Beautiful A.M. and P.M.

Oils have a somewhat negative reputation when it comes to using them on our skin. People have been told that oil causes you to breakout, and while some oily products can, using natural oils will never cause breakouts. We've been terrified of using oils on our face for so long that we never think about the huge benefits of doing it!

 I remember being flipped out when I read that some queen somewhere shared that her secret to looking so very young and "beautiful" was using olive oil, even bathing in it daily for decades! I thought 'holy guacamole, she must've had serious acne.' But, I was intrigued enough to do some research, and that was over a year ago. I remember finding all these fabulous benefits to using oils like olive oil on your face, and even posting here to share that I was going to start using it myself.

Well, I have. And I recently got the wonderful opportunity to try a product from a sister site of one of my favorite companys. 

In fact, I've written about another product I loved by the same company who makes the Beautiful line a while back -- OraMD. Do you guys remember that? I actually still use the stuff to brush my teeth with to this day! I haven't touched toothpaste (or soap, thanks to OraMD!) in a year and 2 months! 

Anyways, that aside,  the two bottles you see in my photos there are of  Beautiful AM and Beautiful PM Revitalizer.

Just to prove to you guys that oil is not a horrific monster, I have taken two photos of my face right after applying the oil, and the second one about 10 minutes later...

Just ignore the puffiness -- it was early and I'd just woken up!

The photo above is my face immediately after applying Beautiful AM. No makeup, powder or anything on my skin (only eye makeup.)

You can see that there isn't any major shininess or oilyness to my skin. The oil is oil, so it feels like oil (not as thick as olive oil, though) and it is slightly shiny at first, but as it absorbs into the skin, your face won't be so shiny.

And this is me 10 minutes after applying the Beautiful oil, and not even wiping any off my skin -- pretty nice, huh? It isn't shiny at all really. 

I have been using the Beautiful AM and Beautiful PM for a week today. I actually have less breakouts than when I started with!

 So, you can lay the myth (that using oil on your skin makes you shiny and breakout) to rest. It isn't true. Promise. And I've used various olive oils, seabuck oils and coconut oils on my skin for over a year. It has never caused me to breakout. If anything, natural oils are some of the most beneficial things you can put on your skin as they promote healing, etc. I'll go into details in a moment. First I want to discuss more about the Beautiful line and how to use it.

P.S. Something else we tend to assume is that if we have oily skin, we should avoid oils. That's a myth, too.

 The Beautiful line can be used on all skin types, including oily (like mine!) It won't cause your face to produce more oils. In fact, one big  reason oily-skin is oily is because of the products we use can strip skin of its natural oils, so it begins producing too much and leaves us shiny as a sequin. That's the case for me, too. Most of my cleansers just dry my skin out, so it'll over-produce oil and make me shiny. Since Beautiful AM and PM is a natural product, it isn't going to cause your skin to over-produce or under-produce oils.

One thing that makes the Beautiful line so unique and precious is that the label will say "Beautiful," and then your own name right underneath it! 

That was a really nice surprise and seeing it every morning and night always makes me smile! It also makes the two a really special gift to someone. I also think it's unique and cute that Trusted Health Products has a line like Beautiful for men! It's called "You're The Man!"

For the You're The Man line, Trusted Health Products also puts your own name on the label, so it would say "Kendra, You're the Man!"  Ha. Ha. I just love that! It too would make a really nice gift for a man in your life.
I've never seen anything like this neat little detail anywhere else before, but I think it's the cutest idea. Kind of makes it more personal and gives you a nice lift each time you go to use it.



Now that we've knocked out the oil myth, let me tell you all the reasons I love Beautiful AM and PM Revitalizer...

•  It's made with 100% pure live, cold-pressed & natural, botanical ingredients -- obviously I love that!

• Contains no GMOs, no preservatives, synthetic chemicals, parabens  or additives of any kind! This is actually a lot more important in your skincare products than you might think. I've posted the importance of avoiding those things in everything from food to products you use a lot here, but I simply can't say it enough. A lot of times it's tough for me to avoid some of these harmful ingredients when it comes to food (thanks to where I live, mostly), but I've gotten to where I cannot bring myself to use soaps or skincare products that aren't natural. One exception: deodorant. Oh, and shampoo. Darn I'm bad. But I've not been able to get around those two for the life of me. I've tried every single natural deo I've been able to find and always end up stinking! Can't handle stink. 

As for my face, the one part of my body that shows constantly. The one part I can't really hide short of wearing a mask, is very important to me. I've never broken out and had awful skin since I quit using chemical-filled facial products. My skin was bad when I used those!  For one, that kind of stuff has no beneficial ingredients. 

It may have something that makes your skin soft, or strips it of dirt and grime (but so does Beautiful, only it won't strip your natural oils from your skin along with the dirt.) 

The natural oils in Beautiful work to moisturize your skin -- truly moisturize, not just add a layer of lotion on top of your skin. It actually absorbs within the skin -- and feeds nutrients to cells -- and works to moisturize, heal and detox your skin. Chemical-filled facial products can't do that. Moving on.

• This is something else I couldn't love more about the Beautiful AM and PM -- it replaces your moisturizer, cleanser, toner, repair cream, protectant, firming product, age-defying product and blemish products! Now that is my ideal skincare routine! It's handy and super convenient. 

I was shocked at how much time I've been saving over the last week that I've been using only the two oils -- Beautiful AM and Beautiful PM. Aside from makeup, that's all I've been using! This is actually the first time in my life I've cut out a moisturizer. Even when I would use olive oil on my skin at night, I'd wake up and still need a moisturizer. 

• It also works as a cleanser/makeup remover!  Oils such as the ones in Beautiful are the best, most effective, yet gentle makeup removers I have ever used. I just dab a little under my eyes and swipe with a tissue and it removes more of the black makeup (mascara, eyeliner) than anything I've used. 

Before using the AM and PM Beautiful, I'd have to keep scrubbing under my eyes over, and over and over and over! Even when using a facial cleanser. I'd get it looking clean and wake up the next morning with an entire new ring of black under my eyes -- almost as if I'd never washed it off the night before. And even after washing again, I'd sometimes still have the faintest bit under there that made it look like I had dark circles. It just does not remove well. 

I also use the Beautiful AM under my eyes when I'm going to be applying eyeshadow. One of the first things I do as I get up is rub the AM Beautiful on my face, but I'll add a little extra under my eyes if I'm going to use eyeshadow. 

Then, once I've applied it, all the fall-out (flecks of eyeshadow that land under the eyes and on the cheeks) can be swept right away in just a couple of swipes! It's a life-saver because I use a lot of colored eyeshadows, and black, so it tends to fall all over the place and then smear into black streaks on my skin! 

• Beautiful decreases wrinkles, lines, enlarged pores and other marks. I've noticed significant change in the appearance of my entire complexion. I've noticed changes and imrpovements in the past when I would use some products, and after a week (two, maximum), things would turn around and it'd seem as if it stopped working! This has happened so many times that I couldn't count. Using the Beautiful oils makes it pretty impossible to not see improvements in your skin. 

For the very first time in so many years, when I wake up, my skin doesn't look awful. My pores don't look huge! I can hardly see the pores on my cheeks, chin and forehead, which has rarely been the case for me until now.

I used to scowl when I looked at my skin without some type of powder/makeup because I couldn't quite put my finger on the actual problem, but my skin and complexion in general just looked bad. When I took the photos I posted earlier in this post, I couldn't believe how decent my skin looked without any makeup on it.

 Today, I even considered not using powder on my forehead and cheeks at all. Hard habit to break, though. But my skin looks that much better. 

Also, this isn't nearly as important as the ingredients being natural, safe and totally effective, but I can't help but love the scent of the Beautiful A.M. and Beautiful P.M.! It's once of my all-time favorite scents in the world -- an orangey, clean and sweet scent. I love it. Orange is a refreshing aroma, and the sweet aroma combined with it is just perfection. It's a nice plus to using natural ingredients. And believe me, it smells nothing like artificial crap like Pledge furniture cleaner! 

The aroma isn't strong, but slightly noticeable. Once it absorbs (which is quickly), I won't ever notice the scent again, so it's not bothersome.

While the AM and PM Beautiful oils do, no doubt clear skin and improve basically everything about your skin, Trusted Health Products does mention that during the first 30 days, when the skin is just starting to detox, you might see some problems arise like breakouts. This hasn't happened to me so far. 

I think it just depends on how "congested" your skin is. What that means is, our skin collects junk over time from all the products we use and pollution and stuff. And most of the cleansers and things we use don't work to clean all the deeply stuck crap out. Yes, I know te drugstore soaps claim to "clean pores deeply," but have you ever seen your pores cleaned? 

I haven't ever seen or felt a deep cleaning from any drugstore product I've use. I have seen my pores truly cleaned though and it's a huge difference. You can't miss it if your pores are "deeply" cleaned. 

Beautiful does work to unclog everything, so that's why you can see problems before it begins healing. I have a theory that the reason it hasn't happened to my skin yet is because I've devoted my face to using only natural lotions and cleansers for the last year. That does not mean that I won't wake up with some decongesting of the makeup I've used over the years, though. I will report back with results as I go.

Okay, I understand that I never shut up and that I create very long posts, but please bear with me as I just can't help but include every bit of information that I can about something I really love, in hopes of helping inform and share with other people. 

Now that I've said that, I want to share something I recently learned from Trusted Health Products' website, and I really think this is extremely important for all of us to know. 

A lot of us know that skincare products can print lies on their labels. There's a lot of useful information to be learned in that area, though. Here is what I learned from the Trusted Health Products website and wanted to share:

"The cosmetic skincare industry is among the worst and least regulated in our entire society. They have almost total free reign to put whatever ingredient they choose into our everyday skincare products, with little to no regard for our health and wellbeing.

 Prime example: Lobbyists from the skincare industry have strongly opposed bills that would require them to notify the government before releasing products that contain ingredients that are known to cause cancer! Ingredients like parabens, petrochemicals and others have been associated with or linked to allergic reactions, skin conditions, hormonal disruptions, neurotoxicity, and even cancer (see our free report, The Poisons You Put on Your Face Everyday, where we expose the truth behind skincare ingredients that the industry doesn’t want you to know).

Bottom line: If you have to rub it in, your skin doesn’t want it, and it’s not good for your face."

How interesting (and disappointing) is that? I didn't know that if it requires rubbing in (as I sit here and recall, I believe every single moisturizer and cleanser I own and have used regularly requires massaging in the product!) It's good to know, though because it helps us make the best decisions for what will be helpful or harmful or do nothing for our skin.

* I highly recommend you click the link above in that paragraph I quoted from the Trusted Health Products website, the one titled "The Poisions You Put on Your Face Everyday" because it's very informative and interesting!

Now, here's a description about how the Beautiful products work (from Trusted Health Product's website): 

"The pure live botanical oils in Beautiful help to balance your face sebum because “oil dissolves oil.” One of the most basic principles of chemistry is that “like dissolves like.” 

Interesting! I didn't know this before. Learning more and more as I go.

 The best way to dissolve an over abundance of your face oils, a.k.a. “sebum”, is to apply something that is similar in composition – in this case, pure live botanical oils. 

" By using the right oils, you can cleanse your pores of dirt and bacteria naturally, gently and effectively, while replacing the dirty oil with beneficial ones extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit that can create the environment that helps to heal, protect, moisturize and nourish your skin."

Told ya it worked wonders for cleansing! I know when you first switch a soap for oil, it does not feel like cleansing, but you adapt quickly and once you do, and try using a soap on your face again, you'll be surprised at how dry and tight and dull it feels and looks.

 Trying to keep your skin’s chemistry in harmony on your own is an almost-impossible balancing act. But when you use nature’s pure live botanical oils, they help your facial oils to balance on their own, no matter what type of skin you have – dry or oily. Because your skin’s inner layer is made up of fat and collagen, Beautiful’s pure botanical oils are naturally absorbed after being applied to your skin. No rubbing in is required."

 

 

As said, you just barely swipe the Beautiful oils on your skin without needing to massage it in or anything. I use my clean fingers to do this because I feel like using a paper towel, tissue or cotton ball is just going to absorb the oils and end up wasting the product over time. And I certainly like that it leaves my fingers nice and smooth, too! When I accidentally use too much, I'll rub it on my cuticles a little for healthier skin there, too!

  This would actually make an amazing all-over body oil, but I'd hate to use it all there. Since it's thin (not overly thick) and doesn't stain, but is very moisturizing and beneficial for skin, it would certainly do a nice job for a leg/hand/feet and arm oil, too. I've considered adding a few drops to a natural moisturizer I use on my body.

***UPDATE ON MY RESULTS***

Today is the 19th (October, 2013). I posted this on the 7th of October & had been using the Beautiful products for, I think, a little over a week. I mentioned that the oils could cause some breakouts as it decongests skin and said that so far, I hadn't seen any, and that I figured maybe it could be due to my using natural products for so long that my skin may not react by breaking out.

I spoke too soon! I started seeing a lot of randomly placed breakouts 6 days ago. I was on my way to Panama and noticed a few strange breakouts on my face. Over the next few days, I was waking up with 2+ new zits! I had little clusters of small bumps all over my cheeks. A few around my nose as well, but nothing severe and thankfully, I've yet to have any large, painfully sore bumps.

Since I was on vacation in Panama this week (just got back tonight!) I just cut back using the oil as my face was looking awful and I really didn't want any extra zits at that point. Also, since the sun dries my skin out so badly when I'm spending days at the beach, I also slacked off of washing my face too much. I didn't want to use any soaps that would further clog up my face and cause the breakouts again once I went back to using the Beautiful oils, so I stuck to using only a 100% organic coconut oil soap on my skin, and I even skipped a couple of days of washing it with anything but water.

I've also slacked off of using any makeup on my skin, so that should make the process (now that I'll be back to using Beautiful since I'm home) less . . . pimpl-y!

The good news is, the breakouts started clearing up instantly once I stopped using these oils. And even though the breakouts were all over my cheeks (mostly just on the right side of my face, strangely enough), they didn't leave any marks or scars behind. They're completely cleared up now and my skin looks fabulous.

I should also note that I experienced one heck of a change in hormones this past week two. That could have contributed to some of the breakouts.

Well, I will update again as I go. Just wanted to put that in there.

To go into further detail about Beautiful's effective ingredients, here's the list of ingredients in both (and Trusted Health Products lists all the ingredients on the labels!)

A. M. Ingredients: 100% Pure Botanical oils of almond, orange, lemon, avocado and olive.

P. M. Ingredients: 100% Pure Botanical oils of almond, orange, lemon, evening primrose and apricot.

And here are some of the benefits of each of those ingredients:

 Almond: Moisturizes, relieves itching and dryness, soothes skin and gives it a glowing appearance. 

Lemon: A natural cleanser that prevents wrinkles and other aging signs. Increases the anti-oxidative potential of the skin bio surface (to help stop damage to the skin).

Orange: Another wonderful, effective cleanser with natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, helps fight acne and restores skin's smooth appearance.

Avacado: Contains beneficial Vitamins A, D and E. Increases the content soluble collagen in  skin to enrich dry, damaged, chapped or wounded skin.

Olive Oil: (One of my favorite things for skin!) Olive oil is also a natural cleanser and moisturizer that has shown to have preventative effects for formation of skin cancers and tumors.

 P.S. And remember the queen I read about (queen of what, I do not remember) who claimed to use olive oil all over her skin, including bathin in it to keep herself "beautiful?" I like to remember that because it reminds me of just how powerful these natural ingredients are.

Evening Primrose: A great plant used to treat many problems, including external (on the skin) ones. Contains omega 6 fatty acids. It contains nutrients that improve skin's elasticity and are essential for cell structure. There's evidence that it can help reduce wrinkles and even help repair stretch marks.
 

Apricot Oil: A gentle moisturizer that soothes, firms and tones skin. It slows signs of aging. It contains Vitamins A  and E. 



 The manufacturer is willing to offer my readers one free bottle. They said they would love to have my readers try out Beautiful A.M. Moisturizer (for women) or You’re the Man A.M. Moisturizer (for men) and agreed to send one bottle FREE if my readers would pay a minimal shipping and handling charge. 

This is a one-time only offer. They also agreed to include 2 eye-opening reports – The Poisons You Put On Your Face Everyday and Why Your Skin Care Products Have Never Worked: The Truth Revealed .”  That’s a total value of over $40.00. Click here to get your FREE Bottle and FREE reports now!”

P.S.  Everyone that “Likes” Trusted Health Products' page on Facebook saves $5 on their first order! Here is their Facebook link.

 And please don't forget to check out their Natural Health Blog and Newsletter.

My Pearl of The Day - Antioxidant Properties Foaming Facial Cleanser

NutriBiotic has one of the most outstanding skincare lines I have ever used. You guys will see me posting about several from their skincare line this week! Today, I'm sharing my love for the Antioxidant Properties Foaming Facial Cleanser.

The Foaming Facial Cleanser is part of the "Antioxidant Properties" line from NutriBiotics. This line is fantastic because it works to cleanse (or moisturize, depending on the product) and contains antioxidant properties, which result in preventing signs of aging all in one.

As you can see on the label, the Foaming Facial Cleanser contains aloe vera (ya'll know what a fan I am of that stuff!), Alpha Lipoic Acid, DMAE, Vitamin C, Ester & Tocotrienols. These are just the key ingredients, which are amazing, no doubt. Even better though, looking closer at the full ingredient list reveals some very fabulous natural and effective ingredients that each have their own benefits for our skin!

The Foaming Facial Cleanser has a thick, gel-like consistency. Using the pump-top turns it into a foamy cleanser that spreads easily and foams thickly all over. This is nice because I can slather my entire face & neck without having to use a ton of product.

And let me just tell you how clean my skin looks and feels.. and smells! It feels like this is getting deep into my pores and cleaning effectively. It does a nice job of removing my makeup without stripping my skin of all its natural oils. I typically experience tight, dry skin right after cleaning my face, so I can definitely appreciate that this Foaming Facial Cleanser doesn't do that. The scent is a subtle, sweet citrus one. It smells like lemon and oranges.

 What it Does

 I obsess over the ingredients in products I'll be using on my skin, and when I see ingredients that I know to be effective and have fabulous abilities, it excites me. So I want to share a little about what this Foaming Facial Cleanser does thanks to the ingredients.

Here is the full list of ingredients:

Water (aqua); disodium cocoamphodiacetate; sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate; cocamidopropyl betaine; soyamidopropalkonium chloride; disodium oleamido sulfosuccinate; aloe barbadensis leaf juice; natural fragrance; pentaerythrityl tetrastearate; citrus grandis (grapefruit) seed extract; sodium chloride; PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate; dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE); panthenol; citric acid; extracts of symphytum officinale (comfrey) leaf, chamomilla recutita (matricaria), calendula officinalis, cucumis sativus (cucumber), equisetum arvense (horsetail), and carica papaya; sodium PCA; ascorbyl palmitate; tocotrienols, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, ethylhexylglycerin, and alpha lipoic acid. 

Aloe vera -- is known for its soothing properties. But it's also a natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic and has anti-parasitic properties. It speeds recovery of wounds/broken skin and bruises dramatically, anti-itch, softens skin, speeds healing of breakouts, fast-absorbing moisturizer.  If I don't stop, I'll end up writing 9,000,622,998,9897 more words about the benefits of aloe, so let me contain myself by stopping at this:

Aloe prevents scars, helps heal scars, prevents and treats pimples, can reduce or rid rosacea and eczema, reverse and prevent signs of aging.

DMAE --  (dimethylaminoethanol) Also helps combat aging signs. DMAE is a natural anti-inflammatory and a "membrane stabilizer." Prevents sagging of muscles. Studies on DMAE have shown that the benefits do not fail to continue increasing as you continue to use DMAE. This is fantastic! DMAE in the form of a lotion is said to have immediately noticeable results.

My own results are smoother skin, clear, "supple" skin.  Lines and marks (age spots, acne spots) are reduced. I only wish I'd taken before & after photos of a small, but hellacious acne breakout I had days before using this. The bloody, huge, super red spots lined up on my jaw line were less red and no longer inflamed the very next morning! My pores were less enlarged and clean looker. My face looked dewy and smooth (after using the Foaming Facial Cleanser + Toner + moisturizer,  all of which you'll read about this week).NutriBiotic's Peptide Facial Creme. P.S. Know what's even better than this lovely NutriBiotic Facial Cleanser containing DMAE? Their toner does, too! 

It's even been said that DMAE can be used on skin folds and lines, for the first time (in the form of a lotion), and after twenty minutes, the lines/folds will be less noticeable. If applied under the eyes, they're said to appear wider in only minutes.

DMAE also gives skin a radiant appearance.


Vitamin C  You know what Vitamin C is, I'm quite positive. But you may not know that Vitamin C benefits your skin by playing a big role in collagen products by increasing collagen in skin. It's also a great antioxidant & exfoliator that helps remove or reduce brown spots, scars, other marks/spots from age, damage etc. Vitamin C can help protect skin against the harm of UV rays (not sufficient as a sunscreen alone, though). Protects against UV damages (such as wrinkles, lines), reduce free radicals and improves skin tone/texture. I read that applying Vitamin C, topically, can be 20 times as effective for your skin as taking it internally. I'm not saying you'll get the same benefits elsewhere in the body by applying it topically. I'm saying for skin concerns alone, applying it directly to skin will accelerate effect/results. "Studies show that, when applied to the skin, L-ascorbic acid stimulates collagen synthesis."
Source:  The Skin Care Ingredient Handbook

Alpha Lipoic Acid   Could have the ability to prevent one of the key enzymes (tyrosinase ) in pigment production, so this is another ingredient in the Foaming Facial Cleanser that can help reduce spots and marks. Alpha Lipoic Acid is an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant that is very effective in preventing aging signs. To learn exactly how ALA does this (very interesting) you can learn here. It's known for improving skin's tone and texture.


Ester  Works similarly to Vitamin C when applied topically to the skin. It's good for moisturizing and softening skin.


Tocotrienols   One great thing about Tocotrienols is that they have the ability to penetrate skin (and rapidly, too), so unlike a lot of potentially beneficial ingredients, these can get in there and do their job instead of just hanging out on top of your skin. They are antioxidants and prevent damage from free radicals (UV rays), which in turn prevents wrinkles, skin damage caused by oxidative rays. They neutralize free radicals.


As you can see, these key ingredients (with all their anti-aging benefits and texture improving properties) make the Foaming Facial Cleanser an ideal cleanser+anti-ager. In my own opinion, anyways. I'm not saying the company NutriBiotic makes any of these claims themselves.

 The anti-inflammatory properties of ingredients like ALA -- in the Foaming Facial Cleanser -- explain why it's so effective at reducing redness and inflammation on skin (pimples, etc.) I had a pretty nasty, swollen and bloody pimple on my jaw line (as I said previously) in three days, the thing wasn't even visible!  To give you more useful information, I'm not the only person I know who's had results using this. Other people I've talked with (3 people) have said they seen improvements in their skin as well. One person told me her skin looked "healthier" and her acne breakouts decreased. Someone else said her scars on her skin had faded after using it for the long-term. The third person said her eye wrinkles were looking "lots better."

** Further thoughts, opinions and feelings on Nutribiotics Skincare Line**
I'm definitely a believer in NutriBiotic as a whole. I feel so excited that there's more benefits to be had each day I use the three products I'm currently using (the Peptide Creme, Foaming Facial Cleanser and their toner.) I never have been great at sticking with a specific skincare regimen because it seemed the toner or the moisturizer would leave my skin oily, sticky or not much nicer looking. After spending these last couple of weeks using (happily!) NutriBiotic, I am happy to put these products on my face. I never have any negative effects, and I even notice my makeup application goes on much smoother and even! I think that's due to the combination of the cleanser, toner and moisturizer together. They certainly make an amazing trio. I normally don't make recommendations, but if someone had skin similar to mine (not sensitive, combination skin, redness, breakouts, etc.) they'd very likely see results as well.

***
And before I forget, let me point out one thing that stuck out to me when reading the label of NutriBiotics' Antioxidant Properties' skincare line: the "active" ingredients, the ones that are so helpful for skin, are listed near the very beginning of the ingredient list. Some of you may know why I mention that being a good thing, but for those who don't -- when a product lists ingredients, they usually begin with the ingredients it contains most. So, if it contains aloe vera and the aloe is listed as the last (or near the end of the ingredient list), then it means that's the ingredient the product contains the least of! So, I always keep that in mind -- that it goes from greatest to least in the ingredient list.

Obviously, I was happy because some of the good ingredients (like aloe) were listed pretty near the beginning. Usually, I see a product that says "with aloe vera or shea butter" and get excited, then disappointed to realize these are listed at the very end, which means it contains so little of it that it'll do me no good. But, moving on.


As if I hadn't already raved about the Foaming Facial Cleanser enough, but it's also paraben free! And NutriBiotic does not test their products on animals. 

Disclaimer:
I am not a skincare 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 other kind. I simply share information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information 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 NutriBiotic (or any other company). 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.

Spunk Lube Pure Silicone

Ah! My next Spunk Lube love. If you guys missed my last post about the Spunk Hybrid lube, I hope you'll read it. But for those of you who don't, I'll be sure to put the difference between silicone, water and hybrid lubes here as well. And the photos of all three lubes.

This cute little 2 0z travel sized dude is Spunk Lube's Pure Silicone lubricant. This little guy is heavy-duteeee!

As I said in the last Spunk post, Spunk Lubes come individually wrapped in a sealed plastic. They also have perforated seals on the bottles to ensure no-leakage during shipment. While I'm talking about shipment, I'll go ahead and add that Spunk Lube is shipped discreetly with a label that says nothing more than D. Enterprises, the makers of Spunk Lube. This means your mailman won't ever know you've ordered lube, so discretion is important to Spunk Lube, no worries.

This is the small version of Spunk Pure Silicone. It's also available in the large sizes, like the other two shown in my first picture. The larger ones are also available in small sizes as well. I like carrying this small bottle in my purse, and since the cap is a snap-top, it won't spill out and is there and ready anytime I need it. The smaller sized bottles fit easily in a drawer if discretion is a concern.


Again, I'm going to list the differences between silicone lubricants, water-based and hybrids:


A hybrid lubricant, such as Spunk Lube Hybrid contains silicone and water. Hybrid lubricants are good for those who want to use a lubricant with more slipperiness, but don't want a fully silicone-based. A lot of times, hybrid lubricants are safer for toy-use than silicone ones.

A silicone-based lubricant, such as Spunk's Pure Silicone (the one pictured in the smaller black & green bottle) contain little to no water and are made for heavy duty use & for longer periods of time. A water-based lubricant tends to dry up quicker and won't hold up in water whereas a silicone based does stay on in water and will last longer. It's also much, much sliperrier (is that a word? it is now!) and will leave a unique slickness/velvety soft feel to the skin.

And lastly, the water-based lubricants, such as Spunk Lube's Pink lubricant don't contain silicone so they are less slippery and don't always last as long as hybrids or silicone-bases.   Typical water-based lubricants tend to be less effective against dryness and thinner than other lubricants. Spunk Lube's Pink lubricant is an exception to that since the gel-like thickness makes it last longer than any other water-based lubricant I have used.

Since Spunk Pure Silicone is a silicone lubricant, it's made to last! Even their Hybrid lubricant lasts wonderfully, but this Spunk Silicone is great for use in the water since it won't rinse away as easily. It's also so extremely slick and slippery that it's totally perfect for a lot of rubbing such as massaging and foreplay. Instead of drying up quickly when you're rub-rub-rubbin' away downstairs, it'll last and stay slick. In fact, this is by far the slickest, most slippery lubricant I have ever used. I was surprised. And as I said before, I have used over 50 different lubricants and never felt fully satisfied with a silicone or hybrid because they were always too thin for penetration, for me. It doesn't "tacky-up" as you rub or with continuos friction, but absorbs beautifully in the skin and dries like nothing was ever there. Even the most sensitive people (like myself) won't be able to tell there's anything down there when play time's over. This means I don't feel the need to shower after use, which isn't always possible.

Spunk Pure Silicone is the most amazing lubricant for long-time use, if you want a lubricant that lasts for a long time. It's the best for rubbing or massaging since it won't absorb instantly into the skin or tacky up like others do.  

However, if you did want to clean up after use, it rinses off well with a dab of soap and water. I noticed once when I accidentally went way overboard with application (by squeezing the bottle to apply) when I went straight to wash my hands, it kind of beaded up, almost like oil does. This is a good sign because it means it's going to be amazing for using in the water. I've never noticed other silicone lubes doing this, so it's one impressive feature.

 It's toy-safe and latex-friendly, which means you can use it with most toys and condoms. On the other hand, a lot of toy companies warn against using silicone lubricants with silicone toys. As far as my experience goes, though, it only affects toys that aren't truly 100% silicone, which does happen! A lot of toy manufacturers use a "blend" of some other cheap material with their silicone and they'll label it "100% pure silicone!" I know, shady as hell, but it happens. If you've ever had a very high-quality toy that is silicone, then you'll begin to recognize the difference.


Anyways, if you're in doubt and really want to use the Silicone Spunk Lube, just do a "spot-test" on the toy's base or somewhere similar. This way, you can watch to be sure it's safe. If it doesn't melt or degrade/damage the toy within 3o minutes, you're good.


On another note, Spunk Pure Silicone will not stain your clothing or bed sheets.



Oh, as a side-note, you don't have to squeeze the bottle to get the Pure Silicone Lube out. Just snap the lid and tilt the bottle & it'll run out. You can apply it straight to your desired spot or on your fingers/hands. Either way, application is very easy.

I don't feel the need to re-apply Spunk Silicone more than twice usually during any session. I start off with such a small amount since it lasts so long that sometimes I do need more if things are dragged out.

Another amazing thing about Spunk Pure Silicone is that nothing leaves your skin so smooth and soft. Seriously, I've never felt anything like it. I was shocked when, even after rinsing with water, my skin felt like a smooth silky sheet. No left-over sticky or greasy residue, either, which is a neccessity to me.

And that brings me to another fantastic thing about Spunk Silicone lube: It's glycerin-free! UTI and yeast infection sufferers, rejoice! Glycerin is one of the main causes of yeast infections and UTI's, which is why people avoid soaps and lubricants that contain it like the plague. I am not that prone to the infections, but I still don't like using products that contain glycerin because it can still cause problems.

The ingredients in Spunk Silicone are as follows:
Dimethicone (that's silicone), Dimethiconol, Cycopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane.

I like that. Just a few, simple, but extremely effective and nice ingredients.

As you'll notice in my photos, Spunk Silicone is clear, and more runny/thin than the Hybrid Spunk, which is made to feel and look natural (and it does!) This one does not look or feel natural, but works like a charm. Although it isn't thick or gel-like in consistency, it does a great job of reducing friction and easing penetration. I was quite surprised as I've never liked a silicone lubricant enough to ever actually buy a full bottle, but this one is a charm. If only I could describe just exactly what it's like using this and feeling it on your skin! I can apply a tiny drop and it's slicker and smoother than satin, really. It gives one heck of a glide that I've never encountered before. That said, when you do use this in the bath tub or jacuzzi, be careful when standing because it's really that slippery!

As with the Hybrid Spunk Lube, I'm amazed that this one also has no taste or smell of any sort. This means it's also good for those who like to lick/kiss/nibble during their fun. I appreciate this because we don't have to worry about showering or removing the lubricant in the middle of things because of bad tastes.

As I said in my last Spunk post (the one on the Hybrid lubricant), for me, a lubricant must have 4  features :
1. No left-over residue. At all!
2. Limited amount of harmful ingredients. In this case, Spunk Silicone has me covered well!
3. Heavy-duty (long lasting and thick.)
4. Little to no re-application necessary. By this, I mean I want my lubricant to only need to be applied 1-2 times throughout a decent "session" whether it's intercourse or foreplay (rubbing)

Those important factors are far exceeded by Spunk Pure Silicone. I'm even more impressed that it works nicely for me considering I've never once been satisfied with a silicone lube. This is big, ya'll!


Now let's talk about the lovely green and black bottle:

As with the other Spunk Lubes, Spunk Pure Silicone says "SPUNK" down the front.

On the back is a nice bit of information about the lubricant:
"Spunk Lube Pure Silicone Lubricant for Men & Women.
Spunk Lube Pure Silicone is a silicone based lube that will last as long as you can!
Spunk Pure Silicone is designed to super long-lasting while never getting sticky or drying out.

Using the finest high-grade silicones available, Spunk Pure Silicone is condom-friendly, glycerin and paraben free, has no taste or smell and is extremely slippery and smooth! Spunk Pure Silicone Lube is unlike any other silicone lubricant available. You won't be disappointed. It's Pure Silicone that lasts!"


Spunk Lube is made in USA.

Yes Oil Based Lubricant that melts on your skin

  The sample of Yes Oil-based Lubricant came in a pretty turquoise bottle, that actually is discreet enough to pass as a travel-sized shampoo! So, there's nothing remotely embarrassing about it, no bold words that might scare you off, no nudity on the packaging. That's a big plus! Also, I want to take the time to note that Yes Lubricant ships discreetly. You won't see a package in the mail that says "excuse me! I have a tube of lube inside!" It doesn't even say anything that could hint at what's inside, so no worries there either.

 One great thing about this Oil-based lubricant is it didn't stain my clothing or sheets, and it doesn't get messy. As you may can see in the photo, it left my hand glowy, but not greasy. It's super moisturizing and feels great on. Yes recommends adding a layer of this along with their Water-Based Yes for extreme slip and slide! I tried this for just foreplay and loved it! I do a lot of massaging and these two combined are exactly the kind of long-lasting slipperyness I require. Also, adding the oil-based Yes means you can play in the shower, pool or hot tub without it washing fully away. It still leaves some slipperyness when in the shower.

I've told you before that I'd been previously using a lubricant called Liquid Silk, but as I became more health conscious, I began a journey to find a lubricant that was super efficient in lubricating, leaves absolutely no residue and is totally safe to use. Liquid Silk contains parabens, as most lubricants do, so I was getting more and more hesitant about using it everyday. Parabens have been linked to reproductive system problems and as you probably know are detrimental to your overall health.

So I was able to find a paraben-free lubricant as well as a couple natural and organic ones. I have tried literally at least 60 different lubricants! All of various brands. I know this makes me sound picky, but hey, who can blame me? But out of at least 60 (possibly even more than that, I quit counting after 60) I only liked 4 of them enough to keep using them. Still however, those 4 all had pretty big "cons" about them. These four lubricants all contained parabens except one, and that one still contained glycerin and was so runny. Each of the 4 contained glycerin!

For those of you who do not know, glycerin is something we like to avoid in lubricants (and toothpaste if you're like me) and any personal care products we use downstairs because it's one of the main causes of yeast infections and urinary tract infections! That's why taking bubble baths often cause women and children a UTI. Have you ever had a romantic night licking the tasty, edible lubricant off your loved one only to wake up the next morning with a yeast infection? Yep, do know that lubricants that contain glycerin and/or sugar is almost a sure fire way to earn yourself a yeast infection or UTI. I personally haven't had the misfortune of becoming so sensitive to glycerin that it's caused me any infection, but I try to avoid it still.

Now that you know that, you may think 'holy heck, now what will I do if my lubes are the reason I keep getting infections!?' Calm down, Yes Lubricants do not contain anything at all such as glycerin or sugar that will harm your precious parts! Score one for Yes, score 0 for the four previous lubes I was using!

So, while Yes was immediately gaining points from me, I was a little nervous about whether or not it woud really, really hold up for all my needs.

Then I was on to using Yes Water-based for intercourse, and then tried Yes Oil-Based for the same things -- foreplay, kegel ball insertion & intercourse. Now, it may be "TMI," but giving some brief info on what my needs are could be beneficial for someone reading this, so I'll do that, but scroll on if it's "TMI."

Personally, I need a good, thick lubricant. Not that runny, step above water type of stuff. It doesn't give enough of a... layer of thickness between my skin and whatever is being inserted. I am a pretty narrow person downstairs and tend to experience discomfort, sometimes pain and even tiny tears when things go from ultra-gentle to a little rough. It's dreadful knowing I'll be sore for an entire day after any activity, and the discomfort upon the beginnings of "activity" tend to cause me a great deal of discomfort. This is coming from a person who has heavy foreplay too! I guess my natural lubrication is just not enough, and that's a lot of us girls. Then you have people who are just totally dry due to menopause or whatever. So naturally, penetration will be uncomfortable.

The natural and organic lubricants I tried were decent, but also were only a step above using water. So I went on a silicone binge and experienced the same thing.

Then after having more than one person tell me I should try Yes, I got to reading up on the company and their lubes and was too ready to give them a try. I certainly didn't expect a big difference from this mess I'd already tried, but I was beyond intrigued after reading the great things about Yes.






- All Yes products are certified organic.   Certified organic means the product must contain at least 95%  of organic ingredients.   Just try to find another lubricant that claims to be naturally and truly is. I've been there and found only a couple that truly were legit, but as I explained, they weren't effective in the least. Many times a company will write "all natural" all over the package, but then you look at the ingredient list and see crap like methylparaben! What? Methylparaben is not natural, where have you been? That was exactly what I said upon my last lube-adventure. It said natural, but I looked at the ingredients and sure enough, it wasn't.

Yes is absolutely legitimate and truly natural lubricant. Which brings me to something I've gathered while on this journey. I've noticed that a lot of companies that sell lubricants that contain glycerin, parabens and all these harmful preservatives and such will have one measly product that says "all natural." Yet when you look closer, they haven't gone to any effort to back it up. It reminds me of a few companies I looked through and found all kind of sugar-filled lubes that sounded fun, but would truly be an infection waiting to happen. Then I'd notice one product that says natural, yet there would be nothing about it. The company didn't proudly have anything on their wepbage saying "hey, we guarantee that one of our products are natural." Nothing.

So upon further investigation, I would learn that they didn't actually have a fully natural product at all! They just met enough of the qulifications to slap that label on there and be done!

However, when you have something "certified organic" that's when you can be fairly sure. When a company backs it up, guarantees and will even communicate with you to assure you, you're on good territory.

When you visit the Yes Lubricant website, you see immediately the "certified organic" note. They don't hide ingredients and are always happy to be up front about how safe their lubricants are. That's trustworthy. I've emailed companies with shoddy ingredients before asking questions like "it says 100% natural but parabens are listed on the ingredients list" and gotten either NOTHING back from them or had them tell me something along the lines of "rest assured, it's safe." Really? That's definitely reassuring!  Yes Lubricants customer service will not put you in the dark like that. So these were major kudos for them.

Visiting Yes' website, you have pages full of information such as Why Yes? And How does Yes compare? I've included links to these pages. Simply click on "Why Yes" in the first sentence of this paragraph to visit that page, and so on.

On the Why Yes? page, you'll learn many things, including how long it took to create the Yes lubricants and why it's a good choice for you. Yes went through 3 years of research and development to create the lubricants that are all these things and more:

- Yes lubricants is effective without comprimising purity. And let me just say, Yes absolutely exceeds this girl's needs!

- Derivitive-free. No additives, parabens, chemicals or animal testing. Yes contains no glycols, GSE, sodium benzoate, mineral oil.

- Has moisture retentative properties, which is something I immediately noticed when applying Yes.

- Formulated from plant extracts.

- Is composed of other organic, cosmetic and food quality ingredients.

- Actively nourishes mucous membranes.

Actually, when I read that Yes does not contain sodium benzoate, it brought to mind my researching sodium benzoate just a month ago after finding it in my most recently purchased lubricant! I was horrified at the dangers of sodium benzoate, which include mitochondrial damage and it's a skin irritant.

Sodium Benzoate is often used in skincare/cosmetics as a corrosion inhibitor, and clearly causes damage in turn.

Glycols have the ability to allow chemicals to penetrate the skin, pulling them into the bloodstream!

Parabens are found in breast tumors!


Mineral oil is a petroleum by-product. Is said to basically suffocate skin.

These are only a few from Yes webpage. Visit the link to read them all. And I highly recommend visiting this page, which is available on Yes website, giving you an easy-to-read chart of how Yes compares to other leading lubes! You'll definitely learn a thing or two, be surprised and possibly even learn something about the lubricant you have sitting on your nightstand right now.

INGREDIENTS IN YES OIL BASED LUBRICANT:

 Prunus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil*, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea butter)*, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil*, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) seed butter*, Cera alba (Bees wax)*, Natural Tocopherols (Vitamin E). *Organically grown ingredients

MY EXPERIENCE WITH YES OIL-BASED LUBRICANT

As I previously posted, my first Yes encounter was with the Yes Water-based lube, after using it and loving it so much, I tried the Oil-based version as well with different results, but loved all the same! 

You know, I have never used an oil-based lubricant and enjoyed it. I am fine with oil for back massages, but it never felt very nice downstairs. Not for foreplay, massaging down there and least of all for intercourse because it would always be sort of tacky, which did not reduce friction, but seemed to increase it leaving my outer tissue to be pulled, dragged and tugged on. 

Rubbed in, leaves  moisturized skin and a pretty glow!

So I wasn't expecting to totally adore the Oil-based Yes. I began by trying it out on my hand. As you can kind of see in the photos, it's thick and looks sort of like petrluem jelly. Not quite, but it does resemble it.

I put this glob on my hand and after a second, it was like it began to melt to my hand! It was beautiful, just beautiful. It became all liquidy, but not runny. It just melted. Instead of the white clump, it became a non-greasy, but thick liquid, and felt like wonderful each way I used it. I ended up rubbing the glob into my hand and used Yes Oil-Based elsewhere. My hand was so nice and smooth, intensely moisturized and left with a glowy appearance. 

This brought me to the conclusion that Yes Oil-Based lubricant is exactly the lube for super dry ladies. The water-based version of Yes was plenty for me, but the oil-based will be something I also want to buy since it's like a luxurious lube. I have to admit, I am dying to use this stuff on my dry skin too. It done wonders for the skin on my hand and crotch and left things feeling smoother than ever before. I'm telling you, you'll have one slippery, smooth and slick crotch if you use Yes Oil-Based after epilating or shaving. I imagine this could work like a dream for the occasional dry hands, feet and elbows. 

Unlike the greasy residue you have left behind with other oil-based lubricants, Yes was totally different. It does leave a smooth, glowy finish, but when I run my hands across the skin after it's been absorbed well, it's so smooth like nothing was ever there. This impressed me so much because I expected this to be one of those shower-right-after lubes. It doesn't require showering to remove anything. While Yes is so long lasting that one application could well outlast me, it doesn't leave me sticky, slimey or greasy. However, if you really wanted to remove it for whatever reason, a wet wash cloth will suffice in removal. No soap is necessary until you do plan to shower.

The oil based Yes is fantastic, and something I'd definitely recommend to those who need a lot of thick lubricant. This stuff is amazing. 































*I recieve no monetary payment for my reviews. Each review is my honest opinion. My reviews are in compliance with FTC's guidelines. See my disclosure page and honesty pledge for more info on sponsored reviews!*

Lavendar Natural Bar Soap with Hemp

  The photos aren't of the best quality, but this happens to be another mini soap bar from SunFeathers. This particular one is the Tea Tree Lavendar and Hemp soap bar. 

  As the photo shows, the bar of soap has tiny little flecks of hemp in it. These allow for gentle exfoliation when rubbed across the skin. Up close, they look similar to your cereal bowl when you've just finished eating frosted mini wheats. They're small and not abrasive so they're gentle enough for sensitive skin. This however may not be the perfect exfoliator for extremely dry skin, but to fix that, run your mini soap bar under the faucet and then dip it in sugar or cornmeal right before a shower! Then you have a perfect bar of soap with the perfect amount of exfoliant. Works wonders! Sugar works nicely, but I tend to like using corn meal for better results. Either will work.

  Incase you don't remember the history I posted on my last bit about the company SunFeathers, I've copied and pasted straight from their site. You can read it in full here.  

  "Our Story

PHOTO CREDIT: SunFeathers.com

SunFeather’s history began in the fall of 1979, when founder Sandy Maine blended a passion for fragrant and medicinal herbs with a fascination and skill for soapmaking. With a core value that a business can deliver positive products to consumers, Sandy pooled her talents and started SunFeather in her backyard with a vat of bubbling oil and $15.00 worth of local cedar oil.
For five years (while the business grew), Sandy hauled water in 5-gallon pails from a nearby spring to her farmhouse, which provided a peaceful setting and crystal clear water for making soap. Because she lived beyond the power lines (utilizing only a small generator and no telephone), all business was initially done by mail. Sandy visited the nearby town twice each week to place phone calls to customers. During that time, Saturday nights with her husband Louie were often spent wrapping and labeling soaps for shipment.

As the business grew, employees joined the business to help with the increasing workload. Eventually, Sandy gave up her role as soap maker and focused on product development, sales and marketing. Sandy’s work expanded to include authorship of numerous articles and books on soapmaking, herbal homekeeping and succeeding in business. Sandy’s work has expanded the appreciation and use of handmade soaps in ways she never anticipated. Sandy continues her product development legacy as we maintain the company’s founding philosophies. Great soap is here to stay!"


The Tea Tree Lavendar Hemp Soap is righ in fatty acids and possesses antibacterial properties of Tea Tree Oil. Remember all my Tea Tree Oil raving? Well, using it in soap is also beneficial to skin. Tea Tree Oil can be healing for cuts, scrapes, bruises, dry skin, and so many more!

Using the Tea Tree Lavendar Hemp Soap will rejuvenate and heal dry skin as well as sun damaged skin.

This is a great soap for those who are sensitive and suffer from breakouts. Tea Tree Oil alone is great for breakouts and I hear Lavedar is calming/soothing for inflammation.  

 

• Paraben free, gluten free, soy free & vegan soap.
• Scented with essential oils and natural aromatics. 
• Plant based soap with all natural colorants

  INGREDIENTS:

Saponified Oils of Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil* and Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil*, Lavandula Hybrida (Lavendin) Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil, Cymbopogon Flexuosus (Lemongrass) Oil, Lemongrass Herb, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Titanium Dioxide (Natural Color), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract*. *Made with certified organic oils. 

 Also note the other ingredients listed such as coconut oil. You all know how I feel about that miracle from nature! It's also amazing and perhaps the best thing for skin. Lemongrass is always a favorite of mine when using bath products. The smell is lovely and clean.

SCENT

The Tea Tree and Lavendar Hemp soap has notes of lavendar, a slightly minty note and lemon. I think the Lavendar smell stands out most and that's what makes it a soothing, calming soap that's great for using right before bed. The scent of Lavendar soothes and calms. That is why it's sometimes used in baby and children's bath products. However, I want to say you should be VERY careful before introducing any new ingredients into the life of a child as they can be allergic. So can you so always look at the list of ingredients before using.

My skin isn't very sensitive, but I still feel that this soap is gentle enough for sensitive skin. It's a very relaxing soap to lather up with in the bath tub right before bed. Tired and achy bodies will rejoice. I'm extremely relaxed while soaking in a lather of this soap. 

I love the lavendar scent and for those of you who hate the pungent odor of tea tree oil, rest assured, you can barely smell it in this soap! I for one have been used to using tea tree oil since I was a kid so it doesn't bother me either way.

SunFeather always has amazing smelling soaps. I've yet to be unhappy with any of them. Keep one in the shower and store the rest of the bars in your clothes drawer or closet for a super fresh, clean scent! It isn't so strong that it overpowers or irritates. I can use it in the shower without problems and storing them in my drawers leaves just enough scent on my clothing that I get a nice  whiff when I put them on or open the drawer.