Acure Organics Cell Stimulating Facial Mask Review

Cell Stimulating Facial Mask + Me as Elphaba

I decided to give the Acure Organics Cell Stimulating Facial Mask* a try, in light of the several positive reviews I had read. The main ingredient that drew my attention was french green clay. It is know to absorb oil and impurities from the skin and even tighten pores. According to Acure Organics the mask repairs the skin cells and revitalizes the complexion.

The consistency is pasty, thick (not runny), and easy to spread. It smells like spearmint, and feels refreshing on the skin as soon as I apply it. It dries very quickly, and it should be kept on the face for about 10-15 minutes. I sometimes keep it on a little longer, but it does not cause any discomfort. It requires a little bit of effort in taking it off, because it is supposed to be rinsed off like a cleanser. Therefore, I massage it into my skin very well, and rinse my face until it is completely gone. I like to use this mask one or two times a week, in the morning, in the place of my cleanser.

Ingredients: Organic euterpe oleracea (acai) berry, organic rubus fruticosus (blackberry), organic rosa canina (rosehips), organic punica granatum (pomegranate), organic fair trade certified rooibos, organic aloe barbadensis vera leaf, french green clay, vegetable glycerin, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate (from coconut + amino acids), vegetable cellulose gum, sodium cocoyl isethionate (from coconut), chlorophyll, organic chlorella pyrenoidosa extract (chlorella growth factor), glucono delta lactone (sugar enzyme), fair trade certified organic theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter, carrageenan (algae), hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) seed oil, ubiquinone (CoQ10), spinosa (argan) stem cell, potassium sorbate (food grade preservative), organic argania spinosa (argan) oil, and sage and spearmint essential oil blend.

Even though I am not a mask junkie, I do enjoy this refreshing treatment once or twice a week. My skin looks and feels particularly clean and refreshed every time I use it. I think that it would work on any skin type, and it is also claims to be:

• Vegan
• Sulfate free
• Cruelty free
• Paraben free
• Gluten free
• PEG free
• Petroleum free
• Phthalate free
• Silicone free

I recommend you try it if you are looking for a mask to deep cleanse your face. And you will definitely want it if you enjoy minty scents! As usual, Acure Organics has provided another great product filled with the purest ingredients, at an affordable price.

Amala Brightening Mask Review

As I have mentioned a few times already, I have been searching for specific products for brightening and evening out the skin tone. I have lots of dark spots on my face, especially on my cheekbones and nose and since I have started to pay more attention to my skin, I have become even more aware of them. Therefore I have decided to test some specific treatments for sun spots and blog about them. My hope is that if you have the same skin concerns, you may find some good product recommendations.

This is going to be more of a first impression post, as I have used this mask for a few weeks and have noticed improvements, but the full results should be visible after about two months of use. The Ama.la Intensive Brightening Mask* is a reparative mask that specifically targets dark spots, discoloration, age spots, and acne scars. It also helps to refine skin texture and even out the skin tone. It is part of an entire line of products that Ama.la created to help people like me with uneven skin tones. Among the products of the line there is also a face polish, a toner, a brightening emulsion, a corrective serum, and a cream, which you can find here. Together with the mask, I have also been using the toning essence and the emulsion (which I plan on posting soon). Those three products have been working really great for my skin.

The Intensive Brightening Mask comes in a rich creamy formula that should be applied 2-3 times a week. It does not sit on the skin, in fact it can also be used as a leave on treatment without being rinsed off. Most of the time that is what I do. I cleanse my skin, apply the mask, and massage it until it is completely absorbed. The brightening effect is immediate, especially when used in combination with the Brightening Toning Essenceand my skin appears more radiant right away. It is almost like a luminous, health booster for my skin. However, if I decide to put on makeup after I rinse the mask off with warm water and then spray my face with the brightening toner afterward. I do it this way because I find the texture of the mask slightly too rich to be worn under makeup, at least for my combination skin.

This mask contains some powerful brightening botanicals such as Organic Narcissus, (slows down the synthesis of melanin which leads to dark spots), Red Currant (Vitamin C source) and Calendula (rich in Omega-6 essential fatty acids). This is the complete list of ingredients:

water (aqua), beeswax (cera alba)*, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, glycerin, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil*, polyglyceryl-3 stearate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, stearic acid, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, hydrolyzed wheat flour, oryza sativa (rice) hull powder, salix alba (willow) bark extract, narcissus tazetta (cream narcissus) extract*, narcissus tazetta (cream narcissus) bulb extract, calendula officinalis (marigold) flower extract*, lactic acid, bellis perennis (daisy) flower extract*, ribes rubrum (currant) juice*, malva sylvestris (mallow) extract*, mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf extract*, primula veris (cowslip) extract*, alchemilla vulgaris (lady’s mantle) extract*, veronica officinalis (gypsyweed) extract*, melissa officinalis (lemon balm) leaf extract*, achillea millefolium (yarrow) extract*, ascophyllum nodosum (rockweed) extract, buddleja davidii (summer lilac) extract*, thymus vulgaris (thyme) extract*, acacia senegal gum, xanthan gum, tocopherol, fragrance (parfum), rosa damascena (damask rose) flower oil*, helichrysum italicum (immortelle) extract*,alcohol*, benzyl salicylate, citral, citronellol, geraniol, limonene, linalool.

*Certified Organic

I am currently loving this mask and I am going to continue to use it. I believe that this is an incredibly effective treatment for people with dull skin that want a radiance booster, so I think that it would work particularly well for more mature skin and for people whose skin lacks brightness. I will write an update in a few more weeks.

The Ama.la Intensive Brightening Mask retails for $ 82 and can be purchased on SpiritBeautyLounge.

Review: CyLeina Organic Tomato Soap

I have been hearing good things about CyLeina Organic Soaps and have been considering of using one for a few weeks already. But since I do not know any reseller in our city, my only option is to order online which I have no time to do so (especially deposit money in the bank) due to work, "other work" and travel planned months ago. Additionally, I also wanted to order in bulk so as to save on shipping but I cannot do so as of the moment because I am running low on funds due to my recent activities.

Fortunately, my co-worker who is an ardent user of the product line decided to sell us some of the soaps she hoarded. I bought one tomato organic soap and one Black Pearl (review to follow), the line's best seller. I chose tomato over other soap variants because it says to help dry up pimples quickly as well as clean and minimize pores. I am not pimply but I do have large pores that often result to large blackhead if not addressed early on.

Unlike other organic soaps that cause stinging sensation during first use,CyLeina Organic tomato soap doesn't. It isn't bubbly but creates rich lather instead. The scent isn't even too strong but just enough to make you feel that you are indeed using an organic soap; sweet and yummy! :D

After using, my skin feels smooth and clean without making it dry or tight-feeling. It reduces oiliness thereby lessens the chances of developing annoying pimples. I’ve been using it for a week and I am now starting to see desirable results when it comes to my pores. But I have yet to see the effects of long-term use. This product has one downside however. It made my face dry but that is what facial moisturizers are for. :D

Will update this post when I see dramatic improvement on my pores.

Ingredients:
saponified oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, organic tomato extracts

Product description:
Contains rich tomato extract that is rich in AHA(Alpha Hydroxy Acids), peels dead skin cells and speeds up cell renewal. Great for drying acne.

Rate:

Pros:

• Contains natural ingredients like jojoba oil, sweet almond oil and organic tomato extracts
• Cleans and tightens pores
• Scent isn't too strong
• Skin feels refreshed after wash
• Dries up pimple quickly
• Comes in fun color

Cons::

• Dissolves quickly
• Limited resellers (in our area) thus the need to order online