Safe Cosmetics – Skin care

I’ve discovered DeVita® skin care products, and I’m so taken with them I’m even selling them on the side. They are completely natural. But more important to me, they are the first I’ve tried that truly do what they say. I’ll tell you more.

The lip moisturizer – DeVita® Lip Volumizer. When I was young I swore by a well known brand of lip moisturizer in the winter. As I got older, it seemed the more I used it the more I felt I needed and I realized it was somehow chapping or irritating my lips. Then I became aware of the petroleum (petrolatum from hydrocarbons) content in this and similar products. Turns out, like many people, I'm sensitive to petroleum products.

Petroleum-based products create environmental havoc to procure and petroleum isn’t a renewable resource. Then there are the health issues – possible carcinogen, possible mutagen.

For me the term volumizer is a misnomer. I do not respond to lip volumizers. I actually tried a natural one years ago that guaranteed results or your money back. When I contacted them to request a refund, the woman I spoke with said there are a small percentage of people who simply don’t respond to these products, and that’s why they provide the refund, which they did. This is another reason to patronize companies offering natural products by the way, they’re usually not just in it for the money, they “get it” and want to provide good service to their customers.

So I tried this product knowing I likely wouldn’t experience the “volumizing” (is that a word?) effect, but lured by the natural moisturizing claims of 50-60% increased hydration, 10-30% decrease in furrows and stimulation of collagen creation . I was not disappointed. I have to tell you, my lips haven’t been this soft in many, many years, and my lipstick goes on smooth again.

The other two products that sold me on DeVita® are their sunscreens. I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my shoulder last year. This is a cancer that grows slowly, there’s no concern about its spreading once removed - it’s gone. However, it means the skin has had enough sun damage that it’s reached the point where these spots (as well as the more dangerous skin cancers) may develop elsewhere.

It means – no more sun for you baby. So you see I HAVE to have a good effective sunscreen. There are terrible chemicals in commercial sunscreens, including parabens so I started with the natural brands of course. The first didn’t work. The first walk I took, for only 20 minutes, I had some burn. Scratch that one. I tried a couple others I didn’t like the feel of. I tried one I loved the feel of, it had green tea in it, which is good for sun exposed skin, and it smelled great. Unfortunately, the bugs thought so too. I finally figured out why the mosquitoes and gnats were so excited to see me – it was the sunscreen!

The sunscreen- DeVita® Solar Body Block 30 – I love this sunscreen. It has a luxurious feel thanks to shea butter and olive oil, I’ve had no burns as long as I re-apply every 20-30 minutes, and it’s completely natural. It provides full spectrum UVA/UVB protection with transparent micronized zinc oxide (not to be confused with nano particles, micronized particles are much larger).

The facial sunscreen- Devita ® Solar Protective Moisturizer 30 – This is my very favorite of their products –so far. I have oily skin, so I despaired of finding a facial sunscreen I could wear. I would try one and break out by the end of the day. My face also seemed puffy the day after trying a sunscreen on it, I don’t know why, some sort of reaction. I wear a hat, but really, I was starting to avoid going to places where I’d be in the sun for very long. Then I found this moisturizer. I don’t break out, my face is happy – and I’m happy!

For those of you who are similarly careful about your sun exposure, remember you should wear a sunscreen on exposed skin even in the cloudy winter months.