Soft Summer Skin with Juara's Coffee & Creme Smoothing Body Ritual

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

I've been hoarding my Birchbox points and waiting for a discount code, so when my June Birchbox included a 20% discount, I treated myself to the Juara Coffee & Creme Smoothing Body Ritual set ($49).  This was a blind buy as I haven't received samples of this line to date from Birchbox, but the reviews were glowing and with it being shorts weather, I thought this set was the way to go.  So was it?

Oh, yeah. This stuff is all that and a box of chocolates, or more accurately coffee and cream.  The Invigorating Coffee Scrub is full of fresh roasted Indonesian coffee, walnut shell powder, and sulfate-free cleansing agents for a vigorous but gentle exfoliating scrub.  It definitely has that coffee grind smell that java lovers will appreciate. 

Taking my cue from the name of the set (Smoothing Body Ritual), I did not rush through the scrub but instead turned the shower off and took my time massaging the scrub in circular motions all over my body.  The recommendation is to use the scrub 2-3 times a week, which should give the exfoliating and enhanced circulation benefits without overworking my skin.  The downside of coffee scrubs is the mess, as coffee grinds covered the bottom of my shower afterwards.  I let them dry and then swept them up as opposed to rinsing them down the drain, as I'm leery of clogging my older home's plumbing. 

The second step in the Smoothing Body Ritual is the Candlenut Body Creme, which features the nourishing benefits of Candlenut oil as well as Illipe Butter,  Rice Bran Oil, and Avocado Oil.  The consistency of the body cream is thinner than a shea butter and does a great job of soaking into the skin without leaving a greasy residue.  What I get is extremely soft skin that I kept wanting to touch, it felt so good - even hours later.

 

The body cream does have a light fragrance that feels tropical without veering into coconut or suntan lotion territory.  If I had to guess I'd say it's based on white tropical flowers (I'm seeing Tiare and Jasmine featured in other Juara products), but I'm really just going with the tropical feel I get from it.  Whatever it is, I like it.

If you are as unfamiliar with Juara as I was, here's a bit of information from the Birchbox site:

The nature-based skincare line is rooted in an east-meets-west philosophy, pairing ancient Indonesian healing ingredients with modern technology and packaging. Inspired by the centuries-old medicinal tradition of Jamu (which is still used in spas in Bali today), the products rely on plants and botanicals to thoroughly nourish and improve your skin. Bonus: The 100 percent vegetarian line is also cruelty-free.

The Coffee & Creme Smoothing Ritual set ranks right up there with another luxury body care line I love (Pure Fiji, reviews here and here), so that's high praise indeed! 

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser

I was first introduced to a few Suki products through Birchbox, but it was their Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser which finally hooked me.  I received a deluxe sample size in my spring New Beauty Testtube, and I'm loving it!

First off, I'm a big fan of exfoliating products.  My oily, clogged, blemish prone skin does so much better when I exfoliate it regularly.  Fortunately, Suki even has this nifty graphic which shows the benefits of exfoliating.  Suki describes this cleanser as

"100% synthetic-free, alpha hydroxy complexion rejuvenator brightens & evens tone, smoothes wrinkles & lines, eliminates blemishes & impurities from pores while jump starting collagen production."

The cleanser is composed of essential oils, sugar crystals, powdered rice, and naturally based foaming agents.  Lemongrass is one of the essential oils in the mix and is the dominant fragrance.  I personally love the smell and find that it adds to the whole experience of using the scrub.

After scooping out about a quarter's size worth, I massage it gently on my face with just a smidgen of water.  Too much water will dissolve the sugar crystals more quickly, and I prefer them to last a bit.  The mixture becomes creamy and if I have time, I let it set on my face for a while.  It rinses off nicely with water and does not leave a greasy residue.  My skin feels soft, hydrated, and smooth.

The scrub can be used once a day or a few times a week, depending on skin sensitivity.  I've been using it a few times a week, mainly just to conserve what I have.  I'm envisioning using up my Birchbox points to purchase a full size, which is $32.95.  See, those subscription sampling services do their job :-)

Ingredients:  sucrose (sugar), potassium cocoate (saponified coconut oil), oryza sativa (rice) powder, cymbopogon flexuosus (lemongrass) oil, calendula officinalis (calendula) flower extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower extract, squalane & chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower/leaf extract, citrus aurantifolia dulcis (orange) peel extract, ascophyllum nodosum (seaweed) extract, *aroma/fragrance, limonene, citral
*component of 100% pure essential oils

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

Eminence Pear and Poppy Seed Microderm Polisher

I enjoy using scrubs to exfoliate my skin, and Eminence's Pear and Poppy Seed Microderm Polisher has been a staple with me for several years now.  Eminence is a Hungarian company that specializes in quality organic skincare products.  This scrub is for all skin types and uses poppy seeds and finely found walnut for a natural microdermabrasion.  Pear and apple pulp gives the skin a dose of bioflavonoids and antioxidants, as well as providing a really scrumptious fragrance.

This masque has an almost jelly like consistency, and after gently scrubbing for about a minute all over my face, I like to leave the scrub on for 10-15 minutes and take advantage of the skin healthy ingredients.  After, my skin is remarkably soft and feels great.  I usually follow this with one of Eminence's masques, as I like to think exfoliating prior allows the masque to penetrate better.

This exfoliating scrub retails for $46 and can be found at online retailers like Dermstore and Amazon (prices vary, but I've seen significant discounts at Amazon). 

Ingredients:  Pear Pulp, Apple Pulp, Pear Juice, Apple Juice, Poppy Seeds, Fine Walnut (Exfoliant), Silica, Glycerine (Plant Derived), Guar Gum, Plantain Extract, Green Tea, Apricot Kernel Oil, Alfalfa, Mica, Glycolic Acid, Biocomplex (Vitamins A, C, E, Coenzyme Q10, Alpha Lipoic Acid), Glycine Derivative.