I first would like to start off by saying how much respect I have for those working through a cancer diagnosis. Whether you are the patient, a provider or a caregiver, the amount of energy required to devote to such a diagnosis, I have nothing but deep admiration for your perseverance and strength. To Chiara and her team, my highest regards to creating a powerful yet simplistic line.
When Joanne asked if I would review Martha Health Care products for her, I thought to myself, "how can I test these products accurately? I don't have cancer. I am not going through chemo." And although I am not dealing with cancer, I do have sensitive and dehydrated skin. If I expose my skin to certain ingredients, it can mean a tortuous several weeks after with itching and rash. I realized I AM an ideal candidate for Martha Health Care products!
Martha Health Care products are aimed at giving comfort and wellness to stressed out skin, whether the cause be from long term drug therapy such as in cancer treatment or just very dehydrated skin in need of skin barrier nourishment.
My raves for the Martha Health Care line are many. I appreciate there are many ingredient subtractions such as parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, ethyl alcohol, triclosan and oxybenzone just to name some. The fact these products can nourish and noticeably hydrate skin for long periods of time without these subtracted ingredients is pretty striking.
Most of Martha Health Care products come in airless pump bottles. The nourishing Regenerate Oil comes in a cobalt blue glass bottle with a dropper. If you try their products, you'll notice a very pleasant floral, candy like scent. It's important to mention the scents are created from a fragrance blend without the use of essential oils. As explained to me by Chiara, the founder, she explained they do not use essential oils because they can be too penetrating, contain many allergens and can interefere with medications. So their fragrance blend has all the allergenic substances removed (yay!) and has been found to be pleasant in instances even when a person experiences nausea. I'm not big on heavily or even moderately scented products, so I appreciate the fact that the scent doesn't persist or last long at all after application. This is important to those undergoing cancer treatment because treatment can affect a person's sense of smell and toleration of scents.
Product Reviews...
Body and Scalp Cleansing Mousse
This gentle yet effective cleanser does the job without stripping my skin. It's strong enough to remove my light coverage liquid foundation, blush, powder eyeshadow and setting powder all without drying my skin. As someone who already suffers from combination dry skin, it's important for me to steer away from harsh ingredients such as sulfates in my cleansers. With ingredients such as rose flower water, aloe and chamomile, this product is suitable for sensitive and stressed skins, as well as pregnant and lactating women. The mousse is extremely light in texture and in fragrance, is easy to dispense in its airless pump bottle and rinses off immediately. My face washes clean with just 2 pumps.
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Coco-Betaine, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycerin, Ozonized Castor Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol (D-alpha-tocopherol), Lactic Acid, Parfum (Fragrance)
Regenerate Oil
I love this oil because I can use it anytime day or night. It's impressively moisturizing that after applying the oil at night, my skin feels still very soft and supple in the morning 8 hours later. This oil is versatile enough to use on areas like the scalp, on dry brittle nails and even cuticles. Extremely light in fragrance, it applies easily and absorbs readily, skin feels smooth and silky. Sometimes if my skin is espcially dry, I use the Regenerate oil first and then apply body cream afterwards for even extra hydration.
Ingredients: Prunus amygdalus Dulcis (sweet almond) oil, Caprylic/ Capric Triglycerides, Ozonized Castor Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Hypericum Perforatum Flower/ Leaf/ Stem Extract, Linum Usitatissumum (Liniseed) Seed Oil, Tocopherol (D-alpha-tocopherol), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Parfum (Fragrance)
Face Cream 4 in 1
The 4 in 1 face cream is most certainly one of the lightest emulsions I've ever used that actually left the skin feeling hydrated. Although it has a lotion like consistency, the face cream moisturizes remarkably well. It doesn't leave skin feeling greasy or with a residue feel and skin feels like it has a nice protective layer. An interesting ingredient noted is the use of snail secretion filtrate. Upon first hearing, one might cringe and say ew, but have you heard of some of its benefits. Snail secretion contains growth factors that can stimulate biochemical, structural and functional cell processes and because of this, the secretions can have wound healing capabilities. Snail secretions in skin care actually isn't new, it's been trending in Korea the past 9-10 years!
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Caprylic/ Capric Triglycerides, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Tilia Cordata Flower Water, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Ozonized Castor Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Palmitic/ Stearic Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Tocopherol (D-alpha-tocopherol), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Zinc Oxide, Parfume (Fragrance)
Body Cream 4 in 1
Martha Health Care's 4 in 1 Body Cream is probably my favorite product of all for moisturizing very dry skin. I appreciate the heavy, creamy emulsion nourishing my dehydrated skin layers. A new ingredient I had not seen before is ozonized castor oil. In facial use, estheticians use ozone after extractions for its bactericidal and healing effects with an electrical machine. It is very interesting to see ozonized oil in a skin care product as I don't see it being used in the states much. The marketing label reads the formula enriched with ozonated oil is designed for preventing the formation of free radicals by helping cell renewal. Of course there is no way for me to tell if this is actually happening but this product does an excellent job of turning extremely chapped skin to soft and well hydrated for hours. What astonishes me over and over is these products do not contain ingredients like mineral oil, silicones, ethyl alcohol or parabens in their formulas.
Other raves about this body cream are its uplifting flower-candy scent, its smooth texture and how it absorbs readily without having to rub much. I really like the satin like feel without the use of silicones.
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glyceryl Stearate Cirate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Ozonized Castor Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetyl Alcohol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Palmitic/Stearic Triglyceride, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Tocopherol (D-alpha-tocopherol), Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Zinc Oxide, Parfume (Fragrance)
Hyper- Protective Ointment
Martha Health Care's Hyper-Protective Ointment is a perfect go to option for dry feet or dry hands. It has a more liquified consistency when pumping out of the airless bottle, applies very easily and absorbs readily. The ointment is directed towards relieving itchy, reddened or sensitive skin so skin undergoing chemo or radiation therapy can use this nourishing and defensive product. It has a water soluble formula giving it dual use: one being a protective leave on ointment or second, as a gentle cleanser that can be easily removed with water. Personally, I found it perfect for the dry heels of my feet.
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Ozonized Castor Oil, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba (guar) Gum, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Tocopherol (D-alpha-tocopherol), Parfume (Fragrance)
What a pleasure it has been using these products! For more information on Martha Health Care products, please check out their website Martha-Care.
*The above Martha Health Care products have been provided to me at no cost. This summary and reviews are based on my own experiences using the above products for 3 weeks. Please keep in mind, you may have a different experience.