Somatique Face Cleanser Review

In this review, you'll read about Somatique's Facial Cleanser (Pictured on right). To read about the Stretch Mark Treatment, click here.

     

You guys may remember my postings on Lady Soma products I'd used (and fallen in love with) a while back. I have had the amazing opportunity to try two newer products from the same folks of the Lady Soma product line. This one is Somatique, and I've been using both their Facial Cleanser and their Stretch Mark Treatment. In this post, I'm going to discuss the Facial Cleanser because I just can't get enough of the stuff! And also because I haven't yet gotten to use the Stretch Mark Treatment for a long period of time, so I won't be posting on it until I've used it long enough to see the full results. Be on the lookout for that post in the future, though, because I already know it's going to be an exciting one (hint: I'm already pretty impressed with the Stretch Mark Treatment).

Now, I don't often spend time writing about a facial cleanser unless there's really something that can be said about it, and let me tell you, with the effective and carefully selected ingredients in the Somatique Facial Cleanser, there is a lot to be said about it. It's good stuff! 

In this post, I'm going to go into detail about the ingredients in this Facial Cleanser, so you get a good understanding of why I am so fond of it.   Hint: Ya'll know I adore a facial cleanser that's natural, safe and packed with great skin benefits! 

Keep reading to get the whole low-down on the Somatique Cleanser.

Somatique Facial Cleanser is, as the bottle says, a "thorough and gentle cleanser," which is really what most of us want in a facial cleanser. The key is to get those pores well cleaned without completely stripping your face of all its great stuff like the natural, and necessary oils. 

And let's face it, some of us have a tough time getting a cleanser that provides us with clean skin while not stripping it down to a face full of flaky, dry skin. Can anybody relate?

For most of my life, I've struggled with my facial cleansers. I've tried it all. And my skin refuses to be laid back and easy going. It wants to be oily in some areas and dry, flaky in others. It wants to break out here and there, and whew! It's exhausting.

I was really fond of the Lady Soma Berry Face Mask I'd used in the past, and still enjoy using from time to time. So when the opportunity to introduce a brand new facial cleanser into my beauty routine came up, I didn't hesitate to try it out. My skin tends to spaz out anytime I introduce it to a new cleanser, but I was all too  happy to go there with the Somatique Cleanser. Are you ready to hear how that has been going for me and my crazy, mood-swinging skin?

My Results Using Somatique Facial Cleanser

Immediately after using Somatique Facial Cleanser, my skin was soft and smooth! That's something I don't feel often, so I was happy when I rinsed off and revealed soft skin that wasn't so dry that it felt tight. That's kind of what I expected simply because I could just feel the great cleansing action happening when I massaged the cleanser on my face.

During the first couple of weeks of using the Somatique Facial Cleanser, I began to see an improvement in my skin's texture (which was awful at the time of starting!) My pores were looking less large, and to my surprise, those blasted dark eye circles that have resulted in so much frustration lately appeared to be looking less... dark and circley!

 I didn't expect the facial cleanser to have any affect on those stubborn fellas, so I was nearly awe-struck (that's a word, right?) when I seen them improving. Also because I've literally used every "remedy" you can find for ridding my face of those monsters. I'd even made up a few myself (ahem, peroxide, etc. No, I'm not proud...)

I actually didn't consider that the Somatique Facial Cleanser was the culprit for such improvement until I seen the dark circles continue to improve to the point where I thought it through to figure out what could've changed. Only one thing -- the Facial Cleanser. Even my diet hadn't changed. So I confident-ally tell folks that this cleanser seems to have improved my eye circles. 

Aside from that awesome, unexpected benefit, my skin is going through a process of change, it seems. It was really looking rough as far as my texture, complexion and random breakouts of all sorts. It was overwhelming, so it took some time for the Somatique Facial Cleanser to really work through my skin's horrors, but I'm seeing it look more smoother every week. 

The breakouts are happening less, too, but I'm still battling a few left-over scars and blemishes, which even those seemed to show some improvements after a week into the Facial Cleanser. 

This cleanser is incredible for extremely dry, irritated skin. Since it's packed with many herbs that are so effective in reducing irritation, calming, removing marks, scars, etc, it's an absolute favorite of mine, and is the perfect go-to for all skincare issues. And to really make me fall in love, Somatique went and included well-researched ingredients for serious anti-aging, and also those that have the ability to reduce damage already done to the skin, including signs of aging. 

You can read more into the benefits to be had by scanning the "Ingredients" section of this post. There you'll find where I've briefly included the biggest benefits of each ingredient.

Features I Love About Somatique Facial Cleanser:

As if the above results I shared aren't enough to love Somatique Facial Cleanser, there's more! 

• It really is gentle. Many products put that claim on their label, but most of those never failed to still strip my skin dry and leave it flaky. This cleanser from the Somatique line actually is gentle on your skin. 

 Heavy make-up wearers rejoice! Somatique's cleanser will not fail you. Yes, even your black mascara...

•  It cleans well. Yes, that's important to note because I've used a few cleansers in my life that did not remove dirt and makeup as well as others. This cleanser is probably one of the most effective cleaners I've used of the natural category. A lot of natural cleansers are great, but don't always have that super cleansing power that some of us rely on. 

•  The ingredients in the cleanser work to help repair your skin and keep it healthy, even after you rinse!

•  While this doesn't make or break a product or its efficiency, I can't help but love Somatique's Cleanser even more for its awesome scent! It's a completely natural-smelling, light, but herbal scent and I adore it! I could inhale that scent. I wish I could have body spray of that scent. It's just so lovely, refreshing and clean!
  

• The ingredients!   Ooh, this is one of the most exciting parts. I love knowing that the ingredients in a facial product are very effective and have so many benefits for my skin. I'll go into detail on that below, for you other ingredient-freaks out there. The Somatique cleanser contains a variety of organic herbs, which is always a major plus to me. Very important!
  

Ingredients and Their Benefits:

 Organic Herbs, Organic Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine (from coconuts), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), MSM, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Carbomer, Amino Acids, Hyaluronic Acid, Wildcrafted Wild Cherry, Wildcrafted Dandelion, Wildcrafted Euphrasia Officinalis (Eyebright), Olive Oil, Organic Rose Hip Oil, Borage Oil, Orange Peel Tincture, Oregano Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin.

 Firstly, let's start with its high concentration of antioxidants (these guys are a must for folks who want nice, anti-aged skin!) That's something I loved about the Lady Soma berry mask -- the high antioxidant content -- so I was happy to see that this line also uses high amounts.

Most folks already know about antioxidants, so I won't overwhelm you with the information and benefits that come with using them (internally and externally). We know that antioxidants are responsible for not only preventing damage to the skin, but also repairing it, too.  
 

Aloe Vera! 

Ya'll know I have to refrain from getting too excited when I talk about healthy, awesome ingredients like aloe. It has been my life-saver in more ways than just skin-related (IBS - candidiasis). Aloe has so many benefits for us, internally and externally. It's soothing to any kind of irritation, it helps heal and has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. 

 

 Amino Acid and Hyaluronic Acids

For someone like me with such problematic skin, Hyaluronic acid is good to remove the old dead skin build-up, and helps rejuvenate and encourage new skin cells. This results in a brighter complexion, for one.

 Hyaluronic acid (naturally found in skin) helps re-hydrate. It holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, which means it's incredibly effective in delivering moisture to skin and holding it in there.

HA  protects skin from dirt and pollutants, provides tissue repair, helps skin hold in collagen and elastin, and plays an important role in keeping skin youthful. HA also creates a protective barrier against microorganisms.

Amino acids increase skin's capacity to stay hydrated. They

keep skin strong and healthy. They can help smooth skin and fill in lines/wrinkles, reduce appearance of scars, age spots, stretch marks, etc. They also even skin tone and color, which results in a nicer complexion.

P.S. Taking amino acids internally as well can boost your wrinkle-fighting as it causes an increase in collagen production, so using both the Somatique Cleanser and taking amino acids internally can really enhance your benefits. 

Tea Tree Oil 

Tea tree oil is another all-time favorite of mine simply for its many uses. Tea tree oil has been a staple in the medicine cabinet since I was a small child, so I've continued to keep it on hand and take advantage of its benefits throughout my life. Tea Tree oil is used effectively to treat a lot of skin problems including acne, 

Like aloe vera (also an ingredient in this facial cleanser), tea tree oil is a potent anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-viral. As an un-related side note, I've even used tea tree oil to cure yeast infections, and I've discussed how I did that in previous posts.

It kills bacteria, so this is one reason it's so effective in treating acne.

Tea tree oil is a natural skin-toner, and strangely enough, it has the ability to soak up oils! It's an oil that soaks up other oils. This is why tea tree oil can be drying to the skin if used in excess, but that's no issue since it's one of many ingredients in the Somatique cleanser. 

Rosehip Oil 

Rosehip oil is rich in Vitamin C, and is amazing because it not only repairs damaged skin cells and reduces wrinkles, but is helpful for acne scars, dryness, eczema, burns and more. Rosehip oil is --  like many of the well-researched ingredients Somatique used in this product -- very effective for all sorts of skincare needs. It rehydrates skin

 How it Feels

 

Check out the Facial Cleanser in the photo above. I know it's not good quality, but I'm still trying to hone my skills with photography, and my camera wasn't loving its job that day.

I hope you can still see it enough to get an idea of the texture/consistency of the Somatique Cleanser. I'm really fond of the super rich, thick, gel-like consistency this has to it. It means that I can use a small drop to thoroughly cover my whole face.

I'm not kidding when I say it's thick! It lathers better than most of my actual body-soaps! It makes for a nice massage on my face and neck, too.

Disclaimer (I know, I hate them, too, but these days you kind of can't afford to note post them.):

I am not a specialist or any other kind of doctor or expert. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information/suggestions to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with the company mentioned. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

My beautiful readers, this is my PeArL of the day, this one isn't as, should I say rough as my last one. This is the very lovely Therapist's Secret Facial Oil from The Sanctuary.

  With it's mixture of pure oils such as sun flower, jojoba, and wheat germ oil, The Sanctuary has a beautiful product in this one. It's perfect for all skin types. I know you see "oil" and think uh-oh, break-out central! Not at all. The Therapist's secret oil is designed to provide plumping and rejuvenation. It's described by The Sanctuary as "skin's superfood." I can't say they're wrong about that one. It has worked some wonders on mine.

                   LET'S GET DOWN TO THE DETAILS:

  The oil can be used day or night. When I first got it, my face was both tanning bed burned & wind chapped or burned whatever you want to call it. I'd spent a toasty 20 minutes in a new tanning bed the night before & several hours later that night in the blistering cold, at my nephews ball game. So my skin was at it's absolute worst. I also had a hefty monthy bump on my nose! It was one of those horrible hard ones that are tremendously painful.

  I used the oil after showering that night & the unbelievable dry, burned and chapped skin was 100% cleared, the redness gone, & only 2 days later that awful bump had totally vanished! Those bumps usually last for around 2 weeks. It never even came up, it seems the oil totally got rid of it.

  I've now been using the oil for a couple of weeks I'd say & I've noticed a pretty big difference in my skin. It is very plump & extremely glow-y. I haven't had to use as much make-up & it just looks great!

                               WHAT IT DOES:

- Gives me gorgeous, glow-y skin.

-Seems to have cleared & prevented ALL blemishes, acne, & breakouts of all sort. I've not had a single one.

-Hydrates like a miracle.

-Plumps skin all over.

-Reduces signs of aging.


 On the packaging it says you can use the oil alone or with a moisturizer to get extra plumping and glowing effects. I did both. The first use, I used it alone. & Then I started using it mixed with my moisturizer from california body care & there was a huge difference. It looks beautiful! 

 The only CON about the Therapist's Secret Oil & it was that it did leave my face looking very shiny & oily. It didn't feel oily, but to the touch it did & it looked so shiny, but that's to be expected with any oil & just a tiny swipe of powder or any make-up, bronzer, etc takes care of it while your skin still reaps the benefits of the oil. You can also use on of those oil reducing sheets on your face to wipe away the shiny look while still getting the benefits of the oil.

  Overall, I'd give it a 10. It's really a great facial oil. I've had much less trouble with my skin and a lot less work to do to it as well.

 *Have you tried this one or any others from The Sanctuary? If so please do let me know what your thoughts are. I'm dying to try more of their products, but I'm a little stuck as to which I'd like best. Let me know you're fav's & be sure to check out the oil as well.*

 You can check this out at: http://www.thesanctuary.co.uk/therapists-secret-facial-oil-details.htm

*You can find my honesty pledge at the top of the page.*

Much love my beauties,
Kendra

Scrubz amazing sugar scrub-my new must have!

I know what you're thinking no! not another review! But there is a very important reason why I was dying to post this one. Normally I'd save it for next week, but this can not wait.

 Has anyone else ever used Scrubz from http://www.scrubzbodyscrub.com I used the Pink Grapefruit Sugar Scrub (Scrubz)  for the first time the other day and I had no idea that it was possibly for my face and legs to feel so good! It came with the cutest little scooper too.

 Anyways, It's a sugar scrub. All of Scrubz products are 100% natural! Let me tell you, the grapefruit smelled so good I wanted to eat it... so I stuck out my tongue and swiped it across my face. It was good! But please know that it is NOT food, not made for eating, or licking. I did that at my own risk because I'm strange. It clearly says not to ingest so don't. I did, but like I said, I did it to myself. lol

 Ever tried other body scrubs/sugar scrubs? I have tried brands you can purchase at drug stores and bath & body works sugar scrub. You see, my mother is beyond obsessed with bath & body works so she's had me using their products since I was a kid. I used their body scrub and it clogged my razor & did not feel so silky smooth afterwards at all. It smelled good, but that was it. I once said I will never buy anything but Bath and Body works. I lied.

Scrubz sugar scrub also helps circulation and my legs and face felt like a new pair of legs and a new face! Yall know how I have to use specific lotion for my face each and every day. I also started wearing foundation on my face 2 years ago when I realized my anemia and health issue caused my face to be pale & at times look like I was dead. I am naturally pretty dark, but my face would be so pale.

 I walked out of the house & went shopping with out a stitch of make-up except for mascara & without my facial lotion for the first time in years after I used the Scrubz on my face & legs. Yes, you can even use it on your face! I had no peeling, dryness, discoloration. I even went to the tanning bed without having to use tons of lotion on my body or face afterwards thanks to the natural oils in Scrubz! That's never happened before!

 My face was so glow-y and clear I couldn't even see my own pores. That's also never happened before. Mine are usually big enough to store loose change in!

 The only complaint I could possibly muster up on this product would be that I didn't learn about it sooner.

 Remember earlier I mentioned how my mother used only Bath and Body works. I mean she has so much that she's more than likely the woman our local Bath & Body has to thank for keeping them in business! So I handed her the container of Scrubz and told her to use it & tell me what she thinks...

 Needless to say, she is no longer a bath & body works only kind of girl! That expensive container of razor clogging scrub she always has in her shower has been replaced with Scrubz natural sugar Scrubz! It only took one use to convert her.

 You can also get Scrubz for any other need, such as shaving & it even comes with a razor! You get a really great amount too which is amazing because most sugar scrubs come in such small amounts.

 *Let me know if you are a Scrubz lover too! Tell me what Scrubz product you use. And if you've never tried it before you should really check it out! I'm so picky about the products I use & I've rarely wrote a review stating that a product is a MUST for me, but Scrubz will be one of my musts. Check out Scrubz at: http://www.scrubzbodyscrub.com/

 You can choose from SO many different products, it's hard to choose. They all sound so good. The products are all 100% natural, which is an amazing quality! I could go on and on, but I just can't even put in words how well this Scrub made me feel.*


PRO'S:

1- Best smelling! The pink grapefruit scent is the one I used and the smell was the best!

2- Scored me EXTRA compliments & rubbing by the B/F. Yes, he could smell how delicious I smelled after using it the night before! So that means the scent lasted from 5AM to 8PM. He swiped his hand across my back & not even an hr later I scored a back rub! Oh yes!

3- No razor clogging! I had to throw away a brand new razor each time I used other scrubs. Tom's of Maine scrub did not clog or grease up my razor at all. It actually made shaving far more comfortable & less razor burn/bumps!

4- No more using facial lotion for my outrageous peeling/dry skin.

5- I also have terrible little bump type things on my upper arms. It's a common condition where your upper arms have a lot of redness and are rough with what appears like "bumps." I've never gotten rid of them. Tanning helps, but only if I burn. I've used everything for it even sea salt scrub and it never goes away. The Scrubz sugar scrub I used has completely cleared it up and I haven't seen one sign of the bumps or redness since the first use!

6- I really love that by purchasing it helps donate money to extremely important causes such as  breast cancer.


I have no con's for this product. I like small price tags, these aren't high at all, thought considering how great they really are. I know it sounds crazy to not have just one single con about a product, but there is nothing I don't love about it. It's helped with a lot of skin issues I seem to have when nothing else would. I hope you decide to check it out too! If so, let me know which one's you like I might try them too!

To view Scrubz products, go here: http://www.scrubzbodyscrub.com/pb/wp_45a0a6b3.html?0.11271322433404263

SPARKLES - A GIRL'S NEVER TOO OLD TO SPARKLE & A MARIO BADESCU REVIEW

These are my new facial products by Mario Badescu.

There's a Healing and Soothing mask which I've got smeared all over my face at this very moment. This week has been so rough & my Dr. appointment was today which always has me a nervous wreck. So I decided since I'm finally out of the Dr. & most all the stressful situations I've finally accomplished today, I can now do something for me. Kinda. So I've got the mask on now while my purple, oh so sparkly nail polish dries. I just love sparkles, I'm telling ya. They really make me excited. I've always had an abnormal love for sparkles. My dad's been freaked out since I was a little girl over this sparkle fetish lol. Seriously he FREAKS! Even still. See he's kinda paranoid when it comes to things so years ago when he first noticed my sparkle fetish he begged me to not wear it.

  "It could fall off in your eye balls and scratch em'." He says. I always say this "a girl is never too old to sparkle." I really believe that too. I hate to say it, but when I'm 40 years old, you bet your sweet ass these eyelids will still be rocking the pink & purple sparkles!

Back to the topic. So, I'm wearing the mask now. I really like the thick consistency, makes it easier to cover. It feels kinda cool. Not sure if it'll make my skin great & wonderful after using the other products. We'll see when I go shower in a few then I'll update ya tomorrow. (If you even care.)

 I also have Glycolic Foaming cleanser & the Special Cucumber Lotion. I haven't used either yet so I can't really say. I guess I should've waited until I'd used them. Sorry. The Special Cucumber lotion is the one in above pic that has a yellow color to it. I've felt it on my fingers and it's like vegetable oil! That worries me.

I have used the Oil Free Moisturizer with SPF 30. It wasn't something I'd go out and pay the price for again. The prices are WHOA! So this moisturizer was like a little yellow piece of wax or gum looking thingy. In the container there was oily stuff around it. I poked it. More oil ran out. I was really weird about putting something like that on my face, but I assumed it was just something to do with the natural -organic -whatever- botanical-vegetables-herbal thing. lol So I put it on my face only a small amount. When I woke up the next morning my face didn't have any dry spots and didn't look oily like I expected since it looked like oil. It seemed ok, kinda normal, had some glow, but my face often does from other products I use.

The next night, I used a little more. The next morning I had some freak breakouts. I don't really get random breakouts. I usually get no more than 4 around that time of the month & they're little bitty. I usually don't even see them without using my magnifying mirror & light. Well it was not a time of the month where I should be expecting a breakout and there were a few. Some on my chin & I never have them there!

I used it again to be sure the next night. Woke up with twice as many break outs! I can't say for sure, but I think it was the moisturizer. Maybe it's just me though.

 On to the next one. Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream. Used it the first night & woke up with awful eye problems. I thought it was from my contacts. Then when I looked in the mirror the next day, I had a scary rash type thing. I've never in my life had an allergic reaction to any product except febreze because I'm allergic to it, but it only messes with my respiratory system, not skin. All around my eye was itchy & very red & inflamed. My eye balls were really itchy too. Once again, maybe it's just me.

And now I'll go shower & see how this mask works out. Hopefully better than the others. The prices are so high for a product that doesn't do anything but cause a freak reaction. Not saying this would happen to everyone. I mean it's like $20 just for a few ounces of these products!

To wrap it up, I would not buy any of the products again. I was really disappointed because I was so excited about these products. I hate being let down. lol :)

*Let me know if any of you have ever tried these products. I want to know what others thought & I don't know anybody who uses them except me this one time. And my sweeties, do be sure to check my side bar thingy because I usually post new freebies & giveaways that are awesome! The freebies are %100 real. I always check for myself before handing them over to you. Have any of you checked them out yet? Let me know if you would like me to keep posting freebies I find & I'll be sure to do it at least 2-3 times a week. If you don't care about it, you can tell me that too. :)

Now it's time for me to try & recover from the awful Dr. visit today, & not to mention the horrible arm pain from my shot. I know shots ain't bad, but this one has tiny little crystals in it so it really does hurt!

Well, I hope you sweetie pies have a very ~sparkly~ day! :)

So much love and then some,

Kendra

Before I go, I just have to add this little cutie! Sorry about all these crazy, un-organized posts. I'll get back to normal... maybe! lol

-This is Fuzz inside the storage box. She's been so crazy during the remodelling!-

THINGS THAT VIBRATE... THE GOOD & THE BAD.

~THINGS THAT VIBRATE~

It seems that every product out there vibrates these days. You can buy mascara that vibrates, panties that vibrate, facial cleanser devices that vibrate, tooth brushes that vibrate, seats that vibrate, game controllers that vibrate, vibrators that vibrate! I've wondered, what is up with this vibration trend and what's so great about it! So I set out on another one of my 'missions' to find this out.

I tested many of these vibrating products including the tooth brush, neutrogena wave, and maybelline's pulse perfection vibrating mascara. Here's what I found...

Well, for starters, I found that we are a little obsessed with vibrating. Then, the mascara. Maybelline's pulse perfection vibrating mascara, results: AHMAZNG! was it worth the whopping 11 bucks? No. I think what I liked most about the mascara, was the mascara itself and the brush. I don't even use the vibrate button because it pokes my eye! I like the mascara but I find that others like lash stilleto works just as well. What I do, is I just stopped buying the mascara because the price, so I've kept my old brushes and now I use them to apply my cheaper mascara. Works just as well!

And for the vibrating tooth brushes, I didnt care for them. They made my head feel funny with all that vibrating but if they really do get in between teeth to clean better then, I guess for some people thats great. For me, its too pricey. Im all about those bargains! And have found many ways to make bargains work just as good as the high end stuff.

Now, the NEUTROGENA WAVE. I started using this product about a year ago. I went out and bought a bunch of the pads and the wave. For the first 3 weeks it worked well, not the best but it was decent. It dried out my skin badly though! After using it for almost a month. I finally had to trash it. It did no good for my skin. It did not clean my pores at all. I was so disappointed! But I guess that's how it goes. I've read in magazines that neutrogena is one of the best products so I've forced myself to purchase and use, purchase and use. I finally realized that this brand IS NOT for me and just because it says its the best in a magazine, does not always mean it's the best for you. I don't know why it took me 4 years to get that through my head. WOW, the power magazines have over us. huh?

As for the vibrating panties, I'm sorry to disappoint but I've never purchased or used them. Now, other vibrating products, I have but not this type. I don't think they would be for me though.

Leave your reviews too! comment or email: kendra30752@yahoo.com