Product Review: Scentuals Pure Moroccan Argan Oil (Certified Organic and 100% Natural) - Is the cheaper Argan oil sold by drug store the same as Josie Maran's Argan Oil?

I love Joise Maran's Argan Oil but the price is quite steep compared to other argan oils available in the market.  I bought a 50 ml (1.7 oz)  Josie Maran Argan Oil costs C$58+ Tax @ Sephora while I bought a 30 ml bottle of Scentuals Pure Moroccan Argan Oil costs C$12.99 + Tax @ Price Smart.

Considering that both are 100% pure argan oil, the Scentuals Pure Moroccan Argan Oil sounds like a true winner. It is half the price! I was pretty pleased with myself. 

I was quite keen to try it out. Below are the differences between Josie Maran's (JM) Argan Oil and Scentuals (S) Pure Argan Oil:

1. Bottle design 

JM's bottle is definitely better. It has a dropper which makes it easier to extract a few drops of argan oil compared to S's bottle which I have to pour out. It is harder to control the amount that I need. I definitely end up wasting more argan oil with this bottle design. It can be pretty frustrating to get the first few drops out initially. I usually end up getting more argan oil than I need. 

A simple solution is to just buy a bottle with a dropper (which will be less than C$5) and pour the S's oil into the new bottle. Still a considerable savings!

2. Smell

Since both are 100% argan oil, I expect both to have similar smell but NO! JM has no smell but S Argan Oil has a pretty strong synthetic oil smell. It really makes me wonder if they are the same thing. As you can imagine, I cannot bring myself to put the S Argan oil on my face at all! It is that bad for me. I am not sure if the bottle I bought was a lemon but I have no intention of buying another one to try. 

3. Texture

The smell may affect my subsequent judgement but I felt that texture of the two oil are slightly different too. JM argan oil seems to have more body and S argan oil seems little more flat. It may be due to the bottle design. S argan oil certainly feels more watery than JM's.

4. Effectiveness

I did not use S's argan oil on my face since I didn't like smell. I used both argan oil on my hand. Both provided instant hydration. JM argan oil feels hydrated and light. It does not leave any sticky feeling after a minute. However, S argan oil still feels hydrated but heavy. my hand still feels sticky after 5 mins. 

Verdict

Despite the cheaper price, I will definitely buy the JM Argan oil. Even though both are essentially the same argan oil, they do not feel, smell the same. Although both are hydrating, the user experience is so much more pleasant with JM Argan oil. Let me know if you find any other cheaper argan oil than JM Argan oil and gives the same luxurious user experience. 

Product Review - Josie Maran Argan Oil, Is it better than the other Argan Oil?

I have used the Josie Maran Argan Oil from Sephora for nearly a year now. I was so excited about it during the first 2 months that I was practically telling all my friends about it. It is THAT amazing.

For those who are new Argan Oil, here is a pretty good description on what it is on the Sephora's site:


What it is:
A lightweight oil that can be used as a daily moisturizer or treatment for skin, hair, and nails.

What it does:
This 100% Pure Argan Oil is a legendary oil that's rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, and grown organically in Morocco. With its multitasking benefits, Argan Oil can be used for many areas including hydrating and nourishing skin, as a daily moisturizer, skin treatment, treating spilt ends, and softening cuticles. It's gentle enough to use on all skin types and is believed to help with skin conditions including acne. Argan Oil easily absorbs into skin to give you a youthful, dewy glow, and has astonishing healing, conditioning, and antiaging properties to keep your skin and hair nourished and revitalized and to keep you looking beautiful from head to toe.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

What else you need to know:
100% Pure Argan Oil is first cold pressed to ensure the best quality, highest-grade oil. It is housed in a recyclable glass bottle and purchased from women's cooperatives in Morocco to support their social and economic welfare. These cooperatives work within a UNESCO biosphere reserve that ensures the protection and reforestation of Argan trees.

If you want a 100% natural product with no addictives and other chemicals, THIS is IT!

It is essentially a bottle of miracle that you can use practically from head to toe. I love it especially as a lip & hair moisturizer during the winter months.

Just like many others, I have a concern if the oil will cause breakouts. During my first few weeks of using it, it did not cause any breakouts, but subsequently, I had some breakouts. I am not sure if they are because of argan oil but I would recommend to use it sparingly on the face and apply it to wet face. Now, I use it on my face, once a week instead of twice a day like I used to.

The other question I had is if Josie Maran Argan Oil is better than the other Argan oil since it is a lot more expensive than those available in drug store. I have tried 2 other brands of cheaper Argan Oil from drug stores. I could not even bring myself to continue using them after trying it a few times. Somehow, they just lack the elegance and have a somewhat oily smell. I am not sure if the bottles I bought are bad or that they are generally not of the same grade as those at Josie Maran.

I highly recommend Josie Maran Argan Oil at Sephora even if the price is higher. The quality is definitely worth it. :)

Product Review - Klorane Extra Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

You may have heard that it is not the best idea to shampoo your hair every day. Apparently, shampooing every day removes the natural oil produced by the scalp and in turn makes your scalp more active and hence makes the hair more oily.

I used to wash my hair every alternate days when I was young but I started washing my hair every day since I was a teenager because I was playing sports actively. The habit continues to adult life even though I led a much more sedentary life now. My scalp is way too oily to be washed on alternate days. 

It is with this intention that I set out to look for a dry shampoo. I searched on the internet and the stores and ended up buying the Klorane Extra Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk at Shoppers Drug Mart.

According to Klorane's website:

This product allow you to clean your hair without getting it wet. Practical and quick to use. It is ideal for people with little time and therefore unable to wash their hair. It owes its cleaning properties to an original combination of highly absorbent agents that act as truly effective sponges to soak up dirt or sebum on scalp. Hair volume and bounce is restored in just a few minutes. It is hypoallergenic.

Oat milk is used in KLORANE hair products for its softening properties.

From my experience, it is definitely easy to use. It is an aerosol spray so it is easy to distribute the dry shampoo quickly on my scalp. It smells good too. My long hair is cleaned within 5  mins.  I certainly agree that hair volume and bounce is restored in minutes. It takes me at least 5 mins to blow dry my hair.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. It is perfect to refresh your hair in between shampoos if you do not have the time. However, it is an AEROSOL spray. Thus, if you are concern about the environment and the ozone layer, then, it is probably NOT something you would like to use frequently. Do be prepared though that the it takes a bit of practice not to get the dry shampoo all over you and the bathroom when you first try it. :)

Product Review: H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Gel (Moisturizer) - Best Moisturizer in Summer!

Today I am going to do a product review on H2O+ 's Face Oasis Hydrating Gel (moisturizer)

It is mid-spring in Vancouver now but it feels like summer already. In fact, I am wearing T-shirt and shorts today.

If you have been to Vancouver, you will know how much it rains here and how happy we are when it is sunny and we tend to spend as much time as we can in the sun and that can end up pretty dehydrating. 

According to H2O+ site, The H2O+ Face Oasis hydrating gel is an oil-free moisture gel that provides deep hydration while minimizing the appearance of fine lines with phospholipids, multivitamin complex and moisturizing marine botanicals.

• Hydrating marine botanicals rapidly replenish depleted skin and fill surface lines with a surge of moisture
• Multivitamins A and E help skin resist daily damage from environmental stress
• Phospholipid microspheres -deliver time-released hydration to keep skin looking revitalized all day

It sounds very promising but I love the H2O+ Face Oasis hydrating gel especially on hot sunny days because it is a cool and refreshing gel. I can apply as much as I like, as often as possible without worrying about potential breakouts. It truly does not clog pores or cause any breakouts.

It smells refreshing in a light and non-intrusive way. No worries about the scent clashing with your perfume or other products.  My husband who refuses to use any skin care products, especially those with scent, loves it too.

The H2O+ Face Oasis hydrating gel retails for C$42. Not cheap for a 50ml/1.7 fl oz. Since both my husband and I use it twice a day, a jar usually last for around 1.5 months. In my opinion it is definitely worth it! Try it and I am sure you will not regret it!