There’s nothing like laying down a good wishlist while sitting back and relaxing, it’s like having a guilt-free virtual shopping spree without really…shopping. I’m sorry but my wishlist consists mostly of stuff you can’t get here…that’s why I wish, right. This isn’t my holiday wishlist, it’s just…random. With this though I’ve been a bit of a cheat in making it for today because one or two of the items are on their way to me from weeks ago already. A friend of mine is bringing back a facial oil from SG and the rollerballs might arrive with some friends from the U.S., just might, and the book I bought from ebay just hasn’t arrived yet. However, since those items are nowhere in sight yet at present I decided there was no need to exclude them from the list because I’m still excited for when they do arrive. I’ve noticed at my age, right before hitting the big THREE-OH next year, I’ve become more interested in the skincare, wellness, and fragrance realms in beauty. There’s generally less makeup on board and I’ve obviously got that bath and body buzz going for me right now. I know you’re curious about what I mentioned in the previous post so let’s go with that first. This organic beauty wonder arrives for me in November thanks to a friend.
1.) PAI Rosehip Bioregenerate Fruit & Seed Blend facial oil – “High levels of Trans-Retinoic Acid are delivered directly to the epidermis, which converts to Vitamin A to boost the skin’s natural healing process. Clinical studies show Rosehip is effective at improving the appearance of scars, stretch marks, sun damage and fine lines.Rosehip BioRegenerate™ is unique in containing concentrated fruit hip oil, with double the regenerative sterols and five times the carotenoids of seed oil. Premium CO2 supercritical extraction delivers the complete and concentrated properties of the plant. This makes Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate™ far more powerful than simple cold pressed Rosehip seed oils.” – Price: Converted about Php1450, not bad at all for well-processed organics.
I first heard about Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate facial oil from the WorshipBlues blogof that Fushigi Shop lady and I’m hoping it’ll replace the current serum I’m using by Kiehl’s because I’m just sharing with Mom at the moment. I heart her blog and frequent it almost without fail. She’s not purely a beauty blogger is and is a married Japanese woman based in London. She said this facial oil was wonderful for her reactive, sensitive skin *fist pump* and I’ve even heard it remedies contact dermatitis and rosacea or acts simply as an anti-oxidant cocktail for the skin. I’m quite excited to try it and use it in the same way I’m currently using the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate serum (previous post). Pai organics UK only ships as far as Singapore or HK in our region I think so if you have friends there they’re your best shot. Read more to see my entire imaginary ‘Ber Months’ Shopping Spree.
2.) FRESH Seaberry Exfoliating Soap – “The nourishing formula is fortified with omega-rich seaberry oil and is triple-milled to last longer. It produces a lush, non-drying lather for a luxurious cleansing experience.”Key Ingredients: Cranberry, Bitter Orange, and Rosemary
I did tell you I got the bath and body buzz…I’m still tipsy for bubbly, scrubby, and lovely smelling products. This brand is known more for its fabulous sugar lip products but nobody really nails organic fragrant scents like fresh. They draw the line just where needed so that their products are not too “foodie” and are more fragrant. I’m excited to see how this soap lathers up and what sort of scent it embraces me with this cozy season.
3.) FRAGRANCE ROLLERBALLS @ Sephora – Brown Sugar by Fresh, Stella by Stella McCartney, and Amazing Grace by Philosophy, $20 and below each
A couple I knew mentioned they were heading to the U.S. soon so they asked if I wanted them to bring home anything. I thought of these 3 rollerball fragrances that are easy to bring back and are available at just 1 place, Sephora, which are just between sample size and the smallest full size available, of course you get more value for money with full sizes but it’s still MORE money in the end and at least you can try more than one. They’re also prettier (but not more cost efficient) than Travalo refillable atomizers in the sense that they’re “officially dinky” and have got the fragrance branding on. I’m not quite sure if rollerballs are refillable…if they were that would be wonderful especially if you decided on a full size afterwards. Click read more to get the full post.
4.) ORGANIC SURGE Fresh Ocean Super Smooth Salt Scrub – “Pure salt granules encapsulated in a blend of natural oils and shea butter, with invigorating rosemary, lemon, and lime essential oils.” Price: US$50.00 or GBP 32.00
This salt scrub sounds like it takes exfoliating to another level, there’s not much to say except I’ve heard good things about this value for money organic brand from UK blogs Lipglossiping and London Makeup girl plus this exfoliant doesn’t sound rough…grainy smooth perhaps. The salt scrub is only 1 of 2 luxury items on the Organic Surge site, the rest of their range generally don’t hit the same price mark and are $20 and below. Like Pai, Organic Surge is also a UK brand.
5.)L’occitane Bonne Mere Honey Gentle Body Wash – “Enriched with softening and nourishing honey, Bonne Mere Gentle Body Wash Honey melts onto the skin, gently cleansing and moisturizing. Great for the whole family,* this creamy formula leaves the skin soft, hydrated and lightly scented.” Price: US $34.00
I love a good, rich body wash and I especially love bath and body products from baby ranges simply because brands always manufacture the best stuff for babies so you know you’re safe, more or less. That’s how the world works, lots of brands deduce that once you’re out of diapers nothing can harm you as much, or so they think (a point that will bring me to the last item on the list later on). This also comes in a Milk variant which I’d probably also love to have side by side with this one for variety in the shower. L’occitane is available locally, I’ve seen a full boutique at Rockwell and there are lots of other places that carry L’occitane.
6.) MAC Harmony Blush – Finish: Matte, Off Website: US $20, Local: Php1300
Why? Simply because it’s the matte sister of Trace Gold sheertone shimmer blush which I have already reviewed and absolutely like and it’s a ruddy sunkissed color great for fall. This would be great if I’m not in the mood for sheen and is particularly pretty on medium fair oriental skin. And last but not the least…is a book!
7.) NO MORE DIRTY LOOKS: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics is an exciting new book from journalists Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt. Your lipstick. Your nail polish. Your conditioner. Most of us don’t realize that the products we use every day can expose us to thousands of chemicals that are readily absorbed through our skin. The impact on your health? It’s not pretty. In this must-read new book, Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt leave no bottle unturned. They found out all kinds of things the cosmetics industry doesn’t want you to know, and now they’re going to share it with you.
• The most dangerous ingredients in widely-used brands— and how they’re still not regulated
• Insider secrets from top scientists, dermatologists, and experts
• The 100 best clean makeup, hair care, and skin care products
• Cheap and simple do-it-yourself beauty recipes
Nuff said, right? I learned about this book when I was invited for a week of free beauty and wellness courses online by the people of Powhow in New York, Colette Paris, and French Vogue. The founder of organic personal care brand Soapwalla mentioned this book and I scored one off ebay. It was written by two women who decided enough was enough with millions of women being led to believe what some beauty products are made of when in fact a lot of cosmetic and even hygienic gunk has made its way onto our faces and into our systems thanks to the lack of knowledge and the way some brands can tend to edit or tweak information. So this is currently on its way to me, it cost US $18.00 plus shipping, not bad considering the price hike you get sometimes (not all the time) from places like Fully Booked. It was the only purchase I made using just some of my earnings from writing online and it’s the first time I’ve bought a book from ebay, but it’s not yet here, so on the wishlist it stays. Can’t wait for this to arrive! In this day of digital distraction and intermittent interruption there’s nearly nothing as relaxing as curling up to a good book and reading it all the way through. Watch this super cute video my mom shared which kind of makes the point.