Shelfie of all cruelty-free skin and hair care products

★★★★★

The Pestle & Mortar Balance Spritz* is an excellent face mist.

It is sulfate-free, silicone-free, fragrance-free, vegan and cruelty-free. It claims to hydrate as well as soothe the skin and also help regulate sebum production by utilizing Magnesium, Ascorbic Acid and herb extracts.

I’m really falling for Pestle and Mortar products at the moment - everything I try becomes an instant staple in my routine. Balance Spritz is the best facial mist I’ve tested so far, it is pretty much scentless (which I love), very fine and really hydrates my skin well. I apply it post cleansing in the mornings and evenings, pat it in and wait a little for it to absorb before continuing with my serums and moisturizer. This spritz also pairs really well with my other products in the routine.

I will definitely repurchase this beauty.

*kindly gifted

Texture shot of the Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask

Jones Road Beauty Swatches

★★★★★

The Youth to the People Superclay Purify + Clear Powermask is a great clay mask

I was lucky enough to try it in advance and have to say that my combination skin loves it. This fragrance free, vegan and cruelty free goodness is filled with powerful ingredients such as Kaolin and Bentonite Clay, Niacinamide, BHA, Willow Bark and Blue Algae.

It feels different than other clay masks in that it doesn't dry down fully after the suggested 10 minutes and remains flexible. After use my skin feels softer and purified.

If you are curious about the mask, you can use my discount code TINA15 for 15% off your order at yttp.

RMS Liplight Swatch in Babette

★★★★☆

The kindly gifted Amalia Refreshing Gel Cleanser* is gentle yet effective.

It is silicone-free, sulfate-free, synthetic fragrance-free, vegan and cruelty-free as well as made without synthetic fragrance and drying alcohols. It does contain small amounts of natural fragrance though such as Grapefruit Peel Oil. The cleanser claims to remove impurities and build-up without stripping the skin while also reinforcing the skins lipid barrier. Some of its active ingredients include Pineapple Enzymes, for a gentle chemical exfoliation, Green Tea and Acai.

I really am so positively surprised by this cleanser. It has a unique texture - it is gel-like but on my skin it felt so gentle that I almost want to describe it as a mix between a cleansing balm and a water based cleanser. It has the tiniest citric scent to it and comes on nicely. It is not stripping whatsoever and still able to remove impurities and make-up. Because of its gentle effectiveness, I found myself reaching for this gem whenever my skin needs some extra TLC - for instance like today when my skin is a little more irritated because I had to turn the heat on. And I also have to admit that I love the sleek packaging!

I can definitely see myself repurchasing this cleanser and think it would be an excellent choice for more sensitive skin types as well.

*kindly gifted but opinions are mine

★★★★★

The gifted Youth to the People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum really is lovely.

It is silicone free, fragrance free, vegan and cruelty free. It contains three different forms of Vitamin C (Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate) as well as Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate and Yerba Mate among others.

You already heard everyone rave about this, and I really enjoy it too. The serum has a very lightweight, gel-like texture and absorbs very fast for a Vitamin C serum. It does have a little bit of a fruity scent with ginger notes to it (side note: I'm not a ginger lover (as in "hater") and still find the scent pleasing. As always, I find it hard to review Vitamin C serums, just because I have one in my routine at all times, but this one seems effective, and I also like the addition of hydrating ingredients.

With $68 the energy serum is on the pricier side, but I personally would repurchase. It is available at Sephora or Youthtothepeople.com

★★★★☆

The kindly gifted Farmacy Beauty Honey Savior* really is an excellent multi-tasker.

It is sulfate-free, silicone-free and cruelty-free, has the clean seal at Sephora but does contain a small amount of flavor (last ingredient on the list though). It utilizes locally sourced honey and a mix of vitamins and antioxidants to repair dry skin and soothe little irritations. It is super versatile and can be used on hair, lips, hand, elbows, feet etc.

Honey Savior has a thick, gel-like consistency and smells pleasantly of honey and Echinacea. So far I used it on my feet (that are always in need of some extra moisture), lips and hands, and I’m impressed. It really adds a punch of long-lasting moisture and also calmed down some cracked skin I had on my finger. I also love applying it on my lips while masking - especially when using acids. It gives them a nice layer of moisture and protection by preventing any of the acids from coming onto my lips. The salve is really extremely soothing!

Will definitely restock this beauty once I’m done with this tube.

*kindly gifted but opinions are mine

Skincare shelfie

Ouai - Body Creme

★★★★☆

The Herbivore Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner won me over.

It is sulfate-free, silicone-free, vegan as well as cruelty-free and has the clean seal at Sephora. The toner claims to balance blemish-prone skin through ingredients like jasmine water, green tea extract, witch hazel and willow bark. 

This was the first toner that I tried, so it could also be a little that I fell in love with the process of applying a mist after cleansing - there is something about that ritual I really enjoy. But I also do feel that my acne-prone skin became more balanced in the process. I just spritz the toner onto my face and then tab it in (I don’t like using cotton pads for this) - I have to let it dry a little before applying serums and moisturizer but it does absorb fairly quickly.

For me the only two downsides to this balancing toner are its smell - it is just a little too strong and herbal for me -, and then I wish that the mist was a little finer. Despite that I can definitely see myself repurchasing this guy.

On a side-note, Herbivore recommends to not use this toner during pregnancy or breast-feeding because of the Willow Bark.