Weleda Makes My Life Easier (Plus a Giveaway!)

Posted by:  Jordan

Our love affair with all things Weleda is no secret–they simply can’t do wrong in our book.  So when they launch new products, Emily and I can’t wait to get our hands on them because we know they won’t disappoint.  And since their products are so amazing, they seldom change them or launch new products, which makes new Weleda goodies all the more exciting.  We’ve got a couple great new items to review, plus a giveaway–our favorite!!!

First up is the One Step Cleanser and Toner.  I’ve been loving this cleanser for its ease.  It really does simplify my morning routine.  When I get up in the morning I never feel fully awake until I brush my teeth and wash my face, so anything that simplifies my morning is an automatic winner.  This cleanser/toner hybrid does just that.  I shake a few drops in the palm of my hand (the consistency is very liquidy) and rub it onto my dry face.  I then splash my face with cool water and I’m done.  No working up a lather, no extra step of adding a toner–I just move on to a tinted SPF moisturizer and some mascara and I’m good for a day of playing with an active little one.  The ingredients are simple and pure and the scent is refreshingly citrusy.  I will say that this is my morning only cleanser (or a makeup-free day cleanser) as I don’t think it removes makeup very well.  I usually prefer a foaming cleanser at night, or occasionally I’ll use a bar soap followed by this cleanser/toner.  Also, and I’m hesitant to even admit this, but since I usually shower at night I will often splash a little of this product under my arms to eliminate any odors before applying deodorant in the morning!  Is that too much information?  Oh well, we passed that point ages ago when I discussed all my natural deodorant trials!

 Also new from Weleda is their line of four body lotions.  They’ve changed the packaging and formulation, plus added a couple new scents to their old line of body lotions and I love all the changes.  They utilize a new Bag in Bottle technology, and an airless dispenser design to protect the formula from discoloration, clumping or clogging and extend shelf life. The pump is an airless system that works with depression – when it is pumped, the bag is tightened until it is empty. Also, the low weight adds a positive impact on the environment.  But the real treat is the lotion itself.  All four scents–citrus, wild rose, pomegranate, and sea buckthorn–are delightful.  The lotion consistency can be deceiving because it’s very thin, so your immediate thought is that it won’t moisturize all day, but that worry is dispelled after the first use.  These lotions are simply fantastic, and I always say if you’re just beginning your natural product switchover, body lotions are the perfect place to start since they go on the largest part of your body, so it’s extra important to use a high quality, natural product since your skin absorbs a lot of what’s put on it.

Ready for the best news?  We have a full-size bottle of Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion to give to one lucky reader!  I love all the scents, but I think citrus is my favorite, followed closely by pomegranate.  Just leave a comment below by Sunday, 9/9 and we’ll pull a random winner to be announced on Monday, 9/10/12.  Bonus entries: one extra entry if you like Product Junkies Rehab on Facebook, and another entry if you like Weleda’s facebook page.  Just let us know in the comments if you’re fans of either/both.  Good luck!

Juice Beauty Cleansing Milk and Antioxidant Serum

Posted by:  Jordan

I have been meaning to review these two products for a couple of weeks now, and since Juice Beauty’s Friends and Family event is going on right now until midnight tonight, 5/21/12, I wanted to get this review posted in case you wanted to take advantage of the 25% discount and free shipping (use code FF2012).  I won both of these products in a contest that Juice Beauty was having on their Facebook page.  I suggest you like their page because they’re often doing fun giveaways on it, and you know I can’t resist a giveaway!

Now, if you’re still clinging to your “gentle” Cetaphil cleanser, please do me a favor and toss it out for something that isn’t filled with nasty chemicals.  Replace  it with a truly gentle, organic cleansing milk, like this one.  I love the creamy texture (different from the Juice Beauty Organic Facial Wash that Emily really likes which is more oil/water, and she says is amazing!).  The scent, like all Juice Beauty products, is fruity and delicious.  I like to use this cleanser both morning and night–yes, it even removes makeup completely (I use a wash cloth to help exfoliate and remove stubborn eye makeup).  One note from my trials–I once applied this cleanser to my dry face to remove makeup and then got into the shower a few minutes later and used my Clarisonic to remove the cleanser.  For some odd reason it made my sensitive skin get very red and irritated for about a half hour afterwards, which has never happened before or since.  It must have been the powerful organic extracts that performed a mild chemical peel, because it did the same thing to my skin that the Green Apple Peel mask does after I use it (which is not a bad thing–it just gets it kind of red because the fruit acids are exfoliating).  So, if you’re going straight out after your shower, maybe don’t apply the cleanser and let it sit on your skin for 5 minutes like I did (unless you want the mild acid exfoliation!)

The other product I won was the Antioxidant Serum.  This is a gentle, daily serum that is wonderful for sensitive skin.  The formula is very light-weight and soaks in immediately, allowing you to put your moisturizer on right afterwards.  It’s hard for me to comment on the efficacy, though.  I don’t notice a dramatic difference after using this serum for the past 3 months (and I still have more than half the bottle left!), but the point of this product isn’t an overnight improvement; rather, it’s to keep your skin healthy by feeding it with antioxidants to prevent free radicals from forming.  I love this serum and I would definitely recommend it for younger people who want a daily preventative serum.  Since my skin is redness-prone, I’d like to try the Soothing Serum next to compare the two.

Thank you, Juice Beauty, for the fun giveaway.  I love my winnings!  If you’d like to try these products too, don’t delay–the Friends and Family event ends in just a few hours!

Calling All Dreamsicle Lovers

Posted by:  Jordan

I just got home from visiting my mom in Chicago and she bought my baby the most incredible bath products: organic shampoo & body wash and baby lotion from Earth Mama Angel Baby.  It goes without saying that the ingredients are as clean as can be, and now my baby is too because I couldn’t stop bathing her, thanks to these addictive products!  I usually only bathe her every 2-3 days, but I was so in love with these products that I wanted to give her a bath every night so she’d smell just like a Dreamsicle.  The natural orange-vanilla scent was soft and sweet, not cloying and overpowering.  I also loved the design of the bottle with the self-foaming dispenser.  It makes washing her squirmy body even easier since the liquid soap is already foamed for you and you don’t lose a portion of the soap in the water.  I used this deliciously scented natural soap on myself, too, and I can attest that it doubles as a wonderful foaming shave cream for my legs.

After  bathing I applied the Angel Baby Lotion on my daughter’s skin and it was left soft and sweet-smelling.  Of course, I used it for myself too and love it as an everyday body lotion.  It has the perfect, non-greasy lotion consistency, the scent is addictive (have I mentioned yet that I love the orange-vanilla scent??), and it’s very moisturizing.  My skin usually dries out pretty quickly in the dry, cold Midwestern air, but this trip neither of us had any scaly, dry patches.  I reluctantly left these delightful products at my mom’s house so they would be there for our next visit, so I’m thinking that once we run out of our current supplies, we’re going to need some of these products at our house as well.

If you’re going to a baby shower, these would make a perfect gift along with a cute bath towel and wash cloths.  Ditch the cheap Johnson & Johnson standby lotions with synthetic fragrances and cancer-causing ingredients and upgrade to these healthy, gourmet-smelling products (remember to print out the $1 off coupon online!). And don’t just write these off as a baby product–I love them just as much for myself!

Quick Fixes and Multi-Taskers: Essentials for a New Mom

Posted by:  Jordan

Apologies for the lack of posts…the end of 2011 has been hectic with a new baby, so not only have I had less time to blog, but I’ve also unfortunately had less time to test out new beauty products.  My daughter is currently napping on my husband’s chest, so I’m taking the gift of a few quiet minutes to updates you guys on a few of my favorite products that I haven’t yet had a chance to report on.

As a new mom, spare time for myself is a luxury.  So any product that is a multi-tasker is a huge plus.  Multi-tasking is what Skin and Bones excels at.  Skin and Bones is a company that sells only two products–a cleanser and a moisturizer–and handy products they are.  The 100% natural and vegan cleanser is a face and body cleanser with just a touch of exfoliating black jojoba beads, so this one product can replace your face cleanser, body cleanser, and exfoliator.  Think of this cleanser as a really glamorous alternative to Dr. Bronner’s.  Note:  Like Dr. Bronner’s, I don’t recommend this product as a shampoo replacement (even though Skin & Bones doesn’t advertise it as a shampoo on their website, I wanted to give it a try for test purposes).  It’s not terrible, and it would do in a pinch, but it left my fine hair too heavy and greasy looking.  However, on the night I tested this cleanser as a shampoo, my husband commented–out of the blue, not knowing I had tested out a new “shampoo”– that my hair looked nice and had a lot of body (I didn’t even know he knew that hair could have “body”).  He doesn’t normally seem to notice things like when I haven’t washed my hair in 3 days, so to have him comment on it said something.  So there you go!  To each his own.

The other Skin and Bones product is their 100% organic all-purpose moisturizing oil.  This oil can be used as a body/face/cuticle/hair moisturizer, a massage oil, an invigorating scalp oil, stretch mark preventer…the list goes on and on.  Really, you can use it on anything that ails you!  The scent of both products is pleasingly unisex and woodsy, so they’re great for the whole family (as long as you’re not against woodsy, spicy scents).  Both of these items are perfect for travel since they replace so many products.  They even sell a TSA-approved travel size of the moisturizer on their website.  For an extra skin-exfoliating boost, just grab a sugar packet from the hotel coffee nook and add it to a handful of the oil to create a perfect travel-friendly exfoliator.

Another product that I’m enjoying in my new-mom beauty routine is a quick 5 minute exfoliating facial mask from Naturopathica.  The Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel is a speedy way to brighten and smooth my sleep-deprived skin.  The cherry scent is just like fresh squeezed cherry juice, and nothing like the artificial cherry scent you know from your childhood “red flavored” popsicles.  Thanks to the lactic acid, wine extract, and salicylic acid, after just 5 minutes of having this mask on my skin (something even I can find time to do a couple of times  a week–I like to put it on in the evening while brushing my teeth), my face more resembles my baby’s super-soft skin, and less like my calloused heels.  Though it’s quick-working, it’s super gentle and doesn’t make my sensitive skin red at all.

Hope everyone has a happy new year.  Here’s to a naturally beautiful 2012!

Lanolin Agg Tval – Swedish Eggwhite Facial Soap

Posted by:  Jordan

My mom and I are both suckers for cute packaging, so when we saw this soap at a Scandinavian gift shop in Geneva, IL, we couldn’t resist trying it out.  And isn’t the folksy charm of this soap just too cute not to buy?  Especially when the product promises Old World Nordic beauty results.   This facial soap is made with a vegetable base, rich lanolin and glycerine, egg white powder, and rose water.  I find that the fattiness of the lanolin (lanolin comes from the fat of sheep’s wool, so this soap is not vegan-friendly; however, this product is not tested on animals) and the calming rose water help alleviate the tight feeling that the egg whites impart.

The pore-tightening quality of the egg whites is what makes this soap unique.  I use it once or twice a week as a mini-facial by first removing any makeup, then creating a rich lather and letting the soapy lather sit on your skin for a few minutes–thereby allowing the egg whites to do their thing.  Rinse off with cool water to give your skin a brightening little pick-me-up.

I really love using bar soaps while traveling–no liquids to have to worry about spilling all over your bag, or making sure you abide by the TSA’s 3 oz travel restrictions.

You can buy this adorable Swedish facial soap at various gift shops or online at Amazon for about $5-$6 a bar, which is a great deal considering it will last you months if you only use it a couple of times a week.  Makes for a great hostess gift/stocking stuffer, or just a treat for yourself!  It’s amazing how happy a $5 adorably packaged box of soap sitting on my bathroom sink can make me!

Update 3/9/12:  Thanks to a sleuthy reader who has been trying to find this soap, it has been discovered that there is something fishy going on.  You can’t find the original formulation of this soap–by the Victoria Company– in stores anywhere!  I did notice that a seller on Amazon has a 6-bar box for sale, but who knows how many they have in stock since there seems to be a nationwide (worldwide?) shortage.  If  you find the imposter soap by the Kala company that looks to be nearly identical in packaging, be forewarned that it’s not the original formula;  I hear the new version is quite drying, but I haven’t personally tried it.  The photo below is what the new soap looks like; if you’re trying to find the original formula that I fell in love with last summer, this isn’t it.  There is a lawsuit currently in progress filed by the Victoria company against Kala, so hopefully our original eggwhite soap formula will return to us soon!

John Masters Organics Rose Foaming Face Wash

Posted by:  Jordan

Emily has already declared her love for John, but until recently I hadn’t tried any of the John Masters products (though they were top of my list forever!).  I’m so glad I finally had the opportunity to buy a new product, because I’m loving my latest JMO purchase.

I’ve been really trying to control myself recently and not buy things until I run out of something and need a replacement.  Luckily, I had run out of my foaming face wash and was in the market for a new one.  (I love when I actually need a new product and I don’t have to feel guilty about making a spontaneous purchase on something I don’t even need!)  I prefer to use a foaming face wash in the evening, after using a homemade olive oil makeup remover.  I find it helps remove all makeup residue, whereas using a creamy cleanser in the morning helps keep my skin hydrated.  Speaking of hydration, pregnancy has depleted my skin of moisture–even in the humid days of summer!  I’ve never had this problem before.  So that made my search for a new foaming face wash even more specific, because I couldn’t use one that would strip away any moisture my face desperately needs.

While browsing the facial cleansers at my local health food store, I immediately spotted the simple, signature JMO brown and ivory packaging.  I’m such a sucker for a beautifully packaged product, and I love how clean and simple John Masters is.  Just what I want out of my facial cleanser too–clean and simple!  I decided on the Rose Foaming Face Wash because it said it was meant for normal/dry skin.  And clean & simple it proves to be: it smells fresh and lovely (not actually all that rosy, for those crazy people who don’t like rose scents–Jamie, I’m talking to you, strange girl!).  But most importantly, it leaves my face feeling clean without stripped of moisture.  Yet another success from John Masters Organics!

No Hope in Soap

Posted by: Emily

I suppose, in borrowing from the old anti-drug slogan “no hope in dope,” that I am comparing my old favorite, soap-based cleansers to drugs, but it’s not that far off.

They’re not good for you (harsh soap stripes your face of all natural moisture and healthy oils), they’re not great for the environment (many of these soap cleansers have SLSs), and they’re really hard to quit!

And, like drugs, there’s an awful lot of peer pressure to use soap. Think of all those commercials with the foamy cleansers

Yeah, right. I always look this put-together when washing my face. And I only lather half of it! Yeah, right!

those completely-made-up girls are using, trying to look like they’re not wearing any makeup at all, of course, like  they just have naturally poreless, perfect skin. And they only ever use the foamy mess on half their faces– have you noticed this? Check out any Neutrogena commercial and you’ll see what I mean. It looks nothing like when the rest of us wash our faces for real– they’re so neat and tidy– but I digress.

 

 

 

So I’m getting clean. I thought I could not live without foaming cleansers to remove my makeup and clean my  face, but I have been testing out two non-foaming cleansers lately and I am a convert!

Before I tell you all about them, I do have to make a disclaimer:  not all foaming soaps are bad for you or the environment– there are some great exceptions, like Dr. Bronner’s soaps, which foam through the magic of coconut oils and use no synthetic foaming agents. I’ve never tried it on my face, though, and wouldn’t necessary recommend that, though I don’t know why. I just happen to prefer cleansers that are made specifically for the sensitive skin of my face, and perhaps in that way, I am a total marketing target, but I’m okay with that.

Here are the two non-foaming cleansers that have won me over:

Juice Beauty Organic Facial Wash

I am a big fan of this whole line, and the Organic Facial Wash is my favorite. At $22, it’s a little pricey, but it lasts for a long time, and it really works. It doesn’t foam, but it almost feels like it does– I always peek my eyes open while massaging it into my skin to see if it’s foamy, which it never is, but it feels soft and thorough like my old soap cleansers did. You have to shake it before use because the oils separate, which does not make it high maintenance, in my opinion. I use two pumps and have never had any makeup residue come off on my washcloth when patting dry. And the best part? It doesn’t give me that squeaky-clean over-dry feeling that soap cleansers did. I used to think that was the standard of clean, till I learned that’s actually a bad thing! This cleanser leaves my skin feeling fresh, clean, and a little bit moisturized! It contains many yummy, good-for-you oils.

Weleda Gentle Cleansing Milk

I have always been skeptical of cleansing milks– I didn’t think they could remove my makeup. However, this is a new product from our beloved Weleda, and you know how I love everything they make, so I had to try it! And it works! I have used it on damp skin and on dry skin, and either way, I massage some into my skin, rinse, and follow with the companion Refining Toner, and it removes my makeup and leaves my skin fresh and clean! I couldn’t believe it, but then again, it is Weleda!

One last disclaimer: Neither of these products takes off my mascara (I know, I know, I’m still using a non-natural waterproof mascara, ugh!) so I do that first with a swipe of Weleda Almond Facial Oil or any Argan Oil, and then these cleansers take off whatever remains.

An Introduction to Eminence Organics

Posted by:  Jordan

I’ve titled this post as an introduction to Eminence Organics because I have a hunch that this is going to be an ongoing love affair.  Plus, this all-natural Hungarian company has about a million products to explore and undoubtedly fall in love with…so I know this isn’t just a fling!

I first found out about Eminence from my friend, Mary Ann, who had fallen in love with the facials at the beautiful Ballantyne Spa in Charlotte, NC.  I remember her emailing me about the Blueberry Soy Repair Masque several months ago, which I’ve yet to try, but I did smell it in the tester jar and was blown away–it actually looks and smells like real blueberries!  I wanted to spread it on an english muffin.  I know I shouldn’t be surprised by that, considering all Eminence products are made with organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs, but it still shocks me to see something that looks and smells so deliciously edible as a face mask.

My second experience with Eminence was in January of this year when I went to the Go Green Organic Spa near Soho in Manhattan, where they use exclusively Eminence’s organic, high-quality products.  This facial was hands-down the best I’ve ever had.  It wasn’t particularly glamorous or spa-like with all the fluff and extras of a day spa, but what they make up for with the outcome of their facials, as well as the affordable prices (if you book through Lifebooker you can normally get the 75 minute $170 facial for only $85!) is jaw dropping.  After all the poking and prodding that the expert esthetician did on my face, I was fearful to look in the mirror.  But, 2 hours later (she spent an EXTRA 45 minutes on me because she had some time before her next client!) when I was handed the mirror, my face was clear and not a trace of redness to be found!  I was absolutely dumbstruck at the amazing outcome of this facial.  So, I’ve been anxious to return to Go Green ever since then (my next appointment is in a month–whee!).

While at Go Green I decided to buy the Clear Skin Priobiotic Masque, which is incredible.  I’m not going to lie, Eminence products are luxury items…this  mask was $54!  But it truly does last a super long time (I’ve been using this mask 2-3 times a week for over 3 months now and I’ve barely used 1/4 of the jar because, as with all Eminence products, you only have to use a very small amount).  This mask is such a treat to use–from the fresh cucumber smell to the cooling sensation from the yogurt, to the resulting smoother, clearer skin, it’s absolutely worth it’s price.

Just last weekend I was in Charlotte visiting Mary Ann and we made a pilgrimage to the Ballantyne Spa for facials.  Of course, I couldn’t leave without buying myself a new Eminence treat–but what to choose from all the amazing products that were used during my facial?!  I finally decided upon the tinted Sun Defense SPF 30 Mineral Powder in Peaches & Cream, which protected my skin from the sunny Spring day while also camouflaging any lingering redness.  I’ve been loving using this product (an update to my Bare Minerals mineral foundation) as either a thin veil of protective powder over my 100% Pure Tinted Moisturizer, or on its own as a powder foundation.  My only small complaint is that the application brush can leave little bristles on your face (this happens with my Bare Minerals brush as well).  So I think you’d have to have a mirror handy, just for this reason, otherwise you could apply this foundation blindly and it would be fine because it blends so well.

I’ve also tried a few samples of other Eminence products and each one is equally incredible–my favorites being the Bearberry Eye Cream (which moisturizes like a dream, but soaks in immediately, thereby making makeup application even quicker) and the creamy Coconut Milk Cleanser (which removes makeup easily and smells like a day at the beach, except leaving your skin soft and hydrated, rather than sunburnt and itchy!  The perfect cleanser for easily irritated skin.)

You can buy Eminence Organics products from natural spas in your area or online at several places, including Amazon. If you’d like to experience the perfection that is Eminence Organics, leave a comment below–I have 2 sample-sized containers of the Bearberry Eye Cream to give away to PJR  readers.  My sample jar has lasted me for about 2 months of twice-daily use!  I’ll choose 2 names at random, so enter by Sunday, 4/10/11 at midnight EST!

*Update, 5/2/11: I went back to Go Green Organic Spa for my second facial this past weekend and I was sadly disappointed.  I had a different facialist this time and she was nowhere close in skill to the woman I had the first time.  The facial was fine, but not nearly the “wow factor” that I got the first time around.  Moral of the story: if you get a great facial, get the name of the person you had…this was my mistake and I fear I’ll never find her again!

Sharing the Love – A Valentine’s Day Guest Post + Giveaway!

Posted by:  Guest poster, Amy

So I apologize that this post is a little long but I just have to spend my Valentine’s Day sharing the love with all of you and letting you in know about my favorite skincare company, Cocoon Apothecary.

Last summer, while on a quest for the perfect facial moisturizer, I discovered Jessica Berman and her Canadian based company. After seeing nothing but positive, glowing reviews, a very low hazard rating (almost all products are a 0) on Skin Deep, and a short list of ingredients I could actually recognize, I ordered the Rosey Cheeks Facial Cream and immediately fell in love. I really can’t say enough good things about it and I have even stopped trying anything else (which says a lot since I am a product junkie).  There is just no need to continue my quest because I have found my skin’s soul mate. I love the non-greasy feel, how quickly it soaks in, and how soft my skin feels in the morning when I wake up. The cream also smells great – a light rose smell that is not overwhelming and doesn’t remind me of my grandmother (which most flowery/rosy scents do!).  I also love that I have found a product that I can use year-round and that lasts a long time.  In the summer I was using one pump of product and have now transitioned to two small pumps for my extra dry winter skin.

So after I couldn’t get enough of the Rosey Cheeks I decided to also try some other products and moved on to the skin care set (which as a side note is a great value – you basically get a free product!). The set includes full size bottles of the Petal Purity Facial Cleanser, the Rose Dew Facial Toner, and my favorite Rosey Cheeks.  I have been using the three for about 6 months now (my true test of a product is time so I can see how it transitions and works with me on a daily basis) and I have to say all three are really amazing. I have never gotten so many compliments on my complexion! The cleanser took me a little while to get used to because you first apply it without water, then rinse it off (something I had never tried before) but I have grown to love it because it doesn’t strip or over-dry my face and does a great job removing makeup. The toner is also wonderful and reminds me a lot of my favorite Thayer’s Rose Petal Witch Hazel, but even better because I can spritz it on instead of having to constantly buy cotton pads/balls!

I am also deeply in love with the Touchy Feely Lavender Body Lotion which I use every night. It has such a relaxing light smell and makes my dry skin so soft and smooth! I more recently got the Magic Bean Body Lotion and it works just as well and smells amazing – like chocolate coffee! The Magic Bean is on sale for 50% off on the website until February 28^th so I would definitely recommend trying it out!

As an added bonus the product packaging details will warm your heart. Not only are all of these products naturally good for your skin, but they come in glass bottles which means a happier environment and no risk of plastic chemicals leaking in to your products. They also have wonderful pumps that don’t break/clog and really allow you to control how much comes out with each pump – so no waste!

To help me share the love with a lucky reader, Jessica has generously donated a full size bottle of her Petal Purity Exfoliating Cleanser (which I have next on my list to try so would love to hear what the winner thinks!). Please enter by writing a comment on this blog post and we will draw the name of a lucky winner on Friday, 2/18 at midnight EST. In the meantime give yourself a little love today and check out Cocoon Apothecary!

100% Positive

Posted by: Emily

Occasionally, procrastination can be really helpful!

I have been putting off writing this review for weeks, because what I had to say wasn’t totally positive, and as you know if you read the blog regularly, we try really hard to mostly review products we love so that we can be positive. Of course, we occasionally feel compelled to let you know about a funny-smelling product, or to warn you against a pricey product on which we don’t want you to waste your money, but generally we’d rather write about stuff we just adore.

We adore the company 100% Pure, so when I was looking for a new foaming cleanser, I decided to buy theirs, sure I’d love it, so that I could then share the love with you.
But at first, I was not 100% Sure.

The cleanser I bought was the Cucumber Juice Facial Cleansing Foam, for Sensitive Skin types. I was excited because it really is 100% pure, and doesn’t even have any added scents, essential oils, nothing. It is about as simple as can be.

I can be a bit lazy (witness these slippers my mom gave me for Hanukkah, for those who really hate to clean!) so I liked that this is a self-foaming cleanser. Hey, when half the work is done for you, there is no excuse not to wash your face, even when it’s late and you already fell asleep watching TV on the couch. No that that has EVER happened to me It’s $18, which I do find steep, but Duane Reade has that great deal at their Look Boutiques for New Yorkers where you get $5 off any purchase over $15, so I figured I’d go for it.

And at first, I was not impressed. It took 4 or 5 pumps of the foam to really cover my face in cleanser, and even then, one night, I wiped my ”clean” face off on my new, organic, white towel, to see ugly streaks of makeup left behind! I figured it was user-error, being that it was midnight and I was feeling exceptionally lazy and grumpy having already been asleep on the couch with the TV going, and awoken gently by my loving husband, reminding me that I might want to wash, brush, and relocate to bed, so I decided to give it another chance.

And the same thing happened again (or was it the same makeup streaks from last time, because I was too lazy to wash that towel? We’ll never know) and I was about to give up on the Cucumber Juice Facial Cleansing Foam.

Too lazy to return it to Duane Reade (though apparently the Look Boutique has a great return policy, even for products one has tried) I put the Foam in my shower, figuring it’d be great for a light cleanse after Yoga, when I had no makeup on to begin with. I used it several times in that case, and was able to enjoy the light, fresh cucumber scent and how soft the foam felt, how it didn’t leave my skin tight or dry, and how even though I had to use several pumps of the foam, it didn’t seem to diminish the amount of liquid in the bottle very fast. On the contrary, it was lasting a really long time, making me feel like the price I paid was quite fair, given the amount of washings I was getting out of it.

And then, a Hanukkah miracle happened (Hanukkah is the holiday of miracles, specifically things lasting longer/working better than anticipated) and I found myself in the shower a few nights ago, having not only gotten in with a full face of makeup, but also forgotten to take off my mascara with Argan Oil first, as I always do, because most cleansers cannot handle mascara, and the only cleanser in my shower was, of course, the Cucumber Juice Facial Cleansing Foam.

So, again, too lazy to get out of the shower (do you notice a theme here?) to get Argan Oil or a different cleanser, and also not wanting to drip water all over the bathroom, which I would then have to clean, I decided to try the 100% Pure cleanser on makeup again. I ended up using it twice– once to really scrub off the mascara, and again on the whole face, and was shocked when exiting the shower 30 minutes later (yeah, I take really long showers, okay!) to find I had no raccoon eyes, no mascara residue, and absolutely no makeup left on my face! No makeup on my fresh, clean white towels (yes, I eventually washed them, thank you).

Apparently the secret to this cleanser is to use it twice in a row. Lather, rinse, repeat. And since, as I have mentioned, the foam is so light, fluffy, and non-drying, there are no downsides to using it twice in one washing, and since I have mentioned how a few pumps of foam doesn’t make much of a dent on the amount of cleanser in the bottle, there was no downside there to washing twice. (Also, with this method, I find I can get away with 3 pumps twice, as opposed to 5 pumps once, so we’re really only talking about one extra pump per use).
I must also make a confession, just to prove how well the foam worked: I had been wearing a [non-natural] waterproof mascara  that day. And the cleanser removed it ALL! That is the mark of a great cleanser, folks. [And as to why I was wearing said mascara, it is part of my continuing on-going saga of being a regular crier in a world where I need to look put-together for long amounts of time, and it's something I am working on-- not the crying, that's just who I am, but the wearing of non-natural mascara-- and I will write more about this dilemma soon, I promise.]
In conclusion, thanks to my being lazy and procrastinating for a few weeks, I can now say I’m a total fan of this foaming cleanser. Just do it twice if you’re wearing a lot of makeup.  Trust me, lazy people, it may seem like more work, but in the end, it will save you from having to re-wash towels, which is a lot more effort than washing your face again once it’s already wet and the cleaner foams itself…