May 2015 Empties!

Here we are again. You, me, my trash, and the excitement I feel to share what I used up with you. Empties are my favourite to write and my most read. Lets do this!

Mega Food Blood Builder - These whole food vitamins are incredible. These specific ones contain iron, B12, vitamin C, and folate, and have helped increased my iron levels. I've been taking them for over a year now (not this one jar) and can honestly say that I feel a difference when I take them. Will be repurchasing, though I'm totally trying to find them on sale.

Clean Well Foaming Soap in Lavender - Love this antibacterial hand soap. It contains thyme oil to kill bacteria, is gentle, and smells nice. Sadly, it is no longer available in Canada. Maybe it's not as clean as we though? Dun, dun, dun...the plot thickens. If you guys know why it's not carried in Canada anymore, let me know.

*Odylique Gentle Herb Shampoo - review here - Didn't like it as a shampoo but loved it as a shave gel/cream/thing. It didn't have much of a scent and didn't cause any irritation when shaving. Wouldn't repurchase.

The Body Deli Living Hair Shampoo - review here - Love! Smelled like minty greatness (not too strong though), full of living/raw/organic ingredients, left my hair and scalp feeling lovely, and I enjoyed it. Already repurchased.

Wedderspoon Manuka Honey - This stuff is golden, literally. I love using manuka honey in my DIY face masks, or even on its own as a face mask because it is antibacterial and brightening properties. Wedderspoon sent me an organic version a few months back, so I won't be repurchasing right away, however I have already bought and gone through several jars of this magical stuff.

Pure Anada Hydrating Toner - I picked this up, on a whim, at the Big Carrot some months ago and loved it for setting my makeup. It didn't have a smell, which is nice, and worked well to to prep my skin for makeup and set makeup. Will likely repurchase.

Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner - review here -  Surprise, surprise, I went through another bottle and am already going through another. It's my fave, what else can I say?

Andalou Naturals Radiant Skin Polish - review here - This was probably my favourite physical exfoliant ever, and that's coming from someone who doesn't normally like scrubs. It was a harsher scrub that could easily be "sheered out" (do those words work with scrubs?) by adding more water. It left my sensitive skin feeling soft and smooth, never irritated. Would repurchase.

Andalou Naturals Super Goji Peptide Perfecting Cream - I sense an Andalou theme, anyone else? This range just works so well for my skin. I have had the most difficult time finding a facial moisturizer that doesn't give me red bumps all over my forehead. Then, this one came along. It smelled faintly of oranges, was light enough to wear under makeup, yet moisturizing enough to smooth out dry patches. I can't even explain how much I love this cream, I'm already on my second jar.

Badger Balm Joint Rub - This balm was a Godsend when I was working at a spa, my whole body needed this ish after days of back to back clients and it immediately relieved pain. Sadly, the texture, colour, and scent changed and it needs to be tossed. I would repurchase, preferably in a smaller tin if available.

NBW Marigold Magic Body Scrub - When I worked at the spa, this was the only scrub that we used for manis and pedis, the texture was perfect. It contains shea butter, which held the scrub together without the oil separation happening. Because of my positive experience with it, I decided to buy a small version from Glam Goes Green. While the smaller version was still awesome, it did have a lot of oil separation. Because of that I would recommend and repurchase the full/bigger size of this scrub over the mini.

*North Hill Soap Company Soap in Happy Hippie - review here - This soap definitely made me a happy hippie with it's patchouli scent and exfoliating properties. I wish I was able to find this soap in more shops as I would 100% repurchase it.

*North Hill Soap Company Soap in Sea Goddess - review here - Not my favourite. It was more scratchy than exfoliating and just didn't excite me. Products need to excite, know what I'm saying?

*Kari Gran Cleansing Oil - review here - Really enjoyed using this cleansing oil. It removed makeup and left my skin super soft. Would consider purchasing the full size.
*Kari Gran Hydrating Tonic - review here - Ugh, I loved this. I didn't want to because it's pricey but I can't say no to a good facial mist. Would consider purchasing the full size.
The Body Deli Living Hair Conditioner - Since I love the shampoo, I thought that I'd try a sample of the conditioner. The sample was enough for two uses and I didn't find it to be as special as the shampoo. It felt like it washed off and didn't actually condition. Wouldn't purchase the full size.
Ilia Lip Conditioner in Arabian Knights - review here - After almost 2 years, I've finally used up this lip conditioner and if I've learned anything, it's that you should use your lip products and not save them for special occasions. Anyway, I loved this moisturizing berry toned lip conditioner from Ilia. It was easy to wear year round and the intensity was buildable. After two years, I'm over the tinted lip conditioners. I've been transitioning to lipsticks and lip pencils, and prefer a less glossy formula.  
Cheeky Cosmetics Mineral Shadow in Midnight - review here - This navy blue mineral shadow worked well when doing a smokey eye and as a liner, but it's now a shade I lean towards often. I mean, it took me two and a half years to finish this sample.
That's my trash! Let me know if you see anything you love, hate, and/or want to try.
*PR samples

Favourites of 2014 - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my favourites of 2014! If you haven't already checked out Part 1, it's full of my skin, hair and body care loves.
I love makeup, not in the same way that a makeup artist loves makeup, but just how it enhances what's already there...or covers what you wish wasn't! This year I stayed true to old faves and discovered some new ones. The reason I never do looks of the day, is because it's rare that I try something different. I'll usually just change up my lippy or blush. I'm a creature of habit, what else can I say?

Base: It`s really no surprise that Sappho`s Liquid Foundation in Leisha is here. It's a beautiful foundation that makes me feel like I'm not wearing any makeup at all, it covers well, and it has great ingredients. My only problem is that it oxidizes a bit. 
The next fave is the *Zuzu Luxe Dual Powder Foundation in D-10. I've only had this for a few months but I've reached for it every time that I've done my makeup. It offsets the oxidization of Leisha, provides a tad bit more coverage, and gives me a flawless complexion. I even love using it on its own when I just need to even out my skin. Full review to come.
Concealer: I haven't found one that works well for covering dark circles. I'm open to suggestions! I've heard Christopher Drummond is amazing, but (for some odd reason) I'm still on the fence about trying it.

Cheeks/Bronzer: I absolutely adore W3LL People's Universalist in #7. It's a super pigmented, deep cool toned pink cream blush that blends beautifully on the skin. 
Next up we have a hybrid, Physicians Formula Organic Wear bronzer/blush. This is my go to when I want a bronzed rosey cheek without the effort of contouring and blushing. It isn't all that pigmented so there's no way of applying too much. It works with any eye and lip combo. 
Lastly, we have Alima Pure Bronzer in Mauna Loa. I've had this bronzer for over two years now, it's insane how long this little jar has lasted. I love the warmth it gives, especially when I'm tanned and my foundation is a tad light, this evens it out. It can be built up or blended out for whatever intensity you're looking for. 

Eye Primer: Again, I haven't had this product for long but reach for it every time I do my makeup. The *Gabriel Eye Primer in Neutral is amazing! It evens out the lid, intensifies each shadow, and keeps shadows from creasing for several hours.

Eye Shadows: As you can see, I've made quite a dent in the two pictured shadows. They are my daily go tos and I literally cannot be without them. They are Pure Anada Pressed Shadows in *Whisper and Burlap. I use Whisper all over the lid, including the inner corner and brow bone, as well as on my face to highlight (seriously!). Burlap is a fantastic crease and transition colour, it's a matte light brown/taupe shade. Love!

Mascara: This was a tough one for me but, the standouts (not pictured) were Pure Anada and Earthlabs.

Brows: Sante Eye Brow Pencil in No. 2 is my holy grail brow pencil. It's the perfect dark brown without any warm (aka reddish) undertones. It fills in sparse brows like a dream and lasts for months. If you have lighter brows, I recommend Zuzu Luze Brow Pencil in Russet.

Lips: Yet another product that I haven't had for too long but have reached for more than any other lip product. This *Gabriel Color Lipliner in Berry is stunning on its own, under a gloss, or under a lipstick. It's creamy, pigmented, and lasts for hours without budging. It's a beautiful soft pink that would flatter any skin tone.

Brushes: Although many people like to use their hands, I prefer to apply makeup with brushes. That being said, these were the most used for 2014. From top to bottom we have Ecotools Shadow Brush, Alima Pure Crease/Blending Brush, Sigma Large Angled Contour Brush (used for blush), Sigma Large Powder Brush (used for bronzer), Real Techniques Multi Task Brush (used for powder), and the newest addition that I haven't been able to put down since getting it from Glam Goes Green is the *Real Techniques Powder Brush (used for powder).

Those are my makeup loves! Suggestions and your faves are always welcome, so leave them down below.

*PR SAMPLES. All opinions are my own

June 2014 Empties!

This post should have been up last week but, it's never too late to talk about trash. Right? I haven't really been buying new products or accepting PR samples, I'm just working on my stash in hopes of simplifying my entire routine.

Lulu Organics Hair Powder in  Lavender + Clary Sage (sample) - I really enjoyed the scent of this hair powder and it worked nicely at refreshing my greasy hair, however, straight up arrowroot powder works even better for me.

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser (sample) - This cleanser didn't wow me like I had expected it to. It had exfoliating bits and left my skin soft but, it also left it really red.

100% Pure Burdock & Neem Healthy Scalp Shampoo (sample) - There's something about the 100% Pure hair care range that just doesn't work for me. This left my hair clean but my scalp irritated.

*SBT Seabuckthorn Juice Bar - I used this as a hand soap and while it was nice, I prefer something with a scent (like lavender). I also didn't like that it contained canola oil.

Province Apothecary Regenerating + Stimulating Exfoliator (sample) - This stuff was seriously exfoliating! It didn't irritate my skin at all, just left it super soft and bright. I may need to pick up the full size at some point.

*Mont Echo Sea Buckthorn Cleansing Cream - review here - I forgot how much I liked this cleanser. It left my skin so clean, soft, bright, and even toned. Mont Echo actually sent me this bottle because they've changed their packaging! It went from a jar, to this lovely airless pump. If you do try this cleanser, note that you need to pump it a million times before any product comes out. I actually thought it was broken at first. Will repurchase at some point.

*Consonant The Perfect Sunscreen - review here - So sad to have finished this bottle :(. It really is the perfect sunscreen. It left absolutely no white cast and created the perfect base for makeup. I find it works best for my skin in the warmer months though, is that weird? I do have a couple of sunscreens to use up but this one will be on my repurchase list!

Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner - review here - I've talked about my love for this toner many, many times. I've already repurchased.

Pretty Ginger & Cypress Mud Mask - review here - This is another long time favourite and staple in my routine, I've already repurchased.

Weleda Calendula Face Cream - review here - Yes another favourite and staple in my routine. I love this for the ezcema/dermatitis on my hands, as well as my face. I'm currently trying out some other hand and face creams, however, it's very likely that I will be repurchasing in the near future.

OM Organic Matter Shampoo (Damage Level 1) - review here - I can't be without this shampoo! It works so well for my hair and scalp. Already repurchased.

On a Branch Soaps in Tea Girl - review here - I love the On a Branch Soap soap range and while this one was lovely to use, I had mixed feelings on the scent. Sometimes I smelled the lavender, other times it smelled a little weird. I won't be repurchasing this particular scent.

*nyl Whipped Hand & Body Lotion - review here - Another sad empty. This lotion was super hydrating and left my skin incredibly soft. Will be repurchasing at some point.

*Dr. Sponge Original Body Sponge - review here - Sorry, I can't get into these sponges.

Origins Planscriptions Concealer - This concealer has been sitting around for a long time and I almost never reach for it. It's not the worst, in terms of ingredients, but it's also not the best. Tossing it out and will not be repurchasing. Pure Anada Mascara in Black - review here - I believe this was my third tube of Pure Anada mascara and I can now officially say that it really irritated my eyes. I stand by my initial review of how well it holds up in heat, doesn't smudge, budge, smear, melt, flake, etc. If it didn't burn my eyes, it would be my holy grail forever. Sadly, I've had to move on. Alima Pure Blush in Freja (sample) - Loved this beautiful blush! It was a gorgeous shimmery (not glittery) pink blush that I think would suit most skin tones. May purchase the full size. That's it! Hope you enjoyed my trash :). *PR SAMPLES

Reveal My (Makeup) Stash #3: All About Eyes

I'm not adventurous with my eye shadows, I much prefer a neutral eye but still love a nice pop of colour on occasion. That being said, I rarely ever apply more than just mascara to my eyes because a eye primer doesn't exist in my collection. Creased shadow just annoys the heck out of me. Caitie has raved about the Faerie Organic Forty Winks Eye Primer and I keep meaning to pick it up. Perhaps it's about time that I do? Probably.

I'm going to list the shadows by row, starting at the top. To see swatches of Pure Anada shadows, click here. To see swatches of Sappho shadows, click here.

First Row: *Pure Anada Pearl (loose), and Cheeky Cosmetics Samples in Aubergine, Midnight, & Cocoa (loose).

Second Row: The All Natural Face Sample in Smolder (loose), Silk Naturals Custom & Satin (loose), and W3LL People Holiday (loose).

Third Row: The All Natural Face Diva Stix in Milk.

Fourth Row: *Sappho Turtle, *Pure Anada Whisper, Pure Anada Burlap, and *Sappho Craving Cocoa.

Fifth Row: *Sappho Norma, *Pure Anada Mirage, and *Sappho Chloe.

Sixth Row:  *Pure Anada Blackberry, *Sappho Beckitt, *Pure Anada Onyx, and *Sappho Raven

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Eternity is the only quad or palette that I own. It comes with me whenever and wherever I travel because they, to me, are the perfect colours for a subtle or smokey neutral eye.

Silk Naturals Satin & Custom, Pure Anada Burlap, Sappho Craving Cocoa, and W3LL People Holiday

Here are four shadows that I have yet to swatch and thought it would be a great time to do so, in case you're thinking of picking them up. Holiday I'm not too crazy about but, the other three are stunning! Also, Craving Cocoa is a bit more or a red brown, almost burnt orange or brick.

Left to right: W3LL People Holiday, Silk Naturals Satin, and Silk Naturals Custom

Left to right: Pure Anada Burlap and Sappho Craving Cocoa

Left to right:  W3LL People Holiday, Silk Naturals Satin, Silk Naturals Custom, Pure Anada Burlap, and Sappho Craving Cocoa

Bottom to top:  W3LL People Holiday, Silk Naturals Satin, Silk Naturals Custom, Pure Anada Burlap, and Sappho Craving Cocoa

Here we have Youngblood Eye Illuminator, Zuzu Brow Pencil in Russet, Physicians Formula Organic Wear in Black Woods, Benecos Kajal in Black, Pure Anada Mascara in Black, and Zuzu Liquid Liner in Raven (AH-MAZING). I've since added Sante Brow Pencil in No. 2 Brown to my collection. Stay tuned for my lippy collection! *PR SAMPLES. The two Silk Naturals shadows were sent to me by the lovely Cori from Well Beauty Blog.

Reveal My (Makeup) Stash #2: Blush, Bronzer, & Highlighter

My apologies for the delay in getting this up but, it's here! This is one step in my makeup routine that I'm not consistent with. Sometimes I just apply a base, mascara, fill in my brows, and throw on a little gloss before taking on the day. When I do decide to do this extra step, I like a little variety. I'm quite happy with my collection because it's more than I need without being overwhelming. All the swatches below are heavily done for your viewing pleasure.

Blush Collection:  *Pure+Simple Face Colour in Glow & Soleil, *Sappho Blush in Tutz, W3LL People Universalist in #7 Creamy Peony, Alima Pure Freja (sample), W3LL People Universalist #3 Berry Aubergine (sample), & W3LL People Universalist #1 Creamy Pink (sample).

I love them all, honestly. W3LL People #1 Creamy Pink is an amazing, natural, dupe for NARS Orgasm without all the fall out. The gold flecks stay on the creamy blush, so you don't have to worry about having glitter all over your face.

Left to right: W3LL People #1 Creamy Pink, W3LL People #3 Berry Aubergine, Alima Pure in Freija, W3LL People #7 Creamy Peony, Pure+Simple Soleil, & Pure+Simple Glow

Bottom to top: W3LL People #1 Creamy Pink, W3LL People #3 Berry Aubergine, Alima Pure in Freija, W3LL People #7 Creamy Peony, Pure+Simple Soleil, & Pure+Simple Glow

Bronzer Collection (could be considered blush as well): Physicians Formula Blush/Bronzer, *Pure Anada Cheek Colour in Bronzed Clove, & Alima Pure Bronzer in Mauna Loa.

Bottom to top: Sappho Blush in Tutz, Pure Anada Blush in Bronzed Clove, Alima Pure Bronzer in Mauna Loa, Physicians Formula Organic Wear bronzer side, blush side, and then swirled together. 

Bottom to top: Sappho Blush in Tutz, Pure Anada Blush in Bronzed Clove, Alima Pure Bronzer in Mauna Loa, Physicians Formula Organic Wear Bronzer, blush, swirled together. 

                            

Highlighter Collection: Ilia Polka Dots & Moonbeams (sample) & W3LL People Universalist #2 Moonstone Glow (sample).

Of the two, I much prefer the texture and colour of W3LL People. It's much creamier, making it easier to apply and just looks so natural. Ilia has a yellow/golden tone to it and is definitely not as creamy.

Left: W3LL People #2 Moonstone Glow
Right: Ilia Moon Beams & Polka Dots

Top: Ilia Moon Beams & Polka Dots
Bottom: W3LL People #2 Moonstone Glow, & 

Here's a look at how the sample shades actually look inside the pot :) *PR SAMPLES

March 2014 Empties

Here we are again, at the end of another month and about to peak through my trash. The most exciting part about this empties, is that it's now Spring. Hello Spring! We still have some snow on the ground but, that's okay because it's been warming up. So.excited.ashfioashigfsh. Anyone else as excited as me?

*The Mystic Masala Kapha Spicebodhi Soap - review here - Loved using this daily. It lathered nicely and left me feeling super clean.
May repurchase at some point.

Earthpaste in Wintergreen - review here - I've gone through several tubes of this stuff, always alternating between wintergreen and peppermint. It cleaned my teeth really well and left my breath fresh but, I've decided to try something new. Living Libations new, to be exact :).

Coconut Oil - Loveeee coconut oil. I mostly bake with it but sometimes I use it as a hair mask or cuticle oil. Already repurchased.

*Shamanuti Activated Charcoal Cleanser - review here - I really enjoyed the scent of this cleanser and how well it removed makeup/cleansed my face. It helped clear up my bacne (when I had a breakout), however, I didn't find it did much for my face. In fact, I think it was a little drying. Perhaps it would have worked better for me during summer.

Corpa Flora Eclat Citrouille - review here - This oil is amaze-balls! It makes my face glow and evens out my complexion over night. When this bottle ran out, I debated on trying something new until I realized that if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Am I right?
Already repurchased.

*SBT Seabuckthorn Seed Oil - review here  and here - Sea buckthorn is one of my favourite oils. I liked using this as an all over facial oil, spot treatment for pimples, or mixed with tamanu. It really helped control any breakouts and brighten the skin. I prefer the SBT brand over others because they're Canadian, the bottle is much easier to travel with, and it comes in 3 sizes.
Will be repurchasing at some point.

*Nyl Gentle Sugar Body Polish - review here - What a lovely scrub this was. I mainly used it on my lips and hands, and not only did it leave my skin incredibly soft, it also left it smelling (and tasting) delicious! The minimal ingredients and fact that it didn't leave me feeling greasy made it my favourite body scrub to date. Will likely repurchase.

Batch Naturals Abyssinian Body Whip - review here - I really liked how quickly this absorbed and how light it was, perhaps a little too light for me during the brutal Winter.
May repurchase in a different scent, at some point.

Dr. Haushka Lavender Sandalwood Body Moisturizer (sample) - I'm not usually a fan of this brand but, this lightly scented body lotion was a delight to use. It left me nicely moisturized without any heavy fragrance. *SBT Eczema Dermatitis Salve - review here - Despite how well this worked for my hands, it's being tossed because the texture, scent, and colour has changed. Pretty sure it's gone bad.
La Bella Figura Barbary Fig Seed Oil (sample) - Clementine Fields was kind enough to send me a sample with an order that I made in January. I've heard amazing things about it but, didn't see any improvements with my skin while using it.  Aurelia Cell Revitalise Night Moisturiser (sample kindly sent to me by Sabrina from Call It Vanity) - This stuff smelled so good and was one of the richest night creams I've ever tried. It was actually a little too heavy for me to use all over my face, so I would just apply a tiny, tiny amount on any dry patches. Pure Anada Mascara in Black - review here - My favourite natural mascara! It's affordable and lasts all day. My only issue, which I'm letting slide, is that it contains phenoxyethanol.  Already repurchased. Pretty Rose Facial Tonic (not pictured) - review here - I'm not a fan of rose scents but I find this rose facial tonic works amazingly well for my skin.  Will repurchase at some point. Weleda Calendula Face Cream (not pictured) - review here - I can't say enough good things about this cream. I mainly use it on my hands and face, but don't hesitate to use it on my body as well.  Already repurchased. Happy Spring lovelies! *PR SAMPLES.

Reveal My (Makeup) Stash #1 - Foundations & Concealers

I've long been saying that I'd do a makeup post, but have majorly slacked. Makeup isn't a passion of mine and, while it's fun and I'm more into it now than ever before, I prefer a minimal makeup routine and look that I don't feel it's ever worth posting. Since the Reveal My Stash skin care edition was well loved, I thought I'd do the same with makeup. 
My entire makeup collection has definitely grown quite a bit in the last couple of years. I literally used to only own one foundation, one concealer, one blush, one bronzer, one mascara, crap load of lip glosses, and no lipsticks. Seriously. Take a look at what isn't a PR sample, that'll give you a great idea of what my collection was like before.  Before we start, my apologies for the poor swatch photos. I decided to include swatches as I began doing the post, and of course there's no sun. They came out a darker than they actually are. If you click the links, it'll take you to my full review and you'll likely see better swatches. 
FOUNDATION
Sappho Liquid Foundation in Leisha and *Rachel, *Pure Anada Sheer Matte Pressed Foundation in Very Fair and Light, and Jane Iredale Amazing Base in Amber & Radiant (sent to me by Alexis of The Green Beauty Bunny).  I use Sappho's Leisha with Pure Anada's Light on top, most often. If I don't wear powder, I'll mix Leisha and Rachel together. If I only wear powder, Light is what I reach for. The inner part of my arm isn't as pale as my face, therefore Sappho's Leisha and Pure Anada's Very Fair are workable but too light on their own. All shades are fairly neutral, leaning towards yellow toned. 
CONCEALER

B to T: Sappho in Leisha, Sappho in Rachel, Pure Anada in Very Fair, Pure Anada in Light, Jane Iredale in Amber, & Jane Iredale in Radiant

B to T: Sappho in Leisha, Sappho in Rachel, Pure Anada in Very Fair, Pure Anada in Light, Jane Iredale in Amber, & Jane Iredale in Radiant

*Sappho Concealer in Undo & Neutrality, Origins Plantscription in Light, *OhSudz Concealer in Warm, Salmon & Medium.

A good under eye concealer has been a major struggle for me too find. Since I have blue veins, I can't use yellow because then my under eyes look green. Sappho's Neutrality was being used regularly, however, I found it to look a little gray/grey at times. Out of the concealers I have, I've been using OhSudz in Warm to conceal under my eyes and Origins as a shadow base (just to use it up). The others just aren't a great match for me.

B to T: Sappho Neutrality, Sappho Undo, OhSudz in Salmon, OhSudz in Medium, OhSudz in Warm, & Origins in Light

*PR SAMPLES. OhSudz was kindly sent to me to figure out which shade best suits me, it wasn't for review consideration or anything blog related. Not sure if that still qualifies as a PR sample, just letting you know anyway.