Product Review: Weleda Iris Moisture Cream

Because my skin was getting dry, two months ago

I switched from using aloe vera gel to using an actual moisturiser. I went for Weleda Iris Moisture Cream.

Price: $23.50

Packaging: A metal tube with a plastic screw-on lid. Comes in a cardboard box.

Size: 30ml

Suitable for: Normal to oily skin.

Available at: Health 2000, Hardy's, Commonsense Organics, Homestead Health, various pharmacies.

Pros: Non-greasy, moisturises well, good price.

Cons: Although it is affordable, you get a very small amount for your money.

Verdict: This is a nice light moisturiser, and it hasn't made me get pimples or clogged pores. I don't like to use too much of it because the tube is so small. I'm onto my second tube already - the first one lasted about a month and a half. However, using a small amount seems to work fine, so that's good. I only use it around my eyes and on dry areas at night, unless I've use a scrub and/or mask beforehand.

After-Sun Products

If you get sunburnt, one of the best things you can put on it is aloe vera. If you have your own aloe plant, squeeze some on, and if not, buy some aloe vera gel. I like Natural Instinct Pure Aloe Vera Gel, which is 98% aloe vera. It's $12 for 125ml. Sukin also makes an aloe vera gel, but I tried using this on a burn I had from the iron, and it stung because of the alcohol in it. So I prefer the Natural Instinct gel.

Also, you could try using a specific after-sun product, like Bod Frangipani, Aloe & Cucumber Body Butter, $46.50 for 470g. This is designed to cool the skin after sun exposure. Another option is Dr Hauschka After Sun Lotion, $29.50 for 100ml.

I got very mildly sunburnt when I was in Australia. Fortunately there was no pain or peeling, but the sunburnt areas got very dry and a bit flaky, so I used Ecostore Baby Nappy Balm on these areas, and it helped a lot. The nappy balm is $11.95 for 60ml, although you can get it for a few dollars cheaper than this if you buy it at a supermarket instead of at a health store or online.

Sunblock

Wearing sunscreen is majorly important. I am pretty militant about it. I live under a gigantic ozone hole (or near it anyway; I think it's directly above Antarctica), so I slather it on all year round.

It's now officially spring, so I'm wearing SPF 30. I was using Natural Instinct Natural Mineral Sunblock Cream SPF 30+, but it is quite drying. Although my skin is oily/combo, it can also dry out quite easily, and this sunscreen was also causing a dry patch/rash thing on my neck, and causing my hands to get dry, with cracks on my knuckles. However, I slathered it all over myself when I was in Australia, and it's great on everything apart from hands, face, and neck.

It costs $14.99 for 125g, $24.99 for 250g, and $35.99 for 500ml. It's the most affordable natural sunblock I've found, although it isn't really all that natural compared to a lot of other sunblocks.

So, for my face, neck and hands, I use UV Natural Sunscreen SPF 30+, $36 for 200g. Yes, it is quite expensive, but a little goes a long way. It's not drying at all. It feels very thick, greasy, and heavy, but it hasn't given me any pimples. It makes my face look all shiny when I first put it on, but that goes away after a while.
In the colder months (May, June, July, and August), I go for a lower SPF. For my face and neck, I like Weleda Edelweiss Sun Cream SPF 20, $18.90 for 50ml. Yes, Edelweiss, like the song in The Sound of Music! I get that song stuck in my head whenever I buy this sunblock. It doesn't clog my pores or make my face white; instead it gives me nice glow (but not in a tanned sort of way, obviously). It also smells great.

For the rest of me, I use the gorgeous-smelling NOM (No Ordinary Moments) SPF 15 Sunscreen, $22.90 for 177ml. This also comes in SPF 25, also 177ml, for $23.50.

I also like Alba Hawaiian Green Tea SPF 30+ Sunscreen, $20.25 for 118ml, and Alba Organic Lavender Sunscreen SPF 30, $21 for 118ml. These use chemical sun filters rather than mineral ones, but a lot of the ingredients are quite natural.

If you want a face-specific sunblock, you could try Nature's Gate Organics Advanced Care Be Solective Sunscreen For Face SPF 30, $25 for 88ml. It is a chemical rather than a physical sunblock. For a lower SPF, try Alba Facial Sunscreen SPF 20, 118ml for $21, Aveda Dual Nature Face Protection SPF 15, $59 for 50ml, or Dr Hauschka Protective Face Cream SPF 8, $54 for 30ml.

Some other options (not just for face-specific sunblocks, for sunblocks in general).

$25 and under: Alba Fragrance Free Sunscreen SPF 15 118ml $21, Alba Sports Sunscreen SPF 30+ 118ml $21

$30 and under: Soleo Organics All-Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 75g $29.95

$35 and under: Dr Hauschka Sunscreen Lotion SPF 15 Sensitive 100ml $34, Weleda Edelweiss Sun Lotion SPF 15 $34.90

$45 and under: Aveda Daily-Light Guard™ SPF 15 150ml $44

$50 and under: Dr Hauschka Sun Spray SPF 15 150ml $45.90

Back across this side of the ditch

I came back from Australia on Sunday afternoon. I had a great time over there - it was really nice weather over there, and I did a lot of fun tourist stuff, as well as a lot of shopping. I bought a LOT of natural beauty products, some of which can't be bought over here, others which are a lot cheaper over there (even taking into account the exchange rate). There a lot of brands available over there which aren't available over here. Such as:

Burt's Bees
Badger Balms
Juice Beauty
Juice Organics
Lavera
Ganache for Lips
Korres
Jurlique
Yes to Carrots
House of Herbs
Beauty and the Bees
Babies Only
Rainforest Remedies

But I'm really trying to focus on brands and products that you can get over here (and get ordered into New Zealand, although I'm not really an expert on this, as I don't tend to do online shopping), so I won't dwell on that too much. But if you do happen to be over there, keep an eye out for those brands.

Crossing the ditch

Very early tomorrow morning (6:50AM) I'm crossing the ditch (the Tasman Sea) to spend a week in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. So I won't be posting for at least a week. Hopefully it should be a lot warmer over there than it is here!

Natio Pure Mineral Makeup

A while ago, I posted about Natio Mineral Radiance. Natio has just released another mineral makeup line, Pure Mineral Makeup, which consists of:

Mineral Loose Foundation in Beach Sand, Desert Sand, and Sunset $23

Mineral Blusher in Sweet Petal $16

Mineral Sparkle Dust Eyeshadow Compact (shades are Pink, Aubergine, Copper, and White) $18

Mineral Pressed Powder Bronzer in Sunswept $23 (the same bronzer is also part of the Natio Mineral Radiance range)