Hello, my beauties! I’ve been wanting to make this post for ages, but as the topic will be an American brand, and as American brands can be a bit tricky where natural cosmetics is concerned, it’s had to sit on the back burner for a while. I hope you’ll make it through the entire post, long though it may be, because there’s a giveaway at the end!
Europe and the United States are a bit different when it comes to assigning “official” natural cosmetics status. There are different types of certificates, all slightly different from the other, mostly with regard to the approved synthetic ingredients. There is no official natural cosmetics certificate in the States, but products that have 95 to 98% organic content (excluding water) are given the “USDA Organic” seal. The COPA (California Organic Products Act) seal “Made with organic ingredients” can be used when at least 70% of a product’s ingredients (excluding water) are organic.
However, these seals do not guarantee that the products are free of synthetic ingredients, and it is best to keep a weather eye on the INCI lists.
Most of the American natural cosmetic ranges that make it across the Atlantic are significantly more natural and organic than European ones, easily beating them in process. The Ecocert-certificate requires only 10% organic ingredients, though 95% of those ingredients must be natural in origin, and the certificates often come with a long list of forbidden synthetic ingredients that are deemed to be potentially harmful for people as well as nature. Most Ecocert products actually contain less than one percent of synthetic ingredients, for example in the form of mild preservatives.
American brands, on the other hand, sometimes contain one or more synthetic ingredients banned by Ecocert, while the amount of organic ingredients often surpasses those of brands with European certificates
Certificates aren’t as straightforward as one might think, then, and some fluency in INCI is recommendable. I wish all manufacturers included the origin of the ingredients on the packaging (as Supermood does, for example). A bit of common sense will get you far, however – don’t make life harder than it needs to be because of an INCI list.
I tried to inquire as to whether the vitamins and AHA-acids used in Juice Beauty’s products were natural or synthetic (the INCI name of the ingredient is the same, regardless of origin), but was unsuccessful. To be fair, it’s mostly a matter of trivia, as I’ve never seen any suspicious or harmful chemicals listed on the products themselves.
You know I love AHA-acids. An idea for the perfect skin care range has begun forming in my mind as a consequence of living in this skin and observing the changes it undergoes. Why has no one thought to create a range based on natural ingredients containing fruit acids, antioxidants, and cold pressed vegetable oils? I found myself asking earlier this summer.
Then I found Juice Beauty’s profile on Naturelle.
I had seen the brand listed in foreign web shops, but its appearance hadn’t really intrigued me enough to take a closer look at the products. Reading about the ideology behind the brand, however, and seeing how close to my own philosophy of skin care it was, left me very curious, and eager to test out the products immediately.
I have now conducted enough empirical research to share my experiences with you.
Juice Beauty is based on a combination of fruit extracts, fruit acids, antioxidants and vitamins. The aim is to visibly counteract signs of ageing, unevenness, as well as pigmentation disorders. Having now tried out the products myself, I can say that this aim has been well met. The products are technical, potent, and efficient.
Instead of water, all the products in the range have grape juice and apple juice as their base. While these juices naturally contain mild fruit acids, some products have been further supplemented with AHA-rich extracts, or pure glycolic or lactic acid, as well as vitamins A and C. You don’t necessarily have to be a skin care professional to be able to tell that these are some very potent products.
It comes as no surprise that Green Apple is Juice Beauty’s best-selling range. I’ve talked about the fruit acid peel before. It is almost strong enough to be best left in the hands of professionals. A sensitive version of the peel exists (and I think I will get my hands on that next), as well as a milder version for blemished skin.
The peel I have at home is the full strength one, designed for ageing skin, or for pigmentation disorders. It is just a bit too strong for me personally, as it leaves my skin with a bit too much of a glow, but used sparingly it will do wonders for the skin, providing only a healthy glow. Besides fruit juice and Aloe Vera, the peel contains also glycolic acid, lactic acid, willow bark extract (with naturally occurring salicylic acid), as well as vitamins A and C – all the best ingredients, combined in one product. Since getting thoroughly acquainted with Environ, a medical skin care range based on fruit acid and vitamins A and C, I’ve come to understand how important those vitamins really are for the skin.
The flushed, warm and tingly feeling left by the peel can be soothed with the application of toner, serum, and oil. Tingling and flushing is quite normal with fruit acid peels, but the effects of the full strength peel from this range are stronger than usual, at least on my own skin. For me, it is too strong to be used even weekly, but would work wonderfully on hyper-pigmented, ageing, or blocked and blemished skin, and should give definite results.
The Green Apple cleansing gel is one of the best to be found in natural cosmetics, and I only have good things to say about it. Unlike this cleansing gel, a cleanser that is too harsh will leave you skin feeling squeaky-clean (which, unlike what you might think, it isn’t supposed to do) or tight, indicating that it is doing damage to your hydrolipidic film. A good cleansing gel will remove makeup and impurities, but leave your skin feeling soft and supple. The lack of harsh surfactants in the INCI of the Green Apple gel might contribute to its gentleness. I would not go so far as comparing it to Patyka’s 3step, however; my love for the trio remains unparalleled.
Along with grape and Aloe Vera juice, the wonderfully refreshing Hydrating Mist contains also rose hip extract, grape extract, as well as rose oil and soothing ylang-ylang. I love spray and mist toners, and mild fruit acid-containing toners even more – they will restore the skin’s pH after cleansing, renew the skin thanks to those fruit acids, and most importantly, prepare the skin for nourishing agents.
At 33 euros for 60 ml (2oz), the Blemish Clearing serum is a miracle product. It is designed for blemished and porous skin, and though I only have the odd blockage and blackhead every now and then, this serum not only keeps those at bay, but also helps to reduce oiliness throughout the day. The cleansing properties of the serum do not make it drying, but in fact moisturize, repair, and soothe the skin. It helps me maintain a healthy looking skin.
The INCI reveals the product’s excellence, combining more or less all the ingredients that one would hope to find in a blemish clearing serum: grape juice, apple juice, lemon juice and moisturizing Aloe Vera together with willow bark extract with naturally occurring salicylic acid (the overall salicylic acid content of the product is 0.75%), as well as repairing and renewing vitamins (B5 and C); antioxidants like algae, green tea, white tea, ubiquinone and sage; cleansing lemon balm and lavender, and soothing marigold to top it all off. The serum is long-lasting and leaves the skin feeling soft. It should come as no surprise that the product is one of the best-sellers from the range, and was an instant addition to my Beauty Guide.
Stem Cellular, the anti-ageing range from Juice Beauty, is not only packed with the usual vitamins and fruit acids, but is also enriched with apple, grape, and lemon bud stem cells. Stem cell technology is a current trend in cosmetics, thought to be effective in repairing and renewing skin cells. Who knows? – they’re great sources of antioxidants, in any case. I have been using the CC-cream (in the color Warm Glow, with an SPF of 30), and it is my current favorite as far as makeup bases go. It gives a lovely sheen without covering up freckles or the natural glow of the skin. For a more detailed review of the product, check out this post.
I was also given the BB-cream for testing last week – though the name is misleading, as the labeling on the package says tinted mineral moisturizer. It is a typical 4in1 type of product, however, as BB-creams often are. With an SPF of 30, the consistency of the cream is good and somewhat richer than the CC- cream. The darkest shade (Tan) being a bit too strong for my swiftly rapidly paling complexion, however, I haven’t had a chance to acquaint myself with the product more in depth. But I have a feeling that a chance to do so will soon present itself…
There has been a demand for natural cosmetics moisturizers with SPFs. I’m not a great fan of them myself, but Juice Beauty carries three: Green Apple Moisturizer SPF 15, Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 30, and the waterproof Sport Moisturizer SPF 30.
I would like to remind you that using the code KATJA15 at check-out will get you a 15% discount on all products at Naturelle until the end of November. Make sure to check out my other favorites from Naturelle.
Thank you and congratulations if you’ve made it this far! Perhaps I should have split this into two separate posts, but I just couldn’t contain myself.
And now, for the giveaway:
In the comment box below, tell me which of Juice Beauty’s products you’re most interested in, and which ones you would like to try. Or, if you have already tried one of their products, please share your experience! The lucky winner will receive a CC-cream from the Stem Cellular range in the color Natural Glow (the paler of the two). You have one week, and the winner will be decided on Sunday, September 7th 2014.
Have a juicy week!
Photos Katja Kokko
Translation Katja Nikula
