Monthly Archives: October 2014

InstaNatural Vitamin C Facial Toner for Refreshing Moisture on the Go

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InstaNatural offers organic skin care lovers an array of all-natural Vitamin C-based products for clearer skin, including InstaNatural Vitamin C Facial Toner, which comes in a convenient spray bottle for easy, no mess application at home, work or the gym.

The spray is fine like a delicate, cooling mist, not wet like droplets, and it smells fantastic. The best way I can describe it is a zesty, citrusy scent with an additional brisk note like geranium. It absorbs quickly so you don’t feel damp, and you definitely do not feel greasy.

The toner absorbs fast, controls oil and helps your face feel cool and moisturized without leaving you looking shiny. I loved using this toner during the warmer months but plan to use it all year round. This is definitely a product I will buy and use again.

Although I did not see any changes to my sun spots, toner is by its very nature a light product. To truly see results with it, you have to use the Vitamin C toner in conjunction with other Vitamin C products–think layers. One layer that is an absolute must is a daytime sunscreen so you don’t undo all of your hard work by generating new sun spots.

If you exercise regularly and want a fast, easy product to help refresh you and your face after a workout (so you can be seen in public again before your next thorough at-home cleansing), consider this InstaNatural Vitamin C Facial Toner for your post-exercise arsenal–it smells and feels so good.

Where I got my toner: Amazon

Where you can get your toner: Amazon

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

InstaNatural Vitamin C Serum for Brighter Skin Tone

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InstaNatural Vitamin C Serum

InstaNatural Vitamin C Serum

Kids, we have a new guest blogger and product tester today, Miss Lisa K.! Here’s her thoughts on a Vitamin C serum similar to one I tried a few months ago. We have different skin types, and we used different Vitamin C products from different lines, yet we both saw tangible results. Here’s a review of InstaNatural Vitamin C Serum from Lisa K.:

My skin tends toward dry, and I’ve been thinking lately that I’d probably benefit from upping the hydration in my skin-care routine. Especially now that I’m, ahem, a little older than I used to be. So this product’s arrival in my life was well-timed. InstaNatural Vitamin C Serum is 100% pure and certified organic, and the blurb on the website promises many lovely results, from improved hydration (as wished-for above), to brighter/lighter skin, to firm and plump skin, to an even texture and tone. Sign me up, right?

Directions on the bottle suggest that I use it daily, morning and night. I confess that I only applied the serum once a day, as part of my nighttime ritual, for two primary reasons: (1) it’s orange in color, and although I didn’t see a huge color shift on my (fair) skin, I had suspicions that it was not providing a transparent cover, and (2) after allowing it to sink in/dry, my skin felt taut, like it had a film across it.

I should note that the directions also indicate you should follow with moisturizer. I tried both orders-of-operation (serum first, then moisturizer; and the reverse; because hey, I’m testing it out), and the taut feeling was a result for me either way, although less noticeable when serum was applied first, then moisturizer. Which makes sense, and the tautness might be OK for some folks, but it was not my favorite sensation.The only other knock I have against this product is that when I awoke each morning and peered in the bathroom mirror, my pores looked larger. I understand that science tells me I can’t change the size of my pores, but my experience has been that some skin-care products make my pores look more visible, or bigger, or however you want to label it (yes, maybe they’re just clogged). Well, this is one of those products for me. After my morning wash routine, and as I got into my day, the effect would go away.

Some googling tells me that most vitamin C products on the market range from 5% (considered fairly weak) to 20% in concentration. I also see warnings that vitamin C might irritate sensitive skin. This particular serum is 20% vitamin C, but I didn’t experience irritation or allergic reaction; just noting for those of you who have more sensitive skin.

Outside of those issues, I have multiple compliments to offer this product: Primarily, I can honestly report that in 1 week, I saw a difference in my skin after using InstaNatural Vitamin C Serum. Hooray! It brightened and toned my skin, and definitely added moisture—my skin looks “fresher” overall. Plus those laugh lines around my eyes are less prominent. As noted before, the serum is orange in color and has a lovely, fresh citrus scent. It feels velvety on the skin during application, and a little goes a long way.

So I’m not suggesting that it’s a 180-degree difference; and frankly, my husband said he didn’t think I looked any different—but full disclosure, he’s not exactly Mr. Details. But I’d say the anti-aging and hydration benefits I saw in just 1 week are enough to make me want to add the serum to my skin-care routine.

Where I got my serum: Amazon

Where you can get your InstaNatural Vitamin C Serum: Amazon

 

A Natural and Organic Moisturizer for Those Who Dislike or Have Allergies to Argan Oil: Rosehip Oil

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InstaNatural Rosehip Oil

InstaNatural Rosehip Oil

Coming from a northern European background, I was familiar with the use of rosehips for tea, in sweet fruity soups and as a dietary supplement, but I had never tried rosehip oil–until now.

This rosa mosqueta Rosehip Oil by InstaNatural is certified organic, completely natural and packed with fatty acids, which slough off dry skin cells, then seal in your skin’s natural moisture.

I tested the rosehip oil before a long, hot shower to see if it would penetrate fast and last (rather than rinsing off). I put the oil on my hands and on some dry sun damaged spots on my legs, rubbed it in for a few seconds, waited a few seconds more, then jumped right into the shower. It worked! The oil had sunk in, and the water from the shower beaded up on my skin, proving the rosehip oil had already created a barrier against moisture loss. (If you want all over body hydration, combine the use of this rosehip oil with drinking lots of water and clear fluids.)

I am so glad this oil is fast absorbing, because I don’t want to ever feel damp, oily or greasy. It smoothes on and sinks in after only a few seconds so you don’t have to wait a long time before using your hands, washing, etc.

The scent reminds me of twigs and branches–kind of a green smell, for lack of a better way to describe it. It’s not pleasant exactly, but it dissipates fast, so you won’t smell it for long at all. The company notes this scent is the odor of the omega 3 fatty acids.

I received a free bottle of this product in exchange for an honest review.

Where I got my rosehip oil: Amazon

Where you can get your rosehip oil: Amazon

A Gentle Soap with Sulfur and Dead Sea Salts to Help Dry Out and Combat Acne

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Adovia Natural Sulfur Soap

Adovia Natural Sulfur Soap

Although Adovia Natural Sulfur Soap contains sulfur, a drying agent that helps clear up acne, it does not smell sulfurous at all, and it also contains Dead Sea salts and minerals, ingredients that also help to prevent and dry out blemishes.

When I first started to use the soap, I had a few emerging pimple bumps on my forehead. I was pleased to see the Adovia soap reversed them completely before they became puffy, red or inflamed. It’s so much easier to block acne from forming this way, rather than fighting it after it has already emerged.

The soap has a light, pleasant scent and cleans thoroughly without making your skin feel dry or tight. Olive oil, aloe vera and palm kernel oil have been added to provide moisture without greasiness.

Although this soap is aimed at individuals with oily skin, it feels gentle and non-stripping, so it probably would work for others with dry or combination skin.

One thoughtful product detail is the shape of the soap bar, which is contoured with soft curves, so it glides over the features of the face (particularly the forehead and cheeks) without causing discomfort or awkwardness. From here on, I will pay more attention to the shape of my soap!

I must inform you that I was provided a free bar in exchange for an honest review. This is a soap I will likely order again, as it really seems to be a problem solver.

Where I got my soap: Amazon

Where you can get your soap: Amazon
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.