Author: Michele Raiyne

Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser/Bamboo Booster Review

~ Michele Raiyne ~ 3 Comments

Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser is a new product from Drunk Elephant; a cleansing balm that claims to melt away makeup, dirt, sunscreen and water resistant formulas. This is said to be gentle around the eyes. It starts out as a thick balm, turns to oil when warmed and massaged into the skin and emulsifies into a milk when water is added on rinsing. This can be used as a standalone cleanser or as the first step in a double cleanse routine. Slaai is sold with a little tube of Bamboo Booster, a physical exfoliant.

Directions state to apply a nickel-size amount to a dry face using dry fingers, massage over the face and eyes and rinse with warm water. An option in the morning is to mix the Bamboo Booster with the cleanser for gentle physical exfoliation.

Slaai Ingredients: Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Lauryl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Ximenia Americana Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin

I had been using The Ordinary’s Squalane Cleanser, which functions similarly (though Slaai has a nicer texture and more spreadability; I can use less than a nickel size for the face and neck) and wanted to grab Slaai as well for comparison as it seems more affordable than most of DE’s other products (I believe I read in DE’s Instagram comments that a jar should have about 110 uses; of course it depends how much product is used at a time).

I wear minimal, everyday makeup with waterproof eyeliner, non-waterproof mascara, eye shadow, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, sunscreen from The Ordinary (which is rather thick and heavy on the skin), and the natural coverage foundation from Altilis Beauty. I have oily/combination skin that is prone to breakouts.

The Slaai Butter Cleanser has a heavy nutty and oil-like scent. The balm melts easily into an oil on the skin and spreads nicely. It removes eye makeup relatively well, with a bit of eyeliner left at the lower lash line, as above in the after photo. The foundation is removed well. After rinsing with my hands (no cloth) and patting dry, there is cleanser left on the skin, not really an oily layer like some of the liquid oil cleansers leave, but an almost waxy layer. Because of this, I had a hard time determining if my sunscreen was removed, so I applied sunscreen to half my face and used Slaai on my whole face. The side with the sunscreen felt heavier on my fingertips, so I don’t think it was all removed. Once rinsed, there is a haziness to my vision for a minute or two and my eyes feel irritated for about 15 minutes. I need to use a second cleanser (usually twice) after using Slaai to get the waxy layer off the skin. I feel like serums and other treatments won’t absorb into the skin if this layer is left on. While I’ve only used this for a few days so far, I have gotten breakouts along my jawline; hard to say if Slaai is the cause, but the breakouts weren’t present before use.

If I use Slaai in the evening without using a second cleanser, in the morning I still feel the Slaai on my face, however, I wouldn’t say that my skin feels more moisturized. My nose feels dry. My skin looks nice in the mirror though and feels soft.

Slaai adds a nice protective layer after using a moisturizing lotion on dry hands, elbows or knees, or on the face in the shower as a mask to protect from heat and steam.

Slaai is sold with Bamboo Booster; DE has no plans to sell separately. Bamboo Booster is said to be a gentle exfoliant that removes dead, built up skin cells.

Ingredients: Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Charcoal Powder, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Mannitol, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Potassium Sorbate

This is to be used once or twice a week in the morning mixed with Slaai – morning, I’m guessing, as the face is free from makeup and dirt – I wouldn’t use this at the same time I’m cleansing a face full of makeup and sunscreen. This has tiny black spheres of charcoal powder and fine white bamboo and cornstarch powder.

Bamboo Booster is relatively gentle (not as gentle as I thought it might be) and makes my skin feel smoother, though it is recommended not to use while on a retinol, so perhaps not for those with quite sensitive skin either. More gentle exfoliants would be something like the Daily Exfolipowder from Amarte or the Rice Polish from Tatcha.

While I love the melting texture and easy spreadability of the Slaai Butter Cleanser, it leaves behind a waxy layer, hazy vision and eye irritation and doesn’t quite remove all the waterproof eyeliner or silicone-based sunscreen. The Ordinary’s Squalane Cleanser works better, though doesn’t feel as nice on the skin. I also prefer a more gentle, powder-based physical exfoliant. I will not be repurchasing Slaai.

Thank you for reading.

Amarte Daily Wonder Cleansing Foam Review

~ Michele Raiyne ~ 1 Comment

Amarte is a Korean skincare company that formed an international partnership to customize their formulations for the western markets.

I was looking for a new cleanser that would help with congestion and breakouts on the skin as well as remove makeup and oil. The Wonder Cleansing Foam fit with what I was looking for with claims to deep cleanse all skin types while providing moisture to the skin.

Directions state to use a pea-sized amount morning and night, apply to palm and add water to work into a rich lather; massage face with fingertips and rinse. This can be used as a first step to double cleansing, with the Daily Exfolipowder as a second step (which I also purchased).

Ingredients: Water, Polysorbate 20, Allantoin, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Beeswax, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Chamomile) Extract, Elemental Sulfur, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Natural Betaine, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Seed Extract, Luffa Cylindrica Extract, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Myristic Acid, Glycerin Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate/PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-75, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol.

Allantoin is an anti-irritant said to soothe and calm skin. Elemental sulfur is effective in use against acne and rosacea as an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. Sodium hyaluronate and glycerin are included as humectants. While these two ingredients are beneficial for the skin, as the cleanser remains on skin for a minute at most and then is rinsed off, I don’t imagine the skin gets much benefit. Luffa cylindrica is said to have anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antioxidant properties.

I’ve been using the Wonder Cleansing Foam for a few months now, most mornings and and at night. The value is good – only a pea-sized amount is needed to cleanse the whole face and neck, and it foams up quite a bit, so the bottle lasts a long time. It comes in a bottle with a pump and has a light, cucumber fragrance that is not overpowering or chemical-smelling.

On first use of this cleanser I was struck by how much friction and pulling there is between the fingers and the skin on rinsing. If enough water is not used while cleansing, there is a lot of friction as well. I used this with my Foreo Luna and had to make sure there was more water on the skin while cleansing; if not, I would get tugging on the skin. Because of this over-squeaky-clean skin, my face seemed a bit tight on rinsing, although didn’t really feel dry and I didn’t get flaking of the skin like I did when I used Akita’s Rosewater Face Wash. I wouldn’t say this is a moisturizing face wash though. It seems to rinse well, so I don’t think the friction is due to residual cleanser left on the skin. I tried this on my chest, arm and hands as well and still had the same friction feeling. I followed this cleanser with a mask or with the Exfolipowder a couple times a week and didn’t feel the friction after rinsing these products.

This removed a full face of light coverage foundation and non-waterproof mascara. It left a bit of eyeliner, however. A double cleanse was required to remove silicone-based sunscreen (I have been using sun care from The Ordinary and NIOD). This cleanser seems too “strong” for use in the morning and I sometimes used a gentler cleanser; Drunk Elephant’s Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser or NIOD’s Sanskrit Saponins.

While using the Wonder Cleansing Foam, I still got my usual breakouts,
especially in warmer weather as my skin got oilier, and my blackheads didn’t seem to diminish much, if at all, but it cleansed the skin well, and the pores around my nose seemed cleaner. I wouldn’t say this had long term calming effects for my skin; there are better leave-on products for that.

I didn’t test the pH of the Wonder Cleansing Foam myself, but while I was looking for the pH, a blog post from glamorable.com says when mixed with water, the pH is high at 9.

While this works as a cleanser for makeup removal and has a nice, foamy texture while cleansing, I cannot get past the squeaky friction feeling on rinsing (overly squeaky-clean skin usually means drying), and will not be repurchasing.

For my next cleanser, I’ve ordered The Ordinary’s newly released Squalane Cleanser.

Thank you for reading.

The Ordinary 1% Retinol in Squalane Review

~ Michele Raiyne ~ 4 Comments

Having used Retin-A twice before (the last time being over a year ago), I wanted to try the more gentle retinol and decided on The Ordinary’s 1% Retinol in Squalane. On The Ordinary website, this is labelled as high strength with very high irritation. This product claims to reduce the appearance of fine lines, photo damage (damage caused by UV exposure – hyperpigmentation, fine lines, texture issues) and general skin aging.

Ingredients: Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Retinol, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, BHT. 

Directions state to apply a small amount over the face in the evening. Use sun protection.

The first ingredient is squalane. This is naturally found in the skin and decreases as we age. Squalane provides non-greasy hydration. Tomato extract and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are used as antioxidants. This also contains jojoba oil.

I was a little reluctant to purchase this at first, as it contains squalane and I have generally oily skin, but I used this over the winter for 4 months, as my skin gets dehydrated and combination in colder weather.

I have fine lines on my forehead and around my eyes (I didn’t use the retinol around the eyes), hyperpigmentation from sun damage, large pores, blackheads, breakouts, scarring and texture.

I started right in using this every evening, applying 3 or 4 drops. The product took a couple minutes to absorb (though didn’t seem to absorb fully), but didn’t feel heavy or oily. After the first week I had a tight, tingling feeling on the skin, but no more redness than usual. My nose got a bit dry and had a bit of peeling. My skin felt sensitive in the harsh wind and cold and to almost every other product in my routine. To mitigate some of the irritation and sensitivity, I used Balance from Your Best Face Skincare. After one week of use my skin looked brighter and felt smoother and moisturized. The irritation diminished after about 2 weeks.

After one month of use, I had some flaking around my mouth and between my eyebrows. It was also around this time that I felt texture and bumps on my lower cheeks toward my jawline that had been smooth prior. I stopped use for 2 days, and on reapplication after this time, my skin smoothed out again and the bumps disappeared. About 5 days later, they returned. I tried an application of mandelic acid, also from The Ordinary, which took the bumps away. This seemed to be the typical cycle over the remainder of use. I had a thought that perhaps this is due to the squalane preventing exfoliation as cell turnover increases with the retinol (especially as the mandelic acid improved the texture) – oily skin needs exfoliation as dead skin builds up, though squalane is not really an oil- so I’m not certain. There was not really any further peeling that I noticed in the mirror after about 1-1/2 months.

Over the last week the weather has warmed up and my skin has gotten oilier especially on my forehead and I’ve gotten a couple breakouts.

The retinol diminished the fine lines on my forehead, though it looks a bit more congested (perhaps due to my own increased oil on the skin). My nose looks a bit smoother with some diminishing of some surface blackheads. The pores look a bit more noticeable, perhaps due to being cleaner. My skin looks less blotchy and textured and looks smoother.

I do not see any improvement in the freckles and hyperpigmentation, but I do not really expect to after only 4 months.

I quite like the squalane for hydration and moisturization of the skin without feeling heavy and oily; I’m not sure about use in hot summer weather, however, I might look to purchase a couple products from Biossance that uses a base of squalane in their product line.

I generally like this product and would consider repurchase. I am now moving onto Retin-A again soon before the summer months.

Thank you for reading.

Briogeo Blossom and Bloom Volumizing Spray

~ Michele Raiyne ~ 3 Comments

Briogeo Blossom and Bloom Ginseng and Biotin Volumizing Spray is for all hair types and for those with fine or thin hair texture that lacks volume. This product claims to immediately give fuller-looking hair and volume, extend time between washes and encourage thickness in the long term.

Directions state to spray throughout damp hair focusing on the roots, then blow dry and style.

Ingredients (from Briogeo website and my packaging): Water/Aqua/Eau, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Polysorbate 80, Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer, Biotin, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Extract, Glycerin, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Fragrance (Parfum), Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid

Ingredients (from Sephora website) : Water, Alcohol Denat. (Grain Derived), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Polysorbate 80 (Coconut Derived), Maltodextrin/Vp Copolymer, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Biotin, Glycerin (Coconut Derived), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Extract, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol.

Witch hazel and lemon extract absorb excess oil to extend time between washes. Ginseng and ginger root stimulate blood flow to scalp and hair follicles to promote growth and strength. Biotin promotes growth and can strengthen the hair follicle. Malodextrin coats each hair strand to increase the diameter and create the appearance of fuller hair.

My hair is wavy, fine and has been thinning for the last couple years on the top of my head. I have an oily scalp. After a hair wash, I can usually wear it down for 2 days and up for 2 days, then need to wash it again because it is too oily.

Usually when I blow dry and style my hair it initially looks good, then goes flat halfway through the day. With the Blossom and Bloom Volumizing Spray my hair has so much more lift after blow drying and still has volume on the second day. By the third day there is less volume, but my scalp isn’t as oily as usual. I can wear my hair down for 4 days and up for 2 before I have to wash it again. Overall, my hair appears thicker when using this product. I haven’t been using it long enough to speak to long term growth and thickness, though I’m not sure it would actually make hair thicker.

  • in-salon blowout
  • Lots of lift after using blossom and bloom spray and blow drying
  • third day hair

I tried the spray on damp hair without blow drying as well and got better volume than without, but of course, blow drying enhances the volume.

The scent is orange and ginger – a fresh, clean scent and not chemical-like or artificial-smelling. My hair feels softer when using this product; it doesn’t go on crunchy or greasy.

I don’t have many must-have products, but the Blossom and Bloom Volumizing Spray is now on the list. I will definitely be repurchasing.

Thank you for reading.

Altilis Beauty BFF Liquid Foundation Review

~ Michele Raiyne ~ 1 Comment

Altilis Beauty is a Canadian skincare company using eco-friendly, sustainable ingredients, namely the breadfruit flower; the “BFF” in their liquid foundation. The BFF foundation is made in-house, is all-natural, sustainable, cruelty-free, organic and comes in 14 shades.

Altilis Beauty says this anti-aging foundation provides weightless, medium to full coverage with a satin, radiant finish that claims to instantly smooth and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, pigmentation and blemishes, making the skin look younger and giving a natural radiance that lasts all day. One to two pumps of this buildable foundation can be applied using a brush, sponge or fingertips.

Ingredients: Squalane, Silica, Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Cetyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Artocarpus altilis (Breadfruit) Flower Extract, Mica, Natural Fragrance, Iron Oxides (CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499)

With only 10 ingredients, the first is squalane. This is naturally found in the skin and decreases as we age. Squalane provides non-greasy hydration.
Tapioca starch polymethylsilsesquioxane is tapioca powder modified with a silicone that is often used as a thickener, can reduce the oily feeling on the skin caused by some products and provides a soft feeling to the skin. This foundation contains vitamin C in the form of L-ascorbyl palmitate. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can brighten the skin and can lighten pigmentation over time. According to Altilis Beauty, breadfruit flower extract is an antioxidant with soothing and protective properties while evening out skin tone and reducing redness. BFF foundation contains natural fragrance, mica and silica.

This is the first product I’ve tried from Altilis Beauty. The company offers up to three free samples (pay for shipping) so you can try the shade you think you are, one shade lighter and one shade darker. I was looking for a natural, light coverage foundation that would cover redness and blackheads, but still look like my skin. I have combination skin in colder weather (it is winter in Canada now) and more oily skin in the summer. When using foundation when my skin is dryer I use a cream and when oily I use an oil absorbing lotion (like Balance from Your Best Face Skincare) under the foundation.

After purchasing a few samples, I bought the shade “Melita” for tan skin with olive undertones – it matches my skin perfectly.

I tried this with and without primer to see how long it lasted throughout the day. I very rarely wear makeup, but used this for a month, five days a week, to see how it affected my skin. Throughout the month, I used the same products under the foundation; Caudalie Grape Water, The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics, Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream mixed with The Ordinary’s L-Ascorbic acid powder; and over the foundation, Becca Hydra-Mist Set and Refresh Powder. I didn’t use concealer, as I wanted to see how the foundation settled into the lines around my eyes and covered the breakouts and texture on my skin.

This separates in the bottle, so needs to be shaken well before use. This is a rather thin foundation that goes on the skin very smooth and silky. I put two pumps on the skin, spread it with my fingers and then used a Sephora Pro foundation brush to buff it into the skin (this applies nicely with fingers alone as well). There is a fragrance to the foundation that doesn’t really dissipate and I’d catch a whiff of it with a breeze or when turning my head. Even after cleaning the brush used, the fragrance still lingers. It’s not a bad smell and not a deal-breaker. The ingredients state “natural fragrance;” so I assume it’s added and not just the natural scent of the foundation itself.

The above photo is the foundation on its own, no primer. It covered the redness and blackheads quite well and some of the freckles. I used two pumps over the face and added more to the darker blemishes. Some of the darkness under my eyes was covered, but it settled into the creases under my eyes. Overall the skin looked smoother and younger.

For the above, I used Elf Poreless Face Primer under the foundation. I had some dryness around my eyes and mouth that the foundation seemed to stick to and it settled into the creases under my eyes.

Despite claiming to be a medium to full coverage foundation, I could only get light to almost medium. If I continued to build it up, it didn’t look good and wouldn’t blend in.

Altilis Beauty claims this foundation lasts all day; it didn’t day say how many hours, but to me all day should be 8 to 10 hours. With and without primer (granted I used a cheap Elf primer), the foundation started to fade between 4 and 6 hours, however, is easy to touch up.

The packaging could use some work; once I used the foundation for the first time, and put it in my cosmetic bag, little drops of the separated oil would leak out. Being a rather runny foundation, it gets a bit messy at the spout as well. The bottle doesn’t come with a lid, so I store it in a plastic bag.

I like how the BFF foundation feels light and silky on the skin and gives a smooth and natural finish. I think using the right products under the foundation, it would be suitable for dry to oily skin types. The color is perfect for my skin tone. Over the month I didn’t get any unusual breakouts. I would likely purchase again, though wish it lasted on the skin longer and came with a lid.

Thank you for reading.