Alba Botanica is a brand that consists of affordable natural personal care, hair care and skincare products that are made in the U.S. The brand is a division of Avalon Natural Products, and both Avalon and Alba are owned by The Hain Celestial Group that also makes Celestial Seasonings and Hain oils. Alba has quite an extensive product line, over 300 products I think. So far, I’ve used four of them.
I love the look of the bright, natural-looking packaging that supports their natural, environmentally-friendly brand identity. The graphics were updated just recently, and the colors are a little brighter, more cheerful and the graphics a little more contemporary and fun. It seems that they’ve added “Hawaiian” to the names of most of the products.
In addition to being natural, the Alba Botanica products are 100% vegetarian and are not tested on animals. They have no: Artificial Colors, Parabens, Phthalates, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Myreth Sulfate.
Hawaiian Lip Balm
Let’s start with my favorite: Alba Botanica Hawaiian Lip Balm. Not all the products I use are “natural”, but when it comes to what I put on my lips, I think about it a little more. Especially a lip balm that I wear all day or overnight to help my dry lips. The website, soap.com, describes the product as “natural”: “This product meets our criteria for natural because it is made primarily of natural ingredients with minimal processing. Natural ingredients are extracted directly from plants or animals as opposed to being made synthetically.”
Initially, I tried Alba Botanica Hawaiian Lip Balm because I love anything with a coconut scent. This is called Nourishing Coconut Cream, and it has a fresh, subtle coconut scent but no taste. The lip balm also comes in passion fruit and pineapple scents. I wish I could find the pineapple scent in a local store because I’d like to try that one, too.
Alba Botanica Hawaiian Lip Balm is moisturizing and soothing, and lasts on my lips for several hours. I can’t really say that it heals my chapped lips, but then I’m an extreme case. I use it regularly to keep my lips as hydrated as possible.
Alba Botanica Hawaiian Lip Balm does not have an SPF, but Alba makes other ones that do.
I paid about $3.49 for the lip balm at Walmart, Target and Market Basket Supermarket, but I have seen it online for less including the Alba website where it’s $2.99 or on Amazon where multi-packs are really cheap, a 6-pack for $8.48.
Net net: This product is a keeper.
Ingredients
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (1), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil (1), Beeswax (1), Flavor, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil (1), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil (1), Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Allantoin, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citral, Limonene, Linalool. (1) Certified Organic Ingredient
Alba Natural Hawaiian 3-in-1 Clean Towelettes
I am a newcomer to the Alba Natural Hawaiian 3-in-1 Clean Towelettes, but so far I love them. Although the package says “deep pore cleansing”, they are very gentle. I don’t generally have big pores, so I can’t vouch for whether they are “deep pore cleansing”. I like them because they remove waterproof eye makeup without a struggle. To me, that’s a very good thing!
The 3-in-1 in the name is makeup remover, cleanser and toner. Oddly enough, I often wash my face after using a towelette, but clearly that’s not necessary.
Because of the pineapple enzyme ingredient that’s highlighted on the packaging, I expected the towelettes to smell like pineapple. Instead, they have a subtle, fresh scent. They are not irritating to my eyes or skin at all.
The packaging has kept them fresh for almost 2 months, and I hope they’ll stay moist till I use them up. There are 30 towelettes in the pack. My only nit-picking complaint is that the plastic tape closure isn’t the greatest.
I bought the Alba Natural Hawaiian 3-in-1 Clean Towelettes at Target for around $3.99.
Net net: I’ll buy these towelettes again, but there are other towelettes I like better.
Product: Alba Natural Hawaiian 3-in-1 Clean Towelettes, 30 count towelettes (7″ x 7.5″/17.8 cm x 19.1 cm)
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice(1), Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Barosma Betulina Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Allantoin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Babassu Oil, Polyglyceryl-4 Esters, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Panthenol, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium PCA, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Allyl Caproate, Allyl Heptanoate, Lauraldeyde, Triethyl Citrate, Vanillin, Citral, Limonene, Linalool. (1) Certified Organic Ingredient
Alba Hawaiian Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion
I tried the Alba Hawaiian Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion on a whim. Again, scent often sways my purchase behavior, and I like cocoa butter scent. Reminds me of summer. So, the promise of a great scent got me to try it.
The Alba Hawaiian Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion comes in a tube. Though it has a very thick consistency, it squeezes out easily. It feels thick going on but is not hard to apply. It contains cocoa butter, shea butter, vitamin E, and a variety of oils like jojoba and sunflower oil. It definitely feels moisturizing and replenishing, as the package states. However, the moisturize is not as long-lasting as the 24-hour moisture brands that I’m used to using. I’m guessing that the fact that this product is made from natural ingredients means it doesn’t contain whatever the 24-hour moisture ingredient is in the mainstream brands. Since long-lasting moisture may trump natural ingredients in a body lotion for me, I may not repurchase this one, or maybe I’ll make it a summer-only brand.
Alba Hawaiian Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion smells like cocoa butter. It actually smells like chocolate, but not chocolate candy. It has a rather earthy cocoa scent. It smells natural. I don’t love the scent, but I don’t dislike it either.
It is a 7 oz. product, and I believe I paid about $7.59 at Target. Like the other Alba products I have mentioned, it is widely available in stores and online.
Net net: Moisture not long-lasting enough for me in spite of the natural ingredients.
Alba Pineapple Enzyme Cleanser
I bought the Alba Pineapple Enzyme Cleanser at Wal-Mart for about $9.00, and it’s available at Target, too. Surprisingly, CVS doesn’t seem to carry Alba Botanica. I haven’t checked at Walgreen’s.
Here are links to the Alba Botanica products at Amazon, if you want to check them out:
I’ve tried the Alba Hibiscus Facial Toner, which claims to contain enzymes that “purify, hydrate and balance skin’s pH.” I found it to be so-so and didn’t like the phony flowery-fruity fragrance.
However, more recently I bought Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Balancing Toner at a Whole Foods store. It’s supposed to be for mature skin and promises to be rich in antioxidants, including a stable form of Vitamin C, plus papaya enzymes to exfoliate and “hydrate while targeting areas of hyperpigmentation.” Its label says the ingredients are 70% organic. The bottom line: for me it’s a GREAT moisturizer and exfoliator! I use it after cleansing and find that my skin is noticeably plumped and hydrated. It has an orange-y scent, reminiscent of baby aspirin, which isn’t my fave, but it fades as soon as the product dries. If you have dry skin and you like to use a toner under moisturizer, I’d give it a go! I really like the Avalon line and plan to try some of their other Vitamin C products. Saw them on Amazon for reasonable prices!
It’s funny about Alba, Kim, some of the products are great and some are, as you said “so-so”. I was surprised when I learned that Avalon and Alba are related, both owned by Hain Celestial because I see the two brands as quite similar. I tried Avalon’s facial moisturizer with vitamin C and with SPF a couple of years ago, again because I loved the orange scent. The moisturizer was quite good, but unfortunately, the plastic container that it came in cracked in half when the product was still 2/3 full. I remember trying to find another container to scoop it out and put it into but it was a mess and I think I ended up tossing it. I wrote to the company to tell them, and I think I got a letter back saying that was too bad but that was it. I will have to give them another chance. I like the idea of toner/exfoliator in one! If you decide to get some Avalon products from Amazon, consider ordering via NSDB. But you may want to check Wal-Mart if you ever go there, and maybe Target 🙂
Will do, Allison. Thanks!
I’ve been using LypSyl “intense protection lip moisturizer” for the past few years and love it! I have dry lips and need to moisturize frequently but am sensitive to sunscreen, so I’m happy it doesn’t offer any SPF. It goes on very smoothly and has a nice soothing sensation. It also comes in an oval tube, so it doesn’t roll off my bedside table like so many others do! It’s sometimes hard to find, but Rite Aid usually carries it. Let me know what you think if you should decide to try it.
I will definitely look for it, Amy. That name, LypSyl, sounds or rather looks really familiar…probably because of the “y”s! I just looked it up online, and I see it’s sold at Walgreen’s and WalMart in addition to RteAid. Great! I love the fact that it’s made with beeswax! I just saw that it’s a Swedish brand that’s been around since 1905. The website also said that it’s super lightweight for better moisturization. Now I’m really eager to try it. The packaging with the little bee on the lid and the oval shape is really cute, and it’s priced at $2.99. I’ll definitely pick some up next time I’m near either Walgreen’s or Rite Aid. Thank you for the recommendation 🙂
Me too! I’m very careful in choosing a lippie or a lip balm. I make it to a point that it would moisturize my lips especially at night to prevent dryness of it. I’ve read an article wherein the author said that “Vicks Vaporub” can also be applied as a lip balm at night, and when you wake up in the morning, you’ll be surprised by its effect where it would make your lips smoother and moisturized. Haven’t tried it, though.
Rina recently posted…Best Skin Cleansing Products
Wow, Rina, Vick’s Vaporub on the lips! I’m not sure I’d try that one, lol. The smell would keep me up all night 😉 Check out my recent post on DIY lip scrubs instead!
I love the Alba cocoa butter lotion and the lip balm. It’s priced right and the consistency is perfect not too much it smells delicious! I love the way cocoa butter smells. For my face I use origins stuff but now I’m thinking I may want to try the rest of the Alba product line. 🙂
I’m getting used to the natural, earthy scent of the lotion. I haven’t tried the facial moisturizers from the Alba line, but they might be next. With over 300 products, there’s a lot more to try.
Hi, like Rachel I also like the Alba cocoa butter lotion. It has such a delicious scent and it is so smooth when I apply it. But from your comments Allison I have just realised how extensive their product list is – time for me to get a bit more adventurous!
me, too, Jo! and I’m almost out of the cocoa butter lotion. I think you’ve talked me into getting more instead of my usual Curel.