Adventures in Argan oil

I’ve been meaning to try Argan oil for ages, so when I had the opportunity to sample a product from Pura d’or, I jumped at the chance! This review will focus on the Pure and Organic Argan oil, which you can use in your hair and on your body (head to toe). I focused on my hair for this review, but will consider trying it during any future eczema outbreaks.

For the all-natural and cruelty-free consumers, check out these anecdotes about the brand:

For more than four years, Pura d’or has been growing a culture planted on a natural set of values and beliefs. But when all is said and done it comes down to one unified mission—to create organic personal care solutions that naturally work.

All ingredients are grown on trees, not in test tubes. They are artisanally handcrafted by a hybrid team of artists and scientists, not by machines. Pura d’or creates better beauty products from ingredients that are not only naturally beneficial, but are also sustainably grown and raised with respect for the animals that eat them and the people who produce them.

I’ve been using the Argan oil sporadically for the last 2-3 weeks. Upon application, I’ve noticed a marked difference in how my hair looks and feels- much softer, shinier, and less “flyaway”. The scent is light and unoffensive- similar to what you might expect from a “natural” product but not too “hippieish”. I’ve used it as an “on-the-spot” treatment on dry or damp hair. Sometimes I have mixed the oil with another product- a curl-enhancing gel or cream, and I’ve had really great results with this!

Here are a few “before and afters” of my latest application:

Before:

See that flyaway?

Yikes, pretty dry!

I apply a small amount:

Pura d’or Argan oil

And get these results!

Under the Eyes

 

Seeing a few fine lines under my eyes, I decided to try a new, natural, paraben- and sulfate-free product, goPURE Eye Cream. Once I received the sample (powered by Brandbacker) and started to use it, I was excited for the opportunity to see benefits and results such as:

• Dramatic reduction of puffiness under and around the eyes
• Reduced appearance of dark circles under the eyes, making eyes look younger
• Reduced appearance of wrinkles and fine lines (aka crows feet) so your face looks more radiant

Always one to be a little skeptical of these types of claims, I was on board with trying it anyway. I’m always one for products without chemicals! The first time I pressed the pump to use the product, I got a waft of a fragrance with a gentle hint of cucumber smell. That was nice! When I applied it under my eyes, I did not notice much of a difference at all. Not to be outdone, I decided to continue at it and see how results were in a few weeks.

After using the product for about 3 weeks, I’m still not seeing much of a difference. I even tried to capture my results via photo and have some before and afters to share, but I could not get a good showing of my fine lines even in the “before” shots. (Trust me, the lines are there!)

Before:

After: 

Not much of a difference, right?!

On top of that, I did experience a slight burning sensation when I used the product. It wouldn’t happen every time, but I would say about 40-50% of the time, I would experience a slight discomfort/burning sensation upon application (sometimes accompanied by a little redness, which always quickly disappeared).

A little more about the product:

Formulated with Matrixyl 3000 (in Clinical Study Proven To Make Eyes Look 2 Years Younger In 1 Month of Use)

NATURAL INGREDIENTS – goPURE Eye Cram also contains Plant Stem Cells, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C, Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E and a Proprietary Peptide Complex

goPURE Naturals was started by Erin Keyan who after becoming a mother was shocked to discover how many products contain toxic and dangerous chemical ingredients. She formulated goPURE Naturals with the goal of developing a brand that women can trust to contain only the purest and natural ingredients, while making them look and feel their best.

All in all, I think it’s fun to try products and see how they work. This one was not a “miracle cream” for me personally, but I have not had major visible results with any product. A competitor’s product which I have been prior to this one had no remarkable results either.

My plan is to continue working with this one and give it (and myself) some more time. I intend to try it when I have more leisure time to really observe the results a little more and see if I  make any new revelations. Plus, I want to give it the full two months that the company requests you commit to for trying out the product, and I’m not even halfway there yet!

If you want to try this product @ a 25% discount, use this coupon code when purchasing via Amazon (offer expires 6/15/15).  

A 100% money-back guarantee is offered: If you can’t honestly say that your eyes look 10 years younger after 2 months of daily use, the company will give you your money back!
REDUCES EYE PUFFINESS, DARK CIRCLES & WRINKLES – F
100% MONEY BACK Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back – If You Can’t Honestly Say That Your Eyes Look 10 Years Younger After 2 Months of Daily Use We’ll Give You Your Money Back! Made in the USA – Never Tested on Animals!

*Sponsored post, powered by BrandBacker 

Deep in the Night (What’s Your Beauty Routine?)

As the moon calls and you’re ready to go to bed, what do you do as part of your nightly ritual? Whether you’re a wash-and-go (to bed) type, or have a more lengthy, luxurious routine, you are invited to an opportunity to participate in Exuviance’s give-away- a full size Super Retinol Concentrate.  Twenty-five lucky winners will win this $78 value!

Simply share your favorite nighttime beauty tips & tricks on Twitter and other social media channels. Be sure to tag @neostrataskin and using #sleeponit.

If you’re interested in trying this unique anti-aging nighttime transformer that delivers a gradual, time-released infusion of pure Retinol in a microencapsulated form to maximize potency and tolerability of this high-strength formulation, this is the giveaway for you!

Widely recognized by dermatologists for its antiaging power, Retinol helps build natural collagen and its surrounding support matrix for plumping and firming benefits, reducing the look of deep-set wrinkles and minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles from the inside out. Patented NeoGlucosamine® is clinically proven to work synergistically with Retinol, building skin’s support matrix to increase skin firming and smoothing effects versus Retinol alone. As skin becomes firmer and new cells emerge, skin is transformed, younger looking. For an immediate visual boost, optical brighteners provide visual softening.

Designed for maximum efficacy and stability, the formula contains a retinol-stabilizing complex and utilizes an opaque airless pump-top tube to maintain freshness. This light, serum-like formulation is fragrance free, Paraben free, and oil free.

Studies show after 8 weeks (data on file):
100% reported firmer skin
98% noticed skin is lifted, less droopy
95% observed Wrinkles are less apparent
95% said fine lines are less apparent
98% saw better clarity/radiance
88% noticed brown spots are less noticeable

Ready to play? Enter today with this link, be sure to share on social media with the tags @neostrataskin and #sleeponit. Add Exuviance to your nightly beauty routine ’round midnight!

Bringing in Spring

Before the temperature even bumped its way back up this week, these lovely blooms made their way to me. Bright and colorful, we brought in spring, uplifted moods, and daydreamed of milder days.

Spring isn’t my favorite season, but there is no denying the welcoming presence of a few bright, bold flowers.

Color Perception

I start paying a lot of attention to my vision right before a visit to the ophthalmologist. In the days leading up to it, I find myself carefully observing my eyesight- what I see, how well I see, how dry my eyes are… I get caught up in following my floaters–almost voraciously, obsessively tracking those grey and black amorphous blobs, dancing in a sound-free symphony. My latest visit was on Thursday, and immediately after getting a clean bill of eye health- retina intact, no change in vision- I’m faced with the ocular issue of the century:

…

…

………………….

…………………..

….. Is the dress white and gold, and black and blue?

white & gold? black or blue? You know, THAT dress, uggghhh!!

If only I had seen this societal crazy-making before my ophthalmologist visit. I surely would have asked him about it. Though I may not really care what the “science” behind it is. I don’t like for my senses to be played with this way!

Fall drive, Sunday afternoon

On the way to visit some friends we passed this area in Upper Black Eddy-Bridgeton. Loved what I saw outside the window so started snapping a few pictures. Here’s the ones that were decent. Maybe one day I’ll get the hang of it and become an expert iPhone photographer 😉

Fancy Rubber Gloves

I have a thing for colorful, “fancy” gloves. The ones in the nice colors,  with the printed cuffs. It makes cleaning so much more bearable.

My latest set:

Bring some color to your cleaning!

Billowing Brown Curtain

Sitting and waiting at Friedman’s Lunch for my dining partner yesterday morning (yes, we came to a place with “lunch” in the title for breakfast!), I looked around the dining area at the quaint yet sleek, cool vibe. The dark, heavy brown curtain that hung hovering over the doorway would billow every time someone walked in. Sitting so close to it, sometimes it would caress my thigh or knee. I really liked the fabric and its velour heaviness. The way the curtain made a show of presenting each person who entered through the door was slightly captivating. The whole experience was one that caught my senses.

Wine Bars and Wooden Tables

Last week, we went out with friends to a French wine bar, Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels. The ambiance was warm, classy, and inviting. The company was fantastic, the wines were flowing, and the bread! Oh, the bread was good enough to be classified as dessert– on its own, with no butter or anything on it. That did not stop us, however, from anointing the pieces of bread with other delicious foodstuffs like cheese, raisins, and honey. What a wonderful night.

Also of note was the design within the wood grain of the tables. While I’m going to guess they were manufactured like this, I had a fun few minutes pretending that the heart-shaped designs in the wood were all-natural. Even still, I felt it worthy of being added to my “hearts” collection.

Solo “Artist Date”

I recently started “The Artist Way at Work” by Julia Cameron to help me fuel my creativity and passions. (Maybe you’ll be seeing a lot more blog posts from me as a result.) I also signed up for an in-person course led by Kaeshi Chai, Brad McDonald, and Arielle Adamy . I “jumped ahead” a bit because I also started the Audible version of the original, “The Artist’s Way” and became familiar with the idea of the “Artist Date” or “time out”, and decided to take the opportunity as soon as it came to me.

I was scheduled to have afternoon tea with some friends on Friday, an excursion that would bring me not far from the Princeton area. While searching for something else to do, I came upon two exhibits at the Princeton University Art Museum: Chigusa and the Art of Tea in Japan, and Kongo Across the Waters. While I didn’t have much time before our tea, I decided to take what was available to me and set out on a solo (albeit short) adventure.

The surrounding area is lovely and quaint, and the museum itself is lovely. I definitely plan to go back one day when I have more time. The exhibits were really interesting as well. Of course, there was was a heart for me to see within the museum:

From Chigusa and the Art of Tea in Japan exhibit

And I just loved being around artifacts and beautiful artistry. Neither exhibit disappointed. I felt a tingle run through me as I made my way through the exhibits. It was just wonderful! I recommend Artist Dates for everyone!