Hi people, what's been on?

Today I'm going to be sharing the newest, dopest game changer for my oily skin!!!!

My face is usually like an oil well waiting to be discovered and to be honest, I wouldn't want to put anything on it since it can obviously fend for itself...lol...but oily skin is not always moisturised skin so I need a moisturiser.

These days I prefer to use facial oils at night and a moisturiser in the daytime.

However my problem is that most moisturizers available are usually too heavy for oily, acne prone facial skin.

And......applying a regular moisturiser, then sunscreen, then primer and then makeup feels like a whole lot of products for one face!!!!

I definitely wouldn't mind a product that combines everything and all I need to apply afterwards is makeup!!!

 I made a chance discovery of this gem and have been hooked ever since!!!

I got the Garnier Oil Control Complete Vanishing Cream and the ingredients appealed to my finicky self (sulfate free, paraben free, mineral oil free).



It promised to give instant mattness without tightness while leaving skin moisturised.



I tried it and liked it so much .....but as usual with Nigerian stores, when I went back to repurchase, it was out of stock!
It cost about N2000 and lasted up to a month even with the tiny 40ml tube.



I liked how it seemed to keep my skin matte for up to 4hrs before I started leaking oil which was way better than any oil control primer I'd tried.



It didn't have sunscreen though which was a shame but on the positive side I'm glad it didn't due to my allergy to oxybenzone (the most common sunscreen agent in products these days).



Someone introduced me to the Pure Skin Oil Control Cream by Oriflame.
While I was hesitant because it wasn't paraben free, I had to give it a go to increase my options in case I couldn't find the Garnier one again.



It worked quite well in controlling the oil but for about 3 hrs after application (4hrs for Garnier).
However, it was effective for oil control during events like weddings, dinner parties etc before I had to dab with blotting paper.



Right now, I'm using Ponds Lasting Oil Control Vanishing Cream. Thankfully, it's a popular product and available on Konga.

I quite like this one because it contains niacinamide which is good for reducing hyperpigmentation and thus even out skin tone. Not bad...huh? 

I use the Vanishing Cream directly on cleansed damp skin, then I apply a sunscreen and then I apply makeup.

With vanishing creams, I really have no need for a primer as the product helps face powders and foundations stay on skin without creasing and my skin stays matte and smooth with just one blot by mid-day. For a product that mattifies, vanishing creams are quite moisturising because they contain glycerine (a humectant) as one of the ingredients to maintain the consistency of the product.

As a woman who isn't a makeup slay queen and just needs her face to look reasonably presentable, I do recommend this product.

So, yeah...thank God for oil control creams that doesn't feel heavy or greasy (my problem with most primers), leave chalky residue, dry out skin, clog pores, double as primers and leave skin matt for up to 3 hrs.

I'm really happy with this product and I'm eager to try out more brands!

If you know any other ones that work great, don't forget to share!



Hi people, what's been on?

So....as promised in this post , I will be sharing my experiences and opinions about skincare products that are naturalista approved in that they are paraben free, sulfate free, mineral oil free, petrolatum free, pthalate free, cruelty free and made from natural, safe and gentle ingredients.

My skin profile in summary is sensitive, acneprone and oily.
 I've also had my skin for 30 years and counting! 😀

My first product review for the year would be a body butter by AjeButter.

I was gifted this body butter by an Organic Skincare Online Shop based in Nigeria called BeautifullyNappy.

The owner contacted me in May of last year to try out this product since it was in line with my goal of using natural, organic products for my skincare.

Here's my unbiased review.

PRODUCT NAME:

AjeButter Hair and Body Butter in Lavender RoseMary.

PRODUCT SIZE:

200ml

PRICE
N5880

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Luxurious handcrafted body butter. Made with love and pure organic ingredients.

A combination of two versatile oils; lavender and rosemary.



Lavender essential oil is a household favourite. It aids sleep, calms the mind and helps reduce inflammation of the skin. It can improve complexion as it has anti-bacterial properties.

Rosemary aids mental clarity and memory. It increases circulation and alleviates muscle and joint pains. It also helps to get rid cellulite and stretch marks.

Shea Butter and Coconut oil heal and beautify the skin; natural emollients packed with antioxidants to protect your skin from harmful free radicals and encourage regeneration of beautiful skin.

INGREDIENT

My Review:

I was skeptical about this butter since it was shea butter based and had coconut oil....two ingredients that I'm wary of since they've been responsible for some acne flareups in the past. However, it could be used as a hair butter and the inclusion of rosemary and lavender oils which are said to stimulate hair follicles for hair growth was a win for me. While I could perceive the lavender and rosemary essential oils in the butter, the scent was not overwhelming for me.

Nice and clean without being medicinal.

The consistency of the butter was light and melted on contact with the skin quite easily.


However for my skin, I found it too greasy as it did not absorb as well as grapeseed oil did for my oily skin no matter how little I used.

I gave it instead to my mum who's in her fifties and has reasonably normal to dry skin. I requested a feedback from her after she had used it for two weeks and she said she liked the consistency and it worked well in trapping moisture to her skin immediately after she showered. 

This was our outcome when we tried it in May (rainy, hot and humid).

Fastforward to harmattan season of Nov/Dec (it lasted that long!!!) where the weather is dryer, colder and dustier.....and this product was like GOLD. I finally got to appreciate it better for my lips, elbows, legs and feet!!! It worked well to trap in moisture especially when used immediately after showering! I finally understood what my mum meant!

• Lasts long (so more bang for your naira)
• If your skin is on the dryer side, it does a pretty good job in sealing in moisture on the skin for longer especially when used immediately after a shower.
• Pretty good sealant for hair using L.O.C. method.
• Mineral oil free (good alternative to Vaseline), petrolatum free, paraben free, sulfate free, pthalate free, no artificial fragrance.

• I personally would not purchase this product because I found it too heavy and greasy for my oily skin. 
• It is not water based nor does it contain humectants so doesn't make for an effective moisturiser when used directly on dry skin.
• Quite pricey

Hi guys, what's been on?

Before I start rambling on......HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

This is my first official post of 2018!!!😁

God is so great and I'm really grateful for the opportunity of a fresh start!!!!

Speaking of fresh starts, I did my first official length check of the year!!!!

I usually straighten my natural hair once a year especially around Christmas but I was determined to have an absolutely lazy Christmas last year which meant:

I needed to completely unwind from what had been a stressful but goal achieving year!

On the first day of 2018, however , I woke up, washed and deep conditioned my hair (fresh starts...hehehe) and proceeded to straighten it!

 My sister woke up, looked at me, rolled her eyes and promptly went back to sleep...lol. She's used to my impulsive hair styling routines.

I used the same procedures I usually use for my silkpress with some modifications.

Instead of the Beautiful Textures Texture Manageability System, I used SheaMoisture KeraVega Monoi Oil Complex Smooth Finish Blow Dry Cream.

I purchased this product from OlaAvital Store in Awka.

I shampooed my hair using Carol's Daughter Almond Milk Shampoo and deep conditioned for 30 mins using Carol's Daughter Almond Milk Ultra Nourishing Hair Mask.

I rinsed off the mask, blotted my hair with a microfibre towel and then applied the SheaMoisture Smooth Finish BlowDry Cream.

Instead of my usual silkpress method where I blowdry my hair before pressing it, I made 6 braids with the blow dry creme in it and allowed my hair to airdry completely. 

Since the weather was very dry and my hair is fine with high porosity, my hair was completely dry by the next morning.

I was actually planning to do a braid out for the first day of the year but changed my mind and flat ironed my hair at 190° using my trusty Toni & Guy Ionic flatiron.

The results were not as straight as my regular silkpress but I was fine with how my hair looked.

As you can see, it's gotten much fuller and the hair on the top  and sides are keeping up.

The good thing about this modification was I used way less heat than I usually use when I'm silkpressing my hair.

Thankfully, the blowout creme was full of peptides (protein treatment) and had heat protectant.

My ends were in good shape (smooth and without splits) and I didn't need to trim as much as I had to in Dec 2016 all thanks to consistent application of NappyGirl Growth Enhancing Oil and protective styling.

Maintenance is the same as I described in this post  . With it, my hair can stay straight for 4-6 weeks.

I'm giving away ONE bottle of  NappyGirl Growth Enhancing Oil worth N4200 to a lucky reader of this blog.

 All you have to do is write in the comment section 'what your hair goals for 2018 are' and include your email addy to contact you with!!!!

Winners would be chosen randomly. 

Giveaway ends 31st January 2018. 

Open to Nigerian residents only

If you're on Instagram, you can also participate in the giveaway going on there by following me on @nappilynigeriangirl.