Korres Blush, $24

(Korres Blush in 22 Purple)
Sephora had a sale on Korres Blush for a while ($10 instead of $24), so I decided to try it out. One thing that got me interested is their all-natural stance: they don't use parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, or phthalates (ok, I don't know what the last one is, but I'm sure a quick trip to Wikipedia will tell me it's probably not good). Sephora gives it their natural seal, basically saying they found this makeup to be awesome and awesome for you. Sounds good! Also, I was interested to try a "purple" shade since I always lean toward pink or peach.

(Korres Blush)
(back)
The container is really clean and fresh, reflecting their belief in simple, natural products. First thing I noticed (as you might have in the first pic): umm, this isn't really that purple. Looks to me like a dusty rose shade. But, ok, still a really pretty color. Just not really what I expected.

The blush itself is really soft and very highly pigmented. I'd recommend dabbing the blush brush in once, lightly, before adding more. It's not shimmery per se (like my standby, Nars Orgasm) but it does have very subtle light-reflecting particles that add the tiniest bit of glow. Really cute and natural!

I put on a lot here for the pic so you could really get an idea for the color. I think it's beautiful and the texture is super light and smooth. I gotta say I'm impressed!

Final Verdict
Cost: $24 is almost the price I pay for Nars, and with a great product I understand why it's expensive. I say if you find a color you like, it would be worth it. You don't have to use much so it would last a while. Sold only at Sephora (or Amazon!).
Glowing: The blush is light and soft, and the color is highly pigmented, sprinkled with glow-inducing loveliness. It would be really nice for someone who wants a little bit of sparkle without it being obvious.
Color: You'll want to check out the colors in-person first--I was expecting a deepish purple and got a dusty rose instead. Not a bad color but a bit of a surprise, for sure.
Repeat offender: Based on my experience with this, I would definitely buy more from Korres. I'm not really in the market for more blush but their other products seem interesting. Plus, they seem to go on sale a lot, which is always a plus!

-T

Trader Joe's Tea Tree Oil Pure Vegetable Soap (bar), $1.50

I went to Trader Joe's the other day and decided to try their Tea Tree Oil Bar Soap. I love TJ's, love their oatmeal soap, and really love tea tree oil. A lot of all-natural beauty products (especially soaps and shampoos) contain tea tree oil--it's a natural astringent, is antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, and may even have some of the same skin-clearing benefits of benzoyl peroxide (thanks, Wikipedia!). Plus, it's $1.50 for 2 bars--what do you have to lose?


I loooove the smell of tea tree oil. The first time I smelled it was when I got pure tea tree oil to clean my belly button ring (lol). I opened it and was like, "Whew!" It's strong! But there was something in it that is really clean and natural--nothing smells quite like it. The fragrance is much less intense in this bar soap compared to the pure oil, but still is distinct. The soap smells nicely in the shower but doesn't leave much of a lingering scent.

This vegetable soap is all-natural and contains no animal byproducts (and, of course, there's no animal testing). A lot of all-natural soaps don't really lather that much, but this one soaps up really nicely. I used a loofa (mesh sponge thing) and was surprised at how much lather I got out of it. It left my skin feeling tight and clean--I used it after working out and it felt like it really cleaned away that yucky, sweaty feeling.

Final verdict
Cost: $1.50--are you kidding? That's nothing! Totally worth it.
Smell: I love the scent of tea tree oil, but it may not be so great to everyone. Try smelling some before you buy it. (They have the oil at TJ's, but smell lightly!)
Clean feeling: This soap left me feeling clean and left my skin feeling tight. I think I could probably even use it for my face if I'm feeling really oily (with some light moisturizer).
Repeat offender: I would buy this again. It's a deal and it's a great, cruelty-free soap. Yay, TJ's!

-T

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser, $8

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser is an all-natural cleanser made with natural oils, including orange oil and olive oil, intended to cleanse your face without stripping it of moisture. I received it from a coworker who wasn't entirely thrilled with it. She described her experience this way: "You know how ancient civilizations would use oil to cleanse? It kind of felt like that." She explained that it didn't lather and didn't leave her feeling clean. Even though I have the same type of combination skin as she does (dry in some places, oily in others), I decided to try it.


The orange oil means it smells amazing, like fresh oranges. As I was washing with it, I understood what my coworker meant--it definitely does not lather at all, which I'm okay with. I know a lot of all-natural products don't lather very much because they haven't added the unnatural ingredients that lather just for show; regarding face wash, this isn't a problem for me.

When I rinsed my face, I had to use a warm washcloth to really get the cleanser off. Otherwise, it just felt like it was still there. After drying, I noticed that it did clean off my makeup and did not strip my face of oils. It felt soft and moisturized. The problem is that I already have oily skin. I actually enjoy that "stripped," tight feeling--it makes me feel clean. I replace my face's moisture with moisturizer (with SPF) so I can keep it under control. While it did not leave my skin feeling oily, I felt anxious that my oil would come back later in full-force. The ingredients did say to follow with a toner.

Final verdict
Cost: $9 is a reasonable price for a facial cleanser, especially an all-natural one.
Experience: It smells amazing, doesn't lather, and doesn't leave that tight feeling that some people hate (not me, though, I love it).
Skin type: This would work best for sensitive and dry skin.
Repeat offender: I wouldn't buy this again--I don't think it's made for my kind of skin. I like Burt's Bees though, so I might try their other facial cleansers.

-T

PS--UrbanDecay.com is having a 30% off sale! Use promo code 1SFNF at checkout. Good until April 19!

Nature’s Gate Jojoba Revitalizing Shampoo, $6.29

For the past couple of years up until about the end of last summer I had long hair and was trying to grow it longer. For me having long hair was fun but the texture of my hair seemed to change, it got super thin, weighed down, and even started falling out at a rapid pace. I didn’t go to the doctor or anything but I decided to change my shampoo. I thought that maybe the shampoo I was using (I think it was Fructis) was too heavy for my hair so I went to Whole Foods looking for a more natural option. I wash my hair daily, otherwise it just doesn’t look right—I am one of those people. But you know everyone has to figure out what works for their hair. The shampoo I picked at the time was Nature’s Gate Biotin Strengthening Shampoo. I read that biotin is good to take as a supplement if you are trying to grow your hair so I thought it was worth a shot to try it in a shampoo. It is not proven that biotin in shampoo can actually do much but I was willing to try it. This shampoo was light, smelled mildly minty, and was perfect for an everyday shampoo. I used this product for months and I did notice a difference in my hair falling out, it was doing it much less but I cant 100% guarantee you that it was from the shampoo. Since then I have cut my hair short so it is much healthier and it hardly sheds!


A few weeks ago I ran out of my favorite Biotin Strengthening shampoo so I went to my local Whole Foods and to my pleasure the whole line was on sale, but my Biotin shampoo was sold out! I love when this stuff goes on sale at Whole Foods because it sells for about half the price and I just stock up on a few bottles, they last me a long time! I decided to try a different shampoo so I went with this Jojoba Revitalizing Shampoo for Damaged Hair and the conditioner. The shampoo has a very pleasant mild scent that reminds me a little bit of baby shampoo. I have been using the Jojoba shampoo for the last few weeks and I think my hair is really happy! It is a great daily use shampoo because of the short list of ingredients. A really awesome thing about Nature’s Gate is that they have a glossary of their ingredients on their website so you know exactly what is in your product, and what the use is.

Final verdict:
Cost: $6.29, but like I said before it goes on sale pretty regularly, it lasts a long time, and you can even buy it in bulk on their site.
As a brand?: Nature’s Gate is a really great brand that carries a lot of different beauty products that I would love to try. They recycle, don’t test on animals, and are even vegan—so basically they are guilt free. You can order from their site (it is run through drugstore.com), Amazon (4 bottles at a time!), or just go to your local Whole Foods, I have even seen their products at Giant and Safeway.
Repeat offender?: I will definitely keep using this line of shampoos, my hair feels healthier and even though it is probably from many different factors I think that using a more natural option helped it get healthier. I even bought two bottles of their Herbal Daily shampoo and conditioner to try after my Jojoba Revitalizing shampoo runs out (I’ll let you know how it goes!)

-M

Aveda Brilliant Damage Control, $15

Enough of winter! My mind has already moved on to summer and I think we all need a trip to the beach. My friends know that anytime I'm on vacay, I always have Aveda Brilliant Damage Control with me. Once I get out of the shower, I make sure to spray it all over my wet hair before exposing it to the sun, salt water, or chlorine. Actually, I use it after every shower--it protects your hair (especially color-treated hair that's susceptible to split-ends, like mine) not only from environmental damage but also from blowdryers, flat irons, and curling irons. And it makes a great detangling spray that deeply conditions your hair, making it all silky smooth without getting greasy. If your hair is really rough, try spraying it on your brush or comb before putting it through your hair. It works great on all hair types (I know, since all my friends have used my bottle and loved it).

Final verdict
Cost: $15, available online or at salons.
Loving care: Protects your hair, detangles it, and conditions it.
Hair types: Good for all types but especially for hair that's dry, already damaged, or has a hard life of blowdrying and ironing.
Repeat offender: You might remember my undying love for Aveda expressed in my hair whip post. I've bought so many bottles of Damage Control that I've lost count. Lovelovelove.

-T

Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme, $9

Burt's Bees is an awesome brand. They have hundreds of products that range from shampoo to makeup to baby soap. They use recycled materials and natural ingredients that have been proven safe.

Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme is one of their popular hand moisturizers. This immensely thick cream is loaded with almond oil (1st ingredient on the label) which is amazing for dry skin, but does leave a slightly oily (but not slimy) feel. In the winter the oil is a nice protective layer, but might be too much for some people. It has that familiar cherry-almond scent, though I must warn you: if you don't love that smell you will not want to buy this. The smell is very strong, but I happen to enjoy it--it fades a little after you apply it, but leaves a good amount of fragrance.

In the end, it's a good moisturizer for seriously dry hands and feet if you enjoy the smell and don't mind the (all-natural!) oil.

Final verdict:
Cost: Burt's Bees products get a rep for being really expensive, but they're not too bad--especially because they make great stuff. $9 is a reasonable price.
Skin type: Definitely for use on severely dry skin. Because of their natural ingredients, it won't irritate sensitive skin.
Scent: I enjoy the strong cherry-almond scent but if you don't, it will be overwhelming.
Repeat offender: I can't see myself using this entire tub because you only need a very small amount. I will, however, continue to buy Burt's Bees products--I've loved nearly every one I've tried!

-T

Aveda Light Elements Defining Whip, $22

When I get a haircut, I get crazy layers all over the place. My fine hair (fine to medium, I guess) will simply fall flat otherwise. And let me tell you, I pay good money to get those layers, so I want them to really show! To have life! To separate themselves from the rest! To stand apart and be seen! Allow me to introduce to you one of my favorite hair products of all time and a staple in my everyday life: Aveda Light Elements Defining Whip.

A little background: Aveda is a highly trusted name in the beauty business, known not only for their great products but also for using natural, gentle ingredients and doing their part to lessen their environmental impact. If you've ever used Aveda hair products you know they have this amazing smell--earthy and slightly flowery, but not perfumey.


It adds texture and definition to your hair--meaning it controls flyaways and creates that awesome piecey look. Your bangs going out of control? Use a little of this to calm them down without getting greasy! It works great for long hair and short hair--dudes too! It's made for finer hair, so it's really light and won't weigh your hair down. When you put your hands in your hair later, it doesn't feel sticky or gross.

I use this as the very last step in my hair routine. To use, put a small amount on your index finger, like in the picture. Use your thumb and middle finger (and maybe the fingers on your other hand) to rub it together--this will help to put the product in your hair more evenly. Using your fingers and thumb, quickly grab at the ends of your hair, concentrating on the different layers. Then, tousle it through at the roots, even turning your head upside-down if you want a crazier look. Remember, start with a little bit, because you can always add more.

Here's a pic of me about a year ago, when I had shorter hair:
You can really see, especially in the bangs and on the ends, how the whip really adds the finishing touch to a haircut like this.

Final verdict
Cost: $22 may seem a bit high, but I'm willing to pay it! I use it literally everyday, and have had the same jar for maybe a year and a half. You really don't need that much, so it lasts a long time.
Style: I've used it when my hair is short or long, wavy or straight, dried naturally or blow-dried. You can even use it to smooth a ponytail. Aveda says that it can be used on all hair types, but it's especially best for hair that gets weighed down by other, heavier products.
Repeat offender: I looooove this stuff. It makes my hair look and feel awesome. I tell everyone about it! You can buy it at a lot of salons or from their website.

-T

Pangea Organics Eye Cream - Turkish Rose & White Tea, $55

I got this free sample of Pangea Organics Eye Cream - Turkish Rose & White Tea from my last Sephora.com purchase. I'm a big fan of all-natural and organic products, and though I'm probably not old enough to see a significant difference from eye cream, I think it's important for everyone, especially young adults, to moisturize moisturize moisturize. Pangea claims it has tons of antioxidants and other age-defying ingredients to really protect the delicate eye area. So I thought, "Why not? I'll give it a try."

The first thing I noticed was the pungent smell--it's really, really bad, almost sour. I wanted to get it off immediately, run to the sink and wash it all away. I felt like it would soak into my pajamas and bedsheets and invade my dreams. But I kept it on for you, oh trusty blog readers.

It felt creamy enough, and I guess left my eye skin moisturized, but I didn't see a dramatic effect. It didn't make me appear more awake or glowing. Luckily the smell didn't linger on into the morning.

Final verdict:
Cost: $55 is a bit too much for eye cream, if you ask me.
Smell: Pungent and awful.
Repeat offender?: No, I would not buy this. Maybe I don't have visible wrinkles to fill in and I admit I only used it once, but even if it worked miracles I would have a hard time getting over the smell. I might try other products from this brand because I think the problems stemmed from this particular fragrance; still, it is on the pricier side.

-T

Trader Joe’s Oatmeal & Honey Soap, $1.99

For the longest time I would only use body washes and completely snub barred soap. I thought that soap bars were more prone to dry out my skin and not actually produce a good lather, but I was definitely wrong. I also suffer from really super sensitive skin, and not just on my face. In the winter months my legs get so dry that I feel like ripping my own skin off. I did a little research and found out that oatmeal is a really good “cure” to dry skin so I started my hunt for a soap that contained oatmeal to help with the itching. I went straight for body washes that claimed to be infused with oatmeal to help with itchy skin but none of the ones I tried really helped.

I picked up Trader Joe’s Next to Godliness Oatmeal & Honey Soap on a trip to my former place of employment (I remember stocking the soap on the shelf but I had never tried it!). For $1.99 you get 2 full bars of soap (4 oz each) that are made with just a handful of really recognizable (and natural) ingredients. I didn’t think this soap would do the trick but this mild soap is perfect for those of us with dry skin. Not only is it infused with flecks of oatmeal that are so fine you can hardly tell they are there, but it has a really nice mild smell that leaves you feeling fresh and feminine (don’t worry boys you can use this soap too its not just for girls). The soap builds a nice lather that goes on the skin smooth and once rinsed off you can feel that your skin is moisturized. Without any added perfumes this soap is purely for the purpose of cleaning and soothing dry skin. This won’t replace the need to moisturize with a lotion like this one, but it will definitely help with the itchiness and soothe your dry and unhappy winter-abused skin.

Final verdict:
Cost: $1.99 for 2 full bars of soap (a good deal in my opinion)
Scent: Mild, clean, and soft
Repeat offender: I’ve been using this soap for months, I will definitely continue to (just hope Trader Joe’s doesn’t stop carrying it—they do that sometimes!)
-M