Organic skin

I’ve had an interest in organic and natural skin care products for a while, but because I have difficult skin it’s been a challenge finding something that alleviates the angry red cystic spots that pop up and fits within my modest artist budget. I’m more than willing to try new things, so when one of my friends mentioned Vitale Natural, a Brisbane organic beauty store, I had to have a closer look.

When I had a closer look I found a bunch of things I wanted to try! I could have gone into the Paddington salon, but postage was only $4.95 and last week was very busy and stressful so I got it mailed out to me. It came two days later, just as we were about to leave for a long weekend of relaxation! Perfect timing.

Let me take you into the marvelously scented world of my recent beauty purchases!

Remedica – Richesse de L’Afrique Pure Organic Anago
One of my friends had sampled this and raved about it, so we each bought a tub. Not knowing what to expect, I had assumed it was a dry cleanser that one adds water to in order to develop the lather. The Pure Organic Anago cleanser turned out to be a brown paste with little bits of stuff in it; in order to get a lather you’ve got to splash your face first then scoop a little out with your nail and rub all over. The lather is pretty fantastic, and a little bit certainly does go a long way. I’ve noticed my skin is a lot less red and bothered looking, and in conjunction with the Bee Yummy cream I’ve seen a lot of gunk come out of my face! My skin does seem to dry out very quickly after using the product, so I make sure I moisturise straight away.

Live Live – Bee Yummy Skin Food
I had been using Perfect Potion’s Geranium Moisturising Emulsion for about a year but was curious to try the Be Yummy “Skin Food” as I’d seen some rave reviews from people suffering from acne. Being a realist (suffering from cystic acne since 12!) I didn’t really expect Bee Yummy to banish my cysts to forever-and-ever-away but in the last couple of weeks I have noticed that I don’t have dry spots and my skin doesn’t feel “heavy”. It also helps my cysts and blemishes heal within days, when it has taken weeks in the past. That’s a pretty fantastic improvement! I did notice minor breakouts around my face within the first week, but that is apparently quite a normal process when you start using the Skin Food.

Third Stone Botanicals – Green Tea Eye Serum
My sister (who manages a Jurlique store) is always telling me I should be using an eye cream. I’ve never bought an eye cream though! At my last facial before I got married the therapist mentioned that the skin around my eyes was quite dehydrated but I shrugged it off as part of the spiel they give you so you buy product. Recently however, I’ve realised I’m turning 30 so it, uh, might be time to look into these things. My skin is oily and I know that helps prevent wrinkles, but I figured it’d be nice to give a light eye product a go and then review the situation when the bottle runs out. So far I really like the serum, and feel my eyes are a lot more relaxed after applying it. Do be sure not to use too much, because a tiny 2mm ball will be more than enough. I’m pretty sure this bottle will last for ages if I store it properly!

Badger Balms – Cinnamon Bay and Tangerine Breeze
Having big old lips means I go through a lot of lip balm, so I’m always looking for something new! My favourite so far is Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil which smells delicious, feels wonderfully moisturising and is a fantastic base if you want to turn your lipstick into a sheer slick. I’d seen some good reviews of Badger Balms so I threw two in my shopping cart. I like the glossy veneer these balms give my lips, they are definitely not matte finish like most balms. I was disappointed by Tangerine Breeze, because it smells and tastes like castor oil to me and I was hoping it’d be very citrussy! On the other hand, the Cinnamon Bay balm is amazing if you love cinnamon like me. I want to eat my face off every time I put it on!

Remedica – African Anago Gentle Salt Scrub – Sample!
The little ball in the little container up there is Remedica’s Anago Salt Scrub. My skin usually finds exfoliating scrubs too harsh, so I stay away from them, but I tried this on non-blemished parts of my skin and adored the aniseed scent and the tingle it left behind. It doesn’t lather very well, and the salt scatters so it doesn’t feel like it’s really exfoliating anything except in between your fingers.

Have you bought any new natural skin care products lately? I’d love to hear your recommendations.

Related posts:

1. DIY Turmeric Face Mask