest after a rainstorm. As the name suggests, this is a great scrub if you're looking for a detoxing product for congested skin, because it contains activated charcoal. This does wonders for my occasional shoulder and upper back breakouts. Black lava salt and Epsom salt add a little extra exfoliation and help to relax muscles, as a source of magnesium. The blend of almond, coconut, hazelnut, Andrioba, and Pracaxi oils help to tighten and lightly moisturize the skin.

Fig + Yarrow Coffee + Cardamom Body Scrub [SHOP]

In the fall and winter, I like something with a warm and cozy scent. Fig + Yarrow's coffee scrub is the perfect warming, decadent blend of cardamom, vanilla, black pepper and chocolate. I turn to this scrub when I need a little extra moisture during the dry winter months. It blends coconut oil and castor oil with cocoa butter and shea butter to deliver an incredibly moisturizing experience. It also utilizes the humectant and exfoliating properties of cane sugar to smooth skin.

I would love to know if you've tried and adored any other coffee scrubs, or if you prefer another type of scrub to exfoliate with. Let me know in the comments!

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!



Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links

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.

Metallic and sparkly gold makeup, particularly for the lips, has definitely been trending lately-probably thanks to the elusive and totally swoon-worthy Pat McGrath kits. Of course, all of her products are perpetually sold out, and the ingredients are a bit of a mystery anyway, so they're pretty much out of the question for me. Luckily, clean brand Bite Beauty came out with some limited edition products this past holiday that evoke a similar feel. I originally set out to find the gold lip gloss and lipstick, but my local Sephora does not stock them, and once I saw the products in the Opal shade, I knew it was meant to be.

The Opal lipstick is their Creme lipstick formula, and is 97% natural. The texture is almost like a lip balm. It feels hydrating and creamy, but does not sit heavily on the lips. The ingredients include waxes such as calendelilla wax, beeswax, and jojoba wax, and oils ranging from argan, to safflower to sesame. It glides onto the lips smoothly and sits well- it does not slide around or get caught in any dry patches you may have. On the contrary, it leaves your lips feeling more conditioned than they were before application. My only gripe with this product is the wear time- when worn by itself it does not last very long on the lips, and I find myself reapplying every hour or so to bring back the shimmer. But a little extra upkeep is worth it with this, the opalescent sheen it gives the lips is subtle but beautiful. When layered over liner or another lipstick, it cools down the look, and gives whatever is underneath it a beautiful milkiness. I love layering this over my Rituel de Fille lipstick in the shade Datura, because it turns it into a creamy, blue toned pink.

The Opal lipgloss can also be layered over other shades, for a glossier look. It contains many of the same oils and butters as its lipstick counterpart, and is just as moisturizing. It works well over top the lipstick to intensify the opalescent effect, but is not as striking as the lipstick is on it's own. It's a lovely texture and does not feel overly sticky or goopy.
I really enjoy both of these products, and I think they are a beautiful, ethereal addition to any makeup look. If you only have room for one of the two products in your budget, I would recommend the lipstick over the gloss, only because it offers slightly more pigmentation. I am excited to try more products from Bite Beauty in the future!

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 - £16.50 for 225g.
• US - $5.95 / 1.5oz or $26.95 for 7.4oz

• UK - £8.25/ 20g
• US - $15.95/ 0.7oz
• This is very inflated in the US, order from the UK and save almost $4!

• UK £4.25
• US $11.95
• It’s twice the price in the US, and as with most products, I highly recommend ordering from the UK. It still ends up being cheaper even with the slightly higher shipping cost.

• £4.95/$9.95 for 100g/3.3oz
• £9.75/$19.95 for 250g/8.4oz 
• £16.50/$30.95 for 500g/16.9oz
• £27.95 for 1kg (UK only, converts to $42.51 for 35oz)