Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: $ (under $10) – Available at Drugstore.com, Walgreens, and Ulta.
Scent: hard to describe “masking fragrance.”
I Like: how relatively gentle the cleanser is. Low foaming.
Not a fan of: the sodium laureth sulfate and paraben ingredients. Don’t care for the synthetic scent.
Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Cleanser is a good face wash to start with if you’re new to skin care. It’s fairly inexpensive and much gentler on your skin than your typical bar soap. This product is made for people with normal to oily skin, so if you have overly-sensitive skin, then I suggest using a face wash that is fragrance-free and made without sodium laureth sulphate, a known skin irritant. What I like most about Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Cleanser is that it’s a clear, low-foaming gel that doesn’t dry out the skin too much. I found the synthetic fragrance a little off-putting, but not unbearable. Give this product a try if you’re tired of using that bar of Dial on your face.
Good for puffy eyes: Zirh Restore Herbal Eye Cream
Zirh Restore Herbal Eye Cream Ingredients List
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: $$$ ($20-$30) – Available at Zirh and Amazon.
Scent: nothing noticeable.
I Like: how this eye cream reduces puffiness. Feels slightly cool upon application.
Not a fan of: the paraben preservatives.
A good eye cream is hard to find. Many claim to reduce puffy eyes and dark circles, but few actually deliver on that promise. Zirh’s Restore Herbal Eye Cream worked well at minimizing the appearance of my puffy eyes, but I didn’t notice a significant difference in my dark circles. This product contains a number of skin-benefiting ingredients including extracts of cucumber, chamomile, calendula, aloe, and pine bark, as well as caffeine. A one-ounce tube should last at least two months as you only need to apply just a little amount of the eye cream. Use Zirh’s Restore Herbal Eye Cream any time you need to refresh the area around your eyes.
Alba Botanica Natural Very Emollient Sunscreen Fragrance Free Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Alba Botanica Natural Very Emollient Sunscreen Fragrance Free Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Ingredients List
Overall Rating: ★★★★★
Price: $ (approximately $10) – Available at Alba Botanica, Vitacost, and Whole Foods Markets.
Scent: Fragrance free.
I like: that this is a mineral sunscreen. Effective in preventing sunburn. Stays on while you swim.
Not a fan of: the very thick consistency – makes it a little harder to apply. May leave a white film on the skin. Great stuff nonetheless.
Alba Botanica’s Natural Very Emollient Mineral Sunblock SPF 30 is a fantastic alternative to the chemical sunscreens that are commonly found in drug stores. Mineral and chemical sunscreens differ in one major way. Mineral sunscreens provide a physical barrier of protection (usually consisting of zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide) between the skin and the sun. They block and deflect the Sun’s harmful rays. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, absorb Sun rays. This relatively natural, unscented product works quite well at preventing sunburn as long as you reapply after swimming or excessive sweating. The cream’s texture is thick, making it a little harder to spread, and can leave a white film. That’s the tradeoff of using a mineral sunblock. Nourishing ingredients in this product include grapeseed oil and jojoba oil. Try Alba Botanica’s Natural Very Emollient Mineral Sunblock SPF 30 if you’re thinking about making the switch from chemical sunscreens.
Win this! Aubrey Organics Mens Stock North Woods Shave Cream
Our newest giveaway features the awesome all-natural Aubrey Organics Men’s Stock North Woods Shave Cream. To find out how to qualify for our giveaways please visit the Contests section. One lucky winner will be selected at random. The deadline to qualify for this contest is Monday, November 21st at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Good luck!
Lab Series Max LS Overnight Renewal Serum Ingredients List
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: $$$$$ (over $50) – Available at LabSeries.com, Macy’s, and Sephora.
Scent: Hardly noticeable fragrance similar to that of cold cream.
I Liked: how it kept my skin clear. The serum was light and not greasy.
I didn’t like: the small size of the product.
There is a lot of science behind the Lab Series Max LS Overnight Renewal Serum. I honestly can’t tell you exactly how this stuff works – the serum is loaded with a number of trendy plant-based ingredients including extracts of algae, coffee, pomegranate, blueberry, and sea whip. The product was effective at keeping my complexion clear – probably due in large part to its salicylic acid content. The serum can be used anytime, but I rationed and used it mainly at night before bed – mostly because I only had one ounce of product to work with. If you seek a high quality anti-aging moisturizer that is effective at clearing your complexion, I recommend giving the Max LS Overnight Renewal Serum a try.
Stretch marks suck. They occur when the skin can’t keep up with the rapid growth of the body due to weight gain, hormones/puberty/growth spurts, or muscle building. They easily appear but they don’t naturally completely disappear. Try stretching a thick, old rubber band and you’ll see what essentially happens to the skin when it expands too quickly. Stretch marks affect a number of people, from pregnant women to male athletes. We can’t escape them, but we can do our best to avoid them. Here are some simple over-the-counter tips to keep the stretch marks to a minimum:
Prevention
Regularly moisturize any areas of the body that stretch with lotions or creams containing shea or cocoa butter as well as vitamin e. Natural serums and oils rich in vitamin e, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids such as 100% pure argan oil also work well at preventing stretch marks and scars by nourishing the skin and helping to increase the skin’s elasticity. Areas of the body that are susceptible to stretch marks include the upper arms, underarms, pectorals, thighs, hips, back, breasts, around the knees, belly (front and sides), and buttocks. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, try using pure shea or cocoa butter. While extremely viscous and nutty smelling, these butters help make the skin much more elastic and thus more adaptable to rapid expansion.
Body creams made with shea or cocoa butter aid in making the skin more elastic.
Over-the Counter Treatment
There is no true natural remedy for treating existing stretch marks. You can, however, help diminish the appearance of stretch marks by regularly applying scar gels such as Mederma and Derma E. Keep in mind that if you use scar gels, they should be applied five times daily in order for them to be somewhat effective. Don’t expect miracles. If you’re lucky, you may notice some slight improvement over a two month period of using scar gels.
Scar gels can help diminish the appearance of existing stretch marks.
Win this: Burt's Bees Natural Skin Care For Men Shave Cream
Our current giveaway features the awesome smelling Burt’s Bees Natural Skin Care For Men Shave Cream. To find out more about how to qualify for our giveaways please visit the Contests section. One lucky winner will be randomly selected. The deadline to qualify for this contest is Monday, July 4th at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Good luck!
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