Tested: Herbivore Botanicals Coco Body Polish

I just don't have the time to really indulge in a bath ritual these days.  My personal method to combat this is to use a body scrub about once or twice a week to really keep me from having those bath withdrawals.  This Coco Rose body polish is my first time testing out any product from the Herbivore Botanicals brand.  I fell in love immediately upon opening the package when I was greeted by a waft of coconut and rose notes.  The rest was history.  Let's just say that my initial impressions have set high expectations for the rest of the brand. 

Tested: Onomie Bright Concealing Elixir ( Trotula )

I've always struggled with the right sleep-wake balance throughout my life.  I'm attributing this to being in school for almost 3/4th of my life thus far and just not catching enough sleep.  The little present that this lifestyle has left me are the two prominent circles under my eyes that I have to face everyday as I apply my makeup.  I've been looking for another heavier coverage option for an under eye concealer since I had run out of my old under eye concealer.  I'm so glad that I discovered Onomie and am even more impressed that they were able to offer such an amazing deal to sample their products before buying($3 sample with the $3 going back to purchase of first item).  This is a company that really stands behind the effectiveness of their product and isn't afraid to back it up.  The entire ethos of the company is deep rooted in the successful merge of skincare and makeup through plant-based and lab-based technology to create safe products without compromising efficacy.   How curious is it that I am turning to a company that is so well-studied to help with the exact problem that I've encountered through so much studying? Read on for a detailed breakdown of my thoughts and raves!

Initial Impressions: 100% Pure Mattifying Primer w/ Vitamins &Antioxidants

I've been in an almost exclusive relationship with 100% Pure lately!  I'm attributing it to their recent friends & family sale(which I gladly participated in) and their heavy hitter releases.  Before I start, I really feel the need to post out that I've never been a primer kind of girl.  I tried Benefit's Porefessional years ago and have shuddered in fear of all primers ever since the great Breakout Wars of 2013.  I've related primers to a feeling of suffocation on the skin ever since that time.  I did, however, decide to take a chance and test out the new mattifying primer from 100% Pure ever since I read rave reviews on it from happy customers who posted their hauls on Instagram.  I'm truly, truly glad I did because it has upped my makeup game immensely especially in the heat of the summer.

Initial Impression: 100 Percent Pure Caffeine Mask

There are a few things I always look for in a mask such as ability to even the complexion, hydration level, and soothing properties.  I was immediately drawn to the Caffeine Mask that 100% Pure recently released due to its clean ingredients and claims that it would solve all of my masking needs!  The last straw that broke my will and instigated my purchase was the fact that this mask was a hydrogel mask unlike its fellow cloth-like brethren.  I cannot explain how much I've been wanting to try a hydrogel mask but I can now whole-heartedly say that I am definitely on the hydrogel bandwagon!  I've already ordered the 5-pack from the 100% Pure Friends and Family sale and I've decided to sing all of my praises below!

Brand Focus: Wonderland Organics

The California weather has been uncharacteristically humid these past few weeks causing my skin to freak out a little with the combination of dampness and heat.  I've struggled with finding a great body lotion that I could use while my skin was dealing with all of the uncomfortable damp heat.  I'm so glad, then, that I ordered a sample kit from Alice of Wonderland Organics a few months back and decided to apply it on my body because it definitely helped cool me down without the heaviness that accompanies most lotions.  Many products worked well for me, not just the lotion, and I am so thankful to say that this line is as effective as it is whimsical.  The scent, packaging, and efficacy of these products really do back up the Wonderland name and will take your skin where you couldn't imagine it could be before!

[CCC] Current Curated Collection: About Hair

While I may seem high maintenance with my skincare routine, I am the absolute worst at keeping up a good hair regimen or spending more than a minute or two on my hair in the mornings.  Given that I've recently gotten a new chop (check it out on INSTA), I decided to really up the ante and start a good relationship between me and my hair.  Easier said than done, but here's to trying!  I've compiled a current curated collection of my haircare musts into one post for your concise reading pleasure and I hope this will be a great starting point for not only me but for you to begin caring for that beautiful mane of yours.

Tested: Bare Republic Natural Mineral Sport Sunscreen spf 50

Hello summer!  I'm so excited to introduce Clean Curator's new look!  I've also decided to give my two cents on the Bare Republic Sport Mineral Sunscreen spf 50 in light of brighter days and more time spent outside with mother nature!  I was browsing my local Target a few weeks ago and happened upon the Bare Republics stand.  I was immediately intrigued because I had seen the products on Instagram and wanted to try them out for myself.  I just began my two weeks of vacation time so I believed that this would be the perfect time to put this sunscreen to the test!  I've been walking around downtown Los Angeles and the suburbs all day under the scorching California sun this past week and have had great results with this sunscreen.  Read on for a more in depth review!

Tested: Rituel de Fille Inner Glow Cream Blush ( Lovesick )

I've been eyeing Rituel de Fille and their beautiful lineup ever since I saw them on Jenny's site a while ago.  I've since had the opportunity to test out the item that I coveted the most, the Inner Glow Cream Blush in Lovesick.  This is the first ever cream blush that I've owned in a color that suits me( I received a cream blush from Petit Vour prior to this purchase that I never wore since it came off as purple on my cheeks).  I've been very pleased with the Lovesick color as well as the performance of this product!  I've definitely been reaching for this blush more than my others as of late for the quality of the product, not just because of the gorgeous whimsical packaging!

Collectively Curated: Elizabeth Dehn (Beauty Bets) for One Love Organics - Vitamin C Serum, Vitamin E Eye Balm, Vitamin D Moisture Mist, Vitamin B Cleansing Oil

I've always been one to use samples first before splurging on skincare.  My skin is especially sensitive to oils and balms, even so, I'm always on the hunt for a holy grail oil cleanser or balm that I can use without irritation.  You can imagine my excitement when I found out that One Love Organics had a sampling option for both their original line as well as their popular ED4OLO Elizabeth Dehn for One Love Organics line at Integrity Botanicals!  I immediately ordered the samples with high hopes especially since I've seen such rave reviews about the amazing pineapple scent of the products and the effectiveness of each and every product in the line!  I can say that, yes, these products smell delicious and, yes, they work incredibly well!  I do, however, have my own personal favorites and least favorites that I'll be discussing below.  

Tested: Kimberley Sayer of London Ultra Light Facial Moisturizer spf 30

I've mentioned this sunscreen/moisturizer hybrid in my previous posts on the blog and instagram several times already but never have I sat down and written a review for you describing why I swear by this product! This ultra light(as the name suggests) moisturizer is the perfect grab-and-go product for all year round!  This is going to be your best friend throughout the summer if you prefer a very light finish, citrus scent, and spf 30 protection under the sun!  There is good reason behind the importance of sun screen as it is a largely important preventative measure against aging, hyper pigmentation, and diseases of the skin.  You're going to need a great, multi-purpose sunscreen if you're going to use it every singe day.  This is the one for me and I hope you'll want to seek this out for yourself after reading the post!

Tested: Earthwise Beauty ( Green Leaves & Co. , Frightening Green Mask, Carrot-a-Day Serum)

I’ve always been apprehensive about the theory of putting oil on oily skin in order to eliminate over-active sebum production.  I’ve especially been skeptical since my skin usually did not react well to any kind of oil before discovering Kypris’s Beauty Elixir III.  I believe the beginning of my measures of caution started when I dabbled in the spot-treatment fad using Tea Tree Oil that became popular a few years back.  Tea Tree actually ended up causing a lot more breakouts on top of the set that I already had!  So far, the Pai Copaiba and Zinc Serum has been working well as a spot treatment but I am extremely happy to announce that I’ve found a better spot treatment and it just happens to have an oil consistency!  I’ve really been having luck with oils as of late and I’m so excited to share Earthwise Beauty’s Green Leaves & Co. with you!  This is a beautifully formulated oil that helps heal active blemishes, prevent new ones from forming, and help in the recovery process of fresh scars and post-blemish issues!  I’ve been reaching for this in my most recent hormonal breakout and I’ve got great reason to do so.

[CCC]Current Curated Collection: The Scented Oils Collection

I don't like to admit it but I've always been drawn to pretty typical scents.  My old stand-by perfumes were the popular choice among my peers such as Miss Dior Cherie, See by Chloe, and Lancome's Midnight Rose.  I've since transitioned into perfume oils whether they are for wearing in the daytime or purely for relaxation at nighttime.  These scents that I've collected thus far are my favorites for entirely different reasons than before.  Not only do they smell amazing, they all have a unique capability of evoking a place or feeling.  I love them all for different purposes and the distinctive scents that they all carry give them so much character that my old scents lacked.  Since we are currently at the cusp of summer, I thought it'd be fun to share with you these fresh, adventurous scents!

Tested: Kypris Beauty Elixir II & III (Healing Bouquet & Prismatic Array)

I love Kypris.  This is no secret to anyone who as ever peeked at my Instagram @cleancurator or read any of my previous blog posts.  In addition to loving Kypris, I have combination, acne-prone skin that just does not agree with most oils.  You can see, then, that I had quite a bit of a dilemma when looking to own one of Kypris' much-talked-about Beauty Elixirs.  I decided to bite the bullet and order two samples of the Elixirs as I was recently placing an order at Integrity Botanicals for a plethora of new samples to test.  I love that more online boutiques for clean beauty are now embracing samples and selling them so that we are not limited to just choosing 2 or 3 per order.  I took advantage of that and decided to give the Kypris Elixirs a test run on my skin to see if, by chance of a miracle, I would not break out or be left extremely uncomfortable.  There was a miracle and now I know I will never be without them!

Tested: Honeyce Moisture Repair Shampoo & Treatment

I don't talk about my hair often.  My hair is the kind of fine-but-with-frizz, stick-straight, volume-less hair that puts people at their wits end.  Granted, I am very basic with my haircare routine and dislike fussing too much with my hair so perhaps I shouldn't expect glamour waves from such a simple routine.  I also have a regimen of washing my hair every other day and it has been a struggle finding a good non-toxic(or even mostly non-toxic) option that will help keep even my second-day-hair bouncy and full-looking without giving the appearance of an oily mess.  I heard about the Honeyce brand from a blogger I follow at sushi-cat!  Jenny posts updates on Japanese products that she's purchased and always manages to find great products that I've never heard of before.  I'm a huge sucker for great packaging and I also adore Japanese products so I did more google-ing on the product and found that it was free of sodium laureate sulfate, parabens, synthetic dyes, PG, synthetic antioxidant, talc, and doesn't test on animals.  It is also formulated with 8 kinds of honey from around the world and 8 kinds of oil and milk.  I've tested this duo out for the past few months and have really gotten a good sense of how I feel about the product!

Tested: Leahlani Skincare Mermaid Mask

Today, I'm writing about my favorite mask at the moment.  It's Wednesday and I'm just going to go out on a limb and assume you, like me, need a skin pick-me-up on hump day.  I am bringing you the ultimate skin-soothing mask.  Leahlani's Mermaid Mask is loaded with ingredients that are powerfully good for your skin such as Hawaiian raw honey, Hawaiian Spirulina, and Chlorella.  I find that it soothes, evens, softens, and calms my skin after application.  A name such as the Mermaid Mask may make this mask seem like a fantasy that is too good to be true, but trust me, the fantasy is real.  Read on for my detailed thoughts and opinions!

Collectively Curated: Current Makeup Tools(Ecotools, IZAK for Sephora, Urban Decay, Real Techniques)

  So, I've been giving so much love to all the great makeup hits I've come across but I couldn't have gotten all made up everyday without the silent heroes in the background that are my makeup tools!  I started actually investing in brushes and other tools of the trade about 3 years ago and, like other things in life, have tried to keep it minimalistic.  I've only recently ventured out to buy an Ecotools set with more eyeshadow brush variation than the one brush I had owned for said 3 years.  Still, I've managed to curate my tried-and-true favorites for you all here and I hope this recap will help any of the brush newbies struggling with buying choices or give a makeup brush aficionado that extra push to pick up a new brush (I am a professional enabler).  I'm all about that base makeup so I do own more face brushes than any other variation and I will say that I've tried using makeup sponges but have just found them difficult to work with and a hassle to wash so those will not be included in this roundup.  Let's get started!

Favorites: Spring Break Edit

Spring is one of my favorite seasons and traveling is another favorite of mine.  You can imagine how excited I am for this post as I am typing this right in the middle of my vacation! Spring break is one of the shorter vacations of the year.  Due to this nature, I like to pack all of my favorites and essentials with a very minimalistic and versatile mindset.  I usually focus on one of every essential, so in that vein, I'll pack one multi-use blush, one dress-up-or-down shirt, one day-to-night coat, and so on.  I've gathered some body, skin, makeup, and clothing favorites that I have taken with me to the East Coast for a week!  I know the trend is to escape to warmer climates, but since I'm coming from average-of-90s California, this is more of a reverse weather situation!  The favorites that are mentioned are still completely non-weather specific save for the coat so read on for my specially curated favorites for the spring mini-vacay!

Tested: Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation 01

I've been loving the clean foundation options that are out on the market right now.  When I heard that Gressa had released a Corrective Serum foundation packed with good-for-your-skin ingredients and a satin finish, I almost couldn't believe it could be true!  Here's the thing, I've heard a bunch about the craze for new serum foundation combinations released by the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Lancome.  Their formulas were very moisturizing and not in favor of oily-skinned girls.  This liquid to satin/powder formulation would be a game changer for me(and hopefully for all the other girls having trouble with these types of foundations)! I've been testing out this beauty for a few months and I'm loving it overall, but I do have a few qualms.

Tested: Beautycounter Touchup Skin Concealer Pen in Fair, Light

I must confess, I have terribly dark under-eye circles and they're mostly my fault.  When I was younger, I used to stay up late to study, surf the web, or watch television.  Add that to the fact that I was already on a bad sleeping schedule of staying up until 3 in the morning and we've really got ourselves a recipe for disaster.  While I can't reverse the effects of my bad habits from the past, I can better the features I've got and conceal those pesky circles with under eye concealers.  Today, I'm going to be talking about Beautycounter's popular Touchup Skin Concealer Pen.  This has really worked wonders for me over the past few months and I really hope it'll do the same for you!

Favorites: 2/2015

How is it March already?  I recently saw an Instagram post with a quote that said it felt like Christmas had just passed and that is exactly how I feel at the moment.  I've been able to try a plethora of new products since the year has started and I grabbed a few that I've consistently reached for during the month.  These are all items that I've tested for 1-2 months, and although that isn't an incredibly long time, I've gotten a good grasp on their performance and can highly recommend them to you all.  Relax and grab a cup of tea, this is going to be a lengthy one! Read on ahead if you're curious as to what I've been loving!