Wednesday, August 5, 2015

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.