Christina Alyce Beauty: vegan

I have been wanting to try a subscription from Goodbeing for a while now, because they always seem to have the perfect variety of items in each box, and I love that they tailor your box to your profile, and even let you pick 1-2 items of your choice to include in your box each month! I was offered a box for review, and I jumped at the chance! I missed my pick window this time around, so each item was a surprise this month. The total value of my box came to over $90, which is a fantastic deal considering a subscription is only $24.95 each month. Below, I dive a little deeper into each item with a mini review, and have some offers for you, too!

Everwell for Life Everbiotics
My Sample: 5 sticks – $6.83 value
Full Size: 30 sticks – $40.99
I have been trying to incorporate more probiotics into my diet for a few months now, because I have noticed a major difference in my skin when I do. Typically I stick to yogurt and Dr Braggs Nutritional yeast, so it was a nice change of pace to have a yummy drink mix instead! This also has the added benefits of prebiotics, which my usual yogurt doesn't contain. This drink mix is a great way to support your immune system during cold season too! I love to just pour a packet into my water bottle, shake it up, and go! These are strawberry flavored and I really like drinking this after a meal instead of grabbing desert. I've been eating way too many sweets over the past year, so I'm sure my body appreciates substituting the candy for something with health benefits once in a while! My only complaint is that this mix is sweetened with Stevia, which I don't love the aftertaste of. I'm sure it's just because I'm a refined sugar addict, so I'm more used to the taste of traditional sugar!

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.

Overall, I am really enjoying Goodbeing, and I cannot wait for my next box! If you'd like to join, you can do so here. They are currently offering some really fun gift with purchase deals, so check those out on the home page! Goodbeing also offers 20% off gift memberships for current members, which

makes it great for gifting this holiday season!

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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!

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Tomatoes are by far one of my favorite foods, and I find myself craving them on an almost daily basis. So when I found out the Lush Kitchen would be hosting the beautiful Cream of Tomato soap, I jumped on the chance to extend m love of the food into my cosmetics collection. I know many people probably think a tomato and basil scented soap sounds a bit strange, but after the first use I was convinced this is one of the best soaps Lush has ever released.

I will admit that a dry sniff of this isn’t the most mouthwatering aroma Lush offers, there are many prettier scents out there. But what I do love about the still-on-the-vine scent is a unique savoriness that not many other soaps offer. Cream of Tomato boasts a very green, fresh, and tangy scent, very much like how a live tomato plant smells, mixed with lemon. Once the soap hits the water, it does take on a slightly more sweet and creamy scent, and I thoroughly enjoy it. I think this soap is very unisex, and would be a fantastic first Lush product for any guy in your life.

Lush recently updated their soap base, and this is one of the few soaps that uses this new recipe, and it proves that the reformulation is a winner. Cream of Tomato has one of the most velvety lathers I’ve ever experienced, and only takes a moment to produce a luxurious foam. This soap contains coconut oil and rapeseed oil, making it relatively moisturizing, while the grapefruit oil, lemon oil, and fresh tomato keep it toning and cleansing. This soap left my skin feeling clean and soft, but a little taut and I did need lotion after my shower

I think this is a very unique soap, that fells very high quality during use, and I really hope this becomes available in all stores because I would love to repurchase it.

Rating: 5/5

Price: £2.95 /100g

Status: Oxford Street and Kitchen Exclusive

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil: Coconut Oil (Brassica napus: Cocoa nucifera), Sorbitol, Talc, Perfume, Passata, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Stearate, Grapefruit Oil Citrus paradisi), Sicilian Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Violet Leaf Infusion (Viola odorata), Basil Oil (Ocimum basilicum), Titanium Dioxide, Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus), Fresh Tomato (Lycopersician), Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Colour 14700.

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I am usually cautious about purchasing higher priced Kitchen Items, like Shower Gels and Body Lotions, because at $15 or $20, it’s a bit of an investment for something I may not like. I went back and forth on this one for quite a while and though I didn’t want to spend the money, I’ve learned from experience that I’d probably regret passing it up and give in weeks later buying it for a very inflated price on eBay or elsewhere. I could always sell it myself if it didn’t agree with me anyway!

The list of ingredients and online description certainly make the scent of this sound unique. With a few floral ingredients, grapefruit oil, and fennel, you’d perhaps imagine a fresh floral scent, with a dash of licorice. But in reality, the scent is nothing like what I expected. I will do my best to explain how it actually smells to me, but in all honesty, this scent was rather weird and difficult to describe.

I could definitely detect a little bit of citrus in the aroma, but It doesn’t smell at all floral to me- my nose can’t pick out the rose or jasmine ingredients, whatsoever. There is a slightly powdery note that may come form the rose, but I really can’t be sure. The fennel gives the shower gel an equally sweet and bitter twinge, and brings everything together to create an overall fresh, sweet, yet almost plastic scent... a rather strange way to describe it but it’s not necessarily a bad smell. I have certainly smelled worse things from lush.

Moving past the strange scent, this gel is also pretty unique to look at. A neon green opaque liquid, this shower gel certainly looks electrifying. The creamy consistency is similar to that of Lush’s new shower creams, and I did find this shower gel to be a little more softening than other shower gels, and it still lathered really well. The scent lingered very softly on my skin after using this.

Overall, B Electro is a pretty decent shower gel, and while I don’t think I will repurchase it, it is definitely an eye catching product with a unique scent, and feels great on the skin.

Rating: 3.5

Price: £11 ($16.64) for 240g

Status: Kitchen Exclusive

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Probably Not

Ingredients: Fresh Rose Petals, Water (Aqua), Sodium Alkyl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate & PEG-100 Stearate, Fine Sea Salt, Cocamide MEA, Perfume, Glycol Cetearate, Propylene Glycol, Lauryl Betaine, Grapefruit Oil, Fennel Oil, Rose Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Tincture of Benzoin, Organic Jojoba Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Colour 59040, Colour 42090, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

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If you’re at all familiar with Lush’s Sugar Scrub Body Scrub, you’ll notice mine looks a bit different than what you’re used to.. Sugar Scrub comes as a hard, half-sphere of product with no packaging. As much as I adore this scrub and find that it works beautifully on my skin, i find that it is just too harsh to use in the original format (except perhaps on rough heels, but there’s Pumice Power for that!). Instead, I crush it up and store it in a container, as seen here. I promise I will add photos once I have repurchased this product!

I have quite sensitive skin, so using a hard clump of solid product as a scrub is just too rough on me. But after I crush it up, I can scoop out just enough, and rub in a circular motion onto my skin until it dissolves in the water. This method is gentle, but effective, and leaves my skin wonderfully exfoliated without any irritation.

I find that it is best to step out of the direct stream of water when using this, in both it’s solid bar or crumbled form. If you are using the solid form of this, the bar will quickly start to crumble and dissolve, shortening its number of uses immensely. If you are using it in the crumbled form under the water, it will dissolve even quicker, before you even have a chance to get a good exfoliation.

Aside form exfoliating, I find that this product also leaves your skin feeling quite toned without feeling tight or dry. This is from the fennel and ginger, both of which offer toning and antiseptic properties. This makes this scrub a great product for those who suffer from body acne, because it will clear your pores, and lavender oil will help to sooth and heal.

This scrub has a very green, fresh scent, no doubt from the fennel and ginger, and it is soothing and herbal from the lavender. I am really excited to pair this with my B-Electro shower gel, as they both feature Fennel as an ingredient.

Rating: 4/5

Price:

UK £2.95
US $6.55

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients: Granulated Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Fresh Fennel, Fennel Oil, Lavender Oil, Fresh Ginger Root, Lauryl Betaine, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Chlorophyllin,

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The last two bath bombs I used were both major disappointments, so I was really hoping that the third time would be the charm. Luckily, Skydancer was an all around solid choice. Lush UK recently introduced Skydancer to raise money and awareness to support the tagging of the very nearly extinct Hen Harrier. You can read all about the cause here.

Compared to Lush’s other, more spherical bath bombs, Skydancer certainly stands out. Most similar in size and shape to the psychedelic Granny Takes A Dip bath bomb, it is a round disk, but unlike Granny, has a raised bird on the top. I think this bath bomb is very unique, and I love that it looks like the Hen Harrier is flying in front of the sun. Normally I am not a fan of yellow bath bombs because they usually are not very colorful in the water and leave you feeling like you are soaking in a tub full of something unmentionable, but this yellow bomb transformed the bath into an incredibly vivid shade of bright yellow, similar to the fluorescent Yog Nog bath bomb, and was quite beautiful.

Skydancer is a slow, steady fizzer. Despite there only being a small layer of blue, the bird sits mostly atop the water so it stays around for quite a while as the bright yellow foams, fizzes, and colors the water. I found that it did a lovely job softening the water as well.

The scent of Skydance is mellow and refreshing. I was expecting a heavy licorice scent from the citrus, aniseed, and cinnamon combination, but found that it was a clean citrusy scent with a touch of warmth- not spicy, but a hint of comforting licorice in the background. I found that it paired very well with Northern Lights soap, which has a powdery clean citrus scent, and also complimented the color of the bath water, with it’s similarly fluorescent hue.

I really enjoyed using Skydancer. While it doesn’t pop and fizz and spew a thousand colors and mounds of lustre throughout your bath, it is a reliable and enjoyable product, and for a good cause to boot. It has a fresh, unique scent, vivid color, and is a solid addition to Lush’s line-up of bombs,especially for those who enjoy a calmer bath, and don’t enjoy exiting the tub coated in glitter, which is a characteristic of many newer bombs. I really hope I have a chance to order more of these before they are gone!

Rating: 5/5

Price: £3.95 ($6.00)

Status: Limited Edition Charity Item, UK only

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Water (Aqua), Bergamot Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Lauryl Betaine, Benzyl Benzoate, Lilial, Eugenol, Limonene, Perfume, Potassium aluminium silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Colour 47005, Colour 42053, Colour 42090:2.

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I had not seen or smelled this soap before ordering, and when it arrived, I was convinced I had been sent the wrong product! It didn’t smell anything like the fruity, kiwi-citrus scent it was described as- to me, it was an overpowering, very green smell, almost like freshly mown grass and I absolutely hated it. I ended up throwing it in my jar of soaps to forget about.

Three months later. I decided to take it out again, and the scent had transformed. The previously bitter, grassy scent had changed to the mellow fruity kiwi I had expected upon ordering. I’m honestly surprised by how much the scent changed. It had previously been one of the worst smelling products I had ever smelled, and now I can confidently say it might be my favorite soap from lush that I’ve tried. The scent is gorgeously light and sweet, perfect for spring or summer, and it lingers for quite a while after your shower.

Aside from the scent, this soap preforms beautifully in the shower. This may be the richest lathering soap I’ve ever tried. Just a few rubs on a damp shower puff, and you are left with mountains of soft, creamy suds. If you decide to use the bar directly on your skin, you may notice that the bar is a little rough. There is some sort of exfoliant throughout the soap, but looking through the ingredients, I can’t tell which component provides this effect. There are also an abundance of Kiwi Seeds on the top of the soap (most of mine had worn off by the time I took my photo) which tend to be more scratchy than exfoliating when they come in contact with the skin. I don’t find these to be too much of an issue because I generally just use this soap with a shower puff.

After using this soap,, my skin was lightly fragranced, and not overly dried. I imagine the rapeseed oil and coconut oil both help to keep the skin moisturized, and kiwi is known for it’s skin toning properties. I really look forward to repurchasing this, and I hope the new formulation is just as good as the one I’ve fallen in love with!

Rating: 5/5

Price:

UK £3.40 for 100g
$7.95 for 3.5 oz

Status: Permanent, has been reformulated

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Sodium Chloride , Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil (Brassica napus; Cocos nucifera), Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Stearate, Fragrance, Fresh Kiwi Fruit (Actinidia chinensis), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Myrrh Resinoid (Commiphora myrrha), Juniperberry Oil (Juniperus communis), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Glycerine, Sodium Chloride, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Titanium Dioxide, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Limonene, Linalool, D&C Red No. 33, FD&C Red No. 4, FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Yellow No. 5.

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I am a huge fan of anything with a gorgeous autumnal scent, and once I saw that this contained a selection of ingredients that combined to create the aroma of pumpkin pie, I was ready to order twenty. Unfortunately, something must have happened during the ordering process because I had intended to order two bars, but only ended up ordering one. But, of course, that just means the bar i did get my hands on is that much more special.

I awaited the arrival of my soap eagerly, and once it arrived, I could faintly smell it through the package. I dug it out, and the beautiful spicy autumn scent amplified. This soap contains a combination of orange juice, pumpkin puree, cardamom oil, clove bud oil, spearmint oil, cinnamon, and gardenia extract. These create a warm, creamy, spicy scent with a hint of freshness from the peppermint and citrus to keep it from being too heavy. This soap is formulated to stimulate the skin with the spicier oils, and nourish and hydrate with pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and rapeseed oil. This is the creamiest soap I have used from Lush, as well as the most hydrating. This bar is very soft to the touch, and I didn’t expect it to lather much as a result of all of the moisturizing ingredients, but I was surprised to find that it lathered rather generously.

Pumpkin is a beautiful fall soap, that smells glorious and is generous with lather and moisture. I plan to savor this soap, and I look forward to using this as the perfect product for a Thanksgiving shower. While I won’t be eating pumpkin pie, there’s nothing wrong with bathing in it!

Rating: 5/5

Price: £4 ($6.08)

Scent Family:

Jacko Bath Bomb

Status: Kitchen Exclusive

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Glycerine, Fresh Orange Juice, Pumpkin Puree, Perfume, Cardamon Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Spearmint Oil, Gardenia Extract, Sodium Chloride, Titanium Dioxide, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cinnamon, Eugenol, Limone, Colour 15510.

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The original Karma bubble bar was one of the first bubble bars I ever tried from Lush, and when I first heard that they changed the look of it so drastically, I was a little upset. I really enjoyed the old version, and while it didn’t offer much color, it was a very nice product all around, so why fix what isn’t broken? Well, I decided to just order the new one to give it a try while it was still a UK exclusive, and I was a little sad to see that when it arrived, most of the glitter at the top had worn off, and most of the orange band had crumbled away. I blame this on the UK’s naked shipping method, because while environmentally friendly, it does tend to cause your products to arrive a bit worse for wear.. most of the items from this order ended up with a lot of color transfer. But, of course, there shouldn’t be any issues with product performance even after a bumpy journey, and I’m glad to say that this bubble bar worked beautifully.

I decided to use the entire bar, as I normally do when trying out a smaller bubble bar for the first time. Within moments, my bath was transformed into dark amethyst waters topped with mounds of fluffy bubbles. I really am not exaggerating when I say this is the most richly colored bath product I have ever used from lush, and it’s a very big improvement from the weak orange waters of the old formula. I couldn’t even see my hand when I touched the bottom of the tub, it was that deeply colored. The rich color mixed with the generous amount of bubbles means that this bar could easily be split across two or even more baths,and still leave you with vibrant purple waters and plenty of bubbles. My only complaint, was that the bubbles did disperse fairly quickly.

Another aspect that I found to have improved over the old formula is the scent. While it still smells identical to the classic patchouli Karma fragrance, I did find this to be much stronger than the original bubble bar. I really enjoy the sweet, musky scent of Karma, and the soap is a staple in my stash, so having an even stronger scent in the bath is always a treat.

This version of the bar also improved the condition of the water a great deal, something that I didn’t notice all that much with the old version. I don’t know what ingredients the old bar contained, but the updated bar is filled with moisturizing ingredients like olive oil, cocoa butter, and mango butter. It also contains lemongrass oil which not only tones the skin, but has uplifting and anti-depressive properties. Elemi oil is a product I had never heard of before, but it tones the skin, balances sebum production, and acts as a natural painkiller. Patchouli, pine, lavender, and orange oil combine for an uplifting and soothing aromatic experience.

This was a beautiful bubble bar, much improved from it’s predecessor. It offered water in an unbelievable hue, generous bubbles, and a fragrant, moisturizing soak. The only way I could hope to see this improved would to be a little dash of luster next time, since mine was all but rubbed off.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Price:

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.

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Corn Starch (Zea Mays), Mango Butter (Mangifera indica), Fragrance, Citric Acid, Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Lavandin Oil (Lavandula Hybrida), Pine Oil (Pinus sylvestris), Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogon citratus), Elemi Oil (Canarium commune), Deep Purple Lustre (Red 28, Blue 1, Aluminium Potassium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide), Glycerine, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao), Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Laureth 4, *Citral, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Copper Sheen and Radiant Gold Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides), Gold Glimmer Lustre (Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Iron Oxides, Silica), Yellow 6 Lake. *Occurs naturally in essential oils

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Christina Alyce Beauty

Prim Botanicals Debauchery Detox Body Scrub [SHOP]

Fig + Yarrow Coffee + Cardamom Body Scrub [SHOP]

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