Goddess Garden Pool Party

I was first introduced to Goddess Garden a couple years ago through their essential oils which are awesome! Last year I had head that they were making natural sunscreens but hadn't come across any in my local stores.

When Tryazon launched their Goddess Garden Pool Party I knew I had to get in on the action and try this stuff out! 

They have a whole line of sunscreen products including Everyday tube, Everyday spray Sports Kids spray Facial tube, Kids Sport tube, Sport tube, Kids Sport stick,

Face the Day Daily Moisturizer

& Aloe Spray.

Goddess Garden sunscreens are made from minerals so they are effective immediately and are safe for my sensitive skin. Traditional sunscreens absorb the sun’s rays and take 20 minutes to work and break down quickly. So ditch the cocktail of unpronounceable chemicals in your traditional sunscreen and discover Goddess Garden! 

Mineral sunscreens, like Goddess Garden’s contain zinc and titanium. These are simply tiny rocks that work like mirrors to reflect the sun’s ray. They aren’t absorbed so they won’t irritate your skin or get in your bloodstream. They’re effective immediately and won’t break down in the sun. Best of all, you aren’t coating your body in chemicals! Since they’re natural minerals, they’re just as safe for the earth as they are for you, and they don’t affect the reefs! 

We all tried out a whole variety of goddess garden sunscreen products this weekend and they worked great for everyone, even my nephew approves! 

~Crystal Vicious

Find more Goddess Garden

 Tips for Applying Natural Mineral Sunscreen 

Start with moisturized skin. Goddess Garden’s sunscreen lotions contain nourishing ingredients your skin loves. If your skin is very dry, it can absorb the lotion faster than you can spread the minerals, resulting in a whitening effect.

Cover small areas of your skin at a time. Because the lotion spreads the minerals, apply mineral sunscreen to small areas at a time so the lotion isn’t absorbed before you get it rubbed on. Applying too much in one place can result in the minerals layering up on your skin’s surface. An even application of mineral sunscreen will provide sheer, yet thorough protection.

If it’s white, you’re not finished. Minerals aren’t absorbed into your skin or bloodstream, so if the minerals are not spread evenly and dry white on your skin’s surface, they’ll stay white.

Try the Facial Sunscreen. If you have a darker skin tone, or if you’re still having trouble, you may want to try Goddess Garden’s Facial Sunscreen. It’s made with a unique polished zinc that creates fewer reflection points that contribute to the whitening effect. Minimizing reflections results in a sheerer look, while offering the same protection. While it’s a facial sunscreen, your arms and legs will love the extra benefits.

Sweet New Products from Suave Professionals

Rose Oil Infusion Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner

At first I was turned off by how ROSY this shampoo smelled. I am more of a fruity person, and this whopping Rose Oil scent was too much. The second time I used it I had a scent memory of these little rose shaped soaps my grandmother had in her bathroom back in the 1980's and guess what? Now I enjoy the smell. Thank goodness because this shampoo really does add volume. I have very thin hair and after only two uses my hair feels twice as thick. It definitely delivers on that promise. The scent stays in your hair for quite a while, so if you hate the smell of roses I wouldn't recommend it. I gave it another shot and warmed up to the scent, so who knows. I dig it.

The scent of this conditioner is way less fragrant than it's counterpart. It adds a light scent to your hair after rinsing out. The volume of my hair doubled after two uses. Can't wait to see extended results, my thin hair needs the extra oomph!

Suave Professionals Natural Hold Compressed Micro Mist Hairspray

I don't really use hairspray for anything other than my bangs, but this hairspray changed me.

It makes my hair feel nice and soft so I actually bought a new curling iron to see how it would hold curls. I love it. It doesn't leave a gross, sticky film all over the place and it smells divine! I sprayed all over my head and it held my bangs and my curls all night. I love the packaging, it's cute and easy to hold. A++

Here's a photo of my hair after using the Rose Oil Shampoo & Conditioner for one week and with the Hairspray holding my curls in! Please excuse my first attempt at using a curling wand. 

~Crystal Vicious

Skin2Spirit Lipstick

After trying Skin2Spirit's lipgloss, I couldn't wait to get my hands on one of their lipsticks.

Since it's Autumn I grabbed one in "Pomegranate"...

This is a matte lipstick in a medium, berry pink tone, perfect for Fall.

This lipstick came packaged like their glosses, in a cute green giftbag. 

These lipsticks are new, so the containers do not have logos yet, and the ingredients are printed on a sticker at the moment. The company says these things will be updated soon, so I will not comment on that, even though I'm not bothered by the current packaging.

What I do have a complaint about is the taste and smell of this lipstick. Skin2Spirit claims they use all natural and non-toxic ingredients, and for the pricetag, that's what I would expect. Their lipgloss was absoultely brillant, don't get me wrong, but the lipstick was gross. 

The scent and taste is exactly like the $1.00 lipsticks you would get at the Dollar Store as a pre-teen. The nostalgia it brought was not the good kind. I'm not sure what ingredient is causing this. Maybe it's something that is specific to the color I chose. There isn't even a hint of the vanilla that is advertised on the product listing. The vanilla is the BEST part of their lipgloss, so I was extrememly disappointed by this. 

I really loved the color, which bums me out more. The longevity was really good too. A bit came off on my coffee cup, but most of the color stayed throughout my morning. I retouched after lunch time. I didn't notice much moisturizing action, but it wasn't drying either. I ended up putting a layer of Skin2Spirit's lipgloss on top to cover the unpleasant taste and smell. 

I give this lipstick 3 out of 5 stars. It would be amazing if it didn't bother my senses so much. Having to mask it with a strong scented lipgloss everytime will end up being a hassle, and an extra expense for something that already has a pretty high price tag. 

I'm hoping it's just because of the shade I picked, or maybe I just recieved a bad stick. I want to love this company. I don't think I would recommend this, at least not in "Pomegranate"... or if they adjust the formula.

***Update 11/15/16: Kathi from Skin2Spirit sent me a replacement lipstick in "Berry Red". It was fabulous! No funky scent or taste. I'm thrilled. It went on smooth and lasted a long time, just like the Pomegranate. I would give this one 5 stars. Much better! Also, many thanks to the company for being awesome to work with!***

If you would like to try one, they are available here.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

~Crystal Vicious

Tea Tree Oil Scrub

I love scrubs and I love tea tree oil! I couldn't wait to try out this Tree Tree Oil Body & Foot Scrub from First Botany Cosmeceuticals! My feet can get dry and I've had the tiniest bit of toenail fungus on the corner of one nail for over 5 years. I've been trying everything to combat that stupid fungus. I figured I'd give this a shot, since the other benefits of helping moisturize and battle stinky feet, plus being able to use it on face and body as well makes this scrub super versatile!

This scrub is a mixture of salts and oils. The tea tree scent is almost non-existent, there really isn't much of any scent in the container. The mixture is pretty dry, yet not very coarse. I like it. I scoop some out and apply it to damp skin, otherwise it will just fall right off of the area you put it on. I notice the oils once I rub it in. After applying to my feet in the shower I try to be careful to not slip. It's not incredibly oily, but my feet end up a bit slick after. 

That stubborn bit of toenail fungus does seem to have gotten even smaller, so I will continue to use this on my feet daily. My feet are also super soft and smooth, which I love. I haven't tried this scrub on my face yet, but I have on my arms and legs. It does a great job getting rid of dry skin and leaving my body feeling moisturized. I give this scrub 4 out of 5 stars. I wish it had a bit more of a tea tree scent, but otherwise it's great. I would recommend it to anyone that has foot problems or those who like scrubs. 


Grab some on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

Thermalabs Exfoliating Gloves

I love all things natural, so I was wicked excited to try out these exfoliating gloves. Nothing feels better then a good scrub to get rid of all the dirt and dead cells off of your body right? This set came with three gloves, all made of different materials...Plus a Bonus Finger Exfoliator! 

Also included, is a printed in-depth guide to help you exfoliate like a pro.

It is loaded with information about each glove, care instructions, tip, tricks, and all kinds of other secrets to beautiful skin. It's a great addition to the set because it is so informative.

I hand washed each glove gently before using them. The loofah glove held up fine, but the sisal and jute ones already had bits coming loose, or falling off. Each glove fit my right hand well, but because they are one sided you could scrub everything but your right arm. If you are a lefty, you would probably be doomed...

The Bamboo Fiber 
and Loofah glove was said to be the best for dry skin because it holds the most moisture. The outside of the glove was fine. It was smooth and pretty soft, but the inside of the loofah glove was very sharp and hurt my hand. I took it off almost immediately. I was able to finish up by holding the glove in my hand like a cloth instead of as a glove, because the cloth backing protected my skin. I would not use this one again. 

The Sisal glove is the rougher, sturdier of the set. I was a bit nervous to try it because I have sensitive skin. It wasn't too rough, but a lot of fibers were falling off and sticking to me. It was rough on the inside, but not sharp like the loofah. 

The Jute glove was definitely my favorite, it is the one best for sensitive skin after all. It was a strange texture. Not soft, not rough. I was able to use some soap with it, so I could cleanse and exfoliate together. I will continue to use the Jute glove, maybe the Sisal...but I'm tossing the Loofah one.

Believe it or not, the Finger Exfoliator was my favorite out of the whole set. It doesn't look very comfy in the photo, but it not hard or rough. It's actually made of a soft fabric with some stretch. I have used it every day with a facial cleanser and I absolutely love it! It definitely made up for 2 of the gloves being sub par.  

I give this set 3 out of 5 stars. If you could buy them separate I would totally buy the Jute Mitt and the Finger Exfoliator. I would recommend them if you have tougher skin...unfortunately I do not, so half of this set is too rough for me. 

Grab some on Amazon.

And check out ThermaLabs.com



A free review sample was provided for a fair, unbiased, and honest review.

~Crystal 

Oz Naturals Sea Infused Herbal Moisturizer

As I approach 30, I am always on the lookout for a good moisturizer. I am also a fan of all things natural. This moisturizer is alcohol free, paraben free, sulfate free, and cruelty free.

In the past I have always had great results with products containing Sulfur and Aloe, so those two ingredients had me excited. I was interested to see the benefits the seaweed had to offer.

This moisturizer isn't too thin or too thick. It went on easily. It's a dark yellow hue, but it blends into your skin when you apply it. 

The smell is not terrible, but it is not pleasant. I wasn't expecting a delicious smell from a product made of sulfur and algae though. The smell does dissipate after awhile.

I have very sensitive skin. I have a lot of trouble finding products that won't cause redness, irritation, peeling, breakouts, etc. 

This moisturizer has been great. It leaves my skin soft, supple, a bit tighter, and even brighter. I really like it. I give it 5 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone, even those with sensitive skin. 

Grab some on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

~Crystal Vicious