Hi team - this is going to be confusing with lots of cacao/cocoa.
Local store near me sells Cacao Butter, but everything I read online talks about Cocoa butter. I have read that cacao is less processed and is not exposed to the same high temperatures as cocoa but is otherwise the same. Can I assume cacao butter has the same % (25-35 it seems) of stearic acid as cocoa butter?
Thanks!
submitted by Just as the title says, which of these is better overall in terms of stearic acid and low polyunsaturated fats?
I've heard great things about Cocoa/Cacao butter but does it not have a high concentration of polyunsaturated fats as well? Wouldn't it therefor be better to eat stuff like suet over the cocoa butter? We have cocoa butter at home already so I was wondering if it might be good to try using it for this or if I'd be better sticking to butter and other animal fats.
And how are the fat contents of higher fat dairy like sour cream and high fat yogurt (greater than 10%) in terms of stearic acid, would it be comparable in ratio due to the fact its from the same source?
submitted by I do realize there is a lot of negative press going around about AM & I won't be for purchasing from them again should they open up - for many reasons - but I put in this order early in March at the beginning of The Lockdown, prior to any of the flames & fury that followed. This was a very curious & exciting purchase to try and stave off any negativity from being laid off my day job at a local bistro (and I've found myself returning to it lately in the wake of more stress & such). I received my order in late August & have been trying out the twelve vials I ordered (as well as the 7 samples I was sent) since then.
What I ordered: Dreamy, Soft Core, Badass, Dominant Women, Boss, Smut Lust, Blood Musk, Red Musk Superior, Sensory Deprivation Tonic, WTF, Violet Musk, Strawberry Musk.
Samples I Received: Swedish Erotica, Elvis, Jo's Orange Blossom, Send Nudes!, Vanilla Lacey, Catwalk.
Dreamy: Rich, dry cookie like vanilla, peru balsam, Arabian musk tahara, platinum amber & white, creamy amber.
On me, I mean, there's not much other than a lot of vanilla with a crunchy cookie note at the beginning. It lasts for hours. I tend to put it on about an hour before bed and the cookie will fade as I lay down, vanilla will last to the next morning and it dries down to a warmth that has to be the creamy amber note. It is enjoyable but I must say there are plenty other vanilla/cookie/musk scents out there.
Soft Core: Clover-like honey, cocoa, oud & dark woods.
Wet, straight vanilla caramel with a butter note. No honey here, which saddens me as that's one of my favorite notes, but it still smells bomb. Dries down into the oud/woods with an ever so slightly bitter cocoa note. Would not mind finding a dupe for this one, or something similar. Especially if it actually went honey on me.
Badass: Dark aged patchouli, extremely dark black musk, furry brown loud but ground musk.
I dare say... I was quite looking forward to the patchouli and the furry musk I was promised. On my skin it smells clean though and floral. I don't know how. It screams Ylang Ylang from the highest tree branch and does not let up. Whether fresh on my skin or hours later, dry and physically unnoticeable, it's a very loud aura of ylang musk & I am not a fan. If anyone wants it, it shall likely be up for sale ASAP.
Dominant Women: Red Egyptian musk, black cherry, leather whip, black pepper, synthetic ambergris, grounded sandalwood, vanilla absolute, musk mallow, shea & beeswax.
I picked this one for another favorite note - beeswax, and yet again, sadly, it goes very clean & fresh on me. With all the lovely deeper, base notes used in this blend I'd have thunk it to be rich & warm, a little spiced and fruity. Alas, it starts spa-like with a powdery sandalwood note (which is how nearly all sandalwood shows up on me - so disappointing) and dries with just a hint of the pepper, shea & cherry alongside more of the sandalwood (which though powdery on my skin seems to also last AGES no matter what I do to run it off).
Boss: Sassy, bold boozy Cabernet, Japanese strong lightly floral musk, juicy rose.
Much like the description says, it's a lightly floral musk that dries to a boozy wine note. Doesn't particularly scream Boss to me though.
Smut Lust: Creamy, badass girl blend; milky skin musk, creme brulee, lickable body shimmer, cola on the breath, in a vanilla suede hat & halter top.
Creme brulee right off the bat with that crisp caramelized sugar snapped open to reveal a beautiful light musk with the barest whisper of cola. Suede comes in on the dry down. I feel like this should have been called Badass rather than the one Sarabeth gave that label to.
Blood Musk: A deep, intense, uncut black musk from India & very special 8 year aged red musk. Dark, sexy musk.
Oof. This is a dirty, sexy musk. No disguising this as anything other than what it is. No notes other than musk and like... actual dirt. Like I've been digging in the garden. Damn. I mean, it's interesting but probably not a regular for me. Maybe for use when I need to literally ground myself and smell like I've been outside even if I haven't been.
Red Musk Superior: Sharp, intense, sexy, sweet, demanding & SMUTTY AF red musk. Use faintly. Apparent lady magnet.
Wet On Skin: It crawls out sticky and thick; a sweet, smoky, very intense musk. For certain would be paired with some luscious burgundy velvet, faux fur, leather. At least that's the image I get. DEFINITELY put too much on & it was merely a dab. Quite bold & a bit stinky, if I'm being completely honest. Drying & dry: I don't know what I expected, being that this is a MUSK. It's very musky, what else is there to say? Would I call it smutty? Eh. I suppose it does remind me of something one might smell off a very attractive woman around her 40s, picking up sexy younger guys. A cougar, one might say. If this one is anything like Blood Musk, and I assume it will be by the extremely similar consistency, it will refuse to leave for several hours, if not a whole day & a half. Dangit anyway. I'm surround by nothing but this musk with the occasional whiff of Violet Musk which is dabbed on my other arm.
How strange that my grandmother (mid 80s) thinks it's a soft, lovely fragrance. I find it loud & obtrusive and quite annoying that 3 HOURS LATER it is still the only thing I can smell in the bubble around myself.
I will say, with the staying power this house's red musk seems to have on my skin, I do think it'd be a good one to use very, very sparingly to anchor another perfume oil or two, as a layering oil. It's certainly not a standalone perfume - not for me anyway.
Sensory Deprivation Tonic: Soft marshmallow cream, lightly sweet Tunisian sandalwood, touch of Mysore. Blue Egyptian musk, skin milk, dreamy lavender.
Lots of marshmallow, cream, musk & skin milk wet. As it dries the lavender comes out & it's a lavender, vanilla & marshmallow calming scent. After a few hours the lav & mallow is joined by a powderiness which is most certainly the sandalwood. Good for sleep.
WTF: Teal musk, neroli, black as the moonless night coffee, sweetened, no cream, dark 89% cacao chunks, wheat bread.
The shortest evolution ever. Pure coffee & dark chocolate for about a minute, a whiff of wheat bread (which was odd and so short it could have been imagined) and POOF it all disappeared for baby powder & musk. Likely the baby powder is the neroli.
Violet Musk - I was unable to find notes listed for this.
Violets + musk. I suppose that's all that was necessary, really. That is what's in the name. Perhaps a breath of pure golden sugar... when wet of course. A weird grape undertone as it dries. It smells purple, but not royal/vibrant purple like my logo more of a silvery, well, violet purple. The weird grapey note is what flies off my skin of course & being that I am not a fan of grape... well.
Strawberry Musk - same as above.
Strawberry Crunch ice cream. That is what I immediately think of and smell, wet. As it dries, toasted marshmallow, vanilla & a bit of cloyingly sweet fake strawberry. Fully dry, the musk comes out with a drizzle of toasted vanilla cream. I do quite like it wet & once it dries down, but that in-between bit with the punch of synthetic strawberry blechness is not pleasant.
Swedish Erotica: Swedish fish candies, milky skin musk, vintage wax candies, adult featured rose.
When I first put it on, it made me think sugar cookie + white flowers + musk. Don't ask me why, I've no idea. It was just my initial thought without notes in front of me. The cookie fades away & then it's just sugar + musk + flowers. Very nice. Definitely could go for something similar.
Elvis: Toasted marshmallows, amber resin, black velvet orchid, civet musk (synthetic), fruit juice stained cream silk blouse.
Marshmallow, warm fruit, floral musk note but no civet that I could pick up on. Meh. I'll wear the sample til it's gone but, even if I could, I wouldn't buy it myself.
Jo's Orange Blossom - no notes
Wet: Yep, that's orange blossom. Literally sticking your nose over a bottle of orange blossom water. Stays close to my skin. Nice little whiff if I get close enough otherwise it's much like I'm not wearing any perfume at all. Fam can't smell it either so it isn't just me. It's a nice smell though. Perhaps I'll see how it goes with Vanilla Lacey or Alkemia's Trick or Treat. As it dries, it does flutter to my nose a bit more but only in whispers every now & again. Which is nice compared to the experience with Red Musk Superior but I'd like something in between. Just a smidge more oomph. Dry, the orange bit of the orange blossom is lighter & the floral bit comes out more so it does float about creating a very soft, bright, inviting little bubble about me. Overall, I do like it & wouldn't mind finding similar scents for days when I want something that doesn't scream I'm here, I'm here! at the top of its lungs.
Send Nudes! - citrus musk
Flies off the skin, and enters my nostrils whether I'm ready or not. Definitely citrus... possibly lemon peel. Notes of vanilla and something... white (whether floral, amber, musk? I dunno. My nose isn't that good) on the drydown. Ends smelling kinda like candied lemon peel with something else I can't place.
Vanilla Lacey: apparently just a lot of vanilla
Wet on skin - Super vanilla hard cookie like that brand that makes a flavor called English Tea (I think it's Mother's?). That smell. As it dries, that scent clings but something like maybe a light citrus sugar joins the party. The musk seems very light if present at all. Reminds me heavily of VS's vanilla musk but with a really, really light whisper of crunchy cookie at the back.
Catwalk: Nu-White is a sharp rich smelling silvery white musk & makes this blend generously haunt you all day long. Violets, gardenias & rose shine heavenly, softened by bashful vanilla. Lemon sugar sneaks up but adds a zing.
FLORAL musk all the way through with a quick bit of what must be the nu-white at the very beginning - comes across caramelized on me some way somehow - unless it is the vanilla coupled with the lemon sugar. Either way, it goes much too floral on me. I'll likely gift to my mom since she likes florals & musks.
Definitely open to suggestions of other houses that do musks well. I never thought I liked musks but apparently I do? If they're done well. Also, good patchouli blends. And beeswax. And honey. I likely won't be ordering for a while but I'll never stop having a wishlist of perfumes & other lovely scented creations!
submitted by So 2020 was a bit of a dumpster fire. And by a bit, I mean a giant, steaming shitshow. But I got through a bunch of products, so yay? Per my usual, the following is a lengthy af list of products that I used or destashed, complete with notations unfit for human consumption, generally sweary thoughts, and rather crap formatting. Some of my 20 in 2020 pan list are included in this breakdown, but a full recap post on that adventure will be coming shortly.
tldr: 78 haiskin/perfume/cosmetic products used/destashed, minus a midsummer destashing session that I forgot to document.
Huda Beauty Kayali Vanilla|28 (Sample)
Impressions: This is a nice, warm vanilla fragrance. Its pleasant (and oddly the same scent) at initial application and dried down. If you could get rid of that
slightly chemical scent in VS Amber Romance, it would be this perfume. Wear time on me is about 4 hours. Easily wearable in most situations, unlikely to offend anyone’s nose. Weirdly, my sample is purple, but the stock image on Sephora is pale pink and it isn’t that old….
Repurchase: $85 for 50mL for glorified VS Amber Romance? Fuck outta here….
CORSX Acne Pimple Master Patch 24 count (KB)
Impressions: I love these lil guys. Super handy to have around for hormonal acne flares. They stay on my face throughout the night, which is impressive given that I’m a restless sleeper.
Repurchase: Definitely
The Creme Shop x Hello Kitty Celebrate Me Time Sheet Mask (LE) (KB)
Impressions: The cuteness of this is adorable. The mask is printed with HK’s signature bow and cute accents. Pleasantly watermelon/sugary scented, well moistened mask. Does this do anything outstanding? No.
Repurchase: Also no. But it was a nice 20 minute experience that made my skin happy.
L’ador Tea Tree Scalp Clinic Hair Pack (KB)
Impressions: This is the loveliest thing for getting rid of dry winter flakes and deep cleaning from summer product scalp buildup, especially when used with a shampoo brush. My husband even likes it for his scalp psoriasis. My only gripe is that I have yet to find a US vendor for this. Shipping from South Korea takes a small eternity. First world problems, I know. I just have to remember to order multiples at a time. {ed. note, this now is available from a US vendor (
sokoglam.com) at a slightly higher price point. Score!}
Repurchase: Definitely
BH Cosmetics Stellar Lash (DS)
Impressions: I love this mascara. Its like TF’s BTS’ nicer, older sister. Similar performance, but not as heavy or gloopy. Brushes are similar, but I think SL’s is a bit smaller. The bottle stopper is much more proportionate to the brush head as you don’t get metric tons of product on the wand like you do with BTS.
Repurchase: Yes. I’ve got a full size of this mascara on my 20 in 20 pan list as well.
The Doux One Love Co-Wash
Impressions: I’m sure at one point in time I liked this product because it didn’t immediately get binned. However, at the time of review I’m trying to recover from some hair fuckery due to an incompetent stylist so I’m super salty about everything. At the moment, I like exactly three things about this product. 1) The packaging 2) The pale pink color 3) The fact that this bitch empty and gets to be yeeted into the recycling bin. Partial credit for being available at my local Target.
Repurchase: No. {ed. note, I am rethinking my position on repurchasing this. I think it would be lovely for wintertime when I’m not sweating as much. I am also mostly recovered from the hair fuckery.}
Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Conditioner
Impressions: I really like this whole line. The smell is incredible. The conditioner is thick without being too difficult to work with. Absorbs nicely into the hair. Good balance between moisture and protein. This is too heavy for my hair as a regular conditioner. I use it as a deep conditioner once or twice a month. This seems to be the sweet spot.
Repurchase: Yes
The Creme Shop x Hello Kitty Complete Cleansing Makeup Wipes (LE) (KB)
Impressions: Husband and I were out of the country visiting relatives over the Christmas holiday. I didn’t want to bring the full arsenal of cleansing products (and I wasn’t planning on wearing much makeup anyhow) so I picked these up. No lie, I was surprised how much I like these. The strawberry rosé scent is really nice and they did a good job of removing makeup without stripping my skin or stinging my eyes. Each wipe was moist and the compact packaging (great for travel!) had a nice locking lid, in addition to the interior sticker seal.
Repurchase: Probably not. These are LE and I really only purchase wipes for travel purposes. If these are still around the next time I travel, then I would definitely repurchase. If they’re gone by then, I would likely purchase something comparable from the same brand.
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Glow
Impressions: This is quite possibly my favorite lip gloss ever. I rave about it to anyone and everyone who asks about it.
Repurchase: Yes. The next purchase will likely be in another shade, but I can always count on Glow.
Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation, 228 Soft Tan
Impressions: There’s nothing really *wrong* with this foundation, though I would have to say the “poreless” is a lie. But maybe that’s just me. I get good wear time out of this and it is fairly lightweight. Decent coverage, though I’m not a fan of how it looks built up. I’m tossing this because it is way too dark; at least two shades too dark while wet and between three and four shades once dry. Its also pretty old; I bought it when I was living in Hawaii and I haven’t lived there for a few years.
Repurchase: Probably not. Its fine, but there are other foundations that I like better (with better shade ranges) that I would rather wear.
Too Faced Cocoa Powder Foundation, Medium
Impressions: I love this. It is everything I ever wanted in a powder foundation. In a compact. Has a nice sponge (crap sponges are a pet peeve). Applies nicely with said sponge or with a brush. Lightly scented. Good coverage. Behaves itself as a standalone or as a light helper to BB creams. I finally panned this one (which took ages) and I’ve got one more in backup.
Repurchase: Sadly, no. This has gone the way of the dodo, like so many of the products us Old Bats love. I’m contemplating TF’s Born This Way Powder as a substitute, but the mixed reviews give me some concern. I have plenty of setting powders to get through before I buy another powder foundation, plus I’ve had my eye on RCMA’s colorless powder for a while.
LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer, Medium Beige
Impressions: I used to like this. I really did. But, not any more. My skin (specifically, my Old Bat under eyes) cannot take thick cosmetics anymore. While playing with some application techniques & cocktails to thin the product out, I came to the realization that this it also completely the wrong shade & undertone for my skin now. I have been victimized by my own shitty lighting. {ed. note: I suspect my skin tone changes are due to a combination of winter-induced paleness and some sneaky lightening ingredients in current skincare regimen. Will investigate further.} I had a decent amount of product left, but it had been open for a while and the formula was starting to change a bit. I decided that money wasted is still wasted, regardless of if it sits in my stash or in the trash. Since I hate clutter, in the bin it went. I don’t miss it.
Repurchase: No, unless it is for Halloween/costume party related purposes. You can’t beat the coverage or shade range for the price.
IPKN Moist & Firm BB Cream, Medium (KB)
Impressions: I like the SPF. I like the scent. Applies nicely and has good coverage. I get decent wear time out of this. However, it oxidizes like a mfer. Doesn’t matter what primer I use, doesn’t matter if I freshly wash my face right before application, setting powder, no setting powder, primer vs no primer, it oxidizes. Which is a shame because its a pretty good color match at initial application. But within an hour its two shades too dark and orange. I’ve had success combating that with mixing in blue color corrector, however *insert ain’t nobody got time for that meme here*. It might just be
too moisturizing for my skin.
Repurchase: No, which is super disappointing. Back on the hunt I go.
Elizabeth Arden My Fifth Avenue (DS)
Impressions: This is one of the most generic smelling perfumes I’ve ever tried. Lasts maybe 2 hours on my skin, which is just sad. I get absolutely no citrus (which is supposed to be a top note), just a vague, generic floral, and a hint of musk. It isn’t offensive by any means, its just….there. It is quite light and would be a nice summer option, but this is definitely not for me.
Repurchase: No
Wet N Wild Photofocus Stick Foundation, Classic Beige
Impressions: I'm sure this is a great formulation for someone. I am not that person. This did nothing for me. Emphasized all my texture/pores/fine lines. Just sat on my skin. Amazingly, it looks even worse on camera. I swear I look 10 years older wearing this. This bad boy gets yeeted into the trash with zero regrets.
Repurchase: Hard no.
LA Girl Slim Shady, Darkest Brown
Impressions: I fucking love this thing. Its cheap. Doesn’t have funky undertones. Is pigmented. Its retractable. Can be blended easily, but doesn’t melt off as soon as you look at it. It even has a nice spoolie.
Repurchase: Yes, yes, a thousand times yes
The Creme Shop x Hello Kitty Celebrate Whipped Cacao Hand Cream (LE) (KB) x3
Impressions: This is a nice lil hand cream to keep at my desk or in my purse. It isn’t strong enough to bring my skin back from full on lizard status, but its fine for restoring moisture after washing my hands. It absorbs fairly quickly. The scent is not obnoxiously heavy and fades pretty quickly. Basically, there’s nothing special about this
Repurchase: This is a LE product, so its no longer available. However, if if it weren’t LE I don’t think I would repurchase
Chapstick Lipbalm, Spearmint
Impressions: This was a desperation purchase. Except for the (very faint) mint flavoscent, I enjoyed nothing about this. Too waxy. Not moisturizing.
Repurchase: God no
Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer (mini)
Impressions: I enjoy just about everything this primer offers, except for the pump. When you get about halfway through the bottle, it just turns into this leaky, gloopy shitshow. It doesn’t impact the primer’s performance, but greatly decreases my desire to use it.
Repurchase: Maybe. If the alleged NYX dupe is comparable, then probably not. But I do like it enough to for it to be a repeat contender.
Colourpop Brow Boss Gel, Clear
Impressions: This is a nice lil’ gel. Has good hold, dries down matte. Plays nicely with every product I’ve thrown at it. Even works pretty well as a primer. It even has a good price point.
Repurchase: Maybe. I’m currently wearing my brows pretty short and filling them in with ABH brow gel [I find it easier to work with than Dip Brow] , so I don’t have a current need for a clear product. However, if that changes I would likely repurchase.
L’Oréal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation, Natural Beige
Impressions: Pretty decent color match. Decent amount of glow without veering into glitter. Plays nicely with most primers I’ve tried it with, but it does not like the Hourglass Mineral Veil; I put those two together and Hello! Texture City. I get decent wear time. The packaging says that this is medium coverage and I would mostly agree, but it can get cakey quickly. I do like that I can sheer this out with a face serum pretty easily.
Repurchase: Maybe? I’m not mad at it. It performs better than some prestige brands I’ve tried. I’ve got a few other foundations to get through in my stash and a couple on my post no-buy list to try out. As long as they don’t change the formula, I wouldn’t mind going back to this.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray (Aloe, Chamomile, & Lavender)
Impressions: This does absolutely nothing for my skin. It smells lovely though. And its a very pretty shade of purple that complements the packaging. Those are literally the only redeeming things I can identify.
Repurchase: Hard no.
The Body Shop Shea Nourishing Body Butter
Impressions: This is good in the drier winter months and is great for year-round application to feet and elbows. However, it is too damn heavy for the rest of my body in the warm, humid months.
Repurchase: Probably not. I like the coconut one better. I’ve also learned that I only need to have one of these on hand at any time since I’m shit at remembering to apply moisturizer to my body.
Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Lucious Hydration Hand Lotion
Impressions: This is, quite possibly, one of my favorite hand lotions ever. I love the scent. I love the quick absorption time. I love the scent. I love the lack of greasy residue. Did I mention I love the scent? Because I do. I want everything in my house to smell like this, always.
Repurchase: Yes
Wet N Wild Megaslim Skinny Tip Eyeliner
Impressions: The eyeliner itself is okay. I’ve tried two skinny/micro liquid liners and have come to the realization that they’re just not for me. It likely has to do with my eye shape (hooded, close-set, AND deep-set) I binned this because I literally can’t remember when I opened it and I have this thing about liquid liners being open for extended periods of time. I’m pretty sure I opened it before Mr. Lew and I started house hunting and that was early 2019.
Repurchase: No. I have this crazy idea that I want to give the Tarte Amazonian Clay liner (in the tube) a chance again. Or just suck it up and stick to pencil liners.
The Creme Shop x Hello Kitty Pink Water Creme Ultra Dewy Face Cream (LE) (KB)
Impressions: I really like this, but I don’t think its quite moisturizing enough for my winter skin. Its a very light, slippery texture. Absorbs fairly quickly into the skin without being too sticky. Really nice watermelon (?) scent that isn’t overpowering. Nice, heavy packaging. Doubles nicely as a lightweight hand cream.
Repurchase: Sadly, no. This was a Winter Holiday LE release. I very much liked this formula and would be open to buying something comparable from the brand for summer months. [Ed. Note: This is back in stock on Creme Shop’s website as of 22 October 20, so I may acquire myself a jar to help combat the Differin-induced dryness & flaking that is my skin rn]
NYX Lip Lingerie, Exotic
Impressions: I like the color (a richer sort of MLBB) and the coverage, but it drives me crazy that this never dries down. I don’t mind a little bit of tackiness, but this constantly feels wet and sticky.
Repurchase: No. There are other liquid lip formulas (Colourpop, NARS Powermatte) that I like much better.
Girl + Hair Under Hair Care Protective Restoring Balm
Impressions: I bought this with the intention of using it to keep my hair & scalp moisturized when I started wearing more protective styles aside from the Curly BunTM. I had the brilliant idea that I would do my own box braids. Utter. Fucking. Fail. As is this product. Like a lot of products geared towards “natural” hair, this is much too heavy for my fine AF hair. Two days after putting a SMALL amount on my scalp, I was still a greasy betch. I love the packaging (squeeze nozzles ftw!) and the scent is pretty nice.
Repurchase: I like the idea of this product, but ultimately its a no from me. I am interested in trying out other products from this company though.
Blueberry Bliss Control Paste
Impressions: I bought this on the recommendation of one of my favorite natural hair YouTubers. I don’t particularly care for the scent. Its definitely fruity and sweet, but not that I would immediately identify as blueberry. This does a great job at adding shine, an okay job at controlling the frizz halo, and a shit job at holding my edges. Additionally,
something in this strongly disagrees with my scalp. I’ve used it about a dozen times and EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. my scalp gets dry and itchy af and flaky.
Repurchase: Hard no.
Chapstick Lipbalm, Strawberry
Impressions: This was a desperation purchase. Except for the (very faint) berry flavoscent, I enjoyed nothing about this. Too waxy. Not moisturizing.
Repurchase: Nope
Dionis Goat Milk Skincare Natural Goat Milk Hand Cream, Water Flowers & Sea Salt x2
Impressions: This is a great lil hand cream in a lovely scent. Absorbs pretty quickly. Nicely moisturizing. Does a good job of holding off handwashing-induced lizard skin. This is another one of those scents where I would not object to ALL THE THINGS smelling like.
Repurchase: Yup
The Creme Shop x Hello Kitty Lip Balm, Winter Apple Pie (LE) (KB)
Impressions: The packaging is adorable (pink macaron shaped pot) and that’s about all I like. The scent is okay, but I would never in a million years identify this as apple pie. Or an apple. Or anything apple-adjacent. There is no artificial flavor, but the taste of the actual balm is no bueno. It isn’t particularly moisturizing and has a tendency to just sit on top of your lips, never really absorbing in. It might be useful as a sleeping pack, but the thick, waxy nature of the balm is pretty off-putting and challenging to work with. I may keep the container to use for decanting purposes or travel purposes IF THIS FUCKING PANDEMIC WILL EVER END.
Repurchase: No. This was a Winter Holiday LE product. Even if it was in their regular catalog, I wouldn’t buy this again.
Essence Melted Chrome Liquid Lipstick, Copper Dropper
Impressions: This is really nice packaging, particularly for a budget brand. The tube
feels substantial. The wand handle matches (mostly) the lipstick shade and a good chunk of the tube is transparent so you can see how much product you have remaining. I will never, ever pan this because this lipstick gives me the WORST case of butthole lips. I don’t even like metallic lipstick, let alone metallic liquid lipstick. WTF even was I thinking. That said, the wear time is pretty good.
Repurchase: God no.
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream, Copenhagen
Impressions: I fucking love this lip cream, but damn if this shade isn’t a pain in the ass to get even. Even with matching lipliner, I still can’t get an even coat. Which is super frustrating because I love dark berry/goth-adjacent lipsticks.
Repurchase: Product yes, shade no
Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Bamboo, Biotin & Basil Restoring Serum
Impressions: I love this as a scalp treatment, either in conjunction with a deep conditioner or on its own. I’m not sure if it actually does anything for promoting hair growth, but it does make my scalp feel nice.
Repurchase: God I would love to. This particular product has either been discontinued or reformulated into another product. The original formulation (of dubious age/authenticity) is still available on Amazon, but at a ridonkulous markup. I may try the new version once I make a dent in the current inventory.
Creme of Nature Sulfate-Free Moisture & Shine Shampoo with Argan Oil
Impressions: For a sulfate-free shampoo, this produces a surprising amount of lather. I love the smell; spicy and exotic and warm. Kind of reminds me of Dior Hypnotic Poison. Cleanses well and does provide a decent amount of shine. Strangely helps with detangling. One of my faves.
Repurchase: Hell yes.
CARE:NEL Special Lip Care Lip Sleeping Mask (KB)
Impressions: Got this on Amazon as a dupe for the OG Laneige lip mask. This came in a three pack and I *think* this is the last one. The product is nice and thick and lasts most of the night. The mask (balm? goo?) is slightly sweet-scented, but not aggressively so.
Repurchase: Maybe? I don’t think this is functionally different than Lanolips, but it is a good product that does work well.
Carol’s Daughter Almond Milk Leave-In Conditioner
Impressions: This has a ridiculously strong almond smell at first application, though it mellow out fairly quickly. This made my hair crunchy as shit. I don’t know what moisturizing properties it was supposed to have, but my bottle clearly missed out on them. The sprayer is nice though.
Repurchase: Hard no.
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask x2
Impressions: Like most Neutrogena products, I love the way this smells. This is a really nice drugstore deep conditioner. Actually does what it says on the label. My biggest gripe is that, at only six ounces, I go through this way too fast because of the ridiculous amount of hair I have.
Repurchase: Probably
Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Mist (KB)
Impressions: There is something in this (pretty sure its the fermented yeast) that my skin loooooooves. Very faint smell, good sized bottle, gloriously fine spray. If I can ever figure out how to get the top off, I’ll likely decant my setting spray into it.
Repurchase: Hard yes
Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner (KB)
Impressions: I can’t nail down what it is about this product that works so well with my skin. It doesn’t seem to do anything special at first appearance, but I can tell when its presence is lacking in my routine. Maybe its the fermented yeast, might be the gentle AHAs/BHAs, but whatever it is, I love it.
Repurchase: Yes
Creme of Nature Intensive Conditioning Treatment with Argan Oil
Impressions: This entire product line is one of the best smelling things I’ve ever put on my body. This conditioner is a little weird. Too rich for a regular conditioner, not quite rich enough for a full on deep conditioner. I haven’t tried leaving this on overnight, but 15-30 minutes (my hair is dry AF, don’t judge me) is about right for a nice little pick me up. If CoN ever decides to branch out and put out body care scented like this, it will be the the only body wash I used forever and ever, amen.
Repurchase: Hard yes
Dionis Goat Milk Hand Cream, Vanilla Bean
Impressions: Like the other scent in this product line I’ve tried, I love this cream. It is hydrating and absorbs quickly. However, there is
something in this scent’s fragrance that wants to stab me in my frontal lobe. Its sweet and vanilla-y, but there is another note (vaguely cinnamon-adjacent) that is just too damn much. Oddly, that note isn’t present in the vanilla bean lip balm, which I love. It took me a couple times to realize that using this hand cream was almost guaranteed to give me a low-level migraine, so I gifted it to Mom, who finished it in like a week.
Repurchase: Product, yes. Scent, no.
Colourpop Ultra Glossy Lip, Free Spirit (LE)
Impressions: I’ve been looking for a dupe for an early 00s L’Oréal lip gloss (that was this glorious, mostly opaque caramel) for the better part of a decade. To date, I am still stymied in my search because this gloss ain’t it. The packaging is cute and the gloss itself is okay, but doesn’t last for shit. The color, which seems quite opaque in the tube, but is utterly invisible on my lips. The brush turned into an angry hedgehog within about a month of use, which has never happened with other CP glosses. In short, a total fail. Whomp.
Repurchase: No. This shade was part of the LE Frozen II collection. Even if it wasn’t, I still wouldn’t repurchase this.
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in one Cream (KB)
Impressions: This bad boy has never failed me. High concentration of snail mucus, which my skin loves. Pleasant smell. Reasonable price, if you don’t buy from Ulta. Easily sourced at multiple US-based vendors. Hella sticky though.
Repurchase: Yes, once I make a dent in my utterly ridiculous skincare stash
Skinfood Peachy Jelly Soothing Gel 90 (KB)
Impressions: This smells like a peach jolly rancher. I fucking love that. Lightweight, which is great for the hot & humid South. This will not fix Winter Lizard Skin, but it is great for healthy skin barriers that need some gentle love. I prefer to use this on my body post-shower, but it is also nice as a sleeping pack or to chill skin out that has had too many actives on it. Absorbs fairly quickly, but can get sticky if you go ham on application. 8/10. Would recommend. Bonus tip! Keep this bad boy in the fridge for a delightful cooling experience.
Repurchase: Yes, but I’m not sure if its still available. The packaging says it is LE, but its still in stock at Skinfood’s website. Ulta (my original sale point) no longer carries it, so who knows. If I can repurchase, I will. I have several backups of this and the Aloe, which I kind of want to try on my hair…
Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm (travel size)
Impressions: This was a desperation purchase. I needed a small, balm/solid cleanser to take with me last Winter Holiday to go in my carryon as the husband and I were travelling overseas. This was the only thing I could find in the timeframe I had that was small enough to meet my needs, that was NOT a bar of soap. This is very effective at taking makeup off. Its also effective at trashing my skin. I ended up hate panning it when I ran out of my beloved Heimish and everywhere was out of stock thanks to Ms. Rona. At this point, I’m permanently swearing off all Clinique products except Black Honey.
Repurchase: Hard no
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base (DS)
Impressions: This is nice. Hydrating without making me oily. Plays nicely on its own and with most of my foundations. Doesn’t break me out. Thick, without being too heavy. HOWEVER. Baby girl smells like Lemon Pledge and that shit lingers. I can honestly say that I’ve never had a cosmetic smell like a household cleaner before so…..
Repurchase: Maybe. I’m not mad at it, but I don’t know if I love it enough to get over the Lemon Pledge smell.
Morphe Continuous Setting Mist
Impressions: I was on the fence about repurchasing this last year (this is one of my backups) and I’m still on the fence about repurchasing because I find the brand to be somewhat problematic and some of their partnerships to be very problematic. However, some of their products are really great. Like this mist. Its still one of the best I’ve ever tried. I’m still open to looking for something comparable, but the aerosolized mist is just *chef’s kiss*. Ethical consumption in capitalism is such a bitch.
Repurchase: ?
***pretend there are detailed reviews of the big ass box of hair & makeup products that I destashed but couldn’t be bothered to document, mmmkay?***
The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
Impressions: I bought this on a whim after reading some promising reviews on Reddit. I also needed something that could travel with me as Mr. Lew and I were traveling for 2019 Winter Holiday. I kind of liked it at the time, but not so much anymore. I think I liked it because it was winter (cold) and I was in the mountains (dry air). Upon returning to warm & humid Florida, this doesn’t seem to do anything for me. I’ve struggled to use this as a face moisturizer, hand cream, and body lotion. I’m giving up.
Repurchase: No, unless I’m traveling again and need something to get me through for a few days.
The Creme Shop x gudetama Gold Peel-Off Mask for Nose (LE) (KB)
Impressions: I suspected this would be crap when I bought it, but I was hopeful as I liked other LE offerings from this brand. I was sadly disappointed. This took forever to dry and barely did anything to my skin. Its got a pleasant smell and is a lovely shade of gold. That’s about it.
Repurchase: No
Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Moisturizing Lip Balm
Impressions: I picked this up on the recommendation of a fellow MUACJ Redditor and HOLY SHIT! This is one of the best lip balms I’ve ever used. Which is somewhat baffling because there is nothing revolutionary about the ingredients. But somehow, these French wizards hit one out of the park. Lightweight, but moisturizing. Not sticky. No flavor. Weirdly, vaguely smells like blue raspberry. But it somehow works. The only thing I’m slightly salty about is how quickly I’ve gone through the tube.
Repurchase: Hell yes
Mizon Original Skin Energy Collagen 100 ampoule (KB)
Impressions: I think I like this. And I think it works, but I’ve been really inconsistent about using it so its hard to tell. I generally like Mizon ampoules and find they absorb rather quickly. They make my preferred HA.
Repurchase: One more time to actually see if it does anything of note.
Sixteen92 Super Natural Hair Serum, Malum Malus (DS)
Impressions: I received this as a DS with the Fall (Halloween? Falloween? IDK) 2019 CAoS set I purchased. Malum Malus is my favorite scent in that line and the fragrance lasts a long time without being overpowering. The serum itself is a bit thicker than I’m used to, but is okay.
Repurchase: Probably not, unless I just *really* fell in love with a scent and needed to wrap myself in it. I have other serums that I prefer and am much more likely to repurchase
Shea Moisture Mongongo & Hemp Seed Oils High Porosity Moisture Correct Masque
Impressions: I really love this. It provides such a moisture injection to my hair in addition to the protein my high porosity hair needs. Nice and thick. Great smell. Really needs a cap to absorb into the hair
Repurchase: Hell yes.
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Impressions: I kind of like this and can tell it has had an improvement in my hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. However, it hasn’t done much for my texture and has minimally improved brightness. Its cheap and doesn’t irritate my skin. I’m not wild about the dimethicone, but it isn’t a deal breaker.
Repurchase: Maybe once more. I’m incorporating more Vitamin C products in my routine to address the lack of brightness. If those work well, then I likely won’t repurchase.
Hask Cactus Water Prickly Pear See Oil 5-in-1 Leave in Spray
Impressions: Got this for my mom, who ended up not liking it that much. This plays surprisingly well with my hair. It conditions without being heavy and is sort of okay at managing the frizz halo. I detangle in the shower so I can’t really say whether this does anything for that. The scent is quite lovely and the mist is nice & fine.
Repurchase: Definitely
Design Essentials Natural Almond & Avocado Moisturizing & Detangling Sulfate Free Shampoo
Impressions: I’m not mad at this. Easily accessible, reasonable price point. Does moisturize. Not as detangling as the CoN Argan Oil but does have a bit of slip to it. The scent is not my favorite, but it doesn’t linger so I’m not going to hold that against it. It does its job and does it fine; I’m just not wowed by it. Admittedly, I don’t think I’ve ever been wowed by a shampoo so I might be expecting too damn much.
Repurchase: Maybe one more time to see if I really like it.
Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals Rosehip Oil
Impressions: I like this, but struggle to use it in warmer months. Its great for the winter and plays nicely with my skin, hair, and cuticles. It is too heavy to use as an allover scalp treatment, but is good for the occasional dry patch.
Repurchase: In a smaller container, for sure. This 4 ounce bottle took me ages to get through and it went off before I could get more than halfway through.
The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics
Impression: I don’t care for this. It does nothing worthwhile for my skin. Fell for the Reddit hype. I’m definitely going back to my KB HA.
Repurchase: No
Too Cool For School Rules of Mastic IX Cream (KB)
Impression: I’m not mad at this. It has a lovely smell, is quite thick, and nicely moisturizes my skin. This is great at bringing back winter lizard skin, but its a bit too much for non-winter facial skin. My mom quite enjoys it as a hand cream, but its too strongly scented for her face.
Repurchase: Maybe? I’m still on the fence.
Creme of Nature Pure Honey Moisturizing Dry Defense Conditioner
Impression: This conditioner is the shit. Its got slip, a nice scent, wallet-friendly price, bottle that fits nicely in my hand, and provides delicious, delicious moisture.
Repurchase: Hell yes
Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Treatment Masque
Impression: I genuinely adore this masque. I love the scent. I love the way it makes my hair feel afterwards. My only gripes are pretty minimal; I wish it was slightly less thick (its kind of hard to spread in my hair) and had a smidge more slip.
Repurchase: Yes
Sunday Riley Good Genes
Impression: I used to love this and then they went and reformulated it. And now I’m not sure how I feel about the new new. I don’t think its as strong as it used to be, but that may be a factor of my super inconsistent usage. I like that its vacuum sealed and the product itself is protected from light. I’m not the biggest fan of the scent, but it isn’t nearly as aggressive as the Bobbi Brown vitamin face base that reeks of Pledge.
Repurchase: I’m reserving judgement on this. I want to buy this one more time, consistently use it, then make a final decision. {ed. note: upon further reflection, I will not be repurchasing this}
Fanofi Micro-Needle Soothing Patch (KB)
Impressions: These are delightful for taming the occasional hormonal cystic acne.
Repurchase: Yes
Dionis Goat Milk Skincare Natural Goat Milk Hand Cream, Sea Treasures
Impressions: This is a great lil hand cream in a lovely scent. Absorbs pretty quickly. Nicely moisturizing. Does a good job of holding off handwashing-induced lizard skin. This is another one of those scents where I would not object to ALL THE THINGS smelling like.
Repurchase: Yup
Physician’s Formula Healthy Lip Liquid Lipstick, Vitamin Beet
Impressions: I got this several years ago in a vault that was heavily on sale. This is the last of the remaining tubes. The lipstick itself is okay, nothing revolutionary. I enjoy the triangle-shaped (tulip?) applicator. I hate this color and have absolutely no intention of ever wearing it.
Repurchase: Nope
NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment, American Woman (DS)
Impressions: I genuinely like this formula. The application is a bit finicky due to how close the cap is to the doe foot, but I’m not going to hold that against it as this is a DS. The color is perfectly fine, a pinkish-brown MLBB shade. However, I own approximately 25 products this color and its time to destash.
Repurchase: Formula yes, color no.
Sephora gloss, Lady Luck
Impressions: Ever met a person and then immediately forgot everything about them because they’re so bland? That’s this gloss. The color is pretty in the tube. The packaging is nice. And that’s about it.
Repurchase: No. Its nothing against the product itself, but it doesn’t spark joy.
Lime Crime Velvetine, Beet It (GWP)
Impressions: Got this as a gift with purchase from a Postmark order.
Repurchase: Nope
Lanolips Hydrating Lip Luminiser, Beach Pop
Impressions: I bought this in the hopes that it would be as awesome as their multipurpose balm. I was sadly, sadly disappointed. I like absolutely nothing about this product except the color. It smells horrible, tastes worse, and is stupidly thick.
Repurchase: No
Lanolips Hydrating Lip Luminiser, Desert Glow
Impressions: See above
Repurchase: No
The Ordinary Buffet
Impressions: I honestly couldn’t tell you if this did anything for my skin. It was hella sticky though and didn’t sting, so it has that working in its favor.
Repurchase: No
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Aelopile (imp)
Impressions: Scent description from website: Glowing amber and citrus, labdanum, verbena, cedar, and oud. I definitely get amber, some verbena, and oud. This wears warm and spicy on me, but not aggressively so. I suspect this would be lovely in a room oil warmer.
Repurchase: Yes
Estee Lauder Beautiful Belle (DS)
Impressions: This goes hard on the white floral with very light rose & musk and virtually no other notes. This is a very heavy fragrance to me, but I think that’s due to the gardenia, which I’m quite sensitive to. A generic, inoffensive fragrance that’s not remarkable in any way. Pretty much the antithesis of what I like my perfumes to smell like.
Repurchase: Hard no
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab The Apothecary (imp)
Impressions: Scent description from the website: Tea leaf with three mosses, green grass, a medley of herbal notes, and a drop of ginger and fig. I get the fig and some heavier tea notes. I much prefer the scent in the tube; there you can pick up the ginger, grass, and some sort of herbaceous notes. On my skin its still nice, just not my cuppa.
Repurchase: It does not spark joy, so no.
Dionis Goat Milk Skincare Natural Goat Milk Hand Cream, Water Flowers & Sea Salt
Impressions: I have accepted that I am a Stan for these hand creams. I am just obsessed with them. I want everything to smell like this.
Repurchase: Yup
Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Mist (KB)
Impressions: My skin loves this
Repurchase: Sadly no. This product is no longer made and I can’t find a reasonable dupe in mist form. I’ve replaced this in my routine with Neogen Real-Ferment Micro Essence.
This significantly lowers the caffeine content, but if you’ve got a caffeine sensitivity or are allergic to it you may want to avoid cocoa powder. Cocoa butter is safer. Cacao and cocoa terms. Let’s talk a little bit about cacao and cocoa. You’ve seen it written both ways on different items and they don’t really seem to have a logic. Combine Cocoa Butter and Cacao Absolute for Chocolate Bath and Body Products. If you love the aroma of chocolate, you can combine both cocoa butter and cacao absolute to make your own chocolate bath and body products! If you want a more subtle aroma, combine cocoa butter with other butters and oils in bath and body products. If you want to get started on making your own chocolate bath and body Use of “cacao” versus “cocoa” on chocolate products is inconsistent. Generally, raw cacao products — made from fermented, dried, unroasted cacao beans — are less processed and healthier. Still,... Cacao Butter. is the actual fat, a clear liquid, which is naturally extracted when you press the cacao paste. It solidifies to a somewhat soft yellow-white butter. Cacao Powder. is made from what is left of the cacao paste/liquid, when the fat, the cacao butter has been removed. Are you up for some cacao/cocoa, the pure unspoiled “chocolate Cocoa Butter vs. Cacao Butter . Raw cacao butter and cocoa butter are essentially the same, except that the manufacturing process of raw cacao butter is slowed down to ensure that the temperature does not exceed 115 F (about 46 C). The difference in spelling between cacao and cocoa is most likely to match what is printed on product labels—"cacao" has always been the word of choice for raw food products in order to distinguish them from the conventional roasted bean products. Cocoa butter is also available for baking or moisturizing, just like cacao butter. You won’t find cocoa nibs. They’re packaged as chocolate chips, which are unfortunately usually loaded with other ingredients. Cocoa tends to be cheaper than cacao and a bit easier to find. While terminology can often be confusing, the cacao vs. cocoa debate isn't just semantics. Cacao refers to the whole cacao bean whereas cocoa is defatted cacao that has undergone additional industrial-scale processing. Chocolates are made by mixing cocoa liquor with varying amounts of cocoa butter, milk, and sugar. ConsumerLab's tests show that pure cocoa powders contain about 10 to 20 mg of cocoa flavanols per gram, while dark chocolates contain about 3 to 12 mg per gram. Unfortunately, you can't rely on the "% cocoa" or "% cacao" figures on chocolate bar wrappers to determine flavanol levels because those figures include cocoa "butter" which lacks flavanols and varying amounts of cocoa butter I’m pretty sure cacao is just a name for raw cacao, so cacao butter is probably the raw form while cocoa butter is heat processed. Coconut oil is just the oil, and coconut butter is a product by artisana with coconut meat blended into the oil. Hope this helps. ambikalee. Cacao butter (also referred to as cocoa butter), is the edible fat that’s extracted from cocoa beans. In fact, around 55% of the bean’s weight is from the cacao butter. It’s pale yellow in colour with a strong cocoa flavour and aroma. Despite the word ‘butter,’ in the name, this fat is entirely vegan and plant-based, stemming only from the cacao bean. It has the amazing trait of
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