Viva Woman

There are a couple of selling points for Lavera SPF40 Neutral Sunblock.  This is a 100% mineral based high SPF sunblock made with carefully selected organic ingredients and is specifically developed for people suffering from allergies, and extremely sensitive skin.  It is certified as vegan and 100% free from synthetic filters, perfumes, colourings, preservatives as well as flower extracts, herbal extracts and essential oils.  In addition, it provides UVA, UVB and even UVC sunblock protection and is waterproof.

Immediate protection
However, the one selling point that stood out most for me is that this sunblock provides instant protection upon application with no waiting time necessary. 

Honestly, I don’t know how much to believe this because as far as I understand, it takes about 20 minutes for sunscreens or sunblocks to optimally distribute themselves within the stratum corneum (horny outer layer of the epidermis).  But since I couldn’t find anymore information on their website or anywhere else to explain this claim so I’m not taking any chances.

Update: I’ve since read that physical sunblocks containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide work immediately because they literally form a protective shield over our skin and hence, it is true that Laveral SPF 40 Neutral Sunblock can offer immediate protection upon application.

Sixth safest sunblock rated by EWG
I don’t have sensitive skin but I was keen to try Lavera SPF40 Neutral Sunblock because this product came out six on the list of best sunblock in terms of safety by the Environmental Working Group.  The product was assessed to provide effective sun protection against UVA and UVB rays and having a rather low hazard in terms of the safety and non toxicity of the ingredients - rated at 2 due to the Ethanol (grain alcohol).  You may also like to refer to the following rating compiled by Environmental Protection Agency.

Rich, creamy and slightly greasy
Having used this for awhile now, I have to say that Lavera SPF40 Neutral Sunblock is better for those with drier skin.  The texture is rich, creamy and slightly greasy and does leave a white overcast on the face if you don’t blend well.  You definitely need to layer this sunblock with some powdered foundation to take off the excessive shine.  This formulation is fragrance free but it does have a mild smell because it contains organic evening primrose oil to nourish and active ingredients from licquorice root to soothe.

Performance above average
Overall, I would rate this sunblock as above average even though I have combination skin.  It works well for me and I like the claim that it is waterproof, though I have to qualify that I have yet to substantiate this as yet. But judging from the texture upon application, this might hold some water.  In addition, for an organic sunblock, Lavera SPF40 Neutral Sunblock is fairly priced.  The 50ml plastic tube retails at S$28 from Watson’s but I got it slightly cheaper with a 20% discount.   

Ingredients
Aqua, Glycine Soja*, Titanium Dioxide, Polyglceryl-3 Ricinoleate, Glycerin, Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tricaprylin, Helianthus Annuus*, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Oleate, Simmondsia Chinensis*, Prunus Dulcis*, Oenothera Biennis*, Canola , Glucose Glutamate, Aloe Barbadebnsis*, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hippophae Rhammoides, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Alumina, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Betaglucan, Ascorbyl Palmitate *ingredients from certified organic agriculture. Contains coated nano particles.

If you have dry sensitive skin proned to allergies, you may want to give this sunblock a try.  And please also read my post on tips on sunscreen protection & application.

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When I first used Sukin Organic Botanical Body Wash, I wasn’t wowed by it.  While it had a refreshing smell, but I found it less than intoxicating enough for me.  However, this body wash gets better with each bath. 

I actually grew to love the enriched aromatic botanicals aroma, a combination of tangerine, mandarin, lavender and vanilla extract therapeutic oils.  And if we compare the price of this vs other organic or botanical body wash, this is definitely worth the price tag.

I also love how soft my skin feels after each wash, thanks to the skin softening jojoba, avocado and rose hip oils.  And I really appreciate that this body wash uses only 100% natural active ingredients and contains no sodium lauryl sulphate, artificial fragrances, petrochemicals, harsh detergents, animal derivatives, mineral oil and parabens. 

Th 250ml dark brown pump bottle cost S$12.95 and is available at Watson’s (only at Parkway Parade, Ngee Ann City, Centrepoint, Great World City, Anchorpoint and Compass Point).  The only complain I have is that the pump is quite stiff and I need to exert a bit more pressure to press it down.  Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with it and will probably like to purchase a bigger bottle the next time.

Ingredients: Purified Water, organic blend of German chamomile, aloe vera, yucca and lavender. Cocamidopropyl Betaine (vegetable), Decyl Glucoside (vegetable), PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate (vegetable), rosehip oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, vitamin E, Glycerin (vegetable), Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate (suttocide) vegetable, Citric Acid, grapefruit seed extract, tangerine essential oil, mandarin essential oil, lavender essential oil, vanilla extract.

Sukin Organics line of skincare products is definitely worth a try if you’re looking for affordable organic personal care products.  So far, I’ve been satisfied with the two products I’ve tested and will like to try more under the range.  You can check out my review on Sukin Organic Foaming Facial Cleanser too.

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Those in Singapore may have noticed that Watson’s has started to bring in quite a number of natural and organic skincare products from Trilogy, Lavera, Yes To Carrot, and Sukin Organics.  I’ve been particularly pleased to find Sukin Organics really affordable and decided to test out two of their products.  The first in review here is Sukin Organic Foaming Facial Cleanser.

All skincare products from Sukin Organics are said to use only 100% natural active ingredients and contain no sodium lauryl sulphate, artificial fragrances, petrochemicals, harsh detergents, animal derivatives, mineral oil and parabens. 

So Sukin Organic Foaming Facial Cleanser has been described as a gentle, non-drying foaming cleanser to remove makeup, surface grime and oils.  It is gentle alright and doesn’t foam that much compared to other foaming cleansers I’ve used before, but it does a good job of keeping my face squeaky clean from the grime and dirt.  It isn’t drying for my skin and my face actually feels soft and supple after each wash.

But if I were to use it with a face full of foundation without using any cleansing oil or lotion to remove my makeup first, I would need to wash my face twice to get rid of the makeup totally.  It doesn’t quite remove eye makeup totally either.  You definitely need to use some makeup remover or cleansing oil to do that first.  This isn’t a big problem for me because I always double cleanse with makeup on anyway.

I love the smell of this stuff.  It has a combination of aroma-therapeutic oils of tangerine, mandarin, lavender and vanilla extract and the first two is probably what hit my senses.  So this makes a really refreshing facial wash.

Sukin Organic Foaming Facial Cleanser comes in a dark brown plastic bottle and cost S$12.95 for 125ml.  I would say it’s affordable for an organic skincare range and I’m really pleased with the results.   What I like most about it is that it delivers exactly what the other big brand cleansers does in the market, yet it doesn’t contain all the harsh chemicals and cost much less.  I would definitely be buying this again! 

Ingredients: Purified Water, Organic blend of German chamomile, aloe vera, witch hazel and green tea. Decyl Glucoside (vegetable), Cocamidopropyl Betaine (vegetable), PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate (vegetable), rosehip oil, macadamia oil, evening primrose oil, Glycerin (vegetable), Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate (suttocide) vegetable, Citric Acid, grapefruit seed extract, tangerine essential oil, mandarin essential oil, lavender essential oil, vanilla extract.

Update: 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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Woo hoo!  We may finally be able to get our hands on cosmetic products that are 100 per cent natural in the near future as I learnt today that more companies are working to develop effective natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives to extend shelf-life of their products. 

Currently, manufacturers of natural cosmetics are forced to use weak forms of synthetic preservatives such as benzoic and benzyl alcohol in their formulations.  Hence, these manufacturers cannot label their products as 100 per cent natural.  But this frustration may soon be over as Cosmeticsdesign-Europe.com reports that Israeli biotech company Avisco has developed the natural preservative Aviorex while Slovenia-based Vitiva is working on Inolens 4 which contain active ingredients derived from rosemary to help protect cosmetic oils from oxidation and rancidity. 

I’m really glad to read this especially since I was just looking at the 30ml FANCL preservative-free skincare products and thinking that it’s rather inconvenient to have to replace them every month or so.  At the same time, wondering how I can avoid common preservatives or additives, which according to FANCL R&D, triggers melanin production leading to pigmentation and aging of skin cells in the long term. 

Well, it looks like now my questions may be answered sooner. 

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