May/June/July 2014 Faves!

I have been big time slacking on these favourite posts, but i've managed to narrow it down to the items that have stood out to me most over the last three months. All of these have been well loved, as you might notice if you've already seen my empties.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear CC Cream in Light - Sometimes I adore this CC cream, other times I don't. For the most part though, it has been a favourite. It provides medium to full coverage while leaving a dewy finish. On really hot days, it needs to be set with a powder or it makes me look greasy. The colour matches me well, but oxidizes quite a bit. Overall, great introduction to CC creams for me (it was the first one that I've tried/used).

Sappho Liquid Foundation in Leisha - review here - This is a long time favourite of mine. It provides beautiful coverage without ever feeling heavy/cakey. It's like a better second skin.

FitGlow Lipgloss in Nude - I purchased this from Anise Apothecary a couple of months ago and have fallen more and more in love. It's a mauve-ish nude shade that looks great over any lipstick or over my natural lips. It's a slightly sticky formula, but that makes it last even longer. It's also super moisturizing.

*Earthlabs Raw Mascara - Anise Apothecary gave me this mascara to try and I'm so glad they did. It's awesome! No clumps, flaking, smudging, transferring, or burning. Lasts all day long, even on super hot and humid days.

*Queen of the Hive Peppermint Lip Balm - This stuff works incredibly well, tastes great, and I love it. The only thing that I don't like is that when it gets hard, it tugs at the lips a bit.

Wedderspoon Manuka Honey - Do I really need to explain this favourite? It's a holy grail skin care item for me. I use it to mix clay masks and on it's own, just works wonders for my skin.

*Pai Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream - I've been using this as a hand cream and it instantly soothes the ezcema on my hands. It's been a friggen dream come true and I may even like it more than the actual hand cream. I also use it on my legs as they can get super itchy and dry.

*evie Lovingly Pure Toning Rose Water - review here - I am obsessed. I love the smell, how it works, the bottle, the misting top, just the whole thing. It's so expensive that I'm still debating on whether or not to splurge. I guess if I love it this much I really should eh?

Odacite (Pa + G) Papaya and Geranium Pure Elements - These serums are a game changer. They're meant to be mixed with other oils/serums/face creams. I've seen great results, in terms of brightening, with this particular one.

Badger Balm Joint Rub - If you've ever been looking for a natural rub for sore muscles and joints, may I introduce you to this miracle worker. As someone who's constantly hunched over (I know, I know. Pull those shoulders back!), bending, standing, sitting, for long periods of time, my body needs a good rub every now and then. This has gotten me through some long days at work, days I wouldn't have made it through otherwise. Never discontinue this item Badger!

Traditional Medicinals Organic Chamomile with Lavender Tea - This tea...this tea tastes incredible AND puts me right to sleep! A must try if your mind goes into overdrive at night :). Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you've been loving. *PR SAMPLE

Trash Talk July 2014 (Empties)

Another month has passed us by, and I'm thrilled to be killing my stash. August will likely be all skin care and the last of these huge empties posts. As I've mentioned before, I plan on taking the minimalist approach to my skin, body, and hair care routines. Especially with the colder months coming, less is more for my skin.
Grab a drink and snack, and let's get started! 

*New Leaf Naturals Chai to Relax Hand Soap - review here - I really did enjoy this hand soap, despite the scent not being as strong as I normally like, and it worked really well for cleaning makeup and dirt off of my hands. Sadly, castile soap bases irritate my hands.

*Pure+Simple Organic Hair Oil - I've had this hair oil for a very long time and never reviewed it because they've discontinued it. It had a unique scent, that I can't even described, but worked well to condition my scalp and hair.

Deep Steep Body Mist in Honeydew Spearmint - Maaaaan, this is my favourite Deep Steep scent. So refreshing! This body mist was lovely as a refresher, especially when I worked long days and felt stinky. The scent wasn't overpowering and didn't linger for long (sadly) but filled its purpose. I have already repurchased.

Deep Steep Body Wash in Honeydew Spearmint - review here - Love, love, love! The scent was perfect, the foaming action was great, and my skin always felt soft after using it. My boyfriend used up most of this bottle (Thanks Chris) and so I didn't get to enjoy it for as long as I had hoped. Iherb was out of this scent, so I picked up Chamomile Lavender and will say that I'm not loving the scent as much as this one.

*New Leaf Naturals Stink Stopper - review here - Fantastic deodorant! It never irritated my pits and kept me stink free almost all day. I wasn't a fan of the scent and didn't like that it turned white close a bit green (even though it washed off). If there were more scents available and shipping wasn't insane to Canada, I'd 100% pick up another one.

*Organic Bath Co. Stress Less Body Scrub - review here - Nothing has changed from my initial review. It exfoliated really well and left my skin soft without feeling greasy. The scent grew on me, but it wasn't my favouritet. I'm currently using Zesty Mornings...swoon.

*Hush & Dotti Original Cleansing Balm (sample) - I cannot get into cleansing balms. I struggled to use this up and while it was nice, it's just not my thing. I also found the essential oils a little much for my sensitive skin. Will not be picking up the full size.

*Blissoma Mild Rice Facial Cleanser - review here - I thoroughly enjoyed this cleanser. It was actually used on my face and shoulders to keep acne at bay, worked well! The scent wasn't my favourite though and I'm not sure this would work as well for me in the colder months. May repurchase next summer.

*evie Lovingly Pure Toning Rose Water - review here - Loved this soooo much! The smell was beautiful, it hydrated my skin well, set my makeup, and refreshed my skin mid-day. This beautiful bottle comes with a $50 price tag and I'm still debating on whether to splurge.

*Thayers Cucumber Witch Hazel - review here - I forgot how long a bottle of Thayers lasts, geez. This was a long time favourite of mine, until I started branching out a bit. The ingredients, size, and price are all right. I really liked using this to mix up clay masks, but can't see myself repurchasing as I've found other toners I love even more.

*Wedderspoon 100% Manuka Honey - This is one item that I can't live without, I actually have a tablespoon left that I scooped into a smaller container. Works well as mask (alone) or mixed with clay. It reduces redness, softens my skin, and kills breakouts. Will definitely be repurchasing.

Living Libations HealthyGums Clay Toothpaste - review here - This toothpaste worked just as well as the one I originally reviewed (Neem Enamelizer) but tasted a billion times better. Living Libations has their toothpaste perfected. They have worked so well for my teeth and gums, and I can't even believe the positive changes that I have seen. I've since picked up the Frankincense Fresh Truth ToothPaste and have been enjoying it.

Zoe Organics Everything Balm - I picked this up to see how it would compare to my beloved NBW Healing Balm and it doesn't even come close. Don't get me wrong, the packaging is super cute, application is easy, and ingredients are incredible but it doesn't work as well for me and my skin issues. Will not be repurchasing.

*The Mystic Masala Spicebodhi Kapha Body Oil - review here - While I never got used to the scent, this was a lovely body oil. I enjoyed using it on my legs and sore lower back. Will not repurchase.

*One Love Organics Gardenia Body Serum (sample) - The scent of this body oil was to die for, so damn good! It moisturized my skin beautifully and never left me feeling greasy. My only issue was that the scent didn't last longer. For that reason, I will not be purchasing the full size.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear CC Mascara - As with most of PF mascaras, this one smudged within minutes of applying. At work, I'd have to constantly check my eyes to ensure I didn't look like I had slept with makeup on and just rolled outta bed. The wand is similar to their others, large with short synthetic bristles, however, it's curved. The curve makes for easier application and the outcome was long, thick lashes. Of all the PF Organic Wear mascaras, FakeOut remains my fave.

*Graydon SPF 30 Sun Cream - review here - So much sadness going on, the pump on this amazing sunscreen stopped working (for the second time) and refused to pump out what's left :(. Still, this remains one of my favourite sunscreens. I loved how it could be used on face and body, didn't leave a white cast, moisturized, and blended with ease. It was a little gritty, but that disappeared the more it was blended in. Will be picking up a jumbo bottle for my next vacation. 
Update (Aug. 3) - I did contact Graydon before doing this post and she was kind enough to offer a replacement, without hesitation, and her apologies. Really though, it's not her fault and that's why I didn't want to accept a replacement bottle. I was able to pop the top and scoop out the remaining sun cream into a little container. No waste!
Told ya it was a long one. Guess that's just expected of me now, eh? haha. What have you finished up this month? See any faves in my empties? *PR SAMPLE

Brand Focus: evie

Wow, this is the first time that I've sat down at my computer since my last post. THAT'S how busy life has been. What better way to return to the blogging world than with a review of a beautiful skin care line? 
Back in April, I was contacted by Green & Pure Organic Beauty. They're a boutique that specializes in natural and organic personal care products and not only are they an online retailer but, they also have a store in Richmond, BC. They kindly offered me the opportunity to try out a gorgeous skin care line called evie.  

Passion – the passion for life fuelled by positive energy – is the reason for evie’s existence. 

evie has been founded to help people enhance their well being and return to nature through amazingly effective personal care products that are beautiful – and make people beautiful – from the inside out. evie Personal Care products are thoughtfully formulated with certified organic essential oils and premium inorganic ingredients to deliver lasting positive results, giving your skin and hair a radiant glow while making you feel absolutely revitalised within. 

We give our best to each one of our customers because we know you deserve that, and nothing less. We understand you are pursuing your ideal lifestyles, and here we are, to play a positive role in your quest with our amazingly effective products and our passion for brighter and better living. 

‘e’ for energy, ‘vie’ for life – positive energy in life. The name says it all.

Read more about evie here.

They were very generous in sending me the *Bare Basics Kit which includes the *Amazingly Soothing Makeup Remover (180 ml), *Lovingly Pure Toning Rose Water (120 ml), and *Miracle Oil (12ml). This entire kit retails for $139.95 CAN and below I will price out each individual item.

Can we just discuss the packaging first though? I'm obsessed with the embossed detail and overall look of the boxes. So pretty!

*Amazingly Soothing Makeup Remover: A concoction of natural Jojoba, Grapeseed and Sweet Almond oil, combined with certified organic essential oils from Bulgaria, England, Italy and France. This silky smooth formula soothes the mind while it gently and thoroughly removes all traces of makeup, leaving your skin bright, soft and supple. Retails for $49.95 CAN for 180 ml.

What a gorgeous cleansing oil! I love the sturdy plastic bottle because it's light enough to travel with and won't break if you drop it in your shower. The scent isn't too strong and definitely doesn't linger, perfect for someone like me who isn't the biggest fan of rose. One pump of this luxurious oil, on dry skin, is all you need to melt the day away. Makeup doesn't even stand a chance. Seriously. Once I've worked it all over my face, I add a bit of water to transform it into a milky consistency and then just rinse it off. My skin is left well cleansed and soft without any greasy/oily residue. A total winner!

*Lovingly Pure Toning Rose Water: This all-natural toning rose water is the fruit of essential oil extracted from organic Bulgarian Damask rose. The highly concentrated toner provides moisturizing, anti-bacterial, oil-balancing and regenerative benefits, leaving your skin with a radiant glow while enhancing the effectiveness of moisturizers. This can also be used as a makeup setting spray. Retails for $45.95 CAN for 120 ml.

My favourite of the three! As someone who doesn't like rose scents, there's something about this rose water that just intoxicates me with each spray. It smells like a fresh bouquet of roses and while I'm very happy that the scent doesn't linger (because it would be a bit much for me), I still enjoy it while it lasts. I love using this as a toner after cleansing, mid-day refresher, and makeup setter. I feel like it has softened, calmed, and brightened my skin. Until now, I never thought there was a difference between rose waters, and maybe there isn't, but I feel like one has worked the best for my skin. It comes in a rather heavy, but strong, glass bottle with a spray cap that mists perfectly. Love. I'm in love with this toner.

*Miracle Oil: Combining the benefits of Rose Otto and Rose Hip with Vitamin E, this luxurious, all-natural, facial oil will moisturize your skin and repair the signs of aging. Your skin will be remarkably brighter, smoother and firmer. Retails for $69.95 for 12 ml.
Since high amounts of rosehip irritates my skin, this little bottle was given away in my Blog Birthday Giveaway. It does seem a bit overpriced, but maybe it works like no other rosehip has worked before? Hopefully the winner will provide us with some feedback once she's tried it. evie can be purchased through Green & Pure Organic Beauty. Since Green & Pure only ships within Canada, you can visit evie for a list of other retailers and even contact them to find a retailer closest to you. *Products provided for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Amazingly Soothing Makeup Remover Ingredients: Prunus amygdalis var. dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil), Vitis vinifera (Grapeseed Oil), Simmondsia sinensis (Jojoba Oil), Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Oleate, Polyglycery-3-Polyricinoleate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Lavandula angustifolia* (Lavender), Pelargonium graveolens* (Geranium), Cedrus atlantica* (Cedarwood Altas), Citrus bergamia* (Bergamot), Cananga odorata* (Ylang Ylang), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile German Blue), Rosa damascene (Rose Otto) *Certified organic

Lovingly Pure Toning Rose Water Ingredients: 100% Rose Hydrosol*
* Certified organic

Miracle Oil: Rosa canina* (Rose hip oil), Rosa damascena (Rose Otto), Natural Vitamin E
*Certified organic

Blog Birthday Giveaway! [CLOSED]

Hello lovelies! In May, my little blog turned 2 years old. Go ahead, take a moment to sing Happy Birthday....     Thank you, thank you :). With work keeping me busy, I wasn't able to do this giveaway last month even though I really wanted to thank you guys. Thank you all for your support, love, and encouragement. Whether you just read my blog, comment, send me emails, Tweet me, or whatever, I appreciate it so very much.   On that note, my blog will be very quite for the next few months. Not only have I lost some of my blogging mojo, but work is insanely busy this time of year (I ain't complaining!). There will still be posts, just not as frequently and I'll still be active on Twitter and Instagram :).'   GIVEAWAY TIME
If you follow me on Instagram, then you may have already seen a picture of what I said was one of two giveaway prizes. I changed my mind and decided to mix up the prizes to give them a lovely variety of products. I may also throw in some additional items that you won't know about until you open the box. How to enter:

• Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Bloglovin (let me know in the comments section which social media platform(s) you follow me on and your name on those platform(s))
• Let me know, in the comments section, what you have planned for the summer OR what your fondest memory of summer is
• Only leave one comment with all of the above information please :)

 What you'll win:

Prize #1:

• Lyck Bodycare Body Butter in Pink Lemonade
• Lyck Bodycare Lip Butter in Candied Orange
• Evie Miracle oil (basically rosehip and rose otto oil)
• One Love Organics Brand New Day Scrub + Mask
• Sappho Pressed Shadow in Craving Cocoa (see swatches here)

Prize #2:

• Lyck Bodycare Body Butter in Exotic Kiss
• Pure + Simple Pressed Blush in Soleil (see swatches here)
• Physicians Formula Organic Wear CC Mascara (this came in a duo pack. I took a tube for myself and kept one for you guys. It has never been used but will ship without a box)
• Myra Aso 100% Pure Marula Oil
• Lyck Bodycare Glossy Box (mini)
• S.W. Basics Cocoa Butter Lip Balm
• Sephora Silicone Exfoliating Pad

Official Rules:

All entrants must be 18 years of age (or older) or have permission of their legal guardian, as I will need your mailing address. Contest will end at 11:59 pm EST on June 23rd, 2014. Winners will be chosen at random and announced here. Winners will have 48 hours to email me at ecochicbeautydiva@gmail.com. If one or both winners do not claim their giveaway prize within 48 hours, another will be chosen. Giveaway is open internationally. Void where prohibited by law.

*WINNERS ARE: Avigayil & Lauren. Thank you to all who participated and for all your kind words. There will be more giveaways in the future. LOVE YOU GUYS!