Product Review: Skin Care Products

Remember a few weeks ago when I bought new makeup and face wash? Well I wanted to use it a few weeks before I gave me opinion.

I have troublesome skin that can be oily or dry and I tend to get break outs. I was using harsh products on my skin that  I used to use when I was 13. My face was just getting worse so I knew I had to try a different approach.  I used to swear by Origins products but they just got too pricey.  I switched back to their Balanced Diet Moisturizer when I started using the two new products I bought. I was previously using a medicated moisturizer.

Let me start with the face wash..

I have used Aveeno lotions before and have always like them but I wasn’t sure how to feel about their face wash. Their description from their website

This creamy cleanser with moisture-rich soy extract gently exfoliates to help improve skin’s tone and texture while proven a blemish-fighting ingredient works to clear up break-outs without over-drying, leaving skin soft, smooth and even looking. This mild formula won’t clog pores and is gentle enough for everyday use.

Additional Product Benefits Include: oil-free, hypoallergenic, noncomedogenic, gentle enough for sensitive skin.

My thoughts?  I really liked it. It didn’t over dry  my skin like the other cleansers but I still felt like my face was clean after using it. My face has cleared up quiet a bit since using it. The beads in it weren’t harsh like some other cleansers.

The ingredient list was pretty short too. There are a few artificial ingredients (fragrance and color) but no scary parabens or such. Here are the ingredients.  :

Active Ingredient: Salicylic Acid 2%

Inactive Ingredients: Cetyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Microcystalline Wax, Polyethylene, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, PPG-15 Steryl Ether, Steareth-21, Water, Xanthan Gum, Chromium Hydroxide Green.

Could be worse and this is in my price range so I will probably keep using it for a while.

Next, the new foundation I picked up

I bought this in hopes is could replace the Bare Minerals I was using. I loved Bare Minerals but I had to go out of my way to get it and it was a bit pricey. So I stumbled upon this and decided to give it a try. I use it the exact way I would use my Bare Minerals – same brushes and everything.   The description from the Physician’s Formula website.

Combines the performance and coverage of a foundation with the blendability and natural finish of a loose powder.

Innovative sifter lid in the jar allows for mess-free application.

Natural kabuki brush and mirror included.

A 100% natural origin loose powder, formulated with 10.6% certified organic ingredients, including safflower seed oil and jojoba seed oil to moisturize and corn starch to mattify the skin.

Available in 6 shades.

It is also: 100% Free of Harsh Chemicals. 100% Free of Synthetic Preservatives. 100% Free of Parabens. 100% Free of GMO’s. 100% Free of Synthetic Colors. 100% Free of Synthetic Fragrances. 100% Cruelty Free

Pretty good, huh?  I actually love this makeup. It has the same coverage as Bare Minerals and I feel it lasts a little longer. I was apprehensive because there is oil in the ingredient lists but it didn’t make me break out at all. I also like that is comes in so many shades.  I would recommend this to anyone!

Here is the list of ingredients:

MICA, MAGNESIUM STEARATE, ZEA MAYS (CORN) STARCH*, CALCIUM CARBONATE, KAOLIN, CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS (SAFFLOWER) SEED OIL*, GLYCERIN, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) OIL*, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT OIL*, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) HULL POWDER*, SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL*, GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE, CINNAMIC ACID, SODIUM LEVULINATE, TOCOPHEROL, WATER. MAY CONTAIN: IRON OXIDES, TITANIUM DIOXIDE. *CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENT (ECOCERT)

I actually know what most of them are! Pretty impressive and affordable!

So what are some of the ingredients you should avoid in your skin care, hair care and cosmetics? This is a fabulous list put together by Fit Sugar:

1. Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Parabens: Used as a preservative to inhibit microbial growth and extend shelf life. Unfortunately, it can cause allergic reactions and skin rashes. Preliminary research found parabens in human breast cancer tumors.
2. Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA): These are used as foaming agents, but can cause allergic reactions, eye irritation, and dryness of the hair and skin. DEA and TEA are toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time, and are associated with cancer in lab animals.
3. Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea: Often used as preservatives, the American Academy of Dermatology has found these chemicals to be a primary cause of contact dermatitis (irritation caused by foreign substance). Both these chemicals release formaldehyde, which can be toxic.
4. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate: This is a cheap, harsh detergent used in many shampoos for its ability to cleanse and foam. Often derived from petroleum, it causes eye irritation, dry scalp, skin rashes and other allergic reactions. Be on the lookout for pseudo-natural products that list this ingredient with the phrase “comes from coconuts” – it’s still bad for you.
5. Petrolatum: Also known as petroleum jelly, this is a mineral oil derivative that can clog your pores. This in turn disrupts your body’s natural ability to moisturize its own skin, leading to dryness and chapping. Manufacturers use it because it’s really inexpensive.
6. Propylene Glycol: Ideally this is a vegetable glycerin mixed with grain alcohol, both of which are natural, but it’s usually made from synthetic chemicals. It has been known to cause hives and eczema. Beware of related chemicals labeled PEG and PPG.
7. PVP/VA Copolymer: A petroleum-derived chemical that’s used in hair styling products and some cosmetics. Considered toxic since if inhaled, it can damage the lungs.
8. Stearalkonium Chloride: This toxic chemical was designed by the fabric industry for use as a fabric softener. Companies use it in hair conditioners and lotions because it’s much cheaper than natural conditioning ingredients such as proteins.
9. Synthetic Colors: Labeled as FD&C or D&C and followed by a number, these make products look pretty but can be carcinogenic.
10. Synthetic Fragrances: Labeled simply as “fragrance,” there’s no way to tell what chemicals are actually in the product. People can get headaches, dizziness, rashes, and respiratory problems from them. People may also experience hyper-pigmentation, which means this chemical may cause brown spots to form on your skin.

Source

I hope to add more products that avoid these ingredients to my daily routine soon. Once I finish up a product I will try a more natural one in it’s place.

Have switched to more natural beauty products? What are you favorite products? If not, what is a beauty product you can’t imagine giving up?

CLEAR COMPLEXION CREAM CLEANSER

CLEAR COMPLEXION CREAM CLEANSERThis creamy cleanser with moisture-rich soy extract gently exfoliates to help improve skin’s tone and texture while a proven blemish-fighting ingredient works to clear up break-outs without over-drying, leaving skin soft, smooth and even-looking. This mild formula won’t clog pores and is gentle enough for everyday use.