FIRST IMPRESSION | BADGER DAMASCUS ROSE FACE OIL

Summer is here, but weirdly, I'm still having dry patches all over my face. I used to have very oily face during summers, so I'm not really sure what happened during this winter. My face did not show a single sign of oiliness even though it's been 25 degrees and up for the past few days. Good thing I got this little face oil to treat my dryness. I haven't tried it enough times to give an accurate review on this product yet, but up to now, it's been working pretty good. 

I've only applied this at night before bed time. I don't dare wear this in the morning yet as it's quite oily. Well, it's an oil...The smell of it is rose-like with a slight hint of spiciness, which is a lovely smell, and the consistency of it is the exact same as any cooking oil (but better). It's liquid, runny, and oily. 

This product currently falls into my so-so category as I've not seen any amazing effects with it yet. It definitely is moisturizing, but only when combined with another moisturizer. I've tried it alone, and I've woken up finding my dry patches more pronounced than when applied with moisturizers. Furthermore, I'm not sure if my "dry" patches are caused by my allergies, or if it's just because this oil is not moisturizing enough for me. So I'll have to give this product a little more time to test that out. 

Apart from claiming that the product is very moisturizing, it's also claiming that it reduces the appearance of fine lines. I sadly (well, luckily) don't have much fine lines at the moment, so I'm not quite sure how to test this claim, but I'll see how that work out and update you on this. 

Overall, my first impression is still pretty positive. I'm still calculating the amount I need to fully moisturize my face. I'm thinking that my dry patches might be because I'm not applying enough oil on my face...oh well. We'll see. But overall, this product is  really good and I'm enjoying it. 

REVIEW | DEVITA SOLAR PROTECTIVE MOISTURIZER SPF 30+

Happy Monday peeps! How was your weekend? ^.^

iluvjesse444 started a collab post about 10-15 products you would repurchase, and there are so many post coming up today about it! Go check them out!

Sadly, I'm not doing this collab as I'm really new to natural/organic products. I doubt I even have 10-15 products yet. =( Would have loved to join the party. Oh well! Maybe next time!

DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+

Product Descriptions: Back and Better than ever!

Sunshine Go Away Today... And it will with DeVita's feather-light, never heavy, oily or greasy moisturizing and natural sunscreen. It's hard to believe (but it's true!) that our all-natural, sheer, moisturizer/sun screen is a deeply moisturizing daytime cream and sun block all in one! DeVita's exclusive formulation is created specifically for those sensitive to breakouts (which means it is "non-comedogenic"). This moisturizer is light enough to wear under make-up, absorbs quickly, and yet leaves the skin nourished and feeling soft and smooth. Offers broad spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection with a USFDA Monograph Sun Protection Factor Determination test level of 32. Safe for adults and children. Titanium Dioxide Free. NO NANO TECHNOLOGY! (average particle size is 240 nm)

DeVita skin care products are 100 percent Vegan and Paraben Free. They are considered Gluten Sensitive Safe and never contain GMO's. DeVita products are never tested on animals (only humans!).

Ingredients: NO NANO TECHNOLOGY! (average particle size is 240 nm).

ACTIVE INGREDIENT: Zinc oxide 19%. INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Aloe Barbadensis (certified organic aloe vera gel), Purified Water (aqua), Capric/caprylic triglycerides (derived from coconut oil), Glycerin (vegetable), Hyaluronic acide (Vegan source), Glyceryl stearate SE (derived from vegetable oil), Stearic acid, Lecithin phospholipid, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Allantoin, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed extract. Ingredient labeling adheres to international INCI standards.

EWG's Skin Deep - Cosmetic Safety Database Rating: 1

My thoughts: So many bloggers talked about how wonderful this product was, so I had to try it for myself! With all those good reviews floating around, I just couldn't resist the temptation.

As a child, I never wore sun screen. The smell, the stickiness, the oil....blerk. I hated all of that (ya...there are quite a lot of products that I hated)! So my mom never bought me sun screen. As I grew older, I learned that sun rays can cause skin damages. So I decided to purchase my first sun screen at the age of 20 (pretty late eh?). It was the Neutrogena 30+. I wore that twice, before giving up. I still got my bottle here...between all my skin care items, and it's still full =(. 

So when I made the decision to purchase the DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+, I didn't quite know what to expect. But then since I had so many positive experiences with organic/natural products, I just said why not! 

To tell the truth, this moisturizer has been sitting on my desk since January. It was only three weeks ago that I decided to give it a go. And guess what?! For that entire three weeks, I wore it every morning! I'm actually pretty proud of myself! I'm also pretty happy that DeVita created such a wonderful product. 

However, I'm not totally satisfied with it...I'll show you why. 

DeVita Moisturizer

This is the texture of the moisturizer. Very creamy, smooth, and can be easily blended. It's actually the first sun screen that I enjoyed applying. It didn't leave the face feeling oily, or sticky, and it didn't have that unpleasant sun screen smell. I didn't break out from using it, and it actually feels very nice on the skin. Dries really fast, unlike most of the sun screen, and it doesn't leave a white cast when well blended. 

HOWEVER!

DeVita residue?

I have been trying to figure out what are those white things that are in the picture? 

When I'm done applying this sun screen (or moisturizer), I get these little white things on my face (mainly on my forehead) as well as my hands, as you can see. Is it because I'm wearing it wrong? Is there some sort or process I have to go through? I'm wearing it on top of my moisturizer because my face is pretty dry during the winter, so is it because of the moisturizer? Is this happening to other people too?

Would love to hear what other people think...Because really...I'm actually enjoying this product very much. But this white thing is kind of bothering me. I would have plenty of fall outs, and it would be every where on my desk, floor, or anything that was underneath my face while I was applying this. And then some of those white stuff would get stuck on my lashes, on my nose, ... pretty much every where on my face. 

Love the product itself. It's giving me that boost of moisture, doesn't have all the stuff I hate about sun screen, and it feels quite smooth. So....=(

Please tell me what I'm doing wrong!!!!

• Cost: $14.49 - $25.95 (Price varies depending on where purchased)
• Size: 2.5 oz. / 75 mL
• Acquired: Bought with my own money.
• Where to buy: DeVita website, iHerb, VitaCost, and LuckyVitamin

* None of the links on my blog are affiliate links. ;)

That's all folks! Have a nice week! And have a nice reading of the blog collab!

Don't forget to subscribe to my blog as well as follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Bloglovin!

xoxo,

Kiwee

REVIEW | EGYPTIAN MAGIC

Egyptian Magic All-Purpose Skin Cream

Product Description: Egyptian Magic All-Purpose Skin Cream "The People's Choice" is new to your market. It is a phenomenal healing balm with legendary powers due to its unique mixture of all natural ingredients derived only from living plants and organisms. Egyptian Magic All-Purpose Skin Cream "The People's Choice" has been on the market since August 1991 with a solid track record, a loyal word of mouth following, and twice the healing power for half the price of conventional skin creams.

Direction: There are two methods that seems to be working well. The first method is to apply it on a dampen face. The second method is to warm the product between your fingers before applying. As stated on the website "Egyptian Magic is a solidified, oil-based product, you will see the best results if you soften it by warming it up before applying it". When you soften it between your fingers, it will turn into oil. You may then apply it wherever desired (yep...almost anywhere!).

Ingredients: Honey, Beeswax, Olive Oil, Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen, Bee Propolis.

EWG's Skin Deep - Cosmetic Safety Database Rating: Oh ya! Another 0 (zero)!

My thoughts: Another product review ^^ And this time, it's a natural + organic product that is used by a lot of celebrities. Pretty harsh winter this year, and my skin has been pretty dry. Taking care of only my hands (previous post about Badger Balm for Sensitive Dry Skin), was not enough! 

When I first received this product, I was quite skeptical. I read tons of reviews about how wonderful this product is, but I was thinking...how can a product be so good? Especially when it's multipurpose. It claims to treat eczema, works as a moisturizer, a hair mask, an eye cream, highlight for cheekbones, acne, etc and etc. Ouf. The list goes on and on, and I just can't believe that it would work for everything. 

So I decided to put this product to a two week test. I don't have eczema, so couldn't test that, but I tested it as an acne treatment + moisturizer + eye cream + scars. Before testing this product, I was having a couple of pimples. I had two huge pimples: One on my forehead, and one on the left side of my bottom lips (the one you guys probably saw from my Hurraw! review picture). So it was a wonderful time for me to try how this product dealt with acne! I also had very dry skin due to winter as well as no eye cream. NO EYE CREAM? ya...I haven't found my natural/organic eye cream yet xD. A week ago before receiving the product, I also bumped my foot on a pointy wood...so I had a big boubou there. What a great moment (coincidence) to test this product eh?

Every night (yes night...I was too scared to use this product in the morning at first), I would take a little amount and dot it on my spots. At the same time, I would moisturize my entire face, including my eyes with Egyptian Magic. I would take around a dime size amount (around the same amount in the picture below), and rub it between my fingers, until it became soft and oily. Then I would gently pad it all around my face + eyes. I had to take a little bit more to rub it on my foot for my boubou.

Amount I would use

After softening it

The moment I rubbed this product on my face, I thought I was going to break out more! It was so oily, and my face was so shiny. I was quite worried there...However, after around a couple of minutes, I saw that the product settled a bit more, and I didn't look like a disco ball no more (phew).

The first day (right after I woke up from first use)...I just couldn't believe how soft my face felt! OMG. It was silky smooth to the point I couldn't stop touching my face! Believe me, this moisturizer is as good as any conventional high end moisturizer. I also used it at the same time as my Badger Balm on my hands, and it definitely gave that little boost of moisture. 

Apart from feeling super hydrated and moisturized, I sadly did not see a decrease in my dark circle. But I felt that the the moisture was good enough. I also did not see any changes to my acne scars (redness). Maybe they faded a little bit? But I didn't notice much. Good thing is my two pimples definitely decreased and healed faster than it normally would! It normally takes me about a week to get rid of a pimple. But when I used this, it only took 2-3 days. 

My boubou also healed faster! Yay! Now it's totally gone! Forgot to take a picture of that...=(

Overall, this is a really good product. At first, I thought it was too oily, but on the third day of use, I started using it in the morning as eye cream. You just really need a tiny little bit of amount, and you're ready to go! It's good as an eye primer also! But you really have to be careful with the amount you are using...or else it'll be too oily. 

Couple downside though...first, the smell. Don't expect it to be smelling all yummy...It does smell quite weird. Smells like...Honey? Beewax? Olive oil? All mixed together? Ya, something like that. But it's not bothersome. The smell fades away after a couple of seconds. Another downside is the price (as usual, I will post the price below)! However, you really only need a little bit. So the jar will last quite a long time. But it was still piggy breaking!

Apparently, it is also good for bug bites! I will definitely try that when summer comes, and give you an update!

• Cost: About $25-$45(depending on where purchased + size purchased)
• Size: 2 oz./4 oz.
• Acquired: Sent to me (I'm not paid, or rewarded of any kind. This is my honest review)
• Where to buy: http://www.egyptianmagic.com/ (Go to "Store Locator" and type in your address to find a store/carrier near you)

NOTE: If you are not satisfied with the product, you have a 100% guarantee. It is stated on their website "Money back guaranteed! If for any reason you are not satisfied with the results of this product, just return the half used jar & receipt to the place of purchase for a FULL AND COMPLETE REFUND." Hihi, isn't this wonderful? 

Thoughts? Ever tried this magic before? 

Don't forget to subscribe, and follow me on Facebook + Twitter!

xoxo,

Kiwee

REVIEW | BADGER BALM FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

Badger Balm For Sensitive Dry Skin

Product Description: 

USDA Certified Organic

• No added scent.
• Ultra moisturizing for dry & sensitive skin
• Soothes and softens your driest, hardest, and roughest skin

A Brave Badger's Most Basic Balm. Many people are sensitive to even the most natural of essential oils and fragrances... they need a skin soothing "Un Balm." So we made it! Badger Balm Unscented provides USDA certified organic, ultra-concentrated moisturizing power for your dry, cracked, chapped, rough and weathered hands and skin! This is an all-purpose remedy for dry, cracked skin in the tradition of our original Badger Balm. Extremely soothing for cracked fingers, hands and feet, dry lips, cracked, chapped, rough and weathered skin anywhere on the body, and for helping to heal scrapes and scratches. Gentle, mild and effective.

Note: Though we do not add any fragrance of any kind to this product, the balm retains the light, subtle scent of the pure USDA Certified Organic Olive Oil it's made out of.

Directions: Lightly rub fingers over the surface of the balm and apply anywhere on the body. For larger areas (legs, arms) dig into the balm with the tip of a clean finger. Just remember: a little goes a long way!

Ingredients: *Olea Europaea (Extra Virgin Olive) Oil, & *Cera Alba (Beeswax).

*=Certified Organic

EWG's Skin Deep - Cosmetic Safety Database Rating: 0 (zero)

My Thoughts: It's winter here in Montreal, and I have not been putting any cream on my hands since as long as I can remember. When winter arrived, my hands (especially right hand) became super dry. Due to the fact that I was unable to find a good natural/organic moisturizer for my hand, and I was afraid to buy any conventional moisturizer... I kept it dry. It became so dry that the skin started to peel off + hurt (ya...pretty gross), and scars started to form. I tried taking picture of my scars (picture below), but I'm not too sure if it shows very well on camera.

Very dry + cracked hands

After 7 days of use

I don't know if you can see those brown looking scars? Yep...well it was pretty bad. Badger Balm for sensitive dry skin SAVED my skin (my right hand more precisely)! The picture on the right is a picture I took only after 7 days of use (the red dot is a cut I got from that day..boohoo). During those 7 days, I did not constantly use Badger. Only used it when I was not lazy =P (probably once a day), and it already healed that much! Overall, the product is really good and moisturizing. It has a light scent of olive oil, and it's creamy + oily. When I first used it, I was afraid that my hands would feel super oily, but nope. The skin absorbs it really well, and it doesn't feel oily at all. Now, my skin is not as dry as it used to be, even if I've only used it once a day for the past 7 days, and my hand doesn't hurt anymore! The only downside is the packaging. I just find it weird that I have to stick my finger in the balm...and then all the germs that are in there are going to stay in there (yuck)...So I think it would be great if there was a way for Badger to put this in some kind of bottle where we could squeeze the product out. I also find it quite difficult to open the balm...(maybe that's just me) that's probably why I'm getting lazy to put the balm. 

Nevertheless, it's an amazing product for dry skin! Definitely repurchasing when I'll be done with this one...probably going to take a long time, as a little goes a long way.

• Cost: About $8.00 (depending on where purchased)
• Size: 2 oz.
• Acquired: Bought with my own money (on iHerb. Received in 13 days)
• Where to buy: http://www.badgerbalm.com/ (also available on iHerb, and LuckyVitamin)

That's it!

Have you ever tried any of Badger Company's product? Any favorites?

xoxo,
Kiwee

REVIEW : NARDO'S NATURAL CLEANSER & MOISTURIZER

Organic Face Cream & Exfoliant

• Cost: $23.99 
• Size: 3.4 oz /100 mL
• Texture: Green colored watery liquid
• Skin Type: All skin types.
• Where to buy: http://www.nardosnatural.com

Product Description: Gently cleanses the skin as well as very light exfoliation. As website describes, "Revive pores and remove impurities with a succulent blend of organic extracts and powerful bateria-fighting agents. A non-abrasive formula that exfoliates on a cellular level. Unveil a luminous glow as you cleanse and gently exfoliate in one step."

Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Juice, Aspalathus linearis (Organic Rooibos Tea) Extract, Olea europaea (Organic Olive) Oil, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Emulsifying Wax, Vegetable Glycerin, MSM, Helianthus annuus (Organic Sunflower) Oil, Decyl Glucoside, DMAE, Camellia sinensis (Organic Green Tea) Extract, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Organic Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Sodium Hyaluronate, Activated Charcoal, Camellia sinensis (Organic White Tea) Extract, Usnea (Organic Lichen) Extract, Salixnigra (Organic Black Willowbark) Extract, Panthenol (Vitamin B Complex), Calophyllum inophyllum (Tamanu) Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C Ester), Xanthan Gum.

EWG's Skin Deep - Cosmetic Safety Database Rating: None (Not on it)

My Thoughts: I've been using this for about 4 months now, and I'm quite loving it. It smells SO good. It cleanses pretty well, and does clean off makeup. It won't give the squeaky clean feeling, and doesn't have a super dryness feeling after cleansing. However, when I bought this, I wasn't very familiar with the ingredients. Now that I know a little bit more,  the ingredients are quite disappointing. Ingredients such as Cocamidopropyl Betaine (which is a strong lathering agent), DMEA (adjuster), and MSM (perservative), are pretty bad. If these ingredients were not in there (as I really want to go natural), I would definitely repurchase! I saw my skin improving so much! SAD....

More Information on the hazard ingredients
*Cocamidopropyl Betaine
"A synthetic surfactant; it has been associated with irritation and allergic contact dermatitis, reactions that could be due to the ingredient itself or to impurities present in it, such as 3-dimethylaminopropylamine"
*Information found on the www.ewg.org website

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Organic Face Cream

• Price: $24.99
• Size: 1.7 oz / 50 mL
• Texture: Pearl color light & creamy
• Skin Type: All skin types.
• Where to buy: http://www.nardosnatural.com

Product Description: "Rejuvenate. Powerful hydration formula enriched with essential vitamins and minerals. A light blend specially designed to revitalize facial tissue & strengthen collagen. All-natural antioxidant boosters absorb easily into the skin to breakdown free radicals and help prevent premature aging. Discover intense hydration while natural emollients rejuvenate brilliance to your skin."

Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Juice, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Organic Oil, Rosa damascena (Rose) Distillate, Simmondsia chilnensis (Organic Jojoba) Oil, Aspalathus Lineans (Organic Rooibos Tea) Extract, Emulsifying Wax, Palm Stearic Acid, Vegetable Glycerin, Punica granatum (Organic Pomegranate) Extract, Methysulfonylmethane (MSM), Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Xanthan Gum (Polysaccharide Gum), Lavandula officinalis (Lavender 40/42) Essential Oil, Anthemis nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Essential Oil.

EWG's Skin Deep - Cosmetic Safety Database Rating: None (Not on it)

My Thoughts: LOVE the smell! It smells so good! My boyfriend was like "what is that on your face, it smells so good". It WAS such a good moisturizer. I did not get any pimples since I used this moisturizer, and I was loving it UNTIL I found Emulsifying Wax in the ingredients. Same as the cleanser, I would definitely repurchase if these ingredients were not present in the product. It just made my skin feel so smooth! AGAIN...I'm disappointed by the ingredients =(

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Sadly, I wouldn't recommend Nardo's Natural to anyone that wants to be 100% natural since it contains some "bad" ingredients. But I would recommend these products to anyone that is not 100% natural. I loved this skin line until the ingredients popped out to me and turned me down. I would be in hunt of new cleanser and moisturizer as soon as I'm done with Nardo's Natural. 
For more information about Nardo's Natural, here's their website.

xoxo,
Kiwee