I have already been bragging about this on Facebook, but let me just reiterate: I have the best readers in the world! Your suggestions for the newsletter have been so great, there’s no way the final product can be anything but amazing! I’m glad I asked you what you wanted – after all, it’s you that I’m writing for. Thank you all so much! You have until a week from now to leave your suggestions, and by subscribing to the newsletter, you will be participating in a gorgeous giveaway.
Without further ado, let’s get on with another of your requests: February favorites.
If, in addition to the monthly favorites, I had to pick the month’s greatest find or star product, it would be May Lindstrom’s Clean Dirt. I am head over heels in love with, and addicted to, this product. I want to use it every night, but I’ve set the limit at four times a week. My skin has visibly improved since I overhauled my entire cleansing routine. I start with a cleansing oil, balm, or cream, and follow it with a Clean Dirt treatment. Most of the time, I will leave the product on while I shampoo and condition my hair, rinsing it off only after I’ve completed my hair routine. The small granules in the product are soft enough not to abrade the skin too much; the secret to Clean Dirt’s effectiveness lies not in mechanical exfoliation, but something else entirely, and I would hesitate to even call the product a peel.
Clean Dirt does remove dead skin cells and flakiness, but most of all, it brightens the complexion, removes black heads, smooths out the skin, making it receptive to other skin care products. Besides my face, I also use it on my neck, décolletage, and chest. While Clean Dirt is also excellently suited for inflamed acne, one should avoid mechanical scrubbing; it’s better to lightly dot the product onto the worst spots, and let it work for a while.
Mineral-rich white clay, red rhassoul clay, and sea salt energize the skin, while warming spices like cinnamon, clove, and turmeric open the pores, soothe infections and damaged skin, as well as smoothing out lines. Oxygen-rich vitamin C helps to boost microcirculation and cell-regeneration.
Sodium bicarbonate or baking soda gives Clean Dirt a wonderful bubbly, mousse-like texture once water has been added, taking the cleansing experience to a whole other level. If you’re only getting one cosmetic product this month, make sure it’s this one.
Rahua’s finishing treatment has saved my hair from the damaging effects of the straightening iron. The ends look healthy for much longer, despite my daily use of the straightener. The cream gives me soft, beautifully cascading hair, without making it tacky. One jar of the stuff will last you a year or longer, even if it is in daily use. For all of you who have been asking for natural heat protectors, here’s your answer.
Rahua Voluminous shampoo & conditioner*
Rahua’s voluminous shampoo and conditioner shot straight to the top of my favorites list. These products are perfect for my hair, and I have nothing but praise for its herbal base – a lovely combination of green tea, lemongrass, and aloe vera leaf extracts. Anything with minimal purified water gets plus points from me. Once or twice a week, if I feel like my hair needs some extra conditioning, I will add Rahua’s Omega 9 hair mask to my routine. These products, which make my hair neither too oily nor too dry, is the perfect combo for me.
Benecos vanilla eyeliner pencil*
I was pleasantly surprised by Benecos’ eyeliner pencils a little while ago. I’d been looking for a natural, high-quality off-white liner pencil to use on my waterline and brighten up the eyes for some time. Since I first tried it out, I’ve been using Benecos’ vanilla-colored pencil almost daily. The color stays put nearly all day, which is highly unusual where waterlines are concerned.
While shopping for Benecos’ eyeliners, I also discovered Lily Lolo’s lipsticks and found the perfect nude among them. The shade is just light enough without making the lips look dull or washed out (like a certain teenage trend called for a few years ago) but, with its soft pink undertone, is also not too brown – exactly what I’ve been looking for, in other words. The consistency is wonderfully creamy and oily, doesn’t dry out the lips, is long-wearing, and fades beautifully.
I just might break the world record of the fastest using-up of a product with this hand cream by Patyka. I blame the beautiful tube, which I haven’t the heart to hide away in the cupboard, sitting instead next to my work desk, within arm’s reach. The lovely aromatherapeutic scent, borrowed from Patyka’s cult-product Huile Absolue, might have something to do with its rate of depletion, as well. A few nights ago I noticed that my nails had grown without chipping, and since I’m currently not taking any supplements that might have this beautifying effect on my nails, I can only assume it’s the hand cream.
Did you find any of your favorites on the list, or are you thinking of purchasing something from it?
*Affiliate link
Photos Katja Kokko
Translation Katja Nikula
