Nature Box Surprises - Your Hair Deserves More #BeautyPositivity

After the summer is gone and the cold time is coming, let's talk hair goals. Healthy, shining, perfectly beautiful hair goals. Did you even notice how better - or tired - you look when your hair shows it? I, personally, noticed the big difference between the two moments, which has to do with my own look and attitude. As I said more than once, this is why a woman wearing a good looking wig can win at least 10 years. Sometimes, more often than you think, your hair tells everything about you.

My hair look has ups and downs, especially after years of colouring and not too much awareness about the toxicity of some products included in the innocent bottle of shampoo. Stress, unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits, the city life pollution are other noticeable elements which harmed my hair and can harm yours too.

More love and care for my hear is my motto and I am trying to be true to my words as often as possible.

Therefore, when I was lucky enough to receive a full box of haircare products, part of the Rossmann Blogger programme, I realize that it is a good sign to focus more on the appearance and health of my hair. After a couple of weeks of intensive care, I can finally review the products generously offered.

#NatureBoxBeauty

The products included in the NATURE BOX by Henkel Beauty Care are available in the any store part of the Rossmann Drugstore network, but also in other chains throghout Germany, since the beginning of this October. They are sold in colourful bottles and also include a body care variant. 

The common features of all of them is that they are vegan, silicone- and parabene-free and based on cold pressed oil. You may ask - as I did once - what is the relevance of this technique as long as those products are - obviously - not edible? As you might know, during the heating process of the oil, not only the flavor, nutrivional value and colour of the oil is chaging, but also toxins are exposed. The cold oil method avoid such a risk, therefore your hair and body are not exposed to elements with a high risk of toxicity which may affect its original texture and health and eventually speed-up aging. 

The products are made of coconut, almond, apricot and avocado. The liquid is heavy, with a very discrete smell - my favorite kind of beauty and skincare products in general - which requires an intensive cleaning. A good occasion to intensively massage the skin of your head. It makes you really good, with a relaxing, soothing effect, especially after a very busy day. 

Each specific haircare product has different qualities: the avocado helps actively to repair and regenerate the splitted hair, apricot - a fruit whose advantages for the beauty industry I still have to discover - protects and nourishes the hair, giving it a shining appearance, the almond creates an elegant attractive volume, while the coconut brings an intensive, long-term fresh aspect.

All those results can be noticed after two consecutive use of the products. 

Applying them does not require a big amount of time. Often, 30 seconds of waiting for the conditioner to work are enough. Sometimes, you can apply them directly on the wet hair and wait for the hair to dry for the full effects.

The purchase prices in the drugstore are more than affordable, therefore, with an investment of 10-15 EUR. you can change your hair from your enemy to your main ally in courageously displaying your personality.

Verdict: The Nature Box products are becoming part of my regular hair care routine. After one week, my health recovered its original healthy aspect and volume. Although I complain often that I am mostly out of time, the high qualities and ingredients of both the shampoo and conditioner allow me to use them fast, with a minimal time investment for maximal results.

Disclaimer: The products were offered for free part of the Rossmann Blogger Programme, but the opinions are, as usual, my own.

Beauty Review: Gold&Horse Oil Black Sheet Face Pack by Mitomo

Another week, another experience with the Mitomo masks generously offered to test by the company. This time, I tried something a bit special, ingredients-wise, at least for the Western way of looking at beauty and skin care products. 

The mask I chose for refreshing my skin after an exhausting day was Gold&Horse Oil Black Sheet Face Pack. 

The mask looks completely black, with some glittering and a discrete smell. It is highly moisturized but the effect on skin is so soothing and relaxing that I could leave it on my face over the recommended 20-30 minutes. The black colour is the result of using charcoal. After removing the mask, I massages the skin with the remaining liquid. As I usually use those masks in the evening, I leave the chance to the ingredients to develop over night. It is recommended for pore care.

The horse oil is a very popular ingredient for skin care products in Asia, particularly in Korea. It is assumed rejuvenating effects and promises a flawless skin, with highly moisturizing capabilities. I was personally more than happy with the mask and would definitely not only use it again, but recommend it to any skin-care conscious lady around.

Disclaimer: Products offered by Mitomo, but the opinions are, as usual, my own  

Tea tree face mask by Montagne Jeunesse

The Korean-style face masks are one of my favourites, as I am guaranteed a perfect coverage as well as a higher hydration as in the case of the usual skin products. The fashion of Korean masks entered also the German markets, with a variety of products and price ranges, from 2 Euro until 100 - for Shiseido, for instance. For the weekly and daily skin care, I am for low to medium average products and thus, I decided to try a tea tree mask by Montagne Jeunesse. This 30-year old Wales-based company offers cruelty free vegan products using natural ingredients packed in attractive colourful packages at affordable prices. Those are the kind of products to use at least twice the week.

My cloth mask has a mixture of natural ingredients, among which green mint, spearmint leaf oil, algae extract, birch leaf extract and of course, the tea tree oil. It covers perfectly the face and I recommend that before use, to keep it at least 3 hours in the fridge, the refreshing effect is even stronger than when you keep it at the room temperature. 

I tried to create a quiet and pleasant ambiance to spend for at least 10 minutes with the cloth mask on my face. I closed the eyes, deep breath and ready to give myself my personal quarter of an hour of home spa. Even the baby understood that something special is going on and after looking at my funny white covered face, he gave me a little break while playing with his stuffed toys. 

As for me, I went through a variety of sensations, not all of them relaxing. The smell is pleasant and refreshing, an oily mint that it awakes the senses while folding you in a cloud of relaxation. From minute 3, the skin went through moderate to hot fire, with sparkling pinches popping up all over the face covered by the cloth. You should take care to avoid any contact with the eyes, as the mixture is strong enough to burn a bit, although for a very short time. Somehow, the smell balances the strange sensations going on the skin, but I must confess that the last 2 minutes were quite hard, as every minute I wanted to take the mask off and get my 'freedom' back.

The effects on the skin were more than satisfying: the skin looks better and younger and cleaner, the pores are cleansed and the level of hydration was good enough for a couple of good coming days. 

As for now, I am considering to test other masks by Montagne Jeunesse, not only because are made in one of my favourite parts of the world, Wales.

Beauty review: Rose Hand Cream by Accentra

It does not happen every time to decide testing products I never heard about. It does not mean that the producs are bad for my skin or low quality, but when it comes to beauty products, I prefer to go on the beaten path, based on the good previous experience. However, a hand and nails cream cannot present a high risk and thus, when out shopping for beauty products with my friends I discovered this Aromatherapy cream by Accentra, I just follow my instincts and bought it,curious to discover something new. 

Especially during the winter and the never ending cold and because I have to keep my hands a lot of time under water cleaning permanently something for the baby, my hands are getting easily dry and require constant care. In the last two weeks, I am using this cream at least twice the day, for both hands and nails and the results are satisfactory.

I bought a 60 ml. blush rose tube, for 2.50 Eur. Made in China, the tube has an appearance of painting tube, made of a thin plastic, which looks good but of a relatively modest quality. It contains mainly water, mineral oil, citrus oil and geranicol. The cream is smooth, not too greasy, with smell which is for me a combination between oily something and fading roses. Not to die for, at least not me.

As for the effects on my skin, the most important after all, after 10 days of permanent use, I am fine with. It is the kind of cream that you end up using by reflex because you just know that it does good to you, at least for the next hour or so.  Not sure I will run to get a new supply after this tube is ready, but I am left with a good experience so the next time I know what Accentra is and what it did to me. 

Beauty review: Anti-Falten Lifting Konzentrat by Schaebens

I used the face masks by Schaebens for a long time with relatively good results, provided at a very good price, but was not too keen to start testing many of their capsule skin treatments. Somehow, the very low price and the apparently little substance discouraged me from trying it. After all, I cannot do experiments with my skin. 

But one of my many resolutions are to try as many new producs as possible and the positive quality reviews of the products branded by Schaebens helped me to go over all the ready made ideas. 

After looking at many of their beauty products, I decided for the anti-wrinkles lifting concentrate. It is available for less than 5 Euro at any DM or Rossmann shop in Germany. It has a big list of ingredients, among which Q10, Peptides, Grape Seeds Extract, hibiscus flower extract, perfume. It includes 7 capsules to be used for 7 days in a row. Other similar products included 5 or 6 capsules.

The little capsule is a wonder in itself. You cut the head and start applying on the skin, especially in the areas exposed to wrinkles: corners of the eye, corners of the mouth etc. The wonder is that the liquid contained is really enough for covering the face and even found more than once that there is even more liquid than I needed. 

I previously cleaned the skin with Hydra Skin Protection by L'Oreal, let to rest and started to apply the liquid with circular moves. At least upon the first application, you will feel some little tickle under your skin within the first 30 minutes, especially in the checkbone area. 

The liquid itself is very consistent, fatty - very greasy at touch - and it stays on the skin for a couple of good minutes before being absorbed by the skin. I followed the treatment early in the morning, leaving it to work for hours before applying any other skin care products or make-up. 

I do not have too many wrinkles due to a very good genetical heritage, but I felt after the first day that the skin looks more natural and glowing. After 5 days, did not see any more some fine lines around the mouth.At the end of the treatment I was really feeling much better in my skin. 

Verdict: It is a product worth the investment, with good result, but if you really have a seriously wrinkled skin, you better save money for something more high-end. 

Beauty review: ISANA Shower peeling with Dead Sea Salt

I am not a big fan of doing body peeling treatments all by myself because yes, sometimes I must recognize, I am very lazy. Especially now, with the baby in toe, the time is so limited that I have to think twice before spending too much time doing something. However, the combination between bambus massage pearls and dead sea salt sounded tempting enought for purchasing this shower peeling cream from Rossmann. Also, the fact that it is limited edition made me even more curious and special to use something not everyone's cup of tea.

I am using it for a week every day once and I started to like it. I apply the white cream with small blue dots on the dry skin, left there for around 10 minutes and washed out. If for the hands and upper body it feels like using any regular cream, in the feet area, after a couple of seconds I just feel how all the exhaustion and feeling of hard walking from the last months just goes away. It is true the sensation lasts for maximum one hour, but it may be enough to give you a feeling that this cream really does something. Something good with your body. It has a discrete smell that does not remain for too long on your body.

Given its under 4 EUR price - it is enough to use it for one month - and the good experience, I recommend it, at least for the feet relaxation effect. 

Beauty review: In Dusch Body Milk with Honey by Nivea

Source: www.nivea.de

I used to be a big fan of Nivea products a couple of years back as our holiday house was close to a factory of the company and as kids, we used to spy a lot around the premices, trying to imagine how to beauty creams are made. I especially liked their hand creams and skin care products, but once in a while I also liked to try their shower creams.

A couple of days ago I discovered a lot of samples of In Dusch Body Milk with Honey and decided to test it for 3 days. 

What I really like about it is that are made for busy people. My shower ritual is to apply the shower gel and after drying to use my special body milk but this takes time usually. With this body milk, after you use the shower gel, with the skin wet, you apply it and keep showering and dry the body. 

I used a 10 ml. sample every time and it was enough. It is free of silicone and artificial substances. It has a strong smell of honey and milk, but on the skin it goes as a natural fragrance. After using it twice for almost a week, the skin looks smooth and fine at touch. It works for both normal - my skin - and dry.

As there are many more In Dusch products, most probably will be tempted to try more samples soon.

In Germany, it is available for 4.49 Euro in most Rossmann and DM stores.

Beauty review: Labello hydro care lip balm

During and after my pregnancy I did cope with a big problem: very dried lips. Besides the aesthetical considerations, it gave me an annoying feeling and discomfort, especially after waking up. I tried various hydo care lip balms and to drink more water too, but once in a while the phenomenon was back. 

Then, completely randomly I found in my messy closet the Labello hydro care lip balm that I forgot I ever bought - it happens, isn't it?. I applied in on my lips by default but without too many expectations and went busy with my daily chores. After a little while, I discovered that I feel so unexplainable good in my skin. The reason was the disparition of my dry lips. In the evening, I applied once again and it worked. Apparently, all my dry lips problems were about to disappear for good with only one trace of hydro care.

Made of ingredients like aloe vera and pure water, Labello hydro care lip balm does not give any shine or colour to the lips. It also offers protection against UVA and UVB rays. Applied on the lips it gives a couple of minutes the sensation of fat, but it disappears fast. Upon applying a big layer of labello on lips, wait a couple of hours and you will see the results. 

The small tube can be carrier everywhere. Or lost very easily as I did more than once. It has a nice, pleasant to the eyes design. I did usually apply twice the day. The tube may last more than one month. One piece costs around 2.50 EUR, available at the Rossmann and DM stores in Berlin.