Best of '14: Face, Body & Hair

In 2014 I have gone mostly organic on everything that skincare & hair.

The main reason is because my sensitive skin responses better on purer ingredients. It can be A equals B but B does not always equal A. Or, just because it says it's (mostly) organic it will not automatically rule out sensitivity issues (see here @ Caroline Hirons). I did not experience major breakouts/rash but some products do get more hype than they deserve.

Nevertheless, My best of 2014:

FACE:

Facial Mist:

Sanoflore Veritable Eau Florale in Camomille

 Chamomille has been my herb of choice as a toner: it calms down my skin and smells wonderful in that dried flower way. I've tried some more expensive facial mists (see here) but sometimes a really sensitive skin needs a bit of simplicity.

Cleanser:

Suki Exfoliating Cleanser

It's not my daily cleanser but a favourite of mine for smelling so zesty and giving skin a mild, organic way of exfoliation.

Serum:

Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti Wrinkle Defense Serum

This potion with a newer antioxidant has been a wonderful serum with a good antiageing result. Moreover, my skin tolerates it well. This is my 3rd bottle.

Daycream & nightcream:

No real winners nor losers.

Speciality:

Odacité Pure Elements

These blends really target the problem by location (eg: congested pores at tzone & dry skin @ cheeks). I've always been a fan of essential oil/base oil mixtures and Odacité does them well. The only thing is that they are darn expensive, so you could mix up your own too. Sidenote! I've had a aromatherapeutic course so I have some clue, but if you are unsure about mixing: start with 1 drop of the essential oil on 30 drops of base oil. Overusing an essential oil can have a opposite/negative effect, that's why I really recommend Odacite for convenience and having really good organic oils.

Sensitivity/dry spots/Psoriasis/Exzema

Tatcha Indigo Soothing Renewal Treatment

This is one of the few effective products when I break out in dry spots. It's totally expensive but people who break out on the face know what it is like when you just want to hide behind your hair. So yeh...

Lipbalm:

AS.AP Lip Balm 06

Soothing for wintery or crack-y lips. Also gorgeous as a primer for normal lips.

Mask:

I'm gonna jump upon the [instagram] bandwagon and declare I like Leahlani Mermaid Mask. I don't feel the need to post myself clad in green mud while duckfacing & wearing thick mascara/falsies etc. I hope that's ok.  Ps: I'm still a great fan of my Rhassoul mudmasks (here) too.

BODY/HAIR

Bodylotion:

Avène Xeracalm AD bodylotion

This cream has been an excellent cream in un-itching my body. It diminishes the local dryness/patchiness too. I'd also give Tatcha Indigo bodycream a really high vote, but it is expensive and still has a mild citrus-scent that might not be every-sensitive skin's taste.

Hair:

Less is More Neem Scalp Relieve Shampoo & Lavender Smoothing balm

The shampoo diminishes itchiness on the scalp and cleanses beautifully.

The Lavendel Smoothing balm really smoothes stubborn ends and smells like true lavender.

&

Acure Morrocan Argan Oil + Morrocan Stem Cell condioner

A price-friendly organic conditioner that smoothes down wonderfully.

FaceTools:

Yung Yu Roller in Jade facial

I gotten this roller as a freebie with a large Cultbeauty purchase. I've become a fan of facial massages and the Jade is known as a cleansing stone in Chinese medicine. 

 &

Sarah Chapman Skinesis Facialift

This medieval tool of [...] feels more vigorous when used (video here), like those facial massagist people can do when they want to stimulate the connective tissue. Quite effective as my slightly slacking jowl (I'm a slacker, not a real wrinkler) is a tighter baby the morning after. I have the same tool for body but I should use it more.

I'm quite happy to have found a couple of winners that are organic, or at least quite natural. I feel organic skincare gotten a long way and the choices are sometimes overwhelming. I still like to read reviews beforehand, or read up on the ingredients before I try as 'organic' has become some kind of lucrative magicword these days.

Used Up's / June

Late to the party for a quick round of my most important used up's...

Hair: 

I've been blogging about sampling up some Less is More hairproducts and I've finished up the Lindengloss conditioner. The 30ml has lasted me quite a while: about 7 times for long hair. I really liked how this organic conditioner performed: soft & silky feel, no heaviness or weird residue and it smells amazing. However, when I had the opportunity to buy full-sized I kind of steeped back from the price. The sample size is a reasonable € 6, but a full-size € 23. I still have some other quality conditioners to use up so I will consider, but wait before going full-size.

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 Makeup:

Paul & Joe's finishing powder is from the Sahara collection from 2010. Long long time ago...I had a darker colour (002) so I only use it in summer when having [faux] tan. It is really good, though: a micro-thin quality that doesn't alter the foundation underneath, and can also be used on a good skinday alone without foundation. I would gladly repurchase. 

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Mask:

Osmia Detox Mask has gotten quite the hype among organic and concious bloggers, and from that field it gotten known among everyone that wants a good, detoxing mask (like me, see here).  I really liked it when living in the Mediterranean: my skin gotten weirdly oily and pimply-> heat & polluted air. A good claymask helped to remove remaining sunblock, some oiliness etc etc. However, I liked it but it has not been the complete miracle worker. I'm somewhat convinced that there are cheaper clay-mask options out there, but the mix of ingredients are quite good.

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Lash:

I'm on my 3rd tube of YSL shocking mascara. It's not the complete HG but it has some excellent varieties of colours around. People with chameleon eyes like myself can have a cute effect by changing a hint around the colour of the eyes. E.G, a blue, burgundy or a purple can change my colour into a more green or blue, depending of what I like. YSL Shocking doesn't do dreadful 80s colours, only a slight hint. And the formula is delightfully thick and glossy without going clumpy. 

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RapidLash, I've finished my 2nd tube and I get a longer result every time I use it. I never get irritations from it either. In fact, I'm on the more expensive Revitalash right now, but I feel it irritates my eyes. I think I will just repurchase Rapidlash instead.

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Oil:

Caudalie has done an excellent job in creating their Polyphenol C15 line. This sample has been feeling both detoxing and youth-i-fying for my skin, and I've only been trying it for 2 nights! I will go for the bigger bottle.

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Serum:

I took the full plunge by buying a full size of Caudalie Polyphenol C15 antiwrinkle defense Serum. I've been using it superconsistently (morning/evenings) for one and a half month and I absolutely was stunned about the plumping effect. Moreover, the price was under €40 so not that ridiculously expensive price some companies ask for their serums. I'm not sure if it will be HG material if my skin gets sensitive (thinking winter) because the amount of fragance is somewhat present, but for the moment I really like this one.

April's Empties

This month has been a normal empties month:

• Pai daycream in Macademia & Rose has not been finished yet, but it reached the expiry date. I quite like the neutral texture but I opened it too late 

•  De Mamiel Spring oil is nice, but I'm not too fond of it's lemony, home-cleansing scent. I added some neroli & geranium to perk it up: that worked 

•  Nourish Revital-eye made it to my Best of 2013 List. I've emptied my 2nd tube & keep on loving its effect on my eyes.

• Avene eau Thermale had been on my wishlist for a while. I got the samplesize and like it, but I cannot really distinguish between this one and La Roche Posay: I just like both types.
•  Ren Evercalm cleanser is lovely, but these days I'm more partial to either cleansing oils or micellar waters. But it's nice to try
• Kris dAmour makes some lovely oils. The soothing faceoil, is everything it promises, delightfully soo
• Estelle & Child lifting Eyecream was a bit of a miss for me. It gave me an irritation: the saleswoman told me it was because the eyec  re am contained too many actives but I don, t have yhis promblem with either Pai Echium nor Nourish Revital-Eyes. It's just not working for me.

Both of my pot eyeliners dried out.  

I really liked RMS Unpowder which explained why I finished in 4 months

• Nexxus Emergencee changed into Polymedic: the formula is still similarly brilliant and givesmhair a good dose of protein.
• Trilogy Refresh and Shine is an excellent, organic conditioner with light but effective detangling properties
• Less is MORE Lindengloss shampoo smells amazing and cleanses light but effectively. I want themfull size now!
• Ila Nourish body lotion is light and has that hwrbal scent. Lovely, but the full size would be a tad too pricy for me
• Last but not least has been Timothy Dunn Mille Fleurs candle: so good that it should become a perfume.

Leave Me In! Fast Conditioning with Aveda, Wunderbar, Unite & Less is More

Yesterday I watched an old episode of Sex and the City. The theme was about getting into the most desired restaurant, so the 'let me in' kinda got mixed up with the 'leave-[me]-in' conditioners: 

I'm not gonna talk about the hippy-hair-gone-normal-long story about mine, but maintainance has been easier: I'm often permitted to go 'fast-n-go' with a good leave in conditioner. I'm still about quality, and my stylist, recommendations of other bloggers, own curiosity has led me to these.

1. Wunderbar Moisture Leave in Treatment: This brand is quite new. It smells chemically fresh but has a refreshing low amount of ingredients including poweroil Argan Oil:
   

   

    Aqua, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyquaternium-37, Quaternium-87, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Quaternium-80, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil,hydrolised Adansonia Digitata Extract, Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Polysorbate 20, Disodium Edta, Dmdm Hydatoin, Carbomer, Fragance, Limonene, Lanalool, Geranol.

    Most of all, it's actually good and it doesn't irritate my scalp nor the skin of my face. Affordable! This travel sample is €1 for a reasonable 50 ml.
2. Unite 7 Seconds is a typical blogger's recommendation (various here): I've noticed a lot of [bleached] blondes use it as their hair needs volume & oh-so-much care as well. The spray-formula is light and easy. It conditions well but it's not my favourite: this for being too chemical as my skin doesn't like it when it gets into contact with my hair.
3. Less is More Lavendel Smooth Balm is not a listed Leave-in Conditioner but more of a pre-blowdry moisturizer. Meh, different-label-same-construction to me.

   

   Balmy, my hair absorbs it better than this flower

   It's lovingly balmy and shockful of good ingredients (more here). It smells like authentic lavendel: not everybody would be into this scent but I think it's soothing and reminds me of the South of France, nice.
4. Aveda Damage Leave in Treatment is infused with Quinoa: really! I think it's the strongest and most conditioning one of the pack.
   
   It really functions as a deep-conditioning mask only in the leave-in form. I love it's Aveda-ish scent. On some days it can be too moisturizing so I actually use it like I would use a wash-out mask; every now and then for that extra boost.

Comparing ingredients:

 It is surprising how the naturals can have either a long list (Aveda) as a shorter list (Less is More). Aveda is actually not as natural as it claims to be (eg here & here) but they have been around for a longer time bringing quite good quality in a more natural way, so I give them credit for that. And how to resist power-superfood Quinoa in haircare?

I was already surprised Wunderbar has a short ingredients list and other chemical partner Unite has a longer one.

I really like all of them for specific reasons. Unite is the fastest on the go, but I still believe in combing through the liquid. The rest are to be rubbed in and are wonderful in protecting it from blowdry & other styling tools.

You absolutely do not need as many as I have but I've been sampling them by chance, curiosity and for different kind of needs. I'm glad to see the leave-ins gotten more sophisticated and effective throughout the years. They used to be a gooey 'residence-left-over' potion that couldn't really compare with the rinse-out's, but now they equal the effect you might need for your hair.