Tag Archives: natural beauty products

TONS of Naruko Skincare Samples: Speed Reviews

{All Naruko Skincare Samples were Provided for Review by Naruko USA}

If you’ve been following this blog for awhile, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of Naruko skincare. Their favorite products are the night jellies that they offer, but they also have various lines of skincare for different skin types, issues and concerns and I was lucky this past winter/ spring season to be able to test out a few of them for a few months.

Here’s a look at everything I received for review. Naruko has been super generous to me and I couldn’t be more grateful to have the opportunity to try more of their products because they are a brand that I would purchase from no matter what. If you’re unfamiliar with this brand, Naruko is a Taiwanese beauty brand that mainly offer a variety of skincare products for all your skin concerns including acne, dry skin, discoloration or pigmentation, and more. The brand is known for selling products that are naturally effective and include a variety of all natural ingredients combined with some scientific research to ensure the best results for your skin.

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrating Cream

The first item I tested out was their Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrating Cream. It comes in an air tight plastic container which dispenses the perfect amount of cream out of a hole in it’s center when you press down on the top. It’s really sanitary and effective way to keep your cream clean as well as keep it from oxidation which will make ingredients less effective over time so I really like the packaging for it’s practical function. Aside from the packaging, this is a great cream for those with dry skin or combination skin who are dry in the winter or spring seasons. I got really super dry skin this past winter and this was a really nice cream to keep my skin from dehydration.

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrating Mask

I absolutely love sheet masks! They are super easy to use, effective and very mess-free. They come in rectangle envelopes with face shaped cotton masks that are pre-soaked in the mask ingredients so you literally just pull them out, place them on your face and relax for 10-15. A lot of them don’t even need to be rinsed off, though you can if you’d prefer to. This one is super hydrating and softening.

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Foaming Wash

This face wash was hit and miss for me. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the gratifying peeling that happened when I used it. It basically lathers up really nicely and when you massage it onto your skin, it starts to peel the dead skin off your face to reveal brighter skin beneath and you can literally see the skin coming off in little pieces. It’s not painful and there’s very little to no abrasion going on so it’s done more chemically than anything. It doesn’t feel like a face scrub much at all so, if you’re not into scrubs, this doesn’t feel like that. Instead, it just massages dead skin off your face and reveals new skin after. I really liked the peeling bit of this face wash, but as for treating dryness, it was not nearly as much hydration as I wanted and needed in a winter cleanser. I actually think face balms work much better for me than this, which I found to be brightening, but still a bit drying. It may work better for others, but for me, it didn’t hydrate enough. This might be great for those who battle oily skin, but also have dryness.

Tea Tree Oil Out Peeling Gel

This is another peeling type product that’s super fun to use. It does feel more like a scrub as it has tiny little beads in the formula, but they aren’t rough at all to use. To use this, you apply a small amount to skin and massage it around your face gently (avoiding eye area) for a minute or so. You will see small pieces of skin come off in the same way as the face wash and you need to rinse after using this to get all the little pieces completely off. I liked this better than the face wash, but it still didn’t hydrate my skin enough. I really just enough the scent of the Naruko tea tree products, to be honest. This is a great one for acne prone skin types.

Rose & Snow Fungus Classic Hydrating Night Eye Gelly

This hydrating night eye jelly is perfect for under the eyes. It’s super thick and goopy feeling, but it will soak in completely within an hour so that does go away eventually. It really does hydrate the eye area and protect it nicely. It didn’t cause breakouts on my skin at all so that’s a great bonus for those who have dry under eyes, but experience eye sensitivity and acne, because it’s very hydrating without being heavy or causing irritation.

Rose & Snow Fungus Classic Hydrating Night Gelly

Although this hasn’t taken the place of my favorite night jelly, it’s still a really lovely Night Jelly and it’s especially beneficial for dry skin types or those currently experiencing dryness. It has a really lovely, yet subtle rose scent and feels hydrating, but light on the skin.

AMPM Super Triple HA Skin Hydrator Seru

AMPM Super Triple HA Skin Hydrator

This very hydrating, yet light serum has a high concentration of B vitamins and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate, plump, and soothe skin. I really like how light this serum is, despite the fact that it’s very moisturizing. I think this is perfect for combination and oily skin types who have trouble finding serums that both hydrate the skin and are not super heavy. This is a great one for those who have trouble with heavier moisturizers, but still want a hydrating serum to use.

Facial White Illuminating Cotton Pads

The last item I received is this box of texturized cotton pads that are unique to Naruko. They are dual sided with one side being very smooth and one side being cross-hatched for gently buffing the skin. These are fantastic to use with facial toners or to remove makeup because the cross-hatched side really buffs the skin clean and gently exfoliates while the smooth side polishes and smooths the surface. I really saw a huge difference in my skin with using these alongside a toner and I definitely think they’re worth the little extra cost.

Overall, these products from Naruko, unsurprisingly, were really awesome. They all work really well at hydrating the skin and putting some life into otherwise dry skin cells. I definitely had an issue with dryness this past season and these products all helped a lot. I don’t think there was anything I really loved out of this bunch, but they’re all pretty solid as good skincare choices in my book. I don’t think I’d use them in the Summer time really as my skin can’t really handle it and prefers oils to lotions. I know that sounds weird and backward, but that’s how my skin is. If I had to pick favorites, I would choose the Night Eye Jelly, the Tea Tree Peeling Gel and the Cotton Pads, but these are all worth a look if hydration is what you need so definitely give them a look!

Have You Tried Any of These Products from Naruko?

What Are Your Thoughts on Taiwanese & Asian Beauty Products?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

♥ Tianna

Related Articles:

Get Clear Skin with Naruko’s Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Line

Brand Spotlight: A Closer Look At Naruko

Summer Acne Breakout Savior – Naruko Tea Tree Night Jelly

Hello lovelies!

I’m back again with another day of giveaway goodies in my 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways event and today’s giveaway item is the much-raved-about Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser by Liz Earle!

You may remember my review of this cleanser in late summer ( if not, you can see it here ) and how fantastic this cleanser was for my skin. It’s literally like an updated, more all-natural Noxzema type cleansing creme that softens, detoxes, and rejuvenates the skin. It has a nice minty feel about it, though it’s likely from the eucalyptus in the formula. It has loads of natural essential oils and extracts in the formulation so it will certainly benefit your skin over time, especially if you have issues with acne and the like.

A very special thanks to Liz Earle for donating this product for today’s giveaway and working with me and my blog – it means a lot to me.

Remember to Hurry & Sign Up Right Away!

This Giveaway Will Close in 48 Hours!

Click Here to Sign Up Now!

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It has begun!

The first giveaway of 12 in my 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways Event!

If you missed my post, definitely click the link above so you can get the 411 on what brands are up for grabs!

I won’t be telling you which specific items are up for grabs until the giveaways go live because, well, I thought surprising you would be fun!

Definitely check back every day to enter a new giveaway for 12 days straight here on Storybook Apothecary – I’ll be giving away loads of amazing goodies from all my favorite brands!

Anyhow, onto today’s giveaway!

Today’s gift that’s up for grabs is the Tan Organic Natural Sunless Tanning Spray. You may remember me reviewing this lovely product over the past Summer. If not, check out my review for it here and then come back to enter once you see how brilliant it is!

If you want the gist on this amazing tanner, it’s an all natural, award-winning organic sunless tanning spray that hails straight from Ireland. It’s simple to use and gives a lovely, natural looking tan that is very easy to build up and looks so good, but without the sun damage!

Special thanks to Tan Organic for sponsoring this and sending me the item for giveaway – I truly appreciate it very much!

Please Note – This giveaway and all the giveaways I’ll be holding every day for 12 days are Flash Giveaways – They will only be open for entries for 48 Hours so do Enter Right Away if you want a great chance at winning!

This giveaway closes December 7th, 2012.

Stay tuned here every day for 12 days straight for more chances to win great beauty (& a few jewelry!) items!

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Get Tan Organic Sunless Tanning Spray FREE With Purchase Of OilArganic!

A Glowing Complexion Made Easy: Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser!

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It may interest you to know that my very first face wash EVER was Noxzema’s Deep Cleansing Cream…and a quick search tells me they actually still exist with now updated packaging. If you’re not familiar, Noxzema is a cream cleanser (circa 1997) that comes in a blue jar and smells strongly of Eucalyptus I was pretty religious about using it, too, because I was like 8 and it felt all minty and cooling and grown up. Little did I know, Noxzema didn’t have the most natural formula then ( no idea what it’s like now, maybe I should do a retro review?) and so I’ve since moved on to more natural formulas.

That being said, there’s always been a super special place in my heart for Noxzema because it was the first cleanser I ever used that felt adult like and so when I had the chance to try the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, imagine my absolute surprise and joy when I discovered, holy double crap (cheesy expression compliments of 50 shades of crap), this cleanser is EXACTLY like a natural version of Noxzema!!

Okay, yeah I got excited. Like, I had to run and tell my boyfriend who had little to no reaction, but the point is, this cleanser is AMAZING. It’s SO creamy and smells medicinally therapeutic, similar to the eucalyptus scent I know from my early super naive and “ignorant of beauty” years, only with much more natural ingredients such as rosemary, eucalyptus (!), chamomile and cocoa butter.

To use this, you apply one pump’s worth of cream to a dry face, all over, including over your lips and eyes, though please don’t eat it, inhale it, and yes, close your eyes. Although, my super clumsy self did get it in my eye once and it actually wasn’t that bad. Anyhow, so you massage this cream over your entire face and neck and it takes EVERYTHING off. All your makeup, dirt, debris, that little bit of ketchup (or catsup?) you had sticking to your cheek that nobody bothered to tell you was there. Then, once you’ve slathered this on, you soak the muslin cloth (which comes with the cleanser) in hand hot water and lightly wring it out and use small sections of it to gently polish the cleanser off your skin. Using circular motions works best and once you’ve done your entire face, simply rinse the cloth and hang dry, splash some cold water on your face, pat dry and you’re done! It’s so super easy and I really like that it combines 2 steps – cleansing + exfoliating – in one. I used this pretty much every evening for about 3 weeks with really great effects – little to no break outs, smoother and softer skin, a seriously natural glow, less visible pores, and more hydrated skin because it was able to absorb more after a proper cleansing. That aside, the scent of this cleanser is so soothing and relaxing, very gentle and calming that it’s perfect for right before bed.

I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. It’s such a simple way to cleanse that is not only easy, but also really effective and gentle. For those of you that can’t afford a clarisonic or one of the fancy cleansing brushes, this is a nice alternative that, in my honest opinion, works just as well. In some instances, especially for those like myself who have sensitive or acne prone skin, I would say this even works better because there’s really no irritation involved. Since you control the muslin cloth, it’s up to you the amount of pressure you want to put on your skin so be gentle and you will be rewarded with a clearer, softer and more youthful glowing complexion. For those of you in the UK, you should be able to find this at Fenwick stores, John Lewis stores, a number of Boutiques in or around London, or on QVC UK. For those in the USA and elsewhere, please see the links below to purchase online.

To purchase this cleanser in UK – Click Here!

To See All Liz Earle products in UK – Click Here!

To purchase this cleanser in USA – Click Here!

To See All Liz Earle products in USA – Click Here!

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Get A Super Safe and Sexy Glow with Tan Organic’s 100% Natural Sunless Spray Tanner Review + GIVEAWAY !

25 Replies

A month or so ago, I was given the chance to try this incredible sunless spray tanner from TanOrganic, an Irish company that offers the first ever sunless tanning product made from 95% certified organic ingredients and is 100% natural. Created by one Irish woman’s quest for the most natural fake tan on the market, this has won many awards including the Irish Times Best Tan / Value Award for 2011. Check out what other awards they’ve won – here. It comes in a very sturdy glass spray bottle and each order right now comes with a free TanErase Ultimate Exfoliator, a tool used to remove the tanner from your skin. Also, they offer a Tanning Mitt (pictured below) you can purchase to help with the application of this sunless spray tanner, if you like. Personally, they didn’t send me one to use, so I just used those disposable latex gloves, but if you prefer to have your own dedicated tanning applicator mitt, theirs is decently priced.

Anyhow, on with the review! The texture of this spray is really very water, easily spreadable onto the skin and soaks right in with a bit of massaging. I actually find this to be a pretty fool proof product. Incredibly so, because I’ve tried many a drugstore fake tanner with disastrous results which is why I normally avoid a fake tan. They just make me look orange or, worse, dirty, but this one gives an amazingly realistic looking tan that I love!

First off, for application, I definitely recommend you either buy their tanning mitt or otherwise use some latex gloves to apply because it is a guarantee to stain your hands. That being said, it’s extremely easy to apply and you shouldn’t experience streaking at all as long as you spray an even layer thoroughly over your skin and massage it into your skin until it’s all soaked up. If you’re like me, prone to accidents and messes, you may want to consult their very helpful application demo video – here! It is also recommended that you apply it in circular motions, massaging it into the skin and then you have to wait 6-8 hours before rinsing it off. My advice – take a book or your laptop into the bathroom and hang out for a bit while you “tan” away. Once you’re done and all rinsed, be sure to use only gentle body and face washes as well as a lot of moisturizer to prolong the life of the tan.

All in all, this is a really great tan product!

I would actually go so far as to say this is THE BEST self tanning product I have ever tried.

It gives you a really natural and realistic looking tan without toxic or harmful ingredients and actually includes a lot of beneficial organic and natural ones – Aloe, Orange Peel, Hyaluronic Acid, and Ginger and Honey extracts among others which help to improve the skin’s condition while you achieve that perfect shade of Summer.

Plus, I really like that it comes out in a watery spray because its a lot easier to use than the mousse / cream / lotion varieties which seem to get onto every surface of my bathroom.

This is an especially awesome self tan product for those with fairer skin because it shows up. Often times, I’ve found that a lot of the self tanning products I’ve purchased in the past for “light” or “fair” tones just don’t show up at all and the “dark” tones make me look ridiculous. This one is just right and totally buildable if you’re on the darker side of things 😉 . I definitely recommend you check it out because it’s one of the safest ways to “tan” or even fake tan, is incredibly simple to use and has a lovely natural color for that Summer glow we all want without the damage.

Check it out – here!

Learn more about TanOrganic – here!

…And now onto the giveaway!

You have TanOrganic to thank for this, so please do show them love in the comments if you sign up because they have been extremely generous and sent me both a Full Sized bottle of TanOrganic Sunless Spray Tanner valued at $40 USD complete with a Self Tanning Mitt valued at $10 USD!

If you’re craving that Summer glow and you want a safer way to get that look, definitely sign up for your chance to win!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER For Your Chance to Win Your Own Tan Organic Spray Tanner and Tanning Mitt!

What do you think of Sunless spray tanners?

What’s your favorite tanning product?

❤

Disclaimer: I was NOT given compensation to write this blog post in any way other than the samples that were sent to me from TanOrganic for review and giveaway purposes. My opinions, thoughts and experiences with this product are my own.

Nourish Your Skin with Metamour Skincare

3 Replies

I was recently able to get my hands on some samples from Metomour Skincare, a natural cruelty free skincare brand based in Santa Barbara, CA.

I was able to try this lovely Creme Cleanser from the Imortelle line and I was very impressed by the gentle, healing properties of this cleanser . It feels a lot like a creamy lotion and you have to really massage it into the skin to reap the benefits of this, but it works quite well to leave you with hydrated, supple and glowing skin. I highly recommend this to anyone with normal to dry skin, sensitive skin or rosacea irritations. For those with combination skin, I would recommend this only when your skin is on the dry side or if you live in a reasonably cool climate. I used it for about a week and it worked well for me when my skin was on the drier side and actually left me with a beautiful glow, but when it got hotter later in the week, it made me break out. It is important to note that I live in Southern California where we are currently having extremely high temperatures of 90-100 F every day. I think this cleanser works really well, but in this heat, it’s too much for my skin. So for those of you with very oily skin, you may want to avoid this in the summertime in you live in an extremely hot climate like I do, otherwise you should be just fine. In the Winter, I think this would work well for any skin type.

Check out the Immortelle line – here!

I was also able to try the Botanique Antioxidant Serum as well which is safer for all skin types, including those with oily skin. This comes in a really adorable cardboard tube that is super cute! It is meant to help heal, hydrate, and protect against UV damage and premature aging. I definitely like the texture of this serum, it feels really hydrating and light, but still very nourishing. You really have to massage this into the skin, but it feels really nice and has a pleasant, but not overwhelming scent to it. I recommend this to those with normal to dry skin and combination skin during winter. It does feel a bit much when it’s very hot like it has been, but very gentle. I would not recommend this to those with acne prone skin and those with oily or combination acne prone skin types may find this to be a bit much, especially in the Summertime, but it depends, again, on the specific climate you live in. It is possible that some may be able to hand this in the Summer and especially in the winter, but for my acne prone sensitive skin, it was a bit much. Others may be suited to this skin if they have oily or acne prone skin, but not sensitive skin like me. If your skin will tolerate it, it has amazing abilities to hydrate, heal and lend that beautiful dewy glow we all want for our skin! I seriously wish my skin would obey my wishes, but alas, you can’t win them all. Thankfully, my sister has been testing this alongside me and loves the glow she’s getting from using it so I’ll be passing it along to her!

Check out the Botanique line – here!

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Disclaimer: I was NOT given compensation to write this blog post in any way other than the samples that were sent to me from Metamour Skincare for review. My opinions, thoughts and experiences with this product are my own.

Naruko Beauty Supplements!

8 Replies

More Naruko goodness!

If you’ve been following for awhile, you’ll have heard all about my love for Naruko Skincare. Otherwise, you can see an overview of the brand here and some reviews on their products here and here!

So yesterday, and you’ll know already if you’re following me on Instagram, I was at an actual Naruko Boutique in Rowland Heights, California, picking up night jellies and I stumbled across these skin supplement drinks they’ve come out with! One is meant to be taken during the day while the other is meant to be taken at night before bed.

Of course I had to try them!

They are both skin supplement drinks that focus on repairing the skin and encouraging collagen production, but the daytime version focuses on brightening the skin while the nighttime version works to firm the skin while you catch some beauty sleep. The day one is the Berry Brightening Collagen Drink – Day and the night one is the Lychee Firming Collagen Drink – Night.

I tried the night one last night because, like an overexcited 5 year old, I just couldn’t wait and then I tried the day one this morning.

Firstly, I have to say that the sales rep completely lied on these or she has heinously bad taste. When I asked her what they taste like, she just told me they taste great. Mind you, I’d try them anyway with hopes of boosting collagen, glow and firming my skin up, but these taste like crap. I mean, it may just be personal preference because these remind me of what energy drinks taste like except much more potent and I hate the taste of energy drinks. The taste makes me feel like I’m drinking healthy gasoline because the taste seriously smacks you in the face. It is NOT subtle!

That being said, I think I may invest in a few of these.

I know, I sound kind of like a masochist given I’ve just compared the taste to drinking gasoline, but the vitamins in these are beneficial to skin health and overall bodily health actually.

The day version includes a variety of vitamins, minerals, fruit extracts and brightening plant extracts while the night version includes a similar variety of vitamins, minerals, and berries along with CoQ10 and other plant extracts known to firm and tone the skin.

No real effects seem to be showing up just yet as I’ve only tried them in the past 24 hours, but I do sense a glow in my skin, though that may be due to the 100+ F degree weather we’ve been suffering through here in Cali.

All in all, I still think I’ll try these again as I’m a fan of natural supplements, especially where vanity and skin health is concerned (yeah, I’m shallow like that, problem?). Plus, in the end, I think I’m just like most everyone else when it comes to these miracle drinks – easily pulled in by the promise of eternal youth in a bottle. Then again, maybe I’m alone in this, but at $5 a bottle, it’s not hugely expensive to try a week’s supply and see if I feel, or look, any different. That being said, I think these must be very new because I cannot find them on the Naruko USA website. They only seem to be available in Asia at the moment so I don’t know how they were available at the Naruko Boutique, but if you’d like to try them, you can find a pack of this day + night supplement combo here!

What do you think of beauty supplements?

Are they too gimmicky or have you seen any effects from taking supplements like this?

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Disclaimer: I was NOT given compensation to write this blog post in any way. I purchased these products with my own money and of my own free will! My opinions, thoughts and experiences with this product are my own.