Emma Lewisham Illuminating Oil Face Cleanser Review

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Emma Lewisham is a New Zealand-based luxury beauty brand that is cruelty-free, vegan, Certified Climate Positive and they are B Corp Certified. Therefore, this sustainable brand not only makes gorgeous products, but they employ enviable sustainability practices.

About Emma Lewisham,

Emma Lewisham is a luxury, science-led natural skincare line backed by the highest calibre of green science and innovation in the industry. Bottle by bottle, Emma Lewisham embodies a new way of thinking, proving that scientifically backed and natural skincare can co-exist.

Emma Lewisham Illuminating Oil Face Cleanser is a true revelation in cleansing the face. The tactile and sensory experience alone makes using this cleanser peerless, in my estimation. You simply apply 1-2 pumps to dry skin and massage it for 45-60 seconds. Slow down and deeply inhale to experience its uplifting citrus aroma and feel the silky smooth texture of this ultra-luxurious oil. Once dirt, debris and makeup are loosened, then simply add warm water with your fingers and behold the way in which this oil transforms into a milky and creamy emulsion. Rinse with warm water and revel in the fact that skin is thoroughly clean, soft, smooth, supple, hydrated, luminous and free of any oily residue.

According to Emma Lewisham,

This luxurious facial in a bottle uniquely achieves the delicate balance of highly effective cleansing while leaving behind healthier, more nourished skin. Engineered with our proprietary Physiology Synchrony Unlock Method™, it does so much more than wash away the day. Harnessing 23 synergistic active ingredients, it detoxifies while removing makeup and impurities without stripping the skin or leaving an oily residue. Containing our innovative cleansing complex, it helps to deliver a healthy skin lipid profile and proven antioxidant protection for up to 8 hours. This hardworking cleanser provides a boosted base for the rest of your skincare regime and delivers a beautiful dewy, radiant and healthy complexion. 

Directions: Use daily in the morning and evening. Massage one to two pumps onto dry skin for 45 seconds to dissolve makeup, pollution and impurities. Add water to create a luxurious, milky fluid. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and a gentle face cloth.

Ingredients: Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Olea Europaea Fruit Oil • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil • Ricinus Communis Seed Oil • Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate • Polyglyceryl-2 Caprylate • Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil • Carica Papaya Seed Oil • Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil • Persea Gratissima Oil • Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil • Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil • Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil • Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil • Oenothera Biennis Oil • Rosa Canina Fruit Oil • Terminalia Ferdinandiana Seed Oil • Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil • Citrus Grandis Flower Oil • Jasminum Officinale Flower Oil • Lavandula Angustifolia Oil • Rosa Damascena Flower Oil • Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract • Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract • Tocopheryl Acetate • Parfum • Limonene • Geraniol • Linalool • Citronellol.

23 SYNERGISTIC ACTIVES • 69% ORGANIC INGREDIENTS:

Specialized Botanical Cleansing Complex: Provides a luxurious, deep action cleanse without stripping the skin. The perfect balance of phyto-lipids and emulsifiers, including Vitamin E rich Organic Chia, Rosehip, Macadamia and Neroli Absolute, achieve the delicate balance of removing toxins and impurities while leaving essential skin conditioning lipids.

Conditioning and Protective Complex: This next generation formula soaks the skin in phytonutrients and fatty acids to smooth the look of the skin and deeply hydrate while preserving the skin’s natural moisture levels for visibly healthy skin. It also includes neuropeptides and miracle super oil, Camelia oil, which is high in polyphenols - the secret ingredients behind a dewy fresh complexion.

Overall Assessment: I have never been this smitten with a cleanser, and I naturally want to try more Emma Lewisham skincare products. Have you tried this brand? If so, which products do you recommend that I try next?

$70.00 for oz. from Emma Lewisham, goop and Harrod's (Affiliate Links). Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own. 

Copyright © 2023 www.lolassecretbeautyblogcom All Rights Reserved.

Aleph Beauty Lift/Lengthen Mascara in Jet Review

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I just recently discovered a wonderful clean beauty brand from New Zealand that I am delighted to share with you. I reviewed their incredible Hybrid Eye Pigment in Incense (Reviewed HERE), and I am so thrilled to now be using the Aleph Beauty Lift/Lengthen Mascara!

Aleph Beauty is a cruelty-free, vegan and non-GMO brand that is invested in sustainability practices, and they use toxic-free healthy ingredients.

About Aleph Beauty,

After a career as a top makeup artist, our founder Emma Peters knows this first hand. She also knows that for her to be at one with being part of the business of beauty, her makeup range first needed to be at one with the planet.

The concept of oneness led her straight to the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet—Aleph—an all-encompassing expression of divine oneness.Aleph is made, owned and operated in beautiful New Zealand.

Aleph is intelligently crafted makeup that is as nurturing as it is flattering. A professional, high-performance, minimal makeup range, Aleph is transparent about every ingredient as well as the complete packaging process.

Consciously formulated with premium vegan ingredients that actively nourish the skin, Aleph is clean makeup but with skincare benefits. Think toxin free, GMO free, cruelty and child labour free, vegan, then add what will support and love your skin as it enhances your unique beauty.

A highly customizable range, every Aleph product is designed to work in synergy with each other to create endless textures, shades and finishes. It is alchemy at your fingertips.

According to Aleph Beauty,

A consciously crafted formula designed to lift, define and add volume to the lashes on application. Over time, the unique Aleph Peptide Blend works to nourish, strengthen and lengthen lashes.100% microplastic-free, smudge-resistant system, flake-free, natural formulation.

The unique Aleph Peptide Blend nourishes the natural lash at the follicle and strengthens brittle lashes to promote hair growth. The nourishing blend of plant waxes enriches and conditions the lashes.

Lift/Lengthen Mascara uses a groundbreaking, specially developed coated natural pigment, allowing it to deliver intensified depth, as well as giving a luxurious silky smooth finish.

Aleph Beauty Lift/Lengthen Mascara is a beautiful mascara that is formulated to nourish and condition the lashes while lifting and lengthening them. Jet is a rich and highly pigmented shade of black that offers rich color and intensity without smudging, flaking, migrating, clumping or irritating my sensitive eyes. The formula is filled with healthy ingredients, and therefore it is a mascara I feel very comfortable wearing. It has a light natural aroma, from the ingredients– not artificial fragrances– but it is quite pleasant and it doesn't linger. The packaging is the most extraordinary classic modern masterpiece: it is sleek, minimalist and it is made of thick glass instead of plastic. The brush effectively separates the lashes, prevents clumping, and works well on the upper and lower lashes.

Ingredients: Water/Aqua, Pullulan, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Rosinate, *Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Dextrin Isostearate, Oleic Acid, Propanediol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sorbitol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Myrica Cerifera (Bayberry) Fruit Wax, Silica, C13-15 Alkane, Phenethylalcohol, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Sucrose Polystearate, Heptyl Undecylenate, Raspberry Ketone, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Acacia Senegal Gum, Totarol, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Cellulose, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Trehalose, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Sodium Sulfate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Iron Oxide (CI 77499). *Organic.

Directions: Apply to the lashes from root to tip using the wand provided. For a pro natural application, apply using Aleph Mascara Fan Brush. Replace cap tightly after use and store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. 

To Remove: Use a warm cloth and hold over the eyes for a few moments to soften the mascara, then gently wipe away. Your regular face cleanser may be used.Only use as directed and if irritation occurs, discontinue use and consult a physician.

Overall Assessment: This is a wonderful brand, a fantastic mascara, and I can hardly wait to try more of their products.

$42.00 for 8g / .282 oz from Aleph Beauty (Unaffiliated Links). Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own. 

Copyright © 2023 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

Ao Skincare Passionflower Sleep Balm Review

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I was recently introduced to a cruelty-free and sustainable skincare company from New Zealand that really needs to be on your radar. Their thoughtfully crafted, and EWG Certified products are healthy, sustainable and a joy to use.

About Ao Skincare from New Zealand,

The name ‘Ao’ comes from the indigenous New Zealand Maori word for ‘earth’. For us, it references our home from which we draw inspiration for our unique formulas and approach to skin health.

'The problem sits largely with people’s use of, and ultimately their skin’s addiction to skincare products. The biggest culprit? Moisturizers'. 

Ao was born from the belief that most skincare does more harm than good. Dr. Gray sees the impact first-hand - products full of toxins, heavy emulsifiers and barrier-degrading ingredients.

For us, it’s always been about restoring skin to where the skin’s barrier is performing to its optimum and moisture is self-controlled – restoring your skin’s own dynamic barrier to make it optimally adaptive to its environment. That’s why we think it’s important to change the way people think about skincare.

After 25 years of clinical practice as a Dermatologist, Dr. Gray knew he could make a real difference – to make a range of skincare that allowed the skin to perform at its optimum. He teamed up with the best in the business to help craft a revolutionary new set of skincare products like no other. It’s a new category of skincare inspired by the cleanest, most effective ingredients paired to ethical manufacturing processes – better for your skin, better for the planet.

Ao is skincare that’s independently clinically proven, yet totally safe, clean and non-toxic.

Formulated Without: Parabens, Sulfates, Mineral oils, PEGS or EDTA. Leaping Bunny and PETA certified. Eco-friendly, nontoxic, sustainable.

Ao Skincare Passionflower Sleep Balm is a really wonderful product to use right before you go to bed. It relieves stress, helps to quiet the mind and it does an enviable job encouraging a deep and restful sleep. If you have no problem falling asleep, this is a really pleasant way to get you centered and calm before bedtime. However, if you ever find yourself staring at the ceiling thinking about everything that you have to do at work the next day, then this is a really wonderful balm to help wash away the stress that might prevent you from getting a good night of sleep. Simply apply a small amount to your temples and wrists and then relax. It has a wonderful light herbal aroma, from which one detects the Orange Peel and Lavender Oils. It is hypnotic, relaxing and altogether pleasant. The ritual of rubbing it into my pulse points has an impact on me since it reminds me that anything that needs to be done the following day, can be dealt with the following day, and that this moment is for relaxing and falling asleep.

Orange Peel Oil (Relieves Stress): Helps to soothe feelings of anxiousness and improve mood. 

Bergamot Fruit Oil (Calms the Mind): Mild sedative qualities that can assist in reducing anxiety.

Lavender Oil + Bergamot Fruit Oil (Encourages a Restful Sleep): Helps to improve sleep quality and insomnia.

According to AO Skincare,

Applied to pulse points (wrists and temples), this multifunctional sleep balm releases an infused essential oil scent that helps to instill a sense of relaxation, calm and a restful sleep cycle.

Key Ingredients: 

Passionflower Seed Oil: Beneficial in helping to restore the barrier function of the skin and normalize oil production due to significant levels of Linolenic (Omega 6) Fatty Acid and Vitamin A.

Lavender Oil: Effective in assisting with relieving anxiety, improving sleep quality and treating insomnia. 

Orange Peel Oil: Beneficial in helping to calm the body, soothe the mind, reduce anxiety and improve mood and sleep quality. 

Bergamot Fruit Oil: Has calming and mild sedative qualities that can assist in reducing stress and anxiety. When used with Lavender Oil, it can be beneficial in preparing the body for sleep.

Harakeke Seed Oil: Contains high concentrations of Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic and Stearic Acid, which are all attributed with repairing, moisturising and soothing damaged skin.

Full Ingredients HERE.

Overall Assessment: This little gem has pride of place on my nightstand, and I am so happy to have discovered it!

$15.00 for 0.17 oz. from Ao Skincare and Verishop  (Affiliate Links). Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own. 

Copyright © 2023 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

Aleph Beauty Hybrid Eye Pigment in Incense Review & Swatches

Press Sample (Unaffiliated Links)

I just recently discovered a wonderful clean beauty brand from New Zealand that I am delighted to share with you. Aleph Beauty is a cruelty-free brand that is invested in sustainability practices, and they use toxic-free healthy ingredients.

According to Aleph Beauty,

After a career as a top makeup artist, our founder Emma Peters knows this first hand. She also knows that for her to be at one with being part of the business of beauty, her makeup range first needed to be at one with the planet.

The concept of oneness led her straight to the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet—Aleph—an all-encompassing expression of divine oneness.

Aleph is made, owned and operated in beautiful New Zealand.

Aleph is intelligently crafted makeup that is as nurturing as it is flattering. A professional, high-performance, minimal makeup range, Aleph is transparent about every ingredient as well as the complete packaging process.

Consciously formulated with premium vegan ingredients that actively nourish the skin, Aleph is clean makeup but with skincare benefits. Think toxin free, GMO free, cruelty and child labour free, vegan, then add what will support and love your skin as it enhances your unique beauty.

A highly customizable range, every Aleph product is designed to work in synergy with each other to create endless textures, shades and finishes. It is alchemy at your fingertips.

Aleph Beauty Hybrid Eye Pigment in Incense is a gorgeous multipurpose cream-based pigment that can be used on the eyes or brows. It a gorgeous satin bronze brown shade that is perfect for lining the upper and lower lids, or as a stunning eyeshadow. It glides across the skin and deposits color with ease, and it offers beautiful buildable coverage. I have found that once it sets, it remains in place all day without any migration or transfer, but if you have particularly oily eyelids you may want to use an eyeshadow primer.

According to Aleph Beauty,

A multi-dimensional neutral satin brown pigment that adapts to a range of applications, looks and styles for the eyes and brows. A unique and extremely versatile range, this hybrid formulation offers a consistency between a powder, a creme and an eye pencil. 

Created with nourishing ingredients, Hybrid Eye Pigment supports skin health and hydration for lasting benefits.

Offering multiple looks with one natural product, Incense Hybrid Eye Pigment can be used as a liner, shadow, and brow pigment.

Pro-Tips:

Brows: apply to the brows in fine strokes to create the desired shape and definition.

Eyeliner: glide along the lash line and build as desired. Smudge for a soft smokey effect or build to intensity for a sharp edge.

Eyeshadow: build a soft wash of Incense across the lids or blend a subtle contour into the crease under the brow bone.

Aleph Packaging: "We are easily as passionate and rigorous with our packaging as we are with what we put in it. Most of it is made from reusable, recyclable glass and our lids from equally recyclable aluminium. When we occasionally need to use plastic we ensure it’s in a recyclable form. Made from FSC Certified paper, Aleph boxes are home compostable as are our postage and packaging materials. Even our wee stickers on the base of the jars can head back to the earth once you’re done with them."

Ingredients: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide (CI 77861), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate. May contain: Mica, Iron Oxides (CI 77491,CI 77492,CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Manganese Violet (CI 77742).

Ingredients must be sourced ethically and sustainability and they must do no harm to people, planet or animals.

Re Aleph is their sustainability initiative focused on circling used glass jars back into their packaging stream. Learn more HERE. 

Overall Assessment: This is an absolutely gorgeous eye pigment, and I definitely want to try more of their shades.

$33.00 for .106 oz. from Aleph Beauty (Unaffiliated Links). Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own. 

Copyright © 2023 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

New Zealand Manuka Honey Products You Need to Try

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Manuka Honey, which is produced in New Zealand by bees that pollinate the indigenous Manuka Bush, is well known for its antibacterial properties, and it contains a compound known as methylglyoxal (MG) that naturally occurs in the Manuka Bush in high concentrations. I love Manuka Honey and use it in my tea, on my toast, and by the spoonful when I feel a cold coming on. I also love to use skincare products that use this wonderful ingredient, and therefore I was very happy to try out Pacific Resources International's Manuka Honey and skincare products.

According to WebMD, 

The higher the concentration of MG, the stronger the antibiotic effect. But, there may also be other compounds involved in the medicinal effect of manuka honey.

Honey producers have developed a scale for rating the potency of manuka honey. The rating is called UMF, which stands for Unique Manuka Factor.

The UMF rating is thought to correspond with the concentration of MG and other compounds. Not all honey labeled as manuka honey contains significant levels of antibacterial factors. To be considered potent enough to be therapeutic, manuka honey needs a minimum rating of 10 UMF. Honey at or above that level is marketed as "UMF Manuka Honey" or "Active Manuka Honey."

Manuka Honey 10+ ($ 34.99  for 1.1 lb. from Pacific Resources International): The flavor and aroma of this honey is warm, deep and more intense than many of the Manuka Honeys that I have tried. It is thick, opaque  and utterly delicious. 

According to Pacific Resources International,

Manuka Honey is the only honey found so far that exhibits non-peroxide activity. This is thought to be due to Methylglyoxal, a unique compound found within Manuka Honey. This makes Manuka Honey a powerful digestive aid when taken internally or a potent anti-bacterial when used topically. It is also heat tolerant, enabling it to reach your digestive system without losing any of its beneficial properties.

Pacific Resources sources honey directly from New Zealand bee keepers, who take pride in producing high-quality products. Our Manuka honey is collected with care from native Manuka trees in New Zealand's remote, pollution-free forests to produce the highest quality Manuka honey.

Our cool processed (raw) PRI 10+ Manuka Honey has been independently tested so it is guaranteed to have an activity level of 10 or above. It is also guaranteed to contain a DHA level of 100+, which is used to determine the rating. 

Propolis Soap with Manuka Honey & Tea Tree Oil ($ 6.99 for 140g. from Pacific Resources International): This is a lovely nourishing and rich soap achieves a creamy lather, and it thoroughly cleanses the skin without stripping it. It has a warm earthy scent that does not linger, but it is exceedingly pleasant. It is formulated for use on the face, hands and body, but I have been using it as a hand soap at my bathroom sink. 

According to Pacific Resources International,

PRI Propolis Soap with Manuka Honey and Tea Tree Oil is a soft, luxurious rich cleansing soap offering the benefits of Propolis, Manuka Oil and Raw Manuka Honey. Propolis Soap takes care of unwanted bacteria on the surface - the cause of many skin infections.

This unique, all natural soap is used for face, body and hands and also provides necessary nutrients to delicate skin tissues. Propolis Soap does not dry out the skin and is suitable for all skin types. Propolis Soap is used to clear skin problems such as acne, pimples, psoriasis, fungus, different types of skin rashes and many other skin care problems. Propolis Soap has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, and is a non-allergenic.

Manuka Honey Hand Cream ($ 3.99 for 1.35 oz.TSA approved bottle from Pacific Resources International): These hand creams are very lightweight and fast absorbing, and yet they are exceedingly moisturizing. I have used them after working in the garden, and was surprised by the extent to which they were both deeply moisturizing. Even chapped, dry hands are left decidedly moisturized and hydrated. 

The Simply Manuka Hand Cream is unscented and Manuka Tropical Coconut Lime Hand Cream has a very soft and mild lime aroma that is barely detectable one it sinks into the skin.

According to Pacific Resources International,

Simply Manuka hand cream is made with New Zealand Manuka Honey - known for its natural healing and antibacterial properties that assist in nourishing the skin. Natural ingredients such as Exotic Botanicals and Manuka Honey are combined to enrich the skin. 

Available in 3 refreshing scents: Cool Citrus, Coconut and Lime and Simply Manuka.

Simply Manuka Hand Cream Ingredients: Purified Water, Coconut Caprylic, Capric Triglycerides, Sweet Almond Oil, Sodium Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Manuka Honey, Manuka Leptospermum Scoparium Extract, Bamboo Arundinacea Leaf Extract, Lotus Nucifera Flower Extract, Vitamin E.

Manuka Tropical Coconut Lime Hand Cream Ingredients: Purified Water, Coconut Caprylic, Capric Triglycerides, Sweet Almond Oil, Sodium Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Manuka Honey, Vitamin E, Manuka Leptospermum Scoparium Extract, Bamboo Arundinacea Leaf Extract, Lotus Nucifera Flower Extract, Coconut Lime Fragrance.

Propolis & Active Manuka Oral Spray ($11.99 for 1 oz. from Pacific Resources International): I do not use breath fresheners, but this one tastes fantastic and the mint isn't overpowering, and it leaves the mouth feeling very refreshed. 

According to Pacific Resources International,

PRI Propolis Oral Spray combines Active Manuka Honey, flavonoid rich bee propolis with essential oils of aniseed, peppermint to provide a refreshing oral hygiene spray and breath freshener. Propolis Throatspray helps to eliminate odor causing bacteria. Propolis may cause allergic reactions. If irritations of the mouth or throat occurs discontinue use.

Ingredients: Glycerin, Water, Manuka Honey, CLP 30* (Certified Propolis Level) NZ Bee Propolis, Peppermint Oil, Anise Seed Oil, Sweet Oil of Fennel; Menthol, PRIFresh* (Natural Herb and spices blend for product freshness).

Overall Assessment: I am very happy with these products, and definitely would like to further investigate this line. If you love Manuka Honey, then these products are definitely worth your consideration.

Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own.
Copyright© 2016 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.