Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Balancing Facial Cleanser – Review

I was introduced to Sibu Beauty when I won a giveaway in January by the lovely Theresa of DearCreatives.com!  Before this, I had never heard of Sea Buckthorn, or any of its benefits. It’s quickly making the news and Sibu Beauty’s popularity has soared, especially since their recent magazine press. Here’s what Sibu Beauty’s all about:

Bruce McMullin founded Sibu in 2003 after series of events led him to Calcutta, India where he crossed paths with an ayurvedic specialist in Chinese plants and herbs. In passing, this expert mentioned a powerful holy fruit, the Sea Buckthorn berry.

The sea buckthorn berry fortifies itself against the elements by producing an array of powerful nutrients. Known as the “beauty berry” across Europe and Asia, sea buckthorn contains over 190 bioactive compounds that restore, revitalize, and protect youthful beauty – from the inside-out AND outside-in.

With over 190 bioactive compounds, sea buckthorn is an unsurpassed source of Omegas 3, 6, and 9. And it’s a rich source of the elusive essential fatty acid, Omega-7, an essential fatty acid vital to collagen production and healthy skin, hair and nails.

Sea buckthorn sounds like a pretty amazing fruit, so I was really excited to try this cleanser out! I mean, it has the elusive Omega-7 – who’s really heard of Omega-7? It’s always 3, 6 and 9. After doing a tad of research, it seems like macadamia nuts also have omega-7, so could you imagine a facial serum with both macadamia and sea buckthorn oil? Oooh.

So. Anyway. Off to the review! Above is the consistency. It’s your average gel-like thickness – not too runny, yet not so thick it feels like slimy blobs. It forms a very light foam, and has tiny, tiny micro-particles for super-gentle exfoliation. The cleanser smelled like slightly like oranges – it had a very fresh, clean citrus inspired scent, which I’ll assume is the sea buckthorn berry. I like it a lot – definitely feels great after a long day.

Sibu Beauty Balancing Facial Cleanser does a great job dissolving oil and removing makeup, and deep cleans very thoroughly. As with most natural beauty products, you don’t need a lot of product to gain the full benefits – a tiny squirt will do for your face and neck. The light lather rinsed easily, leaving my skin squeaky clean and definitely oil-free. In fact, I think it cleans a bit too well- my cheeks and forehead felt a little dry, and I have normal skin. Regardless, I did notice my skin looking bright and I felt refreshed.

Out of curiosity, I decided to wash my hands with it after applying moisturizer, and it did a fab job at that as well! My hands ended up cleaner without any residue, unlike some soaps I’ve been using lately.

Sibu Beauty’s cleanser is an excellent face wash and definitely does its job well. I’d caution against using it if you have dry skin, as it may be too drying for you. Should be fine for oily skin, though. This is a great back-up cleanser for me, and I still use it when my face feels particularly grimy or after a sweaty workout.

Ingredients: water, decyl glucoside, coco betaine, sd alcohol 40-b, lauryl glucoside, hydrogenated jojoba oil, carrageenan, glycerin, phenethyl alcohol, sea buckthorn fruit extract (hippophae rhamnoides), sea buckthorn seed oil (hippophae rhamnoides), panthenol , silk amino acids, coco-glucoside, glyceryl oleate, xanthan gum, sodium levulinate, sodium phytate, sodium anisate, fragrance (from orange and lemon essential oils

Certified Organic?:  No

Average Price: $17.95

Buy at: Sibu Beauty

Rating:

I got this product for free through a blog giveaway, and was not paid by the company to give this review.

Blissoma by Irie Star Restore Deep Moisture Oil Serum and Skin Care – Review

The award-winning Blissoma by Irie Star brand is a spa quality set of skin care products by Julie Longyear, Creative Chemist and Founder. I love the values and meaning behind the brand, which is best described by Julie herself:

Irie Star is the creative and production source of Blissoma botanically active skincare, herbal therapies, and artisan perfumes.  We are endorsed by natural estheticians for functional, elegant, nutritive formulas and a true dedication to purity, efficacy, and honesty.

Blissoma is the elegant marriage of herbal form and function, created by the explorative mind of a scientific artist. When right brain meets left the result is botanical innovations that really work. I am proud to bring you the result of nearly a decade of my life’s work exploring the healing and enhancing possibilities of plants.

Blissoma is different because our ingredients and our formulas are different. We have chosen to work with a much stricter ingredient palette than even most “natural” brands. An initial feel of our products demonstrates the difference as the texture, color, and smell all distinctly tell the story of the nutritive ingredients contained therein.

You can trust our line because we control all production for all Blissoma products. This ensures the uniqueness of our recipes and the absolute purity of the final product. All ingredients are declared on our labels and nothing is hidden. We manufacture our own herb extracts and even juice fresh organic produce directly from local fields. Everything is made by myself and my production manager Frank Wilderspin.

You can definitely feel the quality, cleanliness and difference with Blissoma. The products are potent and ingredients are about as natural as you can get. The textures, colors and smells are definitely more botanical and earthy than other brands, and you can just feel the nutrients seeping through your pores when you apply them to your skin. The transparency, honesty and care is obvious, and I trust Julie’s brand 110%. :)

She has generously provided a few products for me to sample and review for you today. Below are detailed reviews of each product I received.

Restore Deep Moisture Oil Serum: I love the unique scent! It’s sweet, sour, green, earthy and just.. unique and pleasant all at the same time. I’ve never smelled anything like it, but it’s just so green and reminds me of sitting under a tall tree in a lush forest. The oil itself is super lightweight and green in color due to the chlorophyll.

I’m amazed at how many oils Julie managed to get in this miracle serum. If there’s a skin issue you’re having, there’s probably something in the Restore serum that addresses it. It’s highly absorbent thanks to the organic cranberry seed and grapeseed oil (it also adds one of my fave skin ingredients, Vitamin E!) For an anti-aging kick, you get Organic Rosehip oil and Seabuckthorn Berry, which has Vitamin A to “help you build collagen and fight fine lines.”

For added skin benefits and versatility, Restore Serum has Organic Evening Primrose and Pomegranate Oil are rich in omega 5, 6, and 9 essential fatty acids including GLA. This helps to balance hormones, leaving it suitable for both dry mature skin and as an occasional treatment for younger skin racked with hormones (like mine).

But wait – there’s more! :)

Organic hemp oil, packed with phytonutrients, and organic tamanu and red raspberry oils provide additional sun protection and skin healing benefits. Tamanu oil is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and possesses regenerative properties. For cell regeneration, you can thank Calendula CO2, a uniquely potent supercritical extract.

I used this on my entire face for the first two days, then just on my chin since it had a mild case of seborrhoeic dermatitis there. It was really dry and flaky, and I’ve never had that before! Two days of Restore brought it way down, but it was combining the mask, serum and Peace evening facial creme that got rid of it completely. Yes, as of today (over a week later) it’s still gone. I’m healed!

I’m still bowing to the bottle.

Adaptive Energy Tonique: I used this refreshing toner after washing my face by lightly misting my forehead, each cheek, my nose, chin and neck. Even without refrigeration, it’s naturally cool, and it does feel like a clean burst of nutrients and botanicals being absorbed readily by my skin. The melon aroma smells great (I’ve so far had so-so experiences with natural toners) but this one works great.

I can see this feeling great after a good face scrub session, or even a a pick-me-up during the day.

Peace – Evening Facial Creme: This has a very clean, fancy, luxurious, zenlike scent. It reminds me of sitting in an expensive spa, surrounded by the sound of gentle water streams and Enya music. You know, the service that costs hundreds for an hour of pure bliss? Yeah – that’s the vibe I get just from the scent! I guess the name fits the experience! I applied the cream to this dry patch I had on my chin, and it soothed and moisturized the area immediately. It was at least 70% less dry, and the flakes were gone. That’s just from one application.

Smooths on clear and absorbs very quickly. I love lotions that get right down to it! Having to spend even an extra few seconds rubbing annoys me to no end.

After 5 days of that and the Restore serum, my dry patch is completely gone. A huge deal for me since it seemed like nothing else was really working. They weren’t nourishing enough. My skin definitely woke up softer than usual in the morning after using this all over. A marvelous product! I still use it nightly since I only need a few dabs.

Smooth A+ Moisture Serum: Smooth is a very lightweight, yet creamy serum that absorbs and cools your skin. It helped calm my mild acne down and kept it at bay as well. I’m mainly using it on my cheeks, chin and on a stubborn acne scar, and I can honestly say it’s helped keep my skin relax and not go nuts when my hormones do during my period.

I use this when staying indoors all day so I didn’t need SPF. My usual spot treatment is a very strong 10% benzoyl peroxide gel, but I’ve been using this instead and it’s helped quite a bit. While the benzoyl zaps it quick. it’s also very drying. Smooth A+ actually does make my skin feel smooth, while attacking mild acne bumps and using herbs and natural extracts to fight it below the surface.

Normal to oily skin could use it alone. Dry skin can use it in conjunction with their usual moisturizer.

Very suitable for oily skin as it’s so light. Uses jojoba oil as the moisturizer so it won’t clog pores. And yes, the Rose/Bergamot/Frankincense scent is incredible and like the other products in the Blissoma Skin Care set, it’s very fresh, clean and suitable for any taste. You have to be one picky person to not like it.

Overall, a definite hit. A great serum to pull out just before you know acne may hit to keep it away. Small red bumps on my cheek went away in a day or two with regular use, so this works!

Refine Clay Renewal Treatment: Ohhhhhh my. This was my first experience with rhassoul clay, and I am head over heels. Using this clay treatment felt like being pampered. Like I’m the Queen of.. my own fantasy country and I have an esthetician on call and get clay mask treatments with the snap of my fingers.. I mean, if I had a life like that, this would be the treatment. :)

Cleansed my pores and felt like it was getting all the gunk out. Pairs well with my scrub! Smells like fresh clay, the kind you may see at an expensive spa. Feels cool on the skin, and doesn’t dry my face until it cracks (like some other clay masks I’ve tried in the past.) In fact, I left it in for longer than the recommended 15 and after rinsing it with warm water, I felt seriously renewed.

I’m telling you, Blissoma not only lives up to its name, but it’s all luxury spa quality stuff – and you can get it for a quarter of the price right at home!

My conclusion

I am super satisfied with ALL the products and am pleasantly surprised that they all worked so well on my skin. There is nothing questionable or brow raising about the ingredients, and I’m positive they will work for your skin issues, too. If anything, get the Refine clay treatment and Restore serum to start.

Rhassoul clay is now a permanent part of my skin care arsenal thanks to this introduction, and so is the Refine Renewal Clay Treatment. However, Irie Star also offers facial cleansers, gentle facial soaps, lots of moisturizers, toners, cremes, perfumes, deodorant, lip balm, yoga mat cleanser, spray-on lotions, soy candles, and travel sets to try. Whew! They may even be at a Whole Foods or organic store near you.

An enthusiastic 5 stars for Blissoma and Julie’s wonderful organic skincare company!!

Ingredients (Restore Serum):  Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) Oil*, Vitis Vinifera (grapeseed) Oil*, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) Oil*, Rubus ideaus (red raspberry) Seed Oil*, Rosa rubiginosa (rosehip) Oil*, Vaccinium macropacrpon (cranberry) Seed Oil*, Calophyllum tacamahaca (tamanu) Oil*, Cannabis sativa (hemp) Oil*, Punica granatum (pomegranate) Seed Oil*, Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn berry) CO2 Extract*, Calendula Officinalis CO2 Extract, Essential oils of Cedrus atlantica (atlas cedarwood), Cymbopogon martinii (palmarosa), Citrus aurantium (neroli), Helichrysum italicum (helichrysum)*, Rosemary Oleoresin Extract, Tocopherol (vitamin E), geraniol**, linalool**, limonene**, farnesol**
*from Certified Organic Agriculture **natural components of essential oils

Ingredients (Adaptive Energy Tonqiue): Water, Infusion of Rhodiola rosea*, Ocimum sanctum* (holy basil), Trifolium pratense* (red clover), Lonicera japonica* (honeysuckle), Calendula officinalis*, and Avena sativa* (oatstraw), Cucumis melo (cantaloupe) Infusion*, Grain Alcohol*, Aloe barbadensis Juice*, Essential oils of Pelargonium roseum (rose geranium) and Citrus bergamia (bergamot) FCF, citronellol**, geraniol**, linalool**, limonene** *from Certified Organic Agriculture **natural components of essential oils

Ingredients (Peace – Evening Facial Cream):  Infusion of Rhodymenia palmata* (dulse seaweed), Porphyra umbilicalis* (nori seaweed), Plantago major* (plantain), Taraxacum officinale* (dandelion), Lavendula angustifolia*, Water, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) Butter*, Glyceryl Stearate and Cetearyl Alcohol and Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) Seed Oil*, Cocos nucifera (coconut) Oil*, Extracts of Symphytum officinale* (comfrey) and Ginkgo Biloba*, Gluconolactone, Soy Lecithin*, Cannabis sativa (hemp) Seed Oil*, Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E), Euterpe oleracea (acai) Oil, Essential Oils of Lavandula angustifolia, Cymbopogon martinii (palmarosa), Canarium luzonicum (elemi), Boswellia carterii (frankincense), Vetiveria zizandoides (vetiver), and Achillea millefolia* (blue yarrow), Matricaria chamomilla (german chamomile) CO2 Extract, Populus Tremuloides (Aspen) Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Rosemary Oleoresin Extract, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Chlorophyllin, Grain Alcohol*, linalool**, geraniol**, limonene**

Ingredients (Smooth A+ Moisture Serum): Infusion of Coriandrum sativum* (coriander), Achillea millefolium* (yarrow), Solidago virgaurea* (goldenrod), Foeniculum vulgare* (fennel), Rosa damascena* (roses), and Taraxacum officinale* (dandelion), Aloe barbadensis (aloe) Juice*, Cetearyl Alcohol and Cetearyl Glucoside, Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel), Niacinamide, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Daucus carota (carrot) Juice*, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) Oil*, Extracts of Olea Europaea* (olive leaf), Gluconolactone, Lonicera japonica* (honeysuckle), Glycyrrhiza glabra* (licorice), and Calluna vulgaris* (heather flowers), Essential Oils of Citrus bergamia (bergamot) FCF, Boswellia carterii (frankincense), and Rosa damascena (rose otto), CO2 Extracts of Daucus carota (helio-carrot) and Matricaria chamomilla (german chamomile), Populus Tremuloides (aspen) Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Grain Alcohol*, citronellol**, geraniol**, linalool**, limonene**

Ingredients (Refine Clay Renewal Treatment): Infusion of Foeniculum vulgare* (fennel), Stellaria media* (chickweed), Lavandula angustifolia* (lavender), Rosa damascena* (roses), Porphyra umbilicalis* (nori seaweed), Ruscus aculeatus* (butcher’s broom), Rhassoul Clay, Apium graveolens (celery) Juice*, Cocos nucifera (coconut) Oil*, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Zinc Oxide*, Cannabis sativa* (hemp) Oil*, Vaccinium macropacrpon (cranberry) Seed Oil*, Rubus ideaus (red raspberry) Seed Oil*, Extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra* (licorice), Symphytum officinale* (comfrey), and Salix alba* (willowbark), Populus Tremuloides (Aspen) Bark Extract, Gluconolactone, Cetearyl Alcohol and Cetearyl Glucoside, Extracts of Olea europaea* (olive leaf), Echinacea purpurea*, and Caldendula officinalis*, Essential Oils of Litsea cubeba, Commiphora myrrha, Pelargonium roseum (rose geranium), Citrus reticulata (mandarin), Lavandula angustifolia, Pogostemon cablin (patchouli), Coriandrum sativum (coriander), Cedrus atlantica (cedarwood), Grain Alcohol*, Rosemary Oleoresin Extract citral**, xanthan gum, limonene**, citronellol**, geraniol**, linalool**

Certified Organic?: Most ingredients are Certified Organic Agriculture

Average Price:  $21.50 – $29.99

Additional Notes: 100% cruelty-free and the facial skincare collection is vegan! Also sold in brick-and-mortar stores.

Buy at: Irie Star

Rating:

I was provided free sample sized products by the company for this review. All reviews are 100% honest and true.

The chamomile is a beautiful and fragrant group of plants and flowers that closely resembles the cheerful daisy. Chamomile has several species – some can be used as the popular herbal tea, while others are not edible and are mainly used for aromatherapy or beauty related purposes.

The wild chamomile variant, or Matricaria recutita, is used for the aforementioned tea. Drinking chamomile tea provides an increase of glycine in urine, which relieves muscle spasms and is widely known as a muscle relaxant. It can also relieve anxiety and insomnia.

The German variant of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla ) has a honey-like scent. Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis ) oils have a fresher and fruitier fragrance than their German counterparts.  Both versions, as well as their essential oils, share many of the same characteristics. They’re antibiotic, antiseptic, analgesic and can lift moods. Chamomile can also help to eliminate acne and purify pores.

Chamomile is a very effective calming agent, as its scent is universally known to be soothing, relaxing and rivals lavender for its calming effects. If you’re feeling tense, stressed or just need to wind down, try these fun DIY chamomile recipes and take a load off!

Chamomile Hair Lightener

Source: Tipking

•     2 cups water
•     2 cups chamomile tea
•     1 tablespoon of parsley
•     1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Boil all the ingredients and let it simmer for 15 mins. Strain out the tea bags and parsley (make sure to remove all of the parsley) and let it sit till room temperature. Poor on to hair over a sink and rinse two or three times.

Chamomile Astringent for Acne

• 2 cups distilled water
• 1 tablespoon yarrow
• 1 tablespoon chamomile flowers
• 6 drops rosemary essential oil

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the herbs, cover ans steep for 30 minutes. Add the essential oil, stir and drain. Pour finished product into storage containers and shake well. Follow with moisturizer after use. Refrigerate for up to 1 week, then discard.

Use a cotton pad and 1 teaspoon for your face, or more for your shoulders, back or chest blemishes. Avoid the eye area.

Calming Chamomile Face Wash

Source: Natural Beauty Workshop

• 1 teaspoon Rice Powder, Fine
• 1 teaspoon Chamomile Flower Powder
• 1 teaspoon White Kaolin
• 1 teaspoon Green Tea Extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Royal Jelly Extract
• 1 tablespoon Liquid Castile Soap
• 2 teaspoons Bee’s Milk
• 1/2 teaspoon Glycerin
• 10 – 12 drops Roman Chamomile Essential Oil

Mix the dry ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.  Mix the liquid ingredients together in a separate mixing bowl.  Package both parts individually, or mix ingredients all together for immediate use.

All ingredients can be purchased at From Nature with Love.

Herbal Vinegar Hair Rinse 

Source: Natural Beauty Workshop

• 4 ounces of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 ounces of distilled water
• 1 ounce of Organic Rosemary Hydrosol
• 1 ounce of Organic Roman Chamomile Hydrosol
• 1/8 teaspoon of Oat Straw Extract 10:1
• 1/4 teaspoon of Burdock Root Extract 4:1

In a small bowl, mix both powdered extracts with 2 ounces of warm water. Stir well until the powder has dissolved completely. Using a funnel or a very steady hand, pour the water into a clean, sterile, 8 ounce bottle. Next, add 1 ounce of each hydrosol, then 4 ounces of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. Close the bottle and shake well.

All ingredients can be purchased at From Nature with Love.

A Simple Way to Relax with Chamomile

What’s the easiest, fastest way to relax with chamomile, as well as reduce puffy, stressed eyes? Use chamomile tea bags! Pour boiling water over two organic chamomile tea bags, Let them cool, and then chill them in the fridge. When you’re ready to use them, squeeze out the excess water, lie down, and place them over your eyes. Relax for about 15-20 minutes.