August 5, 2012

Josie Maran Cosmetics Kit

Josie Maran Cosmetics is one of the few "high-end chic" brands that is also eco-friendly. By this, it means both the ingredients and packaging which is made of corn! The company highlights Argan Oil as the main ingredient in all of the products. I don't know how I discovered JMC, but when I did at the beginning of this year, it was a love affair that made me realize I didn't need to keep buying name brands with toxic chemicals, preservatives and icky things like parabens. Yes ladies, these are in your beauty products, and yes, they do have links to an array of health conditions.

I didn't want to dive right into buying just one product since I was new to the brand, so I got her kit. I don't believe this one is available for purchase anymore (I got it in January 2012), but the individual items are still a part of her line. This kit shows samples (and some full size items, too!) of a few of her products. The price I paid for this was around $52.
KIT CONTAINS (L to R in picture):
Argan Lip Treatment (Travel Size)
Argan Mini Color Stick in Petal Pink (Travel Size)
Argan Cleansing Oil (Travel Size)
Argan Oil
Bear Naked Wipes

Argan Lip Treatment 

I have found my lip lover. It's called JMC Argan Lip Treatment and is worth every penny. This sheer lip balm acts like a deep conditioner for your lips. Or atleast that's how mine feel after applying! Besides the Argan Oil, this is my favorite product in the kit. I think this balm is the mini size since the full size one in the store looks a little bigger, but not by much. It smells amazing, like grapefruit. It is a pastel pink color in the container, but goes on colorless. The container is made out of glass too, so no worries about BPA. I will definitely buy this when I run out, though that may be a while for now, as this little guy has been lasting me about 7 months and it just about at the half way mark (I use it almost everyday, too). This product would be even better if it was made in a chapstick type of tube. I leave this at home and use it since I can wash my hands before putting my finger in the container. I would love to use it on the go, but I want to avoid putting germy fingers in it as I go about my day.

Full size:
$18

Ingredients: Squalane, Dilinoleic Acid/ propanediol Copolymer, Oleyl Alcohol, Octododecyl Lanolate, Sucrose Polystearate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/ Hexastearate/ Hexarosinate, Microcrystalline Wax, Paraffin, Cholesteryl Hydroxystearate, Organic Argania Spinosa Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Red 7, Flavor.

Argan Mini Color Stick

I have a love-hate relationship with blushes. I love the idea and colors/textures of blushes, but since I'm fair skinned, too much blush looks overdone or like a just ran a mile. For those with fairer type of skin, apply this gently. This cream blush can be used for both cheeks and lips. It is very pigmented and a little touch is enough so you can spread it out with your fingers. This stick is a mini-size, but it's been lasting me a long time. I can't imagine how long the regular sized one would last you (0.55oz., $22). This color doesn't work that well with my skin tone, so I won't be buying this specific color again, but will test out her other colors at Sephora.

Mini size: $14
Size: .21 oz
Color: Petal Pink
Ingredients: Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil**, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Beeswax**, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter**, Copernica Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax**, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax**, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)**, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter**, Persea Gratissima (Avacado) Butter**, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate)**, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil**, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil**, Leptospermum Petersonii**, (Lemon Tea Tree) Oil**, Menthol**, Tocopherol**, Ethylhexylglycerin**, Caprylyl Glycol (and) Phenoxyethanol (and) Hexylene Glycol** May Also Contain: Mica (CI 77019)**, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)**, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)**, Carmine (CI 75470)**, Blue # 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 (CI 15850), Red 22 Lake (CI 45380), Red 27 (CI 45410), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Red 30 (CI 73360), Red 33 Lake (CI 17200), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate**, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate**. (*Organic **Natural)
 
Full size: $22
Size: .55 oz
Color: Petal Pink
Ingredients: Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil**, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Beeswax**, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter**, Copernica Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax**, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax**, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)**, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter**, Persea Gratissima (Avacado) Butter**, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate)**, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil**, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil**, Leptospermum Petersonii**, (Lemon Tea Tree) Oil**, Menthol**, Tocopherol**, Ethylhexylglycerin**, Caprylyl Glycol (and) Phenoxyethanol (and) Hexylene Glycol** May Also Contain: Mica (CI 77019)**, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)**, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)**, Carmine (CI 75470)**, Blue # 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 (CI 15850), Red 22 Lake (CI 45380), Red 27 (CI 45410), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Red 30 (CI 73360), Red 33 Lake (CI 17200), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate**, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate** (*Organic **Natural).

Argan Cleansing Oil

This stuff smells like warm citrus. I know, that sounds weird, but it's what it smells like. I like the smell and I like its purpose. Some people may be confused by the oil cleansing method, but if you do some research into it and watch videos, you'll see that it's more beneficial than you thought. The good JMC oils cancel out the bad oils in your pores. The natural oils blended in this wonderful facial wash include Argan Oil, Safflower Oil, Grapeseed oil, Grapefruit Peel Oil and Sweet Almond Oil. The consistency may be a little thick when you apply it to your face, similar to honey texture, but I usually add a few drops of water to make it more emulsifying. The point of this product is to massage into your face and then add some water while cleansing in circular motions. Do this until most of the product has become a milky lather on your skin. After you are done massaging, rinse off with water and pat dry. For many of you naturalists and DIYers, you probably have most of these oils in your cabinet like I do, so it is much more cost effective to just make your own blend than spend $32 each time you run out of it.

Full size: $32
Size: 6 oz 
Ingredients:  Argania Spinosa Kernal (Argan) Oil, Polysorbate-20, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Tocopherol.

Argan Oil 

 I love this Argan Oil. It has a light-to-none scent and spreads very easy across the face. I use it on my face and top size of my hands. This oil is said to work like an anti-aging miracle. So start while you're young ladies! I wait a few minutes for it to sink in and then apply my moisturizer on top. Its skin soaking power works AMAZING if you apply it to a towel dried face moments after stepping out of the shower when your pores are most open. Or if you just want to apply a hot, ringed towel over your face to open it up, you can do that also.  This was a full sized item (1.7 fl. oz., $48 retail). If I'm not on a budget, I'll buy it again. But I have seen a lot of other brands out on the market that sell it as low as $25 or $30 for the same size.

Full size: $48
Size: 1.7 fl. oz.
Ingredients: Argania Spinosa Kernal (Argan) Oil

Bear Naked Wipes 

 I believe this was a full size package of 30 wipes. While it smelled wonderful, like grapefruit, the wipes felt like they weren't saturated enough. I like that a portion of the amount for this particular product gets donated to help the polar bears. I think JMC needs to create a snap-close opening, so the wipes stay wetter, longer. When I used these, I felt like I had to press and rub harder than usual. My eye area was the hardest to take off, and half the time when I wiped, my eyeshadow would just smear out instead of coming right off. You would think that if these were infused with (argan) oil, it would be a gentler and easier swipe? For $12 for a 30-count package, you can find other eco-brands like Burt's Bees and Yes To that are half the price for same content count.

Full size: $12
Size: 30 wipes

Ingredients: Water/Eau (Aqua), Hexadecyl Isononanoate, Octadecyl Isononanoate, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Plant Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernal Oil, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Oil *Certified Organic Ingredient
**Natural Ingredient