Product Reviews

Seriously, this IS happening

There is no way to look cute wearing a Beauty Elements Facial Treatment Mask. I really did try to make these pics appear less scary by throwing a chubby tabby cat into the mix (usually works like a charm), but in this case even Tabs couldn’t help.

Er, not sure what’s going on here

Take home lesson: before you pop on one of these pre-moistened cotton masks, usher your crush/hubby/kids outside, since the only option is to look completely frightening.

These treatment masks, which cost $8-15 each, are made by an Oahu-based spa and skincare line called Beauty Elements. You can find them at select stores across Hawaii (I snagged mine at Blue Hawaii Lifestyle in the Ala Moana mall), and I’d bet that at least one of them would ship to the mainland if you called around.

Each one comes soaked with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, silk proteins and seaweed, and they’re supposed to help with a number of skin issues (fine lines, firmness etc.). I picked up two: Hydra (for the dry skin part) and Time Reverse (for the getting old part).

[Continue reading…]

Yes, I made it out of the Land of Aloha with more than handmade, cold process soap! For starters, I brought home this bag of red coconut ball candy:

It looks kinda scary, but trust me — this stuff is great (if you like coconut). One could easily devour a bag in a single sitting. Um, not that I’d know…

Besides crazy technicolor sweets, I also brought home a tube of Pineapple Lip Balm ($3) from a local company called Hawaiian Bath & Body.

[Continue reading…]

Tangerine essential oil has a calming effect? For reals? Just when I thought I had enough Hawaiian handmade soap to keep me squeaky clean until summer, I ran into this bar of Love Child, made by The Indigenous Soap Company ($8.50 for 5-oz.).

A line on the packaging about tangerine oil, which supposedly helps children chill the eff out, sealed the deal.

Even though my childhood was — holy crap! — decades ago, I need all the calming help I can get on high stress days. If tangerine oil takes my mental sh*zz down a notch or two, then I’m all for it.

Love Child’s one of seven soaps from the small local line, which is based on Oahu. I snagged a bar when I was at the Blue Hawaii Cafe at Ala Moana getting an acai bowl the other day (ever have one of those? so good!), but you can buy ’em at stores all over Hawaii and online at indigenousoap.com.

This particular soap’s supposed to be gentle enough for kids, and I’d believe it from the short and sweet ingredient list. It’s made with lots of natural good-for-your-skin stuff (like shea butter and aloe vera gel) and without synthetic preservatives, color or fragrance.

Small touches like the “born on” date, drawings, feel-good text and the hidden “soap of fortune” lend a really personal touch.

So that’s all I needed to free my doubts, *smacks forehead*!
[Continue reading…]

Oil: It’s not just for deep frying and cars

I would love to hug the genius/sadist who, one fateful, oil-slicked day, threw that first potato into a vat of boiling oil. Buddy, I’d like to shake your greasy hand. 🙂

Mmm, fries…

But oil’s not just for cars and deep frying. Companies have been pushing cleansing oils for years, and skin care lines like Shu Uemura and Decleor even sell them as specialized makeup removers (on the premise that oil attracts oil).

Boscia has one, too. Their MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil will set you back $26 for a 5-fl. oz. bottle. The preservative-free, non-comedogenic cleansing oil is made from eucalyptus, rose hip, green tea, jojoba and golden palm oils (among other things; check out the full list of ingredients in the bottom pic), and the company claims it’s good for all skin types and cruelty-free.

I’d been using it for about a week when it came time to pack for Hawaii. The question was: would it stay or would it go?

[Continue reading…]