Category: Beauty

Blogging about all things beauty: makeup, skincare and hair.

Sharing makeup tutorials & tips, the best beauty products & all my beauty secrets. And probably getting excited about an eyeshadow palette.

 

2018-09-17 Hair 4 Comments

Natural curl styler – aloe vera gel

naturally curly hair

I have breaking news! I have found a very simple, affordable and natural curl styler option –  aloe vera gel. Aloe vera works great as a curl gel for wavy or curly hair types. It gives definition and hold to your curls, while still feeling very light on the hair. So in other words: it’s perfect for curls.

I have tried a few curl creams and gels before and my problem with them has been that they can feel a bit heavy. I don’t like the feeling of feeling like I have something in my hair.  That said, the curl gels mentioned in this post are also pretty awesome. But for the days when I feel like not applying a ton of product, I go for aloe vera.

I was determined to find a natural option for a curl styling product. And I’m so happy I tried the simplest product first: *pure aloe vera gel.

What wouldn’t aloe vera do?

It’s one of my favorite ingredients in beauty products and now I’m even more impressed by it. I use it after sunbathing, on itchy mosquito bites, to soothe my skin if there’s redness and sometimes just as a moisturizer for body and face. And now – as my curl gel.

Aloe vera contains vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, which are not only great for your skin, but also for your hair. You can also treat your scalp with it – be the problem itchiness, dandruff or dryness. So aloe vera treats your hair, while giving hold and definition to your curls.

It’s especially great for curly and wavy hair, since it’s so lightweight and watery. It doesn’t weigh down your curls. It’s easy to wash off and it doesn’t build up in the hair.

If you’re new to curly hair routines and products, you should check out my post with lots of information about treating naturally curly or wavy hair. I explain on the post why you should use mild shampoos and why silicons aren’t that great for curly hair:

Naturally curly and wavy hair 101 – Curly hair routine

curly hair curl gel

And then, let’s see how to use aloe vera as a curl gel!

How to style your curls using aloe vera gel

  1. Shampoo your hair as usual and follow up with your conditioner.
  2. Squeeze the most water out of your hair with upward movements. Use a towel and do the same. (Always, always squeezing and scrunching upwards with curly hair!)
  3. While your hair is still damp and slightly wet, take some aloe vera and scrunch it in your curls.
  4. After you’ve applied your curl cream (aloe vera), use the towel one more time to scrunch out the hair.
  5. Let air dry and enjoy your beautiful curls!

I use just about any organic aloe vera gel. What’s important is that the gel is mostly pure aloe vera gel. Here are two good options from amazon:

*Pura D’Or Organic Aloe Vera Gel
*Seven minerals Organic Aloe Vera Gel

Have you tried aloe vera for your curls?

More about aloe vera, check out this great article on Naturallycurly.com:
6 ways to use aloe vera gel

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2018-09-11 Reviews 9 Comments

I tried the Daily Ritual Kit by Kora Organics – and I was disappointed

kora organics review

Sometimes I get so excited about a brand, I’m in advance sure the products will be awesome for my skin. Now I have to say, this doesn’t happen that often. I don’t always buy into the hype and I want to make my own opinions on products and brands.

But a while back I got very excited about a brand. The brand being Kora Organics. You know, founded my Miranda Kerr? That gorgeous model, who some may know from Victoria’s Secret shows. If there’s any chance I could get some of that glowy gorgeousness from her products, I’m in!

Seriously speaking though: I like the fact that the brand is organic, it’s not just about beauty (but about wellbeing) and I like the packaging of the products. I’m not a fan of crystals and don’t believe in their superpowers, but I think they are a fun and a unique addition to the products.

So I tried Kora Organics Daily Ritual Kit, but I was disappointed. Most of the products just didn’t seem to work for me.

I decided to still share my experience. Because it happens. Not every product I receive works for me. Not every product ends up here on the blog. I usually don’t blog about the products, I don’t love. But for once, I thought I could make an exception.

Because – and here’s the important thing – I don’t think these are necessarily bad products. There are different skin types. What doesn’t work for me, might work for someone else.

kora organics products review

Products received as PR-samples

KORA ORGANICS DAILY RITUAL KIT, COMBINATION/OILY SKIN REVIEW

The Daily Ritual kits contain your main products: a cleanser, a toner and a moisturizer. My kit for combination and oily skin contained a Foaming Cleanser, Energizing Citrus Mist and Purifying Moisturizer. These lasted for about three weeks for me. I mean, I ran out of the cleanser and there’s very little left of the two other products.

Let’s start with the product I actually did like. And it seemed to work for me. And that was the Foaming cleanser. I like cleansers, that foam. This does foam, but not too much. Actually, it’s foaming is very minimal. It’s more like a gel, that foams a little. So the name can be a bit misleading. It felt effective, but gentle, and it didn’t leave my skin feeling dry. I used this as my second step after first removing my makeup with something else. I wouldn’t recommend this for makeup removing, unless your makeup was very very minimal. I used it in the morning and in the evening.

I also liked the Energizing Citrus Mist – at first. I love it’s scent. It’s honestly so refreshing and not as citrusy, as I thought. However, after using it for a while I noticed that it leaves my skin feeling a bit sticky. And that is not something I like. I always look for products that absorb nicely into the skin and are lightweight. Having a combination skin with a tendency to oiliness, you can probably relate. Maybe this would work for me in the winter, when my skin is dryer? I don’t know. It’s confusing that a mist can make your skin feel sticky and oily.

I actually faced the same problem with the Purifying Moisturizer, which is a bit weird. It is a moisturizer for combination and oily skin after all. Somehow the consistency or ingredients didn’t work for me. I noticed, that the lotion didn’t absorb that well into my skin and also that it left my skin feeling tacky. Just like the Citrus Mist did.

So both the mist and the moisturizer were too heavy for me. Too moisturizing, perhaps? Which leaves me to the conclusion, that perhaps they would work for normal skin. Or skin, that is more on the dry-side. Which, again, is a bit weird, since they are on the combination/oily skin line.

miranda kerr products

Anyway. Here was my honest experience with the products. Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed. There was so much I did like: the fact that it’s organic, cruelty-free, mostly vegan, with beautiful packaging and with a touch of a supermodel. But the consistencies of the products just weren’t that great and they didn’t do what they promised to do. With that price range, I would have expected more. (Actually, I just saw the prices for the first time and was a bit surprised.)

You can shop Kora Organics on their website or for example on Sephora, where I put links below.

Daily Ritual Kit* $32
Foaming Cleanser* $30
Energizing Citrus Mist* $34
Purifying Moisturizer* $48

Have you tried Kora organics? Is there something you think I should try? I know the Rose Quartz Luminer seemed nice. I swatched it quickly on my hand at the office, and it seemed like a great subtle glow product.

I would also like your feedback on this post, since it’s not my usual style. Did you like this post?

And hey, if your skintype is anything similar to mine, check out these posts:

New skincare faves – I’m already on my third tube of the awesome cleanser mentioned here
How to moisturize an oily skin? – a list of moisturizers suitable for oily skin

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