Green beauty and eco lifestyle blog
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Monthly musings are the posts where I let you in behind the scenes, I talk about what’s happening in Green Life In Dublin HQ as well what I am feeling, thinking, brainstorming, choosing, trying using – and I know You want a peek 🙂
Hi Lovelies,
Welcome back! And welcome if you are new here 💕💕💕
As you might know, I went on holidays recently – first in four years, so it was a big deal to me 🙂 I asked you if you want me to post about what natural and organic products I took with me and you said yes, so this post is for you guys! I will be very honest with you here and will let you know what products ended up working and NOT working in the different climate. You see, I live in the cold, rainy and humid climate here in Ireland (hello +14*C to 20*C summers with rain daily or trice weekly at the very least. Heatwave? What heatwave?) and Mediterranean ain’t that, we all know it. So a couple of products I counted on working for me turned out complete disappointments while one other spoiled as soon as we touched down, I swear. I will also make a list of products I will take on my next holidays, while my mind is still fresh on what worked and not. Shall we get started? Continue reading “What To Take On Holidays – Natural Beauty Edition”
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Continue reading “Natural & Organic Empties June – July 2019”
Hi Lovelies!
Welcome back and welcome if you are new here 💕💕💕
How are all of you, I hope you are well?
Today is going to be a quick post on what natural and organic products I took to Rome for a mini getaway to treat Mom for her birthday. For those of you who might not know, my mom had a breast cancer about a year and a half ago. She won, which pleases me to no end, but being aware of the limited time we had left, I got this idea in my head to whisk my mom away for her ultimate Birthday this year and I didn’t rest until I made that happen.
I got request to see what exactly I took with me, so this post is for you guys – here is the breakdown of the products. Continue reading “Natural & Organic Products For A Weekend Away”
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Welcome back! And welcome of you are new here 💕💕💕
How are all of you, I hope life is treating you well? I’ve been thinking about my favourite products lately and which ones are long standing ones, and I have came up with a blog post on the spot – let’s see my ride or die favourites from 2018 still used daily today?
Continue reading “18 Natural & Organic 2018 Favourites I Still Use Daily”
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Welcome back! And welcome if you are new here 💕💕💕
How are you all doing? I hope you are well? Now that the sun is out and my SAD has lifted, I feel so much better and feel the zest for life coming back. It also means I got interested in my products so much more, so therefore I have been testing lots, sifting through what’s good and what’s not – and sharing the best with you! Ready to get started? I thought you would never ask 🙂
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If your skin is (winter) stressed as mine, I have just the BEST thing for you! Please step forward Rapid Repair Elixir by Bella Aura*. This product is a part of not-so-newly launched Custom Care Collection that came out just a couple of months ago, and as one lucky duck I am, I got the privilege to try it. (therefore I should mark it as an #AD). As we all know, my love for Bella Aura Core Collection has no bounds (see here), and I touched on it in this Custom Care First Impressions Review here, and now that I have tested/ used it for a couple of weeks already, I can give you more rounded review. So shall we begin?
Continue reading “Bella Aura Rapid Repair Clarifying Elixir Review – Custom Care [AD]”
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Today is the day I will spill one of my beauty secrets – I will reveal how you can stop your concealer from creasing. It is a common complaint I hear in the green beauty world – as natural concealers lack the silicones that are in conventional products – and the silicones are exactly the thing that makes the conventional concealers glide so smoothly and also fill in all the crevices, aka fine lines, to give the appearance of smooth perfect skin (but remember, it is only that – an appearance, while it hurts your skin in the long run!)
We won’t go into all those nasty ingredients that are lurking in the conventional concealers and foundations, that’s another post in it’s own, for another time. Since the natural counterparts don’t have those silicones I’d just mentioned, they perform a bit differently, and this is one of those learning curves you will have to get used to it once you will go au naturale 🙂
Don’t worry, the switch is so worth the extra effort – natural concealers are full of natural ingredients that are good for the skin, like coconut oil, aloe, nurturing oils and butters, depending on the formulation. So you will get not only pigment, but skin care benefits from them as well, as I don’t know how about you, but I can rest at night knowing I am doing my skin no harm, only goodness. Having said all that, oftentimes the complaint is that they are creasing – and this is where I am coming to help!
Before you ask, my favourite two concealers are Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting Concealer & Ere Perez Arnica one. I have reviewed both on my old blog, you will find reviews linked at the end of this post if you want to see more information on them. In my concealer I am looking for the full coverage first and foremost – I don’t get the point of sheer coverage concealers, if I apply the product and can still see my capillaries and dark circles, what’s the point of it, right? I have been a fan of Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting concealer (available from Safe&Chic in the US & Glow Organic Brighton in UK) for a good number of years now, ever since it went through branding change and several packaging changes. Remember Christopher Drummond liquid concealer in a pump bottle? Yes, that’s what I am talking about. Nowadays is it not creamy liquid but rather balmy, and it comes in a glass pot that you swirl your finger in to apply. Still great coverage, and I still regard it as my nr1 – as you can imagine, I have tried a few in my days, but I always go back to this no matter what. Is wasn’t when I first started using it. Anyways, my shade is somewhere in between of light and medium, and as medium is getting too dark by the day (l am getting paler by the day) I need to get another pot in light very soon. Hynt Beauty is an amazing brand with wonderful ethos – and I keep meaning to get more of their products to try and review for you guys. Everything is really natural, and intentionally so, because Meryl, the founder of the brand is a breast cancer survivor – and that’s how the brand was born. Whoops, getting a bit sidetracked here. Can you tell I love to talk? Especially when it comes to all things green beauty?
My second favourite concealer is Ere Perez Arnica Concealer, another great full coverage concealer that stays on put. My shade is Latte and you can get it via Love Lula (UK) and Safe & Chic in the US.
Side note – please let me know your favourite natural full coverage concealers, so I could check them out!
Now, let’ s get to my actual trick of trade, shall we? There are three steps to it, and it is all really simple, I promise you that! You know I am all about simple and effective, right?
Moisturise your under eye area really well.
This stop is not negotiable for me, as a lady on the wrong side of 30s, this is something I never ever forget. At the moment I am using Bella Aura Instant Lift Eye Contour (review) but there are many great products on the market. It is best if you gave it a few minutes to sink in, especially if you are using under eye oils or balms. I recommend this step even if you are gorgeous peachy skinned twenty something. (if you are gorgeous twenty something and reading this, more power to you, the earlier you start taking care of your skin, the better).
Don’t over apply! Another major mistake most people make, and I too have been guilty of it in the past. Yes, it is tempting to blob it on, especially if you have a lot to cover – and trust me, I get it, I too have been guilty of burning my candle from both ends or not drinking enough water (drink enough water and trust me, you will see the difference!). I have extremely dark circles that are hereditary, and no amount of green smoothies/ exercise /sleep or products can cure, and I have acres of it, real estate! Yes, I know I am a lucky gal. So a concealer is a must for me – seriously, if you saw me sans any make up on, the first thing you would ask if I am sick or tired. No, and no, just my life story. So, yeah, less is more when it comes to the concealer – apply a very thin layer and step back to see yourself in a mirror, it really helps to see yourself a step back and not in one of those zoomed in mirrors. More often than not, you will find that one layer is enough. If you can’t see any concealer, go ahead and bin that product, green beauty world has better products, I promise you! If you really need that second layer, promise me you will be VERY light handed with it. You can set or bake your concealer or not, your choice.
OK, now we are mid day, you are working or running around and you catch yourself in a mirror, and shock horror, you notice that concealer is all creased, the under eye are looks all dry and all this is making ten years older than you are. Fear not, I have just a tip for you – and you can thank me later. I would suggest that you carry a miniature eye cream or oil with you. All you need to do is to gently pat a teeny tiny drop of oil or eye cream over the concealer and TA DA, you are looking perfect again! I carry either my beloved Bella Aura eye cream, which is wonderful and sinks in in seconds, not disturbing my make up; or some lightweight face oil (serum) decanted into teeny tiny cutesy 2ml roller bottle you see in the photo. That all there is to it, told you it will be simple! Not only you will fix your make up mishap, but you will give your skin a hydration boost, which it will appreciate. (and thank you if it could talk). By the way, I have found that using face mists doesn’t work in this case, while it might work for the whole face, I found it either moves my concealer or makes my mascara run, which is so not a good luck! So be a pro and cover your eyes when misting.
That’s all for now, thanks for reading!
If you want to read more of my tricks, see here. If you want to see Bella Aura Skincare review (and don’t forget to use my code to get 15% off). For Ere Perez concealer review see this post, for Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting Concealer review, see here.
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Hi Lovelies,
Welcome back! And welcome, if you are new here 💕💕💕
How are all of you? Hope you are well? Today I wanted to share my first impressions review of new and hotly anticipated Bella Aura’s Custom Care Collection! I don’t know how about You, but I certainly was at the edge of my seat for months, while Yasmine, the boss babe behind the Bella Aura brand, has been teasing us with spoilers via InstaStories. Yasmine herself is the best advert for her brand – you only have to look at her perfect glass skin to know you want to know what she’s having!
You probably know my love for Bella Aura products knows no bounds (see review here, but please get a tea and a snack first, it is almost 4k words long. What can I say, I work hard and I like it that way)
The Swiss laboratory that Bella Aura partnered with is an international family business based in Switzerland that has been operating for over 75 years. As an innovative technology company, they supply demanding industries with natural and organic raw materials. They combine high-quality products, in-depth expertise and comprehensive services to offer their customers tailor-made integrated solutions. They think long-term, respond quickly, take a cooperative approach and are prepared to enter into and stand by commitments. They assume social and cultural responsibility and trust in the ability and loyalty of their employees and business partners.
Bella Aura is proud to source the ingredients from ethical and fair trade farms and artisan producers. All products are certified cruelty free and have high percentages of organic ingredients. I always knew Bella Aura is a fabulous brand, and I am happily witnessing it collection various awards and certifications – don’t just take my word for it, check their social media! Natrue and Nagoya compliant, Halal certified and bear both Ecocert and Cosmos certifications, no less. Bella Aura bioactives are made with Swiss actives blended from ancient traditions, which are also certified Halal, Ecocert, Cosmos, Natrue, and Nagoya. Products are based on botanical extracts of plants, herbs, and trees and the protein content in their roots, leaves, flowers, fruits. They are 100% natural botanicals and biologically advanced ingredients essential to healthy skin.
So imagine my delight when these gorgeous products landed at my door on Halloween – all treats, no tricks, mind you! It’s safe to say I did a happy dance on the spot, and I am still happy dancing! Let me cut to the the chase and tell you upfront that the products are as gorgeous as you imagine them to be, and even though I am testing them for a couple of days only, I think the products will take firm spots in my Holy Grail Products gallery – I am happy to report no initial reactions or irritations – including the perioral dermatitis patch I have on my left cheek. I think we all know how uber sensitive and reactive my skin is, and if the products suit me, chances are they will suit anyone, although of course, sample patch test is always recommended. I will follow up with the separate reviews on all the the products later on, this is first impressions review. And the impressions are good!
Shall we take a look at the individual products?
This is essential oil-free serum that effectively hydrates, restores, calms and balances the skin.
Main ingredients: Icelandic moss extract, Magellan’s peat extract, Polypodium Vulgare, Fern extract, Safflowerolosomes, olive oil extract.
This is the product I have tried first, and I was not disappointed! It has a similar consistency to other Bella Aura products, it is a thin emulsion that resembles a thin yogurt consistency, but do not let that fool you – the product is a powerhouse of wonderful natural ingredients and extracts like Icelandic moss and peat – say what? The ingredient list intrigues me to no end, and I am very curious to see what it will do to my skin in the long run. From the first impressions point of view I can say that my skin felt very smooth and soft the the touch, and once I followed up with Bella Aura day moisturiser, it felt good and moisturised for hours on end. The product description promises to revive dry and dull skin and rejuvenate 20 years of youthfulness within four weeks (in-vivo study). Polysaccharides in evergreen fern extracts will help the skin to retain moisture and provide intense hydration. Skin will look fresh and young with increased smoothness, elasticity and firmness. Eight benefits in one product, doesn’t that sound like a dream? This is aimed at dry and dehydrated skin, with loss of elasticity and uneven texture, dehydrated skin, eczema type conditions, dull skin, oxidized skin and fine lines.
Right? I feel this is the product that was made for me, and I will make sure to follow up with a detailed review in about four to six weeks – I always take that much time to really test skincare products. Oh, and you get 50ml or 1.7oz of this product.
ACTIVE BOTANICALS
Icelandic Moss Extract, Magellan’s Peat Moss Extract, Polypodium Vulgare Fern Extract, Safflower Oleosomes, Olive Oil Extract.
This is lightweight yet powerful body contour serum that deeply hydrates, restores skin firmness, smoothes skin texture and stimulates collagen production for measurably firmer, smoother and rejuvenated skin. There’s that signature Bella Aura texture again, the serum takes no time to sink in into the skin, yet it leaves the skin deeply hydrated and super soft.
This multifunctional product is an intelligent collagen booster obtained from the leaf sap of the South African medical plant Bulbine frutescens. Smart skin collagen management is essential, because uncontrolled activation of collagen synthesis can lead to the induction of inflammatory processes and the development of low quality collagen. Thanks to the active substances knipholone and acetylated polymannose, BioActives recalibrates the equilibrium between the decomposition and reconstruction of dermal structures, thus providing the skin with an extra portion of high quality collagen. The active ingredient heralds a new era of natural high quality collagen boosters and paves the way for exciting cosmetic applications:
138 % improvement of wrinkle appearance and 100 % more facial collagen density as compared to placebo.
53 % reduction of stretch marks volume and 212 % visible improvement of stretch marks appearance as compared to placebo.
I am really looking forward to using this, especially seeing the effects promised- and knowing I’ll be testing this in the cold months of the year, I’m interested to know how it will work on my skin. Yasmine told me it is supposed to work on cellulite too, so I am really curious! I am yet to find a product that works in this area, and if this does, I will make sure to shout about it from the rooftops.
Oh, and you get 100ml of this product.
ACTIVE BOTANICALS
Bulbine Frutescens (Stalked Bulbine), Amazonian White Clay, Olive Oil Extract, Safflower Oleosomes
This is another product I was dying to try and for a good reason – it has a highly concentrated antioxidants from Norvegian Spruce extract, as well as other amazing ingredients of course, but hear this – ten drops contains the same concentration of Lignans as the following:
50 cups of green tea🍵
100 cups of tomatoes 🍅
510 cups of lettuce
1800 cups of apples 🍎
70 cups of oranges 🍊
30 cups of cauliflowers
150 cups of onions
40 cups of cherries 🍒
160 cups of cabbage
50 cups of strawberries 🍓
40 cups of kiwis 🥝
77 cups of oats
Powerful antioxidants 24x more than flaxseeds
Say what? Shall we look further into the ingredients? This beauty also has rosemary leaf extract, blackcurrant seed oil, sunflower oil and microsilver. Sounds good? I think so! Just like Hydra Revive Treatment, this is another 8 in 1 product meant for acne prone skin that might have inflammation and dehydration, as well as redness, congestion and hypersensitivity, oxidized skin and eczema type conditions.
This product is a bit different from the others in terms of colour and smell – as you can see from the photo, it has a slightly darker than white colour, almost grey, and the smell isn’t of neroli like the other products. I actually like the smell, it is slightly herbal and forest like, it is like you would take a walk in the pine forest in sunshine and absorb all the smells around you. The texture is the same as all the other products, might be ever so thicker, and of course, it sinks in within seconds, leaving no residue, no tight or uncomfortable feeling or anything of that sorts. It actually holds up alone if I use instead of moisturiser, and it carries me through the day beautifully on it’s own. Again, really interested to see what changes it will bring to my skin – and pinky swear to follow up with a review in a few weeks time!
ACTIVE BOTANICALS
Norwegian Spruce Extract, Blackcurrant Seed Oil, Sunflower Oil Concentrate, Balloon Vine Extract, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Safflower Oleosomes, Micro Silver.
So what are my final thoughts? I like the products so far, as I already mentioned, there were no initial reactions, which are more than likely if I test any kind of new product, so I am well chuffed. My happy and plump skin agrees! Let’s hope things will continue this way – and I will certainly make sure to follow up with the reviews of all of these products in the next following weeks.
If you are interested in trying any of these new launches (and we both know you want to), here are some more good news – you can save 15% off them with my ambassador code “renata15”, so make sure to use it at the checkout at BellaAura.com . They ship worldwide!
Wait, there’s more! Keep your eyes firmly on my IG page as there *might* be a giveaway coming soon! My lips are sealed for now 🙂
If you want to know my thoughts on the main Bella Aura Collection and why they are my Holy Grail products, click here. (my code is valid on them too)
That’s all for now, see you here again next Tuesday!
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Hi Lovelies,
Welcome back! And if you are new here, welcome 💕💕💕
Let me present the review of something that really works for my sensitive skin – step forward Bella Aura products! I can’t express my feelings enough about the whole line and how wonderful it is! I have started this review many times and every time it does not come out right, so I delete everything and start again. And again. It’s just because there is so much I want to say and so much joy I want to express, the words are tumbling down faster than I can write them down. Let me put it in a nutshell – my sensitive skin found home! I am so amazed at this, as every single product in the line works amazingly well for my skin, and when used in conjunction I have clear and happy skin. And continuously so! I never had this with any other line or brand, and I never seen my skin changing so fast either. Needless to say I recommend this brand to just about anyone, because if it works for me, with uber sensitive skin, chances are it will work for you too.
Let me tell you a little pre-story – the day I received Bella Aura, I was sporting rare dermatitis breakout on my face, as many of you might know, I have form of Celiac called Dermatitis Herpetiformis, where the only outwards symptoms you get are dermatitis rashes all over the body. Nothing to do with herpes, mind you. And in my case it is extremely frustrating and annoying – because it always starts on my face before it spreads to anywhere else on my body. I am lucky girl, I know! Soo, long story short, Bella Aura products cleared the outbreak in three days! Even though they aren’t specifically designed for that purpose. Let’s pause here for a second and let that sink in and be a testament for the brand. Yasmine, you did a wonderful job! I was so amazed and delighted, as so so relieved I decided to go for it – as you might understand, trying new products is a scary thing for me. So many hyped up products in the green beauty community didn’t work for me – if I didn’t get an initial reaction, then most likely they were not working well on my dermatitis patch, making it redder and angrier. None of that with Bella Aura! In fact, the opposite was true – my skin (and my dermatitis patch) were soothed, nourished, glowing and happy. Needless to say everything else I own went into the fridge for the time being. Upon inspecting the ingredients I was happy to find out my
skin receives a supercharged cocktail of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, peptides, hyaluronic acid, coenzyme Q10 and more, delivered in a creamy white emulsion. During use, my skin was the clearest it has ever been—and I’m not exaggerating. Bella Aura is starting to collect awards, so don’t just take my word for it – the line speaks for itself!
Bella Aura line came about when Yasmine Jones, the creator of the line, was suffering from deteriorating skin & acne scars after going through a traumatic experience with her mother’s battle against leukemia (You can read her full story on Bella Aura website, link at the end of this post). After spending thousands on skincare products and consulting with skincare specialists, she found nothing was working to improve her skin. It was during a trip to Morocco that she met a prominent chemist/herbalist who believed that his oils would help her skin and after months of trying them, she began to see her skin improving. Yasmine wanted to add active ingredients to these oils, and with the help of Swiss skincare technology, Bella Aura line was born. According to Yasmine, most skincare regimens incorporate both serums and creams in order to balance out the advantages and disadvantages of each. By combining them into an emulsion for Bella Aura’s blends, the best of both is fused into one.
There are only five products in the line so far (hold the horses for not one, not two, but THREE new products launching super soon! And what’s more, there *might*be a giveaway for them on my IG page. What can I say, I am so excited!) and they work amazingly well together – there’s emphasis on less is more, and I have to agree in this case – these products are all my skin needs. For the most part, that’s it, but let me explain that further on in this review.
 |
| Bella Aura products |
The textures are that of thin lotion, but do not let that fool you – they are true powerhouses of amazing ingredients blended together into a powerful fusion. Yasmine describes it as a serum in a cream emulsion. As the products are light, they sink in very quickly, leaving no residue or heavy feeling you sometimes tend to get with oils. If it worked amazingly well for me, it will work for you too. Let’s see some amazing ingredients in these products? All of the minerals and vitamins in Bella Aura products are derived from natural botanical fruit and vegetable extracts. Black oats, Nigela Sativa oil (also known as black cumin or black seed oil) and prickly pear (also known as fig de barbary or cactus oil) are the key ingredients in products.
Black Oats contain lipids and proteins which have humectant and emollient properties that help to moisturize the skin keeping it soft and supple.
They also contain antioxidant properties making them extremely anti-aging, and helps with inflammation as well. Black Oats are known for helping with more sensitive skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. and they also contain saponins which make them a gentle cleanser for more sensitive skin.
Nigella Sativa is a flowering plant that originates from Southwest Asia, India and North Africa. The flowers are usually white and pale blue. They belong to the plant family known as Ranunculacease (buttercup family). This miracle oil has been used in traditional medicine as a remarkable healing agent with powerful restorative properties since the beginning of civilization. Originally, it was called Panacea, which means to cure all. It is said that Cleopatra used Nigella Sativa oil in her beauty routine for hair and skin. It was also reported that the oil was found in the tomb of King Tut in Ancient Egypt. Bella Aura uses Nigella Sativa that farmed and processed in Morocco. They work in partnership with local farmers to produce 100% premium, natural, organic Nigella Sativa seeds, and never use any chemicals or pesticides during the planting, farming or production process. The virgin seeds are cold pressed, bottled in dark glass bottles and stored in a dark cool place to ensure that the chemical properties of the black seeds are retained.
Nigella Sativa, (also known as Black Cumin Seed or Fennel Seed) contains over 100 chemical compounds that are direct contributors to having beautiful skin. This is the most powerful oil in the world with a significant amount of protein and exceptionally high in antioxidants. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, calcium, selenium, magnesium, iron, beta-sitosterol, copper, zinc, potassium, paltimol, niacin, vitamins A-B-B2&B3-C-D&E in the seeds. Nigella also delivers the essential Omega3&6 fatty acids that are not produced naturally by the body. This extraordinary oil also has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties.
Nigella Sativa oil is renowned for keeping your skin looking flawless, young and radiant. This powerful oil helps prevent blemishes, fine lines, age spots, dry or oily skin. Some clinical studies suggest that it is beneficial for removing scars in the skin as well.
Fig de Barbary, also known as (Prickly Pear, Cactus Oil and Opuntia Ficus Indica) is one of the richest oils that fortify the skin with the essential vitamins A-B1&B2-C-D-E-F-K and Omega 3-6-9 fatty acids. It also delivers a wide range of the vital minerals magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, potassium, thiamin, niacin, beta carotene, amino acids, selenium and many more. Fig de Barbary is miraculous oil that acts as a natural barrier against free radical damage, which is the major cause of premature aging.
This extraordinary oil has a powerful anti-oxidative activity and high moisturizing value to rejuvenate mature skin for a remarkable lifting effect. It reduces dark circles under the eyes, hydrates, smooths, firms and refines skin texture plus brightens the complexion. It is a true beauty elixir that is quickly absorbed into the skin and leaves no greasy residue. This age-defying oil contains almost 150% more of the anti-aging antioxidant Tocopherol in comparison to any other oil in the beauty care industry, including Argan oil.
The Fig de Barbary oil is produced in Sidi Ifni that is located in southwest Morocco. It is one of the most expensive oils in the world to extract and requires the production of about 1 million seeds to acquire just one liter of this precious oil. Our Fig de Barbary plants are completely pure and organic with no chemicals or pesticides used during the farming process.
Zinc is beneficial for many acne sufferers who are deficient in zinc. Once they start obtaining zinc in their daily regimen, their acne often improves. It is a trace mineral essential to all forms of life, such as gene expression, cell growth and cell replication and especially important for clear skin.
Calcium includes cell renewal, lipid barrier function, and antioxidant protection from DNA damage. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and a deficiency can manifest itself in skin dryness, itching and premature wrinkling.
Potassium is a vital indicator of healthy looking skin because it is a key player in cell integrity by maintaining electrolyte balance and internal fluids, thus keeping cells hydrated and skin internally moisturized.
Beta Carotene is a carotenoid known for its antioxidant properties. Its ingredient in skin care products can include skin cleansers, facial moisturizers, foundation, sun products and anti-aging treatments. Beta-Carotene provides protection against sun damage and helps to even out skin tone and improve skin texture.
Amino Acids are the building blocks of beautiful skin. They help to produce collagen, elastin, and other proteins and fibers for strong, soft and desirable skin. Selenium has a number of positive attributes in skin care with the key role relating to its antioxidant properties and ability to tackle free radicals. Free radicals result in the disruption of living cells such as skin cells. Selenium helps to retard negative environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides, which can spawn free radicals.
Copper holds promise for prolonging youthful looking skin. It plays an important role in maintaining healthy skin because it helps to develop collagen and elastin, which maintain the strength of the skin for less sagging and fewer facial lines. It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which help prevent skin infections.
Sterols are natural compounds derived from plants, fruits and vegetables and essentially vegetable fats that enhance the human immune system. Phytosterols are extracted from different botanical sources. Phytosterols contribute to the structure of the cell membrane and have anti-inflammatory properties, which contributes to anti-aging properties. Phytosterols and polyphenols improve sun-damaged skin.
Carotenoids come from fruits and vegetable and help your skin’s complexion look healthy. They travel through and get stored in our bodies with the help of fats and enhance skin color and tone for a beautiful glow.
Ferulic Acid is found in the cell walls of plants and acts as an anti-oxidant that seeks and destroys several types of free radicals that cause skin damage. It act synergistically with other antioxidants such as Vitamin C & E and makes them more effective and powerful in preventing wrinkles.
You may or may not know that I road test every new skincare product prior to writing a review on it, and this was no exception. Your skin renews itself at around 30 days period (40 if you are 40, yay or what?), so I need to make sure I test the product thoroughly before I speak about them. I see no point in doing first impressions reviews on skincare, but that’s just me. Here’s my skincare routine for the last year or so:
AM: no cleanser, refreshing my skin with thermal water and konjac sponge or washcloth.
1 pump of Antioxidant Booster mixed with 2 pumps of Daily Repair Moisturizer applied all over the face
1 pump of Instant Lifting Eye Contour, applied on the under eye area, upped lid, eyebrows and around lips.
PM: skin cleansed with a few pumps of Gentle Purifying Cleanser, followed by
1 pump of Antioxidant Booster mixed with 2 pumps of Night Cellular Renewal all over the face, followed by
1 pump of Instant lifting Eye Contour, applied like in the morning – on the under eye area, as well as on the upper lids and around the lips.
As I already mentioned, I shelved or rather refrigerated all the other facial products I used and stopped all PR products when it comes to skincare. What can I say, coming from a beauty blogger, this is BIG. I think you already got the impression on how great my skin loved these products (see the gushing at the beginning of this post) . Also worth noting is that when I first tested the products a year ago, I tried to stop using the entire line and go back to my usual products only incorporating one or two Bella Aura product into the set up – and that’s when my redness and skin irritations came back. So that’s why I wouldn’t recommend getting just one of moisturizers if you are new to the brand, you might not see the full potential of the products, and/or it might not mesh well with whatever else you are using. I would recommend getting a sample set first, and using all the Bella Aura products together – in the sample set you will get 10ml of each of the product, and trust me, they will give you enough use for a couple of weeks – plenty of time to see if the products are for you or not. I can bet you will end up falling in love with the products in the first couple of days, just like I did. The day and the night creams are very similar in consistency, as well as how they feel on the skin, but upon inspecting the ingredients I realized they have different ingredients, thus you might not cut corners and use only one of them. The Antioxidant Booster is a true star in my book, makes everything so much better and my skin truly likes it. For a while, I wondered how it would perform boosting my other creams I own, but at the same time I didn’t really want to try it, as I enjoy using Bella Aura exclusively too much. The eye cream works great, is light and sinks in quickly. I was a bit worried about it at first, as prior to this, I only used under eye oils for two years straight (Earthwise Beauty Passion Eye Serum and Wabi-Sabi Botanicals Budhi Eye Nectar – they might be called serums or nectars, but in reality they are oils). So I was a bit worried about not getting enough hydration in this delicate area, but my qualms were quickly squashed, it works great! It is also the first eye product to make a difference in darkness I have – not a stark night-and-day kind of difference, but I am impressed nonetheless. The cleanser I too found great, the same milky consistency like other products, but you get huge bottle of it, and must say it works great for my sensitive skin, it does not irritate it, which is super rare for me. It does not lather, but it cleans your face nonetheless. I find no need to double cleanse, and it takes all of my make up beautifully in one use. Even eye make up, but please take my advice and do not open your eyes when doing it. Rinse well first. Just saying.
Yasmine herself is the best advert for her brand – not only she looks drop dead gorgeous, but what drew me in was her gorgeous soul – so I am so glad green beauty community connected us! She not only supports several charities and works with the communities in her native Morocco, but I also witnessed her supporting her fellow green beauty sisters in a big way – she donated a portion of her profits to Lily’s aka Genuine Glow hubby’s cancer treatments, as well as when Taylor from My Lucite Dreams lost her home (and a dog) to a fire. Now, how amazing and thoughtful is that?! Be sure to check out the blog portion of her website and her Instagram too – you can find so many helpful tips over there, as well as facial massage videos – I think those are well worth checking out.
My overall thoughts – I was deeply impressed by every single product in this line, and honestly, I can’t even begin to pick a favorite! This truly is a beautiful and thoughtful line that really does deliver on its claims. My skin is so temperamental and difficult to please most times and during the entire testing period (about 1 year now, if you can call 1 year a testing time? I think we can all agree it is so much more that that), my skin is calm, clear, hydrated and just healthy looking, which it hasn’t been in a long while. I know it’s not the most wallet-friendly brand, but trust me, it is worth every single penny! As anyone with the troubled skin know the value of good skin days – it gives you wings and this new found zest for life! And that to me is priceless – I am willing to stop spending all my money elsewhere “for the sake of blogging and reviewing content” and truly invest in me, you know?
If you asked me to point out anything bad about the products, the only thing that comes to my mind is that the eye product could do with a different pump – the way it is now, I find it dispenses too much product, and I can’t half-pump it. With the amount it gives, I can easily do under eyes, upper lids, eyebrows, around the lips, and oftentimes I find I still have some product left, which I use on my neck. But that’s a good problem to have, isn’t it?
Bella Aura products have had a make over with new packaging and slight formula tweaks, so this might be the last time You see this packaging, although I am sure my and BA love affair will continue. It’s the same as finding THE ONE – you just know!
You can get it from BellaAura.com (use my code “renata15” to get 15% off your order) and EU distributor for it BeautyWiseShop.be. You can find the list of all other online shops on the Bella Aura website.
(none of the links is affiliate link, just FYI, so we would be on the same page. One of them is an ambassador link, the other is purely for your convenience)
Have you tried Bella Aura products? What are your thoughts on them? Please share, I would love to know!
Psst, keep your eyes peeled for the launch of the new products and my first impression review post very very soon!
That’s all for now! Ta-ta & I will see you here shortly. Always new posts on Tuesdays.
Ps. I have since been asked to be Bella Aura ambassador, and of course, I said yes in a heartbeat!
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*Post features PR products and an ambassador link. So you’d know and we would be on the same page.
