Body Care: Andalou Naturals Kukui Cocoa Body Butter

MEDYSKIN 7 Day Facelift Retinol Serum

Naruko AMPM BHA Skin Renewal Serum

Having very high hopes for this product I was very disappointed when I finally had a chance to look at the ingredients in this serum. Since Neutrogena discontinued my favourite BHA exfoliant (3in1 Hydrating Acne Treatment), I am looking for a new one. Sadly enough there are not as many good choices of BHA exfoliant on the market as there are of AHA exfoliants. BHA or salicylic acid is oil soluble (vs AHA being water soluble), so it is good at penetrating pores and unclogging them, as well as reducing inflammation. It is generally recommended for people with oily or acne prone skin. I have somewhat dry skin, but I find it perfect for taking care of blackheads, preventing and treating breakouts, and exfoliation for better cell turnover.

I have already mentioned that I usually buy Naruko products so to say blindly. There are no lists of ingredients on the website, only description of few key ingredients, which is not very helpful. So it is always a risk. But I do have unexplainable warm feelings towards this brand, and for some reason I go to the lengths to find great products in the line (with most other brands I would have given up a long time ago). 

Packaging/Pricing:

 

30ml (1.05fl.oz) for 35$ (here). Price is pretty average for a serum, neither it is super cheap, nor bank breaking. Bottle is ridiculously cute. I do not usually have weakness for the packaging, but I have to admit this one is definitely noteworthy (picture doesn't give it a justice). Otherwise the opaque glass bottle with a dropper is a good choice for storing any serum.

 

Josie Maran Argan Skincare Ritual Set

Argan Skincare Ritual Set contains:

• Argan Cleansing Oil 55ml (1.9fl.oz)
• Pure Argan Oil 15ml (0.5fl.oz)
• Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47 15 ml (0.5fl.oz)

You can purchase all of the miniatures at Sephora separately. Cleansing oil is 12$, argan oil is 16$, moisturizer is 14$, which totals up to 42$, so this set being only 24$ is definitely a bargain (I assume that 39$ value is calculated out of full size products). Whether these products are actually worth their price tag is a different topic. 

 

Argan Cleansing Oil

 

I was actually very pleasantly surprised with this product. It reminds me of Tatcha cleansing oil, since it has the same thick consistency. It takes off make-up rather well and rinses off clean. The scent is very pleasing as well (sweet, creamy and citrusy). I am not fan of scented skincare products, but since it is a cleanser I do not mind the fragrance. Full size retails for 32$, which is not cheap, but it is better than Tatcha at 48$. The only complaint I have is that the bottle leaks a lot, it is not travel friendly (I also have heard about full size bottle leaking).

Ingredients here are quite basic, few plant oils and two emulsifiers. I do like that it doesn't contain mineral oil (nothing against mineral oil, just do not like the feel of it on my face). The only problematic ingredient is grapefruit peel oil, but I am not concerned about it as much (probably not in very high concentration, plus we are talking about wash off product). I am surprised to see the list doesn't feature fragrance, because the scent is definitely artificial to me (I guess that sucralose plus grapefruit oil give that scent). 

Olay Regenerist Regenerating Lotion SPF 15

Hair Care: Organix (OGX) Nutritional Acai Berry Avocado Shampoo and Conditioner

Today is a short post about my favourite hair care combination. I have mentioned in my first hair care review post, that unfortunately, it is almost impossible to say whether shampoo/conditioner will work out for you just by looking at the list of ingredients. You have to try out products to find one suited for your hair. There are just few rules I follow when I buy hair care products:

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate free shampoo is my choice, since this particular type of surfactant is the most harsh and drying, and my hair being on the dry side can not tolerate it (this ingredient can irritate scalp as well);
• It is best to avoid essential oils, they can be irritating for the scalp;
• Most shampoos and conditioners are formulated identical, so 30$ shampoo will not work better than 6$ one, so I stick with drugstore options;
• Unfortunately, silicone free conditioners do not work for my curly hair, I need some help to be able to comb my hair through without pain involved. I have tried numerous organic silicone free conditioners, and they didn't work, so now I choose regular ones (if you want to go silicone free and it works for your hair, there is nothing wrong with it).

This particular brand has been my favourite for the past three years. Most of their products I really like, and products from Acai Berry Avocado line have been my favourite. Shampoo is gentle enough, but it foams well and cleans thoroughly. Conditioner does have silicons in it, but they are present in lower concentration than in many other conditioners (such as L'Oreal or Pantene ones), so it is a happy medium. Overall this combination just works for my hair type and my needs. Both products smell very pleasant (something like berry juice) and are inexpensive (~7-8$ at most drugstores).