Thursday, May 30, 2013

Acure for a Cure Dark Chocolate + Mint Lip Balm Giveaway!!

Dark chocolate and mint pair perfectly together in Acure Organics' Acure for a Cure Lip Balm. This USDA Certified Organic Lip Balm is formulated with Organic Beeswax, Organic Olive Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Hemp Seed Oil, Organic Essential Oils of Peppermint and Spearmint, Vitamin E, and Organic Cocoa Powder. It's simple, nourishing, and hydrating. The coolest part - 100% of the profits from this lip balm are donated to Breast Cancer Research!




I want to give 3 of you the chance to win one of these delicious Dark Chocolate and Mint Lip Balms. That's not all though, I also want to give you the chance to win a balm for someone special in your life. That's right! 3 of you will win a lip balm for you AND for a loved one!

To enter this giveaway, just use the Rafflecopter form below. It may take a moment or two to load. Good luck!

(FTC : Acure Organics generously sent me several products to try for review consideration, including extra lip balms. I am not being compensated for this post.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Talk About Cosmetics - Alima Pure Delicious Summer

Oh Alima Pure, I love you. It's no secret to you, or any of my readers, but I felt the need to profess my love for you again in honor of your brand new Delicious Summer collection. Beginning today the limited edition Summer 2013 collection is available for you to purchase here and at select retailers worldwide. The collection has a $45 value and retails for $36.



This gorgeous warm weather ready collection features two eyeshadows and a blush including:
Milkshake Eyeshadow – Creamy beige with silver sparkles
Coffee Frappe Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow – Medium golden brown with golden shimmer
Strawberry Lemonade Luminous Shimmer Blush – peachy pink with subtle shimmer



I love color but when it comes to makeup I love using different shades of neutrals, mostly browns, on my eyes so I really love these two shadows. Coffee Frappe is packed with golden shimmer and even though Milkshake has silver shimmer in it I feel like it comes off as more of a matte on the skin. They are both lovely, very wearable, and pair together perfectly.



Strawberry Lemonade Luminous Shimmer Blush is a knockout for the warmer months. It is VERY pigmented so I suggest using a light hand to apply if you are fair or light skinned like me. The color is very flattering and would look great on most skin tones. The shimmer is very subtle so you don't have to worry about looking like a disco ball.



In the photos above I'm wearing Milkshake all over the lid and Coffee Frappe lightly blended into the crease as well as along the top and bottom lash line. I'm also wearing Strawberry Lemonade on the cheeks. The look I went for is very light and wearable but you can certainly use these shades to do something a little more dramatic.

As always, all Alima Pure products are totally natural and cruelty free.

You can check out the Delicious Summer collection by clicking here. You can also visit Alima Pure on Facebook or Twitter.

(FTC : Alima Pure provided me with free deluxe sized samples for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own and honest.)

Friday, May 17, 2013

Talk About Hair & Body - Acure Organics

Happy Friday Beautiful! Thanks for stopping by for Part 2 of my Acure Organics review. If you missed the first part, you can click here. Today is all about hair and body products so let's get started!

Up first on the agenda, a duo of hair care products designed to plump up fine and limp strands of hair to give intense volume. I was sent the Pure Mint + Echinacea Stem Cell Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner. Overall, I like this pair but it's not what I would have picked for myself. While I do have fine hair my strands are typically very dry, as is my scalp. This shampoo seems to be very drying if used too often and the conditioner doesn't help impart enough moisture into my hair for daily use. I definitely recommend alternating use of this line with something more hydrating. I'm curious about their Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell line, which sounds like it would do the job.



I do, however, like using this shampoo and conditioner duo once or twice a week to clarify and revitalize my hair. I also like using it if I have an important event or big day ahead of me. It cleanses well and really does make my hair look much more full and voluminous. I'm not the biggest fan of the scent as it is a bit medicinal but it's not terrible or unbearable. These hair products also seem to help my style last longer and keep my roots from getting greasy very quickly.



The final two products in my review are both body care related. The Sensitive Unscented Body Wash, which is formulated with CoQ10 and Argan Stem Cells, is a rich and creamy moisturizing body wash. It is very soothing and intensely hydrating. I'm more of a soap kind of girl but I do like this, especially for shaving. It rinses cleanly and leaves skin feeling soft.



Their Unscented Cocoa Butter + CoQ10 Ultra Hydrating Body Lotion is my new absolute favorite daily lotion. I'm obsessed! It's so light yet deeply hydrating. My skin drinks this lotion up and feels completely healthy and moisturized after application. It has no scent at all, which is a must for my daily body lotion. I'm so picky when it comes to lotions because I hate that heavy, tacky feeling some moisturizers leave on the skin but this one is not heavy or greasy at all! I can't say enough good things about this lotion but I will say that I will always have a bottle handy because it's that awesome!

This wraps up my thoughts on the Acure Organics products I have been fortunate enough to test out. Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Talk About Skin Care - Acure Organics

When I asked you Beauties what you wanted to see on the blog a large number of you asked me for my thoughts on Acure Organics and their line of products. I contacted the company and I received a box of goodies that I have been testing out for about a month now. Acure Organics is an amazing family owned and operated company who believes in providing high quality fair trade, natural and certified organic personal care products. They never test on animals or include parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances or colors, or any other harmful ingredients. Their products are also really affordable!

Without further ado, here is part one of my Acure review and my thoughts on the skin care products they sent me.



As you may know, I have normal to dry skin that is fairly sensitive. I also have a very sensitive nose when it comes to fragrance so I have really been enjoying the fragrance free Sensitive Facial Cleanser Argan Oil + Probiotic. It is a fairly thick and creamy cleanser that hydrates and plumps up the skin to leave it looking healthy. This cleanser is perfect for my skin! It is extremely gentle so I can use it daily, or even twice a day. I really love how it leaves my face feeling soft and clean without irritating or stripping my skin. This has officially earned a spot on my top 5 facial cleansers list. I really like it because it's so simple, yet effective! If you're curious about the ingredients you can click here, where you can also learn more about the product.



I have also been testing out the Balancing Rose + Red Tea Facial Toner. Although this particular toner is marketed towards those with combo to oily skin I really like it and would say that it would be suitable for all skin types. It does a fantastic job of keeping my skin balanced and smooth, as well as helping my moisturizer absorb better. I use this in the morning and it seems to soothe any redness I may have and help perfect and balance my skin. I also really love the glass bottle and the fact that it comes with a spray top. This is a very refreshing toner with a gorgeous slightly rosy scent to it.



Next up is the Argan Stem Cell + CFG Cell Stimulating Facial Mask, which both my Mom and I have tried several times. As a beauty blogger I have tried dozens upon dozens of facial masks but have yet to come across a mask like this one. It seems fairly average upon first application, but once the mask is dry and the time has come to rinse off it becomes foamy. I've never used a foamy mask and I like it a lot! It's extremely gentle so even my Mom (who has highly reactive skin) can use it! There is no tight, uncomfortable sensation that goes along with this mask and is instead very refreshing and even a bit cooling. We have both noticed cleaner, brighter, softer, more hydrated skin after using this mask. Like the toner, it also seems to help with any redness.



The final facial product I've been playing around with from Acure Organics is their Marula Oil, which can also be included in the hair and body categories as well. I'm a big fan of oils so I was really excited to try this one out. Acure's Marula Oil is 100% pure, wildcrafted without pesticides, cold pressed and unrefined. It has a slight scent but it is not offensive at all. I've been using it a lot since it arrived and I really like it overall. I do have to say that it is not moisturizing enough on its own as facial oil, but I have found that it works extremely well over a moisturizing lotion or cream. I love the results that layering this oil with other products gives me. I love the dropper applicator as well!

That sums up my Acure Organics facial care review. You can check out my thoughts on the body and hair products I've been experimenting with by clicking here.