Best of 2015 – Skin, Body and Hair Edit

December 30, 2015 | jodi - a brash attitude

As 2015 draws to a close, I just wanted to thank you for following, reading, commenting and liking my posts. I started this blog in March and I did not think that I would have over 500 followers in less than a year. So thank you! ❤

Here’s my “Best of 2015 – Skin, Body and Hair” and links to the original reviews.

Best Cleanser:

Tied for best cleanser, I have two, the first being the REN Purity No. 1 Cleansing Balm (review) and more recently the Farmacy Clear Bloom Cleansing Oil (review).

Best Serum:

Again we have a tie, both are from OZ Naturals, the Hyaluronic Serum and and Retinol Serum (reviews here and here).

Best Moisturizer:

PC Mask1

Technically this is a facial mask, but the Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask works amazingly well as a super moisturizer for skin that is super dry in the winter (review here).

Best Mask:

Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask – I still use this at least once every two weeks (review)

Best Eye Make-Up Remover:

I’ve been using Grapeseed Oil to remove my waterproof mascara for years, and it is still my go-to because most eye make-up removers really irritate my sensitive skin and sensitive eyes (review). My runner up would have to be the Bioderma Sensibio (review), which is funny because I didn’t love it at first.

Best Body Moisturizer:

Oz Naturals Sweet Almond & Macadamia Nut Body Butter

My holy grail is the Haus of Gloi Pumpkin Butter, but a close runner up would be the OZ Naturals Sweet Almond and Macadamia Nut Body Butter (reviews here and here).

Best Bath Treat:

Lush Rose Jam1

Of course this one would be from LUSH! So many to choose from, but my all time favourite would have to be the Rose Jam Bubbleroon *swoon* (review). My photo is of the older version, the new one looks a lot prettier.

Best Hair Care Items:

I didn’t review very many hair care items, but the Haus of Gloi Hair Oil is one product that I’ve been using for a few years, and I swear by it for taming my beastly hair, haha! (review). Second place goes to my favourite dry shampoo from Zabana Essentials. I still don’t love the packaging, but I love how fresh, clean and soft it makes my hair, and the lavender and mint scent is gorgeous (review).

There you have it, my Best of Skin, Body and Hair Care for 2015! Thanks for reading and have a beautiful 2016! ❤ ❤ ❤

Disclosure: See the original reviews for individual product disclosure statements.

Switching from Antiperspirant to Deodorant

October 30, 2015October 3, 2016 | jodi - a brash attitude

I’m going to start this post by saying that everyone is different, and that what works for me might not work for you. I also want to remind you that I have sensitive skin (in case you missed me saying that repeatedly over the course of the past months of blogging).

Over the years, I have tried countless different deodorants in the attempt to stop using antiperspirants. And each time I always ended up switching back to antiperspirants because they just did not seem to work for me. As in, the deodorants seemed to make me smell worse than if I had just skipped a day of wearing antiperspirant.

About a year and a half ago, I decided to try again after stumbling across the Primal Pit Paste website where they explained that your underarms go through a detox process, and during this time, you might be sweatier than usual, and quite often, stinkier than usual. This is completely NORMAL. Continue reading →

Zabana Essentials Dry Shampoo

August 17, 2015September 30, 2016 | jodi - a brash attitude

I love using dry shampoo to refresh my hair if I don’t feel like washing it that day. There are loads of dry shampoos on the market and my biggest problem with most of them it that although they do absorb grease and freshen up my hair, they always make it feel so rough and tangled. My other main problem is that I really don’t like the heavy perfumey scents that most of them have.

After reading several reviews of the Zabana Essentials Shimmery Dry Glow Shampoo, I was tempted to try it, but found out that it has a coconut based scent so a definite no go for me, as coconut is one of my most hated scents. Luckily, the dry shampoo is also available in two other scents: lavender citrus mint and sage blood orange.

Here’s what is says on the website:

Plump up those limp strands! ZE Dry Shampoo is a quick on the go alternative; absorbing excess oils, volumizing, and refreshing the hair and scalp without water. Infused with natural Minerals, Essential Oils, and Bamboo Extract that softens, adds shine & strength to hair and scalp.

*Suitable For All Hair Textures And Colors*

TO USE:
Sprinkle on roots and distribute to the ends of hair using a natural bristle brush, allow Dry Shampoo to set 5-10 minutes, then style as usual.

INGREDIENTS:
Kaolin Clay, Avena (Collodial Oatmeal) Sativa, Maranta (Arrowroot) Arundinacea Powder, Sodium Bicarbonate, Essential Oils, Bambusa (Bamboo) Vulgaris Extract

I decided to go purchase the lavender citrus mint scent option. It really does work well to absorb oil, add volume and refreshes your hair. And the scent is amazing – I love the lavender mint combination, I don’t really smell the citrus though. And unlike most of the other dry shampoos that I’ve tried, it doesn’t make my hair feel tangled and gross. Instead, it makes my hair feel soft to the touch – likely due to the bamboo extract. My only complaint about the Zabana Essentials Dry Shampoo is the applicator bottle. For me, it seems like the dry shampoo doesn’t come out evenly, and sometimes I will get nothing coming out, followed by a puff of a load of dry shampoo.

Verdict – Despite not loving the application, I would buy this again in a second because of how smooth and soft it makes my hair feel, and how good it smells.

Zabana Essentials Dry Shampoo comes in a 2 oz (59ml) nozzled squeeze bottle, for $8.95 USD from the Zabana Essentials website.

Zabana Essentials is a natural, cruelty-free and vegan company, from San Diego California.

Disclosure: I purchased this!

Thanks for reading and have a beautiful day! ❤ ❤ ❤

Kind Beauty Collective Samples – Part One – Suntegrity 5-in-1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen

June 4, 2015March 13, 2018 | jodi - a brash attitude

I posted back in April when I unboxed my first Kind Beauty Collective order and have since reviewed the Ahimsa Naturals Solid Brush Cleaner, and the Au Naturale Creme Concealer, but I didn’t get around to reviewing the bundle of samples that they so nicely added with my purchases until now.

When I placed my order with the Kind Beauty Collective, they asked if I wanted any skincare or make-up samples, and of course, I said yes, and just to make sure that I got things that I would want to use, I mentioned that I am fairly pale, brunette, blue eyes, and that I have sensitive skin. I recieved the following: 1. Suntegrity 5-in-1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen (in Fair), 2. Zabana Essentials Facial Cleansing Bar, 3. Modern Minerals Eyeshadow (in Lola), and 4. Pour le Monde Parfum (in Envision). I will be reviewing three of the four samples that were included in my package, in a two part review. Part two is here.

Why only three? I’ll get to that.

First up is the Suntegrity 5-in-1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen (in Fair). Our weather finally went from dreadful to summery, so I knew that this would be the perfect time to test this one out! On the Kind Beauty Collective site, it is described as:

Suntegrity all in one, “UV Chemical-Free” Tinted Sunscreen/Beauty Benefit (BB) cream treats, hydrates, protects, primes and covers the skin without being greasy. Featuring youth promoting antioxidants that help to scavenge surface free radicals, this cream also provides mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 30 protection.

Hyaluronic acid, astaxanthin, red algae and Certified Organic: aloe vera, jojoba, sunflower, pomegranate, cucumber, and green tea help provide additional sun protection and hydration. Non-nano sized zinc-oxide not only protects the skin from the damaging UV rays, but it also soothes and calms the skin. Zinc-oxide is known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties that often help skin conditions like rosacea, acne, and melasma.

Suntegrity is double certified cruelty-free by both PETA and Leaping Bunny, and the product is vegan. It is available in five different shades: fair, light, golden light, medium, and deep bronze.

Shade-wise, I thought at first swatch on my arm that it was actually going to be too light for me (this is a rare thing, usually products are too dark on my skin), but because it is a light coverage product, the shade works well with my skin tone. The coverage is super sheer, so if you need a heavier coverage, then this is not the product for you. If you look to the right of the swatch, you can faintly see the ink stamp on my arm – remember this when you look at the next photo which will illustrate the level of coverage once the sunscreen / bb cream is rubbed in:

My sensitive skin did not react to the tinted sunscreen / bb cream. Worn alone, it applied evenly, but when I tried to incorporate it into my regular make-up (concealer, powder foundation, highlighter, and blush) I found that it pilled, and made my make-up streaky and weird on my skin. I don’t wear liquid foundation, so I have no idea if it would work better with that or not. I think that I would only use this if I was going to the beach, or for going for a run, not for wearing under my make-up.

You can find the Suntegrity 5-in-1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen at the Kind Beauty Collective, for $45 USD, and they do ship internationally. or directly from Suntegrity Skincare (although I am not 100% sure if they ship internationally).

Secondly, we have the Zabana Essentials Facial Cleansing Bar. It is described on the Kind Beauty Collective site:

Put your best FACE forward with the Zabana Essentials French Green Facial Cleansing Bar! A balanced bar that absorbs and removes impurities from the face, with infused DETOXIFYING, TONING & REVITALIZING essential oils of Tea Tree, Clary Sage, Lavender, and Grapefruit.

It is cruelty-free, and vegan, and the company is certified by PETA. The facial cleansing bar smells lovely, but sadly I didn’t try this one out as my skin reacts badly to Tea Tree oil and makes it burning and red, so I didn’t do more than just look and smell this one.

You can find the Zabana Essentials Facial Cleansing Bar at at the Kind Beauty Collective, for $5.95 USD for a 5 oz bar (142g).

Thanks for reading! ❤

Disclosure – I received these as free samples with purchase.

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