June 2015 Empties!

Another month, another pile of empties to share with you. I am so excited for July as it is my birthday month AND there are some exciting things happening at work.
Diving right in..

Kiss My Face Creamy Face Cleanser - Brianna, Iluvjesse444, raves about this cleanser, so I thought I would give it a go. It removed makeup well, but left me feeling a bit dry and the tacky texture wasn't my favourite. Worked fantastically as a shave cream though! Wouldn't repurchase.

HollyBeth Marigold Toner - I picked up this toner from The Truth Beauty Company when I was visiting my brother in Kitchener. What drew me to it was the use of calendula and lavender oils in a base of witch hazel. My thought process was that it would help with acne while soothing the skin. Unfortunately, it was too drying for me. Wouldn't repurchase.

Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner  - review here - Not much to say here, besides that I am already working my way through another bottle. It is my absolute favourite toner of life.

Saje Konjac Sponge with Yam Extract - I have reviewed konjac sponges before and they don't tend to work well for my skin with the exception of in the summer, as my skin isn't as easily irritated or sensitive. I picked this one up in January, used it a couple of times, it irritated my skin, and so it sat in my skin care drawer until April. In April, I busted it out and have been using it ever since. It gently exfoliates, removes any makeup that has been left behind from my first cleanse, and the yam extract apparently works to brighten the skin. Already repurchased.

*Pure Daily Essentials Revive Hydration Mist *Canadian Brand* - review here - This was an okay mist, it left my skin feeling soft and hydrated but I was not a fan of the scent. Wouldn't purchase the full size.

*Pure Daily Essentials Makeup Remover *Canadian Brand* - review here - Loved this makeup remover! It was so gentle and smelled faintly of lavender, removed all of my makeup and left my skin feeling so soft. Would consider purchasing the full size.

*Zaya Rosewood Eye Oil *Canadian Brand* - review here - As I am lazy and cannot be bothered to use a legit eye product, this was my eye makeup remover (a lush one at that). It was gentle, removed all of my eye makeup, nourished the delicate eye area, smelled gorgeous, and was an absolute treat to use. If you are looking for an eye oil, I would 100% recommend this one without hesitation. Since I only used it to remove makeup, it's not one I'd repurchase.

Honey & Glow Lip Scrub *Canadian Brand* - I found this lip scrub months back at Anise Apothecary and was so excited at the limited ingredients list; honey, brown sugar, and olive oil. That's it. It worked really well at first, despite needing to be massaged between my fingers to separate the sugar granules. Over time though, it became too hard (you know how brown sugar and honey get) to use, so I'm tossing it. Considering the large container and price point ($8), I would recommend if you can use it up quickly enough. I've found a lip scrub that I like better though, so I will not repurchase.

Andalou Naturals Beta Hydroxy Complex Recovery Cream -  This was a major fail product for me, so I am tossing it. I love Andalou products but this one just did not want to work for me. It left my skin red and irritated with continued use, and even broke me out despite it being targeted for acne prone skin. Wouldn't repurchse.

Deep Steep Body Wash - review here - The Deep Steep body washes have been a staple in my shower for over a year. They are moisturizing, lather well with a loofah, smell nice, and are generally affordable. The tangerine melon scent reminded me of an orange freezie, which was alright but definitely not my favourite. I have since discovered Sudsatorium shower gels, which are even more affordable and the brand is Canadian. Would repurchase Deep Steep, but won't for right now.

*Zaya Belly Oil *Canadian Brand* - review here - Another amazing oil by Zaya. This body oil was so beautiful, warm smelling, nourishing, and all over beautiful. It lasted me a good 5 months, making the $50 price tag worth it. I would definitely repurchase.

*Poppy Jane Candle Co. in Sleep Tight - review here - I am SO sad to have used up this candle. It was so beautifully fragranced, comforting, packaged, and filled my room with its beautiful scent. If you live in the states, you must try these. They are worth every penny! Sadly, shipping outside of the USA is insane. Last time I checked it was more than the candles themselves. If they were to become available at a shop in Canada or shipping was more reasonable, I would repurchase.

Meow Meow Tweet Baking Soda Free Deo - review here - This is THE best natural deodorant that I have ever used. I am a stinky person and this gets me through most of the day, a reapplication is required with most natural deos. It smells like oranges, doesn't irritate my pits, and one jar lasts me months. Would loooooveeee different scent options though, wink wink nudge nudge. I've already repurchased.

John Masters Vanilla Orange Body Wash (sample) - review here - Love the smell of this body wash and how it fragrances my skin. Picked this up just to travel with and would definitely pick up another travel size just to have around.

Living Libations Wild Child Healthy Gum Drops *Canadian Brand* - review here - These drops worked to keep sensitivity away and freshen breath. I liked using them in a salt water mouth rinse and directly on my gums. Will be repurchasing.

Alima Pure Mauna Loa Bronzer - review here - Two and a half years later and I have finally used up this bronzer! It was the perfect medium matte bronzer for my skin tone. I loved it to warm up my skin in the winter, as a foundation in the summer (or after a beach vacay), to contour, as a crease colour, etc. Love and will likely be repurchasing.

LoveFresh Eucalyptus Spearmint Deo *Canadian Brand* (sample) - Anise Apothecary gave me this on my last visit, as I was thinking of venturing away from MMT, just to try something new, but this deo left my pits feeling super wet upon application. It smells nice but I can't deal with wet feeling pits.

John Masters Lavender Avocado Conditioner (sample) - Glam Goes Green gave me a sample of this to try. Since my ends are bleached and I am trying to grow out my hair, I figured a conditioner would be handy. Love this stuff! So much so that my boyfriend picked me up a full sized bottle.

*Tata Harper Lip Treatment - I got this from an event that I attended about a year and a half ago. It's a really expensive lip product but it worked really well. I enjoyed the slight reddish tint, packaging, and how soft my lips felt. There are more affordable brands, so I wouldn't repurchase.

FitGlow Mascara *Canadian Brand* - review to come - This was a lovely mascara that didn't smudge, flake, or irritate my sensitive eyes. It was volumizing, lengthening, and the pigmentation was great. Would repurchase.

*Kari Gran Mineral Foundation (samples) - None of the foundation shades match my skin, so I used them all as bronzers which was really nice.

Celebration Herbals Turmeric Ginger Lemon Blend Tea - This tea deserves an honorable mention because it was so damn good! Turmeric has many health benefits, one being that it fights inflammation in the body. Since I don't eat it as often as I should, I thought incorporating a tea would be beneficial. Little did I know that it also contained ginger and lemon, great for detoxifying the system. This tea was warming, comforting, tasty, body loving, and I am absolutely in love with it. I have already repurchased two boxes, one to keep at work and one to keep at home. Highly recommend.
What have you used up this month? *PR SAMPLES

Brand Focus: Pure Daily Essentials

Discovering new products is fun, but discovering new Canadian products is even funner! That's a word, right?

Pure Daily Essentials is a small home-based business in Langley, British Columbia. We are committed to providing all natural skin care products working with ethical ingredients. All of our products are paraben and chemical free. 

Being small, all of our products are handcrafted in small batches and made fresh to order. We respect that what goes onto your skin, goes into your body! We are environmentally friendly and are against animal testing. We test all products on ourselves and family members.

Read more about Pure Daily Essentials here.

*Makeup Remover ($16.95 CAD/50 ml): Our all natural Make-Up remover easily removes all make-up without rinsing. Remove all traces of eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara with this gentle natural eye make up remover but also use it as a dual cleanser for the rest of your face. It's gentle enough for all skin types and won't dry your skin or clog your pores. 

This makeup remover is light, effective, gentle, soothing, calming, and wonderful. With oils like sweet almond and olive, and extracts of comfrey, calendula, and chamomile, it's no surprise why. It easily removes makeup, smells heavenly, and doesn't break me out. I enjoy how fluid it is and those that cleansing oils with castor will understand what I mean, as castor oil is pretty thick. Of the four products that I had the opportunity to try, this one is hands down my favourite.

*Revive Hydration Mist in Sandalwood ($14.95 CAD/60 ml): A refreshing and nutritious tonic of all natural skin care ingredients blended to provide hydration and balance for your skin, while counteracting the damages from environmental influences; it regulates your skins natural oils. This skin tonic is made with healing essential oils such as Sandalwood essential oil to help soften skin by increasing and restoring its ability to retain moisture. Using this tonic after cleansing, prepares your skin for the ultimate experience of whichever Pure Daily Essentials moisturizer you choose. 

This mist feels really nice on the skin, is refreshing, and hydrating but I don't enjoy the scent. It's a combination of geranium, sandalwood, vetiver, palmarosa and ylang ylang. If you're into either of those, or all of them, then you'll love this. 

*Gentle Oatmeal Scrub ($24.95 CAD/60 ml): Our oatmeal face scrub is made without harsh chemicals that often strips away too much of the skin. This all natural cleansing and exfoliating scrub is gentle enough for everyday use and is the basis for every effective facial care routine. Our oatmeal facial scrub, made with plant granules such as Lavender and Chamomile flower tops, will polish the skin just enough to rid dead skin cells without irritating the skin.

I was really hoping that this would replace my beloved Angels on Bare Skin by Lush, but it's completely different than what I was expecting. It's oilier, as you can see from the picture, and chunkier. While I do love how soft it makes my skin feel and the fact that I don't need to moisturize after using it, I do wish it wasn't as oily and the oats were ground up more. Still, this scrub is gentle yet effective, and a little goes a long way.

*Lavish Hydration Lavender ($26.95 CAD/250 ml or $11.95/60 ml): The best body lotion to deeply balance, soften and delicately scent the skin with the aroma of Lavender. Our rich and luxurious all natural body lotions are formulated with botanical infusions that are known to revitalize, rejuvenate, and nourish the driest of skin. Full of fatty acids, antioxidants, and a concentrated blend of vitamins and minerals, we worked with the earth to create a luscious treat for all skin types.
This is my least favourite of the bunch. I chose it because I love lavender, but the ylang ylang and geranium essential oils completely take over. Also, the lotion doesn't fully absorb and leaves me feeling greasy. It definitely boasts a list of impressive ingredients, like coconut oil, sunflower oil, calendula, chamomile, and comfrey, so it's unfortunate that it didn't work for me. 
Get it here: Pure Daily Essentials and these retailers. *Products provided for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Makeup Remover Ingredients: Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil, Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Symphytum officinale (Comfrey) root extract, Calendula officinalis (Calendula) flower extract, Anthemis nobilis (Chamomile) flower extract, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender).
Revive Hydration Mist Ingredients: Aqua, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) oil, Santalum album (Sandalwood) oil, Cymbopogon martinii (Palmarosa) oil, Vetiveria zizanoides (Vetiver) oil, Cananga odorata (Ylang ylang) oil. 
Gentle Oatmeal Scrub Ingredients: Avena sativa (Oatmeal), Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) flower tops, Matricaria recutita (Chamomile) flower tops, Plantago lanceolata (Plantain) leaf extract, glycerin, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) leaf extract, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender), Styrax benzoin.
Lavish Hydration Lavender Ingredients: Aqua, helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil, Cera alba (Beeswax), Calendula officinalis (Calendula) flower extract, Symphytum officinale (Comfrey) root extract, Anthemis nobilis (Chamomile) flower extract, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) oil, Citrus aurantium dulcis (Orange peel) oil, Cananga odorata (Ylang ylang) oil, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) oil, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) leaf extract, Styrax benzoin, Prunus oenothera biennis (Evening primrose) oil, Glycerin, Sodium borate, Xanthan gum, d-alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E).