Review: Boots Botanics Skincare Line

I like to think of myself as a bit of an environmentalist/health nut. I'm always looking for more Eco friendly and organic products that don't have a ton of harsh chemicals. I've used a few different "natural" skincare products (brands like Yes to, Burt's Bees, Shea Moisture, and Neutrogena Naturals) before, but so far I haven't been all that impressed. My local Target carries the Boots Botanics products and I have always been curious to try them, but only now have I finally mustered up the courage. I am currently using three products from the line: the Shine Away Mattifying Toner, the Conditioning Clay Mask, and the Age Defense Hydrating Eye Cream.

The toner claims to mattify the skin, tighten pores, and remove excess oil and makeup. It has a powder that sits at the bottom of the bottle that needs to be shaken up before you apply it to your face with a cotton ball. It is designed for oily or combination skin and contains willow bark, which is a natural source of salicylic acid to clarify the skin and combat breakouts. I love the claims of this toner, and though I have not noticed a difference in the number of blemishes on my face, the toner does indeed mattify my skin and tighten my pores. If you have dry skin it may be too drying, but for my oily skin it is perfect. It isn't as "wet" as I would like a toner to be (I feel like I need to use a lot to spread it all over my face), but it works non the less. You get 8.4 oz for about 8 bucks at Target.

I have only used the mask one time, but that is all it took for me to fall in love with it. It says that it can be used on all skin types and I do believe it can, because though it sucked the impurities out of my pores, it did NOT dry my skin out. Its not too thick and is easy to spread on your face. It drys to a lighter color and after keeping it on for about 10-15 minutes you can see the little spots where it has drawn the oil out of your pores. I absolutely love this mask and I recommend it to anyone, no matter what your skin type. It costs about 10 dollars for 3.3 oz of product at Target.

And last but certainly not least, the eye cream. I won't bore you with the details, I LOVE this eye cream. I have been applying it every morning and night since I purchased it. It is lightweight, hydrating (as the name says), and comes in a very hygienic squeeze tube. One thing I really love about this eye cream is that it doesn't irritate my eye area. I've only tried one other eye cream (Garnier Ultra-Lift Ani-Wrinkle Firming Eye Cream) and that stuff irritated my eyes like no other. My eye area was itchy and dry and peely and pretty much the complete opposite of what I wanted it to be. So after having a pretty bad reaction to eye cream I didn't try one for a while, but I'm really glad I tried this one. Oh yes and we can't forget the fact that it has diminished my fine lines. If you're in the market for a new eye cream, or are looking to try one for the first time, GET THIS. It is about 14 dollars for 0.5 oz at Target. Seems a bit pricey for a drugstore eye cream, but it is worth it.

What's the difference?: L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm vs. Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque

Both of these hair masks/deep conditioners have received quite a bit of hype and, given that I have dry hair, I bought into it. I tried the Macadamia masque first and I fell in love. It took me a while to finally buy it because it’s freaken 30 bucks for a deep conditioner! These are the moments in life when I ask myself what exactly my priorities are lol. All jokes aside though, it is indeed a great hair mask. It smells divine and it does moisturize and nourish my hair, leaving it softer and silkier. The only downfall for me was the price. I was so in love with how it worked I thought to myself, “There has to be a cheaper alternative that’s just as amazing. There always is right?” Whenever I find a wonderful (overpriced) high end item that works for me I make it a goal to find something more affordable (and reasonable) that works just as good. The L’Oreal Damage-Erasing balm is exactly that. This stuff feels like butter in your hands (and kinda looks like it to). It saturates the hair and doesn’t just slide off like some conditioners can do. It also smells good and leaves my hair feeling more nourished after using it. No to mention it’s less than half the price of the Macadamia hair mask. The Macadamia hair mask goes for about $33 at ULTA while the L’Oreal one goes for about $5-$7 depending on where you buy it. That’s a steal no matter who you are or where you’re from. I love both of these hair masks, but given the choice again I would save my money and go for the L’Oreal one.