Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Jason Nourishing Apricot Pure Natural Deodorant Stick


Hello again everyone!

    Today I am going to be doing a review on a new deodorant stick I have been testing out recently. I picked up the Jason Nourishing Apricot Pure Natural Deodorant Stick a little over a month ago at a local natural foods store while it was on sale. Originally $7.49, I managed to pick this up on a 20% sale, making it about the same price as my usual deodorant.

    After browsing the market of natural deodorants, I was finding that the majority were either fairly expensive or had unorthodox applications (I can't say I'm currently adventurous enough to try applying powder deodorant). I had previously seen these Jason deodorants at a drugstore and hadn't really thought much of them, but decided to give it a shot after making the decision to begin straying away from the common aluminum containing sticks and roll-on's I had become accustomed to.

    The need for a new deodorant was decided after noticing I was getting more and more little red bumps (possibly ingrown hairs) in my underarms while using my Ban Deodorant Roll-On. I began to think that my deodorant was starting to clog my hair follicles, thus creating these pesky little annoyances. I tried multiple scents of the product, including unscented, but the bumps remained.

 
Jason describes this product as follows:
Our Pure, Natural Deodorant is clinically tested to effectively control odor for all day protection. Naturally sourced Zinc Ricinoleate, Corn Starch, and Baking Soda neutralize odor while Grapefruit Seed Extract, known for its antimicrobial properties, helps fight odor-causing bacteria. Natural Apricot Oil and nourishing Vitamin E give you softer, smoother underarms.
 
    "Softer" and "Smoother" were just the words I was hoping to find on a deodorant, so this one really hit the mark. Not to mention, an Apricot deodorant seemed like such an enjoyable scent compared to the many sticks of "Powder Fresh" I've used before.
 
    The following day, I opened the stick and was pleasantly surprised that the apricot scent that it advertised was just as lovely as I had anticipated. It isn't a typical "fruit" scent you would normally smell, as it doesn't give off that strong citrus or berry smell that many artificial scents produce. The scent is very light and sweet, almost floral, but comes off very clean.
 
 
    It applied very smoothly, and I was extremely delighted to find that it did not leave any white residue on my underarms! (I have quite a few black shirts, and the white residue factor is the reason I switched from stick to roll-on a few years ago).
As the day progressed, I felt fresh and the unwanted B.O. seemed to stay away.
 
However.
 
    The following day I had to go back to work, and this is where the trouble began. You see, I work in a gym, more specifically; the pool. As a lifeguard at in indoor pool, I work in a room that fluctuates between 83 and 86 degrees F, and it is fairly humid. After being at work for a few hours, I began to smell an odd scent on me. It wasn't the sweaty underarm smell that you get from working out, but it definitely had the underlying smell of B.O. mixed with an unattractive floral scent. It reminds me of a rotting fruit or some decaying flowers that have sat out for far too long. Further into my shift, I began to feel a slight dampness in the underarm portion in my shirt, and my hopes for this deodorant seemed to deteriorate.
 
    I decided to continue to use it, in hopes that it would be able to help my underarms from the previous conditions my Ban left them in, before switching back to something that would give me bumps while preventing the sweat. Luckily for me, my Jason Deodorant came through with the promise of softer and smoother underarms, and my ingrown hair bumps have been very scarce! I cant definitely feel that the overall texture of my skin is more even, and they are considerably softer. The darkness that can be caused by some deodorants use is also nowhere to be seen!
 
     While this deodorant was a lovely scent and is made with natural-based products, it was not an antiperspirant, and thus it isn't going to help me on my days where I know I will sweat (such as at work). However, I do think it is important to note that nowhere on this product does it say it helps prevent sweating, and it is clearly a deodorant and not an antiperspirant.
 
    Since finding that this product was not 100% meeting my needs, I have since began alternating it with an unscented Ban Roll-On depending on my activity for the day, which seems to give me the best of both worlds; the lovely scent and the softening properties of the Jason Nourishing Apricot Natural Deodorant for everyday enjoyment, and the sweat-preventing properties of my Ban Roll-On (without the overrated Powdery Fresh scent).
 
    This seems like a very good deodorant to wear in the winter, when sweating seems to lessen, and the softening properties would keep your underarms fresh and moisturized. However, I may be putting this one on the shelf during the warmer summer months and continuing the search for a sweat-busting deodorant.

Anyone find a natural-based deodorant that you would recommend? Please do share!
 
 
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a lovely day <3
 
Xoxo,
MK


Monday, May 19, 2014

LUSH Roots Hair Treatment



    Hello blogger world! This is my very first blog post here, and I am very excited to get started in this amazing beauty blogger community <3

On to the point, this is going to be my review on LUSH Cosmetics Roots Hair Treatment.

This product is described as follows by LUSH:

Fine, thin hair? Don't despair! We've got a hair and scalp treatment just for you. You'll feel the tingling and cooling sensations of fresh mint infusion and minty oils (peppermint and spearmint) as they go to work revitalizing the scalp, because healthy hair starts at the roots! Extra virgin olive oil and honey soften and condition hair to make it shine without weighing it down. Give dull, fine and thin hair volume and shine by treating it with Roots.
 

    For use, it is suggested to use about a quarter of the pot for short hair, and half of the pot for longer hair. LUSH suggests:
 
Apply into scalp and roots, working through to ends of hair. Massage scalp for 15-20 minutes while the product gets to work. Shampoo out and lightly condition if needed.
 
    So, the first thing that I noticed is the texture of this product. Roots is easily the thickest hair treatment that I have used so far. It is a very thick, white cream, which to me would say that a little could go a long ways. Personally I have breast length hair, and I find that about a fifth of the pot per use works for me.
 

    That being said, I apply this product by sectioning off about 1 inch wide sections at a time, applying it directly to the scalp and massaging it in. Once I have covered my scalp, I take a small amount, rub it in between my hands, and distribute it from the roots to about my ear. After about 20 minutes, I rinse and do my regular hair routine of shampooing and conditioning.
 
    I find Roots to be a really fresh and invigorating staple to my haircare routine. LUSH describes it's aroma to be "uplifting", and I could not agree more. As soon as you open the container, the smell of mint strikes you, and you can practically feel its tingling abilities in your nose. Once applied to the scalp, this same minty sensation is felt almost immediately. The treatment is thick, so unlike oil treatments, it only is going to go where you place it. By applying the product directly to the scalp, the stimulating properties are going to open up the hair follicle and allow better opportunity for growth.
 
    Massaging the scalp is something I have really gotten good results from, which I can definitely say works wonders when using this product. Aside from the benefits of massaging the already invigorating peppermint oil into the scalp to promote growth, massaging in the thick cream really helps it absorb, so it leaves the hair extra soft. 
 
    Ingredients like honey and olive oil are going to help condition the hair and promote strengthening. While I don't find this product to be anywhere near as strengthening as my keratin based products like the Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask, the conditioning properties are something that deserves a mention.
 
    My hair is very dry and prone to tangles and breakage, which is not helped by the crisp Alaskan air, but I was beginning to find that my shampoo was drying my hair out to an extreme and causing me even more damage. By using Roots before washing, my hair is given extra moisture and softness to retain even after shampooing out the treatment. I notice that my hair doesn't tangle and break off as much when I have used Roots before hand, which saves me from having to go on the hunt for new shampoos.
 
    As far as the volumizing aspects of this product are concerned, I find that it isn't anything spectacular or near the amount of volume achieved by a root lifter. However, it really helps to clear the scalp of any buildup when washed out which I think could really help those with brittle hair as clarifying shampoos that add volume can be really harsh to fragile and damaged strands. 
 
    At $19.95, this is an affordable hair mask (compared to masks like Redken, Moroccanoil, and Macadamia Natural Oil), and depending on your hair length and personal preference of amount to use, this treatment could be used around 4 times. Usually I alternate this treatment with oil treatments, so I find that I only use it once or twice a month.
 
    This product has really helped me along my journey to grow long, healthy hair, and I will be continuing to repurchase it.