Made from Earth

Ok, so you may all be wondering if I’m still here, given that I haven’t posted in a while...sorry about that. I’m still here, and I have a great brand to tell you about!

Made from Earth is an American company that makes organic skincare products. Check them out at www.madefromearth.com. They kindly sent me some of their lovely products to try. The products I tried were:

Rooibos Tea Facial Scrub

Size: 2 oz (about 57g; I had a smaller sample size)

Price: USD$24.99

Packaging: A plastic jar with a screw-on lid.

The verdict: This is a nice gentle scrub containing key ingredients jojoba beads, aloe vera, and rooibos tea. It’s detoxifying without being harsh, and it smells good too.

Pure Aloe Vera Skin Treatment

Size: 2 oz (I had a smaller sample size)

Price: $14.99

Packaging: A plastic jar with a screw-on lid.

The verdict: Soothing, moisturising, and non-greasy, containing healing ingredients including aloe vera, witch hazel, and neem . Great smell too. Very nice!

Rosehip + Hibiscus Facial Serum (pictured above)

Size: 2 oz

Price: USD$12.50 (Currently on sale from $24.99)

Packaging: A plastic bottle with a pump-top, and lid.

The verdict: This is nice and moisturising, without being greasy. Nice subtle smell. Contains hibiscus flower extract, rosehip seed oil, and glycerine, among other things. Love it!

Blueberry Organic Lip Balm with Vitamin E

Size: 0.15oz (4.25g)

Price: USD$3.99

Packaging: A windup plastic tube with a lid.

The verdict: This has a yummy but subtle taste and smell, and it’s very moisturising too, with sunflower and jojoba oils.

Citrus Fresh Organic Lip Balm with Vitamin E

Size: 0.15oz (4.25g)

Price: USD$3.99

Packaging: A windup plastic tube with a lid.

The verdict: I really like citrus scents and tastes, so loved this. It’s like a glass of orange juice in a tube! A dry-lip quenching one, that is.

I really like that there are so many great natural and organic ingredients in these products. I think it is great how much aloe vera is used in the products – very good for sensitive skin! The packaging is also really pretty. Plus, it is a cruelty free brand, which is a must for me.

To risk sounding like an infomercial, but wait, there’s more! Readers of this blog can get a 5% discount on Made from Earth products when you purchase them from www.madefromearth.com. Just enter the code 'TheMeanGreenBeautyMachine’. No minimum.

Favourite products of summer and autumn

It’s now officially winter, and I realise that I never got around to posting about my favourite product of summer. It is Karen Murrell Absolute Luxury Face Moisturiser, $45 for 50ml, available for Farmers. It’s a great light, non-greasy moisturiser. For more information, check out my review here, and http://www.karenmurrell.com/.

My favourite product of autumn is Beautiful Skin by Renee. Great for nourishing dry skin, check out my review here and http://www.beautifulskinbyrenee.com/.

A’kin PureMAN range

It’s been around for a while in Australia, but the A’kin PureMAN range has only recently arrived in New Zealand (well, recently in Wellington anyway, I can’t speak for the rest of the country). The products are:

Energising All-In-One Hair + Body Wash 150ml $20
Invigorating Daily Face Wash 125ml $27
Dual Action Face Wash + Scrub 75ml $25
Calming After Shave Balm 75ml $25
Visibly Fit 24 Hour Moisturiser 50ml $30

New Trilogy Sensitive Skin range

Trilogy have three new products designed for sensitive skin:

Very Gentle Cleansing Cream 150ml $39.90
Very Gentle Moisturising Cream 50ml $46
Very Gentle Calming Fluid 30ml $43

All three products are fragrance free, alcohol free, and have been dermatologically tested for sensitive skin.

New products from Primal Earth

NZ men’s skincare brand Primal Earth have a couple of new products:

Aloe Hydrate Facewash 125ml $11.99
Aloe Hydrate Moisturiser 50ml $17.99

Available at Foodtown, New World, and Countdown stores.

Five cult natural beauty products

There are some beauty products, including natural/organic ones, that are so popular that they have achieved ‘cult’ status. Here are five of them.

Weleda Skinfood 75g $21.90 – This is great for dry, rough skin. I like to use it on my feet.



Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm $12.95 – Super popular, and now available at Farmers as well as Kirkaldies.




Trilogy 100% Pure Certified Organic Rosehip Oil 20ml $22.90 and 45ml $38.90 – I find this great to use on dry skin and scars.





Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap 236ml $14.90 and 944ml $34.9 – This has 18 different uses. I’m not quite sure what they all are, but apparently this soap is quite the multi-tasker. Available in Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Almond, Rose, Baby Mild, Citrus, Lavender, and Tea Tree. Also, the writing on the bottles is quite interesting.


Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream 30ml $60 – An extremely popular biodynamic moisturiser.

More info on the Karen Murell range

Karen Murrell sent me her awesome new range of products in January, and I have been having fun trying them out. You may remember me

mentioning this range a few months ago. Karen launched Skinfood in 2002, and this new range late last year. The products are certified by Ecocert (the first New Zealand brand to have this certification), and the Organic Food Chain. The boxes, tubes and bottles all have the percentage of organic ingredients printed on them. The packaging is pretty cool – the boxes, bottles, and squeezy tubes are recyclable, (the boxes are made from recyclable, renewable paper using soy inks) and the lipstick and lip balm tubes are biodegradable – you bury them. That’s cool, and not something I’ve come across before. The packaging is also very stylish and eye-catching, with funky artwork on the boxes.

They are available at Farmers stores, as well as some other stores. For more information on stockists, as well as more information about the products, check out http://www.karenmurrell.com/.

I think this new range is great. It’s hard for me to pick a favourite out of all the products, but if I had to pick one, it would be the moisturiser. More on it (and all the other products) below).

Here’s the lowdown on the products:

Pure Honesty Cleansing Gel
Size: 100ml
Price: $34
Packaging: A recyclable (HDPE 2) squeezy tube inside a recyclable two-piece cardboard box.
The verdict: It’s gentle, but cleanses thoroughly. I only need to use a little bit, so I can see the tube lasting for a long time. Any skin type could use it, but it contains seaweed and witch hazel, which are both beneficial to oily and combination skin. Using it in combination with the moisturiser has helped my skin clear up (I had previously been getting a few pimples). It smells nice and fresh.

Absolute Luxury Face Moisturiser
Size: 50ml
Price: $45
Packaging: A recyclable (PETE 1) pump-top bottle inside a recyclable two-piece cardboard box.
The verdict: A nice, light moisturiser with a lovely scent. It moisturises well, but doesn’t clog pores, and I find I only need to use a small amount. I have combination skin, and it’s good to have a moisturiser that is non pore-clogging, but still, well, moisturises! It contains tamanu oil, a ‘miracle ingredient’ which accelerates new tissue growth.

Aqua River Face Cream for Men
Size: 50ml
Price: $36
Packaging: A recyclable (PETE 1) pump-top bottle inside a recyclable two-piece cardboard box.
The verdict: I gave this to my brother-in-law, and he likes it. This also contains tamanu oil.

True Miracle Intense Balm
Size: 50ml
Price: $39
Packaging: A recyclable (HDPE 2) squeezy tube inside a recyclable two-piece cardboard box.
The verdict: This is really good for dry cuticles, lips, or dry skin, really. Smells and tastes great too. Ingredients include cocoa butter.

Nature’s Essense Body Scrub
Size: 200ml
Price: $45
Packaging: A recyclable (HDPE 2) squeezy tube inside a recyclable two-piece cardboard box.
The verdict: This is a great moisturising scrub, ideal for using before applying fake tan. Contains tamanu oil, salt and oat flakes.

Moisture Stick Lip Balm
Size: 4g
Price: $24.99
Packaging: A biodegradable tube inside a recyclable two-piece cardboard box.
The verdict: A good, nourishing lip balm that smells great, thanks to the sweet orange essential oil. I find that I don’t need to apply it all that often. Contains jojoba and castor oil.

Lipstick
Size: 4g
Price: $24.99
Packaging: A biodegradable tube inside a recyclable two-piece cardboard box.
The verdict: The lipstick is available in four shades: Cordovan Natural (beige nude), pink starlet (bright pink), Red Shimmer (bright red), Violet Mousse (nudey pink). The shades are fairly matte, but the lipsticks are moisturising, including ingredients such as jojoba and castor oil. The lipsticks smell really amazing, probably due to the cinnamon oil in them. I really like all the colours, but my favourite is Violet Mousse.

I very much recommend the Karen Murrell range, it’s good to have another great New Zealand natural skincare range available.

Top ten products of 2009

I meant to post between Christmas and New Year’s, but didn’t get around to it. Hope you all had a great Christmas and Happy New Year! Anyway, these are my favourite products of 2009, in no particular order. I tried a lot of really great products, and it was difficult to narrow them down!

e.l.f Mineral Eyeshadow $12.99 – these eyeshadows are really affordable, and comes in 12 colours. I have four of these (Celebrity – shimmery pale gold, Sassy – shimmery bronze, Confident – shimmery dark brown, and Temptress – matte warm pink). These were available at Bling stores, but I’m not sure if they are stocking them anymore.


Trilogy Energising Face Lotion 100ml $46.90 – technically I bought this right at the end of last year, but never mind that. This is a light but nourishing moisturiser, and a little goes a long way. Doesn’t seem to clog pores, which is great.

Saya Body Butter 200g AUD$26.95 – Thick, rich, moisturising, smells great, and handmade in Noosa. Order from http://www.sayaskin.com/.

Aveda Lip Shine $44 – Yummy taste, moisturising, and comes in five shades.

Pai Echium Eye Cream 15ml £24 – rich, nourishing eye
cream. Order at http://www.paiskincare.com/.






Sustainable Youth® Technologies Immune Performance™ Revitalizing Serum 30ml USD$80 – Nice and light, with a yummy ginger beer scent. Order at http://www.sustainableyouthproducts.com/.

Bloom Minerals Plus Lip Butter $31 – Cute little pots of moisturising lip colour, available in eight shades. I have Natural Woman (brownish nude), and had Shiver (nudey pink), which I have now used up.




ecostore Shampoo and Conditioner for Dry and Damaged Hair 220ml $9.99 – technically two products, but let’s just forget that for the moment. They work well, are very affordable, and smell great.

Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Facial Scrub 110ml AUD$39.95 – Yummy-smelling fine-grain scrub with plantable packaging. Order from http://www.ikigai.com/.


Trilogy Botanical Moisture Masque for dry hair 95ml 29.95 – Good for a weekly treatment.

SPF 15 moisturiser from Antipodes

New from New Zealand brand Antipodes is Immortal Performance Plus SPF15, $49.90 for 50ml. It contains raspberry oil, hyaluronic acid, and vinanza grape and kiwi extracts.

Karen Murrell range

A new brand has popped up at Farmers recently – Karen Murrell. I’m not sure if this is the same Karen Murrell who founded the Skinfood brand (there is an Auckland address on the bottom of the product boxes, so it’s therefore a New Zealand brand, and could well be the same Karen), but the products look pretty good. They are:

Nature’s Essense Body Scrub 200ml $45
Pure Honesty Cleansing Gel 100ml $34
Absolute Luxury Moisturiser 50ml $45
True Miracle Moisture Balm 50ml $39
Aqua River Face Cream for Men 50ml $36
Moisture Stick Lip Balm $24.99
Lipstick in four shades $24.99

All the products are 99.5% natural, and have EcoCert certification and environmentally friendly packaging. Nice!

Juice Beauty is here!

Finally, Juice Beauty has reached New Zealand. A large amount of the range is available at Life Pharmacy stores. Brace yourself for this long list:

Antioxidant Serum 50ml $79.00
Apple Age Defying Solutions kit $89.00
Blemish Be Gone 8ml $29.00
Blemish Clearing Serum 50ml $59.00
Cleansing Gel 150ml $39.00
Cleansing Milk 150ml $39.00
Exfoliating Cleanser 100ml $39.00
Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer 50ml $89.00Green Apple Antioxidant Serum 30ml $79.00
Green Apple Cleansing Gel 100ml $45
Green Apple Extra Firming Body Moisturizer 300ml $59.00
Green Apple Hydration Mask 50ml $65.00
Green Apple Moisturiser SPF15 50ml $79.00
Green Apple Mousse Body Cleanser 280ml $55.00
Green Apple Nutrient Eye Cream 15ml $69.00
Green Apple Peel Full Strength 50ml $75.00
Green Apple Peel Sensitive 50ml $75.00
Green Apple Repair Mask 30ml $65.00
Green Apple Repair Moisturiser 50ml $79.00
Hydrating Mist 150ml $39.00
Lip Plumper 15ml $29.00
Nutrient Moisturiser 50ml $69.00
Oil-Free Moisturiser 50ml $55.00
Organics To Go Clear Skin kit $79.00
Organics To Go Kit $69.00
Smoothing Eye Concentrate 15ml $59.00
Soothing Serum 50ml $69.00

Nice! I have the Juice Beauty Tinted Lip Moisturizers (got them in Australia), which are great. These are not available over here, but I am keen to try some of the products listed above, like the Lip Plumper.

New skincare range for guys

Trilogy has a new range of skincare, Natural Actives for Men, containing pure plant oils, and zinc, copper and magnesium. The products in the range are:

Face Wash + Scrub 150ml $27 (comes with a free golf tee!)
Smooth Shave Cream 150ml $21.90
After Shave Balm 100ml $32.90
Moisturiser with SPF15 150ml $36.90

L’Occitane certified organic range

French skincare brand L’Occitane has a new skincare range that is certified organic by Ecocert, the Olive Tree Organic range. The products are:

Cleansing Foam 100ml $44
Cleansing Milk 150ml $44
Toning Face Mist 150ml $44
Moisturising Face Mask 50ml $58
Moisturising Face Lotion 30ml $65

Organic range from Pacifica Skincare

Up until recently the Pacifica Organics line has online been available on Air New Zealand planes for business premier and pacific premier class passengers (therefore only on international flights – New Zealand is too small to have business class on domestic flights – domestic flights are no more than an hour long, because we’re a small country, and our planes are pretty small too).

Ok, end of lesson on NZ. Pacifica Organics has been supplying Air New Zealand planes for the last few years (previously Living Nature products were used). Anyway, the line contains a lot of native New Zealand plant extracts such as Pohutukawa, Harekeke, Kawakawa, and Manuka Honey. The products are:

Nourishing Lip Balm 10ml $11.99
Eye Cream 20ml $34.99
Replenishing Serum 30ml $42.99
Gentle Facial Cleanser 100ml $29.99
Refreshing Toner 50ml $24.99
Hydrating Facial Day Cream 100ml $44.99
Hydrating Facial Moisturiser for Men 100ml $44.99
Nourishing Hand and Nail Cream 60ml $23.99

The range is available at Life Pharmacy stores. It looks very nice, good to see another NZ natural skincare brand on the market.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear

Sometime last year, I mentioned that Physicians Formula had a new range of organic makeup, Organic Wear, that wasn’t yet available in New Zealand. Well, it is now! I saw it at a Unichem pharmacy in Wellington, although I’m sure there are other stores which stock it also. We don’t have the full range of the Organic Wear line, but that’s ok. What’s available is:

Pressed Powder 9g $39.95, available in five shades
Loose Powder 22g $39.95, available in five shades
Matte Finishing and Bronzing Veils 9.5g $39.95, available in three shades
Bronzer 9g $39.95, available in three shades
Tinted Moisturizer 44ml $29.95, available in three shades

The pamphlet I picked up at the pharmacy also listed:

Concealer Stick, available in three shades
Eye shadow duo, available in four shades
Blush, available in five shades

I’m not sure of the prices or sizes of these products, because they weren’t available at the pharmacy. The packaging of this range is very cute and recyclable too. The products are certified organic by Ecocert. I am keen to try the tinted moisturiser.

Happy Earth Day! New skincare range for men!

Happy Earth Day!

Men’s personal care brand Zirh has a new green range, Zirh Natural. The products are free from parabens, sulfates, fragrance, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals and phtalates.

The products are:

ZIRH NATURAL FACIAL CLEANSER
RICE PROTEIN GENTLE CLEANSER (3.4 OZ/ USD$22)
Foams and gently cleanses skin to remove dirt and oil without dryness or irritation.

ZIRH NATURAL FACIAL SCRUB
JOJOBA POLISHING FACE SCRUB (3.4 OZ/ USD$22)
A nutritious blend of ingredients gently buffs dull surface skin for a smoother and brighter appearance.

ZIRH NATURAL FACIAL MOISTURIZER
DAILY FACE MOISTURIZER WITH PROTECTIVE PLANT COMPLEX (3.4 OZ/ USD$36)
Provides continuous moisture all day and restores skin tone.

ZIRH NATURAL ANTI-AGING CREAM
REGENERATIVE FACE CREAM WITH LIPO-VITAMIN COMPLEX (1.7OZ/ USD$48)
Nourishing night cream that delivers intense moisture and protection and helps regenerate and restructure damaged skin to prevent signs of aging.

ZIRH NATURAL UNDER EYE CREAM
AGE DEFYING EYE CREAM WITH BEECH BUD EXTRACT (1.0 OZ/ USD$38)
A renewing treatment that stimulates circulation and boosts protein production to help revive tired eyes.

ZIRH NATURAL SHAVE GEL
VITAMIN ENRICHED CLEAR SHAVE GEL (3.4 OZ/USD$22)
Helps smooth and calm skin while shaving to protect against razor drag, burns, nicks and cuts. Clear gel formula creates a visible surface ideal for maintaining a precise shave.

ZIRH NATURAL SHAVE CREAM
VITAMIN ENRICHED SHAVE CREAM (3.4 OZ/USD$22)
Rich cream that calms skin while shaving with soothing aloe Vera, a powerful anti-inflammatory. Creates a slick surface that allows the razor to glide easily over the skin and protect against razor drag, burns, nicks and cuts.

ZIRH NATURAL POST SHAVE BALM
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POST SHAVE SOLUTION (3.4 OZ/USD$38)
Soothes and relieves freshly shaved skin, while maintaining moisture.


Also, in conjunction with the launch of the Zirh Natural line, ZIRH will donate 5% of all online sales during the month of April to The Elephant Sanctuary – a non-profit organisation that provides a safe haven for endangered African and Asian elephants. It is located on more than 2,700 acres of land outside of Nashville, Tennessee and is home to elderly, sick, or needy elephants in need of recovery from life in circuses or zoos.

Good to see a new natural skincare range for men, and a great organisation being supported! Check out the Zirh website - http://www.zirh.com/.

Product reviews: Sustainable Youth® Technologies range

Sustainable Youth® Technologies is a new range of evidence-based organic, natural and green nutricosmetic, cosmeceutical and nutraceutical products. The company website explains everything a lot better than I am able to, so check it out: http://www.sustainableyouthproducts.com/.

Sustainable Youth® Technologies Immune Performance™ products all contain Alasta™, which is a propriety blend that contains Aloeride®. This is derived from aloe vera, and research has shown it can be a potent immune-stimulatory ingredient.

The company takes a holistic approach, healing from the inside out as well as using topical skincare. The products are free from animal-derived ingredients and animal testing, so no worries there for vegans. The people at Sustainable Youth sent me their products to try, and I am really liking them, so here are my reviews.


Immune Performance™ Elastifirm™ Supplement with Alasta™

Packaging: A small plastic jar with a plastic screw-on lid
Price: USD$65
Size: 60 capsules
Suitable for: All skin types, and the capsules are vegan also
Available at: Sustainable Youth® website
Pros: Vegan, small pills, no side effects
Cons: None

Verdict: The directions are to take one supplement in the morning and one at night. I have no trouble remembering to do this, because I already take medications at morning and night anyway, so I have been taking these regularly. They are only about a centimetre long and very easy to swallow.


Immune Performance™ Revitalizing Serum

Packaging: A plastic bottle with a pump-top and a clear plastic lid
Price: USD$80
Size: 30ml
Suitable for: All skin types:
Available at: Sustainable Youth® website
Pros: Non-greasy, smells nice, a little goes a long way

Verdict: Very nice! One of the first things I noticed was the serum smells sort of like ginger beer! It’s non-greasy and I don’t need to use too much of it, because a little goes a long way. It contains some really great natural ingredients, including Alasta™, Rice Extract, Green, and White and Rooibos Tea Extracts. I have not used a serum before and I like this one.

Immune Performance™ Elasticity Cream with Alasta™
Packaging: A plastic bottle with a pump-top and a clear plastic lid
Price: USD$80
Size: 30ml
Suitable for: All skin types:
Available at: Sustainable Youth® website
Pros: Non-greasy, nourishing, a little goes a long way
Cons: None

Verdict: Like the serum, a little goes a long way. This is a nice light moisturiser. It leaves my skin nourished, but not greasy. Makeup goes on smoothly over the top of it. I apply this after the serum. This moisturiser contains a long list of impressive natural ingredients such as Alasta™, Organic Olive Oil, Natural Jojoba Oil, Organic Sweet Almond Oil, Organic Shea Butter, and Green and White Tea Extracts.


The products are designed to be used together, and one of the first things I noticed was that my skin cleared up a lot. I had been getting a few pimples, nothing major, but still annoying. But after I started using the Sustainable Youth products, the pimples quickly went away within a few days, and my skin looks a lot better now. Also, my skin had previously been a bit dry and flaky (despite having had pimples), but it has improved a lot, and feels smooth and firm.

I am in my twenties, and I don’t have any signs of aging, but I do feel that my skin is in a better condition since I started using these products, and it definitely can’t hurt to start using anti-aging products. This is a very effective range of products, and I highly recommend them!

Stuff that smells like vanilla

Vanilla smells yummy and comforting. It’s quite a popular scent for beauty products. To name just a few:

Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream 60ml $45 – Smells amazingly yummy. Contains shea butter

Tui Vanilla Lip Balme $6.50 12g – With certified organic New Zealand beeswax

Ecostore Vanilla Soap 80g $2.50 – Affordable, lasts a while, and smells good.

Night creams

I have never used a night cream myself, but there are a lot of them, for all different skin types.

People with oily or combination skin could try Living Nature Balancing Night Gel, $65 for 50ml.

Those with normal to combination skin could use Evolu Replenishing Moisturiser Nutrient Enriched, $47 for 75ml.

Dry skin would benefit from using Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream, $42 for 60ml, Comvita Huni Every Night Moisturiser, $49 for 50ml, Living Nature Nourishing Night Cream, $65 for 50ml, or Evolu Restorative Night Treatment, $47 for 75ml (also suitable for sensitive skin).

If you are looking to combat signs of aging, try Trilogy Replenishing Night Cream $58.99 for 60g.

I just realised that all the brands I’ve mentioned are New Zealand brands. I feel so patriotic right now.

New range from Trilogy

New from Trilogy is Age Proof, a range to combat the signs of aging. The products are:

- Daily Defence Moisturiser with SPF15 50ml $52.99
- Nutrient Plus Firming Serum 30ml $45.99
- Replenishing Night Cream 60g $58.99