January 2013 Faves!

I've spent most of this month trying to finish things up that have been sitting around begging to be used and tossed. I've also started school, so makeup hasn't been much of a priority. This will be an extremely lame favourites post but I promise February will be more exciting since I'm playing with new products.

Here's what I've been loving, it's all skin care *blushes*...

Lush's Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser - review here - New favourite cleanser. It gently exfoliates and softens.

Tamanu Oil - review here - My review is for Shea Terra's Tamanu, but the rubber and oil were reacting causing rubber to get into my oil. I took it back to where I bought it and switched it for the Aura Cacia version. It works amazing and I love the pump bottle.

Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil - review here - So hydrating and balancing!

Badger Cocoa Butter Lip Balm - review here - Creamy, delicious and great for softening chapped lips or maintaining soft ones.

All four products have been keeping my skin (and lips) soft, hydrated and blemish free.

What are some products that you've been loving this month?

January 2013 Empties!

Boy oh boy, do I ever love empties posts! I love reading them and I love writing them, mostly because I feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish a product. There's really no structure to this one, so lets just get started shall we.

Evanhealy Blue Chamomile Day Moisturizer - review here - My skin and I did not like this moisturizer. The smell was way too strong and lingered, and it made my skin breakout and caused little red bumps. I will not be purchasing the full size

Evanhealy Green Tea Clay - review here - This mask was great but basic, I have been making my own clay masks and will be adding matcha to them soon. I will not be purchasing the full size.

Cocoon Apothecary Ancient Mud Facial Mask - review here - This mask was really great for detoxifying but it's too intense for my sensitive skin. It was a fantastic spot treatment though! I will not be repurchasing.

Pure Potent WOW Aromatherapy Mister - review here - I love this stuff. It was great for mixing clay masks with, setting makeup, refresher, etc. I will be repurchasing soon.

Nature's Gate Cool Mint Gel Toothpaste - review here - I really liked this toothpaste because it was minty and gel textured. For now, I will try to find a glycerin free toothpaste, therefore, I will not be repurchasing.

Dr. Mist Spray Deodorant - review here - I finally finished my second bottle of this deodorant and it has been the most effective in keeping me dry and stink free. The only downside is that it can dry out my underarms. I can see myself repurchasing this at some point, but I'm trying a crystal stick right now.

Shea Terra Shea Butter Whipper in Rooibos & Berries - review here - I love the hydration that this butter gives but absolutely hate the scent. I will not be repurchasing.

Sukin Hydrating Body Lotion - review here - This was a great lotion for use when my skin was damp from a shower, but I didn't find it hydrating enough when applied to dry skin. I will not be repurchasing.

Shea Terra African Black Soap Bar - review here - I would say that this was more of an exfoliating bar and not practical for daily use, at least not in the colder months. I'd love to try other bar soap from Shea Terra but I will not be repurchasing the black soap bar.

Sante Naturkosmetik Pressed Powder - review here - I really did enjoy this powder at first but now I find it annoying. The compact is too big and heavy to keep in my purse (I did anyway, but it was heavy!), it didn't help with shine and I'm pretty dry, AND it cracked into a million pieces once I hit pan. I will definitely not be repurchasing.

Mary Ginseng House Lip Balm in Lime - review here - Wonderfully hydrating lip balm. My only issue is that it's too oily/creamy. By that I mean, when it's at room temperature it's like applying melted butter onto your lips. I guess that would be great for those of you who like that, but I found it annoying and can't even imagine what it would look like if I spent all day outside in the summer with it. I will not be repurchasing.

Antipodes Lime Leaf & Cocoa Butter Lip Balm - review here - I loved this lip balm so much. I never really got used to the dish soap taste but I did get over it. The thing that threw me off and turned me off was how bumpy and rough it got towards the end of it's life. I will not be repurchasing because Badger cocoa butter lip balms have replaced this, fingers crossed the same thing doesn't happen.

I always welcome replacement recommendations :)

What have you been able to get through this month?

New Roots Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil Review

I've been hearing about Sea Buckthorn Oil for a little while now. It's a semi-rich oil that's great for calming and healing rosacea, eczema, acne, dry skin, balancing oily skin, anti-aging and much more. My skin is so sensitive and reactive all year round, I've finally come to terms with it. The constant weather change here has made me extremely dry and I just love playing with facial oils, so I thought what the heck! Side note: my journey into making my own facial serums is still going to happen, my first batch wasn't impressive and now I want to see what oils do great things for my skin before mixing another batch.

Description: Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil is an excellent source of both omega 3 and 6 fatty acids in a naturally effective 1:1 ratio, along with being a rich source of omega 9. Sea Buckthorn seed oil fast absorbing, and light in colour and texture yet rich in vitamins E and K, its antioxidant properties rank it among the premium oils for nurturing and protecting skin. Stronger skin cell membranes and better collagen creation will improved the elasticity of skin for a healthy, youthful appearance. 

The Good:

• light fragrance
• moisturizing
• acne reducing/clearing
• calming
• balancing

The Bad:

• worst bottle ever

Verdict: I'm really thrilled to have discovered a new type of oil that works well with my skin. I was using it for about a week, morning and night, and noticed a significant improvement in the hydration level, tone and number of breakouts. I then started playing with a mixture of 1 pump tamanu and 4 drops sea buckthorn and I swear they are a dream team together! I apply it to my face, neck and chest and can honestly say that my skin hasn't looked this good, for this long in a very long time. I still have acne scars and haven't really noticed those fading. There are so many brands of sea buckthorn oil and I will say that I don't recommend New Roots because of the bottle.  The bottle leaks and doesn't close properly. No matter how tight I turn the top, it slides (yes, slides) open and causes such a darn mess. I had to put it into another glass dropper bottle because oil was leaking everywhere. I will definitely repurchase sea buckthorn oil, however, it will be from a different brand.

Retails for approx. $23 CAN for 30ml. Sea Buckthorn Oil is sold at most health food stores.

What are your thoughts on sea buckthorn oil?

Ingredients: sea buckthorn oil

Badger Cocoa Butter Lip Balm in Mocha Cocoa Review

The wonderful Marcella, from Naturally Marcy, sent me this lip balm in our swap and I cannot put it down! I see badger products in most health food stores, and in blogs, but never really thought to try anything from them. I am so happy that she sent me this to try because I think it's going to be a must have from now on.

Description: A Little Magic for your Lips! Our dreamy Cocoa Butter Lip Balms come in a larger .25oz stick with a magical Badger on the label! These creamy lip balms feature rich, Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified^TM Cocoa Butter, which has the sultry fragrance of dark chocolate. Our Cocoa Butter is traditionally processed at low temperatures, allowing the butter to retain its natural, health-giving properties. Flavored with all natural steam distilled essential oils - no artificial sweeteners or fragrances. We may be a little biased, but these are some of the best lip balms we've ever tried! (We think you'll probably agree.)

The Good:

• larger than most lip balms
• incredibly hydrating
• smooth application
• amazing ingredients
• great value for price

The Bad:

• scent/flavour

Verdict: I  LOVE this lip balm! It's larger than a traditional balm both in weight and width (see below) which makes application smooth and easy. It's incredibly hydrating, beats out the Antipodes Lime Leaf and Cocoa Butter lip balm hands down. The weather has been darn cold in Canada and it's the only balm that I've been reaching for. The only down side, is the scent. While I'm starting to like it more than when I originally smelled it, I can see myself getting sick of it eventually. Chocolate and coffee scented anything,especially lip balms, don't tend to tickle my fancy as much as mint and peppermint do. Luckily, Marcella sent me the Mint one too! It smells a little like chocolate as well, thanks to the wonderful cocoa butter, but the mint is prominent. I will definitely purchase when I use these up. Go pick one up!

Retails for approx. $6 or 7 CAN for .25oz. Can be purchased at most health food stores or from Badger directly.

What are your favourite Badger products?

Base Ingredients: *Theobroma Cacao (Organic & Fair Trade CertifiedTM Cocoa) Butter, *Olea Europaea (Organic Extra Virgin Olive) Oil, *Cera Alba (Organic Beeswax), *Ricinus Communis (Organic Castor) Oil, *Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Extract, and CO2 Extracts of *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Organic Rosemary), *Rosa Canina (Organic Rosehip), & *Hippophae Rhamnoides (Organic Seabuckthorn).
Mocha Cocoa: CO2 Extract of *Coffea Arabica (Organic Coffee).
* = Certified Organic

Get Angelic Skin with Lush's Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser

Lush has long tried to call itself a natural brand, while I mostly disagree, I can't argue that their clay cleansers are absolutely fantastic. Over the Christmas holiday, I was lucky enough to work at a Lush store and experience the energetic atmosphere and hype over the brand. While Lush basically sells itself, I had to try as many products as possible in order to demo and sell them myself. Several of their products contain sodium lauryl sulfate which was pretty disappointing, being "natural" and all, but I was able to find a couple of products with fairly clean ingredients. One of which is the Angels on Bare Skin facial cleanser.

Description: For heavenly soft and balanced skin, take a smidgen of Angels on Bare Skin, mix with a little water and massage in. The kaolin clay base deep cleanses while ground almonds gently exfoliate the dead skin away. Rose and lavender are added to soothe and help balance out combination skin. It's our best selling preservative-free and packaging-free daily cleanser for all skin types, so if you don't know which cleanser to choose and it's heavenly skin you're after, start with Angels.

The Good:

• smells great
• gently exfoliates
• leaves skin soft and hydrated
• tiny bit goes a long way
• gets rid of acne
• can be used on body
• sold by weight

The Bad:

• can be messy
• must keep container free of any water
• only fresh for 3 months
• doesn't remove makeup

Verdict: I LOVE this cleanser. I tried a few samples of it before actually investing in it. Once I finished up my samples, and wasn't using it for a couple of weeks, I noticed what a difference using it daily really made. This cleanser helps keep my acne at bay, brighten my complexion, soften my skin and reduce dry patches. For starters, it has ground almonds which gently exfoliates the skin and eliminates dry patches like no other. It also containers kaolin clay, which I love because it's ideal for sensitive skin and draws out impurities. It smells like calming lavender, but is never overwhelming. I use it in the morning and even use it on my chest, shoulders and back to help reduce acne and smooth out my skin. It doesn't remove makeup and I wouldn't recommend using it around your eyes. You probably could, but I don't like the idea of ground almonds getting into my eyes! Ouch! It can be a little messy and it took me a few washes to figure out how to best apply and use it. At first, I was using way too much and getting it all over my bathroom counter. You only need a tiny amount (see below) and water and you're good to go. It's great that it's sold by weight because you can get as little or as much as you'd like. While they;'ll likely try to sell you a large quantity at once, it does expire within 3 months and given that you don't need much for each wash, you should just buy enough to last you 2 to 3 months. Being clay based, you need to make sure that water doesn't get into the container or it will make it slimy. For those of you like me, who wet their face first, keeping water out will be tricky. This cleanser can be pricey, but remember that a little is all you need. It is a new staple in my skin care routine and I will repurchase!

Retails for $13.95 CAN per 100g. Can only be purchased at Lush stores or online.

I used a thin layer of this product, prior to taking photos. This chunk is about $20 CAN

Ingredients: Ground Almonds (Prunus dulcis) , Glycerine , Kaolin , Water (Aqua) , Lavender Oil (Lavandula hybrida) , Rose Absolute (Rosa centifolia) , Chamomile Blue Oil (Matricaria Chamomilla) , Tagetes Oil (Tagetes minuta) , Benzoin Resinoid (Styrax tonkinensis pierre) , Lavender Flowers (Lavendula hybrida) , *Limonene , *Linalool

Swap with Naturally Marcy - Additions

Marcella received some, unwelcome, messages about how I had spent more than she did on our swap. That is extremely rude and also the reason why I put up a little disclaimer on my original swap post.

Without going into too much detail and dragging this on for too long, we both had sent each other one item that had been used that didn't work for us. We asked if the other wanted, said yes, and that's that. I sent her the Andalou Avo Cocoa Skin Food Mask which was practically full because I had only used it a couple of times. They were additions (not included in our budget) and I guess that's why it may have appeared as though I spent more.  We both discussed the swap, products and hurtful messages and she wanted to send me an additional item.

Turns out, she sent me a whole bunch of stuff. Gosh, swaps are stressful lol. I loved everything I originally received and didn't expect to receive FOUR additional items.  It was completely unnecessary but I am very much thankful. You should all write on my post how she spent too much now! Seriously!

Here are the additional items that she sent, that I received a couple of hours ago (literally):

Badger Seabuckthorn Hair Oil: Smells awesome and I will be using it tonight.

Badger Sleep Balm: This smells like lavender, but sweeter. She knows me too well because I sometimes have trouble sleeping, so hopefully this will help.

Badger Highland Mint Balm: I love mint lip balms!! Can't wait to try this.

Badger Cocoa Butter Cool Mint Lip Balm: I have a review of the mocha cocoa coming soon and I am obsessed with these lip balms. I put this one on already and love it!

Thank you so much Marcella for the additional items and for introducing me to Badger! I have a feeling that I'm going to have a new addiction lol :)

xo

The All Natural Face Haul + First Impressions!

I first heard of The All Natural Face from Bri (iluvjesse444) on YouTube. She has raved about all of the products that she has tried and I have visited their site regularly, eyeing what I'd like to buy first. I love that everything is so clean, natural, VEGAN and affordable. For those Canadian gals out there, shipping was under $4! How amazing is that!? Nothing turns me off more than paying a ridiculously high shipping fee. Crystal, from TANF, actually makes the products and stands by them 100%. She is incredibly sweet, eager to help and loves to ensure that her customer's are fully happy with their products. Aside from colour selection, I had no hesitation placing my first order.

Here's what I picked up!

L to R: Pot Foundation/concealer in True Beige,
Cream Blush in Cotton Candy and Peachy Rose,
and the Vegan Oily Lid Primer in Buff

Pot Foundation/Concealer in True Beige: This is a creamy and medium coverage concealer. I actually applied it under my eyes to see how much it would cover and how much it would crease, it worked pretty well. It definitely needs to be set with a powder but it didn't crease much. Sadly, the colour is too dark for me but at $6.50 USD for 10g, I'm not going to cry about it. I will be ordering another shade and possibly a pink shade for use under my eyes.

Cream Blush in Cotton Candy: Bri didn't lie, their cream blushes are fantastic! The colour of this one shocked me a bit because it has a strong purple tone to it but looks beautiful on. It's creamy, pigmented and long lasting.

Cream Blush in Peachy Rose: Beautiful colour and I love it as much as Cotton Candy. It's definitely peachy!  Both colours can be sheered out for a wash of colour or built up for more intensity. These are $5.75 USD each and I will be buying more for sure!

Vegan Oily Lid Primer in Buff: This shade is a good match for my skin. It sadly creases on me no matter how much or little I use. I have deep set eyes though, that's probably why I'm more prone to creasing. I'm still playing with it but I think I may end up just using it as a concealer. It was only $3.45 USD.

Crystal also included a mini sample of an eyeshadow and a sampler of all the foundation and concealers shades available. I thought that was fantastic because it now allows me to pick my actual shade and easily order what I need.

L to R: Cream Blush in Cotton Candy,
Cream Blush in Peachy Rose,
Pot Foundation/concealer in True Beige,
and Primer in Buff

L to R: Cream Blush in Cotton Candy,
Cream Blush in Peachy Rose,
Pot Foundation/concealer in True Beige,
and Primer in Buff

What's your favourite product from The All Natural Face? If you haven't tried them yet, what's on your wish list?

Figs & Rouge Balm in Cherry & Vanilla Review

Figs & Rouge has a variety of scented balms that come in gorgeous little tins. What compelled me to buy this, besides the taunting display at the Whole Foods check out line, was the scent. I love cherry and love vanilla, thought it would be a match made in balm heaven! I ripped through the packaging and couldn't take a picture, but the container was sealed so there was no way of smelling it before I purchased it. Thinking ahead at the lips balms that I was finishing up, I justified the purchase.

Description: Figs & Rouge Cherry & Vanilla 100% Organic Balm protects skin against dryness. Suitable for all skin types, it's nourishing and soothing. Use on lips, face and body for an intensive and organic moisture boost.
The Good:

• beautiful packaging
• light container which is perfect to toss in your purse
• hydrating
• affordable
• a little goes a long way

The Bad:

• smells nothing like cherry OR vanilla
• gritty in texture
• too greasy for use on (my) face

Verdict: Pure disappointment. Let me start with the smell, it doesn't smell like cherry or vanilla.  I constantly tried to smell the hint of either of those scents but just couldn't. It smells like olive oil and a little like plastic, it's gross. Because of the smell, I can't handle using it on my lips. I've tried using a tiny amount on dry patches (on my face) but it makes those areas greasy and makes my makeup slide off. I DO enjoy using it on my body though. Before bed, I apply it to my knees, elbows, heels and cuticles and wake up with wonderfully hydrated skin. Since it is a balm, I suggest letting it soak into your skin to avoid oil marks on sheets or clothes. This balm is gritty in texture, the grit melts but can be slightly annoying (to me anyway). All in all, not a balm that I would repurchase.

Retails for approx. $5.29 CAN and can be purchased at Whole Foods Market and other health food stores.

Have you tried any of the Figs & Rouge balms? Thoughts?

 

 

Ingredients: helianthus annuus seed oil, butyrospermum parkii fruit butter, cera alba, glycerin, vanilla planifolia fruit extract, citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil, prunus ceratus fruit extract,
mentha piperita leaf oil, limoneneº, linaloolº, benzyl benzoateº, benzyl salcylateº, farnesolº, gernaiolº, isoeugenolº, eugenolº, citral*º.
*Certified Organic
º Naturally Occurring Component of Essential Oils

Nature's Gate Toothpaste Review

I long to find the best natural toothpaste for me. I originally fell in love with Kiss My Face and have repurchased many tubes of it, however, it's price forced me to look elsewhere. I stumbled across Nature's Gate Gel toothpaste at the supermarket, on sale, and couldn't resist picking it up.

Description: Brushing with our great tasting fluoride-free Cool Mint Gel Toothpaste helps reduce dental plaque build-up and brightens teeth while freshening breath and promoting oral health. Our unique formula contains an exclusive blend of 7 oral health botanicals to leave your mouth feeling minty clean and refreshed.

The Good:

• gel texture - I hate cream/paste textured toothpastes, they're gross
• minty fresh
• fantastic price point
• great size
• light foaming action

The Bad:

• contains glycerin

Verdict: I can honestly say that I enjoyed this toothpaste and didn't have any actual complaints. I was ready to repurchase over, and over again until Caitie, from Naturalla Beauty, did a post about a glycerin free toothpaste and mentioned a little about why glycerin is bad for our teeth. Being easily paranoid, I started researching for myself and decided that I'd like to cut it out from my toothpaste. All that being said, people have brushed their teeth with all sorts of things for hundreds of years and never had any problems. We make decisions based on what we think is best for us and if you decide that glycerin is fine, then you'll really enjoy Nature's Gate. It left my teeth cleaner, brighter, and breath fresher.

Retails for approx. $4.99 CAN and can be purchased at most health food and/or grocery stores.

What are your thoughts on glycerin in toothpaste?

Serenity on the Humber Day Spa

A few months back, I was emailed by the owner (Lisa) of Serenity on the Humber Day Spa.  She so sweetly let me know that she loves my blog and sells many of the items that I have reviewed.  In order to help her clients and friends make informative decisions on products to purchase, she wanted to know if she could link my reviews on her Facebook page. Obviously I said yes!

It was love at first email, honestly. We both share such a passion for natural/organic products and it showed in each email we wrote. We also discovered that we went to the same beauty school! How cool is that?! Maybe not so cool for everyone else, but it was cool to us. I had the honor of meeting her back in November (or December, can't remember now. Old age is hitting my memory) and we spent countless hours looking at all of the brands that we've both tried, she showed me makeup lines and we talked about anything and everything natural/organic. It was so wonderful to meet her. She is funny, honest, passionate and has such a positive outlook on life.  In that time, we discovered another love we share.  Adria Vasil, Author and Writer of the Ecoholic books, who just happened to be at her spa opening in September 2012. Lisa listens and follows Adria's rules for green beauty very closely and implements that into her spa.

Lisa's spa is in her home, in Bolton, located on the Humber River. It is in such a beautiful location and with the renovations and ideas that she has, it's going to grow like no other.  What I love most about at home spas is that you get one-on-one attention. She doesn't have to rush to attend to another client or worry about the phone ringing every second. When you're with her, YOU are all that matters. She offers a variety of services from her most requested Pedi in a Bed, to organic facials, body treatments and microdermabrasion. She also offers a variety of products such as Pure Anada, John Masters, 100% Pure, Devita, Pure+Simple and many others.

I highly recommend checking out her website and liking her Facebook page to get word of any promotions she's having. If you're in or around Bolton, even if you're not, why not make an appointment to pamper yourself and enjoy the surrounding natural beauty?

 

*I'm not receiving anything for writing this post. I love to support local businesses and believe in Lisa's spa.

Makeup Highlights of 2012 Tag

Caitie from Naturalla Beauty has tagged me to do the Makeup Highlights of 2012 tag. This is the first time that I've been tagged, that I've noticed anyway. Since I didn't do any 2012 favourites for makeup or skin care, I thought it would be fun.

Here we go!

1. Which makeup brand stood out to you most in 2012? (Drugstore and High End)
I don't really buy makeup from the drugstore. The brands that stood out most would have to be Alima Pure and Pure+Simple. Alima Pure is fairly affordable and great quality. I've tried their tinted lip balms, foundation and bronzer. Pure+Simple has absolutely fantastic blushes, that I've been using daily for months and haven't hit pan yet!

2. Best new discovery of 2012?

Zuzu Luxe mascara! I didn't like this mascara at all when I first tried it.  I am now on my second tube and realized that I like it better once it dries up a bit.

3. Best re-discovery -- A product that you fall in love with over and over again?
I actually don't have one. All of my makeup from 2012 is new and I don't have much to begin with.

4. Best seasonal product 2012? Winter / Spring / Summer / Fall
I'm with Caitie, I don't change up my makeup based on season.  If I want to rock a dark bold lip in the middle of summer, I will dammit! I actually really loved Physicians Formula Organic Wear Bronzer & Blush for the Summer. I still wore it in Fall and Winter, but not nearly as much as Summer. I also absolutely adored the Tarte LipSurgence™ Natural Matte Lip Tint (in Hope) combined with Bite Beauty Lip Shine (in Vintage) for Fall and Winter.  Both were in the Sephora Give Me Some Lip Set.

5. Best and worst limited edition collections of 2012? (Drugstore and High End)
I actually have no answer for this one. I'm lame, what else can I say?!

6. Most regretted purchase of 2012?

It pains me to say this, only because my boyfriend bought it for me and he reads my blog, BUT the Jane Iredale Disappear Concealer. This stuff is so sticky and hard to blend. I really enjoyed it at first, but I can't wait to use it up now.

7. Youtube and beauty highlights 2012?

Again, gotta agree with Caitie! Finding more green YouTubers and bloggers really stood out to me. I'm not going to list them all, you can check out the bloggers that I follow on my main page (some of them are YouTubers). Beauty highlights would be getting into makeup and discovering new makeup brands.

8. What is your favorite / best video on your own channel?

I don't make videos, but have thought about making some!

9. Best recommendation of 2012 from someone else?

I didn't actually get recommended anything, but read reviews on the Zuzu Luxe Mascara that I fell in love with.  So much so that I bought another one before finishing my first tube!

10. Best makeup tool 2012?

My EcoTools Bronzer brush! This brush is fantastic for mineral makeup and sheering out heavy contour and blush. I literally use it every single day and love it to bits.

11. What are the products you are excited to try in 2013?

I am excited to try a bunch of products from The All Natural Face, Vapour Organics, Everyday Minerals and whatever other brands I have yet to try!

12. Will you do a Makeup Collection in 2013, or an updated version?
Yes! I've actually been thinking about doing this.  I literally don't have much makeup, so it's all thrown into a makeup bag.

That's it, that's all!

Let me know if there are any tags you'd like me to do. Also, if you've done this tag, link it below. If you haven't, then I tag YOU! I also tag Naturally Marcy :)

100% Pure Lip Glaze in Seduce Review

Did I not say that I've been getting into lipstick? It's a sick addiction that I never understood..until now *shakes head in shame*. I picked up the 100% Pure Lip Glaze in Seduce, a few months back, from the 40% off sale that Lisa was having at her spa. I have enjoyed most of the products that I have tried from 100% Pure and this is no exception.

 

Description: Gorgeous colors from fruit pigments in a moisturizing base of avocado and cocoa butters. 100% natural formula will give your lips a sheer wash of fruit pigmented color while nourishing your lips with vitamins and antioxidants. Seduce is considered a light nude.

The Good:

• moisturizing
• lipstick + balm + gloss in one
• pigmented
• adorable packaging
• wearable nude

The Bad:

• hard to find in stores to swatch
• expensive
• not very long wearing

Verdict: I really enjoy this lip glaze because it's a "my lip colour but better" colour and I love that it applies a little glossy. I will still put a gloss over top because I love a high shine lip. The packaging is so lavish; it has a beautiful floral print on a mirrored silver tube. Not only does it look beautiful but it's easy to find when it's at the bottom of your makeup bag or purse. This shade is definitely a more peachy pink nude, so it's bound to be flattering on all skin tones. What I do hate, is that it doesn't wear very long. Obviously if you're eating and drinking, most colours will tend to fade but I feel as though this lip glaze just vanishes on my lips after about an hour or so. It's also super expensive, $19 CAN is pretty close to a high end lipstick. Based on price and performance, I don't think I'd purchase more shades or repurchase this one unless (of course) I got a good deal on it.

Retails for $19 CAN for 2.5g of product. Can be purchased at 100% Pure and even through Lisa. She may have ordered some new stock, contact her first.

What are your thoughts on 100$ Pure's lip glazes?

 

100% Pure in Seduce on left, Honeybee Gardens in Valentine on right

Ingredients: Organic Avocado Butter1, Organic Cocoa Butter1, Contains all or some of the following Fruit Pigments: Organic Cherry2, Organic Plum2, Cabernet Grape, Organic Raspberry2, Organic Blueberry2, Organic Blackberry2, Organic Peach2, Organic Apricot2, Organic Tomato3, Organic Pomegranate2, Organic Cacao (chocolate)2, Organic Rose Petals1, Organic Lavender Flower1 and Organic Cinnamon3, Organic Shea Butter4, Organic Rosehip Oil5, Organic Mango Butter1, Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), May contain Mica (natural shimmery mineral)

1 certified organic by Oregon Tilth Cerfitied Organic
2 certified organic by Organic Certifiers
3 certified organic by QAI
4 certified organic by Soil Association Certification Limited
5 certified organic by Baystate Organic Certifiers

Swap with Naturally Marcy

Naturally Marcy and I have been discussing a swap since the end of 2012, not the END (of the world) but the end of the year. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you must, she's basically my other blogging half! I thought it would be fun to post what I received from her.

Real Techniques Travel Essential Kit which includes includes:

• essential foundation brush: Build flawless custom coverage with liquid foundation or concealer 
• multi-task brush: for effortless application of powder, blush, and bronzer
• domed shadow brush: tapered design smoothly shades and defines eyes
• panoramic brush case is a 2-in-1 case + stand

I'm super excited for this set! Hoping to get to the USA and pick up the Starter Set and blush brush next!

Simply Natural Chamilla Lip Balm: This smells and feels absolutely divine thus far! I only applied it once, but am loving it.

Badger Cocoa Butter Lip Balm in Mocha Cocoa: I'm not a coffee drinker and don't enjoy the smell of coffee/mocha or anything BUT this balm has grown on me.  I went from thinking "ew, what the heck did she send me!?" to "can't.live.without.this". Superb lip balm!

Bubs & Scrubs Virgin Coconut - Coconut Milk Soap: This sounds like it's going to be delicious. I can't smell it through the packaging but I will definitely do a review when I get around to using it.

Youngblood Pressed Shadow in Zen: This shadow is a deep forest green with gold flecks, it's beautiful.

Alima Pure Shimmer Blush Sample in Freja: It's a beautiful neutral pink with lots of shimmer. I look forward to trying it.

Alima Pure Bronzer Sample in Belize: This bronzer is a beautiful medium high shimmer bronzer. It's very pretty and I think it would be best used on the decollete area because of how shimmery it is.

That's all folks! Hope you enjoyed seeing what I received in my swap! :) To see what I got her, click here.

Thank you Marcella for sending me fantastic products!

xo

DISCLAIMER: We both set a budget that we met quite well. There was a slight misunderstanding, seeing as it was our first swap ever, so there is no need to write negative comments about who spent more, etc, etc. We are both thrilled with what we received!

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Eternity

I much prefer pressed shadows over loose. I think they're easier to travel with, less messy, less fall out, and just all around easier to use. I've always heard about and seen Youngblood products online, but never got to physically swatch and play with them until...CHATTERS.  Chatters is a store, as well as salon, that sells a bunch of different brands. Sort of like a beauty supply store but more expensive. Anyway, I was browsing the store and saw a small section of Youngblood cosmetics. I immediately started swatching the quads that were available and fell in love with practically all of them.  I decided to go with Eternity because it's the perfect (for me) combo of shades for everyday eye looks.

Description: Use your eye-magination! Four complementary shades come in a sleek, mirrored compact for limitless looks. The formula sweeps on like silk and wears for hours. Each compact includes matte, pearl and shimmery finishes that blend together easily. (.14 oz/4 g)

The Good:

• pigmented
• smooth & buttery
• easy to travel with
• cruelty free, fragrance free, paraben free, gluten free, nano free, talc free
• gorgeous colour quad selections
• little to no fall out
• sleek black compact with mirror
• fairly long wear time

The Bad:

• expensive
• no matte shades

Verdict: These shadow shades are perfect and gorgeous. I like neutral looks on a daily basis, unless I'm going out at night or a special event. The compact is really small and light weight, which is great for travelling with. The entire top part of the compact is a mirror, large one at that. If you're always near or around a mirror, then that may not sway you in any way, but if you're not always able to get to one, it's a fantastic size for doing your entire eye look. The shadows apply so smoothly, while not super opaque, definitely buildable. They blend so easily, no harsh lines ladies! The most disappointing (but not a deal breaker) was that there weren't any matte shades. I wish my pictures would clearly translate the finish of each, but they all definitely have a pearl or shimmery finish. I don't really experience any fall out with these, maybe a tiny bit with the brown shade. I find they wear really well with or without a primer, although my lids get oily and my shadows tend to crease without a primer. All in all, I'm very pleased with this palette and highly recommend. I would repurchase.

Retails for approx. $45 CAN. Not sure where it can be purchased, check out Youngblood for more info.

What are some of your favourite shadow palettes?

Shades from top L to R: Quartz & Mink. Bottom L to R: Silken & Spice

L to R: Silken, Quartz, Spice & Mink.
Silken is a nice soft white/champagne highlight; Quartz is a pink champagne; Spice is a gold; Mink is a bronzed chocolate brown

same as above 

Ingredients

Ingredients: Mica (CI 77019), Zinc Stearate, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Lauroyl Lysine, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 42090).

Hugo Naturals Soap Mini Haul

I friggen ADORE Hugo's soaps so much.  I reviewed them last year in May and can honestly say that no soap even comes close to how amazing these are. They lather nicely, are creamy and hydrating, and come in so many delicious scents.  I picked up a few bars in the last couple of months because, well, I needed them. Honest! Why I needed this many, I don't know.

I currently only have these four bars on hand and one of them is now in my shower.

 Vanilla Peppermint and Sweet Eucalyptus were holiday scents and damn are they ever good! Their name describes exactly how they smell.  I haven't actually used either of them yet but I have no doubt they will be fantastic.

The one below, on the left, is White Chocolate Raspberry...what? YUM! Nom nom nom. Guys, it smells absolutely delicious. It's clearly the one that I put in my shower, after taking these pictures, and my entire bathroom smells of it. The scent lingers on the skin for a bit and it's as wonderful as the handcrafted soaps. I believe this is their Artisan soap and you purchase it by weight.  That chunk was just under $4 CAN and worth every damn penny! Then I have my Shea Butter & Oatmeal bar which is one of my faves because it's so hydrating and has the oatmeal for gentle exfoliation.

Have you tried these amazing soaps yet? If so, what's your favourite? If not, why the heck not!?!