finished goods - may

May was a slow month for using up products, mostly because I've been so tired I haven't been as diligent on my evening cleansing/moisturizing and morning primping routine.  Here are the finished goods for the month of May:

• H2O+ sea salt body wash
• H2O+ bath aquatics shampoo
• Skoah smooth talk body lotion
• Laura Mercier perfecting water rich hydrating water
• Skoah klearity mask (sample - not pictured)
• The Mentholatum Company lip ice lip balm (not pictured)

Here's hoping next month's finished goods post will be a tad more exciting.

 

beauty box five - may 2013

I finally received my BB5 box yesterday.  On top of the delay in receiving the box (mail-outs were a bit later for the month of May - I was expecting this box at the end of May/early June), I was extremely unimpressed with the products provided this month.  Here is what I received (amounts listed are the sample values based on full-size retail value and are listed in USD):

1. Jean Pierre tanning towelettes. 2 towelettes, $1.78

2. Model Co black eyeliner.  Full size, $18

3. Coolway transform styling spray.  3.3oz, $12.29

4. La Fresh deodorant wipes.  2 wipes, $0.83

5. Brazen ultraglaze lip gloss in Centerfold.  The container received does not look to be the full-sized version, which retails for $8.99.  I am going to estimate the sample received is worth about $2 in retail value.

The total estimated retail value of the box was $41.89, mostly inflated by the Model Co eyeliner (I would never pay $18 US or Canadian for a plain ol' pencil eyeliner, whether or not it comes with a built-in sharpener).  However, overall, I found the contents of the box very disappointing as there isn't a single product that I'm actually excited to try.  Come on, BB5 - I don't mind receiving products from the same handful of companies (I like the Tree Hut and H2O+ products I have received so far in earlier boxes), but at least send me something I can use!  Hopefully, next month's box will be better (or at least on time!).

Product reviews to follow.

klorane frequent use extra gentle protection oat shampoo

I had seen Klorane products advertised in magazines for years (especially for the oat shampoo and the dry shampoo) but had not gotten around to giving them a try since they were a little on the pricy side.  A couple months ago, I was at Shoppers Drug Mart and saw a bonus-sized bottle of this shampoo for a great price and immediately snapped one up.

The extra-gentle shampoo is paraben-free and is intended for those who wash hair often (i.e., daily) and/or those with fragile hair.  It contains oat milk, which is supposed to soften and protect both the scalp and hair shaft.  Given that I have had positive results with other skincare/beauty products containing oats (especially Aveeno products, which worked miracles on eczema that I had as a child), I had pretty high hopes for this product.

And boy, did the shampoo deliver.  I've been using this product pretty much daily for a few weeks (alternating once in awhile with a couple other shampoos currently in the rotation) and am loving it.  The shampoo is white and milky in texture.  A quarter-sized dollop is typically what I use for my shoulder-length hair.  The scent is not overpowering and reminds me a bit of Dove or Ivory soap - just a nice, clean, scent.  The shampoo rinses clean out of my hair without leaving it feeling sticky or weighed down (even without blow drying or heat styling!).  My hair feels soft and clean, but not dry afterward.

Verdict: it's rare to find a shampoo I love, but this one pretty much fits the bill.  If I notice any changes over the next couple months (due to pregnancy/baby hormones), I will provide an update, but this product is definitely a keeper!  ~200mL bottle, C$12

 

*Above picture from Klorane product website.
 

yves rocher ultra matte shine reducing moisturizer

This moisturizer was purchased back in February along with a bunch of other stuff from Yves Rocher.  Even though my skin gets dehydrated in the winter (or so they keep telling me at Skoah), the T-zone tends to get a bit slick by mid-day.  When I saw this product and the positive reviews on the website, I decided to give it a try.

The lotion contains scutellaria extract, sandalwood essential oil, and alphloia purified extract.  Scutellaria is a type of flowering plant in the mint family and is traditionally used in Chinese medicine to support the immune system - not sure how that fits into a mattifying product.   The sandalwood essential oil definitely stood out to me as soon as I opened up the container as that was pretty much all I could smell.  Although the scent is definitely strong and squarely in the "herbal" category, it thankfully dissipates once applied.  

Now on to the important stuff - does the product work?  I've been applying a layer of this all over my face as a base moisturizer, then layering BB cream on top.  While the product does not deliver skin that stays matte all day long as advertised, my face did not resemble an oil patch by noon.  Blotting papers and/or powder were still required for a quick T-zone touch up to avoid excess shine in the afternoon.  I also wish the product contained SPF, but I have a feeling that would cut into the mattifying properties of the cream, considering many sun protection products tend to be on the greasy/thick/creamy side.

Verdict: The strong scent, lack of SPF, and marginal mattifying benefits of the product means I will not be repurchasing this one again.  There's nothing like good ol' powder to cut the shine, but this doesn't mean I won't keep trying out other products that claim to do the same.   ~50mL jar, regular C$27 but with the frequent YR sales, likely closer to C$11-16.