My Skin Is In Love

I’ve been acting like an over obsessed teenage girl recently. It all started while visiting a Pharmaca store in the Bay area. Taking a look around in the beauty department a cute clear raspberry red glass dropper filled with oil was flirting with me. I mean, it was there just taunting me wanting me to give it a try. And of course I did. The scent of rose was subtly intoxicating. The oil melted into my skin leaving a healthy glow behind. The price was under $20…but I didn’t need it. I already have the Wholly Hemp Moisturizer that I loved and my skin loved too. So, there stayed the Andalou Moroccan Beauty Oil.

For the next week and a half, all I could think about was this fragrant oil that left my skin with not just a subtle intoxicating scent but a healthy glow as well. I acted like a teenage girl in love, obsessively looking the product up on line – what are the ingredients to make up this perfect oil? (There is argan oil as well as pomegranate oil, but more about that later) Who else liked this product? Is Andalou on Facebook? Like. What about Twitter? Following. Pintrest? Following. Not on Instagram…yet. With a little bit of research on Andalou.com, I found out that Andalou means ‘A Path of Light’, where Andalou was created to be a gateway between the best of nature and knowledge and a bridge from farm to bottle and botany to beauty. The formulas of Andalou have been cultivated from a diverse portfolio of ancient botanicals and modern technology. Basically the best of plants and science with a culture of giving back. In fact, with every new subscriber, Andalou donates $2 to socially responsible projects. A skincare company that also gives back? I’m down…My skin is seriously crushin’ hard for Andalou.

Two weeks go by and I find myself back in the Pharmaca store. I run (not walk) to the Andalou Naturals section. I grab the Moroccan Beauty Oil. Yes! It’s finally mine! I couldn’t wait to go home, wash my face and put this all over. And so I did.

Andalou’s Moroccan Beauty Oil was everything I dreamed it would be…light weight, yet moisturizing, leaving a wonderful dewy glow. My husband even said he liked the rose aroma he could smell as he sat next to me on the couch. Over the course of six weeks, I looked forward to my daily skincare routine, both morning and evening. My skin loves the oil as the first step of my skincare routine, followed by my Wholly Hemp moisturizer. It may seem like too much oil, but my skin just soaks it in leaving the perfect amount of glow with out any of the oily shine.

So, what makes Andalou’s Moroccan Beauty Oil so amazing? Well, first, I must mention Argan oil. The ever popular moisturizing agent helps protect skin’s hydro lipid barrier for a naturally flawless complexion. It also contains Pomegranate oil which is rich in tannins and polyphenols to tone and tighten the skin. There is also the 1000 Roses Complex which consists of rosewater and rose essential oil, which gives the oil its subtle fragrance, but also is good to soften and soothe sensitive skin. There are the Alpine Rose Stem Cells, to increase skin stem cell vitality, boost epidermal regeneration and improves the skin’s barrier function.  But wait, there is more! The Moroccan Beauty Oil also contains a Skin Soothing complex made up of Hyaluronic Acid (one of my favorite anti ageing ingredients!), Magnolia Bark, Boswelling and Date Leaf extracts which work together to provide a protective moisture barrier with sensitivity pathway blockers to alleviate inflammation and inhibit skin reactivity. OMG!?! I think my skin is in LOVE!

Where has Andalou been all my life? First launched on March 11, 2011 and founded by Stacey Kelly Egide, CEO and Mark A. Egide, President. Both bring 25 years of natural beauty experience to the table. There is also the commitment of the following:
– Uses natural and Fair Traded Ingredients
– 70% certified organic content
– Non GMO verified
– Gluten Free
– Vegetarian and Vegan Ingredients
– Eco Friendly Ingredients
– No Animal Testing Policy
– All products are made with out the following: GMO’s, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, Sulfates, Synthetic Colors, Dyes, Fragrances, Triclosan, PEG, MEA, TEA, DEA or Paraben Preservatives

Since using the Moroccan Oil, I have also tried a few more products from Andalou which my skin has also loved.  I may have to wait a little bit longer, but I think it’s fair to say my skin has found it’s happily ever after with Andalou.

 

No one will ever know you missed out on sleep with this brightening eye cream!

Not only do I love the smell my skin loves the anti aging and moisturizing benefits.

Skin acting up? Prevent breakouts and treat current with this non drying mask/peel. I love using this monthly, ya know, around that time.

Love this super gentle, gel based exfoliator. I could use this daily if I wanted but save it for once or twice per week.

My Holy Grail no makeup makeup! Love this on days I’m just doing errands or going to the park with the Kid. Also makes an amazing primer for an ultra dewy finish!

I loved the BB Cream so much that when I saw this CC cream I couldn’t resist. Similar to the previous in uses and benefits. There is also an additional shade for darker skin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We do not work for any of the companies listed nor did we receive any compensation for this post.

The Beauty Of Hemp Part 2

Okay, so I did it. I went on a mission to find a skincare product that contained Hemp Oil. And search I did. I came across various websites toting the fact that Hemp oil was their main ingredient. However, I wasn’t sold…yet. One website looked like a giant infomercial while another seemed much too pretentious and over hyped which equated to something I felt was over priced. Now, I’m totally down for spending a bit more on a product if I know it’s worth it, and at the time, well, I just didn’t know if it would be worth it. So I continued to search.

Then I found the website, www.WhollyHemp.com, which immediately drew me in. It was simply hand made products containing Hemp Oil. However, that’s not all there is to it. The company has a mission to help end poverty. In fact, 25% of their profits are  donated to provide microloans to women in developing countries such as Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, and Uganda so that they can create their own self-sustaining businesses and lift themselves out of poverty. To date, Wholly Hemp has provided 261 loans helping 1,305 people. That’s pretty cool and that is one of the reasons I continued to investigate their products.

I was on search for a moisturizer but I was also very afraid that something with an oil would cause havoc on my skin. I have been pretty loyal to my skincare and if I deviate, would that lead to a breakout? Irritation? Well, I guess I would have to take that risk.

After reading the reviews, which all seemed to rave about the products, from how easily the product absorbed into the skin, how soft the skin felt after using,  as well as how lovely the product smelled…  and so, I felt a little more assured that my skin would be okay. I wasn’t expecting any miracles, as I was just needing a product that would moisturize my skin.

Then I noticed the pricing…for 1.5 ounces, I would have to pay 500…pennies. That’s five bucks. For a moisturizer. Ummm…okay, so I should probably go ahead and not only try the Moisturizing Cream with Geranium Rose, I might as well get the Moisturizing Cream with Tea Tree Oil as well. Heck, let’s throw in the Hemp Lip Balm in Orange too. Total cost, before tax and shipping…$13. After all that other stuff, I paid $18 and change for two full size moisturizers and a lip balm. If I ended up liking all of this, what an incredible deal. If I didn’t like it…well, at least I could use it on my hands and feet and would feel pretty good that I am helping a company help people in need.

Four days later my little packaged arrived. I opened it and saw the products I clicked to purchase.  Two moisturizers, each in a jar resembling my favorite jam…one jar of the Moisturizing Cream with Rose Geranium and another of the same name with Tea Tree Oil and the last product, Hemp Lip Balm. Is there really Hemp in these products? Take a look on the ingredient list of the Moisturizing Cream with Rose Geranium has listed:
Shea Butter, hemp seed oil, sun flower oil, geranium oil, rosemary seed extract.

Yes, it indeed has hemp oil listed and it’s the second ingredient. Okay, let’s give it a go!

Okay, time to wash my face!

The product is almost a solid oil…kind of like a foggy butter. I gave it a whiff expecting to smell something more marijuanesque but instead it was more earthy with a hint of rose, almost as if I had been planting roses in the dirt…but nothing that was too strong.  So, after I cleansed and dried my face, I dipped my finger in the jar of the Moisturizing Cream with Geranium Rose and took about a pearl size amount, warmed it between my fingers, and then smoothed over my face. Well, if your face isn’t at least slightly damp, it is a bit difficult to massage on the skin. However, if your face is damp or just spritzed with a toner, then the product can easily be massaged onto the skin and not very much is needed at all. You really only need like a quarter of a pearl if your skin is already damp. Initially, my skin had a bit of a slip to it, yet it was so glowy! The slip quickly disappeared and I was left with soft and supple skin.

It was about 1 week into use that I started noticing I no longer was getting an oily T zone throughout the day. I also noticed I hadn’t broken out either. Now, it’s only been a week, so I really can’t say if this helped with any anti- aging, however, I don’t look any older either.

A closer look at Hemp Oil and I found out that in addition to being a perfect moisturizer for skin, as well as helping with eczema, Hemp Oil contains antioxidants which help fight free radical damage, which ultimately means that it helps prevent ageing. Hemp Oil also contains Linoleic acid which has shown to slow down the aging process. I’m getting more and more impressed as I read more and more about Hemp Oil.

It also helps with oily skin by helping to reduce pore size and blackheads. That sounds pretty miraculous, as the pores on my nose are normally like volcanoes. However, since using my Wholly Hemp moisturizer, it just so happens the pores on my nose are much less noticeable…smaller? Can’t say anything about size, but they no longer are as visible as they used to be and that includes fewer blackheads too. How does Hemp Oil do this?

Well, it’s the Essential Fatty Acids within Hemp Oil that mix with our own skin’s oils and make them thinner, less clogging. It is a complicated mechanism but the final result is that once our own facial oil becomes thinner, our pores grow smaller. This, in the long-run also reduces the appearance of blackheads and helps skin prone to acne.

But wait, there’s more! Not only is it good for your skin, it is good for you to ingest! It is high in DHA, an essential nutrient for your brain, it’s a great mercury free fatty acid supplement, and it is known to support the immune system.

Okay, so I’m pretty impressed by Hemp Oil and I just may start adding this ingredient in my diet as well.

Overall, I’m pleasantly surprised with the Wholly Hemp Moisturizing Cream with Rose Geranium and I would absolutely recommend to everyone as it truly is a product suitable for every skin type! I also have found a new lip balm that I love. Nothing that leaves my lips too shiny or heavy, but light and moisturized. But before you call me a Hippie, I highly suggest you fork over five bucks and give this moisturizer a try. I think you too will be pleasantly surprised.

 

We do not work for any of the companies listed nor did we receive any compensation for this post.