Spring Things Part 2: What I'm Loving from Saf Organics, Marie Veronique Organics, Valentina's Home-Brewed and Dirtea!

SAF ORGANICS (Gluten-Free)

Lavender Mandarin Cleansing Grains -  This is a line that's completely new to me and I have to say, I'm really loving the quality and performance of everything I'm testing out.  The first product I tried was the Lavender Mandarin Cleaning Grains and boy, do I wish I had more of this!  The name of this might be a little deceiving as I found these "grains" to actually be soft and smooth little balls of wonderful.  There's nothing rough or grainy about it.  Rubbed between damp hands, this product turns into a super creamy cleanser that I love.  It feels so pure, fresh and so natural, I would recommend this to everyone.  Oh, and it smells just heavenly!  And at $16, it's a steal. Gluten-free!

Ingredients: pruus dulcis (almond), cocos nucifera (coconut) extract, vegetable glycerin, bolus alba (kaolin) clay, emblica officinalis (marula) oil, (barbadensis) aloe extract, persea armeniaca (apricot) oil, proprietary blend of essential oils.

Spiced Orange Lotion Bars - These are delicious!  Truly.  Not only do they smell wonderful, but they are so moisturizing and feel so good going on that I'm seriously thinking you need this.  With super-hydrating ingredients like shea butter and oils like coconut, avocado and castor, your skin will feel so soft and look so dewy, it's going to be gorgeous on arms, chest and legs for the Spring/Summer months.  My boyfriend loves the scent so much, I've also been applying it to my neck nightly!  Gluten-free!  $10

Ingredients: butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, euphorbia antisphyllitica (candelilla) wax, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, persea americana (avocado) oil, ricinus communis (castor) oil, proprietary blend of essential oils. 

MARIE VERONIQUE ORGANICS

Pacific Lip Treatment  Calling this a lip balm just isn't right, as it's definitely a treatment for the lips.   If you're a lip balm addict or want subtly plumper lips, you're going to love MVO's new anti-aging Pacific Lip Treatment.  Their trademarked MVO LipPlump helps to maintain lip fullness.  This is so wonderful to wear due to the fact that it's so soothing, moisturizing and the scent is so light and pretty!   I keep this next to my bed and use it both on my lips and also on my cuticles...I love multi-functional products!  Oh, and it's a nice-sized (and beautiful) jar for $68.

INGREDIENTS:  Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil*, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil*, cera alba (beeswax), butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, MVO LipPlump™, euphorbia antisyphillitica (candelilla) wax, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E)*, trachelospermum jasminoides (star jasmine) essential oil, polianthes tuberosa (tuberose) essential oil   *organic 

VALENTINA'S HOME-BREWED SPELLS & POTIONS

The Perfume Rollers - How is it that I loved the smell of every single one of Valentina's scents?  I've got Sunny Outlook (a citrus blend of Mandarin, Lemon and Ginger) next to my bed because I love to smell it before I sleep and True Love (Cardamom, Chocolate and Roses) in my handbag.  Prosperity and Psychic Detox hang out around the apartment, and unlike many other fragrances with pure ingredients, I find that these last and are very, very affordable.  $12.99  

INGREDIENTS: Jojoba Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Rosemary Antioxidant, Proprietary Essential Oil Blend.

DIRTEA

Green Tea Scrub/Chia Tea Scrub - This feels like a real body treatment you're giving yourself in the shower.  A gorgeous dark green mossy texture of pure goodness that you rub all over yourself.  It's recommended that you keep this on your skin for a few minutes to let it work its magic, so I've been scrubbing up and shaving or doing something else to let some time go by.  I felt a slight tingle on my skin while I was applying this which I didn't mind at all as I felt it was working.  This left my skin super soft, really clean and fresh.  I recommend going over your skin with a soft cloth to make sure all of the product is removed.  Take note:  this can get messy, but it's just so much fun and it works, so who cares?  $14.95

INGREDIENTS:  Moroccan Mint Green Tea (Freshly Ground Loose Leaf Powder), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil), Water (Aqua), Sodium Chloride (Dead Sea Salt), Sucrose (Organic Cane Sugar), Metha Arvensis (Peppermint Oil), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E). 

*I was generously offered these products to test.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains an Affiliate Link.

NYL Skincare: 100% Vegan and Gluten-Free Skincare That Are MAGNIFICENT!

nyl's starter kit

I'm always happy when a natural/organic/vegan brand contacts me about their products and I look at the ingredient list and packaging and absolutely love it.  So was the story when the Founder of nyl skincare (pronounced nil, as in "nothing") Carol Sondesky reached out to me.  I loved the simplicity of the ingredients, the fact that it's all handmade (at this time) and the simple and clean look of their brand.

I was sent their Starter Kit ($45) which includes:

Whipped Hand & Body Lotion, Organic, 2 fl oz
Velvet Transformative Serum, 1/4 fl oz
Gentle Sugar Body Polish, Organic, 2 fl oz
Organic Rosewater Face Wash, Organic, 2 fl oz 

Whipped Hand & Body Lotion $34
Since I just got back from a short trip and my hands (as we all know when you return from a trip) looked and felt awful, I scrubbed my nails and then applied nyl's Whipped Hand & Body Lotion to my hands before bed.  That would be the test for me...how my hands looked and felt in the morning. They were great - hydrated and soft, but what really impressed me was how super-fast this cream absorbs.  I'm not a fan of creams that feel sticky or slick after you apply.  This is a whipped hand cream that works, feels great and has a very, very light, clean scent.  


Velvet Transformative Serum $60
Usually I'm not a fan of trying new facial oils/ serums as I feel that I already have my favorites (yeah, I'm a face oil snob), but I wanted to try the whole nyl Starter Kit.  This face oil is excellent AND probably the fastest-absorbing oil I've ever used.  If you're one of those people who don't like the feel of oil after applying it, this is for you.  My skin feel super soft (like velvet), hydrated and clear after using it.  And, with these ingredients, you're getting the best of the best:  

Organic Grape Seed Oil, Organic Meadowfoam Seed Oil
 Acai Oil
 Organic Argan Oil
, Blackberry Seed Oil
, Blueberry Seed Oil
 Carrot Seed Oil
, Organic Cranberry Seed Oil
,Marula Oil
, Organic Pomegranate Seed Oil
, Organic Rosehip Seed Oil
, Vegetable Squalene, Vitamin E, Organic Watermelon Seed Oil, Essential Oils

Gentle Sugar Body Polish $34
You know when body polishes have lots of oil that leave you feeling really greasy like you need another shower?  You know when you're slipping in the shower because the container is 1/2 full of an oily mix?  Yeah, well, not here.  This body polish smooths and hydrates and is very easy to use.  Scoop up the gorgeously gold sugar and scrub away.  Love it.  My skin felt really, really soft post-use.


Organic Rosewater Face Wash $28
I would recommend this face wash to those of you with really sensitive skin who want something super pure to cleanse with.  I would also recommend it to those of you who don't like a creamy or overly foamy cleanser.  This a very pure, simple cleanser that would never irritate your skin.  To get an idea of how pure it is, check out the ingredients:

Organic Rosewater, Organic Vegetable Glycerine, Organic Castile Soap 
(Contains: water, organic coconut oil. sunflower oil, castor oil, citric acid, and rosemary extract)

With vegan, gluten-free, organic ingredients that are as effective as they are pretty to look at, I think nyl skincare is going to be one of the big brands in this industry...quote me!


*As mentioned, I was sent the Starter Kit for review.  All opinions are my own.

The Girls of Splurge Skincare Perfect The Body Scrub with, "The Rub"

THE RUB

I fully agree with the founders of Splurge Skincare, Christine Cunningham and Kara Kivi (BTW, I'm loving the alliteration, girls), getting the right body scrub consistency is hard to do.  I've got tons of body scrubs that I've used once and just detested. They're either so oily that you're slipping in the shower and come out feeling like your pores are clogged or the entire container is filled with loose sugar or salt that falls all over the place before you even get down to scrubbin'!

Well, I'm excited to announce that these girls (and very close friends) have nailed it. The Rub has thee perfect consistency.  It's gritty, but not too gritty, is easy to pick up, doesn't disappear when you apply it to wet skin AND it works...exfoliation and hydration city!

The Rub is available in Lemon, Peppermint, Almond and, a soon-to-be-released scent named, "Autumn" which is a delicious blend of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg with a hint of orange...oh, my!  I can't wait to try the other scents...this one is delicious.  I can honestly say that out of all of the body scrubs I've tried, this is my favorite...and I've tried a TON!  $26

LIP BUTTAH

I also tried their Lip Buttah in Lemon.  This is wonderful.  It's so smooth, has excellent green ingredients and also lasts.  I've been wearing it on my lips before bed and wake up and it's still on there, hydrating like it's nobody's business!  The Lip Buttah also comes in Peppermint, Almond and Orange Chocolate. $7

Oh, and by the way, these ladies aren't messing around, their pure and natural ingredients are listed right underneath their products...no greenwashing here!  I love to support small, green businesses who are churning out great product.  I hope you'll give Splurge a shot.