Natural

Caudalie Peche de Vigne Shower Gel

April 17, 2013 By Cortney Leave a Comment

Caudalie Peche de Vigne Shower Gel

It’s not very often that I find a natural shower gel that I really like. Typically I run down the ingredients list and am very disappointed by the Sulfates/ Detergents/ Additives and Preservatives. Remember anyone can say they are “natural”

Caudalie’s Peche de Vine shower gel was impressive. I decided to go with a standard list of Pro’s and Cons for you to view.

Pros:

This actually is a natural shower gel. I would say at least 97-99%
I loved the smell of this. I was confused by some of the negative reviews I read on Sephora regarding the scent, BUT everyone likes different scents. For me, this was wonderful. I loved the peach smell and it reminded me a little more of a peach candy than a fruit. For the duration of me using this (until it was gone), the smell did not change in any way.
Great packaging with pretty colors
Although the lather was minimal on this product (expected with a natural/ healthy gel), I still got some lather out of it and enjoyed using it.(If you need extreme lather with a body wash, I would not recommend this for you.)
I feel this was more moisturizing to my skin than other shower gel’s I have used in the past.

Cons:

Unfortunately this did not last as long as I would have liked. When I shower I like to use a generous amount of product. It would be great if they would make it larger than 5.7 ounces.
If you want extreme lather, then this is not for you. I however, loved it.
This is just me nitpicking, but the first ingredient is water. I’m always happiest when the first ingredient is a type of oil or moisturizer. (Typically cosmetic companies list ingredients in order of size… i.e. The largest ingredient is first. Leading you to believe this is more water than anything else).
There is fragrance in this, so if you are REALLY sensitive to fragrance in your products- this is not for you. Still a very natural product though.

Filed Under: No Slider, Reviews, Sheer, Skincare Tagged With: Aloe Juice, Aloe Vera, Caudalie Peche de Vigne Shower Gel, cosmeticbycortney.com, Fragrance, HypoAllergenic, Loves, Natural, Natural Shower gels, Orange, Peach, Plant Based, Pros Cons List, Scented, Sheer, Shower Gel Reviews, Soap, Soap Free

Quick Natural Pore Treatments (Found in Your Fridge!)

November 12, 2012 By Cortney 1 Comment

Happy Monday!

Last week when I posted the DIY Peel-Off Mask recipe, I decided I also wanted to share a few easy at-home natural toner/ astringents you can get right in your own grocery store.

Many of my Fruit Facials already have ingredients that work to tighten your pores and absorb the oils on your face. BUT, sometimes we don’t always have the time to do a full facial/ skincare treatment. Don’t worry though, there are a few different options you can use for a quick natural pore treatment.

[ RELATED: 5 Steps to Cure Oily Skin ]

Tomato:

This wonderful fruit contains Lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, and has been known to protect the skin from UV rays. Added bonus: Researchers have found that Tomato also helps keep your skin looking youthful!

How-To:

1) Find the reddest tomato you can (but any tomato you have will work)

2) Slice the tomato in half (or if you have plans for the tomato later, then you can just take off a quarter of the tomato)

3) Place the rest of the tomato in the fridge. We are done with that part of the Tomato.

4) Take the piece of tomato that you cut off and gently rub this across the skin on your face & neck- focusing on “problem” areas. You only need to leave the juice of the tomato on your face for a few minutes.

5) Gently rinse your face off with lukewarm water, pat dry and apply your moisturizer of choice.

Lemon:

This fruit is great for so many things. Everything from cleaning counters to jazzing up your beverage. Best of all, it does wonders for your skin

How-to:

1) Cut a slice out of your Lemon

2) Place the rest of your lemon in the fridge

3) Take your slice and gently rub it against your face and neck- Focusing on “problem” areas. Just like with the tomato, you will only need to leave the juice on your skin for a few minutes.

4) Gently rinse your face off with lukewarm water, pat dry and apply your moisturizer of choice.

*Note: It is normal to feel a tingly sensation on your skin when using either of these fruits. Please test each one on a small patch of your skin first. Be sure to rinse off if you notice redness or if the tingle becomes uncomfortable.

Filed Under: Beauty, Fruit Facial Fridays Tagged With: At Home Facial, At Home Skincare, Beauty, Best Peel Off Masks, DIY, Do it yourself toner, Get Rid of Blackheads, healthy toner for face, homemade astringent, homemade toner, How To, How to Shrink Pores, Natural, Organic, Quick Natural Pore treatment, Skincare

DIY Fruit Facial Friday: Pumpkin

September 28, 2012 By Cortney Leave a Comment

Pumpkin makes an excellent ingredient for a homemade facial because it is rich in nutrients like Vitamins E & C and the mineral Zinc. When used in facial masks it helps Moisten and Tone the skin.

[ Related: Watermelon Fruit Facial ]

Some of you may be thinking that a Pumpkin is technically a Squash- not a Fruit. Well since a Pumpkin does grow on a vine, i’ve deemed it Fruit Facial Friday worthy

*Don’t forget to watch my Prep Video before trying any of my Fruit Facials!

Ingredients:

2 Tbs of Pumpkin Puree

1 Tbs Olive Oil

(and/ or)

1 Egg White

[ Be Sure to Try My Avocado Fruit Facial ]

Instructions:

Simply mix ingredients together and apply to face and neck area. Be sure to apply an even layer. After about 15 to 20 minutes, rinse your skin with luke warm water and pat dry with a soft towel.

Follow up with your favorite moisturizer and enjoy!

Filed Under: Fruit Facial Fridays Tagged With: 2012, Anti Aging Face Mask, At Home Facial, Beauty, Best, DIY, Do It Yourself Facial, Egg White, Facial Recipe, Fruit Facial, Fruit Facial Friday, Healthy Skincare, Homemade Facial, How to make my own facial, Mask, Moisturizing Face Mask, Natural, Olive Oil, Protein, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Facial, Pumpkin Mask, Sensitive Skin, Skin Firming Mask, Skin Toning Mask, Skincare, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, WholeFoods, Zinc

DIY Fruit Facial Friday: Brisk Weather Repair & Protection

September 21, 2012 By Cortney 1 Comment

The cold months are approaching fast. Use this Fruit Facial recipe to help protect your skin against wind and brisk weather that can leave your skin feeling sensitive. You can also use this recipe to help repair any damage done from cold weather conditions.

[ Related: Fruit Facial Friday WATERMELON ]

NOTE: Before trying any of my fruit facial recipes, you should first watch my Prep Video.

Ingredients:

- 1/4 Piece of Banana (peeled)

- 1 TableSpoon Honey

- 1/2 TableSpoon Jojoba Oil (if you have it)

- 1/2 TableSpoon Milk

[ Try My Simple On-the-Go Fruit Facial ]

Directions:

1) Heat up Honey and Jojoba oil together for about 10 seconds in microwave. Set aside.

2) Place Banana in a small bowl and mash it up with any mashing tool of your choice.

3) Add milk to mashed up banana and stir in lightly.

4) Add Jojoba oil and Honey to mixture and stir until mixed evenly.

5) Once you’re finished mixing your ingredients, apply a generous amount of the facial to face and neck area. Be sure to apply it evenly. Leave this mask on for about 15 minutes and then rinse off with luke warm water. Follow with your favorite moisturizer.

Check back next week for a new Fruit Facial Friday

Filed Under: Fruit Facial Fridays Tagged With: Banana, Beauty, Brisk Weather Repair and Protection, CBC, Cold, Cold Weather, Cosmetics By Cortney, DIY, Do It Yourself, Facial, Fall, Fruit, Fruit Facial Friday, Fruit Facial Recipes, heal chapped skin, Healthy, Honey, How To, Jojoba Oil, Mask, Natural, Natural Face Mask, Natural Facial, Pinterest, Sensitive Skin, Skin Treatment, Wind, Winter

St. Ives Daily Hydrating Body Lotion Review

July 21, 2012 By Cortney 1 Comment

I purchase lotion like most girls purchase nail polish. This might be surprising considering how sensitive my skin is, but I love to use lotion and i’ve been shopping for natural brands for years now.

I was at my local CVS store a few weeks ago and decided to take a gander in the skincare isle. It’s always nice when you can find drugstore brands you like for a fraction of the high-end brand cost. With the large selection there I sifted through many brands. Everything from Aveeno to Dove.

[Related: How-To Stay Hydrated this Summer]

I came across this St. Ives lotion and decided to give it a try. It has Vitamin E and had a fairly natural ingredients list compared to the other brands. As a bonus the bottle was 21oz and less money than many other, more expensive brands. Here’s what I thought about this:

Pros:

This lotion is formulated without Parabens or Phthalates
Does not contain Animal Ingredients
The bottle contains 20% Post-Consumer Recycled Material
I had no rash or break-outs when using this lotion
Has a nice, light floral scent

Cons:

None so far

Filed Under: No Slider, Reviews, Sheer, Skincare Tagged With: Beauty, Best Body Lotion, Body, Body Butter, Cosmetics By Cortney, Daily Hydrating, Follow me on Pinterest! :D, Hydration, Lotion, Lotion for Summer, Lotion for Winter, Lotion Reviews, Lotion without Paraben, Natural, No parabens, Not Tested on Animals, Organic, Paraben Free, Phthalate Free, Recycled Bottle, Reviews, Skincare, St Ives, St Ives Daily Hydrating Lotion Review, Vitamin E

Harmful Chemicals found in Cosmetics

July 17, 2012 By Cortney Leave a Comment

Here at Cosmetics By Cortney, we love to advocate healthy beauty products. It can get a little confusing with most cosmetic companies claiming to be “Natural”, “Healthy”, and “Hypo-Allergenic”. Be sure to carefully read the labels on all of your beauty products and understand what they mean. Unfortunately cosmetic companies have very low standards that they are required to produce by, so it is up to us to decide what is healthy and what is not for ourselves.

For more information on ingredients in cosmetics, be sure to check out our Sheer page and feel free to Contact Us if you don’t see an ingredient you think we should have listed! We also have a Contact Tab to the left of this page

A few Harmful Ingredients commonly found in cosmetics:

Talc/ Talcum Powder:

A 1993 US National Toxicology Program report found that cosmetics grade talc, even though it contained no asbestos-like fibers, caused tumors in animals. There is an inextricable link between talc and asbestos, which virtually everyone knows causes cancer. In fact, the two are virtually chemically identical.

Synthetic Fragrances:

Perfumes and other products that produce a distinct scent may contain hundreds of chemicals to produce that scent.

We’ve mentioned this many times before, but you should always be cautious of anything that is very strongly scented. I always try to limit my perfume usage to special occasions.

In 1986, the National Academy of Sciences released a report saying 95% of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. These toxic chemicals are capable of causing birth defects, cancer, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions. (Yikes!)

Sodium Fluoride:

The fluoride which is added to our toothpaste and water supply is a byproduct of the aluminum, steel, ceramic, phosphate fertilizer, and other chemical industries. It is usually added to toothpaste and soft city water in the forms sodium fluoride, sodium silica fluoride or hydrofluoric acid.

Fluoride has been said to weaken the human will by calcifying the pineal gland. The pineal gland (also called the “third eye”) is a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain. It produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions. Fluoride was used by the Nazis to sterilize inmates and make them docile.

How Often Do You Check the Labels on Your Cosmetics??

Filed Under: Sheer Tagged With: Babies, Bad for Your Skin, Bad Ingredients in Beauty Products, Bad Ingredients in Cosmetics, Beauty Industries, Beauty Product Labels, Body, Clean, Cleanse, Cosmetics By Cortney, Face, FDA, Harmful Chemicals in Cosmetics, Harmful Ingredients List, Healthy, Hypo Allergenic, Natural, Not, Organic, Regulate Cosmetics, Reviews, Rosacea, Sensitive Skin, Sheer, Skincare, Summer, Test Results, Unhealthy, What ingredients are dangerous in cosmetics, What is Bad for your skin

DIY Fruit Facial Friday: Watermelon

July 6, 2012 By Cortney 3 Comments

What better month for a Watermelon fruit facial than July?! With all of the Watermelons i’ve seen at Picnics lately, I decided that was my sign to post a new Fruit Facial recipe on Cosmetics By Cortney. Aside from the wonderful hydrating properties of watermelon, Like most other fruits it also has Vitamin C. Watermelon will help cleanse your skin while delivering Vitamin A as well.

[ Remember!: I Highly Recommend Watching my Prep Video before trying any of my Fruit Facials ]

Recipe:

1/2 cup Watermelon

2 T-Spoons Grapeseed Oil

2 T-Spoons Honey

Add a Small Chunk (about 2 inches) of Banana as Desired

One benefit of this Fruit Facial is that you don’t need a blender! Just mash up your ingredients and stir well

[Related: Avocado Facial]

Filed Under: Fruit Facial Fridays, Sheer Tagged With: 2012, Banana, Beauty, CBC, CosmeticsByCortney, DIY, Do It Yourself, Face, Facial, Fruit, Fruit Facial Fridays, Fruit Mask, Glowing Skin, Grape Seed Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Healthy Skincare, Honey, How To, How To Get, July, Makeup, Natural, New, Organic, Skincare, Summer, Watermelon Fruit Facial, With Oils, Younger Looking Skin

DIY Fruit Facial Friday: Brightening Skin Perk

March 30, 2012 By Cortney 1 Comment

I had been feeling like I wanted a little “perk” for my skin lately, so I decided to make this fruit facial. If you want a nice youthful-brightening boost, try this one out!!!

If you have a particular skin concern you would like help with or a Fruit Facial you would like featured, please comment or contact me.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Mango
A little over 1Tsp honey
1 egg
1/2 Kiwi Peeled

Directions:

Add ingredients to blender
Blend approximately 1-2 minutes
Add mixture to bowl or cup of choice
Gently use fingers to massage facial onto face and neck area, applying generously in small circles
Leave on for 5-10 minutes
Rinse with luke warm water, being careful not to get into eyes
Pat dry with soft towel

Be sure to comment and tell me what you think!

Don’t Miss: Last weeks On The Go Fruit Facial video

See: How Often You Should Wash Your Hair

Check Out: Origins Checks & Balances Frothy Face Wash Review

Filed Under: Fruit Facial Fridays Tagged With: #6, 2012, Beauty, Best Skincare, CBC, Cheap Facial, Cosmetics By Cortney, Egg, Egg Yolk, Fruit, Fruit Facial Fridays, Honey, How To Take Care Of Skin Naturally, Makeup, Mango, Mask, Natural, Organic, Skin Type, Skincare

Origins Checks & Balances Frothy Face Wash: Review

March 22, 2012 By Cortney 1 Comment

Typically I don’t use “frothy, “foamy” or “fizzy” facial cleansers. I have normal/ dry and sensitive skin so anything foamy on my face typically spells “bad news”. However, there is a happy ending to this face wash story. I’ve been using this cleanser for about 2 months and so far I haven’t had a break out.

Below I have listed the pros and cons to this face wash.

The Pros:

Okay for sensitive skin: So far, i’ve had no Break outs, Redness, or Rashes.
Moisturizing: Although it foams, it really does “balance” out your complexion. No excessive dryness for me.
Brightening!: Probably my favorite thing about this. My skin looks so youthful and refreshed after washing my face- I typically have the urge to skip the foundation when I use this face wash.
Removes makeup easily: Although this is not labeled a “makeup remover”, i’ve found that when i’ve been wearing makeup all day this removes it without a problem. *Note:I have not tried removing water-proof makeup with this, nor have I put this on or around my eyes (and I wouldn’t recommend it!)

The Cons:

A little doesn’t go a long way: Although I don’t have to use an incredibly large amount, i’ve found that I have to use a little more of this product than my gel cleanser of choice.
The Cost: Currently this is $19.50 for a 5oz bottle. You’ll have to decide if that is a good deal or not. I’m right on the line about this one. My gel cleanser is 12oz for $30.00 and I feel lasts longer for just $10.00 more. You decide

Be sure to comment and let me know if you’ve tried a really great cleanser lately!

See: 5 Reasons Men Should Practice Good Skincare

See: How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

Filed Under: Reviews, Skincare Tagged With: 2012, Best Face Wash, Cleanser, Combination Skin, Complexion, Cosmetics By Cortney, Cream, Dry Skin, Evens Skin tone, Face Wash, Foamy, Gel, Hydrating, Makeup Remover, Natural, Normal Skin, Oily Skin, Organic, Origins, Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash Review, Regimen, Sheer, Skincare, Skincare Routine, What Kind of Cleanser Should I use?, What Should I use to wash my face?, What's my skin type, Worst Face Wash

DIY Fruit Facial Friday: On The Go

March 20, 2012 By Cortney 3 Comments

I’m happy to announce: Fruit Facial Fridays are back by popular demand! Unfortunately YouTube has been having some (very inconvenient) technical difficulties so this Fruit Facial Friday is being posted on Tuesday instead of last Friday

Why do an at home Fruit Facial?:

When you do your own Fruit Facials, you can be sure that you are only using the best ingredients on your skin. NO additives, Nothing Artificial, Just Sheer ingredients. I’ve sworn by my Fruit Facials for years. I have different ones for all skin types and you can check back every Friday to see new ones. I honestly think these do more for my skin than any store-bought product i’ve ever tried. And the best part is that most of my ingredients are VERY affordable. Once you try these, you will fall in love. Your friends will all be asking why you have such amazing skin

The great thing about this Fruit Facial is that it is designed with the busy girl (or guy!) in mind. You don’t need a blender , you don’t have to heat anything up, and you only need 3 ingredients! Suitable for all skin types. Just follow a few simple steps and you’re good to go!

To see the video click here. Or here to see past Fruit Facial Fridays.

Be sure to watch my video on how to prep your skin before one of my Fruit Facials.

What You Will Need:

A bowl to mix ingredients
Measuring spoons
A fork or any mashing/ mixing tool

Ingredients:

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon honey
About 2 inches of a ripe banana.

Instructions:

Mash up banana in your bowl of choice until you have a chunky paste. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth.
Add 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
Next add 1/2 Teaspoon honey
Mix until well blended.
Immediately apply your Fruit Facial to a small patch of your (clean, makeup free) face. Wait for about 5 minutes to make sure that you don’t have any bad reactions to the facial (Occasionally people will have reactions to even the most natural ingredients, so it’s important to follow this step).
Next, gently apply the fruit facial to the rest of your face and neck area.
Leave on for about 10-15 minutes (or even 5 if you’re in a big hurry)
Gently rinse your face with luke warm water until the Fruit Facial mixture is completely gone. Pat dry.

It’s really amazing to see how well these work to repair and improve skin.

Please comment and let me know how you liked your Fruit Facial!