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).

La Bella Figura Modern Radiance Concentrate - Is It Worth The Hype?

La Bella Figura really needs no introduction. The beauties behind the brand, Victoria and Karen, have made quite the name for themselves. This luxurious, high end brand is known worldwide for it's quality, performance, and beautiful packaging. If you've been out of touch with the world and aren't too familiar with them, here's their story.

This is our love story. One of two friends who had the most fun while sharing secrets of our travels, adventures and the most luxurious beauty products from far away places we would discover. It awakened in us, a new-found desire to create our own rich creams, gorgeously scented oils, hand blended perfumes and an exquisite skin enhancing makeup line to share with the world. After all, beauty this pure was not made to be kept to ourselves. La Bella Figura became a beauty brand in 2011 and we've been passionately creating some of the most advanced and effectual products on the natural market ever since. 

From the very beginning we have been driven by our passion for sourcing wild, organic and pure ingredients to introduce into our natural beauty line. La Bella Figura itself signifies living a life in authenticity and beauty. We made a commitment to our brand to be just that; authentic in our research, development and with every single product we create. We take enormous pride in only using some of the best ingredients around. We have kept true to our word so that every hand-poured bottle or jars of nourishing balms and masks contain the active properties most beneficial to our skin and our vision. 

Our love for quality has us roaming farms, fields and apothecaries in search of healing and beneficial ingredients to incorporate into our virgin formulas. We speak with healers, scientists, producers and alchemists from every corner of the globe and we listen and learn from these forward thinking experts. We hear their struggles in sustainability, farming and their wisdom of using organic, biodynamic or heirloom seeds. We are students of nature and science and we happily soak all this information in to become better formulators and create the best products we can. We are creatively inspired by the amazing people we meet and connect with them on a high level of trust and appreciation for the purest quality of unrefined ingredients. We rely on our small producers for the perfection they supply to us so we can in turn develop the most effectual products for those seeking a world of difference in their beauty regimen.

Our development process from start to finish is authentic and every batch of every product from makeup to perfume is created in-house from our hands to ensure excellence in production as well as ingredient integrity. As La Bella Figura grows we continue to hire the most talented and dedicated team members to learn the art of our craft so that we may continue to produce in-house and guarantee product quality that you demand and expect from us.

You can read more about LBF by clicking here.

                          

I first met Victoria at a Clementine Fields event, last year. I had the opportunity to chat a bit with her, hear the story of La Bella Figura, and get filled in on all the exciting new products that her and Karen were working on. It was also the day that I got to try the Modern Radiance Concentrate on my hand. My hand felt instantly softer and looked brighter. I lusted over it from that day forward. My boyfriend, being the amazing guy that he is, surprised me one day with it! Excited and nervous (because my skin is sensitive), I tried it that night.

Description: Modern Radiance Concentrate is a multi-tasking and complete concentrated Vitamin C gel cream formulated with advanced technology from actives derived from cellular extraction of the world’s highest source of Vitamin C found only in Australia's wild harvested kakadu plums. Unlike most Vitamin C on the market today also known as ascorbic acid, the Vitamin C in kakadu plum is a whole and natural source containing flavonoids and phytochemicals such as ellagic and gallic acids making its holistic and efficacious value quite exceptional and non-comparable to any other form of Vitamin C found in other skincare products. Studies show the concentration of Vitamin C in kakadu plum to be as high as 3200-5000mg/100g (compared with 50mg/100g for oranges).

Modern Radiance Concentrate increases luminosity and refines skin texture for a more even skin tone and a visible reduction in discoloration in 4-6 weeks. Powerful antioxidants help to strengthen the lipid layer and stimulate new collagen growth while also protecting and repairing skin from oxidative damage. Live enzymes from coconut water, antioxidants and vitamins support skin’s natural defense system with ferulic acid delivering these active ingredients deeper into the skin for serious dermis repair. Our collective bioactive ingredients works to restore volume and increase skin elasticity while also toning and strengthening thinning skin. An overall radiant and glowing appearance is instantly visible with daily use of this concentrated blend of reparative botanical actives.

First off, I love the fact that this has a whole form of Vitamin C and a bunch of other amazing ingredients (see below). I've tried Vit. C (ascorbic acid) serums before and ended up with irritated and broken out skin. This one didn't do that. I adore the frosted glass bottle and pump that dispenses the perfect amount of product each time. The serum itself is a slightly tacky, gel texture that easily glides on the skin, for an even application. I can't quite put my finger on what it smells like but, it isn't strong or offensive and certainly doesn't linger for long. I started off applying it at night, just to see how my skin reacted. Then I applied it morning and night, to see if it made any significant difference. I finally settled on applying it in the morning, because of how it instantly tightens, brightens, and softens my skin providing the perfect base/canvas for makeup. While I do find that this serum provides an instant radiance, I honestly haven't seen any miraculous, long term differences in the texture of my skin or lightening of scars and hyper-pigmentation, which is what I wanted it for. That remains true even after 4 months of use and finishing up the bottle. With a steep price tag of $169 (usd/cdn), I had higher hopes and feel it was over hyped. Still, I loved the (temporary) instant face lift and glow that I got with each morning application, and am happy that my loving boyfriend gave me the opportunity to try it.

Retails for $169 USD/CDN and can be purchased through La Bella Figura and any one of these retailers.  

Have you tried this serum? How did it work for you? Is it one of those serums that requires several bottles to see long term results?

Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Fruit) Juice*, Opuntia Ficus (Barbary Fig) Seed oil*, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuacu) Butter, Terminalia Ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Cell Extract, Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Extract*, Aronia Melanocarpa (Aronia Berry) Extract*, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn Fruit) Oil CO2*, Ferulic Acid (Acid Derived From Plants), Glycrrhiza Glabra (Licorice Root) Extract*, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin Seed) Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose Flower) Extract, Olea Europea (Olive) Leaf Extract*, Helichrysum Stoechas Extract*, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract*, Bambusa Vulgaris (Bamboo) Extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado Fruit) Extract*, Coffea Arabica (Green Coffee) Bean Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine Flower) Oil, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate (Radish Root) Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil CO2*, Daucus Carota Sativa (Cold Pressed Virgin Carrot) Seed Oil*, Zingiber Officinale (Fresh Ginger Root) Oil, Cymbopogan Martinii Motia (Palmarosa) Oil, Salix Alba (White Willow) Bark Extract*, Xanthan Gum (Non-GMO)*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Derived From Coconut), Vegetable Gylcerin (Non-GMO), Ethyl Alcohol (Derived From Non-GMO Corn)*