Review: Leyende Organic Products

Several months ago, I bought some products from Leyende and promised to write a review after I tried them. Although I wanted to make sure that I used them long enough before giving a non-biased opinion, this is quite a long-overdue post. Some readers have been asking for my verdict on their products, so here goes:

Being an organics junkie, Leyende was among the first local organics manufacturers that I ordered from. Their atttractive website layout and cute packaging lured me into buying. The humorous names of their product arrays likewise grabbed my attention.  The idea of paying through paypal made deciding to buy online a lot easier, although I ended up paying through gcash because at that time, they were having problems with their paypal account. I got 4 products that were neatly packed using environmentally-friendly materials.

1. Place In The Sun Face Sunblock SPF 30

Ingredients:

deionized aqua, infusion of rosemary and calendula (marigold), organic shea butter, organic sweet almond oil, virgin coconut oil, tinosorb, vit. E, vit. C, vit. B3, organic calendula & aloe extract, grapeseed extract

Strong Points:

This has got to be one of the best sunblocks I used. They say regular application of sunblock is one big favor you can do for your skin, but I say that using an organic variety is one of the healthiest investments you can ever make. There are no harmful preservatives to worry about  and  its lightweight creamy consistency makes it easy to apply to the skin.  It is quickly absorbed, with no sticky or greasy feel afterwards, and it doesn't cause breakouts, either. This odorless sunblock is a winner for  for people with sensitive skin and those who dislike annoying scents in cosmetics. The SPF 30 affords enough protection when you're going out.

Weak Points:

The price- it sells for Php400 or US $15 (for international customers) per 50ml tube. Not bad for its quality, organic nature, and the fact that it will last you for a long time, but somehow its cost makes me wish that Human Heart Nature (a local organic brand  known for its affordable prices) will have its own line of sunblock.

2. Kiss Kiss Balm



Ingredients:

grade a beeswax from ethical apiaries, organic calendula extract, organic sunflower oil, natural plant coloring: alkanet root, spirulina, orris root

Strong Points:

Their highly-emolient formulation of lip balm is one of my best defenses against dry lips. I think the pink variant I got is Froyo, which has the scent of berry yoghurt .  I can't say it has solved my perennial problem of dry,cracking lips but it does help lessen the problem. If you have issues with petroleum-based lip products, this will be your ally, because this works just as well, minus the petroleum. It can also act as moisturizer for cuticles, as well as a skin-protecting balm for burns and cuts.  Despite that it has 7 been months after I opened it, and  considering that it doesn't contain preservatives found in non-organic lip products, it is still intact with no signs of deterioration- .  A Php200 15 g jar will sure go a long, long way.

Weak Points:

It has quite a perfumy -lip balm smell that I find weird- it's like dabbing berry perfume on my lips. The breakable jar will not be convenient to carry around your purse, so most likely it will stay home and be part of your morning rituals instead of being a handy beauty arsenal brought everywhere. It has a glossy finish which is ok with women, but men with chapped lips will not like this for a remedy, unless they want their shiny puckers to announce to the world that they're wearing lip balm .

3. Face Canvas

Ingredients:

organic sweet almond oil, ylang-ylang infusion, organic mango butter, grade a beeswax, deionized water, virgin coconut oil, soy lecithin, organic carrot extract, vit. e., organic vanilla oil

Among the 4 Leyende products I bought, this was the first to go, not only because it was just  a mini 10g jar preparation, but because I always looked forward to applying this primer on my face. The milky-cocoa  scent is addicting, it's like feeding your skin with a yummy champorado (chocolate porridge). It's supposed to have mango butter but I don't know why it smells more chocolatey than mango-floatey to me. It's an organic alternative to silicone-based makeup primers  that aims to provide a smooth base and to control the oiliness of the face. Being a walking oil mine,  it helped my makeup last longer, its oil control is ok,  but not on a rave-worthy level. I think I paid more attention to its scent than its oil-control properties. I liked topping it off with my favorite mineral makeup powder and I can go to work reveling in the lightness and smoothness of my skin, as if I had no makeup on. The hydrating property and creamy consistency of this primer needs no addition of a moisturizer to your regimen, as this acts as a moisturizer and primer in one. This usually comes in 60g jar that costs Php450 or $15, which is reasonable enough for me.

Weak Points:

This is obviously something I really loved, so I can't think of any of its downside, except maybe that its scent can make you hungry.

4. Clean Slate

Ingredients:

grade a royal jelly, honey, beeswax, goat or soy milk, organic pineapple extract, ylang-ylang infusion, oat extract, a-tocopherol (vitamin E), grapeseed extract, organic coconut extract

Like the Face Canvas, the Clean Slate has a delicious scent that has the tendency to get you hungry. This vanilla- scented skin treat  multi-tasks as a facial wash, makeup remover and toner.   The royal jelly base allows thorough cleansing without drying, the pineapple extract acts as a toner, while the wild Philippine Ylang-Ylang infusion contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.  The skin looks and feels clean after using this as a facial wash, although I'm not used to non-sudsy facial cleansers.  As a makeup remover, it can be likened be Pond's cold cream, but I still turn to my regular makeup removers for hard to erase eye makeups.

Weak Points:

It feels slippery on the skin even after rinsing, but is solved after patting the skin off gently with a towel. I used a product very similar to this one before which was given as a freebie by Luminare and was sold at a much cheaper price (less than Php 100 for a 50ml bottle). It got me wondering if the ingredients are the same coz the Php 350 /$12 price of a 100ml Clean Slate tube makes me want to ask Luminare for a truckload of that freebie. But then again, Leyende products are packaged differently. The brand has a classy appeal  and takes conscious efforts in ensuring the quality of their products. And did I mention that they had excellent customer service and quick shipping?

Leyende organic skin care products are available online at http://www.leyende.com/.

No More Bad Hair Day

One of our readers, Bianca/Sunmom, named a few local manufacturers of organic beauty products in a previous blog post on organics. Human Heart Nature was one of them, thus I researched about it immediately. Surprisingly, upon browsing the goods on the Human Heart Nature website, I noticed  that the prices are very reasonable. Knowing organics, they usually come at a price, but their company proves it otherwise.

Unlike other local online stores that require going to the bank or Globe outlet to transfer payment, the Human Heart Nature online shop conveniently accepts credit cards. Being a supporter of organic products, I took advantage of the affordable prices and purchased some items including the Hair Mask- Intensive Gugo Bark and Avocado (Php 84.75) and the Hair Styling Cream- Acapulco and Mango Butter (Php 89.75).

Hair Mask-Intensive Gugo Bark and Avocado

After shampoo, the Hair Mask is to be left for 30 mins before rinsing. It is said to have strengthening, nourishing and moisturizing properties, boosted with Vitamin E and B complex. The Omega-3 in Avocado helps in restoring moisture and elasticity while the Gugo Bark, a time-tested natural hair enhancer that our grandmothers swear by, nourishes and minimizes hair loss. The addition of organic virgin coconut oil adds shine to worn-out locks.

The ingredients are as follows:

Water, cetrimonium chloride (from palm/vegetable oil), cetyl alcohol (from coconut), organic Entada Phaseoloides (Gugo Bark) extract, organic Persea Americana (Avocado) oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, natural honey extract,  Rosemary fragrance oil, gluconolactone (natural preservative), Rosemary essential oil, tocopherol (Vitamin E), Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Peppermint essential oil, citric acid, and sodium benzoate.

The peppermint oil makes it a cool and fragrant bath essential that you would want to use often. It is just as effective as hair spas or intensive damage control conditioners sold at department stores, minus the harsh chemicals.

Hair Styling Cream- Acapulco and Mango Butter

I say this is the bomb! This has light to medium hold that affords a great hairstyle without leaving nasty residues. After bath, I apply it on my hair that has been ravaged by regular rebond. As I mentioned before, my hair has frizzy strands that looks fried by the bathroom lights and it isn't easily solved by my usual leave-on conditioners or hair cuticle coats that come with a greasy feel. It had to take an organic hairstyling product to tame my damaged locks.

At first, I dampened my hair with the cream a little too much that throughout the day, I sported a wet-look as though I've been out playing in the rain. By wet, I mean water-wet and not the oil spill kind.  I learned that it only took a little amount to get it working. Noticeably, the frizz were gone and my hair was more manageable without being oily.  The effects are even more remarkable when I use it after the Hair Mask which I don't apply on a daily basis because I'm scrimping and I can't wait for 30 minutes before rinsing it every time.

It contains the following organic ingredients:

mango oil, vegetable-derived cetyl alcohol, mango butter, purified water, Philippine carrageenan, acapulco extract, natural vitamin E,  and peppermint fragrance oil.

On my next order, I'd like to try their organic shampoos and conditioners. For something that you apply daily, wouldn't it give you some peace of mind if you know that you're using products that are environmentally-friendly and healthy? Human Nature's price is not a prohibiting factor so I expect more people turning to organic products eventually. Hopefully, more Filipino companies would take after the example of Human heart nature and offer quality products from natural resources found locally.

Human Heart Nature has a satellite office in La Palma, California. Readers from the USA can order online from the Human Heart Nature US website.

Leyende Loot

After posting about organic products a week ago, I was prompted to order from Leyende, a leading local manufacturer of organic skin care products. Positive things have been said about their goods that I decided to try it out as part of my plan to take the organic route to beauty.

My orders arrived today and I made sure I took pictures for future reviews. I chose the  Apt Pupil Face Kit With Lip Balm Set containing the 50 ml Clean Slate, 10g mini Face Canvas and 15g Kiss Kiss Balm Balm, wrapped in a recyclable box with a cute silver ribbon bearing the name Leyende.  I also picked  the Place in the Sun Face Sunblock SPF 30.  I must say they make good Christmas presents.

After enough time for testing, I will make a review on my purchase. So far, I'm liking the effects of the lip balm. Will it be good enough to be my next favorite beauty buy? Find out my verdict  in the coming weeks!

Organic Body Products

Health-conscious beauty advocates would tell you to think twice about splurging on a product which may not be good for you in the long run. Potentially toxic preservatives could be a threat, especially for those who have delicate health issues. As a cancer survivor myself, I've been told the same thing by my alternative medicine doctor. Since she knew that beauty is one of the things that motivates me to keep living, I was advised to examine the body products I use for primping up.

Organic products are the healthier alternatives because  they do not contain the red flag ingredients that can possibly reprogram one's body circuits. Although mainstream merchandises are the cheaper and more accessible options, organic goods are understandably priced  a little higher because of the extra time and effort needed to come up with a safe and quality product.  In addition, the ingredients of the organic variety are doubly difficult to cultivate without the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals, hence requiring additional investments.

Instead of the ordinary lotion sold in supermarkets, you can always slather on a botanical body butter which is the safer way to moisturize your skin. An example is the HotHouse Botanicals Bergamot/Ylang-Ylang Body butter which is on sale at 20% off until November 20. Its special organic ingredients of Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, and Rose Hip Oil aid in reviving severely dry or cracked skin. The less than 1% preservative used contains no formaldehyde or parabens, a notorious ingredient that has been associated with breast cancer.

If bathing in the relaxing scent of Vanilla is your thing, you might as well enjoy the benefits of Dead Sea bath salts which are rich in minerals to relieve muscle pains and dry skin, combined with soothing aroma to make bath time a blissful experience. Just dissolve a handful into warm bathwater and soak yourself in it for 20 to 30 minutes.

Whatever organic product you decide to splurge on, be sure to check the ingredients and see if they came from licensed suppliers. With the rising popularity of healthy alternatives, it would be wise to protect yourself from manufacturers that cash in on products that are falsely claimed to be organic.