Natural beauty product review x 4

It’s about freakin’ time. I’ve held off on this post for quite some time because I wanted to wait until I reviewed all four types of soaps I’d bought since summertime. So here we go:

1) FOREUE Soap

Foreue is a natural skincare brand I learned about via EthicalDeal. For half off + $10 in shipping, I got 12 bars of soap valued at about $48 CDN. I chose four scented bars and now I know what the difference is between soap soap and the handmade soap all the hippies go to LUSH for.

(clockwise from left)
Lavender Fields – I don’t know what possessed me to get this one, since I always associate lavender with products you smell in the bathrooms of old people. But this one is pleasantly nice. Subtle, but not overpowering of flowers. I really don’t dig the scent of flowers. Nice lather on it too.
Infinite Almond – I found this a good scent for a bathroom shared by a couple – almond has a good ‘manly’ scent to it. Also quite subtle.
Rosemary Peppermint – This is the oddest of colours, and kind of stained the others a bit during shipping, but it doesn’t have a strong smell of mint. Almost a salty smell, but the afterscent has a really nice aroma.
Lemongrass with herbs: My favourite scent of the bunch (I guess I like citrus and vanillas the best) and this baby exfoliates skin like crazy. When they said herbs, they meant it – because as the soap dissipates, you can see the herbs washing down the sink. My hands ended up a bit drier than the others because of the exfoliation factor, but there was still a moisturizing element to all of them.

I probably wouldn’t buy these again just because they shipped from the USA and I always promote buying local products. But if you’re in the USA and are looking for a trusty, natural skincare line, FOREUE isn’t a bad choice.

2) Josie Maran Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara

I learned about Josie Maran’s natural makeup line from Donna Bishop of Greenbeauty.ca. I was perfectly content on tarte cosmetics‘ waterproof mascara, but wasn’t 100% sure if it was non-toxic. While tarte’s cost $28 for .24oz, Josie Maran’s was only $26 for .34oz. You do the math. I did a toxin check before I purchased it at SEPHORA, and the box said that for every mascara purchased, Josie Maran’s Get One Give One Campaign donates to a City of Hope cancer patient or survivor. So how can you go wrong with that?

While tarte’s mascara really pumped up the volume, it was waterproof, which tends to stay on at night, especially if you use a mild cleanser like I am. While Josie Maran’s consistency is much thinner, I really like the fact that it doesn’t clump. The brush is fat, but there really isn’t a lot on the brush when you take it out of the tube – and less is best when applying, because you can always add more. In fact, I learned a new skill as a result of this mascara: how to apply while squinting, because I found that I was getting some of it on my contact lens, which can really make your day suck. Try squinting next time in front of the mirror!

3) AVEDA Pure Comfort Eye Makeup Remover

So after having switched to a milder natural cleanser, I had to get a makeup remover to take my eye makeup off before going to bed. AVEDA is never my first choice because I know the products aren’t made locally, but this product passed the toxin check and I have no complaints about it. No stinging, really nice scent; a little expensive at $23, so I’d appreciate suggestions on any other natural alternatives or brands.

4) AVEDA Pure Abundance Volumizing Hair Spray

Forever on the search for the perfect natural hair spray, I went this this one at $28. Like the others I’ve tried, this one is liquid. The scent is great, but because it’s hard to get perfect spray coverage, my curls will still come out after about 1.5-2 hours. AVEDA has a different aerosol spray – which I’ll probably go for next and will be the only one that works in the end – but it is more expensive at $34. What I DO love about this particular hair spray I bought, is the bottle. The spout never gets clogged because you need only twist the top cap to unlock and lock it. Nice job, AVEDA!

Next up: MuLondon Foaming Face Wash. It’s coming in the mail, so once I try her out, the review will come.