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Reminder: Whole Foods Beauty Bag Available NOW

Just a reminder that the first-ever Whole Foods Beauty Bag ($18 at Whole Foods stores nationwide, $60 value) is available NOW across the country at all Whole Foods locations, while supplies last!

If you'd like to see the list of all of the items in this bag, check out my original post HERE.

Also, I received some answers directly from Whole Foods in response to some of your questions when I originally posted about this, so here you go:

• The cosmetic items in this bag are all full-size, and the haircare and skincare items are all deluxe sample sizes.

• This bag is only available in the US, not Canada.

• All of the contents of this bag are vegan.

If you would like to see the contents of the bag that reader @hbsa615 on Instagram just purchased at her Whole Foods today, check out the pic she shared HERE.

First-Ever Whole Foods Beauty Bag Available In Stores March 21st (This Saturday)

Many thanks to reader Manda J. for the tip about this one! If you're a Whole Foods shopper, you might want to stop by your local store this Saturday:

First-Ever Whole Foods Hello, Beauty! Bag

Available in-store beginning March 21st

Keep reading for the scoop on this one...

Review: Lush Limited Edition Easter 2014 Collection

Press Sample 

The Lush Easter 2014 goodies have landed! There are ten products in the range this year, and you can view them all here (or at your nearest Lush retail location). I received five of the ten products from the Easter 2014 range for review, so let's not waste any time! Here's a closer look at these cuties.

 

Lush Limited Edition Easter 2014 Goodies

(retail: $5.95 - $10.95 at Lush)

Dr. Bronner's, Giovanni and more on sale at The Vitamin Shoppe (free shipping on orders of $25)

I just wanted to give you heads-up, especially if you're a Dr. Bronners fanatic like me (it's my favorite brush cleaner of all time!), that there's a good sale going on right now over at Vitamin Shoppe.

Almost all Dr. Bronner's products are on sale right now on the Vitamin Shoppe website, and you get everyday free shipping on orders of $25 or more. I very rarely see Dr. Bronner's bar soaps go on sale for under $4.09, so this is just too good to keep to myself. They also have the liquid soaps and many other items on sale right now (this is what I'm currently using for my brushes and I love, love, love it--especially at this price!).

Also, I know a lot of you love the Giovanni charcoal skincare line (which is hard to find in stores) so I want you know that several Giovanni products are currently on sale, and Vitamin Shoppe carries the full line of D:Tox charcoal skincare if you're having trouble finding it locally.

You can click here to view all of the bath & beauty brands/products currently on sale at The Vitamin Shoppe (there are some nice Desert Essence, Out of Africa, Shea Moisture, Nubian Heritage, etc. deals as well).

Hope that helps!

My favorite Lush products for Holiday 2013

Press Sample 

Every once in a while, I get asked a question that goes something like this: "G, what's your favorite type of product to review on your blog?" Whenever I'm asked this question, my answer's always the same: "Bath and body products!" 

For some reason this always seems to surprise people, but bath and body products are my first love and they always have been (above makeup and yes, even nail polish!). So when I was sent an assortment of Lush Holiday 2013 products for review a while back, you can imagine that I was like a kid in a candy store. I'm so excited to show you my favorites today, in case you're thinking about indulging in some Lush goodies for yourself or your loved ones this holiday season. I've got some old favorites and also new things to show you today, so let's get started!

Lush Holiday 2013 I Want Candy Gift Set

(retail: $14.95 at Lush stores and online)

New Alba Botanica Even Advanced CC Cream

Apparently this new CC Cream from Alba Botanica (makers of Jason, Avalon Organics, Queen Helene and lots of other brands) has been out since August, but it's new to me! This product is now available on the Target website (one of the two shades is also available in-store) and also via the Alba website (it's two dollars cheaper at Target):

image source: Alba Bontanica website

Alba Bontanica Even Advanced CC Cream SPF15

(retail: $12.49 - $14.49, 1.7 oz)

Alba Botanica Even Advanced CC Cream is available in two shades: Fair to Light and Light to Medium. I think the price point is quite fair, even at the higher end of the range, considering that you get 1.7 oz of product (some BB/CC creams only give you 1.0 oz and charge nearly as much).

Review: Seventh Generation Lavender and Mandarin Facial Cloths

Purchased by Me

I'm a creature of habit when it comes to my towelettes, but when I see a good deal on a product that's piqued my interest, I can't say no!

When I first saw the Seventh Generation facial cloths, body lotions and body washes at Walgreens back in February, I was definitely curious. Until that point, I had known Seventh Generation as an eco-friendly household cleaning products brand, so I was excited to see them branch out into personal care.

But as usual, prices tend to make me pause, so instead of impulsively buying everything on the spot, I decided to wait for a good sale. Recently I spotted the facial wipes at a local discount store (Grocery Outlet) for $2.99 each, so I didn't hesitate to grab both varieties. These retail for $6.49 at Walgreens, by the way.

 Seventh Generation Facial Cloths in Lavender and Mandarin

(retail: around $6.50 each, 30 cloths per package)

Review: Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil

Over the years, several of you have mentioned that you like to use pure jojoba oil to remove your eye makeup. I've always loved jojoba as an ingredient in skincare and body care (it works so well to hydrate my skin) but I'm ashamed to say that, until I purchased this bottle of Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil from iherb a while back, I actually had never used this oil in its purest form.

 Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil

(retail: around $10, 4.0 oz)

The four ounce bottle retails for $9.41 at iherb, but you can also purchase it directly from Desert Essence for $13.99 and they offer a 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. They also have a store locator here, in case you want to try to find it locally.

And let me tell you, this is a serious multi-tasker that I now find myself reaching for constantly. In fact, check out the Desert Essence website here to view all of the ways you can use this product (scroll to the bottom of the page). You can remove makeup, hydrate your lips, moisturizer your cuticles, massage your scalp and so many other things with this one little oil. 

Keep reading for my full review...

My new favorite wintertime hand cream: Herbacin Kamille Paraben-Free Glycerin Hand Cream

Herbacin Kamille is one of those hand creams that's been around forever, and you just can't mistake its green tube with the flower on the front. I'm sure you've seen it around and, if you're like me, you may have wondered if it was any good. Well I'm here to tell you that I finally bought a tube and that this oldie is indeed a goodie. It's the one hand cream I've been reaching for over and over since the weather actually turned cold here in Sunny San Diego.

 Herbacin Kamille Paraben-Free Glycerin Hand Cream

(retail: around $5, 2.5 oz)

Not to be confused with the original Herbacin Kamille, this is a newer version that's paraben-free. I have never tried the original, but you can see the difference in the ingredients by clicking the links above. This hand cream contains no animal products, it's not tested on animals and it's made in Germany.

Review: Giovanni D:tox System Purifying & Exfoliating Facial Cleansing Towelettes

A month or so ago, I spotted the Giovanni D:tox System towelettes at Target and, much to my surprise, there were mini packets of 10 towelettes for under three bucks. Since I'm a longtime fan of Giovanni (I love their Direct Leave-In Conditioner), I thought I'd pick these up since I'm sucker for anything that contains volcanic ash:

 Giovanni D:tox System Purifying & Exfoliating Facial Cleansing Towelettes

(retail: $2.49 at Target, 10 towelettes per package)

My full review, after the jump...

My favorite brush cleaner

Psssst: would you like to know what I use to clean my brushes?

Aaaah. I love the smell of clean makeup brushes in the morning...

It's actually not even a "real" brush cleaner, but it's awesome, inexpensive, and it's good for the environment. 

Any guesses?

Review: new Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Moisture Plus Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF15

In my never-ending quest to find a better facial moisturizer (thanks so much for all of the fantastic recs, by the way), I picked up a new Avalon Organics product that I found at my local Rite Aid about a month ago.

Want to know if this is my new favorite facial moisturizer? Keep reading!

 Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Moisture Plus Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF15

(retail: around $12, 4.0 oz)

Review: Badger Damascus Rose Antioxidant Face Oil

Badger is a brand that is probably best known for its very popular Badger Balm. A few months ago, I was sent an assortment of Badger products for review and today I'd like to show you a product that's stolen my heart:

 Badger Damascus Rose Antioxidant Face Oil

(retail: $11.99, 1.0 oz)

Review: Pacifica Color Quench Natural Moisture Lip Tint in Guava Berry

I'm a huge and longtime Pacifica fan (their Tunisian Jasmine is the prettiest jasmine fragrance I've ever sniffed outside of a real jasmine flower). So when I posted on the blog a while back that Pacifica was entering into the world of tinted lip balms, I knew it was only a matter of time before I purchased one. Back in December I treated myself to the Color Quench Natural Moisture Lip Tint in Guava Berry as a birthday gift to myself. I picked it up at Sephora and now that I've been using it off and on for about a month, I'd love to share my thoughts with you.

The Pacifica Color Quench Natural Moisture Lip Tints are 100% vegan (no beeswax), not tested on animals, and they contain no parabens, GMOs or petrochemicals. The packaging is 100% recyclable and they retail for $9 each. They come in five shades and can be purchased on the Pacifica website and also at Sephora.

Pacifica Color Quench Natural Moisture Lip Tint in Guava Berry

(retail: $9, 0.25 oz) 

Review: Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Souffle

Ever since I first posted about Shea Moisture coming to Walgreens back in April (their products are also available at Target and select Walmarts), I've been excited to try some of their hair products. The fact that they're free of basically every controversial ingredient under the sun, cruelty-free, vegan and made with fair-trade ingredients makes them extremely enticing. Oh, it's rare to see a styling product at the drugstore without silicones OR alcohol, and this one doesn't contain either.

I recently received some Shea Moisture haircare products for review, and today I'd like to show you the Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Souffle:

Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Souffle

(retail: $9.99, 12 oz)

CONTEST CLOSED: Giveaway: Madre Labs lotions and creams from iHerb.com (open worldwide!)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

It's very rare that I host giveaways open to ALL of my readers (I'm so sorry about that but it's always up to the brand to set the rules), so I'm DELIGHTED to be able to offer everyone (international readers included!) a chance to enter this giveaway, compliments of iHerb.com.

THREE lucky winners will each receive one bottle of Madre Labs Hand and Body Lotion AND one tube of Madre Labs Hand Cream (a $20 value).

Review: Crazy Rumors Vegan Lip Balms in Limeade & Pink Grapefruit Juice

Crazy Rumors Fresh Squeezed Lip Balms

in Limeade and Pink Grapefruit Juice

(retail: $3.49 each, 0.15 oz)

 I know that many you of try to purchase only cruelty-free and vegan beauty products, and I am always interested in bringing you affordable beauty products that fit those requirements. But one thing that seems to be a challenge (for me, anyway) is finding an affordable vegan lip balm. As we all know, the majority of inexpensive lip balms on the market contain beeswax, which is certainly not vegan! 

The one or two vegan lip balms that I've purchased at my local natural foods stores were...how shall I say this...a disappointment. First of all, the retail price for those lip balms was upwards of $7 for a standard-size tube. Also, taking out the beeswax from a lip balm can leave the texture dry, hard, and difficult to apply on the lips. So when I was approached to review some products from Crazy Rumors recently, I jumped at the chance when I saw that all of the lip products they produce are vegan and cruelty-free.

Ingredients for Fresh Squeezed Limeade Lip Balm:
Certified Organic Jojoba Oil, Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Certified Organic Shea Butter, Candelilla Wax, Soy Wax, Natural & Organic Flavors and/or Pure Essential Oils, Vitamin E, Certified Organic Carnauba Wax, Natural Stevia

Ingredients for Fresh Squeezed Pink Grapefruit Juice Lip Balm:
Certified Organic Jojoba Oil, Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Certified Organic Shea Butter, Candelilla Wax, Soy Wax, Natural & Organic Flavors and/or Pure Essential Oils, Vitamin E, Certified Organic Carnauba Wax, Natural Stevia

So now that you know that these lip balms are affordable, vegan and cruelty-free, let's get down to how they perform, shall we?

I'm so happy to tell you that these lip balms are unlike the dry, icky vegan lip balms I've encountered in the past. If you were to blindfold me and have me swipe a smooth, creamy beeswax-based lip balm on my lips, and then swipe a Crazy Rumors lip balm on my lips, I would not be able to tell the difference from a texture standpoint. These babies are smoooooth and so creamy. The glide across the lips effortlessly.

Next, let's talk about the moisturization. I've been using these balms for several days now, and I find them extremely comperable to my favorite beeswax-based lip balms. They keep my lips soft and feeling moisturized for hours. I find the staying power to be fantastic as well. I can go about four to five hours before I feel the need to reapply.

As for the flavor and fragrance, I think that's where Crazy Rumors really shines. I love citrus-based scents to begin with, but I really love natural-smelling and natural-tasting citrus-based products. I think Crazy Rumors has managed to make both natural-smelling and tasting lip balms that don't just smell like essential oils. The Limeade lip balm reminds me of real limeade (in both flavor and fragrance), while the Pink Grapefuit Juice lip balm tastes and smells like real grapefruit juice. I really love both and please don't force me to pick a favorite--I can't!

FINAL VERDICT: If you're interested in a vegan and cruelty-free lip balm that's not only affordable but also performs as well as beeswax-based lip balms, I would certainly consider giving Crazy Rumors a try. I find these lip balms right on par with my favorite non-vegan balms, and if you're a citrus fan, I would definitely consider checking out Limeade and Pink Grapefruit Juice. At just $3.49 each, I think they're a fantastic deal, and I can't wait to get more (from their Soda Pop, Gumball and A la Mode collections!).

Crazy Rumors lip products can be purchased on the brand's website, and you can also contact the brand here to see what stores in your area carry their products as well.

Have you tried anything from Crazy Rumors? If so, do you have any favorites? If not, are you interested in giving them a whirl?

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Review: Beauty Without Cruelty Daily Benefits Shampoo

Long before it was trendy, Beauty Without Cruelty was making cruelty-free beauty products (since 1963, according to their website). I remember seeing BWC products in natural food stores many years ago, but I'm ashamed to say I have never actually tried anything from this brand. Until now, that is!

I was contacted by BWC recently and they kindly sent me a couple of products for review. The first one, which I'm going to review today, is the Daily Benefits Shampoo:

Beauty Without Cruelty Daily Benefits Shampoo

(retail: $10.95, 16 oz)

Ingredients (from the BWC website):

Botanical infusion of: Betula alba (birch) leaf, Betula alba (birch) sap,Melilotus officinalis (clover) blossom, Tussilago farfara (coltsfoot), Equisetumarvense (horsetail), Urtica dioica (nettle), Achillea millefolium (yarrow),inositol, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Salvia officinalis (sage) inpurified water, sodium c14-16 olefin sulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine,panthenol, hydrolysed soy protein, niacin, Aloe barbadensis (aloe) leaf juice*,soy protein, yeast extract, citric acid, phospholipids, sodium benzoate,potassium sobate, ethyl hexyl glycerin, Cympobogon flexuosus (lemongrass) oil*,Citrus aurantium (sweet orange) oil*, Lavandula hybrida (lavandin) oil*. 10%Organic Content. *organic ingredients NOP & ECOCERT, certified by BCS.

I've mentioned before on this blog that sulfate-free shampoos are often hit-or-miss for me. Since I have fine, long, wavy, color-treated hair that's dry on the ends and oily at the roots, I've found that some SLS-free shampoos either make my hair feel drier, or they just don't clean my oily roots deeply enough, leaving my hair flat and lifeless. So that said, I'm pretty particular about my SLS-free shampoos.

Before I give you my personal take on this shampoo, I want to briefly tell you about Mr. G's experience. Whenever I'm testing a product, I will put it in the shower (if it's a product intended for use in the shower, of course) and I'll casually mention to Mr. G that it's in there, in case he wants to give it a whirl. Usually I'm met with, "Oh, yeah, sure. Wait, what did you say?" Clearly he doesn't get as excited as you or I might be to find a new product in the shower!

Maybe he was drawn to the minimalist packaging. Who knows? But he actually used this product, and after the first time he used it, he came to me and said, "Wow. That new shampoo is amazing. I think it's my favorite shampoo to date." I asked him why he felt this way, and he proceeded to explain that it's the first shampoo he's used in a long time that didn't make his hair feel even a tiny bit dry (for reference, Mr. G's a life-long surfer who has a lot of natural-lightening due to being in the sun and ocean). But on the flipside, he said it really cleaned his hair, and that "a lot of the shampoos in the shower" leave his hair feeling coated, greasy or heavy (hey, I like my moisturizing shampoos, what can I say?).

Sounds like a glowing review, right? And from a visual standpoint, I'd like to add that even though he NEVER (and I do mean never) uses a hair dryer, Mr. G's hair looks like he's actually styled it when it dries! His hair seems to lie on his head more uniformly, and it just looks and feels softer. (I actually think it's adorable that he doesn't really style his hair, but it is nice when it looks like he has!)

After using this shampoo many times now, I can 100% confirm that I feel the same way about it as Mr. G. This shampoo lathers beautifully, and I find that I don't need a lot to get the job done. The fragrance is not strong or overbearing, and I love it (it smells like pure orange essential oil to me). I find that this shampoo rinses easily and leaves my hair feeling squeaky clean, but NOT in a "wow, my hair feels like hay" kind of way. My hair feels like a child's hair when I'm done using this shampoo, and I say that in the best possible way. You know how when wash a child's hair (which is of course extremely healthy and undamaged) it just has that soft, squeaky-clean texture to it? That's what MY hair feels like when I rinse this shampoo out of my hair.

I've used this shampoo with a variety of different conditioners in my stash, and I find that it works well with all of them. I don't know how else to put this, but I find that this shampoo readies my hair to "accept" the conditioner in a way that other shampoos do not. It's like it cleans my hair in a way that really lets the conditioner do it's work to its fullest potential.

FINAL VERDICT: This is both my, and Mr. G's, new favorite shampoo. I find that it leaves my hair shiny, bouncy and squeaky-clean in the best possible way. My hair feels weightless when it's dry, and my waves are soft and uniform. I find this shampoo to work well with every conditioner I own, as it seems to prepare my hair so that my conditioner can work its magic. If your hair is similar to mine, I think you might very much enjoy Beauty Without Cruelty Daily Benefits Shampoo.

You can purchase Beauty Without Cruelty Daily Benefits Shampoo on the brand's website. For more information about where to purchase Beauty Without Cruelty products, click here.

Have you tried any Beauty Without Cruelty products? If so, do you have any favorites? Please check back soon for my review of the Fragrance Free Body Lotion.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

Review: New St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

I heard you loud and clear a few weeks ago when so many of you said you'd like to see more skincare reviews on Nouveau Cheap, so I'm working on several new skincare posts in the coming weeks, beginning with this one today.

Also, several of you said you wanted to see more cruelty-free, vegan and paraben/phthalate-free products, so I'm killing two birds with one stone (bad analogy to use when speaking of cruelty-free products. Sorry!) with this review of St. Ives Green Tea Scrub:

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

(retail: around $5, 4.5 oz)

I have a long history of trying to find the perfect facial exfoliator, which means I've used dozens and dozens over the past several years. I prefer for my facial exfoliators to have a lot of "traction", meaning I really like to feel the beads/seeds/micro-crystals on my skin, and I prefer the base to be VERY dense. There's nothing worse (for me) than an exfoliator that's thin and watery with a small amount of scrubbies that are loosely floating around in a thin base. Why use an exfoliator at all if you can't feel it working, right?

My ideal physical exfoliator (not to be confused with chemical exfoliators like AHA and BHA products) would have the consistency of toothpaste, and I would want it PACKED with small beads/seeds/micro-crystals. If your exfoliating needs are like my own, I think you might just love St. Ives Green Tea Scrub.

I posted about this scrub, along with the other new St. Ives Green Tea body products, when I spotted them at Rite Aid back in January. On that post, many of you commented about how you loved this scrub, so I was glad to have purchased it. I love trying things that you say you love, and you definitely did not let me down with this one!

As you can see in the pic above, this scrub is nice and thick. Yay! Also, the scrubbies (yes, that's a technical term) are micro-crystals, and they're very small. I don't care for large and/or jagged scrubbies like the apricot shells you find in certain scrubs because they just don't seem to do the job on my skin.

I've been using this Green Tea Scrub since I purchased it in mid-January, once or twice a week on a consistent basis. I can confirm that I have not experienced any breakouts since using this product, and my skin definitely feels smoother and looks a bit brighter after I use it. As for any drying, I don't find this product dries out my skin at all, although I do have very oily skin, so your experience may be different if you have dry skin.

Final Verdict: St. Ives Green Tea Scrub does an excellent job of exfoliating my skin and it fulfills all of my requirements when it comes to physical exfoliators. The formula is nice and thick, the scrubbies are small and densely packed within the base, it smells fantastic (not like true green tea, but it's got a lovely, fresh, green-tea-ish fragrance to it) and it leaves my skin feeling very smooth and brighter than before I used it. I don't find it drying on my oily skin, and the fact that it's super affordable, vegan, cruelty-free and free of parabens and phthalates makes it a drugstore bargain that's hard to resist.

Do you own St. Ives Green Tea Scrub? Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? I'd love to hear from you!