Desert Essence newest line, Desert Essence Organics includes hair and body products that are 100% vegan.  Below, Desert Essence shows us how to protect our skin from the upcoming harsh Winter weather.  Most of Desert of Essence’s products are priced under $10 and prove that you don’t need to spend a fortune to go green.

Keeping with their mission, all of Desert Essence Organic products are 100% vegan, biodegradable, cruelty and wheat/gluten free. And contains no parabens, sodium laureth sulfates, phthalates, artificial fragrances or colors, silicones, EDTA, glycol or petroleum based ingredients.

Are these eco beauty products all cracked up to be?

Almond Hand and Body Lotion, $8.99

• Organic Almond Extract and Almond Oil: Contain a high level of Vitamin A, E and B, proteins and fatty acids.
• Almond oil is able to penetrate the skin, providing nourishment and moisture.
• Organic Sunflower Oil: Due to its high content of the powerful antioxidant Vitamin E, sunflower oil helps to repair damage done by environmental stressors.
• Organic Shea Butter: Absorbs quickly into skin without leaving a greasy residue. Its emollient properties help skin retain moisture and restore elasticity, resulting in skin that feels smooth and supple.

The Bottom Line: Honestly, I’m not a fan of lotions during the Fall/Winter - it’s not moisturizing enough.  Surprisingly, Desert Essence’s Almond Hand and Body Lotion kept my dry skin moisturized.  The texture is thicker than your typical body lotion and absorbs fairly quickly.  The scent is of sweet almond.  It’s a bit sweet, but not overpowering like Bath and Body Works scents.

JoJoba Oil, $ 7.65 (2 fl. oz.)

• A pure and natural extract, which will penetrate and moisturize your skin without leaving any oily residue
• Can be used to remove makeup and to cleanse clogged pores
• It softens your hands and feet after massaging them with Organic Jojoba Oil
• Good for moisturizing the scalp and in preventing dry skin or dandruff
• May be used as a leave in hair treatment while in the sun or as an aftershave moisturizer

The Bottom Line: Makeup addicts swear by jojoba oil that it works as a great makeup remover.  And honestly, I have to agree with them.  I apply a drop of jojoba oil on a cotton ball and use this to remove my eye makeup.  And let me tell you, it removes everything - especially my stubborn gel eye liner.  You can also you this on your face as well.  However, be forewarned that if you have sensitive skin or prone to breakouts, do not apply jojoba oil to your face - you might break out!

Green Apple & Ginger Body Wash, $8.99

• Organic Ginger Extract and Ginger Spice: A proprietary blend of ingredients that leaves the skin feeling moisturized and revitalized.
• Grapefruit Seed Extract: Gently deep cleans pores and refreshes skin.
• Alpha Hydroxy Acids: Help improve oil balance of the skin and gently exfoliate to reveal the next layer of fresher, younger skin.

The Bottom Line: In the past, I’ve tried various eco body washes and found that I didn’t exactly feel clean afterwards. However, this was not the case with this body wash.  This green apple jolly rancher scented body wash rinses away clean and leaves my skin soft and moisturized.  The green apple scent comes off strong, but quickly fades away by the time you get out of the shower.  Despite lacking sodium laureth sulfate, this body wash suds up well.   Overall, Desert Essence’s Green Apple & Ginger Body Wash is a great body wash for all year long.