Cocoon Apothecary Ancient Mud - Review

Let's talk face masks. More particularly, the Cocoon Apothecary Ancient Mud face mask.

This glorious dark green paste is made up of four ingredients: glacial marine clay from British Columbia, Dead Sea mud, neroli essential oil, and rose essential oil. It's simple. It's basic. It's perfect. BC glacial clay is magnificently drawing and pore purifying, Dead Sea mud is incredibly rich in minerals and detoxifies like no other, neroli essential oil strengthens pores (helping them stay nice and small once the clay is rinsed off) and also stimulates the break-down of scars, and rose essential oil pampers the skin, while assuring that the mask cleanses effectively without stripping any moisture. Four excellent ingredients, blended perfectly into a slightly salty, fabulously floral scented mask.

But how are the results? Magical. the first time I rinsed this mask off my face, I was dumbfounded. My pores had disappeared. Completely. As with any clay mask, these results were temporary, but I found that even once my skin had re-normalized, my pore size was visibly reduced. I don't suffer from GIANT pores (one of the few upsides of having very dry skin), but I do have a little crop of blackheads on my nose. Or rather, I should say I did have, because having used this mask twice a week for four weeks, those pesky blackheads have packed their bags, and are out the door.

This mask is an absolute joy to use, and leaves me with a fresh "I've just come from the spa" glow. It's a bit difficult to remove (the dead sea mud tends to be a bit grainy, and takes several rinses to wash off completely), but for a mask this affordable that performs this effectively, I can put up with an ever so slightly reduced ease of use.

Seriously. Buy it. It's only 24$.

Tammy Fender Capillary Strengthening Blend - Review

Today I'll be chatting about the Tammy Fender Capillary Strengthening Blend. As an avid reader of No More Dirty Looks, Siobhan and Alexandra's reviews of the Intensive Repair Balm along with this hilarious post had me thirsting for a piece of the "Tammy Fender effect".  As someone whose ancestors were likely transparent, I'm always on the hunt for things that can deal with broken/visible capillaries or just general redness. Us pale folk have it pretty tough when it comes to redness and veins, with much less pigment in the skin, we have less natural camouflage for these problems. Anecdotal illustration: We had a very long winter in Saskatchewan last year during which I reached new personal levels of paleness; by March I could pretty much see my heart beating.

On to the review! The first thing that struck me about this oil was its colour. Or rather, its lack thereof; it's almost completely clear. I'm someone who believes that you can usually judge an oil by its hue, I tend to gravitate toward the bright gold, red, green, and even blue blends far more than their unassumingly light counterparts. However, perhaps it's fitting that this oil that is tailored so perfectly to the problems the fair complected tend to face be pale in colour. While I've stressed how perfect this oil is for those with light complexions, I feel the need to also say that anyone (regardless of skin tone) who suffers from general redness and/or broken capillaries will likely benefit from this oil.

Using this oil is an absolute joy. Scented with earthy carrot seed, bright neroli, calming rose and chamomile, and musky bois de rose, massaging this beautiful treatment into the skin is truly an aromatherapeutic experience. I find the viscosity to be perfectly balanced, I can feel it deeply penetrating my skin, yet it leaves a delicate protective layer on the surface (for this reason it may not be suitable for the oilier among us). Over the summer it was perfect with just a layer of sunscreen on top (no additional moisturizer needed), though I suspect this winter I may need a little something more to keep my dry skin at bay. 

So how did it perform? I've gone through about a third of the bottle (approximately 5 weeks, used at least once a day), and feel pretty confident reporting that, over time, it does work. I notice the redness around the sides of my nose has gone down significantly and my skin tone from forehead to chin is more united and even. There's also a gorgeous calming sensation as soon as the oil is applied to skin that makes it a perfect soothing treat after intense skincare treatments or over-zealous exfoliation (we've all gone a bit over the top with a scrub at least once, haven't we?)

Conclusion: The Tammy Fender effect is real. This oil feels like it's been prayed over by priestesses on a harvest moon; it's positively humming with Tammy's positive energy, and, best of all, it does what it says on the bottle!

 *Sunflower Seed (Helianthus Annuus) Oil, Grapeseed (Vitis Vinifera) Oil, Apricot Kemal (Prunis Ameniaca), *Rose Hip Seed (Rosa Mosqueta) Oil, *Black Currant (Anthemios Nobilis), Pure essential oils of Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis), Bois De Rose (Aniba Roseodora), Neroli (Citrus Aurantium), Rose (Rosa Damascena), Carrot (Daucus Carota) Seed. 

*Certified Organic

Tammy Fender can be purchased in Canada through Clementine Fields

Roots Rose Radish Honey Pecan Rose face cleanser - Review

Apols. for the most recent break. I'm committing to daily (well, week-daily) blogging, so my posts will now be appearing in a far more consistent way.

That said, over the next few weeks I'll be playing a bit of catch up: inundating you with reviews of every single product that is currently a part of my skincare wardrobe! On that note, Today we'll be discussing the Honey Pecan Rose face cleanser by the amazing amazing amazing brand Roots Rose Radish.

This gorgeously gummy paste has a simple, yet effective, formula that nourishes and exfoliates while gently cleansing the skin. Fans of both honey cleansing and oil cleansing will LOVE the thick, rich  base of this cleanser: honey and jojoba oil deep clean while the addition of glycerin adds lightweight nourishment and allows this cleanser to rinse off easily with water. Finely ground rose petals and chunks of pecan get the exfoliating job done, while lavender and peppermint essential oils add an intoxicating scent and supreme antibacterial properties.

I massage this cleanser into moist skin and allow it rest for anywhere from five to twenty minutes before rinsing. You can, of course, rinse it off as soon as you're done massaging, but I've found that when I let this cleanser really work into the skin, it performs miracles. This is my go to cleanser after long, stressful days that leave me looking drawn and dull: it instantly plumps, brightens, and re-enlivens my complexion. As if this cleanser wasn't already perfect enough, it's also delicious. I happily welcome the few drops of melted lavender, mint, and rose laced honey that migrate down my face and into my mouth while I mask with this cleanser.

The packaging is basic, but practical and incredibly luxurious in a rustic way. The cloth dust bag that this cleanser comes in effectively blocks light and, as such, oxidative damage to the unpreserved formula. 

An excellent performance from Roots Rose Radish! This cleanser would make a perfect addition to the routine of anyone who's looking for a stress-blasting, multi-tasking cleanser.   

Ingredients: pecans, rose petals, honey, glycerin, jojoba oil, peppermint oil, lavender oil.

The Roots Rose Radish Honey Pecan Rose face cleanser is available in Canada from Clementine Fields