December 2013 Empties - Beauty Edition + A Love Note

As this will be the last post of the year, I thought I'd get a little sentimental and sappy. Thank you so much for all of your love and support this year. The comments left on my blog, love notes through email, and interactions on social media encourages and motivates me to continue blogging and strive to make this blog better. With that said, I wish you a very Happy New Year filled with love, laughter, health and wealth.
Sap time over.
Ah, I love ending off the year having finished so many full sized beauty products. This will be my last post until the new year and what better way to end 2013 than with an empties beauty edition post?!
Jumping right in!

Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk - review here - What a fantastic cleanser. I don't think I realized how much I enjoyed it until I finished it up. It smelled great, cleansed well (after already removing makeup), and was very affordable. My only beef is that the pump stopped working when there was about 1/4 of the product left. Was super fun trying to use up the rest...it wasn't fun at all, that was sarcasm. Would repurchase though. Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner - review here - Love! Already repurchased. Pretty Triple Rose Floral Water - review here - These are my favourite floral waters ever. I didn't love the rose scent, since I'm not a rose fan but it worked well as a morning "cleanse". Repurchased in Chamomile.

George's Aloe - no review - This product has been a favourite of many green bloggers for months. I didn't do a full review because there's no point. I used it in masks and as I would a toner or floral water. It was nice and the price point was fantastic, but it won't be a repurchase.

Weleda Calendula Shampoo and Body Wash - review here - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. This was the ultimate multitasking product for me. It worked as a shampoo, body wash and AMAZING hand wash. I will repurchase for sure!

REN Glycol Lactice Radiance Renewal Mask - review here - My heart broke a little when I finished this baby up. It was such a beautiful mask that produced results and even though it contains phenoxyethanol, I would repurchased if the price was right. 

*Odacite Hydration Masque Sample - review here - I tried and wanted to love this mask, however, it just didn't do what I expected it to do...like hydrate.

*Delizioso Skin Care Dead Sea Mud Mask - review here - This actually dried out before I could finish it, so I added a little bit of water and used what I could before it grew a furry family. There are other mud/clay masks that I prefer though. Won't repurchase.

Badger Balm Cocoa Butter Lip Balm in Mint - review here - One of my fave lip balms. I hate how cocoa butter lip balms change texture in extreme weather, which is what happened with this one. I've already used up 2 and have another left. Will likely repurchase at some point.

Ladybug Jane Sweet Strawberry Lip Balm - review here - Ugh, the taste of this balm is delicious and it's vegan! Will definitely repurchase.

Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Solid Perfume - review here - I've had this for months and months, it's lovely! Worked as a perfume, brow wax, etc. Will repurchase at some point.

*aroma M Camellia Body/Bath Oil - review here - This body oil is lovely, except for the scent. It's a little too floral and mature for my liking but, the oil itself absorbs and moisturizes beautifully. Won't purchase the full size.

Deep Steep Hand Wash in Honeydew Spearmint - review here - Great scent, great ingredients, not great for my dry hands in the cold months. Would repurchase in the Summer.

*Corpa Flora Beaute Divine Cleansing Oil - review here - Gorgeous cleansing oil that lasted me a very long time. Removed makeup without irritating or breaking out my skin. I'm using something else now and will likely purchase the full size in the future.

Konjac Sponge Company - no review - I tried so hard to write a review on this sponge but, whenever I sat down I just couldn't type anything. It's a lovely sponge that works to remove makeup and cleanse the skin with or without cleanser. I still prefer my Sephora pad though. Won't be repurchasing.

That's it for my last post of the year! Are you ending off 2013 with a lighter bathroom? Let me know what you finished off this month.

*PR SAMPLES

My Current Skin Care Routine (Morning & Night)

I've recently discovered that I haven't done a skin care routine since June 2012 and a lot has changed...like almost everything has changed. Being a product junkie, it's difficult to do an actual "routine" post because I'm always trying new things. That being said, these are the products that I have been consistently using over the last 2 months. Aside from the regular dryness around my nose and cheeks, my skin hasn't looked this good in a long time. For reference, I have combination to dry skin that's very sensitive and I get hormonal breakouts. Please keep in mind that what works for me, may not work for you. Also, I like to apply Pure Anada's *African Gold (not pictured below) on any really dry patches whether it be morning or night AND I change my pillow case and hand towel every 3 days (2 if I'm breaking out).

MORNING:

I rinse my face with warm water and then go over it with Pretty Triple Rose floral water on a cotton pad. While my face is still damp, I apply tamanu oil mixed with SBT sea buckthorn seed and fruit oils to make my own super amazing blend. I let that sink it for a couple of minutes before applying a moisturizer. I haven't been using one particular moisturizer consistently. I finish off with Graydon *SPF 30 Sun Cream and move on to makeup.

NIGHT:

First, I remove any makeup with Corpa Flora *Beaute Divine Oil Cleanser and their Shoo-Foo cloth. I then do a second cleanse with Andalou Naturals Probiotic Cleansing Milk and French Pink Clay konjac sponge, from Konjac Sponge Company (review to come), to ensure my skin is super clean and lightly exfoliated. I spritz Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner, current fave, before applying Corpa Flora Eclait Citrouille Antioxidant Night Cocktail. If I don't wear makeup, I skip the first step.

TREATMENTS:

Every other morning, I apply a layer of Wedderspoon's 100% Raw Manuka Honey all over my face (including under my eyes) and let it sit for at least 20 minutes if not longer. Manuka honey seems to really hydrate my skin and reduce redness. It also has antibacterial properties making it ideal for breakouts. Twice a week, I use REN's Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask for a lovely chemical exfoliation and once a week, I'll use Pretty's Ginger & Cypress mud mask (a long time fave) to detox and deeply cleanse my skin. I tend to mix the mud mask with whatever I feel like that day; honey, water, aloe, floral water, etc.

That's it! I've been trying to keep it as simple as possible to avoid my skin spazzing out. I must say that I've had fewer breakouts and more even toned skin since sticking to this routine. 

Do you like to keep your skin care routine basic? What's been working for you?

*PR sample

Hype Worthy: Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask Review

I adore chemical exfoliants. They are, in my mind, way more effective than a physical one and can be used on sensitive skin. Let me explain that last part. Most products that are sold in stores, that contain chemical/enzymatic exfoliants, generally don't have a low enough PH to make it as aggressive as a full on peel. There are definitely exceptions to that, however, in most cases it's true. Obviously if you have a skin condition or are hypersensitive, you should be cautious regardless.

I've seen REN in Sephora for a very long time and have read rave reviews from Green Bloggers, such as Ana. Their philosophy is basically Performance, Purity, and Pleasure. Performance being results, Purity being natural, and Pleasure being self-explanatory. With a Sephora gift card in hand and high hopes, I picked up this mask.

Description: A potent bio active peel mask designed to renew the complexion, reduce the appearance of fine lines and dramatically improve skin tone. Results:

• Removes dead skin cells to renew the complexion
• Skin looks brighter, healthier, more radiant
• Helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Combats congestion, blackheads and blemishes

Aside from the steep price tag, this mask contains phenoxyethanol. While I don't have a strong opinion on it, I've subconsciously been avoiding it. Still, I have no regrets because this mask totally delivers! I love the airless packaging and the fact that the pump has a little cap, followed by another cap. You with me? The product basically stays fresh as there's no way for air or contaminants to enter. It smells like oranges, has an orange-ish shade and is quite sticky. Luckily, REN has included a cloth to help remove the mask. It tingles a bit upon application and leaves my face a tad red upon removal, but my skin is left noticeably softer, brighter, and more even toned. I also have noticed that it reduces current breakouts and limits new ones. I was using it once a week, but have since been using it twice a week, at night, and my skin has improved greatly. My makeup goes on much smoother and, of course, that could be a combination of this mask with the other skin care products that I'm using. Current skin care routine to come.  If you're not concerned about phenoxyethanol or have the extra money to treat yourself, I highly recommend trying it out and think it's one of the few products that stands up to the hype.

Retails for approx. $66 CAN for 50ml/1.7oz. Can be purchased through Sephora or you can click here to find a retailer closest to you.

Have you tried this mask before? Thoughts?