Almost Famous, Almost There

Hey Doodles! How ya' doin'? LOL.  Forget my classic Memphis style talk, whatsoever.

I haven't prepared any review, honestly.  But I already hold some products to be chit-chatted about.  Not today! On this lovely Saturday, I'd like to motivate you and myself to start this 'Almost There' quest.  The point of this game is to check whether you already need to buy a new product, or not yet.  We're going to talk in details: separate some of my products into groups and check whether I will empty it soon or later.

Ah, to be quick, TADAA! There the first gang of Goggle-Five of the talk:

Aye, aye. 5 products in total! How's their condition? 

Okay. Start with the concealer.  I rarely use this paste, so, okay, the reduction is just sooooo...small.  Can anyone find me a reason to use more concealer? :))

And this 4-years-old foundation? Horray! It's seriously almost there! :D Look at the very tiny amount on the corner. 

And yes, I've been trying to use a body moisturizer religiously and sometimes I fail.  

But anyway, I've been through 70% of the oil and it's nearly empty! 

My two stick-formed face appliance (what?).  My sweet 100% Pure Lip & Cheek Tint is actually only a quarter more.  About the Babo Botanicals sunscreen, the remaining stick is invisible, but, I think it's not a long way to go.  Furthermore, it is already a bit dirty and get more sticky.  Is there something wrong with this sunscreen? :/

As you guys maybe have recognized, I have way too many products.  Sometimes, I have double or triple  stuff with exactly the same function.  What a waste! What a pile!

To make your sight better, here I paste the picture again:

Thankfully, I've finished some of them: Cocoa Love Body Butter, solid perfume, one of the handcream, two jars of Aromanaturals, the scrub, oh, c'est tout. Yes, at least I've tried.  And, to make the challenge easier, now I will show you the products that the status is 'Almost There' a.k.a Tinggal Sedikit or just call them 'near empty'!

So, at least, for this month, I promise myself to empty those 5 bottles and jars and containers! For tidiness' sake! Natural products aren't super strong to be kept too long, though.  Seriously, people, we really have to reduce buying without thinking.  I've learned it my way.  What about you? Do you have a pile of cosmetics you definitely frustated with? I guess, eventhough we love to possess A LOT of beauty products, we have the limit.

Because, unused items will be a stack of trash.  And the trash would be swallowed by happy fishes out there in the ocean.  Imagine yourself, what would happened after that. Note: the case is, trash' material is non-biodegradable plastic. Sad.   :')

Yes, I know, I will still buying stuff.  But I'll reduce it.  I'll pay for what I need.  Not paying the pre-rubbish items. Do a swap or buy preloved if needed. Yeah, let's hold hands and learn the new habit together, folks! Yippie!

Not A Scientist Tips, But Still An Aid

Living 4 years of my life taking care of pampering products, from body care, skin care, make up, and llamas, I've became a serious researcher for these stuff. 

But forget it, I just want to write an systematic-looking intro.  Actually, I would love to share some tips for you about toiletries world.  Based on my principles and experience.  Sometimes people ask me about these lip products tips, better ingredients, and all.  From my neighbour to my brother, from alpaca to giraffe. 

So, aye, I gather all knowledges I know about treating your body parts right. Please don't be shy to ask anything.  I'll answer it even if you ask me how to eat an apple with eyes closed.  That's okay! 

Alright. Let's start with...

LIP LOVE

+ Loving lip stain? Better apply the liquid on a lip covered with lip balm/ butter.  Seriously.  It'll avoid dryness! :D

+ Some people asked me whether this or that is good for lips or not.  And what brand should be great. Firstly,  I would suggest to choose truly natural/ organic/ vegan lip products, because: natural or organic means you won't be exposed by too much synthetic materials that could harm our health, but it possibly refers to the existence of carmine the crushed cochineal (a.k.a bugs) inside your red / pink shaded lippies. Yes it is natural but it's...cruel. Meanwhile, if you take vegan / vegetarian ones, they won't offer you any animal particles such as that carmine or beeswax.  Beeswax is useful and it's not actually an animal her/himself, but it's quite heavy for lips sometimes!

+ Read your ingredients, and make sure you don't see crimson lake, cochineal, Natural Red 4, CI 75470,  or E120.  Yes it means bug. It means you murder for your lips.

+ Now you know what to avoid and what to tolerate, let's take a closer look.  Natural lip products come with various oil or butter blends.  Whether it's castor, olive, sweet almond, jojoba, avocado, coconut oil, or shea, candellila, cacao butter, with random fragrance compound from essential oils or extract of fruit/ flower. Those are things to make your lip products packaged beautifully. 

+ Okay.  Brands.  To be short, my recommendations are: 100% Pure lip butter, 100% Pure lip glaze, Hurraw! lip balms (buy it here for Indonesian citizen), or make your own lip stain (and you'll get a blush along with it).  Or you may try Utama Spice's lip balm.  They're quite good if you're okay with beeswax. :) 

Now let's jump into...

FACE FEST

+ Yes, I don't use facial foam and I've been into that lifestyle for a succesful one & a half year after finishing 100% Pure Lavender Seafoam.  And... I'm alive! How come? 

+ Then how to clean your face? Uhm, yes, to be honest, just wipe it with something oily that will take the dirt, grime, and dust.  If you wear layers of make up, do massage your face with plantbased oil (like coconut, olive, candlenut, canary) then wash with normal-to-warm water.  

+ Scrub your face twice a week using rolled oats, sugar, or whatever gritty and easy! Mix it with honey or your favourite oil.  ( remember to use this for body exfoliator too!)

+ So, for these 2 activities to your face's sake, you only need one kind of oil and something you would likely to find in everybody's kitchen.  Ditch the tubes and bottles of cleansers and scrubs/ exfoliators! You'll save hundred Rupiahs and reduce a lot of waste!

+ Better invest a holy grail moisturizer.  It will literally sink into your skin.  Note: beeswax and silicone won't sink.  

+ Make sure you know your needs.  Anti-aging? Pore problems? Sandy Cheeks? Just need a little glow? Oily? Combo? Dry? Galau? :p 

+ What's the best option? You decide. I myself have been searching a perfect moisturizer.  My favorite for evening use is surely that Aromanaturals crémes, but I can't use it as a day cream since the retinyl palmitate will react to the sunray.  You may catch something interesting here at Naauty Organics. I've just discovered this online shop focusing on 'good' products. :D

And move to...

BODY BUILDING (?) 

+ Good news! You can buy a bottle of virgin coconut oil and use it for face and body! :) Quite a saving, right? But only if you want to, and you're not boring with coconut scent.  I know, I know.  We love applying body care products due to the assorted kinds of smell they offer.

+ The form; butter, lotion, or oil? It's up to you! I love lotion, if it's not too sticky or too light you can't feel anything after that. Hahaha. And there's a lotion formula that ironically dry your skin more.  I don't know what cause this, but, be careful.  Butter? It's good if you can handle the usual problem: stiff texture! Like it just stand on your skin and do nothing.  My Cocoa Love from Utama Spice will disappear on the surface after hours. Or even overnight.  The Body Shop's Chocolate and Vanilla Bliss body butter are on a thicker side with smoother texture--weirdly.  Very thick and overwhelming somehow.  Lotions from Nicole's Naturals are good, the best I can have.  Not sticky nor abstract. And the rose aroma is superb! :) 

+ Preservatives? Yes, the reality is, anytime you apply body lotion, your body will drink some of the potion.  So, please say BYE to paraben, pthalates, glycols, BHA, BHT, ah, Google yourself about ingredients to avoid in toiletries, okay? :D 

+ I'm telling you that basically, hand cream and body cream will do things the same way. (Moreover, sometimes, hand + body + face moisturizer may come in ONE ITEM).  So, don't buy hand cream plus body cream from the same range! You'll be bored and end up with sadness (and stash, and rubbish).  Except you're fanatic about the specific scent. :D 

Ho, ho, ho, merry...

HAIR FAIR !

+ Many people know I have epic thick hair.  And it's jet black.  I tried many methods to take care of my hair properly.  Following my Mom: using Sunsilk Black Shine forever.  The shampoo makes my hair oily, and it strips my scalp. Thinking about natural substances: using Mustika Ratu's spinach shampoo. Afraid of oily hair, using Sariayu's carrot formula.  Give up? Trying The Body Shop's Olive and Bearberry shampoo then realized they contains SLS.  Hair feels terrible? Conditioner.  Smooth and cute but MORE oil in the end. Itchy scalp + dandruff: moved to L'Occitane Soothing Shampoo, smells adorable.  Trying Natur and Etude House's hair mist : stickiness. Back to The Body Shop, love the Rainforest Hair Care, unfortunately not a correct match to scalp.  Blah. In the end, I discovered shampoo bar (or just a simple natural soap bar) and vinegar works good!

+ WHAT? VINEGAR? Yes, vinegar.  Soap is alkali, vinegar is acidic. You mix them and you'll find balance.  So, clean with soap, rinse with vinegar, plus water : awesome smooth hair with no addition of dangerous chemicals! :D And it's cheap, baby. You can use apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, that mainstream vinegar which is refreshing for your soto soup, too. By the way, instead of soap, you may use baking soda.  Combine it with water and use it for 'shampoo with no foam'.

+ Anyway, hair mist is a useful weapon.  In Indonesia, a lot people smoke! SMOKE LIKE CRAZY and they spread the ashes around! So impolite! :(  In several places, the terrible ashy fragrance lingers, causing our hair (and body) to smell bad.  And, oh, people who burn the trash.  Please, trashes are for recycling/ reusing/ reducing, not for another pollution! :(  

Our hair is the victim.  It'll smell more intense compared to another part of our body. So, yes, I suggest you to invest in a hair mist.  A good hair mist is better without silicons, and I prefer ones with more natural materials.  My favourite one is from L'Occitane, because I find it works. :) By the way, you can make one at home too.  Use water and essential oil, put into a spray bottle (reuse something, please!).  Then use anytime you want. :D 

+ Dry shampoo? I support the habit of making things yourself--not everything but most of things. Get your corn starch / maizena + cacao/ coffee powder for darker hair, keep in a narrow container, or even better, empty powder bottle, sprinkle some dry rice to avoid humidity. Then? Use it with a help from make up brush or hair brush. Mess your hair with the powder and be happy! :D

Phew! Finish! For a while. NO MAKE UP TIPS? No. I'm not a master of make up! I use it for fun only. ;)  

If I found something interesting on the way, I would tell you immediately! Remember, to make Earth happier, we should hang out with this motto: 

Erase the greed, 

grow a seed. 

Make Mother Earth your best friend,

listen to her until the end. 

 Wisely keep your gold, 

respect the old. 

Choose plant, 

but don't kill the ant. 

 

I love you all! 

*spontaneously made 10 seconds ago

My Stack of Stuff

Bonjour, People! How's your day? 

Well, I have a good day--so far--since it's still in the midday. 

Anyway, I want to share my, uhm, tiny problem I have here. What problem? This!

That? No, it's those.  It's plural. There's a development in my toiletries amount.  I don't know what is the trigger... Hahaha. But these are so many, still, for my standard! If you want to see my previous collection, see this and that. 

The picture above shows all I have except brushes, eyelash curler, sponges, et cetera.  Oh, and nail polishes aren't included.  I have 3 bottles of that. 

So, after seeing previous collection posts, what do you think? Yes. I have way too many products.  I have collected so many things during a year. Now let's take a look at each group carefully: 

thankfully, everyone have different function. so it's not very ineffective. but that foundation, I already keep it for 4 years!

the scrub is a souvenir from my cousin, the solid perfume is now 2 years old, and that deodorant is not used oftenly.

nah. here's the most doubling part! i have 2 hand cream tubes--one from my friend (the apple one), 1 body butter, 1 body oil, and a tin of honey-shea butter! i thought it's okay to have 3-4 products to moisturize, in case i need them in separated moments (butter for night, oil for day--for example), but in fact, no. i give up.

i rarely have my eyes area painted--but i have this much things around.  ah, what did i do? anyone wants to adopt my stuff? i never touch the tosca eyeliner and mascara! LOL.

other treatment: hair mist, face vitamin creams, nose pack, bentonite clay.

and these lippies, fellas. i can't use them all the time! now i try to use my lip butter religiously first as a start.

Now this is what I think about them: 

Maybe you have the answer for me? Or you have a similar product with me and would love to tell me about it? ;) 

Happy Tuesday, lovelies! :* 

When Life Gives You Lemon, Grab A Cocoa :)

Hello, yellow!

Who loves chocolate? :D I do! And I believe most of you do, too!

Chocolate comes from cocoa, a 'fruit' first found in America, where Indian used to live, and used by them as beverages.  The real cocoa is bitter, as appears on dark chocolate bars you see.

Cocoa or kakao contains antioxidant, plus phenylhetylamine, a natural chemical compound you get when you're falling in love.  It simply makes you happy! So, there's no reason to avoid chocolate anyway.  Who cares it possibly causes acnes...

Beside as a snack, cocoa is functionally functional as skin remedy! Trust me.  Cocoa butter is great to moisturize your skin, and it protects the barrier.  But, how many cocoa butter-containing products that are served without parabens, additional glycol groups, and so on? Well, not much here.  We could find some clean products in US/UK/Europe, but only a little in Indonesia (not talking about the brand--it's about the distribution). I tried The Body Shop's Chocomania body butter and not very impressed.  The cocoa butter line too, it doesn't attract me--thinking about the preservatives, the price, and the smell.  I like the Chocomania scent, it reminds me of a chocolate drink with...I don't know...hazelnut? Something retro, lah.  Sadly, the ingredients list isn't very handsome.  And it's overly heavy on my skin, I don't know why.  :(

Thankfully, we have Utama Spice.  Made in Bali. And finally opened a store in Bandung my lovely-on-progress hometown.  And it's like truly natural! Sure, I bought some stuff there.  And to stay strict with the context, let's just talk about the Cocoa Love body butter! :D

It is kept in a simple plastic jar, with an interesting label design.  Behind, an ingredients list.  And there, written:

This is a supreme hydrating Cocoa seed butter great for sensitive or sun damaged skin. It's the healing power of love coming to you in chocolate form. 

Ingredients:

Cocos Nucifera (Virgin Coconut) Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Pod, Cinnamomum Burmani (Cinnamon) Bark. 

Add some flour, whipped cream, and colourful sprinkles and you'll get a cute tart, not a body butter, silly!

Alright.  Sounds yummy? Sounds trustable? No beeswax, which I'm quite happy with, because previously, there's a beeswax inside--I've applied a smaller amount last year, got a sample from Lynn.  It's a little lighter and absorbs into skin better than before.  But I...I don't know why they got rid of the beeswax, while they claimed on the website that 'A base of virgin coconut oil, aloe vera and beeswax, our body butters provide natural hydration for longer lasting protection and moisture retention, a central component of  our aromatherapy skin care ritual. Pleasure your senses and feed your skin.'

Well, perhaps the cocoa butter itself has take a place of beeswax--since they have same profession--protecting the skin.  :D

My overall thought: the scent is naturally yummy, it could help my hunger... the texture is great, it's a little hard maybe, you should melt it first with your palms or on the skin, let your body's higher degree count melt it.  And uhm, yes, it basically moisturizes your skin perfectly without feeling any stickiness.  It will get in your skin! Trust me.  If I sleep with this butter on, I wake up normally with a supple skin.  Thought, not as magical as Aromanaturals' effect.

If you're curious about the other Utama Spice products, please come to their website or offline store in Ubud and Bandung, and I heard that they are available on Jakarta's Guardians too.  :D

And if you need a little help, uhm, this is my review on their body lotion! ;)

 

 Have a great Saturday, fellas :D

I Have A Little Hope Here...

The good news is, Utama Spice opened a pop up shop at Riau Junction Bandung! Yes Bandung, I don't have to go far awaaaay to Bali, or Jakarta, or online... *happiness cry*

For you who seek the true natural products, the brand is nice for a beginner! The ingredients list is easy to be read, meanwhile, it smells very spicy--so Indonesia.  If you're not a fan of spices, you can choose Cocoa or Tangerine range.  They have heavenly delicious scent. <3

The best plus point is: it is made in Indonesia, originally. Should I ask for more? Well I should...I hope they produce make up too...hahaha. 

Yesterday, I took a time to check the store.  It looks so-not-glam and that's why I like it.  XD LOL.
The atmosphere is soothing, meditative, with a lot of bamboo and wood ornament.  Everything is well-arranged and I didn't see any plastic bag (which is good).  One cute thing: lip balms are sold for 3 with a sweet ribbon to stick them together.  Ah, I love the shop. :D

Since it's still in promo, and I purchased two products valued more than 30.000 Rupiah, they gave me 2 free two products of my choice in travel size as a gift.  So I brought home 4 containers of lovely potion.  And, well, I guess they're quite multitasking.  The Rose Allure body oil--contains only coconut oil and rose oil--can be used as face moisturizer too.  The Lavender hair oil that is formed by just lavender and coconut oil, I can use it for something else--oil cleansing or facial oil or body oil too.  Maybe, only the Cocoa Love body butter and Fresh Soul body mist who have no alter-ego. :D

I'm happy that I'm stocked up. :)

Come on, visit Utama Spice and make a new habit--always choose the most truly natural toiletries! Make yourself home at this culture.  Later, you'll find that you don't need that much, you only need a simple regimen for your skin.  And sometimes, the potion you want is just a flip away.  For example, just on your backyard, or in your kitchen! Can you imagine how GOOD is it to live with simple and clean habits? You'll find your home ready to take some photo shoots for an interior magazine because you have no stack of unused things! And your toilette and desk are very simple! You may put a pot of flowers there! :D

Save some money, save the Earth! ;)

Rosey Rose Floral Life

Well, I guess, I’m surrounded with ROSE thingy anywhere, mostly in toiletries life.  I have Atlas Mountain Rose EDT from The Body Shop, and I routinely apply Nicole’s Natural's Rose Body Lotion. 

One day, Lynn kindly share another rose stuff to me. Here’s the product: Utama Spice Rose Allure Body Lotion. I’ve been interested with Utama Spice since Lynn wrote a review about their products.  I’m mostly excited that they have Cocoa Love Body Butter that seems tempting with simple and yummy ingredients.


But the first produit I got the chance to try is the rosey lotion:




Yep, the famous Bali Island, Pulau Dewata (Island of Gods), the place with aromatic scent everywhere, there’s a brand named Utama Spice with nice all-natural products you would love to try!






Well there, you can see the real bottle and the ingredients rightly. Quite nice with flip cap. For body lotions, flip cap is right, but for more liquid products, flip cap is not a good choice. I’s untidy! Just IMO.


The other trouble I have with the bottle is: it’s rockin’ hard.  But you have to squeeze if you want the lotion to come out.  And it’s quite difficult and painful to squeeze it!


What about the fragrance? I guess my nose catches it as lemongrass (sereh) + rose + other spices I can’t classifiy, it is. Like I even believe it can avoid me from mosquitos bite! Because once, I used to have one tube of Soffell’s Anti Nyamuk with this kind of scent, but less rosey.


And yo, it has funny texture.  When I first try to test the product, a transparent water came out from the bottle.  I was like, ‘what’? But then I shake the bottle and finally the true from of lotion appeared.


Soft white with, still, a little border or difference between that transparent liquid (is it the VCO or the spring water?) and the cream. Just like you spoon a little asparagus soup. :p  But it doesn’t cause any trouble.  It might make you say that the consistensy is…weird.


When applied, it’s a little thick, oily, for a while it might feel annoying for you who don’t like greasy feeling. Absorption takes a minute or more, so when you’re in a hurry, be quick and don’t apply too generously! LOL.
But the moisturizing effect is true.  I usually use this at night or day when I’m in the mood for floral.  :) 


I like this lotion so far.  Thank you, Lynn, for sharing with me! ;)


I also have a little jar of Utama Spice’s body butter in Cocoa Love. Lynn shared it also.  And I guess I’ll purchase the full jar because I love the texture, its supple effect on skin, and especially the chocolatey-vanilla-y aroma! Feel like eating a newly baked chocolate-spices cookies or ‘kue bolu’ too.  :9

You can get Utama Spice’s products online, or if you live in Bali or travel around there, they launch some stores in The Island. ;)


***all photos and illustrations belong to me, please mention a permission to use it in another media, if only. :p