Now Solutions Vitamin D-3 Cream

Pricing/Packaging:

 

8-10$ for 118ml (4fl.oz). Simple opaque squeeze tube. I didn't have any problems with the packaging. Even though it is quite plain looking, it is well made.

Ingredients:

 

Water, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Gel, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Shea Butter, d-Alpha Tocopherol (Vit E), Cetearyl Alcohol/Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylic/capric Triglyceride, Aquaxyl, Vegetable Glycerine, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Phospholipids (from soy lecithin), Glucose/glucose oxidase/Lactoperoxidase, Betaine Anhydrous (Trimethylglycine) (TMG), Jojoba Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Cholecalciferol (Vit D-3), Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vit C), Retinyl Palmitate (Vit A), d-Panthenol, Squalane, Satsuma Orange Aroma, Hydroxylated Soy Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Citric acid.

Excellent (very beneficial ingredients, proven research)

Good (mostly beneficial ingredients, not extensive research available or just not quite outstanding properties)

OK (mostly thickeners, emulsifiers, mild preservatives, pH adjusters, all that is necessary formulation wise, but not a skincare per se) 
Bad (anything that shouldn't be in skincare, irritants and fragrance)

Ingredients Discussion:

NOW solutions Clarify and Illuminate Age Transformation Toner (plus comparison with Vitamin C & Acai Berry and Green Tea & Pomegranate Toners)

Packaging/Pricing:

 

227ml (8fl.oz) for ~12-16$ (here on IHERB). A simple opaque white plastic bottle may seem a little bit too plain and unappealing, but is functional and practical.

Now solutions Completely Kissable Lip Balm Pomegranate

Ingredients:

Beeswax, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Ricinus communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Tocopherol (Vit E), Natural Pomegranate Flavor, Aloe barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter), Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter.

Excellent (very beneficial ingredients, proven research)

Good (mostly beneficial ingredients, not extensive research available or just not quite outstanding properties)

OK (mostly thickeners, emulsifiers, mild preservatives, pH adjusters, all that is necessary formulation wise, but not a skincare per se) 
Bad (anything that shouldn't be in skincare, irritants and fragrance)

Body Care: Natural/Organic Body Lotions Overview

Jason Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion; Jason Rejuvinating E.F.A. Hand and Body Lotion; Lily of the Desert Aloe 80 Aloe and Lavender  Hand and Body Lotion; Desert Essence Bulgarian Lavender  Hand and Body Lotion; Now Cocoa Butter Lotion; Now Vitamin C ans Sea Buckthorn Lotion

Jason Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion ~7$ for 227g (8oz)

Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Benzoate, Fragrance. 

Really nice ingredient list with vitamins E and B5, plant oils, allantoin and chamomile extract. The texture feels almost like a whipped cream, it absorbs into skin very quickly and doesn't require extra rubbing in, which is very important for me. I also mix it with lotions that are hard to spread. The scent is very strong though, it smells very sweet and dessert like, and it stays on clothes and can overpower your perfume.
Probably a repurchase. 
4,5 out of 5.

Jason Rejuvenating E.F.A. Hand and Body Lotion ~7 for 227g (8oz)

Now solutions Vitamin C and Sea Buckthorn Moisturiser

This is another offering from my favourite natural brand Now. It is quite a basic moisturiser, with very nice formula. I am not hugely in love, since I love very concentrated treatments and prefer serums as my non SPF choice of moisturisers. I use it as an evening neck/decolletage cream. It has light lotion texture, that is not sticky or greasy. The scent, in my opinion, is a bit cheap, somewhat fanta/orange juice like, but not offensive or disgusting.

 

Packaging/Pricing: 

59ml (2fl.oz) Retails for ~8-13$ US. You can find it in some whole food stores. I bought it on IHERB.com (here) for 9.93$. It comes in opaque tube, that is reliable, appropriate packaging. As I mentioned in my other Now brand review, packaging may seem not appealing to some, since it lacks the luxurious feel. But I am perfectly content with it, since I don't have to pay more just for a pretty bottle. I am all about ingredients.

 

Ingredients:

Water, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetyl alcohol, glycerin, glyceryl stearate SE, glucose & lactoperoxidase & glucose oxidase, stearic acid, cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, olea europaea (olive) oil (extra virgin), magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (Vit C), hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) seed oil, niacinamide (Vit B3), tocopherol (Vit E), orange-grapefruit aroma, polyglyceryl-10 laurate, potassium sorbate, citric acid.

Excellent (only beneficial ingredients, proven research)

Good (mostly beneficial, not extensive research or just not quite outstanding properties)

OK (mostly thickeners, emulsifiers, mild preservatives, pH adjusters, all that is necessary, but not a skincare per se)

Bad (irritants and anything bad that shouldn't be in skincare, usually fragrance)

 

Ingredients Discussion: 

This moisturiser features minimal, but well balanced formula, that can address all skin needs. Ideally, in any skincare product you should have three categories of beneficial ingredients

NOW solutions Vitamin C and Manuka Honey Gel Cleanser

"NOW foods" is an amazing company on organic/natural care market. They make vitamins, supplements, essential and basic oils, body, hair and skin care.  I believe they do not get as much love as they deserve. Their skin care is wonderfully formulated by someone who really knows his/her cosmetics chemistry. Their products are never in a jar packaging, never have essential oils that irritate skin, always have blend of antioxidants, skin identical ingredients and cell-communicating ingredients. What a joy! Few minor complaints I have though: they do not have sunscreens and some of their products do have fragrance (which is not necessary in skincare and can be irritating).

Product I would like to review today is a cleanser from their Vitamin C range. I am on a look out for gentle non-striping face wash. My skin is normal to dry and I find most of cleansers I've tried too harsh. I do not have a lot of requirements regarding my face wash. I would like it to gently clean my face. Since cleanser stays on my face for 30 seconds only and then goes down the drain, I am not looking for antioxidants and such. Most of good ingredients will not have time to work!  I usually take off my make-up with cleansing oils, but I still like to follow with face wash to remove traces of make-up as well as traces of cleansing oil. So anything not mild enough is not OK for double cleansing. And in the morning I don't really need anything striping as well.

I used Cetaphil and CeraVe gentle cleansers for years, but I got bored (to be honest =))) So I switched to this one. A do not like fragrance in anything that stays on my face. But I little bit of aroma therapy with face wash is good! It foams lightly, doesn't dry out my skin and smells like orange juice/fanta. The scent may be a bit cheap, but not offensive in any way. The consistency is very liquidy, not really a gel, so be careful when pouring product out!

Packaging/Pricing: 

237ml (8fl.oz) I realize that packaging may not be everyone's cup of tea. Again, it is an affordable product. But label doesn't come off in the shower, and I do find simple white bottle quite appealing. The price is good as well: 7-9$ US. You can find this brand in lots of whole food stores or IHERB.com

Ingredients:

Water, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, lauryl glucoside, sodium coco-sulfate, glycerin, chondrus crispus (carrageenan), glucose & lactoperoxidase & glucose oxidase, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (Vit C), manuka honey, allantoin, panthenol, niacinamide (Vit B3), tocopherol (Vit E) (soy), olea europaea (olive) oil (extra virgin), orange-grapefruit aroma, citric acid.

Discussion:

As I mentioned above, I am not as picky when it comes to face washes. But still