Tuesday, November 29, 2016

New | The Body Shop Shade Adjusting Foundation Lightening Drops Review


Product:
The Body Shop Shade Adjusting Drops in Lightening - $22CAD for 15 ml

I was in the market for a foundation lightening product. I came across a few brands and decided to go with the one from The Body Shop. Mainly because of the price and I had a 1/2 off coupon. Plus, they are cruelty-free (although their parent company is not). I have not read any reviews on this product yet, but I think this product is worth sharing with you, so here is my review!

The Body Shop's Shade Adjusting Drops in Lightening

The product is quite thick, so I think a squeeze tube would have been a better packaging choice for this product. It can be difficult to get the product into the pipette. But, it is what it is, so I make it work. It's not a deal-breaker.


I love my Tinted Hyaluron Cream by M. Asam, but as you can see it's very dark for my skin tone. Mixing in a drop or two of The Body Shop's Shade Adjusting Lightening Drops does the trick easily so I can wear this awesome tinted cream and not let it go to waste.



Drop of Lightening drops and M. Asam Tinted Cream

Here you can see the colours blended out on their own

According to The Body Shop, a concentration of white and pink pigments in The Body Shop's Lightening Drops helps neutralise yellowness while lightening.

1 drop = 1/2 a shade lighter. 


Here are the two mixed together

The lightening drops are very easy to use and adjust the shade until you get just the shade you want. The Lightening Drops do not change how my tinted cream works. It still lasts all day. It also doesn't break up my tinted face cream or my makeup at all- which was something I was concerned about, but an end of the day face check proved me wrong.

Overall, although I have nothing to compare this to, it does just what I wanted it to do and it does it well. If you need something to lighten up your summer products or just one that is too dark, I definitely recommend these Shade Adjusting Drops.

Oh, they also have this product in a darkening formula to darken products that are too light. Genius I say! Where were these products when I was in high school!?

No filter selfie wearing the above 2 products (and bronzer that had yet to be blended.. lol)


I hadn't shopped at The Body Shop in years! They have impressed me lately. Starting with their new face masks (review linked here). And, here we have another winning product.

What Body Shop products do you love!?

XO




*This product was purchased by me and all opinions are my own. 

Friday, November 18, 2016

Review | Arbonne It's A Long Story, Mascara


I had heard of Arbonne over the years, mainly in regards to skincare, but I had never tried them out. I heard that they made high-quality skincare and were cruelty-free, both high on my list of things that I look for. But, I had no idea that they also sell makeup, hair care, body care, health products, and more!

Turns out they are an eco-friendly and socially responsible company too.

From Arbonne: " It’s not just what we put in our products that makes them superior. It’s what we choose to formulate without. We integrate the most beneficial botanical ingredients from nature with the principles of green chemistry — we craft products with integrity, expertise and innovation. And we do it responsibly, taking care of our earth at the same time."

I was so excited to get the chance to try a few of their products out thanks to one of their fabulous representatives, Sarah. - Thank you again, Sarah!

Sarah sent me a few samples, one of which was this full-size "It's A Long Story, Mascara." This tube has 12 grams of product, which is a generous size. I find most mascaras have around 8 grams of product. This mascara is also ophthalmologist tested and made in the USA. It's also Clinically tested and formulated to be water-resistant and long-wearing. It retails for $48CAD.






My Verdict:

It's quite a wet formula but it's on the thicker side, so it applies easily and one coat is really enough. It wears well and I had no smudging or flaking by the end of the day. I like that it is removed easily so I don't lose any lashes when I take it off at the end of the day.

I have very hooded eyes and I had no issues with the mascara transferring to my upper lids during application nor later on during the day.

In the first picture, I am wearing one coat of the mascara (top lashes only). In the second picture, I have two coats on (top lashes only). I applied the second coat after the first coat was completely dry, which was fine, but I find that I get even better results when I apply the second coat before the first one dries down completely.

Note: I am not wearing any eyeliner on the top or bottom of my eyes. The only other eye product that I'm wearing in these photos is a matte taupe eyeshadow in the crease of my eyes.

As you can see, the mascara alone gives my eyes quite a lift and creates a lot of impact.


Arbonne Mascara- One Coat

Arbonne Mascara- Two Coats
Overall, I am really impressed with this mascara. I love the impact that I get and how it adds both length and volume. It really seems to lift my lashes, which gives my eyes a real lift, which I can certainly use!

I hope to share some more reviews of Arbonne's products. I have a lipstick by Arbonne that I'm currently testing out as well, and it's definitely worth sharing with you too!

Have you tried any products by Arbonne? What do you recommend?

XO


*Product was sent to me for consideration. All opinions are my own. No affiliate links are in this post.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Changes | My Health and Weight Loss Journey to Get Fit and Lose Weight

Welcome to week 31 of my health and weight loss journey! I've been off track for a few weeks now and due to the lack of activity to report, among other things, I've decided to make this series a monthly post for now.

If I come across any great workouts or health products or services that I feel are worth sharing, I will share those in either the monthly post or a separate post if warranted.

I hope no one is disappointed by this, but without too much to share it's kind of redundant.

The Only thing to report in this post is that I lost 1 pound this week. Nothing new, it goes up, it goes down. Oh, and I've been trying to re-establish 2 daily habits that I did years ago. I would do squats for the 2 minutes that I brush my teeth (about 40 squats) and do 20 push ups during the time that I'm getting ready. I used to do this every day without fail and then I stopped. It's definitely a challenge to make this become a habit again... but I'm trying!

I hope the new monthly format for this post will be more interesting as I will hopefully have more to share.

Until then, stay healthy!

XO


Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Veeda | 100% Natural, Chemical Free Feminine Care


Have you ever thought about what's in your feminine care products?!  I didn't until a few years ago when I began to delve into the world of natural products.

During my research for cleaner products, I learned a lot about what's in our products and what was unhealthy, and it went far beyond skincare and haircare. I learned that most of our feminine care products like pads and tampons are loaded with bleach and other harmful chemicals that we wouldn't want in our feminine care products if given the choice.

These days, we have become much more aware of what is in our products, whether it be our food, beauty products, supplements etc. We are much more educated consumers than in the past. We now know for example that things that we put on our skin are absorbed by our skin (think the nicotine patch). So, reading labels and learning about ingredients are key to our health.

Luckily, two men realized this and they set out to create eco-friendly, natural feminine care products WITHOUT all the harsh chemicals and also make them affordable and accessible, and Veeda was born. They also give back to communities, supporting organizations that protect the environment and advance family health and wellness. I love what this company stands for!



Veeda 100% Natural Cotton Regular Tampons


With much more emphasis on our health these days, we make better decisions about what we decide to spend our hard earned money on. As unhealthy chemicals that are in our products become commonplace terms that we recognize, we can choose to stay away from them. That is if we can find them and afford them!

Thankfully, Veeda has come along and made affordable, healthy feminine care options for us that are also accessible.

Veeda's Goal:

"is for every woman to be informed about, and have access to, affordable and safe feminine care. Our hypoallergenic, toxin-free, 100% natural cotton tampons, pads and liners are widely available at a fair price. For those who can’t afford to buy, we provide donations via Project Everywoman and the 360° Care Fund, funded by a percentage of Veeda sales and profits. When you buy Veeda tampons, pads and liners, you get comfort and effectiveness that rivals top selling brands; healthy, hypoallergenic cotton to prevent irritation and toxic reactions; and a company that cares."



Veeda 100% Natural, Ultra-thin Cotton Pads with wings

What you need to know:

  • Veeda uses No Synthetics. No Chemicals. No Dyes. 
  • Veeda products are made from hypoallergenic, 100% natural cotton
  • Conventional tampons and pads from well-known brands are made from blends of bleached cotton and/or synthetic products
  • Veeda tampons reduce the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS), irritation, and allergic reactions
  • Is FDA-approved to meet all absorbency standards
  • Veeda's tampon by itself is 100% biodegradable, even in landfill
  • Veeda products are free from dioxins, pesticides, herbicides, wood, synthetic fibers, additives, pesticides, fragrance, and other chemical additives 

It's shocking to find out what's in most of our conventional feminine products which are the things that Veeda leaves out! 

Veeda currently offers Regular, Super, and Super Plus 100% natural cotton tampons in both applicator and app-free styles. Pads and liners are also available with 100% natural cotton coversheets. Lite tampons are available with applicators.

Veeda products are available in supermarkets, drugstores, and online. You can use Veeda's store locator to find a store near you.

If you want to learn more about Veeda, you can visit their website at https://www.veedausa.com/

XO



*These products were provided for consideration. All opinions are my own.






Monday, November 7, 2016

Review | The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask #Vegan

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask

I recently got the opportunity to try some of the Body Shop's new face masks thanks to a free sampling program that they ran to introduce these products to the market. I usually love to douse my skin with moisture, so I was surprised when my favourite of the 3 masks that I tried turned out to be the Himalayan Charcoal one. I loved the results so much that I had to buy the full size along with another product as shown in a recent haul (linked here).

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask


I realized after the first mask session that the name they chose for this mask describes it perfectly, my skin had an instant glow to it afterwards. My skin not only had a glow to it but it looked more clear, even, and radiant. My skin was also super soft after the mask. I have since used it a few more times and the results were even better. The results lasted into the next day; my skin was younger and clearer looking the next day. It was one of those things where I kept looking at my bare skin in the mirror and thought "geez, my skin looks good today." Then I realized, "oh, it's the mask!"

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION from The Body Shop: 
"Refine and revive your skin with our Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask. Inspired by Ayurvedic traditions, this 100% vegan tingling charcoal clay mask is infused with bamboo charcoal, green tea leaves, and organic tea tree oil. This invigorating charcoal face mask draws out impurities and refines the appearance of pores for healthy-looking skin with a glow that shows."

• 100% vegan
• Formulated without parabens, paraffins, silicone or mineral oils
• Absorbs excess oil
• Perfect for skin that needs extra purification to reveal a healthy, youthful glow
• Packed with bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan Foothills, green tea leaves from Japan and organic Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya. 

Charcoal is great for pulling out impurities and detoxifying, and I can see that it's doing just that. It also provides a gentle exfoliation to the skin with the green tea leaves in the product. It has a cooling sensation on the skin thanks to the menthol in the product (which I could really do without) and it leaves your skin feeling refreshed. Besides the fact that I'm not a fan of cooling sensations in my skincare, it's not a deal-breaker as the results from this mask are fantastic.

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask


I  know a lot of people are into multi-masking and will place one type of mask on their T-zone and another type of mask on the drier parts like the cheeks etc. I like to multi-mask too and have done so for years, but I do it a little bit differently. I like to use a detoxifying mask such as the Himalayan Charcoal one all over my face for the allotted time and then after I remove it I apply a hydrating mask to my whole face as well. As always, I follow up with my usual skincare routine after masking.

This weekend I used this mask again but this time for my second / hydrating mask, I used The Body Shop's new British Rose Mask from the samples that I received. I loved the results so much that I may just have to go purchase the British Rose Mask as well. Although I didn't notice a difference when I used the British Rose Mask on its own, I definitely loved the results after using the Himalayan Charcoal Mask and following it up with the British Rose Mask.



Creepy Making Face!


I really love this product and it does what it says. I wasn't even in the market for a new face mask but after seeing the results, I just had to indulge. I also love that this product is cruelty-free and vegan!

Although the free sampling program for these masks is over, I'm sure The Body Shop will give you a free sample if you want to try it before you buy it. Just ask in store.

Tip: I signed up for The Body Shop's emails and received a 50% off code that was sent straight to my email. It was good for one product purchased either online or in store.

This product retails for $28 CAD for 75ml. 

Have you tried any of the Body Shop's new masks? Which one's are you loving?

XO

*This post is not sponsored. The product was purchased by Moi and all opinions are mine! 

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Week 30: My Health and Weight Loss Journey to Get Fit and Lose Weight!


I think this will be my shortest post ever. I don't have anything to report this week. All I can say is sometimes life gets in the way. If I can't get back on track soon and find the time to focus on fitness, I will have to consider coming back to this series or maybe making it a monthly post for now, just until I have the time to focus on fitness again.

I'm not abandoning this yet. I will try to do what I can, whether it be just walking, doing some yoga or the 7-minute fitness app. I will do my best to keep going. Let's see what happens over the next week and I'll go from there.

I hope you are all staying well and are finding the time and energy to focus on fitness and your health.

XO






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