Carapex Body & Skincare

Hi! I know it's been pretty ghost around here for a little while and I'm sorry. I promise I haven't been lazing around though; right now the problem is syncing my edited photos with Blogger so I can upload them. But I'll be back and hopefully with a bunch of new reviews soon, starting with this one, which I have been working on for awhile. I applied for a job last month on a site called Bloggers Required, which serves as the middleman between companies who need bloggers to test and review their products and bloggers looking for jobs. I found an ad looking for bloggers to help a company boost their Amazon reviews by testing out some products and writing their honest opinion on Amazon. I applied and in a rare twist of good luck for me, I got the job. Let me tell you a little about the company. 

Source

Who are they?

Carapex specializes in body care products, from head to toe, that use different blends of essential oils and other natural ingredients to create a unique moisturizing complex and improve the condition of the skin. They do not test on animals (yay!) and make an effort to be eco-conscious with even the packaging when products are sent out to customers. There are two other lines under the Carapex brand. BcBud specializes in hemp-based products for the hair and body, and Pure Mauve has an Australian Tea Tree Oil base for its hair and body products. The main brand, Carapex, uses a blend of essential oils and natural ingredients for its hair and body line. 

I'd never heard of the company before applying for the job, so all of it was very new to me. After corresponding with a company rep, I selected a total of 5 products to review; I'd get the products for free in exchange for an honest review but because I'm not an Amazon Prime member, I had to pay for shipping, which wasn't expensive at all. 

Ordering & delivery:

I ordered the products from Carapex's Amazon Marketplace and finding/ordering the products wasn't difficult at all. The only thing about it that caused a minor hiccup was that there are also 3rd party shops that sell Carapex products, so if you're not paying attention you may end up buying from them instead of Carapex. I think the 3rd party retailer is called Etailz. After that got cleared up, applying the discount code and making the purchase was a cinch.

I ordered the products on a Friday afternoon, everything was processed by the following Monday and I received it that Friday. The shipment came early in the day, there was no damage to the box or any of its contents, and other than being sent an incorrect product (I'll get to that later), no problems there either. Amazon also sent me confirmation emails every step of the way, from when the purchase was processed to when it was sent out, then another email upon delivery about my satisfaction with the purchase. The last piece of correspondence I got from them was on Monday when I was asked to rate my items. I found that last bit kind of funny since I was planning to put the review up this week anyway, but it was a nice reminder for me to get off my duff and do it. On to the products! Here's what I requested:

From l to r: Dark Circle Reducer Spray, Renewal Facial Cleanser, Hydrating
Body Lotion, Hemp & Omega 3 Botanical Shampoo, Super Moisturizing
Butter Foot Cream

*All product links are to the Amazon Marketplace for the store so that you can see everyone's reviews.*


BcBud Hemp & Omega 3 Botanical Shampoo, $14.97




--Cleanses down to the root
--Doesn't have a heavy scent
--Makes hair feel thicker and softer (after repeated usage)
--Works well with different kinds of conditioners
--Exposes dead ends and leaves them tangled



This is the product that I was sent erroneously; I had actually requested the conditioner but was sent the shampoo instead. It wasn't a big deal to me though, so I tried it out. I've used it 3 times since I received it and I really like it so far. I'm a little surprised that I like it so much because I hate the smell of hemp. I smelled a hemp shampoo at Walmart once and thought it was absolutely horrid. I still do. lol I can pick up the hemp smell in this shampoo, but the essential oils help a lot. It gets my roots really clean and since I've been using it, my roots feel a little thicker as well. It works really well with different kinds of conditioners without diminishing its own benefits, and I'm digging how my hair's been feeling since I started using it.





Carapex Premium Hydrating Body Lotion, $15.97




--Works best fresh out of the shower; feels a bit greasy otherwise
--Doesn't require constant re-application
--Unscented fragrance
--Doesn't leave a greasy texture or appearance
--Suitable for very dry or sensitive skin
--Leaves skin feeling very soft



The first time I tried this, I wasn't fresh out of the shower and it was alright, but it was a bit greasy. I wasn't crazy about it. That one was my fault though, because the directions specifically say to use it after a bath or shower. lol So I listened to the directions the next time that I tried it and the results were much better. My skin wasn't greasy this time around, it felt much more moisturized and hydrated, and my body still felt that way a few hours later. At first it didn't feel like anything special, but as the hours went by and I didn't need to reapply the lotion anywhere except my hands, I realized it was much better than I originally thought.

*Carapex Renewal Facial Cleanser, $14.97

--Works well for sensitive or dry skin
--Rehydrates and moisturizes face
--Calms my breakouts
--Has improved the overall texture of my face
--Works best fresh out of the shower
--Doesn't have a heavy consistency or weigh down the skin
--Scent isn't heavy or long-lasting



This has an asterisk next to it because it's become a holy grail product for my face since I started using it. This is another one I was initially skeptical about because it has a slightly watery consistency and the smell reminded me of powdered milk. LOL But once I used it, my face felt so much smoother. It is advertised partially as being an exfoliant, but I didn't notice any abrasiveness when I washed my face with it. I was a little late in noticing, but I haven't had any major breakouts since I started using the cleanser per the instructions. I've had a couple of spots, but they were hormonal and never fully came to the surface. I have dry skin, so I have to be careful with both exfoliants and those that caution you to wear sunscreen afterward, but I haven't had any problems. The only time I wash my face with this is at night after I've already removed my makeup and it's been doing a great job on my skin so far.





Carapex Dark Circle Reducer Cream, $19.97




--Moisturizes the skin around my eyes
--Doesn't have a thick formula
--Unscented
--Improves the look of the skin around the eyes (after repeated usage)
--Leaves a slight shine behind but it's not heavy on the skin
--Best when applied at night but wears well underneath makeup



I don't have really dark circles under my eyes or severe discoloration, but I do have some light discoloration and the skin underneath my eyes is usually dry. I have recurrent sinus infections that usually end up hitting my eyes at some point, so the rubbing keeps the skin weak. I also wear the majority of my makeup on my eyes, so it's important that I keep the skin around that area properly moisturized and hydrated. The formula isn't thick, it's not weighed down with fragrances, and it sinks into the skin after application. It does leave a slight shine behind, but if you apply this at night after the shower (if you have a nighttime skincare routine) then it should be fine. Applying this before your makeup also isn't a problem though, as I have noticed that despite the shine, it sits very well underneath makeup and even after I remove it, the skin still isn't as dry as it normally is. It's been feeling much more moisturized and healthier, not paper-thin and flaky since I've been using it. I haven't noticed a significant difference in the circles, but the slight discoloration is starting to improve a bit.




*Carapex Super Moisturizing Butter Foot Cream, $14.97




--Best fresh out of the shower
--Improves the overall texture of the feet (after repeated usage)
--Doesn't leave a greasy sheen on the skin
--Awesome when used overnight with socks
--Doesn't require repeated applications throughout the day



This is my other holy grail product of the bunch. The first time I tried this I wasn't sold because I didn't follow the directions (again), and much like the body lotion, this was a bit greasy on my feet. When I did follow the directions though, the results were totally different. The cream sank into my skin and kept it smooth for hours. When I'm out and about during the summer, I'm in sandals 99% of the time, so I need something that's going to be too legit to quit until I get back to the house. I don't have to take it with me and constantly reapply it; I may have to put on some regular lotion at some point throughout the day, but usually I don't. I've found that this works best when I use this at night or when I put socks on over it because it really locks in the moisture that way. Using this on a regular basis combined with regular maintenance has helped improve the look and feel of my feet, which I appreciate. The skin is a bit softer than it normally is, even when I don't have lotion on.

Overall:

Overall, my experience with this company and its products was a positive one. I was a bit concerned about my product reviews on Amazon and whether or not they'd read like an advertisement because I was happy with everything, but I'm honestly very satisfied with this batch of products. The biggest benefit of using all of these products, regardless of whether it was for the face, hair or body, was that the body part in question felt softer and more moisturized. For someone with naturally dry and sensitive skin/hair, I haven't had any adverse effects from anything that I tried and I love that. The packaging is simple and the ingredients list is easy to read. The company rep that I spoke to (hi Caroline!) was nothing but helpful, was able to recommend products with ease and any questions that I asked were easily and quickly answered. Navigating the website was easy as well; finding the various product lines and browsing through them, as well as making any purchases, was a snap.

As for the products themselves, I noticed that there were a few bad reviews on most of the products I requested (which is actually why I requested them), but I didn't have any of the problems listed in those reviews. Despite getting these for practically nothing, it has no influence on how I felt about the products, which I genuinely liked a lot. These are products that help improve your skin over time; they are not an immediate fix. I still have dry skin, but since I have been using these products regularly I haven't had as many issues with it. I'm going to continue using all of them because they really have helped my skin. The foot cream and the facial cleanser have become holy grail products because that's where I've noticed the most improvements in the condition of my skin. I've been using them for about three weeks and my heels are noticeably smoother even when I haven't applied any lotion, I haven't had any major breakouts, and I haven't had any more dry patches on my face. In general, my skin feels more moisturized and my hair is starting to feel a little healthier so if that is the goal of these products, then Carapex wins for me.


Do I recommend these products?

Yes, I do. I will say though that these products will probably have different results on different skin types or hair textures. My hair is coarse (being a gal of color, of course lol) so products that are meant to help bring or maintain moisture are best suited for me. The shampoo is also meant for primarily damaged hair or dry scalp, so if your scalp and hair are healthy, you'll probably have different results than I did. The same goes for the lotion. These have a different feel and result than drugstore lotions. The products I requested were meant to target dry skin, so if your skin doesn't fit that type then these may not be the products for you. If you have dry skin, damaged hair, or occasional breakouts, then give Carapex a try.

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July Favorites

I hate how fast time seems to go. It's getting annoying. lol Anyway, as I mentioned last month, I tried out a few new things, most of which were beauty related, but hopefully this month is a bit more interesting to read. Let's get started!

LA Girl Matte Lipstick in Rebel, LA Girl Glazed Lip Paint in Pin-Up

These were two of the many beauty products I've tried within the last month, reviews for which will be up soon, but these have to be my favorite two out of the bunch. Even though I've known about LA Girl for awhile thanks to YouTube, I've never had the opportunity to try the brand out because it wasn't being sold in too many local places. I noticed the Pro Conceal last month at a local beauty salon and from there, the obsession with trying the brand has spread. I tried the Glazed lip paints first, and out of the four that I bought, I liked two. My favorite, though, was Pin-Up, which obviously was red. I can't get enough of red and plum lipsticks this year, and Pin-Up is a shiny, red gloss. Love it. It smudges rather easily, but I'm digging it.

A couple of weeks ago I came across the Matte lipstick line next, and I fell in love with Rebel. Removing the color is like trying to remove a coat of paint without any water which can be hard when I'm trying to take it off at the end of the day, but the positive about that is that it doesn't come off once it's on. Rebel is this beautiful dark plum color that is going to look even better in the fall than it does now and I can't stay away from it, even when it doesn't match my makeup in any way. lol This is the first matte lipstick I've used and there'll be a review up on it soon so I won't go into too much detail, but I am in complete love with this shade. 

none this month!

It really bothers me that I haven't had the time to read again this month. I miss my books. lol I'm going to have to work to make some time because not only am I in way over my head in terms of the books I have left to do for reviews, but I've got some gems waiting to be read. 

Bloodline, The Fall

Both of these are shows that I'd been seeing all over the Netflix homepage but hadn't watched until earlier this month. When I didn't have any satellite service I decided to add Netflix Originals to the TV section of the site but hadn't done anything with it yet. This month I started watching the Original series Bloodline, with Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini and Kyle Chandler, which is about a small-town Florida family who seems to have it all, until their dark secrets begin to come out with the return of the oldest son. I'll probably review the show in full before the second season premieres, but the first season was pretty good. Even in the moments of supposed happiness and light-hearted moods, you can just feel the tension and this eerie sense of darkness beneath the surface of this family's history. It's a dark, gritty drama and despite my few complaints about it, it's every bit as good as the critics said. 

I watched both seasons of The Fall last week, and omgballs is it good. I'm not an X-Files or 50 Shades of Grey fan, so I'm not very familiar with either Gillian Anderson or Jamie Dornan's work. This was an amazing introduction to both. The Fall is an Irish crime drama about a Met detective investigating a string of murders in Belfast and having to get the local police to accept that it is the work of a serial killer, all while the killer picks (and then kills) his next victims. The first season moved rather slowly, the second season was a bit quicker, but the series as a whole was very intense. Jamie Dornan plays a great killer. LOL I became slightly obsessed with this series; it had a different feel from American crime dramas and the cast did an awesome job of giving the plot some authenticity. Maybe that's because I'm not familiar with them individually, but there was a sense of realness, almost uncomfortably so, about the series but that's another reason why I enjoyed it so much. I'll probably be reviewing this show in full as well, but I can't wait until the third season premieres on BBC sometime this fall. 

Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends, DC Universe Online

I have had my eye on Xtreme Legends for DW7 since it came out. I hadn't gotten 7 when Legends came out so I wasn't trying to pick it up. Then once I had beaten 7, I couldn't afford Legends because the price hadn't dropped yet. LOL Finally, the stars aligned and I was able to get it. I've loved it so far. What I like about this is that it syncs your game data from 7, so your progress with weapons and animal discovery as well as character levels all cross over to Legends. This is the first Legends game I've played, so I'm not sure if this is an old or new feature. You get 3 extra characters to work with and locations from previous games are available again, which helped because after so long of repeatedly playing the locations in 6 then 7, it was getting a little stale. New weapons, things to discover and secret weapons as well as new titles can be unlocked, and I'm loving all of it. I've gotten distracted by DCUO lately, but I'll be back. 

DCUO is a very old favorite for me; I've been playing the game since it went Free-to-Play on PS3 so I'd like to think of myself as an OG of the game. lol My old PS3 was only 40GB though (it's one of the originals) so DCUO didn't fit and I had to take it off, but after my mama made my life and got me a new one last month, that was the first thing I put on it. It hasn't changed too much in the two years I was gone other than to add more paid features and extras to the game, but it's still been a blast to play. It's been overrun by the chirruns (children lol) in the time I've been gone which is a bummer, but I expected it. It was fun to go back and level up my accounts. The irritating level cap at 30 is still there, but now there are a lot more DLC options to make the game more interesting after that, all of which you have to pay for, of course. lol I don't think I'll do all that, but while I'm making up my mind, I can make more money to put in escrow, I guess. lol 

EyeEm, Aviary, AfterFocus

I had EyeEm before but I don't think I really appreciated the app for what it was because I ended up getting rid of it a couple of months ago but I got it back a couple of weeks ago and got lost in it. lol What I love about this app is that if you're an amateur or aspiring photographer, it challenges you a bit to take better photos. There are a number of photo challenges you can enter and even if you don't enter for the prizes, you can still enter or browse through the current submissions to strengthen your own photography skills. I love photography, but I worry that I just don't have the eye for it. I have the mind for it, but I don't know that it translates to the actual photos that I take. Anyway, the ongoing challenges on the app look like a lot of fun, prizes aside, you get to discover other photographers using the app, and get all kinds of photo inspiration. I'm really digging the app this time around. 

Aviary and AfterFocus are old favorites; I had them on here a couple of months ago and they're still among my favorites. Whenever I'm editing photos for the blog, these are a couple of the apps that I always use to get my photos looking right. 

Pinterest

An old reliable is on the list again because per usual, I can't stay away from Pinterest. It really is the place where my blog schedule goes to die and the DIY receptors in my brain fire to life in its place. LOL This month I've been on there a lot, mainly for ATV's Americana theme, but the rest was all nerd decor. It's never going to get old for me. I need to pin all the things. 

Blog calendars, recipes, desk/nerd decor

There was a significant amount of anger at the exact moment that I realized Walmart sold a blog calendar for $10 that was everything I needed, because I had already spent more than that DIY'ing a couple of them and left the experience unfulfilled. LOL But whatever, ya live and ya learn. Unfortunately, my learning usually comes at my own expense (sometimes literally) but I digress. Anyway, one of the things on my bucket list was to try out some new recipes and I have. It's been really fun and served as a bit of (unneeded but still welcomed) confirmation that working with food is what I want to do. Finally, my desk is still a work in progress, so I've been trying to find ways to decorate and get it to actually look like a workspace instead of somewhere I just drop all my junk. Nerd decor is always on my mind because I wonder how creative I can get with inserting my favorite video games into my decor. 

Photography, ibuprofen (LOL), junk food, cold coffee, my Super Mario cup, nerd decor

Even though I don't yet have the camera I'd like to have for blog photos or practicing my photography skills, it's still on the list of things that I enjoy learning about. It's really important to me, for both blogging and hobby reasons, to get better at taking photos and I thought this summer would be a good time to test some of it out.

I've been needing some dental work for quite some time, but I recently figured out that a lot of my problems are tied into my chronic sinus issues, so the need to get this work done has been bumped up a few notches. Anytime I get a sinus headache or an infection flares up, my teeth feel like someone is cutting the nerves off with pliers and no anesthesia. It's awful, but prescription ibuprofen has been saving my life lately or I'm quite sure I would have pulled the teeth out myself by now. 

Another reason why I probably have the dental problems I do now is because of my need for junk food and cold coffee. Both of those are really hard on your teeth, especially if you're not getting all of your minerals and vitamins to keep them strong, and both of them are now taking their toll. I don't eat as much junk food or drink as much cold coffee as I used to, but I still think about them all the time so I put them up here. lol 

I bought a Super Mario cup at the beginning of the month and it immediately became one of my summertime companions. I get teased for it constantly because the top looks like the children sippy cups, the string on the cup allows you to hang it from your neck and the bottom part of the cup doubles as a separate snack compartment, but I love it. Lastly, I've had nerd decor on here for the past few favorites. Do I really still need to explain that one? LOL

What documentaries do I recommend this month? I was quite busy on Netflix this month. I would recommend I Hate Christian Laettner for old-school college basketball fans, Tricked if you want an in-depth story about the reality of human trafficking, The Immortalists if you want to meet the scientists who are trying to unlock the secret to living forever, or An Honest Liar, which focuses on one of the world's greatest magicians and his fight to expose all of the frauds who bring down magic....all while keeping some secrets of his own. 

So that's it for me this month. I didn't have a 3 paragraph entry for everything for once. I'm going to check out a few new websites; even though I love pinning all the things I'd really like to have something other than Pinterest in this category. I have some reviews coming up this week and I promise I'm going to stick to my word (and my schedule) this time. See you tomorrow!

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