By Abi Mogge: Staff Writer
You know when you see someone who’s skin seems to glow from within? I always wonder if they’re dropping some serious cash on skin care products and wish I could do the same. But sometimes, the simplest formulas are the most effective. I recently started using raw Shea Butter from Cleopatra’s Choice to moisturize my face and body and I feel like I’ve found the fountain of youth. I also gave the Adovia Dead Sea Mud Soap and Mud Mask a try and was impressed by the wonderful texture of these cruelty-free products and the gentle, moisturizing effect they had on my skin.
Shea butter
Okay, so I was a little afraid of the shea butter at first. It is 100% organic, raw shea butter imported from Ghana and it has a bright yellow color and a smoky, nutty smell. You have to scrape it out and warm it up in your hands before you can rub it into your skin. It has a thick consistency and was a little sticky for about 10-20 minutes, until it fully absorbed and my skin became like butter. I’ve never used a product that moisturized this well. Because of the thick texture of the product, I like to use this at night, as a deep moisturizing treatment for my face, body, and hair. It turns out that Shea Butter has been prized for thousands of years for its moisturizing and healing properties. It is rich in Vitamins A, E, and F and can be used for healing scars, stretch marks, on sunburns and even minor cuts. There is research to suggest that it has natural sun protection properties as well. One thing I discovered during my use was that the natural yellow color of the shea butter makes it a great undereye cream, as it counteracts dark circles. You can ditch your yellow concealer, ladies! I had to really warm up the butter before gently pressing a small amount into my undereye area (don’t rub your eyes too vigorously, that skin is delicate!) and I suddenly looked more awake and refreshed, while hydrating and protecting the fine skin around my eyes.
You can also use Shea Butter on your hair, as it will provide the same moisturizing benefits. I have fine hair, so I used it as a deep overnight conditioning treatment and it worked wonderfully. Some women with thick or curly hair might find that this works great as a pomade or styling cream, but my fine locks couldn’t handle more than a teensy daytime application.
Adovia Dead Sea Mud Products
Using mineral-rich mud from the Dead Sea, the Adovia Dead Sea Mud Soap and Purifying Dead Sea Mud Mask cleanse and purify the skin without drying it out. Both the soap and the mask are enriched with 26 minerals that help to detoxify, improve circulation, and balance the moisture levels of skin.
The mud in the soap gives it a unique texture – silky smooth, but also exfoliating. It lathers well and didn’t dry out the skin on my face or body.
The purifying mud mask has the same silky texture and while it hardens like a normal mud mask, my skin never had that tight, dry feeling that is typical with these types of products. Instead, it felt soothing to my skin while still giving a noticeable deep cleaning. The mask also uses Vitamin C, Aloe Vera, Jojoba and Evening Primrose Oil in its formula to moisturize while purifying. Its perfect for oily or acne-prone skin that still needs moisture.
All three of these products are available online at Cleopatra’s Choice.
Abi
