Alba Botanica Advanced Natural Sea Elements Eye Makeup Remover Review

Hello again!

Today I have a review on some eye makeup remover by Alba Botanica.

It is the Advanced Even Natural Sea Elements eye makeup remover (4oz).  I found this in the Target clearance section, and the clearance price on this was cheaper than the regular price of the eye makeup remover I normally buy.  I saw that the regular price of this was somewhere near $9.00, which is no where near what I'd spend on eye makeup remover, so I purchased it.  I read really good reviews about it online when I got home and was anxious to try it out.  

Here's a quirky little tidbit about me: I LOVE to read labels of products.  Sometimes I even make my husband read them to me if I just bought something at a store and I'm the one driving home.  Weird I know, but anywho.  Upon reading the label of this eye makeup remover, it claims to be non-greasy, as well as tough on waterproof makeup ("with one swipe" I believe it says).  I was excited to see that it was not tested on animals (YAY!) and also made with 100% vegetable ingredients.  It does make it a point to advise the consumer to shake it before each use.

I have been using it for more than a month now and really liked it... at first.  It did a great job.  I did however find it to be very greasy (contrary to what the label says), which is okay with me.  Once I take my makeup off at the end of the day, I hop in the shower anyway, so no big deal.  Here is my main beef with this product: Just last week I started using a new *waterproof* mascara and this eye makeup remover barely does a thing as far as removing it.  In order to get it moderately off, I have to use multiple cotton squares and continuously add more and more remover and my lashes are still full of mascara.  (Note: I do shake it before each use as directed).  I feel like it isn't good to have to rub my eyes that much each night just to use this product.  I don't know if this is a bi-layer product like some other removers that separate and that's why you have to shake it, but this does not do the job.  One of the bi-layer removers I refer to is Lancome Bi-Facil eye makeup remover.  I have a little travel size bottle of that and tried that after the Alba Botanica didn't work.  The Lancome was easy breezy, so I have stopped using the Alba Botanica and switched to the Lancome.  (Note: I received the Lancome Bi-Facil as part of a gift and it is about $27 for the full size bottle, which is even more than I'm willing to pay.  I have found that Neutrogena's Oil-Free makeup remover is comparable and a lot more affordable). 

I am certainly glad I did not pay full  price for this eye makeup remover.  While I did like it at first when I wasn't using waterproof mascara, now that I am, it is pretty much useless to me.  I still like it's "green" properties, but I since the product doesn't serve its purpose, it's not enough for me to give it a positive review.  Sorry y'all.  

To see my YouTube video review of this product, please click here.

Emjoi Emagine Epilator Review

Hello all!

Today I have a review for you on the Emjoi Emagine Epilator.  One of my good friends thought I was reverting to some archaic period in time when she heard I was purchasing an epilator.  I don't consider myself to be a hairy girl, but I am very fair skinned, so when I shave, the fast regrowth is pretty noticeable.  I have spent the majority of my hair removal days shaving, but have waxed on occasion too.  I just found waxing to be too pricey, and I'm not really skilled enough to do it myself and do a good job.  I did a LOT of research on epilators before I decided on the Emjoi Emagine.  The Emjoi Emagine is one of the larger models; it has 72 tweezer heads that rotate to pick up and pluck out hair from the root.  I purchased it from Amazon.com for close to $70.00.  While I find that expensive, I figured that once I bought several packs of replacement razors or a few trips to the salon for waxing, this thing pretty much paid for itself and would inevitably save me money.  I read so many good reviews and did research on how to prepare your skin for epilation (by exfoliating!).  I thought this was going to be the end all be all to my hair removal needs.

I was super psyched when I received it and waited until after I showered and exfoliated to try it out.  I was apprehensive about the pain because in general, many people said it was quite painful.  Having had two tattoos and recently given birth, I figured it would be a walk in the park.  I was surprised at how it really was painful.  Nowhere near childbirth on my pain scale, but it made my eyes water and it wasn't something I ever really got used to.  I used the epilator on my legs, underarms and bikini line.  Holy Toledo, my first run at my underarms was AWFUL.  It hurt so bad, and the ache/sting didn't go away when I was done.  It was a good 24-48 hours before my pits felt back to normal.  But they were smooth!  To my amazement, my bikini line was the least painful area I epilated.  While I didn't expect to have 100% hair removal (I was prepared after reading reviews), I was fairly satisfied with the results.  Plus I figured it would get better the more I did it.  I did a touch-ups every couple of days and had little to no regrowth for about a week.  I have been exfoliating nearly every day during my shower to prevent ingrown hairs.  However, within the last few days the hair on my legs has started to come back with a vengeance.  My legs LOOK and FEEL terrible.  They are itchy, red, bumpy, and irritated.  I can see little black dots where the hair is trying to grow back.  Between the redness, bumps, and black, my legs look even worse than they did when I was shaving.  I am now concerned that it will take my legs a LONG time to get back to 'normal' if they do at all.  I am extremely disappointed with the results from the Emjoi Emagine Epilator.  When I did research prior to purchasing this, I did see a handful of reviewers who noted a similar [bad] experience like mine, but I figured I wouldn't end up being one of those, but naturally I did.  I have followed the instructions to a T and even taken great care in exfoliating and keeping my legs moisturized.  I can't say I did anything wrong, it just did not work for me.  Unfortunately I will be returning this item and going back to shaving with my razor.  While I won't get smooth legs for a week at a time, at least I won't have unsightly and painful legs for days on end. 

To see my YouTube video review of this item, please go here.

A picture of the irritation on my leg.  It really doesn't do it justice.