Tag Archive for 'Adovia'

Review: Adovia Purifying Mud Mask

This is by far the best face mask I’ve used! It’s such a multifaceted product, what’s not to love? I put it on in the morning before I jump into the shower (since it’s such a dark mud mask, this makes it much easier to rinse off). It tingles a little bit which had me concerned at first. I don’t have sensitive skin per se, but wondered what that feeling was. I checked the ingredient list and found that it contains papaya extract-which is a natural exfoliant. I consider myself an ingredient junkie and love to know what’s in the products I am using. There is nothing in the mask that I wouldn’t want to put on my face. It feels a bit luxurious to slather mud on your face which is from the Dead Sea.

I love that it is more than just a typical mud face mask; it removes the dead skin cells without stripping my skin and leaving it dry, clears up my little acne bumps and makes my skin glow. My makeup definitely goes on smoother after this mask and my skin has a certain glow to it, almost as good as getting a professional facial. Very impressed!

Review: Adovia Natural Acne Soap

New Year’s resolutions… I dislike the concept very much, though every year I am compelled to make them. I mean, who could fault themselves for making goals, right?

So, here’s my bold announcement of my resolution for 2010!

I will, in 2010, bring focus back to taking care of myself. Fact. True story. This may sound broad-strokes to you, and I’m okay with that. 2009 was a tough year, and I may have let things go a bit. *sigh*

I’ve gained a few pounds (read: 10lbs), I’ve all but given up on styling my hair or putting on makeup for work, and frankly, I think I may have exacerbated my acne problem with my (oh the horror) failure to wash my face every night before bed. I know… it doesn’t sound like me, but I can tell you that it is true.

Step one: Hello Yoga! It’s been a while, and I sure am glad to see you.

Step two: Hello 5:45am! I really don’t like you, but we have to work together.

adovia acne soapStep three: Hello Adovia Natural Acne Soap! I’ve already developed a fine liking for your sister, Adovia Dead Sea Mud Soap, so I have high hopes for our relationship!

Basics: Just like its sister, the Adovia Natural Acne Soap is a mud based soap.

Extravagance: This one is designed for acne. Yay! It also has Dead Sea Minerals, Aloe Vera and Glycerin… and boasts of being appropriate for all skin types!

Imperfections: So far, it is a little bit drying for my face. I am using it nightly, and I am just being certain to use a rich night cream.

To Sum It Up: I haven’t had any big breakouts… that’s a plus! Also, if the drying proves to be too much for my face, this soap is also appropriate for any body breakouts you may experience (my back sometimes breaks out.) I’d say, if you love the mud, give this one a try.

Adovia Natural Acne Soap

Adovia Natural Acne Soap

Review: Adovia Shea Body Butter — Vanilla

Wow! Another year gone by, and the promise of a New Year is around the corner. For me, the new year brings both a nostalgia of what’s gone, and a hope for what awaits us all in this new decade.

This is the time of year for celebration and reflection! I hope you have found time for both… and for yourself. So as not to disappoint in your efforts, I’ve tried another Dead Sea product that is sure to help you along in your goal to take time for yourself.

Basics: Body butters… we love them. There are so many varieties and scents… and frankly they are still my #1 recommendation for the scaly winter skin or the fried and dried summer skin.

Extravagance: What is usually so extravagant about the Dead Sea products is the scents. Oh, the delectable fragrances paired with the creamy goodness. This one is vanilla, though it is less food-like and a little bit more cologne-esque. It is lovely. Also, the texture is very unique. It strikes me less as a butter, and more as a mousse. It smooths on as well as the butters we’ve loved in the past, but it has a slightly frothy texture that feels… well… velvety when you apply it.

Imperfections: In and of itself, this is a beautiful body butter. In comparison to my all-time favorite Dead Sea Premier Milk and Honey Aromatic Body Butter… well, that may be an unfair comparison… the Milk and Honey Body Butter is pretty much perfect.

To Sum it Up: Another treat for our dry winter skin, and our olfactory needs! Have a Happy New Year, and remember to pamper yourself in 2010!

Adovia Shea Body Butter – Vanilla

Adovia Shea Body Butter - Vanilla

Review: Adovia / SeaOra Deep Cleansing Mineral Body Wash

Did you know that Peppermint is considered by many to be the world’s oldest medicine? Further, in the world of essential oils and their benefit in healing, Peppermint Oil is thought to be the first necessity in an herbal first aid kit.

The menthol content makes it perfect for clearing sinuses, treating migraines, and even soothing itching skin. It is also believed that ingesting peppermint leaves or capsules helps with irritable bowel syndrome, and nausea. Further, the scent of peppermint is said to aid in promoting clear thinking, focus, and restoration of mental fatigue. Read that: Stress relief, people!

Adovia SeaOra Mineral Body WashBasics: The label on the bottle promises all this: “deep cleansing effect, revives skin, restores softness, refreshing natural scent, revitalizing and rejuvenating, for bath & shower, amazing rich lather.” The label speaks the truth. This product is everything it promises to be.

Extravagances: Wowee, this stuff smells good! For those of you that have used essential oils before, you may note that the smell of a Peppermint Essential Oil is not the same sweet smell that you experience with popular grocery store toothpastes or gum. It is a much earthier smell – kind of like eucalyptus. There is a medicinal quality to it, for sure, but it is so fresh and clean. Plus the fact that there is oil in it does leave your skin very soft. Soft like you don’t really have to moisturize right out of the shower. Don’t get me wrong, while you do have a slickness about your skin when you use this soap, you will not feel ‘scummy’.

Imperfections: Be warned, this is not the mall shower gel… all dense and thick. It is a thinner product… so it is really easy to use too much. The promise of a rich lather is a promise well kept, and a little bit goes a long, long way. Just don’t over-pour this one.

To Sum it Up: I suppose with the awesome healing effects of the dead sea (Dead Sea Minerals are the 5th ingredient), and the soothing properties of peppermint, this is a winner product for those of us trying to do the “right thing” by our bodies. Imagine getting up in the morning and using this as a pick-me-up rather than that desperate grapple for a cup of coffee. (yeah, I know, I’m not giving up my coffee addiction either. but still, it’s a nice idea!)

This product is no longer manufactured. Click here for other great Adovia / SeaOra products

Review: Adovia Mineral Body Lotion Cucumber & Melon

Man, oh man do those dead sea folks know how to do lotions! How do they always get it so right?

Adovia Mineral Body Lotion Cucumber and MelonBasics: A mineral body lotion, with Dead Sea Minerals, Shea Butter and GreenTea.

Extravagance: Hello Cucumber & Melon! When you first apply, you’ll really only smell the melon. It is a much more dominant scent, and frankly I’m not sure what cucumber does for the skin. Then… as the lotion absorbs, you start getting hints of… well, freshness. I think that’s the cucumber.

It has a very long-lasting scent on the skin. It is a little more aromatic than I am prone to wearing, but I have to tell you, this stuff smells lovely! It is not overwhelming, or perfumey… it just loiters throughout the day.

Imperfections: Forgive me, but I cannot name one.

To Sum it Up: If you always buy the mall store cucumber & melon, but then wish it were… well, better… check this stuff out. It is done well! It may be a little bit feminine for some of you fellas (who am I to say), but guys, this one is not: Dead Sea Premier Milk and Honey Body Butter

Adovia Mineral Body Lotion Cucumber & Melon

Adovia Mineral Body Lotion Cucumber & Melon

Review: Seaora / Adovia Moisturizing Day Cream

What a lovely emollient! Somehow luxurious upon first use… slick and smooth, but not greasy or… well, gross.

Adovia Moisturizing Day CreamBasics: First ingredient – water, both demineralized & Dead Sea. Seems a good start for a moisturizer! As with all of the products I’ve tried from the Seaora (Adovia) line, this is nice, natural & non-irritating!

Extravagance: I love the way this cream smells. It has that signature Seaora (Adovia) scent. I cannot place it, but it brings back fond memories of my childhood – specific to a beloved Auntie that always loved me and accepted me (even through the ugly teen years). I picked through the ingredients to try my best to identify the scent – and here are some possible elements of this deeeeeeeelishus olfactory delight: Bergamot Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Chamomile… and maybe even Papaya.

Imperfections: It’s a day cream without sunblock. This goes against my very being (I exagerate), but it seems unfair. I love this cream, but I must must must use sunblock – I live in California & have a fair complexion. Grrr.

To Sum it Up: Yay! This is also an amazing night cream – thick and effective without leaving an oil slick on your face! And, though there is no claim of such on the packaging, I’ve found that it is evening out my blotchy red tones. Woohooooo!

Seaora / Adovia Moisturizing Day Cream

Seaora  / Adovia Moisturizing Day Cream

Review: Adovia Dead Sea Mud Soap

Soap. What can anyone say about soap? Seriously.

Some soaps smell super perfumey. Some leave a slick residue. Some break you out. Some don’t last very long. Some soaps suck.

This one… I can’t say ANY of those things about this soap.

Adovia Dead Sea Mud SoapBasics: Well, uh, it’s soap… with “Pure Dead Sea Mud and Minerals.” That’s a good start. 1st ingredient: Dead Sea Mud. It is virtually unscented (there’s a slight smell, but it’s not a “scent” per se… like, you don’t smell like this soap when you get out of the shower. It’s last ingredient is fragrance. I can’t smell it. Also, it washes off sooooooo clean. When you use it, you actually feel like you just got out of the shower. Not a joke… I mean, I feel really clean. And, the bar lasts for a very very long time. It doesn’t just turn into a gooey mess, and wash down the drain. Plus, it’s black.

Extravagance: IT DIDN’T BREAK ME OUT! Okay, you have heard me complain about my stupid sensitive, acne prone skin for a while now. I used this on my face for a month… and no major catastrophic breakout. Yipeeeeeee!

Imperfections: It is a tiny bit drying for me. I moisturize faithfully, and my skin is buttery soft… so nothing dramatic here. My husband, who also used the soap daily, is not a big moisturizer, and his skin loves this soap.

To sum it up: Yep! If you are a fan of the Dead Sea Mud – here’s your chance to get the fab results with a lot less mess.

A note to those of you with skin conditions: I think this stuff would be GREAT for you as well. It’s very mild. One thing to consider is the last ingredient (fragrance); the actual ingredient listing is “natural extract” so it may be worth a try. Let me know.

Here’s a full list of the ingredients, in case you want to know:

Dead sea mud (silt), 80% palm/20% palm kernel oil, dead sea salts, magnesium, sodium, potassium, demineralized water (aqua), natural extract (fragrance).

Adovia Dead Sea Mud Soap

Adovia Dead Sea Mud Soap

Review Seaora /Adovia Dead Sea Mineral Mud

Spring has sprung, and the promise of Summer is upon us! Hallelujah!! I don’t live in an especially cold climate — okay, it’s Southern California, and I’ve never lived anywhere else. So, while 65 degree weather may not be cold by any standard, I use it as an excuse to wear my kicky winter coat.

But for those of you living where the winter climate is wet, freezing, blustery and downright damaging to your skin… now is the time to start making reparations to the inevitable damages of winter weather!

You all know of my love for scrubs and moisturizers, and they are great for both repair and maintenance, but there is so much more you can do!

Cleanse your body, purify your skin, and slough off the winter chafing now… with the magic of the Dead Sea. You already know about the healing powers of the Dead Sea, now it is time to try it. I dare you!

Basics: It is exactly what it says it is… Dead Sea Mud. The only ingredient. That’s it. Yep, the silt from the shores of the Dead Sea. Mud.
Seaora / Adovia Dead Sea Mineral Mud

Extravagance: It’s from the Dead Sea, people! C’mon, it’s like having a posh resort visit you… and it is a lot less expensive than taking a month off work and carting yourself to far away lands (though perhaps,  a little less exotic.)

Imperfections: This stuff is a right mess.

So, when I suggested to my husband that we try the body mask together, I didn’t consider that our 15 minutes of letting the mask set would really provide for an afternoon of giggles, scrubbing and plain old messy fun!

We first heated some water, and poured it into a bowl. We placed the convenient mud pouch into the water for a few minutes to offer a more soothing “spa” experience, then… we slathered each other in mud (forgive me if I give too much of a visual.) Husband had the idea that perhaps it would be easier to spread, and cover more ground if you will, if he wet his hands a little before grabbing a fistful. Don’t do that. I’m just saying… splatter and drippings all over our pristine white tile.

Then, we covered our couch in towels, and sat down to watch part of a movie we had DVR’d. As the mud dried, we felt stiffer and stiffer… and the humor got crazier and crazier — we imagined ourselves on the Planet of the Apes; we made more than one attempt at “the robot” ; we had the best time!

Once dry, we jumped into the shower, imagining the mud would slide off of us and we’d feel refreshed and cleansed…. Have you ever tried to rinse off caked on, dried on mud? We laughed, we cried, we ruined a wash cloth… and the mud came off… revealing rosy, clear, clean and soft skin. Yay!

To sum it up: Get this mask! Make an afternoon of it. Have fun!!!! Totally worth the mess. Also, when done with the mask, moisturize moisturize MOISTURIZE!! Any type of cleansing this good requires a good replenish on the moisture when you’re done.

There is enough mud in the bag for roughly 2 full body slatherings… I suggest you work as a team!

Seaora / Adovia Dead Sea Mineral Mud

Seaora / Adovia Dead Sea Mineral Mud

Review: Adovia / SeaOra Mineral Facial Toner

Stress. It sucks. True story. And you wouldn’t believe what it does to my skin. I’m sure you’ve experienced it too… angry bumps, uneven skin tone, general ickiness. Well, I had the joy of random pimples just showing up about two weeks ago. Eeps!

So, I tried the Mineral Facial Toner. Yay!

Adovia Mineral Facial TonerBasics: It is a mineral toner that promises to refine pores while removing stuff that causes and contributes to acne – dirt and sebum (that’s a secretion from the sebaceous glands that plugs up your pores and causes acne. eww!)

Extravagance: It has NO ALCHOHOL! No drying, no flaking, no red irritated skin. And, it controls shine!

Imperfections: Not a one that I can think of.

To sum it up: It prevented my little blemishes from turning into big old nasties! It eased up the red spots, and my skin is clearing up delightfully!

A funny story, I have a former co-worker who is the biggest fan of this toner (let’s call her Toned in L.A.), and boy was she happy to find it for an affordable price at Dead Sea Market. She’s forty-something, and I have to admit that her skin is fantastic! She completely attributes that to the Mineral Facial Toner. I’m inclined to agree with her.

Adovia / SeaOra Mineral Facial Toner

Adovia / SeaOra Mineral Facial Toner

Review: Adovia / SeaOra Foot Scrub

It’s raining outside. It’s winter. Who’s thinking about feet? Me. I have a theory that it is easier to have pretty sandal toes in the summer when you have secretly pretty winter feet. It’s all about maintenance. I’m just saying… even if you are the only person who knows, let’s keep the feet pretty!

Here’s how you can – SeaOra (okay, Adovia… I’ll get used to it) makes a delightful foot scrub.

SeaOra / Adovia Foot ScrubBasics: It’s made with Dead Sea Water (it’s true… listed second in the ingredients), and lots of hydrating goodness like Shea Butter, and calming stuffs like Aloe Vera and Chamomile… and of course, Dead Sea salt.

Extravagance: It’s a scrub and a moisturizer in one. You know how I love my double-duty products!! Plus it has a soothing smell. I can’t really explain it, but it reminds me of the smell of my Auntie’s house when I was a little girl – clean and feminine. (Men, don’t let the scent keep you from using this. You need soft feet as well!)

Imperfections: It’s messy; especially when you don’t plan ahead. For example, you are instructed to apply to clean, dry feet. Easy. Give yourself a loverly massage – in circular motions. Then rinse. Fine.

So, I set about to use this for the first time. I decided to make a full ped of the experience. I do maintenance on the toesies. I take a refreshing shower to get the nail polish remover residue off my feet. I’m happy. I dry my feet, and go about the massage. I sit on the edge of the bathtub, then I am faced with the predicament of how to keep my feet dry when the shower is still wet. No problem… I’ll just face out, feet on the floor. I get through one foot and realize that I’m not going to rest that one on the floor. A towel would work, but I didn’t think to grab one, and I don’t trust my hopping abilities. So, I straddle the edge of the tub, one foot in, the other ready for it’s delightful massage.

Um… I now have the scrub all over my hands, and have to squeeze more from the tube. I am making a right mess! Whatever, the tube is easily rinsed.

So, I take care of the business at hand… er, foot… and proceed to try to do a swivel to get the other foot into the tub without completely wrecking the experience altogether. Note to self: Do not use the shower curtain as leverage. Not stable.

Okay, feet back into tub. Water running… YIPES, feet back out of tub. Addendum to note to self: Let hot water find its way through 1930′s pipes before placing feet under stream.  Feet rinsed. Feet REALLY SOFT! YAY! Flash forward to husband taking a shower… yeah, shea butter is really slippery. Second Addendum to note to self:  I must stop leaving shower slick whenever I try a new product. I’m really not trying to kill him. I promise.

So, my point is this… the product is great. The instructions suck. Here’s my stab at new & improved instructions:

  1. Squeeze a generous amount of the foot scrub into a small container (that will now always be used for bathroom goodness). This will prevent sliming up the tube.
  2. Lay down a towel that spans from the toilet to the bathtub – preferably one that you don’t mind gooing.
  3. Fill your tub enough to cover your feet. Or, better yet, use one of those dish washing tubs (I think they have them at the 99 cent store) and place it next to you. Make the water a little warmer than you like so that if you indulge too long in your foot massage the water does not get too cold.
  4. Sit on the toilet seat (much more stable than the edge of the bathtub) and massage on in circular motions.
  5. Pad across your soft, towel-covered floor, and ease yourself onto the edge of the tub to rinse feet. I don’t recommend standing in the shower (read slippery note above)
  6. Scrub shower to prevent later dangers.

I’ve now used this several times, and lived to tell. (thankfully, so has my husband)

Buy SeaOra / Adovia Foot Scrub

Buy SeaOra / Adovia Foot Scrub

SeaOra Changes Name to Adovia

1 February, 2009.

Due to a unwarranted legal challenge by Sephora over similarities in the name SeaOra, SeaOra has changed their name to Adovia. This change is effective immediately and all future packaging will reflect the new name.

The products remain unchanged and even the packaging is the same EXCEPT for the new logo and name.

Review and purchase Adovia (SeaOra) products

Review – Adovia Dead Sea Salt Scrub (Ocean Breeze) and Dead Sea Premier Milk and Honey Aromatic Body Butter

At the arm twisting of a friend, I recently read the first Twilight book. I’m too old for it. I know. I still liked it. So, when the movie came out, I really kinda wanted to go see it… then decided that I didn’t want to go to a theater full of tween and teen girls. You may think it is because I’m annoyed by them (which may be a little bit true), but really, the embarrassing truth is that I cannot stand going into a place full of clear skinned beauties… I don’t think my fragile old lady ego could take it.

I mostly jest, but it is true that keeping a youthful glow starts taking a lot more effort once you skip out of your twenties, and start stumbling toward your forties! That is why I am a fanatic about scrubs and moisturizers. Maybe it’s more than you wanted to know, but I have moisturized post-shower every day since I was in high school. I s’pose at the time I started it I didn’t really consider that it would help keep my skin younger looking. I just figured that scaly skin was icky. Now, it’s purely out of necessity. Ah, isn’t it grand to be pushing 40?!?

I think I’ve found a winning combo: Adovia /SeaOra Dead Sea Salt Scrub, Ocean Breeze & Dead Sea Premier Milk and Honey Aromatic Body Butter.

<a href=Dead Sea Premier Body Butter" title="Dead Sea Premier Body Butter" width="225" align="left" />

The Basics: Both smell really nice. The scrub smells a little strong initially, though it is quite pleasant. After the shower, the smell doesn’t linger on too much. If you’ve never used a scrub, this is a nice one to start with. I like to do a full scrub before taking on the chore of shaving. It works to soften the skin, and I think it really makes for a smoother leg.

The Extravagance: The body butter is subtle and light. It’s not a greasy lotion, as many body butters are. It absorbs quickly, and it doesn’t leave you feeling all slick. And it works. I decided to do a sort of “taste” test, and asked my husband and my mom to try it. My husband quite liked it, and has agreed to let me give him a facial next. Don’t judge. He’s a very manly man. My mother… whom I think you can imagine is a tough one to please… loved the lotion (yay for birthday gift ideas!!). The best part is that all three of us have really awkward body chemistries… I mean, each of us have independently complained that something that smells wonderful in the jar smells awful on us, but not this time. The Milk & Honey actually didn’t create a bio-chemical hazard for any of us!

The Imperfections: Can’t really think of one… though I think next time I’m going to try this scrub instead: Adovia / SeaOra Dead Sea Salt Scrub, Coconut Vanilla

While I know that this is not my key to fitting in with the tweens, it is nice to have these luxuries now that I’m a little older. I imagine being… well, my age… is cool enough. And I can afford better shoes!

Buy SeaOra Dead Sea Salt Scrub, Ocean Breeze

Buy SeaOra Dead Sea Salt Scrub, Ocean Breeze

Buy Dead Sea Premier Milk and Honey Aromatic Body Butter

Buy Dead Sea Premier Milk and Honey Aromatic Body Butter