Abrione Chakra Masques

What They Say: "Identify your most needy chakra by letting the colors speak to you. With seven individual colors corresponding to each chakra, the new Abrione Chakra Masques help to open your charkas and stabilize those that may not be perfectly balanced.

Line the masques up and select the color masque that most appeals to you. Apply the Abrione Chakra Masque you select to your face, neck, or body and feel your chakras align – plus your skin will look fabulous, too."

Jamie’s Thoughts: Don’t have a clue what a “chakra” is? Join the club. I’ll give you a brief history lesson: According to an ancient Hindu system of healing, the seven “chakras” (or centers of energy) correspond to the seven main nerve centers that stem from the spinal column. If even one chakra is misaligned, it is believed that the body is then “out of whack,” as the Abrione folks put it.

You can color me skeptical on the belief behind the product, but I know for certain how I feel about the product. I really like it. Not to the point of being able to tell when my chakras have opened and realigned themselves, but having good skin would make ANYONE feel better, am I right? Plus, the packaging is adorable and the set includes a “cell enhancing” moisturizer that is supposed to follow the use of each masque. Not to mention that each of them is downright pretty to look at!

The seven masques are as follows:

Amethyst Crown (Inner Power & Wisdom): Smells divine, looks divine, feels divine, is divine.

Indigo Third Eye (Insight): A clay based formula with antioxident powers – my skin looked healthy and flush after this one.

Blue Throat (Self-Expression): Scented to calm, includes geranium! Who knew? Not one of my favorites, but on the whole, not bad.

Emerald Heart (Love): Includes lavender to relieve stress, along with eucalyptus, cucumber, and parsley. This one really calmed some of my “monthly” pimples down and made them manageable.

Solar Plexus (Positive Self-Esteem): Smells like Spearmint, which I LOVED, and instantly put me in a good mood. Hmm, maybe I’m not such a skeptic after all. On the down side, it left a strange, glittery residue – would be great for those who aren’t afraid of a little shimmer.

Orange Sacral (Sexuality): Smells strange, but reduces pore size. Need I say more?

Red Root (Physical Strength/Vitality): Also smells slightly like finger paint. I felt a marked difference in the moisture it left behind. Awesome for dry skin.

I could go on and on about all the organic and surprising elements in these little, wondrous tubs…ingredients like Sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang, Rosemary, Prickly Pear, and Green Tea. The variety in this set is good and bad – it serves a number of purposes, and can be customized to your skin’s needs, but it could also pose a threat to sensitive skin. Some of these would be too harsh for sensitive skin. Overall, a strong recommendation for anyone who would like to try something new and totally unique for their complexion.

Price: $30 for the “Travel Tube” – sample sizes of all 7 plus moisturizer (www.vbcosmetics.com)

DeLush Rating:

Abrione Red Wine Body Scrub

What They Say: "Red wine has long been the nectar of youth and long life. A fresh approach to exfoliation can now become your weapon against the aging effects of the enviroment. To achieve a stunning impact our red wine scrub contains powerful anti-oxidants of red wine, green tea, cranberry, grape seed oil and vitamin E which leaves your skin luminous and radiant. Menthol and peppermint are added for the enjoyment and to help assist in stimulating circulation. A centuries old secret is now yours.

Directions: Apply dime size quantity to a wet buff puff or facial cloth, massage with circular motion, rinse in cool water."

Jen's Experience: I am a big fan of baths, and I love having something new to try out in the tub. This product certainly did not disappoint. I used a whole lot more than a dime sized quantity (more like a fist full for each limb!) but the end result was excellent: super-soft skin all over and a definite improvement in the drier areas.

It didn't smell like red wine exactly and the scent wasn't great, but it also clearly wasn't trying to mask the aroma of the effective ingredients. I was pleasantly surprised that it worked so well yet didn't stain the tub or leave it slippery. (I find that it's much less relaxing to use a product when you know the clean-up is a major pain.) In short, if you've got dry, winter skin and want to emerge from your bath with softer, more moisturized skin, this is a product that's worth a try.

Retail Price: $44.00 (VBCosmetics.com)

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