It’s that time again, another round of iHerb Haul! If it looks like we bought much it because our first order got lost in Brazil, and by the time we got that resolved and re-sent, iHerb lowered their shipping prizes and we jumped on the opportunity and ordered some more things because I was in acute need of some coconut sugar! And you can’t just order one thing from iHerb… So here’s what I got and some mini reviews!
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Madhava Natural Sweeteners | Deliciously Organic Coconut Sugar
I’ve also tried Navitas in the past, and Madhava’s is a bit more fine in texture. Needless to say, they both taste the same. I use this instead of sugar which I’ve poured in everything from soups and sauces to vegetable woks. It does have a more caramel-taste to it, but it doesn’t come off as much in cooking as it does in cold foods. So where it’s not appropriate or a recipe calls for more than a table spoon, I just settle for raw organic cane sugar.
Frontier Natural Products | Domestic Bee Pollen
We usually buy bee pollen from Y.S Eco Bee Farms, but we’re not awfully faithful if we find something that’s even a dollar cheaper haha.
Have in mind that this one is not organic and comes in a bag, which actually broke upon delivery. Fortunately, only a teaspoon was lost. It doesn’t have the same taste as the Y.S Eco Bee Farms, but in smoothies I barely notice a difference.
▸ 10 Amazing Benefits of Bee Pollen
Earth Circle Organics | Raw & Organic Goji Berries
Nothing new here, but it surprised me how different the quality is from purchase to purchase. First time buying, these tasted sweet, were bigger and more moist. They still taste sweet, but this time these felt a bit on the dry side. Nonetheless, they are crunchy and goes well on top of my smoothie bowls.
Edward & Sons | Organic Tapioca Starch
I’ve noticed that I don’t digest corn that well and tapioca which is extracted from the Cassava root is supposed to be a better choice as a thickening agent. I’ve accidentally once bought Tapioca pearls, and I to this day don’t have any real use of them except for making fizzy drinks… Which I still haven’t tried yet.
It does a great job thickening sauces, but don’t add too much or it will become jelly like.
I’ve also experimented with Arrowroot powder, but the texture ends up weird and slimy.
▸ Get the lowdown on starch based thickeners!
Now Foods | Moroccan Red Clay Powder
★★★★★
There’s probably noting more effective in brightening and fixing ones complexion than a mud masks in my opinion. My all time favorite is mud from the dead sea, but I wanted something more detoxing and why not dig around in my Moroccan roots…
Hint: Moroccan Red Clay isn’t the same as Rhassoul clay, both come from Morocco and have similar properties like high silicate and iron content, and while Rhassoul is slightly the winner when it comes to washing your hair with clay, the red clay is equally good for face treatments. Just had to warn you, because I myself had no idea!
I’ve only once before tried Rhassoul clay from Raw Gaia and wasn’t deeply impressed by it. But then, being a sample size, made me afraid to use the appropriate amount needed to work…
Many swears by the Aztec Clay (that’s currently out of stock by popular demand), but I personally feel as if the green clays are too detoxing for my sensitive skin. It’s also only good for oily skin types, and can be somewhat harsh and drying to normal skin.
The Moroccan red (and even Rhassoul) clay is supposed to be more gentle, for sensitive skin, and work with even dry skin types. It is said to help with problematic skin conditions such like eczema and psoriasis, and even help with dry and flaky skin, improve skin’s texture and elasticity. My boyfriend has some of these skin conditions, so I was very interested to see if this clay could help him.
It will/may cause some redness. But mind, the redness I get isn’t caused by sensitivity, it’s more because of the mask hardening. To avoid this, either have it on for less time, or go traditional with a damp towel over your face.
I actually like that it makes my face red, and it’s exactly what I’m after. Like, who needs a derma roller, when you got mud?
The mud stimulates blood flow, which in turn sends more oxygen to the face, and together with some massage you awake the lymph nodes to carry out any stagnation. As the blood starts to leave your face, the stagnation will disappear too. Oxygen to the cells is also important when trying to heal scars and keeping the skin young and supple.
I like the consistency of the red clay than the Rhassoul clay I’ve tried. It turns to a very silky and buttery mud that feels hydrating and applies easily in contrast to Rhassoul that is somewhat grainy and more runny in consistency. I always add a few drops of oil when working with mud, in this case I use some Argan oil and Black Cumin Seed oil, for more hydration – sometimes I add a bit of turmeric to the mix.
It’s easy to wash off, and as the redness in your face wears off, it leaves you with a glowing and smooth complexion.
I wish it came in a bigger size, because I’d love to do a body mud wrap in this lovely clay!
Next time I’ll be adding the Black Mud to my shopping cart.
Humphrey’s | Alcohol Free Skin Softening Facial Toner with Witch Hazel
★★☆☆☆
On an after-thought, I wish I had gone with Thayers, but this one had me whispering my name from all the impressive ingredients! I know, I’m a sucker for long botanical ingredient lists, and here I am promoting simplicity… The less ingredients a product has, the better my skin feels.
But hey, what can I say, I got totally seduced by cucumber, papaya, pineapple, teas and turmeric extracts, I can’t be the only one?
It does have some slight softening effects, but I like it more of how it got rid of my bumps on my chest that I’ve been tormented with since the beginning of the winter. But this could also just be a coincidence with weather change and more sun… What I don’t like is the soapy fragrance. It doesn’t smell bad, but I just don’t like it when things smell artificial, you know. I don’t know if Thayers is any better, but it does have a shorter list, and is heavily hyped.
EDIT: I don’t use this one anymore and had to throw the rest of it away. It wasn’t agreeing with my skin. I suspect either the Witch Hazel, Arnica, Papaya, Pineapple or the botanical fragrance in this. But could however be all of these potential skin irrtants :/
Acure Organics | Cleansing Gel Facial Cleanser
★★★★★
Just when the order was confirmed and completed I realized this was a gel cleanser, and not a cream cleanser that I’ve been using for the last year. I was deciding on whether I should get something from Acure or the Andalou Naturals cleansing milk or brightening cream, when my boyfriend’s like “pick the cheapest one”. I had already been working too long on the basket – and men really know how to stress a girl when it comes to shopping – that I just jumped to the conclusion that this one was a cream cleanser and missed the fact that it said “Combo to Oily skin”!
However, I’m actually quite happy with it! I do much prefer cream and non-foamy cleansers, but this one is said to not disrupt the skins natural acid mantel, and that’s a BIG +! And you know what? This cleanser will be absolutely perfect for the summer when I get more oily and clog-prone skin!
Its transparent gel smells just like Clipper Lemon and Ginger tea! So, very citrus-y and fresh. It foams an adequate amount, and is similar to Dermalogica’s gel cleansers if you’ve ever tried them – but this one with better ingredients of course! And best of all, you just need the tiniest amount and works awesomely with a konjac sponge! I’ve read reviews that it should work great with mechanic scrubs, I’ve tested it out with my Clarisonic, and can all but say it works great with it!
Out of Africa | Pure Unrefined Shea Butter Lip Balm 4 Sticks
★★★☆☆
More lip balms should be sold in packs is all I can say. I chose these ones in front of Badger lip balms because these did not contain castor oil – which does a great job in turning my lips into a dry vicious cycle!
Out of Africas lip balms has a colorful look with what seems as awesome fragrance ideas, but unfortunately, they just don’t deliver the result I was expecting. They don’t smell bad, it’s just I’ve been spoiled by Hurraw! and EOS. They also did not seem to succeed in making the shea butter less grainy and smooth to apply.
This is what Out of Africa says about the product:
“The pure shea butter in OOA lip balms may form granules in cooler temperatures; this is normal. Once applied, the warmth of your lips will soften any shea particles in a jiffy.”
Yes, if you manage to keep them somewhere warm before application, they go on smooth and are a joy for the lips! But I have several times not succeed with warming the product with my lips (buhu cold climate). I’d suggest to use somewhat less shea butter in the formula. I will make sure to not repurchase these during cold months… which is, well, when you need them the most.
