In today’s Reader Mail:
Do you know anything about Arbonne skincare products? I moved to Florida a few years ago and the humidity made my skin change so much that the cleanser I was using (Cetaphil, which I loved) no longer kept me from breaking out. I tried a dermatologist, then Clinique, and neither worked very well. A friend suggested Arbonne and it has worked really well.
My problems are the cost and the packaging! The cost is obvious—the products are expensive and I wonder if I can find comparable cleansers, toners, and moisturizers that aren’t as expensive. The packaging is completely ridiculous. I ordered a few things recently, including a lip gloss, and the lip gloss was shipped, by itself, in a huge box filled with bubble wrap. I’m trying to be more aware of my impact on the environment, and this really bugs me.
Any advice you have is much appreciated. I’m especially interested in finding out if brands like Kiehls or Philosophy (the set recommended last week looks great) are similar. I’d like to spend less money, but I really, really want to use products I can buy in a store so I’m not wasting all that packaging.
Thanks!
A.
Oh! Tragically, we do not. We do know about that Philosophy kit, and we love it, and their Hope in a Jar is our favorite moisturizer ever. As for their packaging—well, that kit seems a bit over-packaged, but we can vouch for the products themselves. Anyone out there with some information for our friend A. here?
Above: Arbonne Intelligence Exfoliating Mask, $32
I really don’t know if this will help at all, but my skin is extremely sensitive and prone to break-outs, especially in humidity. I use the Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser face wash – it’s very mild and doubles as a make-up remover, so I don’t need to add some extra cleanser to get the gunk off my face (it’s a pale blue bottle and under $8). I also use the Body Shop’s Tea Tree Oil exfoliating face scrub twice a week, which has definitely helped lower the number of break-outs I’ve been getting.
The Neutrogena you can obviously get in any drugstore. The Body Shop tends to package things in small boxes and group your order all together, thus cutting down on packaging. Or, you can find a Body Shop store near you and cut out the shipping altogether.
Thanks for the great question and emphasis on reducing our impact on the environment! I hope this helps.
I lived in Florida my entire life before moving north, and can attest to how it breeds problem skin. I use the Biore Ice Cleanser. It feels especially nice on those ridiculously HOT Florida days, when you wake up and it’s already 90 outside.
The Body Shop is excellent, and always environmentally friendly–and their Tea Tree line has made my skin improve so much. I recommend the Matte Moisturizer–it’s great to not make it appear as though you’ve been sweating since you stepped outside (even though you have been) and it absorbs the oil you’re producing, so it’s not just sitting on your face all day, making you break out.
Hope this helps! Florida! yay!
Has anybody tried Lumene products? It’s a Finnish line, and they have different product categories divided by age range and/or skin type. I had some good luck with the Vitamin C products, which made my skin feel nice and soft. (They also have an eye cream with sunblock, which is hard to find, but necessary.)
I think the only place to buy it in the U.S. is CVS drugstores (or CVS.com). Prices are comparable to Roc, L’Oreal, etc., and they usually have a few products in travel sizes for $2 or $3 so you can try them out (and CVS often has some kind of special running as well). Packaging is typical: many items just in their own containers, and some also in a box. No animal testing.
This page gives you a good overview of the line: http://lumene.com/sitemap
I will chime in about Arbonne. A friend of mine started selling the stuff and hounded me into having a party. So of course, as these things go, I ended up with a lot of stuff for not much money. I think I tried a wide variety of the line and I was meh about it. It didn’t hurt my skin but for the money, I am just as happy with C&O Bigelowe stuff I just got from Bath and Body.
I am surprised about the ridiculous packaging though – one of the things I liked about the company was that their stuff was all natural, free of crap, not tested on animals and printed with vegetable dye, etc. SO it is depressing that they can’t translate that into shipping for the environment.
So – in a nutshell – I would not pay full price for it. And if I really loved it – I would have. If you really love it, find a person who sells it, host a party and get a bunch of stuff for free! The party was actually lots of fun…
Have to add about Lumene, but a totally different climate (dry and cold cold cold). I purchased a moisturizer to use on my cheeks last summer. I was having a problem with combo skin, forehead, nose and chin really oily, but cheeks super dry, red, and flaky. I was using neutragena moisturizer for combo skin and putting this lumene night time couperosa something or other on my cheeks and it kinda worked. Then comes the winter. Now I am peeling everywhere and nothing is really helping. Finally I just slathered on that lumene moisturizer all over my face. I have been doing that night and day for the past few weeks and it is WORKING. It hasn’t made me break out. It has reduced some of the redness in my cheeks. My skin feels a lot smoother and isn’t all irritated like before.
Have any of you looked on Makeup Alley or The Beauty Brains? Those websites can be good for this kind of question, esp. when it’s something so specific like this product. I am trying a dermatologist regimen for the first time in years so I would be no help (week two – skin sill a disaster).
Thanks to all for your helpful comments and suggestions. I’m going to use up the Arbonne stuff I have and then try some of these. I also read about a book called “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me” by Paula Begoun, which looks really interesting, so I’m going to check it out.
By the way, years ago I bought a book called, “Treat Your Face Like a Salad” (horrible title, I know!) by Julia M. Busch. It’s all about how to make your own skin care using essential oils, vegetables, fruits, etc. It’s really pretty cool — talk about all natural, inexpensive, no animal testing, no packaging at all, and as I recall, it wasn’t difficult to do. But, as is typical, I did it for awhile and then gave in to the super easy way, which is to pay too much money for over-processed, over-packaged, over-priced store products.
I use the philosopy stuff and love it. Earlier this month, i decided i wanted to try someting new, and happened to be at aveda, and got some of thier stuff that a profile “recommended” for me. their products made my face so greasy, i couldn’t stand it. I have the bag in the car to return next time i am out that way. So, i reorderd my hope in a jar, which i just love. I order from skinstore.com, they have free shipping, and the products are shipped fast, never more than about 3 days. and, i am completely happy being back to my old routine, and my face is back to normal! i live in mississippi, and humidity is a problem here too.
Hi all,
I am an Arbonne consultant who lives in Whitehouse Station, NJ. I am happy you love the Arbonne products but am curious to know if you are aware that you can get a Consultant ID to shop Arbonne for 35% off their products. I agree about the “overpackaging” but I will tell you that Arbonne is an otherwise extemely green company and is a very environmentally conscious company. Some times they do ship in a large box, can’t offer a reason why, but if you do love the prodcuts, stick with what works and do what I do – recycle the packaging for use in my own home, or otherwise. You can contact me via my website http://luvyourskin2.myarbonne.com I’d love to help you get that discount!!!
I live in NY (Long island)I also recently became an Arbonne Independent Consultant and was very skeptical at first. What I like is that I was able to try the products first (through another consultant)and that there is a 45 day money back guarantee. My skin has never looked better. I have to admit that I do not usually buy skincare from a supermarket or drugstore, but in spas or salons.
A lot of people are under the misconception that the products are more expensive than others. I did a lot of research and the prices are comparable to similar products out there. Their anti-aging line is the most expensive but it is great and even Oil of Olay anti aging products are expensive.
Also as the previous post says, for only $29.00 you can receive 35% off the retail price of all products you buy for a year (renew for $15 per year) About 3 months ago I purchased makeup and skin care from the makeup artist at the salon I frequent that had her own name on it -I spent $400! I then found out from a friend that those types of products are purchased from some warehouse for a minimal cost – a few dollars each. I would much rather purchase from a reputable company like Arbonne (and make some money, too!)
If you would like to view the products and learn about the company, visit their website, http://www.Arbonne.com. or email me at HLiberman1@aol.com. You will need my cosultant# to order. There are also many meetings that you can attend to learn about the products and the business opportunity. Contact me for more info.