Skincare: California Naturel Review

If you're a follower of the blog, you probably know I'm always going on about my sensitive skin. I'm forever on the lookout for gentle, natural brands that my skin will like. Just in time to address summer dryness, the lovely people at California Naturel offered to send me a selection of their plant & mineral based skincare products.

Like always, the packaging is what I noticed first. Colorful accents and embossing are such simple ways to make a product stand out.

A little about the company:

Based in California, duh. I really, really love that they are completely committed to making seriously all-natural skincare products. Everything is naturally scented, meaning they use plant extracts, and are free of parabens, sulfates, and synthetic chemicals. According to the site, they also pride themselves on being a socially responsible business. They also use a lot of organic ingredients. Each product has a different percentage of organic ingredients, so if you're curious, click the links below to learn more!

Here's what I got to try:

Gentle Cleansing Gel

No complaints! Pretty gentle, and at least hasn't made my dry, itchy skin any worse. Great if you wear a lot of make-up. Damascus rose, palmarosa, and ylang-ylang oils are all beneficial and make it smell lovely!

Nourishing Cream

This gentle face lotion smells very herby, which I love. It's exactly what my skin needs, too! Olive leaf and Crithmum Maritimum (fancy science name for sea fennel) are supposed to reduce inflammation and redness. It soaks in pretty quickly, which is nice when you're hurried in the mornings.

Sunscreen SPF 30

I'm not as crazy about this lotion's scent, but scent is in the nose of the beholder, so maybe you'll like it? If you're real concerned about protecting you skin, than this is the sunscreen you want! It's one of those physical sunscreens, so if you don't rub it in real well, you'll look pasty. Mixing it with the Nourishing Cream makes it a little easier to put on. The only complaint I have is that it turns yellow when it dries and I've stained a few shirts. If you plan on wearing a white collar of any kind, use a different sunscreen for the day.

Lip Balm SPF 8

I love this stuff, but I'm pretty into any and all lip products. Especially ones with SPF that taste like berries! It protects against both UVA and UVB, which is important since lips don't have their own natural protection. It goes on smooth and provides a long-lasting barrier against the elements. Great for the beach and won't make your milkshake taste like lipgloss. Well, unless you're drinking a McDonald's milkshake. I'm still bitter about the "improvements" they made to their recipe -_-

Overall Grade: 

A-

Great company & great products!

♠

Beauty: Everyday Sun Protection

To start off on a depressing note, did you know Washington state had the 5th highest rate of skin cancer in the U.S. in 2008? Ugh. I'm not totally surprised, but it's still not a pleasant statistic. When it's cloudy most of the year, you kind of forget that the sun's rays are still making their way through the atmosphere. Then there's always that week in May or June where it finally hits 75 and everyone rushes outside to spend the day obvliviously soaking up the UVB. The next day we're like a city of cranky lobsters.

I've been trying to avoid both absent-minded errors by making sure all my make-up has SPF in it, as well as wearing a good lotion with added protection. My one problem I always seem to run into, though, is that most sunscreens make my skin greasy. It may be vain, but I just don't like walking around with a shiny face all day. Luckily, my partnership with SkinCareRx gave me the perfect chance to try out some higher end lotions. 

 My first choice was La Roche-Posay Rosaliac UV Fortifying Anti-Redness Moisturiser (woo, try saying that in one breath!) It's perfect for sensitive skin, soothes redness, and has a built-in sunscreen. I've been using it for a couple months now and I like it quite a bit. I don't notice a huge reduction in redness, but I have noticed that they dry, bumpy areas I attributed to a skin allergy have disappeared. It leaves a bit of a shiny residue, but that seems to soak in after 30 minutes or so.

The second lotion I tried happened to be a lucky occurrence in my first package of samples they sent for me to hand out to family and friends. It emphasizes its non-greasiness right in the name: Peter ThomasRoth Max Sheer All Day Defense Cream. It's packed with ceramides and anti-oxidants and all that jazz, on top of having a sun protection factor of 30. It's also fragrance free and suitable for all skin types. I haven't noticed any problems and neither has my mom, so I can vouch for its suitableness. It doesn't go on as sheer as I would like and takes a little longer to soak in, but it's still a great lotion

This is before I put any foundation on. See! No grease!

Now I just need to focus on my laziness when it comes to applying to the rest of my skin.

♠

8 Summer Beauty Must-Haves

summer beauty by fleur-d-elise featuring a lip care

From left to right:

1. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 in Coral
Did you know your lips don't contain melanin? That said, I can't stress enough how important it is to wear lip balm with SPF! Try Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment to add a bit of color and hydration to your lips, while protecting them from the sun.

2. Clinique Lash Power Mascara Long-Wearing Formula
This long-lasting formula is pretty water resistant and can withstand rain, tears, humidity, and sweat. Perfect for any summer activity!

3. Alba Botanica Natural Hawaiian Sunscreen
Alba Botanica's Hawaiian line is one of my all-time favorites. All the products smell wonderful, are made from all-natural ingredients, and are reasonably priced.

4. NARS Nail Polish
I never really need an excuse to buy new nail polish, but if you're looking for one, here it is: It's summertime and you've got not only your fingernails to show off, but also your toenails. Paint 'em with a pretty color.


5. Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder
Can't cool down? Well, with this powder, you can at least fake it. It provides instant relief for red, flushed cheeks, and continues to provide redness relief all day. Plus, it's a light neutral color that works on anyone and won't clog your pores.

6. Kiehl's Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner
I like to put this toner in the fridge, then use it as a skin refresher on sticky-hot summer days. Swipe it on with a cotton pad. Great for sensitive or sunburned skin!

7. Kiehl's Deluxe Hand & Body Lotion in Coriander
This is one of my favorite scents. Herby yet clean, so it doesn't smell too hippy-dippy. I wear it a lot in the summer since it's pretty light and doesn't get too strong smelling when it's hot out. It's also lightweight and soaks in easily.

8. Apple Cider Vinegar
OK, so this one isn't shown, but I probably use it more than anything else! It's a great hair rinse and leaves your hair super soft, especially when rinsed with cold water. It's most important use, though, is sunburn soother! It calms and cools and the acidity stops the burning, which means it actually helps your sunburn heal faster!