NeoStrata: EXUVIANCE® Gentle Cleansing Creme #Review #Exuviance #NeoStrata

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When it comes to washes, scrubs and cleaners, the last thing that comes to mind in using a creme. It brings back memories of the old Pond’s tub my Mother used to remove her make-up, which left an oily residue after using it. You knew don’t touch Mom after she removes her make-up! When I received the Cleansing Creme from Exuviance, I must admit that was the first thought that came to mind. I also have to be frank that as much as enjoy “gentle” to my skin products, I stay away from them because they are sometimes too gentle yielding them ineffective. Okay, I have not opened the box and here I am bringing up childhood nightmares, but I always give products a chance and especially those from the NeoStrata family.

The Gentle Cleansing Creme from Exuviance, is advertised as a soap-free formula. It allows the user to gently remove everything from make-up, build-up, to the everyday impurities our face may collect during the day. At the same time it serves not only as a cleanser but a moisturizer. If you thought that was already impressive, the Gentle Cleansing Creme from Exuviance also contains anti-aging ingredients like Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA), and other botanical ingredients that help sooth and condition your skin. The product is gentle enough for sensitive skin suffers but can be used by people with combination skin too. It’s a friendly cleanser!

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Ingredients (as listed on the website): Water (Aqua), Isododecane, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/ Dicaprate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, PEG-100 Stearate, Triundecanoin, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, Stearyl Alcohol, Gluconolactone, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Chamomile Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Propylene Glycol, Laureth-7, Polyacrylamide, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Benzoate.

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Retail Price Point: $32.00 via NeoStrata’s site. Ulta carries the same price point but has a current promo of a free deluxe sample of the Triple Microdermabrasion and Bionic Oxygen Facial with any Exuviance purchase (offer valid 3/13/16-4/2/16 or while supplies last). Amazon carries the product at a current price point of $26.49 and Amazon Prime members receive free shipping. See what deal suits you best!

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Verdict:
Okay, I clear my head and start using the cleanser creme twice a day as recommended. The first day the product arrived, I washed my face in middle of the day to get an idea how it worked and how it would make my skin feel. You simply moisten your face and hands, pump out a small dollop, and begin to massage your face and neck. Always with an upward circular motion. The Exuviance Gentle Cleansing Creme gives you the option in using a facial tissue for removal, or you may simply just rinse your face off with warm water. The first difference I noticed and this is just after my first use, is a silky feeling. My face was super smooth and get this, not greasy. Even my hands were left feeling soft! I opted for the rinsing with warm water method for removal and mostly because it is what I am most comfortable with but I like the idea of being able to use a tissue if needed. This means no excuses when it comes to make-up removal no matter how late I get home! The next week I began to use the wash when I had make-up and for those days I did not wear any too. If you use a waterproof eyeliner or mascara, I did find I was left with raccoon-ish eyes if I just depended on the cleansing creme, but this also goes for when I just used a common cleanser/scrub before. I always have to address waterproof anything by using a facial wet wipe to insure full removal. Other than this, the cleansing creme is gentle on the skin but it still does it’s job very well at cleaning your face! I want a clean face and washing my face is almost therapeutic for me and this is why I have a unusual collection of face washes. Being able to enjoy make-up means I have to take care of my skin and the first thing I learned about skincare, is how you begin makes a difference. A clean slate is what you want but not a depleted one. Meaning you don’t want to to do what I did in my teen years and treat my skin like if you were stripping wall paper of a wall. I use to think in my teens the cleaner, the better. No oils, no natural sheen just take it all off because I feared blemishes. I did not suffer from them in my teen years, but this is probably why when I hit 25, my face had had it with me and I began to experience break-outs. With Exuviance’s’ Gentle Cleansing Creme, you avoid the over stripping but you do actually end up with a clean surface and super soft skin. As I used the cleansing creme, by week 2, my face was soft 24/7. I did not have to depend on serums for a natural glow and the texture of my skin improved naturally, I was left with a smoother looking surface that allowed my pores and imperfections to appear…..well, smoothed out. I can’t tell you (I know I’m harping on it) how soft my skin feels and appears now. I love it. I don’t have a kid but I assume this is why people state soft as a baby’s bum! I get it now and no breakouts or anything. Right now, the weather in Southern California is mixed. Gloomy days, windy days, to sunny days and my skin is in transition again like these undefined seasons. The calendar says Spring and my nose and allergies agree, but my skin thinks it’s Fall with the way the days change so drastically from one day to another. With Exuviance’s Gentle Cleansing Creme, my skin is moisturized the minute the cleanser finishes washing off the grime of the day and the best part, it comes in a tube versus the jar that I fear! Try it and see for yourself how much the Gentle Cleansing Creme from Exuviance will change your mind and how you can do more for your skin by just using this face wash.

Connect with Exuviance at:

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from NeoStrata/Exuviance. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

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Swaggable: Alive Reef Safe Sunscreen from Sea Kind #Review

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Sea Kind makes several products for the face and body, from sunscreens to bath salts. I received a tube of the Alive Reef Safe Sunscreen and liked that the product is advertised as being 100% natural. It’s a good start for my skin and especially with this summer being in the pool a little more than usual. The formula provides 20% Zinc Oxide and is broad-spectrum, protecting your skin from UVA/UVB rays. The tube came with zero information when it came to contents and oddly the product had no marker when it came to SPF. I know! A sunscreen tube that does not reflect the coverage of SPF was a first for me but this is why we have google 🙂

I seek and I find that Sea Kind makes only one sunscreen formula and it comes in SPF 30. You won’t see the number in the description on the product’s page and ready for ordering, but if you put your mouse over the bottle’s image….viola!

  • Naturally Derived Ingredients (from the website):
    ZINC OXIDE 20%, PURIFIED WATER, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE, COCONUT OIL, CAPRIC CAPRYLIC TRIGLYCERIDES, SORBITAN SESQUIOLEATE, CASTOR OIL, POLYGLYCEROL-10 LAURATE, MAGNESIUM SULFATE, SUNFLOWER OIL, JOJOBA OIL, TOCOPHEROLS, ACOPHYLLUM NODOSUM. HYALURONIC ACID, IRON OXIDES, PHENOXYETHANOL, ETHYL HEXYL GLYCERIN, PROPRIETARY BLEND OF FRUIT, HERB AND FLOWER ESSENTIAL OILS COMPLYING WITH THE ISO 9235 NATURAL STANDARD.

NO OXYBENZONE. NO PARABENS, PHTHALATES OR SULFATES. NO SYNTHETIC COLORS, DYES OR FRAGRANCE. NON-GMO, CRUELTY FREE

  • Price Point: $24.95 and again you have to put your mouse over the bottle’s image to see that it’s for a bottle that supplies 3.0 fluid ounces.

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Results:

Being a Southern California native, I have tried mostly every brand and formula readily available. I look for a product that does not clog my pores, is long lasting and simply works. I always found the first two features present but working on my fair skin was always the issue. I can start tanning rather quickly with SPF 50 on me but not all are created equal. Looking lobster red is not cute no matter the bikini you just bought and let’s not get into how bad it is health wise and much less how it feels that evening and the following days. I was weary of trusting a SPF 30 product to protect me enough. I have even given up on being tint/oily free and found peace having a white film as long as I could swim and stroll without looking like a sea creature but I decided to test this out. You will notice the “Non-Nano” on the bottle and this means the product will not absorb into your skin. As stated on the site, “The 200 namometer size particles avoids the risk of absorption in the body caused by smaller nano particles”. The formula also says water resistant and I used the every 80 minutes rule when it came to reapplication because again this was not stated on the product or site.

Verdict:

I can state that the product is light, leaves a slight oil shimmer but not even close to calling it oily. It just looks like you applied a light lotion and my face remained protected with zero clogs or blemishes, so zero penalties for trying not to burn. I tanned but no redness so protection was there and this was being in the pool and surviving 3 tidal waves that my wonderful Husband claims 2 were pure accident but since I had already assigned blame, the third one was “just because” he was already getting the evil eye from me.

Final Verdict:

I like the product and wish I could have tried it longer but my test tube really satisfied 2 face applications. I like the formula and it’s claims. Being 100% natural is rare and working is rarer for me. I just leave it in your hands when it comes to paying almost $25 for 3.0 ounces. My application was light on the second reapply, and that equated to using .33 fluid ounces for 160 minutes of pool time and just on my face. I would purchase this to be seriously blemish and irritant free on the face but can’t suggest taking the plunge for total body application unless you don’t see the sun much and can make the tube stretch.

Checkout the entire line of Face and Body Products from Sea Kind:

  • On-line– http://sea-kind.com/sea-kind-ultra-sunscreen
  • Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/pages/SEA-KIND/424252987638160
  • Twitter– https://twitter.com/SeaKind
  • Google+– https://plus.google.com/106139072276040110862/about
  • Pinterest– http://www.pinterest.com/seakindpinteres/

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Swaggable and Sea Kind. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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