The Body Shop Peach and Sweet Lemon

Whenever I hear summer, fruits always come to my mind.  So I waited for summer before I can use 2 fruit theme products from the The Body Shop even if I bought them 6 months before.

It's now rainy season now in the Philippines but the peach lotion and sweet lemon body butter became my dryness buster (combating the el niño of my body) during the summer season.

Surprisingly, the Peach Body Lotion (not the vineyard peach which I think made this lotion extinct from the shelves of the body shop) is light and is absorbed quickly by my body.

I initially thought that it would be greasy under the heat of the sun which made me used it at night the first time but it seems one swipe is not enough so I used it during daytime and well my daytime body liked it.   The peach scent is heavenly too, not too sweet not too strong and doesn't easily fade away.

The only con I can think of is that when I'm out under the sun for too long, it makes me sweat more than usual.  Color is subtle pinkish orangey peachy.

my body moisturizers over the summer

The Sweet Lemon Body Butter on the other hand is perfect for summer nights.  Not too greasy too and the consistency is like of that Olive variant only it's light yellowish in color(my post can be found here).

Smell reminds be of frutos or sugus candies but it also has a plastic-like smell maybe because I stock it for a very long time and the one that I got is the old version.  But if I disregard that smell and focus on the fruit part then it's very refreshing.

While it's perfect for summer nights, I think it's moisturizing effect is not enough on colder weather (better use the Shea or the Olive variant).

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

The Body Shop Acai + Moringa

I remember the time when I started this blog and 2 of my friends who knows read my first few posts (that was before) and said that it seems like I'm having a dual personality.  In reality the girl behind Arya De Guzman is a bit serious and seldom cracks a joke but who wants a blog with a green, yellow, baby blue and pink background with too many serious words?  Weird?  If yes, then this product is also weird.

The Body Shop Body Butter Duo Floral Acai/Acai Floral
Moisturize your skin with this twin pot that contains two types of moisture: a light cream for where skin needs less hydration and a rich cream for drier areas like elbows and knees. It has an exotic, intriguing scent.
For all skin typesProvides 24-hour hydration Leaves skin feeling soft all over Exotic, intriguing scent
$20

I started using this mid February with a mindset that the thicker part is perfect for the Valentine/Christmas~sy weather (Philippine weather has been strange for a couple of years) while the lighter/liquidy part can welcome the exciting heat of the sun.  And I'm correct (yay), I only have few left so pardon the almost tub.

well, this will be included in my April empties!

The one with the lighter shade is the liquidy part which is comparable to the texture of the Olive Body Butter while the darker one is like the Shea.  Both have the same scent which is citrusy with just a hint of flower (yup, the citrus aroma envelopes and surpasses the floral scent), The Body Shop defined it as an exotic, intriguing scent.
The main purpose as to why there's a twin in a pot is because the light cream is for normal skin or the parts of the skin that needs less hydration and the rich cream is for the areas which are drier like my legs.  Both are great for hydration without so much stickiness unless the temperature goes up to 30 degrees celsius.  I couldn't have asks for more...except maybe, well just wondering why this one is way way pricier here than in other countries.  By the way, Acai is said to have hi content of antioxidants.

FULL INGREDIENTS

Water (Solvent/Diluent), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) (Skin-Conditioning Agent/Emollient), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter (Emollient), Glycerin (Humectant), Isododecane (Solvent), Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate (Skin Conditioning Agent - Emollient), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), Cetearyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), PEG-100 Stearate (Surfactant), Beeswax (Emulsifier/Emollient), Dimethicone (Skin Conditioning Agent), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil (Emollient/Skin Conditioner), Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil (Emollient), Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil (Emollient), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Fragrance (Fragrance), Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate (Skin Conditioning Agent), Xanthan Gum (Viscosity Modifier), Phenethyl Alcohol (Fragrance Ingredient), Caprylyl Glycol (Skin Conditioning Agent), Propylene Glycol (Humectant), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Benzyl Alcohol (Preservative), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Tocopherol (Antioxidant), Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract (Hair Conditioning Agent), PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (Emulsifier), Hydroxycitronellal (Fragrance Ingredient), Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster), Citronellol (Fragrance Ingredient), Citric Acid (pH Adjuster), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Ethylhexylglycerin (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Citral (Fragrance Ingredient). [May Contain: Red 33 (Colour), Yellow 5 (Colour)].

Hmmm, so short, okay I'll just share with you then my current shower buddy.  If I only have a bathtub then maybe I'm halfway through this but I don't have one and I only need few drops to set bubbles on fire with this one.  Meet my bubble maker, Moringa Foaming Bath.

Moringa Foaming Bath

This luxurious foaming bath contains real moringa seed oil. The rich lather cleanses and moisturises skin. Moisturing,Cleansing,Delicate floral scent

P595

Based on The Body Shop website pour generously in running water, I say pour it directly to a sponge or a bath lily and enjoy a bath full of bubbles and feel like a kid though the smell would be weird for a kid.  My sister don't like the scent of this one which is awkward when I said that I like it.  I smell flowers, she smells my good old mom.  The flower smell is strong though and will never use the perfume of this one and hope the body butter and lotion too unless necessary.

The foaming bath cleanses and moisturize well and it's soap free (good news to those who don't loke soaps) and contains real moringa seed oil.  Moringa seed oil comes from a moringa tree...TREE?  I thought???..wait a minute (type in the computer...search...searching) oh this is hard, they just refer to it as Moringa and Wikipedia said the size ranges is from tinhy herbs to massive trees.  We have a bunch of Moringa in our backward back home and for us it's a grass that can be use in cooking and well I made a mask out of it's leaves.  Reading the nutritional and medicinal value of Moringa leaves would not raise a question mark on my head as to why it's called The Tree of Life, google it and you'll be amazed.  But how about the oil?  I'm no expert so I'll just rely on this article from www.edlagman.com.  The below part attracted me:

"Moringa seed oil contains antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, which help heal minor skin complaints such as cuts, bruises, burns, insect bites, rashes and scrapes quickly The addition of Moringa seed oil produces a rich and creamy lather and, unlike any other plant-based oil, actually increases the cleansing ability. It clears pimples and prevents recurrence, if used regularly; it removes wrinkles and will prevent; sagging of facial muscles; helps clears black heads and spots; makes face glow and helps to tighten the skin pores."~www.edlagman.com

Now I wonder why this oil is not so popular here in the Philippines since Moringa is all over the place?  Although there's some who sells it online and TBS too, I hopw it would also go to the shelves of big department stores or groceries and maybe export it?  I'm clueless, let's just move on and get back to the foaming bath.

as always, it's made with passion

FULL INGREDIENTS

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PPG-5 Laureth-5, Acrylates Copolymer, Myristamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Parfum, Sodium Cocoa Butter Amphoacetate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Moringa Pterygosperma Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, p-Anisic Acid, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Sodium Hydroxide, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, C11-15 Pareth-40, C11-15 Pareth-7, Tocopherol, CI 19140.

Woot, woot!  The word Moringa is visible.  I look into some of TBS products that I have and scrutinize the listed ingredients and sometimes I cannot pinpoint the main ingredient that is on the picture of the labels.  Overall, great foaming bath with a good price (usually on sale).  Now I have to find that oil (the cheap one please!)

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

For A Clear, Moisturize and Glowing Face

Last Christmas, a friend of mine gave me a box full of DIY from Papemerolti and tried last weekend three  beauty recipes.

Stimulating Skin Scrub
To cleanse, clear and stimulate skin, wash face with your cleanser and bit by bit add brown sugar (up to 1 teaspoon) lathering and massaging gently (or else it will hurt) into your skin.

This recipe made and feel my skin fresh and also cleared some of my blackheads on my nose (there are still some that are poking)

From livestrong.com

Brown sugar is the texture of wet sand, but is abrasive enough to remove old skin cells without causing your skin harm or irritation. The moisture in brown sugar won't dry out your skin as you exfoliate. Exfoliation removes not only dead cells from your skin but other impurities that may be clogging your pores. In effect, exfoliation prepares your body for moisturizers and other products that will keep your skin looking supple and fresh. Brown sugar is a source of B vitamins due to its molasses content, and could be beneficial to your skin. A July 2008 article in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology reports that vitamin B is an antioxidant that can prevent and reverse signs of photoaging of your skin. Photoaging is the skin damage you encounter from the sun's harmful UV rays.

Moisturizing Mask
The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of milk but 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon is enough to cover the face and the neck.

The combination of honey and milk smells really sweet like caramel.  The texture becomes sticky after 5 minutes that I decided to wash the dishes (no drippings hooray!).  I leave the mask on my face for 15 minutes though the direction said 10 minutes but who cares? As long as there are no ants or bees swarming in my face I think I could leave it on for 30 minute (the mixture makes my face hot)  Rinse with warm water (I used tap water).  What's achieved?  Soft and well moisturize face!

From livestrong.com

Honey can be used as part of a dry skin regimen because its composition is described as s humectant. A humectant is an item or substance that attracts moisture and keeps in locked inside. Using a honey-based facial mask proves beneficial to areas of skin that tend to become dry or itchy because it lends moisture to these areas. People have oily skin can benefit from honey as well; the sweetener can help your skin retain moisture and elasticity without drying it out, as some conventional facial washes may do.

From livetrong.com
Natural beauty author Dina Falconi suggests using milk in homemade beauty products for dry or damaged skin. An oatmeal face or body scrub, for example, becomes additionally moisturizing and vitamin-rich when it contains milk rather than water, according to Falconi. Nonfat powdered milk blends well with bath salts or face scrubs for long-keeping treatments. Alternatively, mix liquid milk with an equal amount of honey to form a humectant -- a substance that promotes moisture retention -- nutrient-rich mask for your face, neck and chest.

Fair Face Maker
Last but not least, a fruit that will give an instant glow: Papaya! (I think papaya when used regularly can help diminish the appearance of freckles...well that's what I heard from one of my sisters).

Mash ripe papaya and apply all over face and neck.  This is a bit messy so I only leave the papaya for 2 minutes and well, my cheeks are a bit glowing though I think I need to do this mask everyday for the glow to stay.

From alive.com

Perk up your skin and eliminate the day’s worries with papaya. It’s beneficial for skin care and repair. You can use papaya to treat or eliminate old dead skin cells, dandruff and other skin disorders and even to reduce the signs of premature aging. The following recipes will show you how. 

Enjoy making beauty recipes DIY.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!