aveeno active naturals portect + hydrate lotion

I received a 14g sample tube of this product from Beauty Box 5.  I'm a big fan of Aveeno products, but their Active Naturals line doesn't do much for me.

This lotion contains broad spectrum SPF 30, which is great.  However, the scent of the lotion is very strong - the floral scent is almost overpowering.  This is a big deviation from Aveeno's other products, which are unscented or have a mild oat (and sometimes lavender) scent.  The consistency of this lotion is on the the thin side (also unlike Aveeno's "regular" oat line), so I actually applied this twice on my face because I was convinced this was the only way I would get sufficient SPF coverage.  That being said, the lotion does absorb quickly and does not feel sticky.

Verdict: I have a hard time finding face lotions with SPF that do not feel sticky, so that is one of the pros of this product.  However, the scent is a little too much for me - I would be hesitant to use this on a regular basis because I think my baby would be sensitive to the smell of the product.  I will not be purchasing the full-sized version of this product in the future.  ~3 oz tube, C$10.

 

julep - intro box

The Julep Maven nail polish subscription has been around for quite some time, but since I was never really much of a nail polish person (volleyball keeps my nails short), I didn't have much of an interest.  However, since I went through a bit of an online shopping binge over the Christmas holidays, I ended up signing up for the free introductory box.  I had completed their style profile and been pegged as a "classic with a twist" maven, but since I didn't really like the colours that were featured in that introductory box, I selected the "bombshell" box instead.

Julep was very quick to ship out the box - I received the notification two days after placing the order.  Here's what I found in my introductory box:

• Zelda (Bombshell) - a frosty champagne shade that does not appear to be available on their website
• Kendra (It Girl) - frosty army green shade (I was a little surprised to have received an "it girl" shade)
• Luxe Repair Skin Serum from Julep's own brand of skincare

The nail polish bottles are a bit smaller than the standard drugstore offerings (8mL vs. 15), but I don't recall ever having finished an entire bottle of nail polish, so that's not an issue for me.  The bottles also have stickers on the caps that say "swatch me", which is a fantastic idea if you have a ton of nail polishes and don't want to pull out bottles to identify the colour, but it would make even more sense if the stickers were not already adhered to the bottle cap.  I'm not sure how I'm supposed to swatch the polish unless I use another tool like a Q-tip or my finger.

As much of a cop-out as it is, I'm probably going to cancel the subscription after having received this complimentary box.  I don't spend much time on my nails (though I seem to spend hours filing away at my baby's) and even if I do want to pick up a new polish or two, I'm more likely to head to the drugstore down the street than order online.  However, I'm interested in trying out the serum and if it works out (review to follow - I need to give the product some time), I would definitely order more directly from Julep.

I'm back! But not really...

It's been 6 months without a new post/review from me, but wait...I can explain.  My baby bundle of joy was delivered in June and it's been busy busy busy ever since (those of you with babies/kids can relate, I'm sure!).  Plus, after delivery, my skin went haywire so I have not been putting on makeup or trying out any new skincare products in my attempts to get things back on track (Cetaphil, Aveeno, and CeraVe have been my go-to products of late).  However, I promise once things have returned to some sort of normalcy, I will continue to post my reviews as I have a pile of stuff that's waiting to be used.  Thank you for your patience and happy holidays!

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.