Neutrogena Natural’s Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover: Is it really a natural cleanser or are they just playing dirty?

Hi sweeties! I’ve been pretty busy getting back to the full-time job routine now that I’ve been okay’d to go back to work from my surgeon. Getting things ready for my fall semester of teaching has been a whirlwind, so I’m super excited that I was finally able to find some time to sit down and do some fun research! The first product I’m blogging about today is Neutrogena Natural’s Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover. I bought mine from Target and was thrilled to read on the front that it was free of parabens and harsh chemicals. I’ve been using it for about two months now and can say that my sensitive skin loves it! It leaves it feeling soft and smooth and has a really nice scent. Usually soap makes my face tight and dry and can even irritate my eyes, but this cleanser doesn’t affect me at all. So, it gets my thumbs up for the overall purpose of the product, but what about what’s on the inside? That’s what counts, right? I cross referenced each ingredient with the EWG Skin Deep database and have pasted the ratings below, because that’s what I promise you guys. My unbiased review AND its rating on EWG. Saves you from having to do the time consuming legwork that energizes a research nerd like me! :)

Now, you may remember from my past posts that I don’t use products (knowingly) that have an overall rating of 4 or higher.  When I looked this facial cleanser up I was surprised! It’s ranked at a 5! That’s a LOT higher than I had expected given that Neutrogena touts on the bottle that its free of harsh chemicals and parabens. So what gives? Well, it has a fragrance which always gets a high rating due to its allergen potential. But it also has some funky ingredients that give me pause.

There is however a bit of concern for me with the addition of Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate and Cocamidopropyl Betaine because of the possibility of a contamination concern with “nitrosamines”. This nasty little addition has been found to be highly carcinogenic which is a huge no-no for me. Benzyl Alcohol was another no-no as it has been classified as toxic or harmful especially for use around the mouth (European Union - Classification & Labeling). Yikes! This definitely gets used around my mouth! So unfortunately, even though I LOVE the way the product works, I’m just not thrilled with its makeup (pun intended!). Once this bottle is finished, I plan on looking for another face wash that can assure me that these particular ingredients (if they even use it) are organic in nature and therefore would not be linked with a possibility of contamination.

What do you like to use? Comment below and be entered to win some great freebies! Stay sweet!

Ingredient	EWG Skin Deep Rating
Water (Purified)	0
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine	0
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate	3 (contamination concerns)
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	4 (allergen & contamination concerns)
Glycerin	0
Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum	0 (but there no data is listed in EWG)
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum	0
Coco-Glucoside	0 (but there no data is listed in EWG)
Glyceryl Oleate	1 (skin irritant)
Glycol Distearate	1
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride	1
Caprylyl Glycol	1
Acrylates Copolymer	2 (contamination concerns)
Potassium Sorbate	3 (allergen)
Benzyl Alcohol	5 (especially for use around the mouth)
Fragrance	8 (allergen)

All Natural Concealer Review - My Holy Grail

Hi Sweeties!

I feel like giving myself a good old "welcome back" as I am 19 days post surgery and am able to sit upright again. To give you just a brief update, I made the decision to have major surgery for two reasons: 1) this particular surgery could help prevent my particular brand of cancer from coming back and 2) to ensure that my cancer hadn't spread to my lymph nodes. I did it for my husband, my family, my pup, and for me. It's crazy to think about really, but I'm glad I did it. I'm sure I'll be even more glad I did it once I get my energy back and my body goes back to normal. For now, I'm content with my Frankenstein scars and penchant for soft foods. :)

Anyway! I haven't forgotten about my quest for the perfect concealer! I've been a diehard Lancome Concealer fan for years, but after researching the ingredient list and almost passing out, I have been on the hunt, literally, for the perfect concealer. I've been to department stores, Ulta, Sephora, you name it, I've gone and checked them out and have come up with zilch. My standards for the ingredients are just too high, I suppose. So I took my search to the internet. Since this is my must-have for my makeup routine, I literally can't go without it thanks to my awesome under-eye circles. So, prior to me going in for surgery I ordered two different types of concealer from two different companies.

The first one I ordered was the RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-up in shade 11. I read a ton of reviews about this concealer and had some pretty high hopes. The ingredient list alone is amazing compared to the toxic waste that's out there. It arrived pretty quickly and came in an adorable package with some free samples!

Unfortunately, even though the ingredient list is superb, after using it for a week in several different environments (outside in the Florida summer heat, inside at work, night out, etc.) I was slightly disappointed. First, the shade I ordered, "11," is the lightest shade they offer and it turns a bit orange on my skin. Second, the pot of concealer is TINY! I mean it's really small. Granted, you wouldn't be using this all over your face, but for $36 you would hope for a little more product. Third, it creases. It definitely migrated into my lines on my eyes which is a huge no no for a concealer, right.

So off I went in search of another concealer. I decided to try 100% Pure because they use great ingredients and are 100% vegan. I ordered the Fruit Pigmented Brightening Concealer for $16 (along with some other products which I will post about later) and selected the White Peach tint. The other products I ordered were great and I can't wait to post about them, but the concealer did not hold up to my standards. First, it's oily and slides all over the place when you're applying it. I tried to set it with my powder but then it just makes it look splotchy and grainy. Second, it does not have any staying power. After an hour or two it just kind of melts away and leaves some light spots. My under eye area looks pixilated. Bummer. But, I did like the fact that it was more of a liquid than RMS. It was easier to spread but still too oily.

So, if I had to choose between the two? I would go with 100% Pure. The color is better than RMS for my skin tone and it's a lot cheaper. I'm going to continue to use 100% Pure's concealer for now but I'm not going to stop looking for that perfect concealer. It's like my Holy Grail. I did order the foundation from 100% Pure and really liked it (which I will post about later) so I'm hoping they will make a concealer that is a little more like their foundation, i.e., less greasy.

That's all for now, sweeties! Let me know if you've found that elusive toxin free concealer and you'll be entered to win some awesome freebies!