iHerb.com HAUL & First Impressions

Today I received my very first order from iHerb in the mail! I ordered ten items and from what I paid, it averaged out to about $6.00CA an item.
In addition to this blog post, I've also made a vlog talking about my order, which I will add at the end of this post.

If you plan on making an order on iHerb, you can use the coupon code VDG871 to save $5-$10 off of your order!

Here's my HAUL with first impressions! :)

Now Foods, 100% Natural Coconut Oil

One of the main reasons I decided to make an order through this website was to get some coconut oil at a great price. This evening I decided to give this a try around my eye area for my eczema, and so far it seems to be working wonderfully!

Cococare, 100% Tea Tree Oil

The second main reason I wanted to make an order was to get some tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is ridiculously expensive at the drug store, and I've really been wanting to try it out for my acne and acne scars.
I used this as a spot treatment on my face this evening, and so far I love how it makes my skin feel! It's so refreshing!

Humphrey's Witch Hazel Astringent

I picked up this witch hazel astringent because I'm currently using the Dickinsons brand and I'm almost out so I wanted to give something else a try.

I really enjoyed using this product today because I found that this brand had less of an odour than the one I'm currently using.

Sierra Bees, Organic Tamanu & Tea Tree Beeswax Lip Balm with Vitamin E

Let me just say that I am IN LOVE with this lip balm. It is the best lip balm I have used in a long, long time. I'll definitely be repurchasing this one!

Hugo & Debra Naturals, Essential Mist, French Lavender

I bought this product to keep in my gym bag. I think it will be nice and refreshing post-workout. The smell is wonderful and the product is bigger than what I was expecting!

Queen Helelne, The Original Mint Julep Masque

At first I thought that this product was the same as the St. Ives face masque that I have, but once I did a comparison of the ingredients and actually tried this product, I realized that they are very different. They do smell exactly the same, but this product is much thicker and feels more cleansing on the skin.

Apparently there is a scrub that you can buy to go along with this masque, so I'll definitely have to try that out next time.

Cococare, Jojoba Oil, Natural Hair & Skin Conditioner

I decided to try some jojoba oil because I've been using the Michael Todd Jojoba Facial Scrub for a while now and it's definitely one of the best facial scrubs I've used.

I massaged this oil into my scalp before shampooing my hair today and I found it helped keep my scalp from flaking after wearing a hat. I'm pretty prone to dandruff, but so far this seems to be working well at keeping that under control.

Country Comfort, Herbal Savvy, Golden Seal-Myrrh

This is one of the products that came up on the site when I searched "eczema". It doesn't really have a smell, but so far I find it works at soothing the itch of the eczema on my hands really well. It also doesn't tingle or sting when I put it on which is really nice!

Boericke & Tafel, Sulphur 30C, 100 Tablets

This is another product that came up when I searched "eczema". These tablets are supposed to work in relieving bad eczema itch and pain - you can take up to three a day.

I haven't had the need to try these yet, but I figured they'd be good to have on hand to try when needed.

NutriBiotic, Long Lasting Deodorant Stick, Lavender

I was in the market for a new deodorant so I figured I'd just pick one up with my order. I'm not very picky when it comes to deodorant because I've never really been one to sweat much under my arms, so I can usually get away with using whatever deodorant I want. This one is lavender scented and it smells so good! I'll definitely be repurchasing this product.

Sagittarius Syd on YouTube:

*Save $5 - $10*

Coupon Code: VDG871

Quick Review: Equate Brand Facial Cleansing Towelettes

My quest for finding a "holy grail" status facial wipe has been hard. More often than not, facial wipes cause my facial eczema to break out, badly!
Sadly, this is one of those cases.

I picked up the Equate Brand Facial Cleansing Towelettes to try for a number of reasons... First, the attractive price of about $7.00 for two packs of 60 wipes. Second, it is advertised as being "for all skin types." And third, I wanted to try something new.

The first night I used these wipes I was satisfied, they removed all of my facial make-up nicely and didn't leave a residue like the Olay wipes do. Unfortunately, I woke up the next morning with my face and neck broke out in a nasty rash.

I had a similar reaction to the Balea facial wipes this past May and documented the reaction with pictures and mentioned it in one of my first YouTube videos. The reaction to the Equate wipes wasn't as severe, but it's been about three days now and my skin is still recovering.
So, if you have eczema prone facial skin, I would be weary of using these wipes.

Luckily, one of my girlfriends uses these wipes regularly so I can give them to her instead of tossing them away!

Until next time!

8 Great Products for Dry and Eczema/Acne Prone Facial Skin

Happy Thursday everyone!

Over the past couple of months I've really been sticking to a routine that I've been finding works for me when it comes to my facial skin so I figured I would share!

So, here's a list of 8 great skin-care products that I use on my face daily to keep my dry and eczema/acne prone skin at it's best...

These Quo Mini Eye-Makeup Remover Pads are something I use almost daily to remove my eye-makeup at night. My eyes are a big problem area for me because my facial eczema seems to concentrate around my eye area. These pads are great because they don't sting my skin or my eyes and they aren't harsh at all. Usually one pad per eye does the job for me. This size comes in a pack of 30.

Every night, after I've used my eye-makeup remover pads, I like to use one of these Olay Wet Cleansing Towelettes for Sensitive Skin to remove the rest of my makeup. I find these wipes are great when I use a facial cleanser afterwards, but if I use them on their own they tend to leave a sticky feel on my face. I also find that these wipes are no good for use around my eyes as they tend to sting. The main reason I've stuck with this brand of facial wipe is because others I have tried (i.e. the Balea Cleansing Cloths from Shoppers) have caused me to break out in a really bad rash. Given that Olay products have never irritated my eczema (I also use Olay products for my body skin-care) I've decided to stick with these for now as they serve their purpose well enough.

Noxzema is a classic when it comes to facial skin-care - you've probably seen it in your grandmas medicine cabinet. Nonetheless, the Noxzema Deep Cleansing Cream is a great and affordable option if you're looking for a cleanser that won't dry out your skin. I use this cleanser both in the morning and at night after using the Olay wipes. I love the cooling and calming effect of this cleanser from the eucalyptus oil. I find it keeps my skin hydrated and removed any dirt and oils from my face nicely.

Sometimes, if my skin is feeling extra dull, I'll sleep with a layer of this on my face and wake up to a super soft and smooth face!

This product is a newcomer to my routine. The Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Astringent is a great alternative astringent for people with dry skin. Basically, I bought this product because I was finding other astringents way too drying and harsh. I also didn't like the alcohol smell of other astringents. Although the smell of this astringent is strange and takes a bit of getting used to, it doesn't dry out my skin at all and I've actually noticed a big difference in how inflamed my blemishes get. I still get some blemishes, but they don't tend to be getting as swollen up or as sore since I've been using this product. I use this astringent both morning and night after my facial cleanser.

Depending on how dry my skin is on any given day I will use at least on of the above moisturizers. I tend to lean more towards the Cliniderm Soothing Cream when my skin is really dry, and the Life Brand (equivalent of Cetaphil) Moisturizing Lotion on days when I don't feel like I need as much moisture. However, I will always use the Cliniderm around my eye area in the day no matter what.

The Equate Brand Vitamin E cream is something I use mainly at night when I will use it all over my face, but I will also put an extra layer on over the Cliniderm if my Eczema happens to be flared up because I find it really helps heal it quickly.

Last, but certainly not least, is good old Vaseline - a staple in everyone's household.

I like to use Vaseline in the morning on my lips. I also like to use it at night around my eyes, on my lips, and on my nose because my nose tends to get dry and flaky. I don't find Vaseline very practical for daily use as it is thick and sticky, so I like to stick to only using it at night, with the exception of using it on my lips throughout the day.

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Thanks for reading! I hope this was informative. :)
Keep checking back for my suggested products for dry/eczema prone body skin, along with much, much more!