Petite Threla Lip Glace {review}

In my search for lip tints, I couldn't resist trying out the Lip Glace from Petite Threla. Plus, I was in a grapefruit kind of mood and this just called to me.

{the tint}

This product is very solid. There is a little bit of tug when applying and it goes on in a slow and steady sort of fashion. On the lips, it feels a bit thick with a slight stickiness and a hint of creaminess.

For lip tints I can appreciate this solid sort of texture. It feels like it's going to stay on my lips for a long while, meaning the color will stay for a long while. And it does - the wear is fantastic, lasting for a couple of hours at least.

{the color}

In the tube, the color is a pretty shade of pink. Not exactly the shade of pink grapefruit, but close. Sorry for the upside down photo - the lighting worked best if I held it that way! On the lips, it offers a hint of color:

Before, without lip glace

After, with Pink Grapefruit lip glace

It "glaces" the lips, so it is not meant to offer a lot of color. There is a nice light gloss and sometimes I can detect some great shimmer. I really enjoy the simple and natural look this lip glace gives my lips. It is quite beautiful!

{flavor + ingredients}

The Pink Grapefruit lip glace is scented with grapefruit and lemon essential oils. I was super excited about that since I absolutely adore grapefruit and because there are few shops that offer scented lip tints. It is lightly scented and I definitely smell the beautiful citrus-y grapefruit. There's also a bit of sweetness to it, like vanilla. Although I don't think there's vanilla in the mix.

Ingredients include beeswax, castor seed oil, coconut oil, mango seed butter, sweet almond oil, safflower seed oil, vitamin e, soy, grapefruit oil, lemon oil, iron oxide, titanium dioxide, mica, and carmine.

{conclusion}

The lip glace from Petite Threla has been a great find. The lip glace is beautifully scented with long lasting wear. It offers a hint of color for a natural look. A very pretty natural look! I am definitely going to go browse around this shop some more and you should too!

For Goodness Grape Lip Tints {review}

I have gone a bit crazy lately for lip tints. And some of my favorites that I have found are from For Goodness Grape. And let me just say, it is about time I have a For Goodness Grape review up on this blog because this shop is amazing! Warning: This post might be a little picture heavy!

{the tints}

I have found that the textures for these lip tints vary. Some go on thick and creamy while others are light and glossy. I haven't been disappointed yet, although I do prefer the ones with a thicker consistency. They feel like they offer more protection and stay on longer. However, the lighter ones offer more gloss. Really, both are fantastic!

The colors of the lip tints are gorgeous. If you check out the For Goodness Grape shop, you will see she has a huge variety of colors. All of the ones I have tried have been wonderful. They offer just the right amount of color and look fantastic in a "your lips but better" sort of way!

{colors}

L-R: American Beauty, Barbie, Berry Bright, Bitten, Mystery Macabre, Vivien

Instead of just trying to describe colors to you, I thought it might be easier and better to also show you! I took photos of how the tint colors look on me. All the photos were taken in natural, afternoon lighting!

Before, without lip tint

Here's the before shot of my lips without any lip tint on! And in case you're wondering, that's a vertical labret piercing! Which I love, but I always have to be careful to not get any lip tint on it. :)

American Beauty lip tint

American Beauty - I love the brightness of this lip tint. It is a lovely pink that is meant to be flattering on anyone, which I think it would be! It also has some great sparkle!

Barbie lip tint

Barbie - In the tube, this tint looks like a super bright pink. But on the lips it is very sheer. The sheer wash of hot pink though ending up being a very wearable color. I always have this one with me!

Berry Bright lip tint

Berry Bright - This color made me fall in love with lip tints! It definitely is a bright color and offers great coverage. It is a bit of a bold color and looks brighter indoors, without natural lighting. I'd say it's the closest to hot pink of all the colors I have. It's my favorite color so far!

Bitten lip tint

Bitten - This lip tint is supposed to give that bitten lips look. I think for my lips, it would have to be a bit darker to accomplish that. However, I love the pretty pink color it gives my lips.

Mystery Macabre lip tint

Mystery Macabre - Of all the tints I ordered, this one is the darkest. In the tube it looks like a dark blood red, but on my lips it is a sheer wash of red. Sexy color!

Vivien lip tint

Vivien - This lip tint doesn't offer a a whole lot of color. As you can see, it is very light on my lips. But it does have a great gloss and what you can't see is the beautiful shimmer it has also!

{flavors + ingredients}

Most of the lip tints come without flavoring. The Berry Bright comes cherry flavored though, which is a great basic cherry. However, in my last order I requested some flavorings for the tints I ordered. There was an extra fee to do so, but it was worth it! The flavors are also available in the lip balms. The flavors I requested were:

Bubblegum - This is a great pink bubblegum scent. It smells just like Wrigley's Extra Classic Bubble. There's even a sweet taste!
Cotton Candy - This is a light and sweet scent. Not overly sweet like some cotton candy scented things can be.
Cherub - This is strawberry champagne scent. I can definitely smell the sweet strawberry scent but it also smells floral. It's quite strong and I don't particularly care for it.
Vanilla Milkshake - This is a bright and ultra sweet vanilla scent without being buttery. Great scent for a lip tint, as I see vanilla scented anything being neutral.

Ingredients include shea butter, mango butter, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, cetyl stearyl alcohol, olive oil, beeswax, olive fruit oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, castor oil, avocado oil, glycine soybean lipids, lauryl laurate, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, vitamin e, mica, and pigment.

{conclusion}

I am seriously in love with For Goodness Grape lip tints. They offer great coverage with such flattering, gorgeous colors. They feel great, they look great, so what's not to love? If you're interested in lip tints go check out For Goodness Grape! There's a color (or two or three or...) for everyone!

Green Beauty Cosmetics {review}

I have been stalking the Green Beauty Cosmetics shop for awhile now and finally gave in and placed an order! And I am disappointed in myself for waiting so long! The products are so great, I'm on the verge of swooning. Seriously.

I have been using these products for a week now and my skin feels fantastic. I don't think it has ever felt this great. And let me just say, I have never had too many problems with my skin. It has a tendency to get dry in the wintertime, but that's fairly normal. I rarely get blemishes. I was lucky enough to not have to deal with acne in my teen years. Pimples were (and still are) practically unheard of for me. Lucky me, right? *knock on wood*

My point is, I haven't been very dissatisfied with my skin. I'd even go so far as to say I have always thought I had good skin. However, the products from Green Beauty Cosmetics have made my skin feel a million times better. They have taken something good and turned it into something great.

For this order, I purchased a 3-pack sampler set of the Chamomile Cream, Tinted Moisturizer, and Apple Cider Toner. I also ordered the Eye Brightener (doesn't come in sample size).

{chamomile cream}

 

I am loving the Chamomile Cream. It is quite rich and a little goes a long way. I think this 5ml sample container will last me quite awhile! 

The cream has a beautifully silky and whipped texture. It goes on easily and sinks right in. It makes my skin feel satiny smooth with a slightly powdery finish. And as it is a bit rich, it also makes my skin feel super moisturized but without looking greasy. I mostly use this at night before bedtime and dab a little bit on in the mornings, mostly around my eyes. 

This is definitely a great facial moisturizer. One of the best I've found in awhile! My only complaint about this cream is the scent. It is a bright, almost floral scent. It's not a terrible scent, but a little too strong for my tastes. I prefer unscented facial moisturizers. Although, I'd overlook that and purchase again anyway because it works so well!

Ingredients include organic coconut oil, pure soybean oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, beeswax, bioactive aloe, chamomile extract, green tea extract, hyaluronic acid, vegetable glycerin, honey, yogurt, and geogard ultra. Scented with geranium, grapefruit, and lemongrass (essential oils?).

{tinted moisturizer}

Green Beauty Cosmetics tinted products come in two shades - light and medium. As I am darker skinned, I ordered the Tinted Moisturizer in medium shade. I'd also like to add this is my first experiment with tinted products. I don't even wear make-up!

That being said, I am really enjoying this moisturizer. It is nice and light. It's great for during the day since it's not heavy - I feel it'd be a great summer moisturizer as well. It comes out slightly watery but that makes it easy to just use one pump and get good coverage. The moisturizer sinks right in and has a lightly powdery, matte finish.

As for the tinted part, it is subtle. It makes my skin look more flawless in a very natural way. This is perfect for me as I don't wear make-up. The moisturizer helps enhance that naturally beautiful look!

Ingredients include shea butter, cocoa butter, grapeseed oil, apricot oil, squalane, calendula, iron oxides, titanium oxides, mica, rosewater, green tea, orange essential oil, ylang ylang essential oil, and macadamia oil.

{apple cider toner}

Er, should I be ashamed to say that I've never used a toner before? Well I am because I realize now I've been missing a very important step in my skincare routine! This Apple Cider Toner is amazing!

This is my favorite of the products I ordered and is making the most noticeable difference in my skin. After washing my face in the morning and before bed, I'll use two spritzes of this toner before applying my moisturizer. The vinegar scent isn't too strong and fades quickly. It doesn't bother me at all since I have grown accustomed to the scent of apple cider vinegar as a part of my hair care routine! It's great stuff.

The toner makes my skin feel so much cleaner! My skin has been becoming smoother and softer everyday since I started using this. And the best part, it has also been helping with my blackheads. I had some stubborn blackheads on my nose and those are almost completely gone. No other product has been able to do that! This toner is completely amazing and I'm quite in love!

Ingredients include distilled water, organic apple cider vinegar, plantago extract, chamomile extract, organic licorice root extract, organic marshmallow root extract, alcohol free with hazel distillate, kosher glycerin, rosewater, panthenol, and geogard ultra.

{eye brightener}

I ordered the Eye Brightener in medium (also comes in light). I was very curious about this product and decided to order, even though it doesn't come in sample size.

As you can see, it comes with a wand applicator. Putting it on, it's kind of shimmery and gray-ish at first. After I have blended it in well, I can barely tell its there. Although, that is kind of the point. It is supposed to deflect light so dark circles aren't as noticeable.

I have only checked out the effects under my bathroom light, but I can detect a slight difference. The effects are subtle and so they don't completely diminish the look of dark circles. Rather, the effects look more natural, which I appreciate.

Ingredients include glycerin, oat starch, plant based emulsifiers, shea butter, rosewater, geogard ultra, licorice root extract, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, mica, and guar gum.

{conclusion}

The products from Green Beauty Cosmetics are high quality (even the labels are high quality)! I am completely loving the effects on my skin. Honestly, I have never been so thrilled about skincare products. My skin has never felt this amazing! I am definitely going to return to Green Beauty Cosmetics and I highly recommend you check 'em out too!

(I also ordered another product from this shop that I will not review on this blog because it is of a more personal nature. However, if you can figure out what it is and are curious, send me an email!)

Chagrin Valley Shampoo Bars {review}

I've done a bit of experimenting with shampoo bars off and on over the years. As a lover of handmade soaps, shampoo bars have always been rather appealing to me. They're all natural, long lasting, and travel friendly. However, they have not always worked for my hair. But I haven't given up on shampoo bars completely so I decided to give Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Company a shot.

{my hair}

My review is based on my hair, and your hair may be very different than mine. So I'll tell you about my hair and let you make the comparisons.

I have long, dark brown hair. It is straight for the most part (curls a bit when it's short!). My hair is also very thick and gets a bit heavy at times. My hair is also quite finicky - if it's not happy with my hair washing method, it is prone to greasiness or becomes a rough and wild mess. It can be difficult to find a happy medium. 

{washing up}

I ordered 4 sample size shampoo bars from Chagrin Valley. I used every bar at least twice for this review. I wash my hair every 3-4 days, so it took me awhile to work my way through testing out these bars. After every washing I usually use an apple cider vinegar rinse. I did not add any additional products to my hair afterwards.

{bar: cafe moreno}

"Brunettes have been pouring fresh brewed coffee on their hair for centuries to help transform flat brown tones to into shiny, rich color and maybe even do away with some of those pesky gray strands.  Made with cloves, to enhance warm tones and fresh brewed coffee, which enriches brown hues and adds luster to dry hair."

The Cafe Moreno shampoo bar definitely has an interesting scent. It's not one you'd fall in love with, but it's not unpleasant enough to scare me away! Although some might find issue with it.

From reading other reviews, I thought this bar would work best for my hair so it is the first one I tried. However, it ended up being my least favorite of the four. After washing my hair, it makes my hair feel a bit weighed down and heavier than normal. On the first day though it makes my hair look great - it's all shiny and beautiful! But after that, it starts looking greasy fairly quickly.

I will still use up the sample bar I have, but the Cafe Moreno isn't right for my hair.

Ingredients include: saponified oils of clove infused olive, babassu, coconut, castor bean, virgin shea butter, rice bran, canola (non-GMO); brewed coffee; essential oils of clove, patchouli, ylang ylang, lavender; rosemary oil extract.

{bar: honey beer & egg}

"Beer and egg yolk create a mild, protein rich shampoo that adds shine, bounce and body to your hair. The proteins from the malt, hops condition hair and help repair damage. Vitamin rich eggs revitalize dull and dry hair and improve texture. Enriched with cocoa butter to provide deep nourishment for the hair shaft."

I wasn't sure about trying out the Honey Beer & Egg shampoo bar because I thought the extra moisturizing properties of the beer and egg might make my hair look too greasy. But I ended up being pleasantly surprised with this bar. After washing, my hair feels super soft and looks shiny and healthy. And it holds the shine for a couple days without making my hair look greasy.

Out of the four bars, this one feels the most silky and moisturizing in the shower. It almost feels like I don't need an ACV rinse. So, I tried it that way once. My hair wasn't as soft afterwards, but still clean and shiny. And it gave my hair some great body for days. I was also able to go longer without washing my hair. I went for 5 days between washings and probably could have gone for a full week!

Overall, I really enjoyed this bar and am happy I gave it a shot!  It also has a pleasant scent that is lightly sweet. And one more note, I used this bar to wash my face once and it was great!

Ingredients include: saponified oils of rice bran, organic palm, coconut, castor bean, cocoa butter, jojoba, mango butter; beer; organic free range eggs; raw honey; aloe vera; rosemary oil extract. 
 

{bar: lavender spice} 

"Lavender helps balance oil production, soothes an irritated scalp and stimulates the hair follicles. A double dose of rich moisturizing organic coconut milk, a deep conditioning treatment, imparts silkiness, softness and shine to your hair. Lavender essential oil, with a touch of cassia, provides warm spicy scent."

I am in love with the scent of the Lavender Spice shampoo bar! I don't normally go for lavender anything so I am surprised by how much I adore this scent. It's sweet and spicy and lightly floral - it's a perfect blend without anything overpowering the other. And the scent lingers for awhile after washing, making me happy!


Out of all of the other bars, I feel that this bar was the one that made my hair feel simply normal. It made my hair clean and soft, but not too soft. There was a bit of shine, but not as much as the others. It didn't weigh my hair down, but it didn't offer extra body or bounce. It's great for just a nice, simple clean hair feeling.

I loved the scent of this so much, I used it as an all over body wash as well. It felt sooo silky and creamy on my body! But, that also made the bar go very quickly. I think I might need to invest in the regular body soap in Lavender Spice!

Ingredients include: saponified oils of sweet almond, coconut, sunflower, rice bran, castor bean, organic palm, canola (non-GMO); organic coconut milk; water; essential oils of lavender and cassia; rosemary oil extract.

{bar: soapnuts}

"An organic shampoo made with Soapnuts, called aritha in Ayurvedic medicine. Known for their benefits for healthy hair and scalp, soapnuts have been used for centuries as an anti hair loss shampoo. Their natural antifungal and antibacterial properties may help with dandruff.   Natural saponins in soapnuts clean hair, add body and sheen and make hair feel thick, silky, smooth and more manageable."

The Soapnuts shampoo bar is my favorite of the bunch! I ordered it in the Citrus Mint scent, which is very light that I have a hard time detecting it at times. But that doesn't bother me much.

This shampoo bar makes my hair look and feel amazing. My hair feels ultra clean and silky soft. And it gives my hair a beautiful healthy sheen. But best of all, it gives my hair great body and texture. My hair gets that great beach hair kind of look. It brings out that slight waviness my hair has that usually doesn't show up when my hair is this long and heavy. And my hair looks amazing for days!

So yeah, I am totally loving this bar.  My hair hasn't looked this great in a long time!

Ingredients include: saponified oils of organic sunflower, organic babassu, organic coconut, organic extra virgin olive, organic cocoa butter, organic castor bean; organic soapnuts (aritha) water; rosemary oil extract; essential oils of lemon and peppermint.

{conclusion}

I am very pleased with the shampoo bars from  Chagrin Valley. It has been fun experimenting with these bars and finding ones that actually work for my hair. I've been trying shampoo bars for awhile now from a lot of different shops and the ones from Chagrin Valley are the best. Even the one that wasn't quite for me! If you're thinking about trying some shampoo bars, I highly recommend checking out Chagrin Valley. I am definitely going back to order some full-size bars... and try out a few new ones of course! :)

Victoria Naturals Lip Balm & Tint {review}

You know, I've been into lip tints quite a bit lately. With this new obsession, of course I've been scouring Etsy for lovely lip tints. And as luck would have it, the owner from Victoria Naturals offered to send me a lip balm and lip tint to review. I had stumbled upon the shop a few times myself, so of course I had to say yes!

{the balm}

This is one of those balms that just feels great to apply. It feels solid and comforting as you're putting it on. In the tube, the texture is slightly grainy but I like that - it's soothing. On the lips, the texture is smooth and creamy. The balm has that "just right" feeling. It's not too slick or greasy and it doesn't feel like it'll be gone in less than half an hour. The balm offers good protection and lasts for about two hours and leaves behind soft lips!

The flavor I was sent is Spearmint. I love minty scents so this is great - offers that sweet minty scent of spearmint. It doesn't have the harsh tingle that peppermint can sometimes have. In my opinion, spearmint is the best flavor for a minty balm!

The ingredients include beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, vitamin e, and essential oil.

{the tint}

I was sent the Bubblegum Pink lip tint. The tint is a very pretty color. It is a nice light pink with some shimmer. On my lips, it adds a hint of color with a good amount of gloss. It is a very natural and flattering color. And like the balm, the lip tint has that delightful smooth and creamy texture with long lasting wear.

Here's a few photos (taken in natural lighting) to show how the lip tint looks on me:

Before, without lip tint

After, with Bubblegum Pink lip tint

The flavor for this is interesting. I can't quite put my finger on what it is. It does smell a bit like bubblegum, but nothing overly sweet. And I can almost detect something slightly minty. I don't know how to accurately describe it, but it is very pleasant!

The ingredients include beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, vitamin e, and FDA approved mica.

{conclusion}

I am quite happy with these lip products from Victoria Naturals. The balm and tint both have wonderful consistency that make my lips feel great. I also love that there are no artificial flavorings which can sometimes irritate my lips. And the lip tint makes a great addition to my collection for when I want a lovely hint of color on my lips! I definitely recommend Victoria Naturals lip products!

Winner of A.L.L.L. Lip Butters!

I used random.org to pick the winner. Out of the 6 entries, the winning entry was number 2 which is...

Congrats to Christina! Thank you to all who entered! And please excuse my delay in announcing a winner - I was caught up in a whirlwind of school matters yesterday!