Multiple Masking Mania: Clay's the new Sheetmask

Don't you often get that feeling that when something is a true hype, you start looking elsewhere? 

As with sheetmasking, I have been into Asian trends since the beginning of my blog (about 2007) and the occasional sheetmasks has often been a part of my facial routine. Don't get me wrong...I am so happy about the variety of sheetmasks popping up everywhere, instead of waiting for days for my gmarket Korea packet to come in...Sheetmasks are brilliant in moisture and adding a essence/serum really effectively, but when it comes to getting that pure, porepurging feeling...Clay is the word! 

Since I am still lazy to borrow from my own Instagram, ofcourse meticulously taken and edited photos, I had the theme "#spooning for #singlegirls is all about Multiple Masking". So there you go: 4 gorgeous colours of clay-based masks that each have a different purpose for the skin.

Left to Right:

• Lush Don't Look At Me Mask is as fresh as its smurfblue colour. It has a good whopping of citrus juice combined with the base-clay of Kaoline. Citrus Juice is nice for brightening skin and purifying pores, but I would steer away from the sensitive parts of your face. This one went on the nose and chin. It is quite fraganced of neroli essential oil...The blue colour, unfortunately, is a colourant and not derived from any natural clay-source.
• Cattier Paris Pink Clay Mask is the perfect type of clay for purifying sensitive skin. The list of ingredients is short: Pink clay, Organic sheabutter, Organic peppermint extract, Lactic acid (vegetable), Organic Aloe vera but that is enough to purify on a gentle level. The price was under a fiver and the cream-to-clay formula is easier than handling the power version of pink clay.

•  Before Herbana I never heard of Purple Clay before. According to Herbana (here) "Violet clay is a combination of a few natural clays which contains low concentration natural minerals. It is rich in silica and less absorptive than green clays" and I get a similar summing up of minerals from this and this site. Now Herbana amped up the youth-boosting factor for adding argan oil, Rosehip Oil and Aloe Vera gel. It still dries to a dry and violet mask but the effect is incredibly soft. I really like the effect this masks gives me: I feel purified without that overly dry feeling some clay masks can give. This retails for a reasonable € 13 on Etsy, and will make fun selfie/masking/scaring your cat/loved one game.

• You might have heard a lot about NIOD and their Flavavone Mud Mask. Niod often has an incredibly story behind their innovative ingredients, and this one is no exception about their triple faces of 1. Purifying ; 2. Protecting & 3. Responsive Phase. For the whopping amount of € 35 a good story should be behind it, right? Personally, I was not really wowed by this mask. During my most sensitive phase of my psoriasis, it actually felt quite drying and not really helping my skin. The Cattier Pink clay actually worked at that same phase, so I guess price, an elaborate story and innovation are not always an all-cure-for-all. Now my skin is a lot calmer, I find it just ok but not as good as the Cattier or my gorgeous new Herbana. I still like a lot of NIOD's products, especially the Copper serum, but this one did not float my boat.

Just as sheetmasking can be a lot of fun, I think the added natural or unnatural colours of the claymasks can look fun and also have an a beneficial value. Most people would think of claymasks as drying and more suitable for oily/combined skin but the gentlier versions of pink and purple clay can be quite beneficial for dryer, dehydrated and maturing skins thanks to the additional minerals. Closing off the skin from air and other elements, similar as taking a sheetmask, often helps the regeneration/purifying process some more. However, take in mind that clays can draw out the occassional pimple as well so perhaps before a date or special occasion, the sheetmasks would be a tad more smoothing.

Moist to the People- hydrating with Olivine, The Ordinary and Herbivore

Blog -> Instagram -> Blog (& Instagram)

Going off the blog has not diminished my love for cosmetics...au contraire...I think I bought more because my skin was very *wack* and sensitive so my game was more on.

I went to post on Instagram (@suikerstruisje), every now and then, because I just love how a beautiful product can look in synch with other elements. But I miss writing in depth of how it works and how I find it effective. Emoticons are what they are, simple, and lengthy reviews are often looked over at the Gram.

So let's work it on the blog again :)! 

Left to right: 

• Olivine Love & Roses Beauty mist could pass as simple rosewater concoction, were it not that the roses have been organically harvested, rose quartz have been infused in the water, Moringa Seed extract, Andean Orchid Flower and Cassia extract that mimics hyaluronic acid...To amp up the beauty ritual, Olivine recommends chanting/voicing the mantra 'I am divine' while spritzing your face with this gorgeous tonic. Moreover, the bottle is a recyclable glass... 
• The Ordinary Buffet has become one of the Ordinary's star products, although it would be hard to pick a favourite of any of Deciem's newer, affordable skincare-line. What makes Buffet such a winner is the massive concoction of peptides that has been a bliss to my post Fraxel-laser skin...During autumn '16 my skin hardly recovered from the abrasive actions of the laser, nevertheless this peptide concoction offered my skin a helping hand in building up new skincells (also thanks to Rosehip oil and Manuka honey). For more info on the peptide blend, check their website here.
• Herbivore Orchid anti ageing Face oil has the most gorgeous dainty smell of all my skincare. And that is a lot. Positive emotions by scent can also help the pro-youth feeling (I don't like the word 'anti-ageing' for the record). Then I hear you think: with soooo many oils on the market, what makes this one IT? To me, I like a simple ingredient list with oils, I like complicated serums but the oils should be oils and a tad simple. Notwithstanding, they should be very potent. Orchid extract has minerals like Zinc,  Calcium and Magnesium but the process of the flower developing itself is so intricate that the 'plant memory' of youth and regeneration is quite upscale. Adding a beautiful Camelia Flower oil for the positive omegas makes it a gorgeous blend.

Ok, so let me add the way I posted this on Instagram. I'm always itching to write full reviews...

Now I noticed I've gotten lazier on the text...So give me some time and I'll be full-on blogger again, with plenty-o-text...

New Oils: Herbivore Orchid & Lapis

Spring is lurking but winter is still there: let's test some oils again.

Since I've been running out of the very expensive May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon, I wanted to find a nighttime treatment that would add the soothing proprieties of Blue Tansy. I liked Blue Cocoon, but somehow I am not the greatest fan of balms, even if they liquidify into a soft oil when warmed. 

I found Herbivore Oil Balancing Lapis face oil with blue tansy on Sephora, but found out that their Etsy shop had samples. I have found most facial oils too heavy on my face lately; a tester would be better before the full splurge.

And how to resist the Orchid Youth Preserving Facial Oil? I mean, the terminology on 'age-battling' has become a lot more creative and friendly lately. 

So two oils. The difference between the Lapis (above) and the Orchid (beneath) is clearly in colour.

 Let's take a look at my 1st choice: the Herbivore Lapis Oil Balancing oil:

It is such a relief to see the blue Tansy represented in the oil: that gorgeous aqua blue hue. I do not exactly need an oil that targets for balanced skin, anyway, blue tansy does so much more than oil regulating. It is a potent anti-inflammatory oil which benefits both restless acne skin as my older, sensitive-prone complexion.

The Jasmine Sambac smells amazing in a soft, soothing manner. Nothing too cloying for a sensitive nose. I am also delighted about the lightness or dry feel of the oil: It feels so light and still moisturizes plently. I had experimented with a couple of older favourites this winter that felt too heavy on me. Hence, I skipped the face-oils for a while and my dryer skin was the result of this. This is one of the first oils I can feel it bringing the right amount of moisture to me again!

Herbivore Orchid Youth Preserving Oil

This oil has the familiar hue of lighter yellow that is recognizable. It also feels like a light oil, though it is a tad thicker than the Lapis version. I am deeply in love with the blend of Orchid with the Jasmine, scentsational!

Camillia flower oil is one of my favourite oils around. A good version is also expensive and not so easy to find in the West. The addition of Squalane gives this oil enough lightness for me to tolerate.

And I really like the roller-ball that comes with the travel size: you can have the benefits of a micro-massage and the delightful-ness of the ingredients.

Right now, I feel I wake up glowier with the Orchid Youth Preserving oil than with the Lapis Oil Regulating one. Both oils feel like they calm down my flaky bits. I have only used both a couple of times so I think I will have to continue a while with one version before I can bring out a good, rounded review. Also, I might like the richer Orchid for this time of year and will probably enjoy the lighter Lapis one when the weather becomes warmer. 

Overall, I feel glad to have found not only one, but two oils that feel like a delicate treat on my skin (instead of a nuisance). I think I will purchase the larger bottle of the Orchid Youth Preserving oil soon, and during spring I might purchase the Lapis Oil Regulating one.

The Brightening Game: Arcona Brightening Drops, Dermaceutics Mela Cream, Andalou Enlightening Serum & Jurlique Purely Bright

So there's been this pigment spot I got last year...

The thing about pigment spots is that they are easy to contract, but super-difficult to get rid of. Somewhat like a STD? And the continious functioning and re- re- re- applying sunblock as the contraceptive? Or, abstain from the sun if you want to be safest!

Yes, I already had a couple of IPL laser session but some pigment is still there. I have brought in four of these creams that make a difference. 

 

 Arcona Brightening Drops: 

 

Arcona is classified as natural but with a Cosmeceutical approach. This is the most liquidy of the four. It feels like a essence or toner that feels slightly zingy when applied. I apply it topically on the spot itself, as all over.

Ingredients:

Agua (Distilled Water), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Azelaic Acid, Gallic Acid, Lactic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Ester, Kojic Acid, Arbutin, Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) Extract, Bilberry Extract, Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis) Seed Extract. 

----

 The main focus is on exfoliation by the various acids with a natural background. Arbutin, Vitamin C and Bilberry are ingredients that target hyperpigmentation

Dermaceutics Laboratoire Mela Cream:

 

I got this from a dermalogist who was probably too busy to give me IPL and adviced me this cream instead (I know, how weird, right?). It packs a lot of active ingredients that target lightening, like:
Kojic, Salicylic, Phytic and Mandelic acids, Arbutin, Niacinamide, Retinol and Licorice Extract.

It does feel like a real retinol treatment that you have to build up the intensity over time. I alternate it with Arcona brightening drops and use it in the evening about twice a week.

Andalou Tumeric & C Enlightening Serum

 

I finally went back to my early thirties habit of Vitamin C! I actually feel this one is the most effective of the four in terms of making my skin more glowy. I've been using it for two weeks now (morning) and since then my skin gotten brighter. Best thing, unlike the two above: this one does not sting and feels even calming.

Ingredients:
Aloe Barbadensis Juice*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil*, Vegetable Glycerin, Cyamopsis Tetragonolobus (Guar) Gum*, Fruit Stem Cells (Malus Domestsica, Solar Vitis) and BioActive 8 Berry Complex*, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Extract*, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Lauric Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitis Vinifera (Grape Seed) Polyphenols, Borago Officinalis (Borage) and Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Oils*, Glyceryl Monolaurate, Linum Usitatissimum (Flax), Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) and Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Oils*, Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Extract*^, Laminaria Digitata (Kelp) Extract, Allantoin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil* 

Wholey Cow (must be the Tumeric), there is a buckload of effective ingredients in there. I already take tumeric as a morning drink so I believe in its clarifying properties.  I could rave a while but look at makeupalley.com who loves it too (here).
 

Jurlique Purely Bright Night Moisturizer

 

One of my mid-thirties brighteners I come back to every time. It takes a month or two but I feel it has an effect on me.

Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Heptyl Undecylenate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, SD Alcohol 40-A (Alcohol Denat.), Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Squalane, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Viola Odorata (Sweet Violet) Extract, Viola Tricolor (Pansy) Extract, Sambucus Nigra (Black Elder) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Prunella Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Fruit Extract, Anogeissus Leiocarpus Bark Extract, Cichorium Intybus (Chicory) Root Extract, Fragrance (Parfum*), Tocopherol, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Totarol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene*, Linalool*, Citronellol*, Geraniol*, Eugenol*, Benzyl Benzoate*, Isoeugenol*.
  
Even a longer list. I am most enthousiastic about the liquorice compound in this one. It it not a completely natural brand but I seem to tolerate the rest of the ingredients as well. It smells somewhat soothing like a light babypowder.

Up close, serum-y: 

Arcona has the most liquidy texture, Dermaceutic is your typical Retinol with a kick and slightly more lotion-y. Andalou is a light daycream and Jurlique is also quite light for a nightcream. 

 Obviously, I use all four for a different reason. The ingredients of each are different but still came out as effective in (some) studies. Ok Ok, I am sceptical enough not to believe "studies say"-rhetorics but when various outcomes are good, I'm willing to try. 
My skin is rather sensitive but I can tolerate most of them at the time being. I hope I can still brighten the *&^ out of that spot before winter time.

Then it will be time to balm up again in all types of soothing concoctions....

So what's your Brightening Game?

Eye Travel with Sunday Riley Start Over travel-size

Now most of us are either holidaying or have one coming up, I'd like to share a travel favourite of mine.

Meet Sunday Riley Starting Over Eyecream. It looks as simple as any other eyecream: 

Tube ✓

Clinical letters ✓

White packaging ✓

Or somehow I find eyecreams to be looking kinda sterile compared to other facial care. 

 Might be because it comes closer to a fragile area, the eyeball?  

In any case, Sunday Riley has Results as their 1st concern:

 Now, I do think the concept of 'having results' is a variable. In normal English: what I want from an eyecream might be totally different from my teenage daughter. She might combat dark circles that come from Festival [lack of] sleeping; I want wrinkle care!

But my love for this eyecream is probably veered towards it's travel purpose: especially airplanes that suck the moisture out of your body like a Saharan desert. Also, the puffiness reminiscent of walking in a sandstorm.

This Metallic top has this perfectly cool feel on eyes. A bit of a squeeze will bring out a small dollop [practice first otherwise you'll have an amount to equalize for the whole face], and the feel of the metallic top with the super-moisturizing eyecream will have your lids soothed to a key.

Ingredients:

V-5 Ageless Complex (Opuntia Tuna Fruit (Prickly Pear) Extract, Agave Tequilana Leaf (Blue Agave) Extract, Cypripedium Pubescens (Lady’s Slipper Orchid) Extract, Opuntia Tuna Fruit, Opuntia Vulgaris (Cactus) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract & Saccharmyces Cerevisiae (Yeast) Extract), Squalene and Olea Europea (Olive) Fruit Extract, Rosa Rubiginosa (Rosehip) Seed Oil, Punica Granataum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Methysilanol Carboxymethyl Theophylline, Butylene Glycol, PEG-75 Meadowsol, Ammonium Polyacrylate, Isohexadecane, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Hydroxyethyl, Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C Ester) Glucosamine HCL & Algae Extract & Yeast Extract & Urea, Algae Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort) Extract, Glabridine (Licorice) Extract, Lecithin, Cholesterol Oleyl Carbonate & Cholesteryl Nanoate & Cholesteryl Chloride, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil & Astaxanthin & Lycopene & Alpha D-Tocopherol, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, DMDM Hydantoin

As for these results again: The ingredients focus on hydratation [eg: Rosehip seed oil, Squalene oil, Pomegranate seed oil] , anti-ageing [eg: Prickly Pear extract, Vitamin C, Algae extract, again Rosehip & Pomegranate] and brightening [eg: Licorice extract & Licopene].

I often feel I "start over" a bit when arriving at a new destination from an airplane. Perhaps because of the fast way of overcoming total areas, timezones and sometimes seasons.

Now I can "start over" with representative & hydrated eye-area.

But why does only the travel format come with the eyecontour-saving metallic lid???

Also, can we have this in the facecream as well? 

Garden of Wisdom: natural skincare haul

I've hauled from an old favourite in skincare:

Garden of Wisdom is an artisian American webshop that has been selling simple but potent products for skin. They have a mixture of well balanced serums, cleansers, and all types of facial care. You can also purchase some raw ingredients to mix up your own, or to keep it to one simple but potent oil when dealing with oversensitive skin.

I have been a great fan of them around 2008 when I gotten into late 20s preventing-wrinkles stage. Well-known commercial brands were often too fraganced and too expensive: Garden of Wisdom singles out a couple of power ingredients in a uncomplicated blend that my skin tolerated and loved.

Since the organic skincare boom I've stopped buying from them for a while. Until I ran out of my favourite pimple buster: the Manuka Tea trea essential oil. Tea trea mixed with a dash of Manuka extract is even more potent and healing when pimples threaten to pop up.

Manuka tea trea essential oil, Wine Cabernet mask, Lightening serum, Yarrow healing facemist

I added some new serums and a wine mask to make my haul more interesting. How fun do do a Cabernet wine mask while taking care of your inner Cabernet needs as well?

Most of their skincare is available in dinky sample sizes. You can check them out over here: their site is artisan [read: a bit difficult to navigate] but even Makeupalley agrees there are some real gems out there. Ofcourse, I will keep you updated when I find a personal gem again.

One Sample led to another: Marie-Stella-Maris

I've been happy to sample up something from a new cosmetic company: Stella-Marie-Maris

I fell head over heels on the minimalistic packaging and the French aura it exuded. Especially the heels because the footcream with thyme is bliss for tired, parched feet.

 Doesn't it look like a Saint Laurent editorial?

 

I absolutely feel like being invited to a show during fashionweek:

 

Now we've gotten the superficial intentions of buying out of the way, don't we all fall for packaging every now and then, it has an inside too:

Ok, besides the ingredients:

Their website: I think they 'care for water', or is that just a hunch of mine?

This is also highlighted on their packaging:

Beyond looking through the rose-tinted glasses of nobility towards good causes like water maintainance, I am quite enthousiastic about this footcream.

Feet are somewhat the forgotten child of the beauty industry: only few companies pay attention to them. But how important or annoying can they be when they're not happy or feeling good? A good footcream should be the perfect hybrid between being moisturizing but also fast absorbant: who is actually sleeping with socks in order to get pretty feet? Raise your hands (or feet) if you do!

Besides of absorbing rapidly, they also have this wonderful blend of herbs that give zest to tired feel.  A mix of pepper mint, thyme, natural oils and pumice makes them feel cleaner. 

So this specific sample led me to the full size. It's a gorgeous footcream that will revitalize tired (sandal/slippered/heeled or broody sneaker-ed) feet to life again. And I think it will add the right amount of moisture when winter will arrive.

Perhaps there will be more on the cards with my new set of samples:

Who knows? 

Find them on their website, skins' website or at their flagstore @ Herengracht in Amsterdam.

Flower to the People: Mad Hippy Antioxidant Facial Oil

This one got me by it's name. I just really like original hippies. I could never be a real one myself and due to my previous deodorant adventure into organics, my armpits neither, but I kinda love them. 

I think it involves a certain level of healthy madness to be a real hippy en pleine forme. I'm not talking about the Bohemian crowd visiting Ibiza, Goa, Tulum, etc who have floaty dresses, yoga the shizzle out of their body, but would scream day & night if you would take away their mobile: that's some nice faux-hippiness. Nothing wrong with that as I like to get regular showers too and don't take me away from my materialist amount of facecare either.

boxed and beflowered

Facecare and materialism: hence another faceoil from a label that seems to be doing face-oils before it gotten too popular. Also, it's still has a white, flowery label which is something different from the darker labels lately.

What differs from Mad Hippy is that it's on the cheaper side, hence real-hippy affordable. It aims to be anti-oxidant and has Camu Camu as it's *wonder* ingredient: It's packed with 30x more vitamin C than an orange.

 Now I love fancy ingredients, especially from Rainforest areas. However, I'm somewhat aware that the carbon footprint of shipping out exotic ingredients around the world is not that environmentally friendly. Not that I'm such a saint, because I'm kinda glad this oil is infused with such gorgeously potent ingredients:

Argan oil (argania spinosa), pomegranate seed oil (punica granatum), sunflower seed oil (helianthus annuus), cranberry fruit extract (vaccinium macrocarpon), pomegranate extract (punica granatum), blueberry extract (vaccinium angustifolium), strawberry fruit extract (fragaria vesca), kiwi extract (actinidia chinensis), watermelon fruit extract (citrullus vulgaris), grape seed extract (vitis vinifera), raspberry seed extract (rubus idaeus), camu camu fruit extract (myrciaria dubia), acai fruit extract (euterpe oleracea), goji extract (lycium barbarum), sea buckthorn berry extract (hippophae rhamnoides), hemp seed extract (cannabis sativa), broccoli extract (brassica oleracea italica), sweet orange oil (citrus sinensis), vitamin E (tocopherol). 

It almost sounds like my morning smoothie.

And indeed, "More Actives, More Results":

Right now I like this blend of oils. Springtime is the perfect time to boost your skin to life. Antioxidants are excellent for recovering the skin from the stronger sunrays of late spring/beginning summer. It's a thicker oil so I prefer it for nighttime. It smells like a fruity smoothie with a hint of real Argan oil scent. People knowing their real argan that it's a bit herbally strong, almost like a certain form of meat. But it's only faintly present. I'm glad they used the unfiltered argan, as it's often more potent than the filtered versions (cough Josie Maran).

Most of all, the price: it's a mere $19.99 for a good amount of 30 ml.

Now If I just find some good organic deodorant and cycle to Spain for holidays....

T is for Toner: Natural Being Manuka Toning Gel

I have a confession: I like toners, but I can ignore them easily as well: sometimes I believe my basic cleansing is enough. But unlike some opinions, I think they really can do something for the skin, or even your mood.

Gel-toners are fairly new to me. I think they are a bit like the Japanese Emulsion steps: not a real water but thin enough to pass as an in between real cleansing and serum/daycream. So when I saw a natural variety with Manuka in it: I got it!

So I've been going more natural/organic lately for specific reasons. I love the planet and think even one person can make a change, but foremost it has been vanity and sensitivity. But let's check out the sustainability of the product first: 

I went in easy #hashtag mode to sum up the benefits: #truebeautyfromwithin but #greatskincarehelps. Also #respect4Nature & #Nicetobunniesetc.

The #antimicrobial function is also perfect for acne-prone skin. Manuka is an absolute powerhouse on this function and the native Australians even put it on their wounds. I've once layered it over Pixel-lasered skin (gone quite wrong) and it really calmed & healed.

 

Review:

• the gel-form feels soothing on the skin
• adding the manuka adds to calming down
• the gel-texture helps in removing everything the previous cleanser did not remove
• without stripping skin from natural/protecting oils
• the rest of the gel will dry: aka similar as most Japanese Emulsion steps.
• Mid-range price
• smells light like a hint of honey and a tad of something zesty (probably the geranium)
• Good ingredient-list:
  
  Conclusion:
  I used it when my skin had been really sensitive and it really made a difference in toning it down. And after it has done that, I kinda forgot about it (like I said in the beginning about toners). Which in a way means that it does work, because I will not need it as often. However, I think I should be more consistent about using this as it will only strengthen my skin in the long run and will help into getting less sensitive too.
  
  
  Availability:
  You can get it straight from their website and read more about their philosophies too.

De Mamiel Autumn Facial Oil

Autumn is officially over and I'm about to discuss my De Mamiel Autumn oil. I'm still going to because seasons are not always bound to dates, so there you go:

 

 I adore this oil right now in autumn-like weather, but that is not how it started...

When I got this oil, the season-date was offically autumn, but felt like an Indian Summer. I opened it and found the fragance to be too warm, too obtrusive, so I went back to my Bodhi Face Oil.

Then it started to get colder, leaves where falling and the rain kicked in. I tried this oil again and the blend of warming and soothing oils felt like bliss.

I will not elaborate too much about this oil as De Mamiel is already brilliant in that (see here). The ingredient list proves that it is not only a couple of oils blended together: it is a long and beautiful list and it is not merely bound to aromatherapy. 

 

The Flower essences even go deeper into treating a specific target: perhaps Bach Flower Remedies might sound familiar, especially their Rescue Remedy.  For example, they addded "Yerba Santa – helps encourage healthy breathing, helps release trauma and promotes positive thought" & "Snowdrop – helps the mind accept transition". Both healthy breathing (during flu season) and acceptance for the seasonal transition is key for autumn.

Shortly, De Mamiel season oils combine both aromatherapy, beautiful base oils and the flower remedy powers to target the [possible] physical and emotional reaction that is attacted to the season.

I am often slightly cynical about 'the latest thing' but I have to notice that I love using this oil. The blend and the fragance (that I found obtrusive during summer weather) feels like the most harmonic blend at night when weather is autumn-like.

golden oil

Also, "next morning skin"! If my skin gotten sensitive (read: patchy) during the day, this oil has the properties to balance it over night. I wake up with less patches and a dewy & more radiant complexion.

I can't hardly think that De Mamiel Winter oil will be better. However, my curiosity and my almost empty bottle of Autumn made me order Winter too.

The 'Autumn' blend is still on sale at cultbeauty.com & victoriahealth.com. I'm waiting for 'Winter' that I bought from beingcontent, partly because I ordered their sample set (£3) that will include May Lindstrom the Blue Cocoon too.

previous sample set

I'm so curious if that one lives up to the already created hype. 

ps: Happy winter (summer for southern Hemisphere) and happy preparation for Xmas...

Osmia Organics Detox Exfoliating Mask

In my last post I declared my undying admiration for anyone who has the quality of 'great skin' under the 2000-ish pixels of our wonderfully mega-cameras these days:  

[yes, you ms Kruger & your superfood-infused Goopy Gwynneth) 

That will get me discussing my own skin again. Shortly, I peeled and treated my skin from my 20s-acne pot-holed affected skin to a smoother canvas. Hence, not too unhappy about this result. However, larger pores are a hereditary condition and making them tinier & grime-free is a continuous & effortful task of mine. 

Enter OSMIA detox exfoliating mask 

I gotten ridiculously curious about this mask seeing it on my organic-orientated blogger-'sisters' like BeautyByBrittanie, NoMoreDirtyLooks & SeedtoSerum

 But the not-always-organic bloggers have been raving about this mask as well, like on Babble &  Taylor on MyLucidDreams. All of them are proud owners of gorgeous complexion so they must be on to something...

My order arrived in a beautiful Hummingbird * flower decorated box. I loved the personal note & some generous samples! And that for a company that has gotten quite famous already.

The samples consisted of their famous black soap and this gorgeous Calibration Serum.

It is actually an oil but really suitable for combination skin. I've been using it on my t-zone lately, and I really have less pimples/congestions there lately.

However, I'm not reviewing that one today. So let's direct the scope to the ingredients of the Detox Mask:

Chock-full of good & effective natural ingredients...I'm specifically chuffed about the raw manuka honey (an intensive detoxifyer & moisturizer at the same time) & the raw cocoa powder.

The pretty little mixing bowl is a part of their set: how handy:

Uhm, not putting any public face-mask pictures up: I'll save those for facebook but I'd like to show you how the mask looks when added a liquid to your choice: Thin & chocolat-y:

As for liquid of choice: the standard option is water, but I love to mix it with one of my toners or make a water-&-manuka-honey blend and mix it with the powder.

Verdict:

• thin mask which seems to reach the 'dirt' of the pores easier than a thicker mask
• slightly tightening but not drying (de-moisturizing) effect
• dries fast in 2 minutes: so effective for a quicker mask 

• smells delicious with a small hint of chocolate
• clearer & tighter pores afterwards
• my sensitive skin stayed rather calm (no redness etc) afterwards
• price: midrange (when you calculate shipping in) but will last about 3 months with regular (2 a 3 weekly) facials
• love the personal attention to the order & the generous samples to try out

Conclusion: The raves online are justified: this mask preforms well and does what it says.

Availability: on the Osmiaorganics website for $50.00