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.
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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:
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| 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.
--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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