I wanted to take a moment and share three game-changing organic products under the $15.00 price point. Not only have I personally sampled each recommended product, they have now replaced other beauty staples in my daily routine. While some organic products can be more expensive than their chemically treated counterparts, these are a splurge, if you can even call it that, that is worth the upgrade. Be good to your body and it will be good to you!
Charcoal Soap
I’ve been wanting to try charcoal soap for a while after hearing that it removes toxins, pulls all the gross stuff from your pores, and helps with skin issues like my eczema, which conventionally flares during the winter months. While walking through Atlanta’s Krog Street Market, I came across this lovely handmade soap shop called Mama Handmade Bath & Body that has since become one of my favorite places to explore there. While playing with sample oils and inhaling the fabulous scents of the different types of soaps, I found several bars of raw handmade charcoal soap. I purchased a bar for $8.00 so I could give it a try. For almost 3 weeks, I have washed my face with this vegan soap and follow-up with the Cerve moisturizer every morning and night. I knew that it was a naturally anti-fungal and antibacterial soap but was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was loaded with moisturizing oils like avocado, jojoba, and wheat germ. My face is so clear and smooth and I have gotten so many compliments on my skin (check out my IG for my Jan 19th selfie…no foundation at all with a little blush!!!) I love that I am not clogging my pores with unnecessary ingredients.
Organic Argan Oil
Argan oil, produced from the kernels of the Argan tree, is becoming very popular in the cosmetic world because of the restorative benefits for hair, skin, nails. I hear it also does wonders for pregnant women with stretch marks. I was asked to try out a sample of 100% pure Moroccan Argan oil from a brand called Actually Organic and I wanted to see what the hype was all about.
Around the same time the 1 oz bottle of Argan oil arrived, I have weening myself off gel manicures and was suffering from soft and brittle nails that would break if you just looked at them. I started moisturizing both my cuticles and my nails and guess what happened… my nails started to grow again. I could even look at them and they would not break. I then started to use the oil to help heal dry eczema patches on my body and I have really enjoyed the results of smooth nourished skin in these dry winter months. I originally thought that $12.00 a bottle was a little steep for a 1 oz bottle, but I quickly learned that a little product goes a long way. This bottle will last me through the August, which is perfect considering Argan oil in its pure form has a 12-month shelf life. I apply oil to my nails about once a week and I use the oil on my skin to heal specific problem areas like my elbows, inside of my ears (strange, I know), and the crease of my hands. ~ Thank you to the Actually Organic team for providing the She Makes Cents team with this product ~
Organic Nail Polish Remover
I will be honest, I have had a sample bottle of organic nail polish remover from an old Birchbox for a few months now. I was cleaning out the house in one of those Kondo Method type of purges when I decided that I would do one of two things with the stockpile of unopened beauty products- use it up or donate to a local women’s shelter. My 4oz bottle of Soybean and Tea Tree Oil organic nail polish remover from Karma Naturals was on the chopping block because I have always used a standard nail polish remover. Yes, traditional removers are full of all sorts of harsh chemicals but they always got the job done. As it was going into the pile of products that would soon be donated, I decided to keep it to see how it removes pink nail polish from my toes. Compared to traditional removers, it takes a little longer to remove nail polish but that was okay with me once I felt how moisturized my bare toenails were. It was amazing!!! I now even take my own bottle of organic remover with my when I go to the nail salon so that they don’t use the harsh remover that I was used to. This is a vegan and cruelty-free product that has replaced my previous brand FOREVER.
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A few weeks ago, I received the Vanish Foundation Stick & Brush from Hourglass Cosmetics via Influenster for testing purposes. Its claim to fame is having the coverage of a concealer, fluidity of a liquid, and the weightlessness of a powder for undetectable full coverage. Well….I put that to the test. First, I selected the color from a computer screen so I worried if the foundation would even match my skin tone. If you are a frequent reader of shemakescents.com, you know that I never leave the house without mascara or a spritz of perfume. PERIOD. Those are my beauty standards and I take them very seriously. Lately though, with the surge of regular women rocking fully contoured faces on the daily, I have been compelled to add to my makeup repertoire. In the past few months, I have spent a good bit of money for drug store foundations/concealers in an attempt to discover a perfect color match and consistency. The sad part is, I spend money on those foundations that I use occasionally since foundation isn’t normally in my daily routine.
shemakescents 
