Brand Focus: Pai

Pai is a brand that has been well loved on my blog. I've reviewed them here, here, and here, and am so excited to tell you about a few more products that I've tried of theirs.  A few months back, I attended a Fresh Faced event in which I received the *Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser. While at the event, I met Marissa (Canadian Pai Educator) and she was kind enough to send me the *Rice Plant & Rosemary BioAffinity Toner and *Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream.

I adore the Pai logo and packaging. All of their creams/lotions/cleansers/scrubs come in airless pumps that ensures freshness and eliminates the possibility of wasted product, whether it be from leakage or just not being able to get the last bit on the bottom. What Marissa informed me of, which I thought was incredibly cool, is that all of the ingredients are stored at different temperatures to ensure optimal benefits. So basically, before the product is made in a super clean facility, all of the ingredients are received fresh and kept fresh so that the end user (you and I) reaps the full benefits of each and every ingredient. Talk about dedication to creating quality products!

Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser: Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser gently removes dirt, makeup, and other impurities. Bursting with omega 3 and vitamins A, B, and E, it replenishes the skin's moisture barrier, leaving it soft and supple. Suitable for all sensitive skin types, this cleanser is detergent- and alcohol-free, so it won't dry out or irritate your skin. Also suitable for use around the eyes to remove even waterproof mascara. Retails for $50 cdn/usd for 100 ml and $70 cdn/usd for 200 ml.

The texture of this cleanser is lovely, it's not too thick or too thin. Just right. Apparently I'm Goldilocks. It melts away any and all traces of makeup without much effort, and leaves my skin feeling super soft and well cleansed. The light scent isn't overpowering, nor does it linger, making it great for all. I'm saving it for when it gets colder, as my skin is the most sensitive then, and will decide then whether it's love or not.

Rice Plant & Rosemary BioAffinity Toner: Pai Rice Plant & Rosemary BioAffinity Toner is unique in that it contains pure "living waters" extracted directly from the rice plant. Rich in amino acids, vitamins, and trace minerals, with regular use they help to cleanse and purify combination skin types. These natural elixirs have the exact pH and biochemical balance of healthy skin, giving unparalleled skin affinity while improving the appearance of tone and texture. Retails for $56 cdn/usd for 50 ml.

How fancy does "living waters" sound? Gosh, makes me feel like I'm spraying my skin with magical fairy dust. From my understanding, "living waters" means that there's no added vitamins and minerals. Whatever is in the rice plant at time of extraction, is what's in the toner. This toner smells unique, and by that I mean that it's not a strong scent but it doesn't smell very nice. I really enjoy using this morning and night, after cleansing, and find that it leaves my skin soft, calm, and refreshed. The only downside to this toner, besides the price tag, is the fact that it doesn't provide a fine and even mist. The spray apparatus (is there a better term that I can use?) just spits toner at me. For a more even application, I apply it to my face using a cotton pad or my hands.

Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream: Pai Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream is formulated to soothe and hydrate easily irritated skin types. This silky, rich cream is the ultimate multitasker for very dry or out-of-condition skin. Calendula is a gentle and soothing oil for daily skin nourishment, and comfrey supports the skin's natural repair functions and protects its moisture barrier. Additional organic plant oils and butters soften and hydrate while the high levels of essential fatty acids in echium help to promote suppleness. Retails for $26 cdn/usd for 100 ml and $40 cdn/usd for 200 ml.

This is my favourite product of the three!!! Can you sense my excitement?!?! For starters, I don't notice a scent. Maybe I just got used to it but if it smelled like much of anything, I'd know and I'd tell ya. It sinks right in, without any effort and instantly soothes, calms, and hydrates my ezcema patches. Magical. Since I constantly wash my hands at work, they need that extra moisture and love that only Pai has been able to provide without any greasy feeling. I wish they made a purse friendly bottle or tube, because I'd love to have it in my purse at all times.

Pai is a spectacular brand that I think everyone should try at some point, whether it be treating yourself to a full sized product or just picking up some samples.

All products mentioned can be purchased through Pai (you can change the country and search stockists in your area), Fresh Faced, and Clementine Fields.

*PR samples. All opinions are entirely my own.
Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser Ingredients: Organic rose water, water, organic camellia oil, organic castor oil, organic sweet almond oil, coconut- and corn-derived emulsifier, organic shea butter, organic vegetable glycerin, natural vitamin E, corn extract, basil extract, organic lavender oil, organic geranium oil, organic may chang oil, organic rose oil, natural lactic acid (from sugar beet).

Rice Plant & Rosemary BioAffinity Toner Ingredients: Rice plant water, organic aloe vera, organic rosemary water, vegetable glycerin, aspen bark extract, radish root extract.

Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream Ingredients: Purified water, organic sunflower oil, organic olive oil, organic shea butter, coconut-derived emulsifier, organic vegetable glycerin, organic jojoba oil, organic plum kernel oil, organic comfrey extract, organic calendula extract, corn-derived emulsifier, echium seed extract, natural vitamin E, organic jasmine oil, organic orange oil, corn extract, basil extract, natural lactic acid (from sugar beet).

Mont Echo Sea Buckthorn Cleansing Cream Review

Over the years, I've gone from foaming face washes to creamy ones. The older I get, and more educated and informed I become, my need for gentle cleansing rises. Regardless of skin type and concern, it's so important to use a gentle cleanser on your face. You never want to strip your delicate skin of all it's natural oils and should opt for treatments (masks, serums, moisturizers, etc) to help normalize your skin. That being said, I was in the market for a new cleanser. While browsing one of my favourite health food stores, The Big Carrot, I came across Mont Echo Naturels.

They are a small family owned Sea Buckthorn company, located in Quebec (Canada), that extracts their own sea buckthorn oils on site. They believe in quality and sustainability, which is seen through their EcoCert certification and their commitment to "working with local growers, which supports local agriculture and reduces our carbon footprint". Canadian? Check. All natural? Check. Sea buckthorn? Added bonus! Of course I had to try it.

Description: A rich and nourishing cleansing cream formulated with our Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil and Calendula extract which gently removes makeup and dirt without stripping the skin of its natural moisture. BENEFITS:
• Provides beneficial nutrients to the skin, while removing impurities
• Hydrates
• Soothes and softens skin
• Exfoliates dead skin
• Unclogs pores
• Smoothes skin and improves tone & texture
• Reduces redness and inflammation
• Antibacterial

Let's start with the packaging, which I have a love/hate relationship with. I love the cute and chic design of the box and label. The sea buckthorn berries is genius and they made it look so elegant, yet simple. The jar, not practical and very annoying to use. I don't like that I have to stick my finger in there all the time for a few reasons; it's not hygienic, the water separates which means I have to stir it before using, and I end up using way too much. The cleanser isn't thick enough that it can't be in a pump bottle, which would make it much more practical for daily use and for travelling with. That's pretty much my only negative, the packaging. The cleanser itself, once stirred, is beautiful. It's not quite a cream, not quite a lotion, and rubs into the skin with ease. It leaves my skin soft, makeup free (with a double cleanse), hydrated, glowing, and radiant. I have definitely noticed that the redness in my cheeks has gone down a bit. The smell is..umm..I don't know. Lavender and calendula, I guess. Either way, you can definitely smell the essential oils, but it's not overwhelming at all and doesn't linger on the skin. The ingredients in this product are divine, edible really. All very nourishing and packed with goodness. It does contain grapefruit seed extract, so that's something to consider if you're trying to avoid that ingredient. I really enjoy using this cleanser and, if they change the packaging, I would definitely repurchase.

Retails for approx. $23.95 CAN for 120ml. Can be purchased through Mont Eco, The Big Carrot and some other stores in Toronto. You can go to their Where To Buy section to find a retailer near you.

Have you ever tried this brand? What is your favourite cleanser?

Ingredients: Water, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Vegetable Emulsifying Wax, Organic Coconut Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Avocado Oil, Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil, Organic Herbal Infusions of Alfalfa Leaf, Comfrey Root & Leaf, Horsetail, Chamomile Flowers, Chickweed, Organic Bulgarian Rosewater, Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Calendula Extract, Organic and Wildcrafted Essential Oils of Lavender, Geranium & Palmarosa, Rosemary & Sage Antioxidants, Grapefruit Seed Extract

Get Angelic Skin with Lush's Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser

Lush has long tried to call itself a natural brand, while I mostly disagree, I can't argue that their clay cleansers are absolutely fantastic. Over the Christmas holiday, I was lucky enough to work at a Lush store and experience the energetic atmosphere and hype over the brand. While Lush basically sells itself, I had to try as many products as possible in order to demo and sell them myself. Several of their products contain sodium lauryl sulfate which was pretty disappointing, being "natural" and all, but I was able to find a couple of products with fairly clean ingredients. One of which is the Angels on Bare Skin facial cleanser.

Description: For heavenly soft and balanced skin, take a smidgen of Angels on Bare Skin, mix with a little water and massage in. The kaolin clay base deep cleanses while ground almonds gently exfoliate the dead skin away. Rose and lavender are added to soothe and help balance out combination skin. It's our best selling preservative-free and packaging-free daily cleanser for all skin types, so if you don't know which cleanser to choose and it's heavenly skin you're after, start with Angels.

The Good:

• smells great
• gently exfoliates
• leaves skin soft and hydrated
• tiny bit goes a long way
• gets rid of acne
• can be used on body
• sold by weight

The Bad:

• can be messy
• must keep container free of any water
• only fresh for 3 months
• doesn't remove makeup

Verdict: I LOVE this cleanser. I tried a few samples of it before actually investing in it. Once I finished up my samples, and wasn't using it for a couple of weeks, I noticed what a difference using it daily really made. This cleanser helps keep my acne at bay, brighten my complexion, soften my skin and reduce dry patches. For starters, it has ground almonds which gently exfoliates the skin and eliminates dry patches like no other. It also containers kaolin clay, which I love because it's ideal for sensitive skin and draws out impurities. It smells like calming lavender, but is never overwhelming. I use it in the morning and even use it on my chest, shoulders and back to help reduce acne and smooth out my skin. It doesn't remove makeup and I wouldn't recommend using it around your eyes. You probably could, but I don't like the idea of ground almonds getting into my eyes! Ouch! It can be a little messy and it took me a few washes to figure out how to best apply and use it. At first, I was using way too much and getting it all over my bathroom counter. You only need a tiny amount (see below) and water and you're good to go. It's great that it's sold by weight because you can get as little or as much as you'd like. While they;'ll likely try to sell you a large quantity at once, it does expire within 3 months and given that you don't need much for each wash, you should just buy enough to last you 2 to 3 months. Being clay based, you need to make sure that water doesn't get into the container or it will make it slimy. For those of you like me, who wet their face first, keeping water out will be tricky. This cleanser can be pricey, but remember that a little is all you need. It is a new staple in my skin care routine and I will repurchase!

Retails for $13.95 CAN per 100g. Can only be purchased at Lush stores or online.

I used a thin layer of this product, prior to taking photos. This chunk is about $20 CAN

Ingredients: Ground Almonds (Prunus dulcis) , Glycerine , Kaolin , Water (Aqua) , Lavender Oil (Lavandula hybrida) , Rose Absolute (Rosa centifolia) , Chamomile Blue Oil (Matricaria Chamomilla) , Tagetes Oil (Tagetes minuta) , Benzoin Resinoid (Styrax tonkinensis pierre) , Lavender Flowers (Lavendula hybrida) , *Limonene , *Linalool

Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Deep Pore Face Wash and Mask Review

That title is a mouthful eh? My skin has been going through hell lately with all of the products that I have been using, so I thought why not add another product to the mix? lol.  I have my moments. I read what it's supposed to do for your skin as well as rave reviews online and couldn't help but try it out.

Description: Based on an ancient African formula, using REAL African Black Soap, this wash works like microdermabrasion to get rid of dead skin, even skin tone, firm skin and fight acne. Look younger in just minutes of use. South African Rose Hips Oil calms skin and works wonders on maturing skin.

I have to start off with the packaging, I love it.  I love the label really, it's super pretty.  The product comes in a dark glass bottle which isn't travel friendly, but I don't mind pumping some into a travel container. I like the pump because it allows me to dispense as much or as little product as I want.  I can't really explain the scent of this product, it's sort of  masculine, but I like it.  It's not a strong scent and it doesn't linger, so if scent is an issue, it should be fine. 

The first time that I used this product I rubbed it all over my face, left it on for 5 minutes and rinsed.  My skin was instantly brighter, softer and a bit red. It tingles when applied, especially if you have any acne at all, those areas tingle more.  It removes face makeup really well , however, I don't and haven't tried using it on my eyes.  I do notice that my skin is brighter and some of my acne scars seem to be fading but since this is such a powerful product, my skin is getting a bit dried out. That being said, I have started using this as a mask 2 - 3 times a week instead of a face wash and I love it even more.  I would repurchase and do recommend giving it a try if you can get your hands on it.

Retails for approx $18.99 for 4 oz and can be purchase through Shea Terra or in stores at Healthy Planet.

Have you tried this Shea Terra black soap face wash or any other black soap?

 

Ingredients: deionized water, Yoruban black soap (cocoa pod ash, plaintain peel ash, palm kernel oil, camwood bark), certified organic shea butter, certified organic coconut oil, potassium hydroxide (electrocuted salts- what makes oil into soap), certified organic rose hips oil, rose hips fruit, aloe ferox, rooibos tea, kigellia africana, certified organic marshmallow root, licorice root