All eight 100% Pure Pomegranate Oil Lipsticks

I am in love with 100 Percent Pure's Fruit Pigmented Pomegranate Oil Anti-Aging Lipsticks. I knew I would be, as soon as they were released. I was looking for the perfect red lipstick, and 100 Percent Pure answered my prayers with the pop of Poppy red in the collage above. I made sure I got my hands on it almost immediately, and since I was so happy with the lipstick itself (it's highly pigmented, moisturizing and long-lasting), I eventually added Narcissus, Foxglove and Melon to my growing collection.

Here's how Poppy looks on me (if you haven't seen it the other billion times I've worn it). It's a true red that doesn't turn bright pink on my lips (does anyone else have that problem? With a lot of other reds, they appear red in the tube, but look pink when applied to my lips). It's very bright and reminds me of something Taylor Swift would wear. It's a fun confidence-booster.

I think I lusted over Narcissus even longer than Poppy. Dana, the store manager at the 100 Percent Pure Annapolis store, was wearing it the first time I met her. I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately, it was sold out and continued to be sold out until one fine day it was mine. It's a powerful color, much like Poppy, but lighter and pink. It actually is a similar shade to the red lipsticks that turns pink on my lips, but this is intentional and more flattering. Although it is a bold shade, it does look nice on most people.

Foxglove is one of the most natural colors in these lipsticks. It's a pink nude that looks a little like my natural lip color, but better. I think it's especially lovely with a tan.

Melon is a bit of a chameleon; it tends to change color based on the lighting and how heavy I apply it. Sometimes it's more peachy pink and other times it's more pinky peach. I like to apply it lighter in the summer, as seen in this pic.

Recently, I received the other four colors: Calendula, Dandelion, Primrose and Magnolia. I couldn't believe how flattering every color was (and still is) on me.

I was a tad nervous about Calendula, as I tend to shy away from nude lipsticks (I have a lack of lips, so I'm in need of some color). To my surprise, it made my lips appear fuller and brighter. This is a game-changing peach nude, which may change your mind about nude lipsticks, too (I think Aesthetika mentioned the same thing in her YouTube review).

Dandelion is slightly brighter than Calendula and is more of a pinky peach. The color in the tube matches the strap on my top in this pic, but is darker and pinker on my lips. I've noticed that a lot of the colors do that.

Magnolia is the next shade up from Dandelion. It is darker and more pink, but not quite as dark as Melon. I found this to be a very easy shade to wear, especially in the summer.

If Narcissus is too bold for you, Primrose is perfection. It's a sweet, princess pink.

To get a better idea of how the colors look next to each other, here are the swatches I posted on Instagram. From left to right, the colors are Foxglove, Calendula, Dandelion, Melon, Magnolia, Primrose, Narcissus and Poppy. They are all gorgeous, but I agree with most of you when I wish there were more colors/more of a range of colors. It would be great to see more shades of red, purples and oranges. Fingers crossed that more will be coming soon :)

Which color would you pick? What colors should 100 Percent Pure add? Let me know your thoughts on Twitter at @Rawdorable and/or Instagram (also @Rawdorable).

Although some of these colors were sent to me by 100 Percent Pure for review,
all opinions are my own :)

Acure's Business Cat purrfects my hair

This is my first blog post since my kids went back to school. I meant to do it yesterday, as a follow up to my Instagram posts for the day, but I was still in that "I miss my kids mode." They love the Acure Organics Business Cat on Instagram just as much as I do, so posting this made me think of them. That's their stuffed animal version of Business Cat, who's suddenly acting shy in the above photo.

You may recall me posting this Instagram pic of my Acure Organics Firming Body Lotion during the summer (it's great for getting my skin bikini-ready, as well as keeping the mosquitoes away with its light lemongrass scent). Lucky for me, Business Cat took notice with an Acure Regrammy Award. My image was reposted on the Acure Organics Instagram page, and I got to pick a product of my choice as my prize (I highly advise posting your favorite Acure products on your Instagram account for a chance to win a Regrammy, too).

I selected Acure Organics Root + Hair Deep Repair Argan Stem Cell + Mint Deep Conditioning Hair Mask (say that 10 times fast. LOL), and to my surprise, Business Cat (I can see your cute little face better in this pic) also sent the amazing Brazilian Keratin, Coconut Water + Marula Oil Straightening Shampoo and Conditioner to go with it.

The hair mask was exactly what I needed after returning home from a beach vacation. I had gotten a sunburn on my hairline, which was happy to be soothed by this cooling mask. After shampooing, I applied it to my scalp and then used my fingers to comb it through my hair, which is the complete opposite to how I usually condition my hair (I have an oily scalp, so I tend to skip conditioner on my scalp and concentrate on the ends). Since my hair is quite long, I still added a bit more to my parched ends.

I let this mask do its magic while I went about the rest of my shower (the typical shaving and using a body scrub, like this coffee one or this sugar scrub). The scent of the mask smells like something you'd bathe in when you have the flu, but it opened my head, made me feel refreshed and assured me that it was healing my damaged hair and scalp (it really did leave me with softer, smoother hair and a more balanced scalp).

Of course, I washed my hair with the Straightening Shampoo with and without the hair mask, which is meant to be used 1-2 times per week (I'm using it twice a week). On days that I didn't use the hair mask, I followed up with the Straightening Conditioner. Business Cat must have paid attention to the fact that I wash and blow dry my hair almost daily, and therefore, would benefit from this dynamic duo. My once frizzy, blown out hair has really benefited from the Brazilian keratin, ultra-hydrating marula oil and coconut water in these products (they smell really nice, too).

Can you believe that my hair has been transformed from the dried out mermaid waves (it looked like I had used too much sea salt spray on days that I hadn't applied it) to soft, silky and straight strands?

It looks even better in the back, which is normally prone to knots. I can't thank Business Cat enough for my luminous locks.

On another note, Acure Organics Volume Conditioner (honestly, all of their hair care is awesome) was just named "Best Conditioner" by Kiwi Magazine in its 2015 beauty awards issue. Take a moment to stop by Acure's Instagram post to express your congrats and possibly enter their giveaway (I'm not sure how long it lasts, but as I type this, a winner has yet to be announced). Just tag a friend with great hair for a chance to win Acure Organics Volume Conditioner for you and that friend. Good luck!

Do you use Acure Organics? What are your favorite Acure products? Let me know on Twitter at @Rawdorable and/or Instagram (also @Rawdorable).

*Although Acure Organics sent me these products, all opinions are my own :)
*These Acure Organics products are color safe, vegan, gluten-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, cruelty-free, petroleum-free, PEG-free, synthetic fragrance-free, silicone-free and 100% biodegradable.

Glowing end-of-summer skin

It's nearly the end of summer, and I'm sporting that summer tan. Unfortunately, all that time out in the sun can be rough on my skin. You already know I've been raving about Lovinah Coffee Scrub for keeping my body soft and smooth, but today, I wanted to tell you about this Flora Body Care Vanilla Coconut Natural Body Scrub that reminds me of being back at the beach (you'll see what I mean in a minute).

This scrub is packed with all natural ingredients (sugar, sea salt, coconut flakes, coconut oil, aloe vera leaf juice, vitamin E and fragrance; it does not contain parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates, synthetic dyes, mineral oils or aluminum) and is handcrafted with love (did I mention that it's cruelty-free?).

I love that on the package it states, "Know your scrub. It all started with a cup of curiosity, a dash of dreams and a pound of passion. A solo girl traveling around the world, discovering and collecting the most nourishing ingredients to bring you Flora Body Care."

When you open the package, it looks as though this girl brought back some of the sand from her travels. Like sand, this is excellent for exfoliating, but it easily dissolves as you scrub with it in the shower. It also smells amazing, like one of my raw vegan "unbaked" treats.

This scrub leaves my skin soft and silky, and ready for another round of fun at the beach. Although this is a dry scrub, it does moisturize your skin with coconut oil. If your skin is oily, you may want to follow this with a body wash, but I kinda like how this feels when I hope out of the shower.

To make my skin shine even more, I like to follow up with these Acure Organics Marula + Argan Dry Oil Body Sprays in Citrus Ginger or Rose (it also comes in Coconut, which sounds lovely). They give you all the benefits of a body oil in a quick-absorbing convenient spray. The Citrus Ginger is so refreshing (I love anything with ginger), and the Rose is soft and girly.

I must thank Business Cat for sending these to me. Check out the Acure Organics Instagram page to keep up with this cat's daily shenanigans :)

Have you tried Flora Body Care scrubs or Acure Organics Dry Body Oil Sprays? What are your thoughts? Let me know on Twitter at @Rawdorable or on Instagram (also @Rawdorable).

*Some of these products were sent to me for review. All opinions are mine own :)    

100% Pure Multimasking Monday

Happy Monday everyone! I recently returned from a relaxing vacation, which explains the lack of posts last week. It's also why I was especially anxious to try 100 Percent Pure's new facial masks (I needed to detox all that sunscreen and hydrate my overly sun-exposed skin).

As a 100 Percent Pure Approved Blogger, I'm lucky to be able to test out these lovely masks. Since I have combination skin, I knew I'd greatly benefit from both of them.

That's right; I had plans to use both of them, and I didn't hesitate to apply them at the same time. This technique is referred to as multimasking. It's when you personalize your face mask experience by using multiple masks to target your various skin needs. Since my T-zone tends to be more oily and prone to breakouts, I applied the Herbal Detox Mask to that area, while I tested the Aqua Boost Hydrating Mask to my sun-parched cheeks.

According to the Herbal Detox Mask tube, "this detoxifying mask purges out facial pores for a fresh, purified complexion. Use regularly to minimize pores, black and white heads. Nourishing and packed full of nutrients for healthy, clarified skin."

The directions say to apply a generous layer on clean skin, but if your skin is sensitive, I'd advise using a thinner layer. You may even want to do a patch test, if your skin is extra sensitive. Although my skin is sensitive, I was surprise that it didn't irritate my skin; however, it did tingle a bit while I was wearing it. This mask also has a nice refreshing scent.

The Aqua Boost Hydrating Mask tube states, this "super hydrating mask delivers water to thirsty, dehydrated skin cells, so your complexion is rejuvenated, plump and refreshed. Dehydrated skin shows lines and forms wrinkles, sagging and bumps. When your skin is hydrated, you look more rested and vibrant. Hydrating is adding moisture into your skin cells, whereas moisturizing is adding oil - healthy skin needs a good combination of both. This hydrating mask immediately boosts water into skin cells, vegetarian hyaluronic acid locks in hydration and cucumber juice calms and soothes."

This mask is calming and soothing the second you apply it. It feels more like a lotion than your typical clay-based mask. I love the natural cucumber scent that reminds me of a spa.

When it was time to remove the masks, the hydrating one seemed to have adsorbed into my skin, leaving it soft and supple. I'm not sure if I needed to wash it off, but I did, while I rinsed away the quick-drying detox mask. This is how my skin looked immediately after removing both masks with just water (I didn't even use moisturizer and/or eye cream for this pic). The combo of the two masks left my face in balance.

Both masks are 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free. The Herbal Detox Mask works well for all skin types (for oily skin, use 3 times a week. For dry skin, use once or every other week, and for combination skin, use once a week), and the Aqua Boost Hydrating Mask is great for anyone looking to hydrate their skin (in my opinion, even oily skin could benefit from the occasional boost in hydration). If you have combination skin like mine, you might want to try this multimasking technique, too.

Have you tried either of these masks or multimasking? Let me know your thoughts on Twitter at @Rawdorable and/or Instagram (also @Rawdorable).

*100 Percent Pure provided these facial masks for review. All opinions are my own :)

Maracuja Oil does a foundation good

Recently, my daughter Hayden and I visited the 100 Percent Pure store to check out the new Maracuja Oil Air Cushion Foundation (it comes in a cute compact, which can be reused with refill packs). Dana, the store manager, was kind enough to let us test it out in the store.

Just look at the shiny pink compacts lined up in the store window, which represent only three of the six available shades (Alpine Rose, Creme, White Peach, Peach Bisque, Golden Peach and Toffee). I went straight for the Peach Bisque, as that is the shade I wear in my tinted moisturizer and concealer.

Before I could test the product on my skin, my daughter had to check herself out in the mirror. I think she wants the compact for herself.

I'd tell you more about my experience in the store, but since I now have my own Maracuja Oil Foundation at home, I'll explain with more detailed photos. It's a perk of being a 100 Percent Pure Approved Blogger (thanks 100 Percent Pure).

So, let's say goodbye to the lovely Dana. Thanks so much for your in-store demonstration. I hope to see you again soon :)

Back at my house, I took some better pics to show you exactly how this new product works (I know there has been some confusion out there). To start, there is a protective film over the mirror that you'll want to remove, if you actually want to see your reflection.

This is how the product looks when you open the compact to reveal the applicator puff (I actually left the film on the mirror during this photo session to avoid a reflection in the pics).

Beneath the applicator puff is another lid to separate the puff and mirror from the foundation. Lift the lid to reveal the instructions, as shown above.

After you remove the instruction sticker, you'll see the fresh, clean cushion. The liquid foundation (I've been asked if this is a liquid or a powder) is under this cushion, as you can see it faintly showing along the edge.

When you press this cushion with your finger, the provided applicator puff or other makeup sponge, the foundation makes its way up through the cushion. You can apply a thin layer of this sheer foundation (it's very sheer, so I'd recommend it to those who prefer a tinted moisturizer over a full coverage foundation) or build it for more coverage, although still on the sheer side. I personally like to use a little of my concealer on my nose and under my eyes, which blends beautifully with this foundation (I think the Maracuja Oil softens the concealer and prevents it from settling into fine lines; usually I mix my concealer with my eye cream for that very reason).

This foundation is very moisturizing and some reviewers have complained about it being too oily. I used the new Mattifying Primer under it, which kept my skin looking fresh and balanced all day (no oil slick here). I even think my skin looks softer and smoother when I wash it off in the evening.

Honestly, I think this foundation is excellent for those that just want to a natural look and aren't trying to cover up anything. It makes you appear more polished. If you are a tinted moisturizer kind of girl, this may be your new tint.

Speaking of a new tint, I finally got my hands on the Vitamint Fruit Pigmented Sheer Lip Color in Dragon Fruit (I reviewed the other five colors when they first were released).

Here's a swatch of this lovely hue, which reminds me of all those trendy smoothie bowls.

Finally, here's what it looks like on my lips. It's very pretty. It's the perfect pop of pink for summer.

Have you tried the new Maracuja Oil Air Cushion Foundation or this pretty Dragon Fruit Vitamint? Let me know what you think on Twitter at @Rawdorable or Instagram (also @Rawdorable).

*100 Percent Pure sent me these products for review. All opinions are my own.

Someone in Brooklyn loves me ...

... and I love them, too. A couple weeks ago, I participated in the S.W. Basics Skin Cleanse on Instagram (make sure you check out the book by the same name, which was the inspiration for the cleanse). I removed my makeup for the weekend and took a break from my usual products.

I got brave and posted my bare face for the world to see. It was nice to give my skin some extra time to breathe. I highly recommend it. Your skin will thank you :)

While at Target, I took note of the sale on S.W. Basics products (I believe this sale is still in progress, as I type this). I love that they are so convenient to purchase now. All of the products are simple and natural, as they should be. They are made with five or less ingredients, and they're cruelty-free.

For my lipstick of the day post, I mentioned these organic lip balms. They come in a 4-pack, which includes Peppermint, Cocoa, Citrus and Cinnamon (it's my fave). You can find this particular "beegan" (they contain beeswax) 4-pack at Target, but you can order the vegan versions on the S.W. Basics website.

As an incentive to do the Skin Cleanse, S.W. Basics had a contest, which I didn't win. However, to my surprise, the company was kind enough to send me this lovely face mask as a thank you. I have been wanting to try this Hibiscus Mask for a while now, but it was either out of stock online or not carried by my local Target. I had seen all the fun other bloggers have had with this brightly colored concoction (it's made out of direct trade hibiscus, French green clay and organic lavender powder), and I couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about. *Warning: the next photo of me trying out the mask is quite scary :)

Mixing this mask is as simple as its ingredient list; just mix 1 tsp. of the mask powder with 1 tsp. of water and apply it to your face like you see here. It looks crazy, but if you have kids, you'll have a blast scaring them out of bed in the morning.

I left the mask on past the drying time without irritation (it smells amazing, btw; somewhat fruity from the hibiscus). I just applied it after my workout in the morning and washed it off in the shower (I was afraid it would stain something at the sink). My skin was left soft, even and gently exfoliated. The clay component has been great for detoxing my skin of that sunscreen, etc., but without leaving it too tight and dry. I must say that I'm loving this product and would definitely buy more. Thanks S.W. Basics.

Have you tried S.W. Basics products or read "Skin Cleanse" by Adina Grigore (founder of S.W. Basics)? Have you used this face mask? Let me know your thoughts on Twitter at @Rawdorable or on Instagram (also @Rawdorable). I'm interested to know what you think.

*****

On another note, I found out the results of the Jem Raw Organics contest. Although I did not win the grand prize, all the entrants were given their own personalized awards and some Jem. You can check out the winners list here. Thanks Jem!

*S.W. Basics sent me their Hibiscus Mask for review. All opinions are my own.