Natural Products for Natural Beauty

 

Cindy Joseph

Cindy Joseph

 

 

Beauty Brite Disclosure

 

I’m a fan of cruelty-free products–and even more of a fan if they’re also vegan–so I was pretty excited to try some products from BOOM! by Cindy Joseph. This excitement motivated me to do a little preemptive research into the brand (aka clicking through the BOOM website), and my excitement only increased. Cindy Joseph places an enormous emphasis on women’s “natural beauty”, and has created a line of products that specifically focus on enhancing your individual features.

The brand has also focused on luxurious natural ingredients–several of the products are apparently “handmade by beekeepers in Hawaii”–which means that you don’t have to worry about the ingredient lists in the same way that you might, for example, worry while trying to decipher the ingredients on your shampoo bottle. With the promise of subtle, unique, and non-toxic beauty, BOOM sounds like a complete win-win!

 

BOOM! Products

 

The first product that I tried was the Boom Deep-Cleaning Gentle Exfoliation Mask. I’m not much for ‘mud masks’–mostly because my sensitive skin has had some unpleasant reactions to them in the past–but this mask’s healthy and “gentle” ingredients made me optimistic. I was correct in my optimism: the product really does work! However, readers be warned: the product does not have a pleasant appearance.

I was more than a little repulsed when I opened the medium-sized container to see thick, brown goo–so if you have a sensitive gag reflex, perhaps a mud mask is not for you. In Boom’s defense, though, this is a common problem with masks in general; they may make you look better later, but you’re probably going to be grossed out during the application.

Yes, the Boom Mask (like many other masks) does not look pretty. However, that’s really its only downside. The mask’s container is a little larger than some of the others–and the product can be a little drippy, despite being as thick as peanut butter–but overall, it’s suitable for travel, and there’s no unpleasant smell to match the mud’s unflattering texture. Instead, the product smells a bit like a flower (albeit, a strange flower), which makes sense, since it features exotic ingredients like “Hawaiian Blue Green Algae” and “organic diatomaceous earth”.

These are some high-quality organic ingredients, and they are great for sensitive skin. Case in point: I applied the mask to my face by hand and left it on for the allotted ten to fifteen minutes, remaining hyper alert for any stinging or redness. Neither happened; in fact, the mask was one of the few mud masks that actually left no redness on my face after removal, and none of that tightness that other skin products have left behind in the past! The Boom Mask might not be for the faint of gag-reflex–but it really works well, and I’ll probably be using it again!

Boom Deep Cleaning Gentle Exfoliation Mask, Boomsilk, Boom Cotton

Boom Deep Cleaning Gentle Exfoliation Mask, Boomsilk, Boom Cotton

 

My skin felt normal after the mask, albeit slightly dry–which brings me to the next product. Boomsilk moisturizer seems to be one of the BOOM! company’s poster children (judging by the special pamphlet that I received), and it does earn the title. The container is much smaller than that of the mask, but you also don’t really need much product for one application–especially since the product packs a powerful punch.

The product is basically an off-white solid, but you can easily rub it onto your hands for application; the moisturizer then switches to liquid, much like coconut oil does. After application (by hand), my face was moisturized (and shiny) for hours, so less is certainly more with Boomsilk. But hey, that just means that you can make it last longer!

With ingredients like honey and propolis, Boomsilk’s effectiveness is no real surprise. The product is recommended as a direct follow-up to the Boom Mask from earlier, and I found that it was a suggestion worth obeying: what the Mask dries up, the moisturizer replenishes. And with a faint, slightly waxy smell, you’ll be shiny and sweet-smelling for the entire day!

Everyone likes moisturized skin, but not everyone likes shine–and once again, BOOM! comes prepared. The Boom Cotton moisturizer is apparently “non-oily”, making it Boomsilk’s understated twin sister. This product comes in a container that is larger than the other two, but still small enough to bring in a travel bag or carry-on. It also has a smell that is, arguably, better than those of the two products preceding it, being reminiscent of vanilla cookie dough (i.e. a crowd-pleaser)!

The product is solid, like its ‘sister’, but is yellow and slightly grainy. That graininess is only really noticeable when you’re rubbing it in–I applied Cotton the day after the first two products, with nothing else on my face but water–and it has the same effectiveness as Silk does. My face was moisturized all day (literally, all day)! However, the moisturizer left a residue on my face, too, a bit like the residue from sunscreen. The product was also still pretty shiny, although I had probably just applied too much. In short: when using either of the BOOM! moisturizers, only use a little at a time if you want to avoid looking greasy. Greasy or not, these products certainly do get the job done!

Boomstick Trio

 

Now, for my favorite products: the Boomstick Trio. I would have been interested in any one of these miniature makeup sticks, but BOOM! was kind enough to send me all three! The set contains Boomstick GLO (an on-the-go moisturizer), Boomstick GLIMMER (an on-the-go highlighter), and Boomstick COLOR (an on-the-go lipstick, eye shadow, blush, you name it). The three sticks came in an adorable little bag–one that can definitely be reused–and, although they are a little smaller than I had expected, they are still a good size.

Each stick is only labeled on the bottom, which makes it difficult to tell them apart at first glance, but it’s not an enormous inconvenience (especially since you’ll probably be using all three in your travels, not just one). None of the products in the Trio are particularly strong-smelling; Boomstick GLO has almost no perceptible smell, while Boomstick GLIMMER and Boomstick COLOR both have a very faint wax-y smell. All of the product sticks are also roll-up ones, which makes them all the more convenient!

I began by trying Boomstick GLO, which is apparently “Boomsilk in a stick”; I tried it on my lips, hands, and elbows, and did notice immediate moisturization. I tried to apply the stick directly onto my lips, like a lip balm, and quickly learned that it was not the best idea; the product immediately broke off a little, so I reconsidered and applied it with my fingers. For hands and elbows, though, applying directly from the stick was fine! This product is also not very shiny, particularly in comparison with the Cotton and Silk moisturizers, so I would definitely recommend Boomstick GLO for anyone who prefers moisturized skin that looks matte–or, at the very least, non-shiny.

Next was Boomstick GLIMMER. Highlighting and strobing (which are the same, for anyone who’s confused) have become a huge makeup trend in the past two years, and every highlighter is different. The Boomstick GLIMMER claims to give you a “pearlescent” glow, and I have to say that “pearlescent” is an incredibly accurate word to describe its appearance. I applied the highlighter with my fingers, not directly from the stick–since over-doing it with highlighter is very tempting, and difficult to reverse–focusing on my brow bone, Cupid’s bow, cheekbones, and the tip of my nose. I blended the product in with my fingers, and the subsequent glimmer was just that: a glimmer, one with a particularly pearly sheen that I immediately loved. If you want a highlighter that is unique, long-lasting, and blends easily, then this is the one for you!

Last came Boomstick COLOR. I love lipstick (especially multi-purpose lipstick), so I was very excited to start adding some color to my glowing look. The product is much darker than expected, more of a mauve than a red or pink; however, Cindy Joseph claims that it is flattering for “every skin tone”, and I believe her! I used my fingers to apply the color to my eyelids, and found that it was now a rosy pink–and that it was still sheer enough to see my actual lids! Feeling braver, I dabbed some onto my cheeks directly from the stick–with the same result: a very sheer and subtle flush. Using the stick again, I applied it to my pre-moisturized lips; the stick is a bit wider than a normal tube of lipstick, so application was a bit awkward, but not impossible. And the end result was, once again, a very lovely pink shade that epitomized the phrase ‘my lips but better’. I decided to add some more color, just to see if the color was buildable, and after several extra coats of color, I found myself looking at a fantastic mauve lip. I had inadvertently created a wonderfully subtle makeup look, with just some moisturizer, color stick, and highlighter from BOOM!.

Boomstick COLOR, Boomstick GLIMMER, Boomstick GLO

Boomstick COLOR, Boomstick GLIMMER, Boomstick GLO

 

Whether you love a good skin regimen or just love a good lipstick, BOOM! has the products for you. My personal favorites are the Boomstick COLOR and Boomstick GLIMMER: the lip color’s darker 90’s tones combine with the highlighter’s futuristic gleam to give you an intriguing beauty look, one that will definitely make you stand out! And the best thing about BOOM!’s products? You don’t have to worry about toxins on your skin–and you’ll still look like you.

Ready to embrace your natural–and all-natural–beauty? Find Cindy’s products on the BOOM! website.

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About Sharon

Sharon is a freelance writer, lipstick lover, and college graduate. She also writes for HowtoDisney.com and DisneyFanatic.com! Follow her on Twitter @sharonfofaron and read her blog at sharoncshares.wordpress.com.

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