Thursday, March 31, 2016

March Empties: Health and Beauty! #Reviews



March seriously flew by! I can't believe it's already time for another empties post. My last empties post can be found HERE if you want to see last months empties.

I didn't realize I had collected so many empties, so I will try and be brief with my reviews and I will post links where possible.

Let's start with beauty products as I know that's what most of my readers are probably interested in.




- George's Always Active Aloe Mist- This is a staple in my beauty routine. I love to use it after cleansing and to dampen skin in between layering my skin products. It's very hydrating and great to have on hand in the summer, but I use it all year.

- Retin-A Micro Gel 0.04%- This is by prescription here in Canada. This particular formula does not cause irritation or peeling of the skin. I never even had an adjustment period with this Retin-A product. Retin-A is supposed to promote skin cell turnover and build collagen.

- Martina Gebhardt Black Mud Cream- I've been using this heavy cream every night since 2012. It did wonders for my dehydrated and acne prone skin! I always go back to it. I am currently trying out another product from Martina Gebhardt, but I highly recommend this to anyone with dehydrated or devitalized, or acne prone skin. (It also comes in a lotion).

- Pure + Simple Rejuvenating Rosehip Mask- This is super hydrating. I love to use it after a gentle exfoliation for better absorption. You can leave it on or wait 10-20 min then rinse. It's all natural and cruelty free.

- Vichy ProEven Advanced Daily Dark Spot Corrector- Although it has some great ingredients, I did not notice enough of a difference to purchase this again.

- Alba Botanica Terra Tints- I have this in the colour "Bloom." This is a mineral tinted lip balm with SPF 8. It gives my lips the hydration it needs, sun protection, and I love the colour on me. It's a pretty blush of colour on my lips, I'd say a light berry tone. I've tried so many others but this is my favourite and it's perfect for summertime!

- Madre Bees Organic Lip Balm- I always have these organic lip balms on hand. iHerb always puts them on sale, so I stock up when they are on sale. (They also come in a shimmer formula).






- Nature's Answer Rhodiola- This is nature's stress buster. Regular readers of my blog know how much I rave about this product. It's the only thing that stopped me from waking up at the crack of dawn every morning! I take one a day in the afternoon.

- Madre Labs CocoCeps-  This organic cocoa powder contains immune building cordyceps & reishi mushrooms, and the pure dark cocoa powder is good for our hearts. I put this in my morning smoothies everyday, and sprinkle it on ice cream etc. It is unsweetened, so I like to add Stevia. It's also a great natural energy booster!

- True Raw Choice Colloidal Silver- I get this at my local pet store (Pet Valu). It's great for people and pets! I highly recommend you keep this product on hand. Below is some info to help you decide if this product is for you and your 4 legged friend...

Here is some info from True Raw Choice's website:

Colloidal Silver is used as a treatment to fight more than 650 disease organisms found in pets. The treatment is effective against bacteria, fungi and viruses without affecting the healthy cells surrounding the infection.
Treats... Osteoporosis, Arthritis, Nerves & Stress, Blood Circulatory Cleanser, Eyes, Ears, Caker, Sinus, Muscle & Joints, Bones & Ligaments, Allergens, Pollution, Skin Problems

- Hydrogen Peroxide- I use this for my homemade cleansers, to disinfect my mouth guard, as a teeth whitener, and for cuts and scrapes. It has many uses and everyone should keep some on hand. I buy mine at the dollar store to save a bit of money.

-Nature's Way Niacinamide- I actually take this to help my body metabolize carbs. It helps me maintain my weight. That's not why I started this product, but that's what it ended up helping with. If I have a high-carb meal I will take 1 capsule. (From iHerb: "Niacinamide is the non-flushing form of Niacin/ Vitamin B3. It is necessary for normal breakdown of fats and the release of energy from carbohydrates"). This explained to me why it ended up helping with maintaining my weight.


I buy a lot of these products on iHerb's website. I highly recommend them for their low prices, low international shipping, and it's pretty much a one stop shop. I can buy most of my health and beauty products there (from Elf to Real Techniques and Physicians Formula, plus all my supplements), it's quite amazing.

If you've never shopped at iHerb, you can save $5 on your first order with discount code AGU725 or by clicking HERE.

If you do shop at iHerb, make sure to check out the Daily specials & Deals at the top of their website. They offer some serious savings with those deals, and they change daily!

I hope you enjoyed seeing what I used up this month as well as what I loved and what didn't work for me.  Hopefully, you find my reviews helpful, I know reading reviews helps me to find products that work for me.

Have you found any products you can't be without? If so, please share in the comments. I get some of the best suggestions from my readers!

ps, come and join the fun over at a fabulousandfunlife and best-blogosphere-link-week-65

Amy
xoxo


Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Oz Naturals- Super Youth Eye Gel with Plant Stem Cells (Allure Beauty Winner!)



I recently started using this Super Youth Eye Gel from Oz Naturals. I have been using it for around 3 weeks now, which has definitely given me enough time to see results with this product and I wanted to share my results with you.

Some info from Amazon:

Super Youth Eye Gel Will Provide Your Skin With The Following Benefits:
- Dramatically Radiant & Youthful Eyes
- Eliminate Dark Circles, Puffiness and Wrinkles
- Designed For The Delicate Skin Around Your Eyes; Including Eyelids
- Can Be Used As An All-Over Face Treatment For A Brighter More Radiant Complexion
- Safe For All Skin Types & Does Not Contain Parabens, Sulfates Or Alcohol.
Our Eye Gel Contains Plant Stem Cells For Superior Anti Aging Effects
   Oz Naturals also offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee!

I can see why this product is so highly rated, it's even rated as best in beauty eye gel by Allure magazine. It's made up of some major players in the anti-aging game. Ingredients like plant stem cells, Matrixyl 3000, Peptides, hyaluronic acid and more! Just the sound of these advanced ingredients make it appealing, but it's the results that really speak volumes.

In my mid-late 40's my face has seen it's fair share of the damaging effects of the sun. My left eye has very deep crows feet but my right eye has very mild crows feet. This is the result from years of driving to and from work and proof that the sun penetrates even the windows of our cars.

I also have hooded eyes and it's much more prominent on my right eye.

These factors served as a good test for the efficacy of this product as I could compare the "bad eye" to the "good eye" with each issue.

The product comes in a bottle with a pump which is very hygienic and also keeps the product fresh.

There is a subtle scent but it's not like a perfume type of smell, it is hard to describe but I feel like it's the high-tech ingredients that I am smelling. The scent does not linger after application.

The consistency is gel-like and absorbs right into the skin leaving no greasiness or residue behind.



I feel like this is more of a treatment than a moisturizer after seeing my results, but even with my super dehydrated skin I do not require a moisturizer on top of it.

The first thing I noticed was improvements in the depth of my crows feet. After daily use for a few weeks the deep crows feet on my "bad" eye are much less deep. The lines have become much more shallow and plumped up. It's really quite a noticeable improvement and I saw a difference in this area rather quickly.

I also noticed an improvement in the hooding of my eyes, they are still hooded but not nearly as much! I would say there is about a 70% improvement in the hooding of my eyes. These are the best results I've had with any product in regards to this issue. I notice that this issue is getting better and better over time with use of this product, so I'm hoping to see even more improvement with continued use.

I also have hereditary puffs under my eyes and also from lack of sleep. I have seen a plastic surgeon who advised me that the type of puffiness I had was hereditary and caused by pockets of fat and that the only way to get rid of this was by surgically removing the fat. So, while I saw a bit of improvement in my under eye puffs it wasn't as much as I was hoping for . A cream or gel can only do so much when it's a structural issues I guess. It seems that this eye gel is helping me with the puffs above my eyes aka. the hooding, but not below my eyes.

I am ecstatic everyday when I look in the mirror and I see my eyelids staring at me instead of a pocket of fat hanging over my eyelid!  This change has been the most dramatic for me and took more time to see results than it did to see the reduction in crows feet.

It's so important not to use your face cream on your eyes, especially as we age. The skin around our eyes is much thinner and heavy creams can cause milia (small bumps) to form and also make under eye bags worse.

I will always be experimenting with new products, but this eye gel has quickly taken over the number 1 spot for my favourite eye treatment/cream, so it will definitely be my next eye cream purchase once I run out.

Note: I have read many reviews where people have experienced a drastic reduction in under eye puffs from using this gel. I guess we are all different and individual results will vary. I am beyond happy about my results, particularly with the reduction of my hooded eyes. I guess you just have to try for yourself if you have any eye issues and see how it helps you.

The fact that this company is cruelty free and this product is all natural are important to me too, and the price is low at about $22 CAD.

If you would like more information or would like to purchase this product here is a link to amazon.ca, This is NOT an affiliate link.

I received this product for trial in exchange for an honest review, all opinions and experiences are my own.


Amy 
xoxo

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Monthly iHerb Haul: Health and Beauty!


I have a small iHerb haul to share with you all. I purchased some of my staple items as well as a new skin cream. Not like I need a new skin cream but I love Sibu Beauty's products and I couldn't pass up the sale (it's still on sale as of today!).

I will provide links for each product in case you want to learn more about them. 

I also have a discount code linked at the bottom of this haul if you are looking for a coupon code for iHerb.com

What I purchased:

-Madre Labs CocoCeps- I use this everyday in my protein drink. It contains organic cocoa plus Cordyceps & Reishi mushroom powders. All of these ingredients are super healthy for your heart and immune system. Plus it doesn't contain any sugar, I just add stevia to sweeten my drink

-Nature's Answer Rhodiola- This is my favourite Rhodiola product so far. It helps with stress and helps prevent my early morning wakings. (Not including cat awakenings!)

-Nature's Way Niacinamide- I actually take this to help my body metabolize carbs. It helps me maintain my weight. That's not why I started this product, but that's what it ended up helping with. If I have a high-carb meal I will take 1 capsule. (From iHerb: "Niacinamide is the non-flushing form of Niacin/ Vitamin B3. It is necessary for normal breakdown of fats and the release of energy from carbohydrates"). This explained to me why it ended up helping with maintaining my weight.

-Now Foods 5-HTP- This will be my first time trying this brand of 5-HTP. I take this supplement to help with sleep. 50-100mg before bed usually does the trick. It's supposed to help with mood as well. Research also shows that 5-HTP can help with weight as it helps reduce carb cravings as well as appetite in general.

-Sibu Beauty Sea Berry Therapy Nourishing Face Cream- I have not tried this skin cream yet, but I've used other skin care products by Sibu Beauty and loved them all! This cream is made with their Sea Berry seed oil and states "Rescue for Problematic Skin." Sea Buckthorn repairs sun damaged and aging skin and is also great for acne! It can be used for all skin types. This company is also cruelty free and made in the USA.

I hope you enjoyed seeing what I purchased this month. 

If you have not shopped at iHerb before, you can get $5 off your first order by clicking HERE or using code AGU725 during checkout.

iHerb has really low international shipping rates, which allows me to keep shopping there and is one more reason it's my favourite place to buy most of my health and beauty products. They even carry ELF Cosmetics and Real Techniques, just to name a few.

PS. Don't forget to check the links on the top of their website for specials, daily deals, and trials, they change daily and offer huge savings!

What are your go-to health and beauty products?

As always, check with your health care provider before beginning any new supplements.

ps. I'm joining Monday Makekup Madness over at Fabulous and Fun Life as well as Best of the blogosphere linkup party!


Amy
xo

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Instagram Challenge: Finish #7bySpring



In January I decided to join some other beauty junkies on Instagram who were participating in a challenge called #7BySpring. The objective was to finish up 7 beauty products by spring aka today!

Finishing beauty products can be quite the challenge. Products like mascara are easy since we replace them on the regular. I ended up adding a mascara to this challenge as I didn't have anything else that I could come close to finishing up.

These challenges can get tedious as we end up using the same products everyday, which kind of takes the fun out of playing with makeup. But, it's also rewarding to finish products up so we can move on to something new and say goodbye to the old.

For challenges like this, I recommend selecting products that are older and may expire if you don't use them up.

Here is a screenshot of my initial Instagram post, showcasing the items I chose for this challenge. 



And, here we are today on the first day of Spring and the last day of this challenge

I don't remember the last time I finished up a lipstick!


Products I finished:

-Marcelle Sheer Tint Fluid Moisturizer- I have used for years and would repurchase

-Elf Lash and Brow Clear Mascara- I use this all the time and will definitely repurchase

-Jordana Best Lash Extreme- Another product I've used for years and will repurchase

-Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush- I recommend this formula for aging lips as it's very hydrating and doesn't accentuate lines. It's a more sheer formula and I do like it, but I became a little sick of it after using it everyday. I started to mix it with a lipstick I have that is too brown for me and then I wound up with the perfect pinky-brown/ mauve shade! (I liked it so much I did a blog post on it HERE).

Products I did not finish:

-Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Face Powder- I was sooo close to finishing this! I would not repurchase this as I found I became oily quickly with this powder and it was a little heavy and accentuated pores. I would buy other powders by PF like their Youthful Wear powders.

-Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller- This thing just keeps on ticking! It's made it through 2 "empty" challenges and it's still going. I got this on sale for such a good price that I have backups! I just hope they don't expire!

-Essence Eye Shadow Base- This is just like the Garnier Roller above, it doesn't end. It has also survived 2 Instagram "empty" challenges and doesn't seem to be close to being empty. I would buy it again but I have another eye primer that I bought last summer that is still waiting on standby!


I guess 4 out of 7 isn't bad. 

I'm definitely looking forward to using my other products now that this challenge is over! And, I'm also looking forward to some new challenges!  

If you know of any fun challenges, please leave them in the comments or click on my Instagram link at the top of this page and leave me a comment there..

Thanks for stopping by!

Amy
xoxo

Blog Sale- Complete Wen Hair Care System -Retail $140! NIB


Happy Spring, Everyone

Spring finally made it but it's still freezing out here in Canada!

This is just a quick blog post, as I am selling this Wen hair care system and thought some of you may be interested.

This is a complete Wen hair care system. It's from The Shopping Channel and everything is still new and sealed in the box. The retail price is $140. I am selling it for $55. It's quite heavy so shipping will probably be quite high. If this is not an option for you, this will be be a meet up sale. Meet up would be in the west end of the GTA area.

As this is a private sale, there are no taxes!

All full size products! 

Includes:
  • cleansing conditioner
  • Anti frizz style cream
  • Replenishing treatment mist
  • Moist intensive hair treatment


If you are interested leave a comment below with your email address, or click on my email icon on the top right of this page to sent me an email.

Happy Spring!

Amy
xo


Friday, March 18, 2016

How I Created the Perfect Pinky-Brown Mauve Lip Colour!

I have been participating in an Instagram challenge to finish up 7 beauty products by spring. One of the items is a lipstick, Maybelline's Color Whisper in Lust For Blush (25).

After using this lipstick every day I started to get sick of it, so I started to mix it with other colours. This way I could continue using it but not be bored. I'm not a makeup artist and I'm sure a lot of you already do this, but I never have. I've layered lip liner, lipstick, and gloss but I've never mixed lipsticks together to get a customized shade.

I chose a brown colour that I don't wear as it's just too brown for me,  it's NYC's Expert Last Lip Color in Creamy Caramel (440). 

After layering the Creamy Caramel over Lust for Blush, I ended up with the perfect pinky-brown / mauve colour! It was the perfect mauve shade for me, just what I've been wanting. I was so happy to have created my own personalized, custom lip colour. 

Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush (left) / NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Creamy Caramel (right)


Maybelline Colour Whisper in Pink Lust


NYC Lip Color in Creamy Caramel


I was having a bit of trouble with the swatches because I had to scrape inside the tube to get what was left of the Color Whisper 


Below is what I ended up with by mixing the two (a beautiful rosy-mauve shade)


 Lust for Blush (bottom)/ Creamy Caramel (centre)/ mixed (top)



Lust for Blush (left)/ Creamy Caramel (middle)/ mixed (right)


Now that I've finished my tube of Lust for Blush, I will just pick out another light pink colour-which there is definitely not a shortage of in my collection.

Maybe this will inspire those of you who don't already do this to experiment with your lippies. Try mixing different colours to create your own custom colour that is perfect for you.

Have you created your own perfect shade? If so, please share!




Amy
xoxo


Blog Giveaway Winner!



I wanted to thank everyone for participating in Health and Beauty Girl's 1 year birthday big beauty giveaway! The winner "Julie R" has been contacted. 

I had a lot of fun doing this giveaway, so I can't wait to host another giveaway. It's always fun to give to others and make someone's day! I would love to give back to all of my readers! 

I love that everyone who entered the giveaway shared their number 1 beauty item. Most of the products listed are products I haven't tried, so I am making a list of products to try from everyone's recommendations. If you want to check out this list you can visit the post and read the comments HERE.

Once again, thanks to everyone for visiting and supporting my blog and participating in this giveaway!


Amy
xoxo


Thursday, March 10, 2016

1 Year Blog Birthday! Big Beauty Giveaway! *CLOSED


A year ago today Health and Beauty Girl was born. I want to celebrate Health and Beauty Girl's birthday by giving back to you with a giveaway!

I started this blog to share my experiences and passions with other like-minded people. I have learned so much along the way and met some of the most incredible people! I have been very lucky and truly have the most amazing readers. Having this giveaway is my way of saying thanks for reading my posts and sharing so much with me.

I can't believe that I've been blogging for a year! The year just flew by... must be having fun! I had no idea that I would end up blogging for this long and didn't know where things would go, but I'm even more excited today for the future of Health and Beauty Girl than I was when I started.

I will probably celebrate with a cupcake and my favourite tea! And, this giveaway of course.


Let's get this party started!


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I have selected some of my personal favourite beauty products and some I've never tried before to give to one lucky reader.


This beauty prize pack (value over $60) includes:

-Elf eyeshadow palette in Smoky
-Elf eye primer
-Essence Contour and highlight powder (New product, I hear it's comparable to high-end!)
-Essence Sun Club all-in-one bronzing highlighter (I own this and love to use it every summer)
-2 Essence Lipsticks in my 2 favourite colours: Cool Nude and Creamy Nude
-Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral eyeshadow palette- matte 02
-Sonia Kashuk Shine Luxe Sheer Lip colour in "Sheer Pink Lust" (I have backups of this!)
-4 eye brushes
-a pair of rhinestone crawler earrings

Giveaway details:

-The giveaway will run for 1 week and will close on March 18th
-The winner will be announced on the blog, twitter and IG
-It is open internationally
-If the winner's shipping address is outside of Canada and the USA, the package will be shipped by ground and may take up to 6 weeks to reach you
-No purchase necessary
-Must be age of majority in your state, province etc.
-Healthandbeautygirl.com is not responsible for lost or damaged merchandise
-This giveaway is not sponsored and is fully funded by Moi!


Thanks to everyone for participating in my giveaway and congrats to the winner! It was such a good time, I will definitely be hosting more giveaways in the future!


Enter using the Rafflecopter form below


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Review: Art Naturals Argan Oil Thermal Shield


Sometimes you come across a product that you just have to talk about, this is one of them. I won a prize pack in a giveaway a while back and it included this Argan Oil Thermal Shield by Art Naturals.

I actually left this product sitting there for quite a while as I wasn't really excited about it. I mean it says it's a thermal shield which is great but I've never really noticed anything special with a thermal shield in the past, although I'm sure they are useful.

Earlier this week, I suddenly got the urge to bust it out and give it a try..


It has a lotion-like consistency even though it's in a spray bottle. So, I like to spray it in my hands, rub them together and then distribute through my hair.

I was letting my frizzy/curly hair air dry as I was going to use my InStyler instead of blow dry that day. It was it's usual frizzy, out-of-control self.

I decided to apply the Thermal Shield that day to protect my hair from the InStyler, but what I found was that it calmed down my curls and frizz considerably! My hair started to become smooth and frizz-free!



Before and after



My hair is still damp here. This is my natural texture; curly and frizzy! On the right, you can see how much smoother and calmer my curls are after I applied the Thermal Shield.

I would call this product a styling lotion and if it protects my hair from heat damage that is a major bonus! I got fantastic results that I wasn't expecting since it only claims to be a heat protectant.


After a quick blow dry!



I am not very good at blowing out my curls and I think I got great results considering I just did a quick blow dry today, no flat iron and no other products were used (all pictures taken today). I suppose I could have made it look and feel even better with a bit of the Thermal Shield applied lightly after blow drying.

A major bonus is that this product is chocked full of good ingredients, so I'm sure my hair will be looking and feeling healthier over time.



I think they should rename this "Curl Calming Lotion!"



A rare selfie! My hair looks so much blonder up close. I promise all of these pictures were taken today!

And, yes! My roots are loooong overdue! 

If you have curly or frizzy hair, I highly recommend this product (although it's intended for all hair types)! My hair is also bleached and coloured, fine in texture and naturally curly and frizzy and this product didn't weigh my hair down at all but boy did it smooth it out! I may actually be able to wear it curly!

More reasons to love it: Cruelty-free, sulfate free, paraben free, organic, Made in the USA.

Have you tried any products by Art Naturals? If so, please share!


Amy
xoxo

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

IntelliDent Toothbrush and MouthGuard Shields




Some things just stick with you. I saw a TV show years ago where they discussed the germs and bacteria that wind up on your toothbrush from things like flushing the toilet. It totally creeped me out and it's one of those things that stuck in my head for good! Since then I make a point to close the lid on the toilet, but I can't control other people who seem to miss the message and leave the lid open despite my pleas to close it before flushing!



In steps IntelliDent Toothbrush and MouthGuard Shields to my rescue! These little shields act as barriers to bacteria.

Did you know that the germs and bacteria from flushing a toilet can contaminate within a 6 foot radius!? Scary, I know!

Let's face it, no one likes getting sick, and some illnesses from bacteria don't even show signs that you've contracted something... for example, the very common bacteria known as H-Pylori.



Info from IntelliDent's website: 


IntelliDent Toothbrush Shield

> Breathable, quick drying shield that acts like a surgical mask for your toothbrush.

> Laboratory tested to be a 99.9% effective barrier against surface and airborne bacteria.

> Replaces plastic caps and holders that trap and breed bacteria.

> Ideal for travel, home, work and everywhere in between.

> Disposable and effective up to 7 days.


IntelliDent MouthGuard Shield

> Using the same technology as Toothbrush Shield, the MouthGuard Shield protects your athletic mouth guard, orthodontic retainers and most dental appliances.

> Replace those plastic covers and containers which are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria.

> MouthGuard Shield wicks away moisture and provides a barrier from the harmful germs and bacteria that lie in locker rooms, community living spaces, dormitory rooms, or while traveling.



Each guard comes in it's own sealed packet. They are thin and take up very little room, so it makes it easy to store them without taking up a lot of space and great for travel! 

I use the MouthGuard shield on my dental device, but this can also be used on mouth guards used in sports. This would be great to keep your kids protected from germs by throwing a shield on their sport mouth guard since plastic containers can be breeding grounds for bacteria.




Tiny but powerful! So much power in a small little pocket of protection!

It's amazing that these little perforated pockets offer up so much protection from germs and bacteria. I feel much more confident knowing I'm protected from all those nasty bathroom germs with these little gems on my toothbrush and mouth guard.




Protected from germs and bacteria leaves me feeling relieved! One less thing to worry about..



Info and instructions for IntelliDent Toothbrush Shield


Info and instructions on IntelliDent MouthGuard Shield




This is such an easy way to protect you and your loved ones. I feel good about using these and knowing that I'm protected from 99.9% of germs and bacteria. Now I don't have to give constant reminders about the toilet.. I mean, I'd still rather they close it before flushing, but now maybe I can just let it go sometimes.

Germs don't stand a chance now!

For more information here is a link to IntelliDent's website: www.intellidentproducts.com

If you are interested in purchasing these, you can find them at some pharmacies, Walmart and online at drugstore.com


In good health,

Amy
xoxo



*I received these products free for trial purposes. All opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post and no affiliate links have been used.

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