Instagram Made Me Buy It

Ok here’s the thing, I spend a lot of time on social media. Like more than I would care to admit. So part of that is I get exposed to a lot of advertising, both directly from companies and from influencers. This is both good and bad, because there’s some disingenuous advertising, but sometimes you find really cool stuff. Instagram is where I spend most of my browsing time, so I see a bunch of interesting products. And sometimes, I decide to give things a try. Here’s what I bought after seeing an Instagram ad.

Yllo Turmeric Scrub

Something that’s becoming increasingly common are companies who put a percentage of their proceeds towards a particular cause or charity. This is absolutely fantastic, because it achieves a couple aims in one hit: a company moves a product, a consumer receives a product they want or need, and a good cause receives often much needed funding. With Yllo Scrub, 10% of your purchase goes towards ending child marriages and helping the girls affected by these practices make a better life for themselves, their family, and their community.

Turmeric is well known for its healing properties, and is used in many traditional wedding ceremonies in Asia. Not only does this company use effective, natural ingredients, but their ingredients have meaning, a reminder of why their product is more than just skincare. So not only does this scrub leave my skin feeling soft and any inflammation and dullness scrubbed away, but I know that my money is going to bigger and better things. And honestly, that’s a win-win.

My skin feels brighter, softer, and healthier each time I use this. Exfoliation is incredibly important in maintaining skin health, and with the use of calming essential oils, sugar, and turmeric, my skin is well cared for. At first, it seems a little expensive, but considering that one packet has lasted me about four months, it’s a great bang for your buck. Check out their scrub, and more about their mission, here.

Summer Love Scrub

We’ve all seen them. The coffee scrub companies that practically everyone and their mother is endorsing. It’s kind of ridiculous, honestly, as are some of the claims. Reduction in cellulite is probably one of the grandest claims. Sometimes, these products are super expensive, and sometimes they’re not. I’m kind of a sucker for trying new things beauty-wise, so when Summer Love Scrub popped up on my feed, I got pulled in by the sent of coffee, essential oils, and the fact that my body can use some serious exfoliation sometimes.

Honestly, I really enjoy this scrub. I’m done with my first pouch, and I’m definitely going to get a new one once my next paycheck hits. The smell is fantastic, and my skin feels so much softer and more hydrated after I use it. I don’t know about the cellulite claims yet since I’m a bit on the chubby side (so cellulite is part of the package), but as I lose weight I’ll definitely report back on how that helps. This is worth a try, and got here really, really quickly considering it came from Australia. Online shopping is crazy. Find them right here

Care/of Supplements

Supplements are one of those things that the world seems a little split on. Some people love them and think they’re a great addition to any health regimen, and others can take em or leave em. Other things that impact your relationship with supplements and vitamins are your diet, personal needs, and personal preferences. I’m trying to follow a stricter plant-based diet, and as such there are certain nutrients that I won’t be getting from my food. This means that it’s recommended that I add those into my diet through supplements that are consistent in formulation with my dietary needs.

What is really rad about Care/of is that you fill out a questionnaire about your lifestyle, diet, etc. and will give you recommendations. They ask about your mood, if you consume animal products, what your health goals are, all sorts of things. From your answers, they whittle down their ever growing stock down to what they think you can benefit best from. Also, they include research findings, which is important as they offer ayurvedic and herbal supplement options. You can customize your monthly packages any way you like, and include as many or as few as you want to take. Then, each dosage for each day is individually packaged, and you pop open a packet in the morning and take your stuff.

Quick disclaimer, I’m bad about taking supplements regularly. But I did honestly feel better when I took these consistently. I can give a full breakdown in another post of what I take and what it’s all for. But if you’re at all interested in this sort of thing, this is definitely worth a look-see over here.

Muddy Body Clay Masks

Clay masks are a wonderful option for people with oily or acne prone skin. They help suck up extra oil and draw out impurities from pores and eruptions. There’s an option from every major skincare brand out there. I’m a bit of a mask freak too, so when I found Muddy Body I decided to give their products a shot. They have three mainstay options, and often come out with seasonal ones like Pumpkin Spice!

Ingredients include charcoal, matcha, cocoa, and pink clay, and are designed so that your skin is hydrated as well as treated. Part of their focus is heavily on acne prone skin, and every mask focuses somehow on pore care and on reducing breakouts and inflammation. The formulation can take a little getting used to, and apply best with a soft brush. But I notice an immediate difference when I use these masks, and with regular use my breakouts calm down quicker and eruptions are much smaller. If my skin is every feeling tired, dry, or otherwise crappy, I sit with one of these on for about ten to fifteen minutes and it feels much better. There aren’t many clay masks that both feel amazing on my skin and give me quick results.

If you want to check out their full range, check it out here. And I have a coupon code, which gets you 10%: Kaelin10! This isn’t an affiliate code, I just get the credit for you using it.

Herbivore Botanicals

This is more of a high end skincare buy, and I actually picked it up during their Earth Day sale.  What attracted me to this brand was the minimalism and the conscious production: organic, natural, cruelty free, etc. They’re not trying to ride on the coattails of gimmicks, simply trying to create products that are tailored for the more naturally minded. I picked up the travel size kit for oily skin, and I’ve been using it on and off since then.

What I’m enjoying most are the Lapis Oil, which focuses on balancing troubled skin, and Rose Hibiscus Coconut Water, which is a facial spray. I’m always cautious about using oils, since I have combination skin, but this really helps me control my oil during the day when I use it the night before. And the Coconut Water smells absolutely amazing, and is incredibly refreshing to use as a moisturizer at night.

On their site are masks, hair mists, bath salts (insert Florida joke here?), and even more. I definitely have a wish list, and if you feel like treating yourself, check out their full range aqui.

Clearly, I’m a nutcase for trying new stuff. And definitely for trying stuff that I happen to find when I’m in an endless scroll loop on Instagram. Sometimes, it really pays off, like when I snagged a few treats from Deciem’s The Ordinary, and then I’m crazy and also checked out Glossier.

What sort of products have you decided to try because of social media, and how did you like them? Or, if you haven’t, is there anything you want to try?