Andalou Naturals Review

Andalou Naturals is a somewhat lesser known gem of a company, they focus on making natural body-care products that are, at a minimum, 70% certified organic. They have a wide range of products, from anti-aging creams and lotions to shower gels and daily moisturizers, and they always use fair-trade ingredients. When I heard about Andalou Naturals, I was really excited to review for them, and I'm so glad they gave me the chance to!

I was sent a literal goodie bag full of samples and testers to review. Although it took me a while to assess all the different products, I've done my best to see the effects of each and every one, and my overall impression is just- Wow!

For the last 3 years, I've switched almost completely to natural self-care and bath products, and I am so happy I did. Normal, mass produced soaps with harsh chemicals and perfumes have come to dry my skin out, even leaving "flaky" residue sometimes no matter how much I rinse. Andalou Naturals' products are a world away from anything you've bought in a supermarket or department store, and the purity of the products, as well as the care they take to make them, is evident from the very first use.

The first product I tried was the Probiotic +C Renewal Cream. This is said to have a "brightening" effect on your face and even after one application, I really noticed it! It's not that it bleaches your skin, like some commercial brightening products, but the ingredients simply nourish your skin so much that it brings out it's natural beauty. A little of this also goes a very long way- something I've found with all of Andalou's products! The scent is really refreshingly fruity, with notes of citrus, particularly orange. It doesn't linger too long, though, so there's no need to worry about it interfering with any perfume you choose to wear. It also soaks in really well and doesn't leave you looking greasy like some lower quality moisturizers.

The second product I tried was the Meyer Lemon Creamy Cleanser, also from their Brightening collection. Most cleansers I've tried have been harsh and astringent, and they leave my skin feeling rough and red- exfoliated, sure, but roughly so. The concept of a creamy cleanser was really new to me, but it was much gentler and, as with the renewal cream, really brought out some extra color and "pop" in my skin. Using this together with the renewal cream delivers amazing results! If you've ever been around someone who has a "glow" to them- the sort that new mothers, doting over their child often have- this is similar to the effect the brightening products give you. You look full of life and alert, dark spots aren't eliminated but they're naturally reduced due to the increased circulation you'll experience using these products.

Next, I moved onto the Age-Defying products. These are a little harder for me to judge, since I'm not experiencing many signs of aging yet, so I enlisted the help of my grandma who was eager to try something new if it would help me out.
I was given the Bioactive 8 Berry Enzyme Mask, Super Polypeptide Lift & Firm Cream, and Fruit Stem Cell Night Repair Cream to test.

To see how these worked, I waited till my grandma had a few days off and I gave her a miniature makeover session- starting at night with a clean face I applied the Night Repair cream. In the morning, we used some of the Meyer Lemon Creamy Cleanser to prepare her face, and then I used the Bioactive 8 Berry Enzyme Mask (which smells amazing by the way) on her. After we had removed the mask, which just rinses and wipes off cleanly, I applied the tiniest bit of the Lift & Firm cream. Now normally, my grandma always wears makeup before she goes out... but today, she didn't need any. She looked almost like she had gotten a facelift! It's amazing to me the quickness of the results you get with Andalou Naturals- while they'll surely intensify with continued usage, you can see improvement promptly. These products provide the nutrients your skin needs directly to your skin, and your skin will eagerly take them in. My grandma used to be a constant patron of Avon, she'd always buy creams and lotions and potions that never really did much more than ordinary lotion, but she's definitely a convert now!

Finally, I was given Kukui Cocoa Body Butter, Lavender Thyme Body Lotion, and Mandarin Vanilla Shower Gel to review.

I'm someone who normally uses cocoa butter body lotion, so I wondered how different the Andalou version could be. I was really amazed. Cocoa butter is usually really solid, hard to scoop out of a container. You either get too much, or barely any at all, and because it's so thick it takes forever to rub into your skin. The Kukui Cocoa Body Butter is not thin like a normal lotion, but it has a luxurious, creamy texture and it's just thick enough to have substance, while still being easy to spread. The way I really tested this out was by using it on my elbows- not because my elbows get dried out, but because I recently had surgery on my right elbow, and although I was told to liberally apply lotion on the area after it healed, I had gotten a bit lazy about it. I needed a boost of moisture and nourishment that would get me back on track sooner, rather than later! I can happily report that the quickness of results the other products provided is no different here- just a few applications and the scar I have, which was becoming rough and almost calloused, is much softer and is actually lightening a bit! And the scent of this product when you apply it- well, all cocoa butter smells good, but I literally smelled like a delicious treat! My mother walked past and wondered if I was wearing some new perfume, or if I had lit a candle in my room.

This also works great on rough, dry hands- it just leaves you feeling soft, not greasy, so it's something you can apply without feeling like you have to wash your hands afterwards (and washing them constantly dries them out even more!).

Next, the Lavender Thyme Body Lotion. The texture on this is thinner than the Body Butter, but that's to be expected. As a result, it also soaks in really fast! You can feel an increase in softness in just one or two applications. In this case, though, the smell is a little strong- it's a really intense, herby smell. I like it, but if you applied it on your entire body it might become cloying. Luckily, Andalou Naturals makes other lovely scents to choose from if herbs aren't your thing!
Other than the slightly strong scent, this product is as amazing as all the others.

When I saw the shower gel, I was curious... Mandarin Vanilla? After trying this... I am a convert. This smells so heavenly, and it cleans you up so, so well! The lather is amazing, and it feels like a spa experience in your shower. The scent is relaxing, warm, and it just fills whatever space you're in. It lingers ever so slightly after you're done, but it's not overpowering or cloying at all. There was no drying effect, or residue left after washing either- on the contrary, it actually seemed to moisturize and restore my skin! Shower gels have been especially troublesome for me, so I am very happy to have found one that works.

Overall, I am really, really happy with all the products I got to try from Andalou Naturals, and I'd like to thank them for letting me try them! I can't honestly think of a person who wouldn't benefit from the products Andalou Naturals makes. They're essential products- after all, we all need to take care of our bodies, skin included- but they are leaps and bounds above anything you'll ever find in a department store, and at a competitive price, in the case of their body butters and age-defying products they are actually much less expensive than the department store counterparts.

If there is such a thing as luxury in self care, you needn't look to specialty stores that'll charge you an arm and a leg, catalogs, or high-end department stores... Save yourself the time, trouble and money you'll waste dabbling in lesser products and skip to the top rung in the ladder. Go for Andalou Naturals, you'll never want to go back to anything else.