Review: Pleasant Earth Soap Company

Obviously, I am a huge fan of cosmetics.  Beauty products and I have shared a love affair for many years and I love introducing people to cruelty-free brands they can add to their collections.  I find it particularly enjoyable when the products happen to be made in my own backyard.  In doing my part to support local businesses, I often peruse the farmer's market and on a recent trip, I stumbled upon a wonderful little brand called Pleasant Earth Soap Company. 

Made right here in Central Florida, Pleasant Earth Soap Company offers various bar soaps, masks and facial treatments - even a gentle shampoo bar for your furry friends.  Some of the particularly noteworthy products include their bug repellant, an all natural blend of essential oils without all of the chemicals found in store bought repellants, and their fragrance-free Raw Organic Shea Butter.  I also found their coconut milk soaps in various fragrances (and fragrance-free options) to be moisturizing and soothing to sensitive skin.

I'm a sucker for facial treatments and masks, so I simply could not pass up the Dead Sea Mud Mask (sorry, it doesn't appear to be on their website at this time but you could likely contact the sellers to purchase it.)  It's thick, creamy, and free of any fragrances.  In about 10 minutes, it dries to a matte gray finish and rinses easily away. 

The Pros:

This brand is skin-loving and targeted to sensitive skin.  Most of the products offered either help with skin issues, such as eczema and psoriasis, or are free or fragrances and dyes that could irritate skin.  The Dead Sea Mask relaxes facial muscles instantly; I noticed an immediate softening of fine lines.  A bonus?  The mud naturally has some grit to it so by adding water to your palms and massaging skin while washing the mask off, you get a gentle exfoliation treatment to boot!  All of the bar soaps offered are under $5 and are 4 - 5 ounce cuts - you can afford to try different items without going broke.  Last but not least, PES Company uses earth friendly packaging options.

The Cons:

The Pleasant Earth Soap Company's website is a bit sparse where available inventory is concerned.  You may look into contacting the seller directly to find out what other products are available (for example, the dog shampoo bar I purchased at the farmer's market shop). 

If you're looking for a local, small business that supports local farmers, you will love Pleasant Earth Soap Company's soothing, mild bath offerings.

Review: Eslor Soothing Refiner & Cleanser

When it comes to facial cleansers, I might as well be Goldilocks: I can never find the cleanser that is "just right."  I consider my skin combination dry, where my cheeks can stay dry and even flaky, yet I can end up with an oil slick across my forehead.  For me, the perfect cleanser has to remove makeup, suck up the oil so I FEEL the clean, but prevent the tightness and dryness you can often get when you rinse.  Some cleansers left my skin feeling greasy, others left my skin dry and visibly tight. 

Once upon a time, there was Eslor skin care.  Created by a pharmacologist for his wife who, like me, was seeking a natural skin care line, Eslor offers aloe based products for various skin needs.  If you've checked the labels on your cleanser, you'll probably find a plethora of ingredients.  However, Eslor is being praised for what is NOT in it.  Instead of harsh cleansers like sodium lauryl sulfate, there is almond meal, earth kaolin and seaweed extract which help suck up dirt while leaving skin moisturized.  Eslor's Soothing Refiner and Cleanser draws out impurities while cleaning surface dirt away.  Aloe soothes red, irritated skin while glycerin and hops are natural moisturizers.  With only a handful of ingredients, this cleanser proves less is more.

The Pros:

Finally! I've discovered the perfect balance; my face feels clean yet very soft.  Even without immediately applying a moisturizer, this low foaming gel is a combination cleanser and toner in one step.  I've noticed my skin is smoother after about a week of use, too. There's no fragrance or dyes, so this could be an excellent option for sensitive skin.  In addition, there are no harsh cleansers, no parabens, no sodium lauryl sulfate and no sodium lauryl ethel sulfate (both rough cleansing agents.)  This is the first cleanser I have found that has actually improved my skin without any additional product use!

The Cons:

At $32 for a 2 ounce bottle, it isn't a budget-friendly option for some.  It cleans well, but may not offer enough oil control throughout the day for individuals with particularly oily skin.  Finally, because this cleanser is designed to draw out dirt and oil deep within your pores, you may notice a pimple or two in your first week or so of use.  (This is common with face masks and products with kaolin clay, which is a natural detoxifying agent that may bring impurities to the surface.)

This truly is a high quality cleanser and I can only imagine how effective it would be combined with Eslor's other skin care products.  You can receive free samples with purchase on the Eslor website and as a bonus, there are men's skin care products as well.  It's worth a look.