Review: Darphin Orange Blossom Oil

Why has this magical oil never been in my routines until a few months ago?? Oils are taking over the skincare game in all the right ways, and next to Clarins & Sunday Riley, Darphin is another great brand to look into if you're seeking out facial oils for your routines.  They have 7 different types of oil elixirs for every skin concern and need; the one I'm reviewing in this post is the Orange Blossom Aromatic Care for Normal Skin. 

It's claims to help brighten, smooth and purify the skin, which it does exactly that, and then some. I don't know what's in this that makes it do the magic that it does, but it also helps calm down redness from blemishes and essentially, help get rid of them almost over night. Again, I really don't know if its even supposed to do that, but it does, and I'm not complaining!

The citrus-orange scent is just so calming and comforting when massaging into the skin; great after a long, winded day. Whenever I'm struggling with spots, I use this alone as my nighttime moisturizer after my Biologique Recherche P50 1970; its super hydrating and just settles into the skin beautifully; my skin never feels tight and upon morning, its soothed, clear, and bright, all from this little bottle.

I do wish the bottle had some sort of pump or dropper, because at $80, having to pour a little out in my hand each time can cause you to accidentally over indulge a little bit and use more than you need; other than that, this has become one of my new favorite oils to use during the evening, alongside my MUN No. 1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum. 

You can read up on more of Darphin's oils and purchase them here 

The Body Oil You Need To Try: Mun No. 7 Ayour Body Toning Serum

Another review from MUN that has for me, been a big part of improving my skin dramatically for the better for the last 2 months, which you can read up on my reviews of their Rose Toner and Brightening Serum here. I was lucky enough recently to be able to try for review their newest launch,  ** No.7 Ayour Body Toning Serum.

I never had a body care product make my skin feel so delicately-soft, almost on the cusp of angelic-like...a bit dramatic, but I can write some damn poetry about this body serum. I didn't care what other magical wonders this serum was packed with when I first put it on, the fact that something could make my skin feel that way, so gently and naturally, its one of the best bodycare concoctions anyone has ever come up with.

Being consistent with an ingredient thats proved beneficial on my face from the No. 1 Aknari Serum, the Prickly Pear Seed Oil, makes another grand appearance in this body serum: it gives my body a natural light, without being greasy feeling or looking; its comfortable and nourishing and the fragrance is wholesome and deliriously natural. The delirious-bit, by that I mean its aromatherapeutic, so it creates this sense of calm and comfort around you, easing your senses and relaxing you, thanks to the mixture of Frankincense, Lavender, and Neroli oils (which also happen to be some of my favorite oils).

The best time to apply is right after the shower, while the skin is slightly damp; that way the oil has a better slip to it. You can use it on dry skin if dry patches pop up: knees, elbows, feet, hands, etc. What a treat!

MUN is the kind of brand that, if you've never tried oil-serums & toners on your face or body oils, they will convert you, guaranteed.

You can purchase the No.7 Ayour Body Toning Serum on MUN's website here , retails for $74.

** Disclaimer: The product mentioned in this post was kindly sent to me by the mentioned brand for review. All opinions & comments about the product(s) are from my own personal use and experience with them. I am not being paid to talk about the product(s) mentioned, unless stated otherwise.

Review: MUN 'No. 1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum' & 'No. 11 Anarose Rejuvenating Rose Toner'

I've wanted to write this post the day after I first started using MUN's 'No. 1 Aknari Youth Brightening Serum' & 'No. 11 Anarose Rejuvenating Rose Toner'! But, you don't always see immediate results after using skincare products, its got to take its time getting used to your skin and work with it....yet these products gave me that instant satisfaction that seemed too good to be true, but it wasn't!

I want to start off by saying I have dealt my battle with acne for a while, too long to be honest; very rarely have I ever seen inflammation due to blemishes settle down so quickly & efficiently as it has since I started incorporating MUN's products into my nightly routine. I still deal with the occasional blemish, but it rarely ever reaches to head when one does, and it really does, simply, have to do with these two products that have AMAZING ingredients. Side note: You do not have to deal with acne or other troubled skin types such as rosacea to use these products; normal, dry, combo, mature, etc can also benefit greatly!

No. 11 Anarose Rejuvenating Rose Toner

photo: munskin.com; $68.

       Lets start off with the ingredients list first, straight from the MUN official website:

• De-ionized Water, 
  Rose Hydrosol* (Rose Water), 
  Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice*, 
  Maltodextrin, 
  Opuntia Ficus-Indica (Prickly Pear) Stem Extract, 
  Lycium Barbarum Fruit (Goji Berry) Extract, 
  Hyaluronic Acid, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract*, 
  Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, 
  Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract, 
  Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, 
  Xanthan Gum,
  Vegetable Glycerin, 
  Dehydroacetic Acid**, 
  Benzyl Alcohol**. 
  
  
  *Certified ORGANIC 
  **Naturally derived preservative
  
  
  The big hitters of this toner are:
  1. Rose Water: It can help reduce inflammation on the skin, especially those that battle with rosacea. The anti-bacterial properties make it even more wonderful for those that deal with acne; it helps reduce the size of the spot by slowly killing off the acne-creating bacteria before it can even come to a full head. It's also a deeply nourishing and hydrating ingredient that smooths the skin, as well as help banish redness where needed, while balancing out the pH. Already, right at the get-go, this toner is already working its magic touch. 
  NOTE: if you despise any and all Rose fragrances, then you won't like this (though in no way is the scent strong, & its all natural so it shouldn't create any irratations).
  2. Prickly Pear Stem Extract: Great for hydration, anti-aging,  & anti-inflammatory. 
  3. Goji Berry: reduction of free-radical damage.
  4. Willow Bark Extract: A gentle, natural exfoliant.  
  5. Rose, Jasmine, & Daisy: It creates a soft, velvety feel to your skin.  
  Right after you cleanse, you're already improving your skin the moment you tone it with this; my skin is already feeling, soft, smooth, hydrated, and balanced, ready for me to apply my next step, which is the 'No. 1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum'.
  
  
  No. 1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum

  

  photo: munskin.com; $95.

  
  
  This serum literally has just THREE ingredients, seriously, thats all thats complied into this tiny, 20ml bottle of pure gold!
  Ingredients: Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Argan Oil, & Bulgarian Rose Oil (all organic) 
  The Prickly Pear Seed Oil sets the stage all around this product, and since its the first ingredient, it proves to be the most beneficial, without taking out the other amazing properties that the 2 other ingredients give:

  
  

  Prickly Pear Seed Oil: A true antioxidant punch to the skin, its packed with Omega-6 fatty acids & Vitamin E, which can help heal acne scars and dark spots, as its supposed to brighten and hydrate the skin. It can also help brighten up under-eye dark circles! It won't clog pores, so it can be especially appropriate for acne-prone skins.

  
  

  With all its amazingly wonderful antioxidant benefits, it also helps aid in premature wrinkles and anti-aging; smoothing down fine lines and giving the skin this 'ethereal' glow, also thanks in conjunction with the Rose Oil. The Rose packs the bunch of Vitamin C and creates a beautiful tone to the skin. The incorporation of the Argan Oil helps balance out the strong potency of the Prickly Pear, while delivering to the skin intensely, yet natural moisturizing properties.  
  All 3 of these ingredients combined make an absolute stand out product and again, can be great for skins that are: mature, acne-prone, deal with sensitivities, etc...
  Rose, from my constant research on acne-fighting treatments, is probably the most gentlest, yet most effective of acne-treatments that I have ever come to use; my skin LOVES Rose for its nourishment and suppleness as well. 
  I think my only (slight) gripe would be with the Serum, and it has nothing to do with the product itself, but the packaging **. I've dealt with this kind of pump packaging before from another product from a different brand (it was also a serum-oil); the packaging can tend to leak at times, and the pump can be a bit flimsy...to each their own, but maybe a dropper or another sturdy, pump bottle could suffice? Just a little side note, but in no way, shape, or form takes away the effectiveness of the product. All of MUN's products are stored in beautifully dark-colored bottles to help preserve the longevity of the ingredients. 
  Though I still deal with the occasional blemish or two, for the most part, my skin has been more: clear, calm, hydrated, and rejuvenated. I feel like a whole new me! My dark spots have tremendously reduced in appearance, and I have to give a hell of a lot of credit to these two amazing products when used together. I really can't recommend them enough, they are worth EVERY.SINGLE.PENNY. (personally). If you deal or battle with any of the skin concerns I've mentioned above, please give these 2 products a try; they are completely changing the way I go about my skincare now, and I am all the more grateful to MUN for it.
  You can read more about MUN's skincare philosophy and why their products are going to be changing the game on their blog, here. 
  To shop the products mentioned in this post, you can shop them  here.
  Has anyone else tried out MUN? Let me know your reviews and praises in the comments below! :)
  ** EDITED, 2/23/16: I had an e-mail correspondence with Kat from MUN Skin, who cleared up the gripe I was having with the serum packaging:

  
  

  It's quite a shame about the Aknari pump tops being a bit finicky, but the miron bottles we use really are the best containers for storing and preserving organic substances and there is a specific reason that Munemi chose the pump top: because of the high content of Linoleic Acid in Prickly Pear Seed Oil. Lioleic Acid is very unstable and degrades quickly especially when it comes into contact with oxygen, it's basically the worst thing for it; it's also very light sensitive. Therefore, having a dropper or any other kind of top that would require constant opening and closing would unfortunately shorten the shelf life and decrease Aknari's effectiveness. 

  
  

  And there you have it!
  
  *affiliate links are provided in this post