Nov 27, 2012

November 2012 Ipsy/MyGlam Bag

I'll be honest, I'm still a little confused if the MyGlam bag is still a MyGlam bag and the company behind it is Ipsy or if it is an Ipsy bag now. It doesn't matter too much since I think I will be cancelling my subscription next month. It all depends on how December's bag is. I made a video to correspond with this post (it's a little rambly and I call the glitter nail polish "not a glitter nail polish" - which I have no idea why I said that, but... meh)


Don't I look terribly distraught in the thumbnail? Fear not, I did end up really liking a couple of products this month. Now, below are the pictures and some better swatches.









Nov 26, 2012

Beauty at Home Series is Back!

Over the summer I wrote a series about different products you can use in your beauty routine. I never actually posted what I had promised to after part 3. In fact, I don't even have a draft for it... so I am not even sure what I was going to post... silly me. I have a few ideas for future posts, but if you have any requests then just leave a comment below!

Overall my personal goal is to try to buy less and make more. Why have all the excessive packaging? Why use products that could only harm your body in the long run? It's less conventional to post about using what might be in your kitchen cabinet as opposed to writing about the newest product to hit the market (as a society we are taught to buy, buy, buy if we want to fit in), but I think it is important for people to know how to eliminate unnecessary chemicals if they truly want to.

I hate to end this post on such a short note, but I really have so much to say that I don't want to write in an unorganized and impossible to follow manner.

Do you make any products in your beauty routine?

Nov 24, 2012

November 2012 Birchbox

I've been subscribed to Birchbox for a few months. Surprisingly enough, I actually recorded and posted my unboxing video on YouTube. I've also posted pictures here so you can see what the products look like. Let me know what you think!

Here is the video: 


Here are the pictures!






Did you enjoy your November Birchbox?

Nov 14, 2012

Random: The Holiday Season Already?

Hello! I figured I would write about something other than makeup or skin care today. I have a little disclaimer, though. I celebrate Christmas, so I will be talking about Christmas rather than the other holidays that fall around this time of year.

Is it just me, or does the holiday season begin earlier and earlier each year? I really enjoy Christmas and some of the tastier things that come with winter (to name a few: eggnog, gingerbread, and my grandmother's version of Chex mix), but I feel like it is becoming more and more about the consumerist side of things. I'm not going to say I don't appreciate the gifts that my family and friends give me, but I don't want that to become the only thing people associate with Christmas in future generations. Oh, and I associate Christmas with winter and ice and I hate driving on ice and being cold in the winter, so thinking about icy roads in the middle of November is something I do not enjoy.

And to contradict what I just said, I thought it would be fun to share what I want for Christmas this year! Most of the things I want are on the practical side, I would say. Sure, there are bigger makeup items that I've been lusting after (Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette, a bigger bottle of my staple LaVanila perfume, etc), but overall I think my list has a lot of things that I can really get good use out of, so here it is:

  • Cookbooks! One of my professors made fun of me for this, but I want to cook more when I am at home and I want easy recipes that are also healthy. Then I want to move on to more complicated recipes and yes... I want to learn to make sushi. I know that you can go online and pick recipes with ease, but it's nice having everything in one place for once. I suppose once I have a nice enough collection of recipes I've found online then I'll probably just print them all off, laminate them, and put them in a binder... but until then, I am looking at cookbooks that follow specific themes.
  • Money. To be specific, my parents usually have a set amount they spend on Christmas. I said "hey, put it in my savings account!" and they responded with "that's not FUN, give us a real list!" - I dunno, I would rather plan ahead and have that money for things like furniture for my first apartment.
  • Gift cards. Particularly for clothes. I haven't bought more than maybe 2 pairs of jeans and 3 pairs of shoes since last year. I've also accumulated some t-shirts with my school's name and logo on it, but as I like to keep some parts of my life private, I can't exactly make videos if most of my tops have my school's name. Plus I need to work on building a wardrobe that is more acceptable for the workplace as my first internship will be in the summer.
  • New camera. This is so I can take higher quality pictures and videos (I know I haven't recorded a video in a long time, but I want to at some point because I just worked on this group video project and I realized that I miss recording and editing videos and that I shouldn't be so particular about things).
I'm sure there are other things I have mentioned to my family in passing, but these are the things that came to mind.

What do you want for Christmas/the next event in your life in which you would be receiving a gift?

PS- hopefully you don't mind that I want to start writing more personal blogs on occasion. I love makeup, but changing the subject matter of my writing is also fun.

Nov 12, 2012

Review: Grandpa's Thylox Acne Treatment Soap

As you may know, I am on the quest for natural skin care products that work with my acne-prone skin. I've also been learning about treating acne on the inside (I might try to write about that, but it will probably not be in the near future... it's a big task and I've only done minimal research). So, I ordered a few products from iHerb a while back. I picked things with positive reviews and decided to review them myself as I try them out. An item I was particularly excited about was Grandpa's Thylox Acne Treatment Soap with Sulfur.


Now, it's a bit ambitious to expect a product to completely "cure" acne, but there are products that help. I personally find that salicylic acid does nothing for my skin, benzoyl peroxide is very drying and irritating (even if it does work for a lot of people), and although tea tree oil is natural, it still doesn't seem to have an effect on my skin. I've only tried one other sulfur product, and I can't even remember what it was (other than the form: I know it was a cream). So naturally I wanted to see how this would work for my skin. As I mentioned before, I got this from iHerb, but you can also purchase it from Drugstore.com and Vitacost. I have not seen this particular soap sold at any retail stores I shop at, but I could be mistaken.

Now, the directions are very important for this. As the box says, wash your face like you normally would, but instead of instantly rinsing, you have to let it dry for one minute. This can help the medication sink in. Now, how did it actually work?

This product is so-so for my skin. It contains sodium cocoate, which is derived from coconut oil and generally doesn't work with my skin type (as I discussed in my review of Kirk's castile soap). My guess is that if you like Dr. Bronner's or Kirk's, then you will probably enjoy this.

I would suggest not using this to remove eye makeup (from the reviews I have read, some people have, but one day when I was showering some slid down my forehead and near my eye... not even in it, but close to it, and it burned quite a lot). That being said, I wouldn't describe this as a harsh soap. 

There is an added fragrance, but I wouldn't call it unpleasant. I would prefer it if this was fragrance free, but sulfur generally has an unpleasant smell, so I can see why it was added to the soap.

Bottom line? This cleansed my skin, but performed no miracles. For reference, I have used this for a little over two weeks.


Update: I don't think I will be repurchasing this. I keep using the Kiss My Face Olive & Green Tea soap on my face and I just think it feels so much nicer on my skin (and it's one less product to worry about in my bathroom) - I will be finishing this, though, since it's not a bad product.

Nov 7, 2012

Tag: How Much Is Your Face Worth?

This has been going around for a while (mostly through blogs... I have yet to see one on YouTube). The premise of this tag is to take everything you use on your face in a given day (some include skin care and some do not), find the price for each item, add all of those numbers together, and (optional) have a mini freak-out over how much you've spent just on those few items. My version of this tag will not include skin care because I am currently introducing some new products into my routine and I'm going to do a full post on my skin care routine in the near future.

So, this is almost a combination of my foundation routine (which I posted a few days ago), my every day eye routine, and the actual tag. I've based the prices on Ulta's website since I shop there most often. I also have some products I got in sets, so I will just list the full price for those.
  • L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream: $10.99. I've already mentioned that I really like this product, but there is one problem... I highly doubt it will last me through December. A small amount of product does not go a long way with this. Then again, I have quite a bit of redness.
  • Revlon PhotoReady Concealer: $9.99. This concealer isn't bad, but it isn't worth $10.
  • Benefit Ooh La Lift: $22. I have a small container of this that I got in a set. I personally don't notice much of a difference when I use it.
  • Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation: $12.99. This is the pressed powder version. I think I could use this on its own and be happy with it. I'll definitely consider repurchasing this in the summer because it gives light coverage and isn't too powdery.
  • Mario Badescu Facial Spray: $7. I started using this recently and I really like it. I'll definitely continue to buy some form of rosewater. This spray also has aloe and other things, but I have read about the benefits of using rosewater on the skin and hair and I'd like to use plain rosewater. Plus it would be cheaper.
  • MAC Mineralize Blush: $23.50. I have this in Hand Finish (it was limited edition about three years ago... that being said I should probably throw it away, but the texture or quality of it has not changed, so that is why I still use it).
  • Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige: $6.99. I've talked about this a lot. This is what I use on weekdays. On weekends I tend to use my Stila Smudge Crayons.
  • CoverGirl Eye Enhancers Eye Shadow Trio in Cafe Au Lait: $4.99. I like the colors, but I won't repurchase because I've got too many neutral eye shadows already and I want the Naked 2 palette, but I wouldn't feel right in having it if I had various other colors not being used. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I really want a Z Palette so I can make the most of my space.
  • Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Demolition: $19. I have this in a smaller size (it came in a set of five), but the full size is $19. These eyeliners are smooth, but they smudge on me, so I can't justify buying a full sized one when there are eyeliners out there that cost less and work better for me. I use this every day so I can hopefully finish it soon.
  • E.L.F. Brightening Eye Color Quad in Brownstone: $1. I use the dark brown shade to set my Urban Decay eyeliner. I occasionally use the taupe in my crease.
  • Rimmel Extra Wow Lash Mascara: $3.99. I've been using this quite a lot lately (I've been alternating it with Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara).
The grand total? $122.44. Honestly I am shocked. There are items on the list that I don't use every day (the blush, for example... I just listed what I used today - I have other blushes I use that cost $4). Another reason the numbers are so high is because I listed the full price for High Beam and my Urban Decay eyeliner. But still... just my (almost) every day face makeup costs quite a lot of money. Thankfully I can feel good about it because I am not letting my products or money go to waste, but it's still insane to think of what goes in to just one makeup look.

I have been rambling for long enough, so I will end the post here. If you've done this tag, comment below with a link to your post! And if you don't have a blog, just let me know how much your face is worth because I'm nosy like that.

Nov 6, 2012

Liebster Blog Award

So I was recently nominated for the Liebster Blog Award by fellow blogger Katy. Before answering the questions I went on a little search because I hadn't heard of it before. Technically it's like a chain letter, but it's a great way for up and coming bloggers to connect with each other. Blogs with less than 200 followers can be nominated by someone who loves their blog. Now, here are the rules:
  • Reveal 11 things/random facts about myself
  • Answer 11 questions that the person who nominated me has set
  • Create 11 new questions for my nominees
  • Tag 11 people with less than 200 followers and let them know they have been nominated - no tag backs allowed.
11 Random Facts:
  1. I have already purchased a sofa for my first apartment. The odd thing is that I won't have my first apartment for at least a year and a half. I just really like to be prepared.
  2. I hardly ever eat candy or dessert. I get my sugar from Starbucks/coffee in general.
  3. I am an only child. My parents had me later in life because until about 9 months before my birth they thought they couldn't have children.
  4. I used to be a pro at HTML and CSS back when I was in middle school. Then my interests changed and I had less time to commit to fully coding my blog on my own
  5. As a child, my favorite household chore was dusting. I still get joy out of it when I'm not sneezing like a fool.
  6. My boyfriend and I want to live in British Columbia at some point (we currently live in the United States).
  7. I haven't gotten a haircut since April. I really need to soon, though.
  8. I've dyed my hair three times with demi-permanent color (it was by L'Oreal and the shade was Espresso, I think), but I'm trying henna soon!
  9. I couldn't paint my nails properly to save my life if I tried. My hand is very unsteady.
  10. I originally wanted my major to be criminal justice. Communications won when the department head told me one of his classes involved playing Quidditch. I did research on comm and decided I liked the classes I would be taking better than the classes I would have been taking for criminal justice
  11. I have favorite TV shows, but I hardly ever watch TV.
My Answers to Katy's Questions:
  1. What do you like most about blogging?: I like that I can interact with readers. I also really enjoy writing, so it's a great way for me to talk about makeup.
  2. If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?: Sushi! I prefer salmon and I like to use lots of wasabi.
  3. What's your favorite makeup brand?: That's a difficult one to answer, but I will say Too Faced because as of right now, I've never tried anything from them that I didn't like.
  4. Do you prefer cats or dogs?: I prefer cats. They are more independent. I do like dogs, though. I just find cats easier to take care of. Except for my cat. He's the cat version of the "Overly Attached Girlfriend" - it's a little scary.
  5. Who is your favorite Youtube Beauty guru?: Right now I am loving essiebutton's videos. She's very charismatic and ever since finding her channel, I haven't skipped a video she has posted.
  6. Could you go a whole year without buying makeup?: Ha. Probably not. I could try, but honestly there is a lot of temptation to try new things because I genuinely like to review products. I had the hardest time not buying anything during the three month no-buy I set for myself during the summer. If I ever do that again it will not be in the middle of the summer. Actually, I have considered doing a no-buy from January to March. We'll see :)
  7. Are you good about cleaning your makeup brushes regularly? (Be honest!): It depends on how busy I am. At the beginning of the school year, I was spot cleaning daily and deep cleaning them weekly. I think the longest I have gone without washing a brush is 2 weeks. That's really not too bad... right? *shifty eyes*
  8. Do you have support of friends and family with your blog?: My roommate isn't a fan of makeup, so she thinks it's weird. Some of my other friends know I have a blog, but they don't know what it is about. My boyfriend is fully supportive of my blog and has occasionally left a math-related comment on my posts (he likes math). My parents have supported my blog too. My mom comes to me for makeup advice, and I think that says a lot.
  9. If you didn't blog about beauty, what else would you blog about?: I would probably have a blog about fiction. I used to write short stories with my friends all the time, but as we got older our interests changed.
  10. What's your favorite type of foundation? (powder, liquid etc.): I prefer the convenience of pressed powder foundations, but I always find myself buying liquid foundations.
  11. Are there days when you don't wear any makeup at all?: There are, but now that I'm working to finish products in my collection, the days I go without makeup are few and far between. The great thing is that I did go most of the year without makeup last year and I can say my skin problems are not related to makeup.
My Questions:
  1. What is the number one place you want to travel to?
  2. What is your Hogwarts house? (I had to ask)
  3. What nail polish are you wearing right now/did you wear last?
  4. What is your number one beauty secret?
  5. What is more important to you: skincare or makeup?
  6. What is the number one product that you want that you can't get where you live?
  7. What is your favorite food that other people might consider to be odd?
  8. What is your dream job?
  9. Is there something you dislike about blogging?
  10. What product has surprised you the most? It can be good or bad.
  11. What is your favorite season and why?
11 Blogs I've Nominated:
  1. HistoryBeauty
  2. Sugar and Sparkle
  3. Cara Loves Cosmetics
  4. Forever Fuchsia
  5. Monsiieur Alex
  6. My Glittery Obsessions
  7. Natalie's Life
And there were a ton more that I wanted to nominate, but they were all a bit past 200. This was fun to fill out, so thanks again to Katy for nominating me!

Nov 5, 2012

Hurricane Sandy: You Can Help

I wasn't sure of a good title for this blog post (and this is a bit off the subject of beauty), but I've been thinking it over for the past few days and I've decided this is something I should write about. I'm not personally from the east coast, but I do have family members from the region (they are all fine) and I know of some bloggers and vloggers affected by the storm. So, how can you help?

I posted about this earlier today, but Kiss My Face is going to be giving 50% of its revenue to those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Here are some other options I found:
These are just a few ways to help. And apparently the east coast is about to be hit again (by a Nor'easter on Wednesday), so if you're from that region: stay safe!

Review: Kiss My Face Olive & Green Tea Soap

I tried the Kiss My Face Olive & Green Tea soap after having a less than perfect experience with Kirk's castile soap. Spoiler alert: I have a very different opinion on this.


There are six different versions/scents of this soap. All of them come in 4 ounce and 8 ounce bars and depending on where you buy them, the 8 ounce bars will often cost $3 to $4 (the 4 ounce bars are $2 to $3). All of these soaps are olive oil-based. All of the bars are also free of artificial dyes, parabens, SLS, and gluten. The packaging (just paper) is also eco-friendly and the soap itself is biodegradable. Now, here is a comparison of the different variations Kiss My Face has to offer:
  • Pure Olive Oil: The only one from this line that is completely fragrance free. I'm not sure if it has an unpleasant odor, but I will be trying it in the future. The ingredients are: Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Sodium Chloride
  • Olive & Aloe: The added aloe vera is meant to be healing for the skin. It has an artificial fragrance that is not described on the website, so I can't say what it smells like. The ingredients are: Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Aloe Vera, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance
  • Olive & Honey: The added honey is supposed to add even more moisture to the bar. I haven't smelled it, but the biggest complaint I've seen in reviews for this bar is the fragrance, and I haven't found this in any of the stores that sell the other soaps. The ingredients are: Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Sodium Chloride, Honey, Fragrance
  • Chammomile Olive: Chammomile has calming and soothing qualities to it, so that would be the extra benefits you would get from this bar. The ingredients are: Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Chamomile, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance
  • Olive & Green Tea (the one I have): Green tea adds anti-inflammatory properties to this soap. I definitely noticed that my skin is softer after I use it. I've used it on my face with no problems (I did so out of curiosity because I really want to have a natural soap I can use on my face and body). I don't love the way it smells when I'm using it, but it leaves my skin smelling nice, so I won't complain at all. The ingredients are: Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Green Tea, Sodium Chloride, parfum.
  • Olive & Lavender: Lavender is said to be antiseptic and soothing to the skin. I've smelled this one before and it's not bad, but it's not my favorite scent either. The ingredients are: Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Sodium Chloride, Fragrance
Some common complaints for these bars is that they become mushy if they sit in water in the shower, but to be honest, I can't think of a soap that doesn't do that. I always have my soap dry out of the bathroom. Another potential issue is that if you have the bigger soap, you'll notice that it doesn't exactly fit a soap dish. It can either be cut into smaller pieces or you can just do what I do and have as much of it as possible in a soap dish without having the ability to put the lid on (it's actually pretty amusing to see how the soap doesn't fit in the dish... I need to get out more often). I don't really need the lid at the moment anyway, so this is far from being a deal-breaker for me. Another issue people commonly mention is that this soap does not foam up much. I just use a net bath sponge (also commonly called a loofah, although technically the two are very different), and I get a nice lather. One thing to remember is that the lather from most cleansers can actually be drying, so I tend to like things that aren't as foamy, but still leave my skin feeling clean.

The important thing to always consider is quality, and I think this stuff is great. I feel as if this bar will last me a very long time with proper care, which will save me a hefty amount of money in the long run. I couldn't be more pleased. My skin is softer and it just feels healthier. The weather is getting cold, but my skin is not getting dry, and that is amazing. I've tried this on my face a few times and it feels nice, but this won't be my every day cleanser for a while. I've got another bar of soap that I am using on my face at the moment. Oh, and I thought it would be important to note that I have been using this for around two weeks. Usually I know within a couple of days if I like a body wash or soap.

I've also read that people have used these soaps in place of conventional shampoo. I haven't tried it, but I plan to try it on a day when I won't be going anywhere (just in case things don't go well).

The bottom line is that I do recommend this soap and I can't wait to try the other scents.
Not the prettiest soap, but it works well.
Click the picture to enlarge it (if you want to see the label)
What is your favorite soap/body wash?

PS- if you order anything from KissMyFace.com from now until Friday, November 9, then 50% of the revenue from your purchase will go to relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Not sponsored, I just thought I would let everybody know!

Nov 4, 2012

Updated Foundation Routine! (November 2012)

So I've finally switched my foundation routine up a bit, so I thought I would share it! So far I am pleased with the combination of products I am using. I've only been doing this routine for a few days, so if my opinion of anything changes, I'll be sure to post an update.

  • Moisturizer: Right now I am using the travel sized version of the Willa Clear Face Moisturizer. I was curious about this because it is a liquid moisturizer, so I bought the overnight kit (with a bag, cleanser, and the moisturizer). I like this moisturizer, but I think I will need something more hydrating in the winter, so at the moment I'm working on finishing it up. I also occasionally spray the Mario Badescu facial spray after applying moisturizer (really I use it sporadically... either way it's a nice product).
  • Treatment: Clindamycin 1%/Benzoyl peroxide 5% gel. This is just the generic form of Benzaclin. I was prescribed this two weeks ago and you can't buy this over the counter. I don't like the fact that it contains benzoyl peroxide, but my dermatologist said to use it and I decided to listen (for the time being, that is). I'm putting up my skin care routine post within the next few weeks, so if I end up liking this I'll be sure to include it.
  • "Foundation": L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream. This is said to prime, perfect, hydrate, and correct. It's a nice product, but there isn't much in the tube, so I'm not sure if it is worth the money at full price (if you can get this on sale, I recommend at least trying it). It gives light to medium coverage and doesn't leave my face in a greasy mess. Dare I say this, but I think I am beginning to like this better than my Smashbox BB cream. I've noticed my skin is less oily, but I also realize this could be a number of factors (the change in my skin care, the changing weather, and the change of my foundation routine)
  • Concealer: I've been using the Revlon PhotoReady concealer for a while and I intend to use it until I finish it. If I repurchase it, it'll be a while.
  • Powder: Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder foundation. This has light to medium coverage and it has an SPF of 20.
I don't have a blush I use every day right now - I just use whatever I feel like using for the day. What products are you currently using for your foundation routine?

Nov 2, 2012

Review: Kirk's Original Coco Castile Soap

I've been on a bit of a "natural product" hunt lately. Since I am close to finishing most of the body soaps I have, I thought I would pick out a few different soaps to try out. I bought Kirk's Original Coco Castile on a recommendation my dad made. He said he loved this soap when he was younger, so I thought it would be worth a try. Apparently Kirk's has been around since 1839, which I thought was interesting. To me, it says the brand has loyal fans and it is probably still around for a reason.

Kirk's Castile soap has two versions (Original and Fragrance Free) and very short list of ingredients: Coconut Soap, Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Coconut Oil, Natural Fragrance. Of course, the fragrance free version has that same list of ingredients with the exception of "natural fragrance"

Something I loved about Kirk's was that it just used paper for the packaging and the soaps are inexpensive. And by inexpensive I mean each bar costs about $1.50 (or less, depending on where you buy it) for a 4 ounce bar. You can also buy a pack of three, which is what I did. Now... I don't have any pictures of this soap because I don't have it with me. I do have a cropped version of the picture from my haul, so that way you can sort of see what the packaging looks like from the side (I don't like to use stock photos, so that's why I'm not using one).


I really enjoyed the way this felt on my skin. It lathered nicely and made me feel clean. The issue is that my skin didn't react well to it (I was getting bumps on my arms). However, I've noticed I sometimes have this problem with Dr. Bronner's soap too. My guess is that my skin probably just doesn't work well with coconut-based soaps. Thankfully I have the Kiss My Face soap to try out, because it looks promising. I still recommend this because it is inexpensive, other people seem to love it, and it made my skin feel nice. I also think that at the price, it's worth a shot if you are looking for something new. I will probably give these to my dad or find another use for them.

Have you tried Kirk's? Have you tried any other castile soaps?

Nov 1, 2012

Vaseline: the Controversy

I could probably write a lengthy post about why some people think Vaseline (technically petroleum jelly, but I'll try to use Vaseline because that is the most commonly known brand name) is good and why others think it is bad, but I will do my best to make my point quickly and also offer alternatives for those who do want an alternative to Vaseline. Vaseline is considered a staple in most households because there are so many uses for it that it would probably be impossible to compile a complete list of its uses.

Some people swear by Vaseline to moisturize dry skin and basically be the ultimate beauty product. I disagree. When I was in high school, I was trying an acne product with benzoyl peroxide and my face was becoming unbearably dry. I tried Vaseline on my dry patches and it made things worse. I found out later that Vaseline just covers the skin and doesn't really penetrate the layers... but I am happy that it doesn't go deep into my skin. Want to know why?

Petroleum Jelly is derived from dead dinosaur bones. Yeah, just let that one sink in for a moment (no pun intended). Some sites I have visited have also mentioned that mineral oil and petroleum jelly both block oxygen and prevent your skin from breathing, thus preventing it from renewing itself.

Now, what are some of the alternatives?
Of course, what you decide to use is ultimately up to you. Although I am trying to change my skin care routine to mostly natural products (and plant-based products), it would be a challenge to go all-natural... and let's face it: not ALL ingredients are necessarily harmful and linked to more serious health problems. But if we can take what we know about some of the ingredients that have been shown to cause problems, then we will hopefully be one step closer to being happier and most importantly, healthier.