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!

Tested: 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Healthy Skin Foundation in Creme , White Peach

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Healthy Skin Foundation L: Crème  R: White Peach

When I started the switch to more non-toxic products, I was wary of the prominence of loose powder formulations in the market.  You see, I don’t have very good history with loose powders and I almost always return these products if I do have a moment of spontaneity and decide to purchase them.  This preference for pressed powder is why I was so ecstatic when I found the 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Powder Foundation.  Let’s just say that this product has far exceeded my expectations since the day I picked it up during my very first trip to 100% Pure.

New&Tested: Kypris Moonlight Catalyst, Antioxidant Dew, Clearing Serum

I'm not going to lie, my obsession with Kypris started when I spotted the serums in their beautifully packaged, lapis colored glass bottles on Instagram(did I mention I am addicted to Instagram as well?).  I'm usually the kind of girl who waits until a store has a sale, any sale, in order to purchase the items I want.  It's a mechanism I use to feel less guilty about splurging on skincare even though the guilt trickles in eventually anyway.  I did not wait for a sale this time and went ahead and bought the Moonlight Catalyst.  Asides from the gorgeous packaging and amazing name, I can wholeheartedly say that this product does live up to the hype in formulation and results.  I also received the Antioxidant Dew and Clearing Serum as samples in a velvet blue pouch within the box that the products came in(which was finished off with a huge satin blue bow, might I add).  Packaging does get me initially, but the product performance is what makes me stay as a customer.  And stay I will.

Tested: Beautycounter Tint Skin (Linen)

Ah, Beautycounter.  Although I loathe your prices at times, I must admit that you make quality products.  I guess I can't stay that mad considering I get a whopping 40 ml in my favorite item from you, the Skin Tint.  Is it a tinted moisturizer? Does it have enough coverage? Does it last? Let's find out.

It took me a while to get around to liking Skin Tint and now, I find that I reach for it more often than the other foundations I own.  When I first used it, I felt like the coverage was not enough and it felt like it was slipping around on my skin.  Now, before I started buying cleaner products, I was used to using liquid to powder high end foundations with full coverage although It would probably have been wiser to just spot conceal.  After coming to terms with my skin and accepting that I really did not need full coverage foundation for everyday purposes, I splurged on this cleaner option and have never gone back.  While it did take me time to get used to this consistency, I find that it is perfect for everyday especially when I set it with my 100% Pure powder foundation in Creme.

I have the shade Linen and it is a perfect match for my skin tone. For reference, I am a Beige 20 in Chanel Perfection Lumiere and Shell in Hourglass Immaculate Foundation( I said high coverage didn't I?).  The coverage can be sheer but is definitely buildable.  I strongly suggest the more oily skinned girls out there to use it with a setting powder as it starts off with a dewy look but that never ends well with us, does it?  I've been using it for half a year now and have not had any skin issues with relation to this product.  On my bad skin days, I'll spot conceal then apply more of the Tint Skin than usual.  On my better days, I spot conceal and just apply a thin layer of it to even out my skin tone and out the door I go.  Here are some swatches below:

Love, Pai

As promised, I've come back with a Pai review and I suggest ready-ing your mugs because this is going to be a long one.  I first discovered Pai right before they had their massive Black Friday deal(which, I will forever be grateful for).  Their formulas are some of the cleanest I've ever come across, which makes sense considering their mission is to liberate the struggles of all the people who suffer from sensitive skin issues.  While I don't consider my skin to be particularly sensitive, it IS combination-oily and finding a product that can keep it balanced has been an issue because I would either be left with the dreaded slick face or my dry patches would show by the end of the day.  It is for this reason that I ordered their Balance kit from their Black Friday deal( and as you can tell, I liked it so much I went back for other goodies).  Let's begin.

A week in favorites

Hello, my name is Vanessa and I'm a hoarder, namely a beauty hoarder.  I've been slowly switching from mainstream cosmetics and skincare to natural options for about half a year now but while I may be new to the green side, I've been obsessed with beauty products for far longer.  I'm the type of girl who obsessively searches for reviews of products before deciding to buy any and a certain trend I've noticed is the lack of opinions on some great greener products.  It is for that main purpose that I've decided to start The Clean Curator.  I hope that CC will be a great source of information for people who are interested in hard-to-find reviews on great, safer products.  I'll be posting more detailed reviews on my favorite brands and items in later posts but I decided to start things off with a classic overview of my favorites for the week!