20 February 2012

Maracuja Oil Review

I'm a lover of QVC. I watch it pretty much like I do reality TV. Recently, after fighting the temptation to order a bottle of tarte's 100% Pure Maracuja Oil for $46 (plus tax and shipping), I was intrigued enough to try out the oil if I could find it at a more affordable price point. I also wanted a smaller bottle in case it didn't work out for me.


What you must understand is that my skin has a love/hate relationship with me, and we've just recently been able to come to a sort of friendly accord. Which I owe to a regular skincare regimen, that I was finally able to fine tune, and a fabulous aesthetician that I see every month (shout out to Valerie!). I was curious, but also reluctant to disturb this harmonic balance. However, I was just product obsessed enough to give it a trial run.

Keep reading to find out how things turned out...



I found another retailer, Oca-Brazil, that sold it.

Smaller size? Check.

Cold pressed? Check.

Cheaper than tarte? Check.

I do have oily skin, but the winter combo of cold northeastern temps and the warm blast of the furnace makes my chin and bridge of my nose SUPER dry and flaky. It laughs in the face of my normal night cream. So, I thought this could help. My plan was to use a couple drops of maracuja in place of my nighttime moisturizer.

Well, the smell wasn't great. Actually a bit off putting initially - definitely smelled natural, kinda like dirt or leaves. The scent dissipated quickly after application. But still. The oil also absorbed without leaving me with a greasy, shiny face. But I think it caused my skin to over produce, so I started getting a couple breakouts on the cheeks and chin.

Alas, I was frightened, but not deterred.

I decided instead to add about two drops to my regular nightly moisturizer. And now, I love it. No more mildly offending odor, no more breakouts. It seems to provide just the right balance of moisture that my precious skin is lacking. And if my chin happens to be having an excessively dry morning, before applying my makeup, I'll pat on a drop and let it soak in. Perhaps I've made myself buy into the "organic skincare" hype, but I really think that this stuff makes my skin more supple and - dare I say - luminous.


As a side note, since I passed on tarte's oil, I missed out on the pretty purple bottle with the shiny little button dropper that arrives in wicker case with a suede ribbon. My oil arrived in a little white plastic bottle with a flip top cap... 

So,  purchased a glass bottle dropper on eBay for less than the price of a four piece McNugget. You can even get them in cobalt blue glass. Problem solved.



You can click here to read more about the origins and benefits of maracuja oil.



I would say argan oil is maracuja's hot competitor, I've never used it so I can't compare, but it seems that most beauty girls either love that or love this. Which side on you on?

2 comments:

  1. I'm in my early 50's, but I prefer maracuja oil hands down over argan oil for my face and neck. Don't get me wrong, argan oil is wonderful too, but I prefer it for my hair.

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  2. I totally agree, Kimber. As a matter of fact, I just started being more active in caring for my neck within the last two weeks. I use maracuja oil for that and the backs of my hands.

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