HAUL: Cruelty Free Hair Care, Natural Skin and Body Care

A little while ago I made an order with iHerb for some toiletries that I was either out of, running low on or just wanted to try for the first time.  I also forgot to order a facial sunscreen so I picked one of those up from Biome.

I've tried everything out now and have my thoughts on each of the items I got which I'll let you know as I go through them.

I took a photo of all of the items in the box to show you that everything comes safely packaged in bags in an appropriately sized box.  I had taken everything out and placed it back inside for the photo which is why you don't see the packing cushions.

Firstly I'll run through the odd man out from Biome.  

I got it from there rather than waiting to place another order because I was without one and Biome was having a sale.  Specifically I got the Eco Natural Sunscreen SPF 30+ Face.  

As you can see from the packaging the weight is 65g and it features broad spectrum SPF with a hypoallergenic formula.  Other than the fact that I haven't had a sunburn nor do I seem to be breaking out (more than usual) since I got it, I can't attest further to those claims.  What I can say is the texture feels light and almost moussey, though a little wetter than a typical whipped formula.  I use a pea sized blob for my full face and it blends in fairly quickly, leaving a natural finish, right between matte and dewy.  I don't notice a particular white cast but I am fair so it can be difficult to tell.  It does feature quite a strong rancid scent so if that bothers you (heck it bothers me!) don't purchase this sunscreen.  

Overall I like the product but I think I'll look for a moisturiser with SPF in the future because my grumpy morning self wants to avoid two steps.

When I first tried the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Towelettes I was not impressed. They didn't seem saturated with product and I really struggled to remove any makeup.  Once I stored them upside down so the most recent towelette would be soaked the function slightly improved but I still don't think these are the best towelettes you can find.

The Acure I tried later and it immediately performed much better.  I used a slightly lighter hand, still pressing firmly.  One swipe to no brows.  These I would recommend.

These products are completely novel to me and honestly I thought the one in the tube shape was a standard roll on deodorant but it is the same milky mineral rock as the cube below.  I will first say they are not pleasant to apply on winter mornings but the same goes for all deodorant really.  The rock itself smells of nothing really.  These crystal rocks seem effective: I don't smell bad at the end of the day.

The Everyday Shea Body Lotion (Lavender) certainly smells of something.  I assume that scent is lavender though it isn't quite as natural as I thought.  If you don't like strong scents this would not be a good fit for you.  The lotion itself is not terribly thick, though not so thin as to run off your arm.  It is quite pigmented and takes me a bit to rub in completely.  In the end it remains sticky for 20 minutes or so.  This product isn't the best out there but I will use it up and keep it in mind when I eventually try something else.

This product. I thought it was going to be just like any other typical toothpaste. It is not. The colour is less bleached so it is more a cream than a white. I get a hint of mint flavour but overwhelmingly it tastes like wall plaster to me. I hate the flavour though I have become much more used to it over time. The texture is more sticky and runny than toothpastes I have previously experienced but if you take care to wipe the paste thoroughly onto the brush it isn't an issue.  I won't be repurchasing this product once I'm through with it.

The Everyday Coconut Face Scrub is quite a strong scrub which dissolves after a minute into a more oily texture that will remain on your skin. If you tend to feel dry are using an exfoliator I would highly recommend this. Those with skin on the oilier side may find that this moisturises their skin in a complementary fashion or they might find that this exacerbates their issue.  I like the product quite a bit and likely would repurchase after working through the giant bottle.

The BWC (Beauty Without Cruelty) Leave-in Conditioner was a bit of a spur of the moment item. I had forgotten that I wanted to pick up a leave-in and only recalled right before I placed my order so went the cruelty free route without thinking about the silicone and sulfate free route.  A little goes quite a way and it is very curl defining. I can't say that it does amazing things for the softness of my hair but it does tame it to some degree.

So overall these products work fairly well for me but I think I'll still shop around in the future.

If you have any questions about the items or where I bought them, feel free to ask.  If you have any tips or horror stories about cruelty free or natural products, leave those below too!

Enjoy your weekend,


Cassy