July & August 2015 Empties!

Hi, my name is Nicole and I hoard garbage. I'm usually so good with posting my empties each month, but the last couple of months have really kicked my ass. Here is what I've been hoarding for you.

Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk - review here - This is my favourite cleanser, ever. It just works so well for my sensitive, acne prone skin and is can be found at Winners/Marshalls for under $10. It also doesn't hurt that it smells like apricots! Already repurchased.

Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner - review here - Another favourite product of mine. Like the Andalou cleanser, this toner works well for my skin and is also really affordable. It smells fresh, like clementines (as the name suggests) Already repurchased.

Heritage Store Rosewater - I really liked this rosewater for setting my makeup and keeping in my purse to hydrate parched skin in the winter. Will likely repurchase for the Fall/Winter.

*Month Echo Eau Divine - review here - The scent of this toner was horrible but it did work well mixed into clay masks. At almost $40 though, it's not a toner I'd repurchase.

*Pure Daily Essentials Gentle Oatmeal Scrub - review here - I enjoyed how gentle this scrub was, but not how greasy it was. I still prefer Lush's Angels on Bare Skin. Wouldn't repurchase.

Andalou Naturals Super Goji Peptide Perfecting Cream - Surprise, surprise, another fave from Andalou. This berry smelling cream works amazing mixed with a couple of drops of oil, both day and night. It hasn't irritated or broken me out, and creates the perfect canvas for makeup. Already repurchased.

*Noer Organics Facial Elixir (sample) - This facial elixir was really nice, but incredibly small to decide whether it was worth the investment. I do love the lavish and chic look of Noer, though it does have a matching price tag.

*Noer Organics Cleansing Balm (sample) - I'm not a fan of cleansing balms, but really enjoyed this one! It removed makeup like a dream and left my skin feeling incredibly soft. Not sure if it was the clove or anise, or both, that tingled and left my skin a bit red. It definitely wouldn't work for me in the colder months when my skin is most sensitive.

*Noer Organics Masquerade Purifying Mask (sample) - This mask boasts some impressive ingredients, like five varieties of clay to draw out impurities, papaya to gently exfoliate and brighten, cinnamon to stimulate, gotu kola to brighten, and aloe and chamomile to calm and soothe. It was nice, but I expected more. I much prefer The Body Deli Peel (also an empty this month).

*Myra Aso 100% Pure Marula Oil - review here - This stuff works wonders for my hair, especially now that I've bleached the ends. I always use a drop or two either while my hair is wet, after I've dried it, or after I've styled it. Sometimes a combo of the three. Already using another bottle.

*Kari Gran Essential Serum (sample) - review here - This serum was nice but the rosehip (or possibly the combination of rosehip with other oils) gave me little red bumps with continued use. It was nice as an eye makeup remover though. Wouldn't repurchase.

*Zaya Face Oil - review here - I absolutely adored this facial oil. It was nourishing, smelled nice, didn't irritate or break out my skin, and was a real treat to use. I've decided to start switching up my facial oils, as I finish a bottle. Trying to keep my routine more minimalist with only using one oil at a time. Will definitely repurchase in the future.

The Body Deli Radiance Enzyme Superfood Peel - review here - LOVE. This mask works wonders for my skin. It moisturizes, brightens, evens out the skin tone, and reduces breakouts. Will be repurchasing.

Meow Meow Tweet Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream - review here - This stuff works and I love it, what else can I really say? Already repurchased.

*NBW Body Scrub (sample) - I really enjoyed the new formula of this body scrub. It wasn't as greasy as their original formula and washed off nicely. I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of scrubs, and that still stands.

Theraneem Neem Toothpaste - This toothpaste did contain glycerin, if that's an issue for you, and it wasn't all that breath freshening and teeth cleansing. In fact, my teeth were worse when I went to the dentist. Wouldn't repurchase.

Andalou Naturals Shea Butter + Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream - I have a thing for Andalou Naturals, can ya tell?? This hand cream is my fave. It smells nice, is affordable, and works wonders on my dry hands. It was the only one that worked on my ezcema (which I no longer have). Already working on another tube and will pick up a backup.

Deep Steep Body Mist in Honeydew Spearmint - Love the scent of this fresh honeydew and spearmint body mist. The scent doesn't linger for long but it is a nice refresher on a hot day. Already repurchased.

Nature's Pure Bliss Keylime Pie Soy Candle - This candle smelled really nice and was reasonably priced ($8 cdn). It definitely didn't fill the room with its scent though, which was a bit disappointing. Would consider repurchasing.

The Body Deli Living Hair Shampoo - review here - This shampoo is incredible. It leaves my hair and scalp happy, and smelling nice. Check out my rave review if you want to know more. Already repurchased.

Ilia Lip Conditioner in Shell Shock - review here - My love for these lip conditioners is long gone. I can't stand the formula or taste and am so glad to be finished this one. The last of these lip conditioners, that I'm working through, is Bang Bang (red) and I'm tempted to just call it quits. Also, the price has significantly increased by $10! Ridiculous. Will not be repurchasing. FitGlow Good Gloss in Nude - review here - I am so sad to see this gloss go. I had a tiny bit left, but then I dropped it and the cap broke. It is such a beautiful feeling and tasting gloss, and it was perfect alone or over any shade of lipstick. Will be repurchasing more of these glosses. Pacifica Aquarian Gaze Waterproof Mascara - meeeeh! I really liked this mascara for the first two weeks but then it got flakey. It was waterproof, so if you're looking for a natural waterproof mascara option, this is it! Wouldn't repurchase. Sappho Liquid Foundation in Leisha - review here - I have gone through at least three, if not four, bottles of this amazing foundation. The coverage is medium, and the feel and finish is natural. It was a favourite for a couple of years but I've come to realize that it irritates my skin. Since I've stopped using this foundation (it's been months now), my skin has cleared up and I have no forehead bumps. Sadly, I will not be repurchasing. I now use Alima Pure's mineral foundation in Warm 3. Sante Brown Pencil in No. 2 - The best brow pencil that I have ever used. It lasts pretty much all day and is very much a neutral/cool brown that works for my shade of brows. Already repurchased. Let me know what you've finished, if you spot any faves, or if you have any product recommendations!
*PR SAMPLES

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

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

#NoBuyJanuary + Top 10 Wish List for 2014

Well hello there #NoBuyJanuary! You seemed like a good idea at first, but now I'm even more tempted to buy stuff. I have problems don't I? Don't answer that. In case you haven't heard about #NoBuyJanuary, it's basically a spending ban where you shop your stash and use up things you have. Obviously if you run out of an essential, which I doubt most bloggers will, you can go ahead and replace it. You can read more about the details and see which bloggers are participating by going over to Naturally Paula, the mastermind (or one of, can't remember exactly) who came up with the idea. Anyone is welcome to join in!
I'm honestly not much of a hoarder (no really!) and my beauty cabinet is a little sad and sparse in comparison to most beauty bloggers, from pictures that I've seen. Of course I have a few more products than I actually need, but if you've seen any of my empties then you know I'm good at using things up. I like to use up products before buying or opening others, unless you're a toner. There's no such thing as too much toner in my world.
In honor of #NoBuyJanuary, it makes the most sense to kick it off with a wish list..right? Right. In no particular order, I wish for....

**S.W. Basics Toner - I've loved every one of their products that I have tried and think it's time to take this relationship to the next level by adding this toner to my routine! $26 CAN.

**La Bella Figura Modern Radiance Concentrate - It's no secret, La Bella Figura is a very luxurious brand with a price tag to match. My biggest fear with high end brands is that the product won't work for me. Sure I can pass it to my mom or a friend, but when I drop that kinda money on a product I'd like to be the one to enjoy it. Know what I mean? I was fortunate enough to meet Victoria not too long ago, who's beautiful and sweet, and she had recommended the Organic Barbary Fig Seed Oil or Daily Elements Defense Face oil for my skin. This serum just sounds so good though, I can already see my acne scars disappearing just by reading the description. $163 CAN.

Me & The Girls Moon Beauty Serum - I love facial oils. I love tamanu oil. I love facial oils that contain tamanu oil and not a drop of argan oil. Basically, this was made for me. $38 USD

CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture - After seeing this post by the beautiful Britanie, I knew I needed to get my hands on this moisturizer. I have sensitive skin with dry patches on my cheeks, nose and forehead, totally opposite from my oily teenage years. Must have been the abuse I put my skin through by using stripping products. Live and learn people. $49 USD.

Aurelia Miracle Cleanser - Can't go wrong with a beautifully rich, probiotic cleanser! I'd love to compare it to the Andalou Probiotic Cleanser. £34.

Osmia Active Gel Toner - Calendula? Aloe? Hyaluronic Acid? Sign me up! $58 USD.

**Marie Veronique Organics Everyday Coverage - I got a sample of this baby from Fresh Faced and ended up really enjoying it! On lazy days I'd mix the medium shade with some moisturizer, add a little powder, and go on my merry way. It's so easy to wear and has SPF 30. $42 CAN.
**Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Lovely - I just want to sing, "Isn't she looveelllyyy, isn't she beauuuttiful" when I see the shade name. Anyone? Anyone? No. Okay. This brand has been raved about non-stop, I feel I should give in to the peer pressure and just try it already. $56 CAN or $30 CAN for the refill.
**W3LL People Universalist Multi-Use Color Stick in #7 Creamy Peony - I love cool toned pinks and I cannot lie. I have a sample of this that I'm still using up and I just love it so much. Once I use up a couple of blushes, this one will be mine! $34 CAN.
**Ilia Lipstick in Femme Fatale - It's about time this grown woman introduces a real red lip to her life, am I right ladies? This is a beautiful cool toned red, that's not quite as dark as swatched above. $24 CAN.
That's it ladies and gents, that's my wish list for 2014 and that's me narrowing it down to just 10 items. What are you lusting over this year?
**These items can be found online at Clementine Fields, Fresh Faced and/or Eco Diva. I'm sure there are other Canadian e/retailers, however, I'm too lazy to search for them all.   

Ilia Bang Bang Lip Conditioner Review

Ilia is a very well loved brand within the green beauty community and rightfully so. They have a variety of wonderful makeup products but, their lipsticks and conditioners were the first stand outs. With several trendy shades available in a moisturizing base, you can't go wrong with their pout loving products. A few months back, I reviewed their Tinted Lip Conditioners in Shell Shock and Arabian Knights (which remains my favourite), and today I wanted to do a quick review of Bang Bang as it's their best seller!

Description: sheer, romantic red. 

This lip conditioner is the same as the others, moisturizing and chock full of wonderful ingredients like jojoba oil and cocoa butter. That being said, I do find that if I wear Bang Bang on its own for a few hours it collects in the inner rim of my lips and needs to be wiped off. Inner rim? Sounds so gross, sorry. If I use a lip gloss over top or lip balm underneath, it wears much better. Sheer, romantic red is the perfect description for this shade, however it can be slightly built up for a little more oomph and your natural lip colour will dictate the intensity of the colour. I love that it can be worn during the day or at night, to work or a party, and basically anywhere in between. It looks good with just about anything and most makeup looks AND is definitely an easy red to wear regardless of your level of boldness. While I love Bang Bang, I still prefer Arabian Knights and wish that I had picked up Femme Fatale instead. Either way, totally worth checking out.

Retails for approx. $24 CAN/USD. Can be purchased from Ilia, Fresh Faced, Eco Diva and many other e/retailers across the world.

What are your favourite Ilia products and shades?

L to R: one swipe, two swipes, bunch of swipes!

Ingredients: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Seed Oil*, Beeswax (Cera Alba)*, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Sesamum Indicum (Seasame) Seed Oil*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Tocopheryl Acetate (Natural Vitamin E), Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Seed Extract, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dixoide, Iron Oxide (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491), Red 7 CI15850, Red 28 CI45410, Yellow 5 CI19140. *Certified Organic Ingredients. Ingrédients Certifiés Biologiques.

New Love! - Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner in Shell Shock & Arabian Knights Review

A few months back, my amazingly wonderful boyfriend bought me not one, but TWO Ilia lip conditioners from Fresh Faced. As a known balm and gloss addict, I thought these would be a great transition into the world of lipstick. These tinted lip conditioners come in several beautiful shades and are a fantastic combination of balm, gloss, and lipstick. Beautiful shades you say? Oh yes lovely readers, beautiful shades!

Ilia was created by a Canadian (Vancouver) born, Sasha Plavsic. Sasha started in the design world and from there, developed a love for Branding and Marketing. Having had the opportunity to work alongside different fashion brands, she quickly learned how to grow a brand and decided to start her own. It wasn't until she returned home and went through her makeup bag, that she "discover[ed] that organic makeup needed its own “re-branding”, new contemporary colours, better packaging and product performance." Her mother played a huge part in this as well because of her belief in the power of clean, natural, and organic products and food.

Sasha Plavsic - What a knockout eh? - Image from Ilia

Description: ILIA Tinted Lip Conditioner combines organic ingredients to soothe and condition the lips. Each shade carries a sheer touch of color that increases in intensity when applied liberally. Mix with other ILIA colors to create your own personalized shade. 

swatches at the very bottom

Arabian Knights offers a fantasy of mystery and seduction. The deep tones of violet, and burgundy melt together forming a beautiful berry stain. An ideal shade, easily carried from day to night.

This is hands down my favourite colour EVER, of any lip product (natural or chemical filled), that I've ever used. Bold statement, but it's true. I love how nourishing it is to my lips while still providing fantastic colour payoff. It can be applied sheer for a beautiful just bitten berry lip or built up for a bolder berry. I like to wear mine with a little gloss over top just because the gloss addict inside tells me to. This shade is well loved and it's one I think everyone should have in their collection.

Arabian Knights

Arabian Knights

A soft, bright pop of color to the lips with Shell Shock! This warm weather favorite is a great introductory shade to those who may shy away from our bolder brights. Pairs beautifully when layered with Dizzy. 

I can totally see how this would be a warm weather favourite! It's a beautiful light, sheer coral shade that goes with any look. The colour is by no means intense, so if you want to get into corals but unsure of how it may look on you, this would be a great shade to start with. I like wearing mine with a little gloss over top (surprising huh?) or mixing it with my Honeybee Gardens lipstick in Valentine. I do find the formula of this shade a bit different than AK. It doesn't apply as smoothly and almost balls up, it's weird. I have to actually pat my lips, after applying, to smooth it out. I'm not sure if that's just this particular shade or the batch that I got, but it's something to keep in mind.

Shell Shock

Shell Shock

Out of these two, Arabian Knights is definitely my favourite and one that I would repurchase. Both shades wear fairly well, especially when layered with a gloss over top, but they're not lipsticks or stains so don't expect all day wear. They're easy to apply and because they're sheer, they're ideal for the on the go when no mirror is available. The packaging is chic and elegant, a perfect example of less being more. I'm really impressed with the quality of this brand and already have my eye on a few other items. What I love most about Ilia's lip products is that they have on trend shades. No more settling for an "it's alright" or frosted lip colour, ladies!

Retails for $24 CAN. For retailers, check out Ilia.

What's your favourite Ilia Lipstick or Tinted Lip Conditioner shade? Which would you most like to try?

Top: Shell Shock, Bottom: Arabian Knights

Top: Shell Shock, Bottom: Arabian Knights

Ingredients Arabian Knights: (85% ORGANIC): Organic Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Organic Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Seed Oil, Organic Beeswax (Cera Alba), Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Organic Sesamum Indicum (Seasame) Seed Oil, Organic Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate (Natural Vitamin E), Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Seed Extract, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Ducil (Orange) Fruit Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dixoide, Iron Oxide (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491), Red 7 CI15850, Red 28 CI45410, Yellow 5 CI19140.

Ingredients Shell Shock: (85% ORGANIC): Organic Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Organic Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Seed Oil, Organic Beeswax (Cera Alba), Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Organic Sesamum Indicum (Seasame) Seed Oil, Organic Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate (Natural Vitamin E), Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Seed Extract, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Ducil (Orange) Fruit Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dixoide, Iron Oxide (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491), Red 7 CI15850, Red 28 CI45410, Yellow 5 CI19140.

May 2013 Faves!

I skipped out on doing an April faves post because I was finishing up some products and really had nothing exciting or new worth mentioning. This month, however, I have a few honourable mentions.

DIY Clay mask - I do have a post on my mask concoction, however, I've been changing it up a bit. Instead of using toner to mix the clays and honey, I sometimes used (and still use) Raw ACV (apple cider vinegar) and pass on the neem. Either way, I was using this mask at least 3 times a week to help draw out impurities from the heavy, HD and waterproof makeup that we were using in the makeup course I took.

Honey - With all the makeup and washing my face so frequently last month, I loved applying honey every other morning on my face and just leaving it on for 10 - 30 minutes.

Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil - review here - Such a beautiful, beautiful oil! It smells lovely, feels lovely, hydrates lovely, it's just lovely and I've been really enjoying it.

Bee 23 Hotty Body Balm - review here - I stand by my bees knees comment, it's amazing. I was using the Weleda body oil all over, but decided to use it on the bits that need firming and this balm everywhere else. Moisturizes like a dream!

Weleda Skin Food - review here - I carry this in my bag at all times, in case you couldn't tell by how banged up it looks. Wonderful for dry patches on your body and face. A definite love and must have of mine.

Pure+Simple Face Colour in Glow - review here - Shocking right? Love this blush so, so much. If you follow me on Twitter, then you know mine actually shattered. P+S were kind enough to send me a new one but, I've been using my broken one because there's no way I'm tossing that baby out.

Ilia Lip Conditioner in Arabian Knights - review to come - I do have a review coming, promise! This is the most beautiful and perfect berry shade. I reached for it all of May..well..since I got it really!

Gabriel Brow Pencil in Russet - review to come - This is my first natural brow pencil and it's great. My brows are pretty dark but I hate using a dark brown pencil because I don't want them to appear darker, just fuller. This taupe-ish shade is perfect and so natural looking.

Olie Biologique 004 Hydrating Oil - review to come - I got sent this to try out and while it's basically Argan Oil, which I can't use on my face, it has been amazing in my hair. I apply it on dry hair to smooth away any frizz and keep my ends conditioned. Oh and it smells lovely!

What did you love in May?

Wish List Wednesday!

I have been wanting to do a Wish List Wednesday or What I Ate Wednesday for quite some time now, but never got around to it. Since Dana from Live Green Beauty suggested doing it as a blog hop, it forced my hand. I love hearing what beauty products others lust over. It's late in the night, I'm tired and there's only one thing on my mind. Ilia tinted lip conditioner in Arabian Knights. I want it as bad as I want to swim in a salted caramel hot chocolate pool!  

Also on my list is the lip conditioners in Blossom Lady & Shell Shock and their lipsticks in In My Room, Ink Pot & Wild Child. That's all that's on my wish list for now.

What's on yours? Feel free to join in on the fun!

Image taken directly from Iilia