Iherb Haul | Skincare, Makeup, Health, Supplements

I haven't done an iHerb haul in quite a while but I thought I'd share my latest purchases as some are my holy grail products and others are new to me, and some of them may interest you, too.

As always, I will share links to products if you'd like to get more information or purchase them yourself. Note: I don't share the prices because they are forever changing.

Health

Madre Labs CocoCeps Organic Cocoa Beverage
This is my absolute favourite unsweetened cocoa powder which I use to make my morning smoothies. It's not only organic but it contains immune-boosting Cordyceps and Reishi mushroom powders. I have a really bad aversion to mushrooms, so this is one way that I can get the health benefits without having to eat mushrooms. NO, you cannot taste them. I add this to unsweetened cashew milk, with some stevia, and whey protein powder.

CocoCeps is a Premium, Certified Organic, 100% Natural (Non-Alkalized) Dark Cocoa Beverage, containing a Full-Spectrum Blend of Micronized Cordyceps and Reishi Mushrooms. This innovative Cocoa Blend from Madre Labs is the first to use MicroFungi – micronized mushroom powders, specially processed to greatly reduce particle size and assist with bioavailability.

Now Foods Glycine Pure Powder
Glycine is an amino acid. It provides neurotransmitter support and promotes restful sleep. I have chronic and severe insomnia, so I'm always looking for new products to try as my body seems to get used to most products that work for me, so I'm constantly having to switch things up. I have high hopes for this product and it's easy to take. Just mix a teaspoon of this powder in water and drink. There are over 150 servings in this bottle!

Glycine is the smallest and simplest amino acid, making it versatile for use in a wide range of functions. Glycine is necessary for the production of glutathione, DNA, creatine, bile, hemoglobin, and most proteins. It also helps to promote glycogen storage, thereby making glucose readily available for energy production. Glycine also functions as a calming neurotransmitter in the brain, where it facilitates nerve impulses and is important for the maintenance of healthy sleep patterns.

Jarrow Max DHA Fish Oil
This is my favourite fish oil. I've tried others but I always go back to this one. As the name implies, it has a high dose of DHA. The capsules are small and easy to take. I only take one a day so this is a 3 months supply for me. And, no fishy burps or after taste from this one.

DHA is the predominant fatty acid in the brain, nervous system and retina of humans. DHA is important for fetal and infantile neurological development. DHA also supports neurological function in seniors.

Nature's Bounty Sublingual B Complex
This is another new product for me. I'm excited to try it as it has great reviews on iHerb. I was looking to repurchase my Now Foods B12 (which I take because I rarely eat meat), and while searching on iHerb's website, I came across this product. It has the B12 that I was after but in addition to that, it contains B2, Niacin, B6, and Pantothenic Acid.

This liquid provides an excellent source of B-Complex vitamins to help safeguard a sufficient daily intake. The B-Complex is essential for the maintenance of healthy nervous tissue. The B Vitamins play a role in energy metabolism in the body.

Beauty

George's Always Active Aloe Vera Mist
This is another staple in my beauty arsenal. I will never be without it. I use it after cleansing my skin and in between layering all of my skincare. I also use it to set my makeup or if my makeup is a little too powdery. It's very hydrating, all natural, and has the most beautiful fine mist. This bottle lasts forever, too!

Ingredients: 100% "always active" aloe vera distillate

Elf Perfect Finish HD Powder
This is another new product that I'll be testing out. I've heard great things about it and that it may be comparable to It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Powder at a fraction of the price. It's supposed to blur imperfections and it is only $6! It's also cruelty-free! Elf Cosmetics has some real winning products in their lineup, hopefully, this will be one of them. I will do a full review once I've tested it out for at least a week.

Versatile, translucent pressed finishing powder helps set makeup, reduce shine and slightly mattify skin. Microfine particles help fill in fine lines and blur imperfections to create a "soft focus" effect on the skin. Designed to be used with high-definition camera technology but also perfect for everyday wear.

You can get 5% off of your entire order at iHerb with this link. Or just apply code AGU725 to your order during the checkout process. 

Note: iHerb is offering free shipping to Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand right now for orders over $40USD. Ends Dec 31st 10am pst.

This post is not sponsored. some links are referral links. Thank you in advance if you choose to use them.

Product Empties #2: Makeup, Beauty, Skincare, Health with #reviews

My last empties post was back in April so I've collected quite a few more empties to post and review since then. Many products were close to being finished so I focused on using them up so I could move on to other products. Some are my holy grail products that I always repurchase and others were new to me. Many of my products that didn't make it to an empties post wound up in my Makeup Graveyard post.

Sometimes I feel like a beauty products hoarder, but the truth is that companies are coming out with new products with claims of the latest and greatest technologies at a pace that's impossible to keep up with. And, let's face it, if you love health and beauty products like I do, we're always looking for the latest and greatest in hopes of finding our new holy grail products!

Hair

- Giovanni 2chic Avocado & Olive Oil Ultra-Moist Shampoo for Dry Damaged Hair-  I always look for sulfate free shampoos because I colour my hair. This one is sulfate free and still lathered really well. It has a soft, slightly perfume-y scent that I didn't mind. It worked well but I have my sights set on some other products from this line and also have many others to finish before I even consider repurchasing this one.

-Giovanni 2chic Avocado & Olive Oil Ultra-Moist Conditioner for Dry Damaged Hair- I liked this conditioner, it did the job. I did seem to have less breakage and I like that it's more natural but it seemed fairly basic and I would like to be wowed by my next conditioner! Plus, I would like to try some newer products within this line. I have pretty difficult to deal with hair. 

- Garnier Fructis Style Curl Calm Down Anti-Frizz Cream- I have fine, frizzy and naturally curly hair. This cream did a fairly good job at taming the frizz but I have moved on to more natural oils for my hair that I feel are better for the health of my hair.

Cosmetics

-Elf Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara- This is a repurchase and I will continue to repurchase. I only use this to tame my brows and keep them in place and it does just that. I use both sides of the tube for my brows only. It's so inexpensive at $1.99!

-Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer in Passion Plum- I swear I wore this on my toes for about 10 years it seems! I can't believe I finally finished it. It was such a deep plum it looked black. I will find a new replacement. These colours are easy to dupe these days.

-Jordana Eye Primer- I didn't get to finish this before it dried up but I did use it for a year or two and hit pan. It was a great eye base for only $2! I would repurchase if I ever get through some others I am working on now.

-Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia- This was OK, the lasting time was just mediocre. I would not repurchase as I would prefer lip products that I don't have to stick my finger in.

-Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm in Light/Medium- This had decent coverage and I liked that it had SPF 30. It says it hydrates all day and I would not agree with this, I definitely needed a good moisturizer underneath and I have combo/oily skin.  I would not repurchase as I am constantly trying out new BB creams and have found others I like better (currently, Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB cream).

Face and Body

-Retin-A Micro (Tretinoin gel) 0.04%- Retin-A is a prescription here in Canada and luckily it's covered under our medical plan. I have been using this for well over a year (maybe 2) and it's a very gentle formula. I've never had any irritation with it but I'm not noticing any more improvements in my skin so I might need to go up in strength.

-Reviva Labs Elastin & Collagen Skin Toner- This is a total holy grail for me! I use other toners as well but this is the one I go to at night. It is the most gentle toner I've ever used! It's very soothing and doesn't cause breakouts or any irritation. It says for dry skin but I have combo/oily and I love it! I do decant it into a glass bottle with a pump from an old toner that I had. Definite repurchase.

-Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Miracle Dry Oil, For Hair, Face and Body- I only used this product on my body so I can't say how well it works as a face or hair oil. I sprayed it on my body after a bath or shower when still damp, this way the product is absorbed better. Miracle Oil? Not so much. There was nothing miraculous about it! In fact, it left my legs dry and scaly and I've never had a problem with that before. I will not repurchase, however, I will re-purpose this bottle and fill it with my Organic Sesame oil that doesn't have any other ingredients and hydrates well.

Health

- Now Foods, Xyli White Cinnafresh Toothpaste- I've been using this toothpaste for years and my dental checkups have really improved for the better since then. I will definitely continue to repurchase this product. I am currently trying out their Neem/ Xyliwhite toothpaste from the same line. Note: it comes in mint flavours for those who don't like cinnamon.

-Jarrow Curcumin Phytosome with Meriva- I've been taking curcumin for quite some time. It's a wonderful antioxidant with an army of purported health benefits. I was mainly taking it as a preventative measure but after I ran out of it and decided not to repurchase, I suddenly gained 5 pounds in a month without changing anything else. I was trying to think of what I had done differently since gaining the weight and the only thing I could think of was that I had stopped the curcumin. I didn't think that would be the cause of the weight gain because I didn't recall reading about curcumin as an aid in maintaining or losing weight. So, I decided to google curcumin and weight and numerous articles came up about how it helps with maintaining blood sugar and weight (especially the excess weight around the abdomen area.) I quickly re-ordered my curcumin and I'm happily fitting into my jeans again! I wont be without this.

So that's it for my empties for a while I think. I'm currently working on my ridiculous amount of samples that I've collected while I was working on my full-size products. I intend to have some fun testing out all the samples and posting about them with some quick reviews.

Have you found any new holy grail products lately? I'd love any suggestions. Still on that hunt!

 Amy