Viva Woman

If you’re in the market for an affordable line of basic natural skincare products, I would recommend you try Sukin Organics which is available from selected Watson’s.  They’re not your premium organic range but, I think the fact that the products are free of sodium lauryl sulphate, mineral oil, parabens, harsh detergents, animal derivatives, artificial fragrances or colours and yet are affordable makes them a really good deal. 

However, I need to highlight that while most of the ingredients appear harmless, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate or Suttocide is used as the preservative.  This appears to be a plant-based derivative preservative with naturally occurring amino acid readily used in products that are 100% natural.  Its toxicity level is undetermined as there have been no studies on the long term effects of using this and hence,  I can’t say for sure this is definitely safe.  But I understand that it is impossible for the products not to use some form of preservative and this is still acceptable to me especially when I compare what is used in the other most established conventional brands in the market.

So what have I tried under Sukin and what do I like?

Sukin Organic Foaming Facial Cleanser
I recently bought my 4th bottle so you can tell that I do like this.  It’s gentle and it cleanses pretty well as I have already reviewed but I’ll like to add that this performs as well as Jurlique Foaming Facial Cleanser for me and yet it’s much more affordable.  Two thumbs up for this!  

Sukin Organic Cream Cleanser
This is great stuff which smells really wonderful!  There is not much to review except that it does a good job of taking away my makeup and I’ll definitely buy this again.

Sukin Organic Hydrating Mist Toner
I won’t be buying this again only because I don’t find a hydrating mist toner useful for me.  I like using toners but I love them with a cotton pad.  And to set my makeup, I always use a facial spray.  Hence, this product was quite a waste of money for me although I do use it every morning.  A plus point is that it smells great.

Sukin Organic Facial Scrub
This is definitely comparable to L’Occitane Almond Apple Sweet Peel in terms of texture and feel but only at a fraction of the price.  It basically does the job of a facial scrub but it isn’t fine if that’s what you’re looking for.  I don’t mind it, but I’m not certain if I would buy it again.

Sukin Organic Facial Moisturiser
A very lightweight wonderful smelling moisturizer that acts as a humectant to soothe and hydrate the skin.  I like the fact that it’s non greasy and hence is great as a base before applying sunscreen and makeup.  But if you’re looking for something richer, this isn’t suitable at all.

Sukin Organic Botanical Body Wash
Again, I’m into my 3rd bottle so this is another of my favorite.  I love how my skin feels after using this.  Soft and not drying as I have reviewed.  Also smells fabulous.   I’ll be buying more of this for sure because it is really value for money when compared with other range.

Sukin Organic Hydrating Body Lotion
Like the body wash, this product grew on me.  I didn’t fancy it initially because it didn’t smell as great as I expected.  In addition, I felt it wasn’t emollient enough.  However, after repeated usage, I’ve come to like it quite a bit especially because it doesn’t leave any greasy film or trace on my skin. 

Sukin Organic Deodorant
This one I don’t love despite the lack of aluminum or parabens.  It works in reducing odor alright but the spraying just don’t work for me.  You can read about it in my full review.   Not recommending it.

Summary
Overall, I’m rating this range 3.5 out of 5 hearts for the various products I’ve tried.  Many of their products are worth a trial especially since they’re all in the range of S$12.95 and they smell great.  However, the range is just basic skincare if you ask me.  My skin won’t get worst using the products but it’s also highly unlikely that I will see any remarkable improvement just by using them.  

Sukin organic range of products are only available at the Watson’s outlets at Parkway Parade, Ngee Ann City, Centrepoint, Great World City, Anchorpoint and Compass Point.

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I’m currently stuck in a crossroad when it comes to my skincare regime.  While I’m very keen to go all natural and organic, I’m caught up with synthetic form of ingredients not available in natural formulas such as Mexoryl in my new sunscreens and hydroquinone in the recent anti-aging product that I obtained from my dermatologist.  On top of that, I was told by my dermatologist that natural and organic skincare products are useless and I’m wasting my money.  While I can understand that he said that out of professional interest but that got me thinking hard about the topic.  WAS HE RIGHT?

Let me first qualify that my knowledge on natural and organic skincare products is limited and superficial.  I developed an interest after reading about their benefits and after seeing what the products did for someone I met.  In addition, I was getting disillusioned with the usual skincare products which weren’t yielding the long term benefits I was looking for.

Are all natural or organic skincare products for real?
Frankly, I’m not sticky with having to use strictly organic skincare products.  In fact, natural is good enough for me, as they are made from plants and minerals, rather than from synthetic ingredients.   Moreover, even though organic products comprise natural ingredients made with the stricter standards, there are no global organic standards as yet and even those which carry the organic certified labels are not 100% organic either.  And that’s really the problem.  That such products can contain 70% natural or organic ingredients and then 30% synthetic chemicals but still get labelled as natural or organic!  Or worst, just 10% natural ingredients and 90% synthetics!  Therefore, we need to wise up by learning to read the ingredient list of a product and avoiding some of the harmful ones like those listed below which not only can cause allergies but are considered to be toxic, and in some instances, carcinogenic.

Instead of these chemicals, look out for natural alternatives such as plant oils like Jojoba, Avocado, Rosehip or butters like Shea, Cocoa or Jojoba in place of Petrolatum for emollients; Castile Soap, Yucca Extract, Soapwort or Quillaja Bark Extract in place of SLS as natural surfactants; and Tea Tree Essential Oil, Thyme Essential Oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract and D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E) in place of Parabens for preservatives.

Are all natural or organic skincare products better?
In addition to believing that natural and organic products are non-toxic, the advocates have stated that such products can support our skin’s natural processes of cell renewal, hydration, oxygenation and protection because they contain a higher concentration of natural actives, and hence a closer affinity to our skin’s own make up.  In fact, it is often argued that pure, organic formulas are a great choice for those with sensitive skin as they are less likely to irritate or cause reactions.

Perhaps they’re right but it should be noted that some women have also reported breakouts after using natural or organic products.  This is because how the products are being formulated really depends on the the integrity and quality standards of the manufacturer.  While natural ingredients may reduce the risk of toxic contaminants, they do not eliminate the possibility entirely especially since as all-natural products tend to degrade more easily. 

Are all natural or organic products created equal?
Obviously, the answer is no.  Even if the formulation is all natural or organic, the product should contain active ingredients which can benefit our skin.  So instead of buying just any natural or organic products, I will now scrutinize the product more thoroughly, looking out for ingredients to address anti-aging, such as these: 

(For a comprehensive glossary of natural ingredients, look up Herbal Luxuries.)

Are all natural or organic products useless?
The answer to me is no. Just like the conventional skincare products, not all natural or organic products perform well for sure. But I have seen positive results from using some of these products and I believe there are long term benefits to using them. The trick is to be selective when it comes to choosing the formulations that will work for us.

Well, I hope I will be able to find a range that will work well for me in the long term. For the time being however, I will decide upon natural and synthetic skincare products on a case-by-case basis with the aim to balance between the benefits from active ingredients and potential damage from harmful ingredients.

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You may have noticed that one of the main selling points of organic or natural skincare products is that they are Paraben and SLS free, amongst others.  Apart from the fact that these are said to be toxic ingredients suspected of being carcinogenic because of their ability to penetrate into our system with long term usage, how exactly are they damaging for our skin?   Let’s find out with some information I’ve gathered from various sources.

What’s wrong with Parabens?
Put it simply, parabens are presevatives used to inhibit bacteria growth and lengthen the shelf life of skin care products.  It is said that not only are parabens toxic, but they can also speed up the aging process in the skin,  causing premature aging.  In fact, a research conducted at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine has shown that parabens can react with the sun’s UV rays in a way that may actually accelerate the aging process of skin.

Skin treated with parabens, methylparaben specifically, showed a 16 percent increase in skin cell fatality when the skin was exposed to a regulated amount of ultraviolet rays as opposed to untreated skin. Researchers believe this increase in the rate of cell death may contribute to wrinkles, dark spots and diminished skin tone, thus making the skin look older.  (source)

And you may like to know that Parabens comes in five common types - Methylparabens, Ethylparabens, Propylparabens, Butylparabens or Isoparabens.

What’s wrong with SLS?
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a cheap, harsh detergent used for its cleansing and foam-building properties with an approximate pH of 10 in its concentrated raw material form which is very alkaline and drying to the skin.  SLS cleans by corrosion and can be drying for the skin if used as part of a formula that was not pH balanced.  Skin becomes dry from stripping the protective lipids from the surface so it can’t effectively regulate moisture.

Should we avoid them?
I believe that doing without these two ingredients will do our skin good long term as I’m starting to notice that my arms aren’t as dry as before and I have lesser blackheads  as well.  I’ve also read from the forums that many ladies have reported  a huge improvement in their skin conditions and texture with less skin clogs and thus lesser blackheads and whiteheads after switching over to paraben and SLS free facial products. 

So even if you have no intentions of going organic, you might want to consider using skincare products without Parabens and SLS for the sake of your skin.  Afterall, less may actually be more.

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Having used Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil for eight weeks now, it’s time I review the product and also let you know how this product stacks up against Renew Certified 100% Organic Rose Hip Oil which I was using end of last year.

Facts on Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil
Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil is extracted from the seeds and fruit of certified organic, wild-grown rosehips and contains a powerful blend of natural nutrients including 80% essential fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and linolenic), vitamin E and the antioxidant lycopene, all well known for their ability to promote skin repair and rejuvenation of skin cells.

This organic rosehip oil is said to be most effective as a daily moisturiser for the face and body.  On top of leaving skin feeling soft and hydrated all day long, Trilogy Rosehip Oil is supposed to help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, scars, ageing skin and damaged skin.  In fact, results from the clinical assessment to test the efficacy of Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil after eight weeks of use reported skin moisture improved by up to 44%, while appearance of wrinkles reduced by up to 23% and skin smoothness improved by up to 21%.

(graphs from Trilogy’s website)

Comparison: Benefits
I only use Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil in the evening as a nourishing overnight facial.  While the clinical results on improving skin moisture and smoothness are true for me, I don’t see much of a reduction in terms of my wrinkles.  However I feel a tightness over my skin everytime I apply Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil and I always wake up in the morning with soft and supple skin.  In addition, like Renew 100% Organic Rose Hip Oil, Trilogy Rosehip Oil certainly helped to lighten new scars for me. 

Comparison: Texture
I cannot tell if Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil is finer than Renew 100% Organic Rose Hip Oil.  They both feel the same to me but when applied on the face, I would concede that Trilogy’s feels less oily and is quickly absorbed.  In fact, I could even apply moisturizer afterwards, something I wasn’t quite able to do with Renew’s. 

Comparison:Smell
Perhaps the most obvious difference between the two products is the smell.  Despite the richer golden color, Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil doesn’t smell as strong as Renew Rose Hip Oil. 

Comparison: Packaging
Both use dark glass storage with a tube dispenser and so they’re similar in that respect.   However, Trilogy’s is 20ml while Renew’s is 15ml.

Summary
Let me first say that I like both products because my skin benefitted from using them.  However, in terms of product quality, I would say Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil is more superior.  If you’re into trying rosehip oil and your face is slightly oily, then I would recommend Trilogy over Renew.  Then again, do note that Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil do cost more at S$30 for the 20ml bottle. 

As a sum up, I’m giving Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil 4.5 hearts for keeping my face well nourished.  The missing half heart is for no visible reduction in wrinkles. 

In Singapore, you can find Trilogy’s range of products at Watson’s in Ngee Ann City and Raffle’s City.

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