cleanbeauty.blog

Do you know what is in your perfumes? Skylar – fragrances crafted with care.

Clean beauty journey is not the easiest. Thoroughly checking ingredients, constantly educating yourself – that takes time and effort. I am not sure why it took me so long to realize what is in my perfumes. Maybe the fact that I love them so much and used since I was 15? Or maybe that I did not like any of ‘natural’ fragrances I’ve tried, so why I was ready to compromise. Whichever it was, it does not matter now. I know what is in my consciously crafted perfumes and I found my favorite scents from Skylar– clean, hypoallergenic perfumes.

Why you should care what is in your perfumes

Not everyone realizes, but most of the perfumes sold in stores are derived from petrochemicals (yes, even the well-known, traditional brands advertised by famous models & actors). These chemicals include toxins that are hormone disruptors, toxins that are linked to cancer, nervous system disorders or allergies in the best case. What scares me even more; companies in the U.S. are not required to disclose what is hidden under the word ‘fragrance’, which means it can be almost any amount of nearly 3000 toxic ingredients used to produce perfumes… Pretty risky to spray them all over your body, isn’t it? That’s why I reached for a safer, cleaner alternative: Skylar.

Skylar crafts their beautiful fragrances using clean, conscious ingredients. Their hypoallergenic scents are formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, allergens, animal derived ingredients, and synthetic dyes. Also, they do not use big amounts of essential oils which (surprising) are the culprits behind many allergies.

Skylar test

I must admit that I was a little skeptical to try Skylar scents, since I’ve seen many bloggers rave about them. I simply thought these fragrances must somehow be overrated. I gave them a try and I have to admit, Skylar’s done an incredible job! Scents that I tested: Capri – described as citrus, sparkling, sweet and Isle – beachy, dewy, fresh.

Capri: Imagine the sunset at the beautiful beach, wind in your hair, relaxing sound of waves… this is Capri. It brings back my best summer memories just a few seconds after application. I love its crispiness, fruity aromas of grapefruit and blood orange and delicate bergamot. It blends with my pH amazingly, resulting in the perfect, personalized, sweet scent I was looking for. Summer perfection!

Isle: I could describe this scent in only two words: pure elegance. Fresh notes of citrus blend with sandalwood result in somehow powdery, yet fresh scent. I love it for the summer, but it will also work for colder months; bringing back the ocean vibes.

Wearing time: I’d say Capri stayed on me a bit longer than Isle, both however lasted about 5-6 hours. I enjoyed reapplying though! 🙂

Verdict

I think Skylar is a great, affordable fragrance. They have options starting at an affordable $20. They’re now available in Sephora as well! Skylar’s collection of clean, hypoallergenic fragrances won’t disappoint, with so many options, I’m sure everyone will find their favorite. If you’re not sure which scent is perfect for you, there is no better way than trying them all. How? Skylar’s made it very easy: grab your sample kit here:

Have you tried clean perfumes yet? What are your favorite brands?

All products provided by Skylar for the review. The opinion is 100% honest and mine. This post contains affiliate links – if you buy product through the links in this post, I earn a small commission which helps to improve my blog. Thank you for your support ❤

My kind of red: RAL Red Apple Red

It is not easy to find a perfect, clean red lipstick. Not only the shade has to match your skin tone, but also the formulation needs to be able to stay put. Well, I think I’ve finally found THE ONE.

Red apple lipstick color ‘Red Apple Red’ is vegan, gluten free – the cleanest formula I know of.

Formulated with organic, cold pressed oils and vitamin E, this lipstick not only makes your lips look gorgeous adding boost of color, but also is very nourishing. I actually do not need any primer balm under that red. Along with the classic red, I was kindly gifted other beauties (visible in the back) – Kissimmee, Let’s Flamingle, Day After Marocco and Oh Snapdragon – they will all launch on July 19th, so stay tuned. My looks featuring other lippies colors on my instagram profile.

The beautiful shade is made to match most of the complexions, including the one like mine – fair to light skin. I usually feel great in delicate, cool/mauve pinks, so I was surprised how good that red look on me.

I love Red Apple Lipsticks for amazing range of colors and thorough descriptions on their website which makes the choice super easy. All their products are handmade in the U.S. and great, highest quality. So if you are looking for a go to lipsticks, check out their website.

In this picture I used Conditioning Mascara, Red Apple Red lipstick (will be available with the new collection from July 19th).

Have you tried RAL lipsticks? What is your favorite red lipstick clean brand?

*** Products gifted, opinions are 100% mine and honest. No affiliate links in this post.

Buckaroo Organics Skincare Products Review

Last month I introduced to you Buckaroo Organics soap suds – safe, organic laundry soap and drying balls along with pure essential oils that make laundry so much fun. You can see the post here if you missed it. Today, I got for you Buckaroo skincare products. Read my first impressions.

Stank Whip Multi-Use Odor Eliminator

This organic spray is made of essential oils blend. It is an amazing product that refreshes my room, kitchen or bathroom immediately. I like it very much, since the scent reminds me of citrus or lemongrass. It is great to spray in the air, but you can also safely use it on your carpet or even bedding – it won’t leave any stains (I’ve tested!). It is very convenient and affordable (8.95$) option for those who love fresh scents and are conscious of the fact that popular febreeze and other air fresheners are toxic and may cause serious breathing problems & work as hormonal disruptors. It is also very travel friendly packaging – 4 or 2 oz – so you can take it anywhere.

Tough As Nails Organic Skin Treatment

This oil based skin treatment is my holy grail. Formulated with organic almond, sunflower, rose hip oils and more, this product really works wonders. Example? I cut my armpits so badly while shaving (not sure how, but yikes!) and nothing but that oil helped me right away. The next day my cuts were almost gone. Right now I use it also on my c-section scar to see if it will improve the redness there. It hasn’t been long enough to see the results yet, but I am very encouraged to continue using that treatment. It is also great for dry patches or minor cuts!

Full ingredients list:

Purnis Dulcis (Organic Almond Oil), Helianthus Annuus (Organic Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina (Organic Rose Hip) Oil, Tocopherol (Organic Vitamin E), Simmodndsia Chinesis Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosa Damascene Flower (Organic Rose) Oil, Certified Organic Essential Oils: Frankincense, Tea Tree, and Lavender

Mother Hen Organic Body Butter

This great looking (like ice-cream by the way!) body butter is very rich and nourishing- see the ingredients below. I tried to use it all over my body after showering, however I am not used to such oily consistency; it melts when in contact with skin and for me it did not absorb, and left some residue on skin. I personally find it a bit annoying. I found a different way of using it though – for cracked feet: I apply it on washed & dried feet and put my socks on. After hour my feet are soft and look great! 😉

Ingredients:

Butyrospermum Parkii (Organic Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Organic Jojoba Oil), Potassium Cocoate (Organic Coconut Oil), Helianthus Annuus (Organic Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina (Organic Rose Hip) Oil, Tocopherol (Organic Vitamin E), Simmondsia Chinensis (Organic Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosa Damascene Flower (Organic Rose) Oil, Organic Essential Oil Blend

Defense Blend Lip Balm

I can never have enough of lip balms… it is probably an addiction, but I think it is a good one 😀 My lips look pretty and aren’t cracked. Buckaroo lip balm contains organic coconut oils and vitamin E, which works as a natural SPF – protection against harmful UV rays. Essential oils blend is supposed to boost your immune system, so that’s a great alternative to all toxic lip balms containing mineral oil (petroleum!) from the drugstores.

Ingredients:

Cocos Nucifera (Organic Coconut Oil), Cera Alba (Organic Beeswax), Organic Vitamin E, Essential Oil Blend

Have you tried any Buckaroo Organics products? Let me know!

Also, if you’d like to get some for yourself, use code SAVE15 and get a 15% discount.

** All products were gifted as a part of Buckaroo Organics Ambassador Program 2019. Opinion is my and honest.

Safe laundry detergent – introducing Buckaroo Organics

Do you know what is in your laundry detergent and softener? Are you sure they are safe? I would recommend that you check the ingredients list, because you might be exposed to toxic, dangerous ingredients.

Our skin is the biggest organ and absorbs everything, in fact laundry detergents are one of the most common to cause eczema, allergies, dry skin. Moreover, conventional detergents contain bunch of toxic chemicals that really affect hormones, expose you to carcinogens and cause severe skin allergies (especially in babies!). Example? My baby got bad allergies on his skin because of Tide that we used only ONE TIME when visited friends and had to wash baby clothes… Yes, one time and his skin got bad for weeks! I won’t let it happen again.

Buckaroo Organics – the safer alternative

This Eco-Friendly, family owned company (parents, who are constantly searching for health conscious ways of raising their family) offers natural soapberry laundry soap composed of the organic ingredients that are natural and safe for your entire family and the environment.

Soapberry is a…

Fruit 🙂 Soapberries are the fruits from trees in the Lychee family – completely natural. Most importantly, these soap nuts contain saponins which are natural surfactants that lower the surface tension of water and allow the water to penetrate and lift dirt and grime. Doesn’t that sound great? In fact, this organic soap is hypoallergenic and perfect for those with sensitive skin!

Fact: The soapberries used in Soapberry Suds™ are imported from the Himalayas and are USDA Certified Organic.

Naturally soft laundry

I love Buckaroo Organics wool dryer balls which work as a natural softeners in any dryer. You can have soft and beautifully scented laundry 100% naturally! Use 5-10 drops of Buckaroo 100% pure essential oil or oils (I love the blends!) in one ball and toss to your drying machine for 10min after full drying cycle is finished (with other 2 balls for small loads or 5 for big loads). Et voila – your laundry is now soft and smells amazing (orange, lemon, peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender – whichever you like – I like to combine lemon, orange and eucalyptus, or lemon + lavender – so much fun!). Pure essential oils are safe even for sensitive skin and also don’t stain clothes if added to the ball – so no worries!

If you care about your health, ALWAYS check ingredients in your laundry detergents, choose carefully crafted products that are researched, designed and tested to be gentle and effective – as Buckaroo Organics.

If you would like to give Buckaroo Organics a try, use code SAVE15 and get a 15% discount.

Also, stay tuned for a giveaway on my instagram!

Do you use organic laundry detergent? What is your favorite brand?

*** Post sponsored, all thoughts are honest and mine.

Sulina – Ayurvedic herbs in skin & body care products

I received these cosmetics for my honest review from Sulina shop. Sulina is the brand with a story. Founded by three sisters who after moving to the U.S. from Fiji were missing the natural cosmetics made by their mom. For that reason, they came up with their own, holistic line of beauty products featuring Ayurvedic herbs, fresh tropical fruits and vegetables.

I got 4 products to test, 3 full size and one sample: Charcoal Creme Masque, Sweet Pea Sugar Scrub (sample), Aloe Vera Shampoo and Lavender & Frankincense Nourishing Lip Balm. All products are 100% Vegan and cruelty free.

Charcoal Mask

I was very excited to try this mask knowing of detoxifying charcoal properties. I was surprised with the texture since it is more watery than other charcoal masks I’ve tried before. I did not like the application process. I prefer thicker textures since I like when mask simply stays on my face while I can keep doing something else, let’s say put body balm on. Unfortunately this one did not let me do it and came off a bit when I was bending (oops). Also, I was not sure about the scent, I thought I could smell some alcohol in it. And surprisingly yes – DMAE is an ingredient from alcohol functional group. It is suppose to work anti-aging, and yes it makes your skin smooth, however to me this is not what I would expect from detoxifying mask. Other than that, ingredients seem pretty good.

Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Leaf Juice, Aspalathus Linearis (Organic Rooibos) Extract, Glycerin, Olea Europaea (Organic Olive) Oil, Emulsifying Wax NF, Simmondsia Chinensis (Organic Jojoba) Seed Oil, Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), Xanthan Gum, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C Ester), Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Activated Charcoal, Salix Alba (Organic White Willow) Bark Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, (May containsodium bicarbonate and/or citric acid as pH adjusters).

Lip Balm

This lip balm is very nicely scented, moisturizing product. I like the oil blend here.

Ingredients: Organic Olive Oil, Candelilla Wax, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Jojoba Seed Oil, Rosehip Fruit Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Rosemary Leaf Extract, Organic Neem Seed Oil, Organic Lavender Essential Oil, Frankincense Essential Oil.

Aloe Shampoo

It has certified organic aloe, wheat protein and coconut which all together are suppose to soften hair and improve their manageability. It lathers very well, has no color and a little goes long way! Since I have long and very smooth hair, I am very careful with moisturizing shampoos, because some tend to weight my hair down. I’ve noticed that with this one, so I use it only once a week. I would recommend this shampoo if you have dry, thicker, maybe higher porosity hair.

Ingredients: Demineralized water, disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, cocamidopropyl betaina, alpha olefin sulfonate, disodium cocoamphodiacetate, laurdimonium hydroxypropyl, hydrolyzed wheat protein, sodium cocoyl glutamate, aloe extract, natural preservative of OLG, ascorbic acid

Body Scrub

I love sugar body scrubs in general, but this one is amazing! Actually was, since I got a sample size and I finished it! It makes every shower even better thank to its great, refreshing scent (which stays on after showering <3). Also, skin feels very smooth and moisturized because of great oils blend. Definitely my favorite product and great ingredients! I only wish I got a bigger jar 😀

Ingredients: Organic Fair Trade Sugar | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil | Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil | Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil | Sweet Pea Fragrent Oil | Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract.

Have you tried any Sulina products? What would you like to try?

Goodbeing: clean beauty subscription box

Goodbeing is a subscription box you receive monthly for only 24,95$. It is personalized according to your profile and needs – you can choose either beauty or lifestyle type of box. Also, every month you pick 2 products you’d love to try. Isn’t that a great option?

February beauty box

Sade Baron Autumn Mist

I have never heard of that brand before, so when I saw the mist I got all excited. This is a face and body mist. It is hydrating and refreshing. It actually acts as a toner for me, because of witch hazel, but it is moisturizing thank to aloe vera. The only thing I am not a big fan of is the scent, a bit too strong and herbal.

Suntegrity Impeccable Skin Mineral Matte Tinted Coverage SPF 30

I got the shade ivory which is a very light, cool tone. I am pretty light, so I was happy it did not have any yellow undertones in it. I also love the fact that it has SPF 30 – very convenient, because you do not want too many products on your face in the summer (especially in humid San Antonio where I am). When I used it for the first time, it seemed even too light, but it literally melted into my skin. And here – I am not sure if I liked it, because I looked like I put moisturizer on my face. It says matte light to medium coverage, but to me it is very light, dewy finish (on my normal to dry skin!), so if you need more coverage and like matte effect, this product won’t be your best bet. I’ll still give it a try since I do not mind dewy finish, but honestly I just felt like I am wearing moisturizer and no makeup.

Delia Organics Vitamin C Serum

Awesome serum, packed with vitamin C (18%! wow). I love that it is unscented, great for sensitive skins. It also has hyaluronic acid that locks moisture in your skin. I do not have any blemishes or scars so I can’t testify if it is brightening, but this is what the producer promises.

Evolvh ultra repair reconstructing hair masque

If you are looking for a natural, silicone free mask that actually works, look no more. Evolvh is a great choice if you want smooth, healthy looking hair ASAP. It worked for me right away, I used it in the shower and actually did not need any leave in conditioner, because my long hair were not even tangled at all! It is my favorite product from the February box!

Gummy C Defense – Tangy Citrus

I choose beauty box, so I was actually surprised I got the vitamin C gummies, but they were yummy, made with organic tapioca syrup, so why not 🙂

Have you tried Goodbeing subscription box? Which products did you like the most?

*Products have been provided for the review, but the opinion is 100% mine and honest.

Ere Perez Oat Milk Foundation Review

Finding a perfect, foundation isn’t easy even with conventional brands. Often times foundations don’t look natural, or oxidize and you end up with too dark shade, or they look cakey, or show dry skin patches, or make your skin looking greasy… or all at once! Sounds familiar? Recently I tried Ere Perez Oat Foundation in shade latte and I think it is close to perfection.

Vegan friendly

This 100% vegan foundation is creamy, but not greasy. Latte – very light porcelain shade matches my light skin with neutral undertones perfectly. It actually looked so light when I put it on my hand, that I was afraid for a moment that it will be too light for me. However, as soon as I put it on my skin it looked perfect. Although I think it may be too light for most of the people, especially in the summer. It comes in 6 shades:

LATTE – light, porcelain skin

HONEY – light skin

CHAI – light to medium skin

CARAMEL – golden, warm skin

BREW – medium to deep skin

MOCHA – deep skin

The problem here is with undertones, I haven’t found any descriptions on the web. I had to reach out to Ere Perez brand to ask specifically if latte will work for neutral undertone skin.

Buildable

This product gives a very natural, dewy finish, providing medium coverage, but you can build it up to full (I haven’t tried it though, I don’t need full coverage). If you prefer more matte finish, you can set it with any translucent setting powder. I didn’t, since I love the glowing skin effect.

Effective

Very small amount is enough for my whole face. Foundation is hydrating and long lasting – all day with no touch ups, however I could matte my T-zone a little bit. I have dry combination skin. What is also a great thing, it doesn’t clog the pores at all! I was surprised, because that usually happens to me with any foundation, even clean, and I needed to use face scrub every night to get rid off excess of sebum. Ere perez oat foundation definitely doesn’t clog pores, so it is safe to say it will work for acne prone skins.

Verdict

I love everything about this foundation: from minimalistic packaging to the product quality and performance. I think it is a very luxurious product in a simple, modern packaging and with affordable price tag. The only down side I see is the fact that there are only 2 light shades and one is for neutral/cool complexion and the other seems to work better for warm, which means if the lightest shade is gonna be too light for me (let’s say in the summer) I have no option to find a perfect match, since honey shade will be too warm. Also, it would be perfect if it had UV protection. All in all, I’d give it 5 of 5 stars for the performance and beautiful, natural and dewy finish. Now I’m super curious about their other products, can’t wait to try more!

Have you tried Ere Perez brand?