REVIEW: SheaMoisture African Black Soap...

Yay for Spring hey lovelies! And you know what that means - time to begin peeling away multiple layers of clothing, and ultimately revealing a bit more skin as the weather warms up. And if your Winter skin is anything like mine, you might need a bit of help preparing for the big reveal, well legs and arms anyway. So here is what's been helping me transform my cold weather scaly bits - the SheaMoisture African Black Soap range. I'd never heard of this brand until I was recently invited to trial their Jamaican Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Hair suite of products for beautyheaven, and I was so impressed with the quality, natural ingredients, moisturising properties AND the cruelty-free philosophy, I ordered this "body pack" from their website and it's still on special ♥...

This range is particularly for troubled skin - acne, psoriasis & eczema, none of which I'm dealing with (fortunately) but I figure if it's designed to comfort, balance and soothe any of those icky troubles, it could only be of benefit to my flaky old skin, and I figured right. Here's what's NOT in the products:

No Parabens

No Phthalates

No Paraffin

No Mineral Oil

No DEA

No Petroleum

No Formaldehyde

No Propylene

No Sulfates

It's a four generation-owned family business, they only test on themselves, and the shea butter they use is Certified Organic and Fair Trade. So let's get on with the goodies, and what else IS in them ♥...

African Black Soap Premium Large Bar Soap  (230g, $13.95)

Oh wow, I wasn't prepared for this to be so good! It smells fantastic, and it's such a massive size that will last forever because you only need a couple of rubs on your flannel for a complete head to toe cleansing experience. The bubbles literally go on forever, and my skin is left feeling soothed, nourished and hydrated. The fragrance reminds me of those white milk bottle lollies, so I guess that puts it in the category of sweetened vanilla - it's a subtle scent, but ever so delicious, and I love this so much I've already bought another cake for the hand basin ♥...

African Black Soap Body Wash (384ml, $24.95)

Well now, pretty much the same goes for this Body Wash - one squirt from the pivot cap and you've enough softening and intensely moisturising suds to last all the way down to your toes. The bubbles are amazing - so creamy and rich, and yet the shower floor isn't the slightest bit slippery. The fragrance is distinct and yet very delicate - like vanilla baby powder, but sweeter. The liquid is darkest brown with little black speckles, which I reckon are Cocoa Pod Ash, but that's a guess. The ingredients list goes on for a bit, but the number one position goes to aloe vera. There's also coconut, shea butter, Vitamin E, oat bran extract and palm. My skin feels SO soft after showering and I'm officially declaring this to be my new favourite body wash! ♥♥♥...

African Black Soap Soothing Body Mask (340g)

This mask was the last one I tried from the bundle, only because it requires quite a bit of skin exposure for 20 minutes, and I've been waiting for a warmer day so I could partake of its goodness. Well, the day came and I slathered this on my chest and upper arms, and what a difference there was after I rinsed off - instantly soft, smooth, becalmed and refined skin! Ok so we have bentonite, kaolin, shea butter, charcoal powder, cocoa pod ash, tea tree oil, colloidal oatmeal, jojoba oil, allantoin, tamarind extract, calendula extract and rice bran oil in the mix - with all that, how could my skin be anything but sensational? Again this light grey creamy paste has the delicate fragrance of milk bottle lollies. Divine! It's not listed separately on their website as yet, but I'm guessing that it will eventually be available to buy on its own ♥♥♥...

African Black Soap Bamboo Charcoal Body Scrub W/Tea Tree Oil (170g)

You know I love all of these products, but this Body Scrub just might be my pick of the bunch - it's one of the best body scrubs I've ever had the pleasure to use. A thick pale pearly grey concoction primarily of mango seed oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, bamboo charcoal and tea tree oil, you can see the teeny black charcoal grains that gently slough all the rough bits off your bod, and leave your skin as smooth as silk. It has a very faint vanilla charcoal scent which I doubt would bother anyone, and while twice weekly use is recommended, it's so gentle I've been scrubbing all over every second day because it's that darn good, and an absolute delight to use. It's in short supply at the moment so this one isn't listed separately on their website either, but fingers crossed that will change soon ♥♥♥... 

As always I am IMPELLED to share the love when I find something that really rings my chimes, so I'm giving away a couple of the delicioso products from their range...

There's a jar of their Balancing Moisturiser, which I haven't tried, but it was sent to me by mistake as part of the body pack. I contacted the company, and they sent me the missing body wash, and then very kindly said I could keep the cream or give it to someone who might need it. Nice one! As I have enough moisturisers to last me till 2025 (I'm joking, but it sure looks that way on my bench), I'm passing it onto one of your lovelies, plus one of the regular sized soap bars, which incidentally is safe to use on your face. If you would like to try these, let me know in the comments section below and I'll put all the names in a hat and pick a winner at random ♥...

At this stage, the SheaMoisture product range is only available from their website (HERE) or Priceline.

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. Editing this post because I'm excited to say I now have a discount code for you for SheaMoisture purchases from their website - enter KATS at the checkout and receive 30% off! ♥♥♥

P.P.S. Editing again to announce that the name I pulled out of the hat for the giveaway was...FREAKY

Hi Freaky, please email your address to katshepsutt(at)gmail.com so I can send you the goodies ♥

REVIEW: Bodyblendz Collagen Masks & Coffee Scrub...

Last month I was contacted by the lovelies from Team Bodyblendz, an international skincare company based in Australia. I'd not heard of this brand before, but after reading about their natural body scrubs, the ingredients they use, their cruelty-free philosophy, and the fact they have free worldwide shipping, I was super keen to try some of their products, especially their Collagen face, lip and eye masks. Given my passion for masks (which I expressed to them), below is the selection of goodies they so kindly sent me ♥...

Sugar Glow Coffee Scrub

The fat pack is a generous 200g, and it's the usual presentation in a resealable pouch. The sugar granules are very fine, the coffee bits are bigger, but together they're gentle enough for the face, and I found this scrub easier to apply with my bare hands than others I've tried. The caramelish coffee fragrance is potent and delish while you're in the shower, but it doesn't linger on the skin - the only thing that hangs around afterwards is ridiculously soft and smooth skin! The recommendation is to leave it on for at least 2 minutes, so I usually start with my face, and then work it down one side of my bod before rinsing. Apart from the sugar & coffee exfoliators, ingredients include olive oil, jojoba oil, orange oil & vitamin E. All their scrubs are made in Australia and retail for $19.95, and there's a 25% price reduction if you subscribe, which means they automatically send you another pack every 30 days, and you can cancel any time after the 3rd charge...

Rose Collagen Facial Mask

The large box contained 4 funky looking masks, 2 Rose and 2 Brightening ones. Instructions #3 & #4 on the back of the pack (below) were a little puzzling as there's no tissue or paper backing to remove (?) and you need to be careful opening the foil pouch as the serum is as runny as water, so I suggest holding it over a bin or a towel while you're removing the tray. All the masks are made in China...

And here it is in action. Somewhat tricky to apply while you're vertical as it falls off at the slightest twitch, so if you're planning to move around while wearing it, forget it. I recommend positioning it and holding it to your face, and then lying down asap - this is a good thing as I firmly believe the benefits of this kind of face mask are increased if you relax as much as possible, and let it do the work. It has a beautiful natural and quite an intense rose fragrance, and given the eye and mouth slits are so narrow, best to keep all these closed during the process (quite a challenge to take a selfie!). There was a slight tingling and cooling sensation throughout, and 30 minutes later my skin was deliciously refreshed and hydrated, and I didn't feel the need to follow with my usual serum and moisturiser ♥...

Brightening Collagen Facial Mask

Of the two, this was my fave, although it made me look like Hannibal Lecter! Has the same rose fragrance (but not as potent) and similar issues getting it to stay on my face until I made it to the bed. This one has slightly different ingredients including Grape Seed Extract and a wee bit of Retinol, and I could feel all sorts of activity going on underneath the mask - almost like a tightening and pulling sensation, but not uncomfortable at all. The big difference afterwards was in the brightness and lightness of my complexion - wow, my skin looked like it was lit from within! Freckles appeared less intense too, and again there was no need to apply anything else. LOVE! ♥...

Collagen Eye Mask Kit

The box contains 5 pairs of eye masks - one pair is plain white, there's a green and pink set, and the gold and silver ones have little sparkles embedded in the jelly-like material. These are primarily for hydration, and they do just that. Comfortable to wear and they hold on the skin far better than the face masks so you can wear them while doing other activities. No reduction in my under eye puffiness, but the delicate skin looked and felt supremely moisturised ♥...

Collagen Lip Masks

No information on these at all, nor can I see them on the website (maybe they're new?), but I guess they have similar ingredients to the others.  As you can see in the pic below, they are HUGE and cover the entire lip area, and make me look like a parrot ha ha! 

The lip masks are quite a treat and really boost the moisture content of both the lips and the surrounding area. I have some vertical lines above my top lip, and for a few hours after the treatment, they were simply non-existent. I'd love to get my hands on more of these ♥ Incidentally the above photo was taken immediately AFTER using the Brightening Collagen Mask, and shows how luminous my skin looked from the treatment ♥...

Delighted with all of these products, and I'm keen to try more from this brand. The face and eye masks only seem to be available as part of the Facial Glow Gift Set, which is on special at the mo' for $59.80, and includes a Citrus face scrub, headband, and 2 of the lip masks...

Thanks heaps Bodyblendz for the opportunity to try these terrific products - looking forward to exploring your whole range ♥...

Take care of  you,

kats xxx

REVIEW: Good Green Box - April Edition...

I feel blessed that the generous lovelies at GoodGreenBox have so kindly gifted me with the April edition of their deliciously natural (and mostly organic) collection - I was crazy about the March one (reviewed HERE), but I reckon this one is even better. Again the contents are worth over $60 (outlay of $25), but there are no less than 9 items in this haul - in fact so many goodies, the box was bulging lol ♥...

Kudos to whoever does the packing as all the treasures were crammed into the parcel, and yet nothing was damaged or even vaguely squished. I love the mix of brands and different types of products, and it's a relief to know that if I'm mad about any of them, most are purchasable from their website... 

Keeko Oil Activated Coconut Charcoal Powder...

Totally intrigued by this - on the card that comes in the box, it's listed as a mouth wash, but it multi-tasks as a teeth whitener and a face mask! Loving charcoal products as I do, I figured I had nothing to lose so I tipped a little of the powder into my hand - it's the most finely milled powdered anything I've ever come across, so whatever you do, don't sneeze! I wet my toothbrush and mixed a tiny amount of the powder into a paste, and started brushing my teeth. A word of warning - this stuff is blacker than black, and if you don't keep your mouth closed while you're brushing, you'll flick black blobs everywhere. No discernible taste, and I panicked a bit when I spat out and checked my teeth in the mirror - dark grey, so were my lips and my tongue was straight out of a horror movie! Anyways I rinsed with warm water, and that improved things considerably, although my gum line and tongue still looked grey. My teeth felt terrific though, super smooth and super clean....

Because of the grey around my gums, I brushed my teeth (and tongue) with normal toothpaste, after which everything was back to normal again, and you know what, I reckon my choppers didn't look quite as yellow as they did beforehand. But I'll have to get back to you on whether it does in fact whiten my teeth noticeably over time. Meanwhile I've put the pouch in the shower caddy ready to try it as a mask. As a rule I use all charcoal products in the shower because it's so darn messy, but the rewards are awesome ♥...

MooGoo Cow Lick Lip Balm...

How come I didn't know that MooGoo made lip balm?  Have already pampered my pout numerous times with this beauty - has a delicate (totally NOT overpowering) mandarin scent and taste, delightfully soothing and smoothing, and all the (edible) ingredients are listed on the cute-as box that's made from recycled cardboard - LOVE ♥...

Pukka Detox & Turmeric Gold Tea...

While I have one latte almost every morning, for the rest of the day I'm a devoted tea-drinker (from way back in my youth actually), so I'm looking forward to sampling these two yummies that are bursting with ethically sourced and organically grown ingredients...

Organyc Feminine Hygiene...

This sample pack contains a pad and panty shield made from 100% organically certified cotton, they're breathable and biodegradable, hypoallergenic, contain no plastic, and yet are waterproof. Thank goodness someone is thinking of us gals with sensitivities, and anyone concerned about what they keep so close to their precious girly bits. While my period days are long gone, I'm not at all comfortable unless I'm wearing a shield to keep me feeling fresh, and being allergic to most brands out there, this range is a very welcome discovery ♥...

RAW Body Skincare (Scrub)...

I'm SO getting into body scrubs lately, and this one sounds like it'll be a magical experience - organic coffee beans, organic virgin coconut oil, organic coconut sugar and natural Himalayan rock salt.  My skin is tingling with delight and anticipation just reading the ingredients ♥ I tried a little on my hand, it's quite gritty and grainy, smelled like there was a barista in the bathroom, and the result was ridiculously soft skin. Get ready legs!...

Nuori Vital Foaming Cleanser...

What a treat to find this full size cleanser in the box! I used it last night to take off my makeup, and it worked brilliantly. I took the cap off for the photo so you could see it's a foam dispenser - the bottle recommends one pump for regular cleansing, but I used two as I had long wear foundation to remove. It has a very very faint and pleasant fragrance, and as you massage it into your skin, it forms a white creamy smooth paste which eventually becomes invisible. You then rinse it off with warm water...

I judge the effectiveness of cleansers by a) the colour of the rinse water in my basin & b) whether second cleansing with micellar water reveals any discolouration on the cotton pad. Well, my sink water was tinted the hue of my foundation, and the micellar pad was clean as a whistle. Yay! Not only that, my skin felt super cleansed AND hydrated afterwards. Another winner ♥... 

Zuanna Cosmetics Smoothing Minerals Exfoliating Mask...

Made from Moroccan Rhassoul Clay & Marshmallow Root, rice powder, colloidal oatmeal, organic orange peel, hibiscus flower, sandalwood & licorice root powder. Oh stop! I don't want to put it on my face, I want to eat it ha ha ♥ I started my Sunday using this, and followed the instructions to mix the powder in my palm with some water. It's very pink, dries super quick and tight, and the beauty of this mask is that the whole exercise takes 5 minutes, so you can do it while you're cleaning your teeth ♥ Love that the sachet is resealable, and I reckon there's enough in the pack for 3 goes. The end result? Instantly refined pores, and becalmed baby soft skin. Hmmm...I wonder if they sell this by the kilo?... 

After sampling most of the box contents, I'm even more impressed with what this company offers - awesome value, and the introduction to mainly non-mainstream brands producing high quality products that are kind to the environment, animals and my bod. Their tagline "Better Beauty" is spot on ♥...

Heaps of thankyou's to Good Green Box, and Bloggers United Au for hooking me up with this fab source of beauty products. You can subscribe three ways to the Good Green Box. Also the promo is still on to receive the first box for $10 using the code TRYGOODGREENBOX10 ♥...

Are you familiar with any of these brands? Is there one product in particular that piques your interest?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. As I do every week (because it's so much fun!) I'm joining Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - it's a great way to find the best of the blogs all in the one place ♥...

SPOTLIGHT: March Empties!...

Not going to fall into the same trap I did last month, so without further ado, here is almost everything I finished in March, excluding some items that I've covered before of course. Did exceptionally well I reckon, especially as there is one product here that I've been using for over 3 years - OMG I was beginning to think I'd never get to the end of it!...

Nivea Pure & Natural Body Lotion (400ml, RRP $7.99)

Oh wow, a 400ml bottle of Body Lotion - now that's a challenge for me to finish. This came in my Blogstar prize box back in January 2014, and I've only just squirted the last drop! As you may have gathered I'm not a big user of body lotions - I tend to only apply them after showering when I'm not in a hurry to get dressed and racing out the door shortly thereafter, and that pretty much only happens on Sundays.  This was nice enough, contains none of the major nasties, but I found it took a while to absorb, and after all these years I'm bored with the fragrance....

Repurchase?

Noooo - I prefer my super-fast-to-sink-in BotanicES, plus I have the fabulous Lush Dream Cream on my bench, and Dove Silky Nourishing Body Cream in the cupboard...

L'Oreal Revitalift Laser X3 Dual Action Total Rejuvenation Moisturiser (48ml, RRP $49.95)

Beautyheaven sent me this to trial last Christmas, and it wowed me, especially as I only used it at night, and ditched my usual serum during the trial. They sent me more L'Oreal products to trial almost straight after this one, so I had to stop using it, and have only just finished it now. I really think this firmed my facial contours a little, softened even my deep lines, and made my whole face look fresher. The plan is to use another bottle non-stop, and then post a proper review here. For now my advice is if you're over 40 and ever see this on special, buy it ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?

Heck yeah already have, just finishing off the remains of another two creams, and then this might just be a staple ♥...

L'Oreal Revitalift Magic Blur Anti-Ageing Daily Moisturiser (50ml, RRP $34.95)

This came in the August 2016 Marie Claire Ageless Parcel and I love it - there's no SPF, but no drama as I'm using a BB cream that has 50+ as my primer. This is such a lovely cream - a waxy mousse consistency, lightweight yet enriching, smells lovely, absorbs instantly, and the big bonus is that it has a matte finish, which is how it kinda works to blur the wrinkles ♥...

Repurchase?

Would definitely buy this again, just haven't as yet as I have three others I need to finish first ♥...

Nivea 3 In 1 Micellar Cleansing Water - Sensitive (200ml, RRP $9.99)

Full review of it HERE as part of my Micellar Magic series - not my favourite, and I did find it a little drying...

Repurchase?

No - there are others out there that have the edge in effectiveness, comfort and value...

Manicare Artiste Professional Kabuki Brush (RRP $?)

I've been using this for just over 18 months to apply my bronzer, and it's just started shedding. Not one hair now and then, but several every time I use it, and they stick to my makeup grrrrr. Odd as it's excellent quality, and I only wash my brushes in water twice a year.  My previous one was an el cheapo, and it never shed - go figure?  I won this in a prize, and it doesn't seem to be available any more so I don't know the price, but there's a retractable version listed for $25.95...

Repurchase?

I won't let this experience put me off buying other Artiste brushes (I have several that haven't given me any grief), but I replaced this particular one with a little baby by Nude by Nature ...

Dove Triple Moisturising & Aqua Moisture Nourishing Body Washes (375ml, RRP $7.36)

Recently reviewed both of these HERE - LOVE! ♥

Repurchase?

Affirmative - one's in the shower stall, the other's in the wings, waiting for a space ♥...

Alpha Keri Anti-Cellulite Sugar Body Scrub (225g, RRP $14.95)

My very first sugar body scrub, and I loved using it. To test the anti-cellulite properties, I only scrubbed my left bum cheek and thigh. At the end of the jar there was not much difference between the two (although my right side is still jealous of all the attention ha ha), but it did seen to improve the general appearance of the orange peel texture, and it sure got rid of any flaky bits ♥...

Repurchase?

I reckon I will - I started another one during March, and while there's been no further dimple reduction, I do enjoy it because it softens my skin beautifully, and being colourless, hey, the shower stays clean ♥...

L'Oreal Age Perfect Golden Age Glow Re-activating Essence (125ml, RRP $39.95)

Did a rave review of it in January HERE - this is the original bottle I received for the trial, so it's lasted 6 months with every day use. Amazing value ♥...

Repurchase?

Yes, already sitting on the bench waiting for me to finish off four (four!) other serums I'm testing out ♥...

Urban Rituelle Reed Diffuser - Comfort (Sandalwood & Tangerine) (190ml, RRP $39.95)

Raved about this HERE - I've bought quite a few of these because I adore the scent combo ♥...

Repurchase?

Sob... This fragrance has been discontinued and I'm shattered. I've bought the Alpine Loft one which is lovely, but it's hardly a substitute...

Skin Republic Gold Hydrogel Mask (RRP $12.99)

Totally in love with this mask. It's in two pieces, and the shape of it actually fits my face, and even covers my nose - yay! It's not messy like the others as most of the serum is impregnated in the plasticcy material. Of all the face masks I've tried so far, this is my #1 - my skin looks SO good afterwards. It costs a little more than the others but it's worth it - actually I wish they made it in a complete body suit lol ♥...

Repurchase?

Affirmative - I've already bought three more ♥...

Skin Republic Collagen Hydrogel Under Eye Patch (3 pairs, RRP $9.99)

I went through two of these sachets, which means I applied 6 pairs during the month - need I say more? ♥...

Repurchase?

Ha ha silly question...♥

Kmart Nourishing Shea Butter Hand Sheet Mask (10ml, RRP $3)

This was pretty good considering the price - nicely hydrating, smells like coconut, and the gloves aren't too big. As I said about the Skin Republic ones, what I'm looking for is something super enriching, and these don't quite make the cut...

Repurchase?

Maybe, but I'm still looking for other brands to try ♥...

LonVitalite Coconut Milk Hydrating & Nourishing Facial Mask (5 pack, RRP $39)

I really enjoyed this mask again (first review was December's Empties post) - very cooling and calming, and used it in combination with the 24K Active Gold Eye Mask listed below. Wrapped myself up like a mummy (see piccie below), and took a half hour break to let these babies do their thing. My skin looked and felt fabulous afterwards, all redness gone, pores slightly more refined, just wish it had a nose piece as that's where I need lots of help ♥...

Repurchase?

Possibly - I have a stockpile of Skin Republic ones (about 12) so I'll use them up first to see if any of them are more effective...

LonVitalite 24K Active Gold Eye Mask (6 pairs, RRP $32)

I forget where I got this single sample from, but I've had it for a while - definitely saw an improvement in the eye area, firmer and fresher. The latest ones are gold in colour ...

Repurchase?

Yes - they only work out to be $2 each more than the Skin Republic ones, and I'm keen to compare the results between the two brands ♥...

Rodial Dragon's Blood Eye Masks (8 pairs, RRP $52)

Used two more of these - getting the hang of their odd shape now, but they're still the messiest eye masks I've come across. I'm persisting though as the results are a smidgin better than the Skin Republic ones ♥...

Repurchase?

Not at this stage - I still have four more sachets left in the box, and the fact that I literally get covered in the serum trying to remove all the backing sheets puts me off ...

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. Linking to the Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - you'll always find lots of interesting articles to read, come say hello ♥...