Thursday, December 29, 2016

Support the Cruelty-Free Canada Act to Ban Cosmetic Testing on Animals #BeCrueltyFree


Hi, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying your time during the holidays and finding time to relax and do the things that you enjoy.

Today's post is an exciting one for me. I'm a huge animal lover and have never agreed with animal testing for the sake of beauty. Animal testing is totally unnecessary in this day and age- companies like Lush are proof of this. An estimated 200,000 animals suffer barbaric and cruel treatment as well as death as a result of cosmetic testing.

We are getting closer banning animal testing in Canada and that is exciting!

From Treehugger.com " In mid-December, Bill S-214, also known as the Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act, passed its second reading in the Senate with great support. It will now pass to the Senate committee for Social Affairs, Science, and Technology for further study."

Canada will join other countries that have already banned animal testing. Countries that have already banned animal testing include New Zealand, Brazil, the European Union, Israel, India, and Taiwan.

Please join me in signing the petition to ban animal testing in Canada. Here is the link if you'd like to sign the petition and send a message to your member of Parliament: Click HERE to take action to help ban animal testing in Canada.

Thank so much for supporting this cause and helping to save so many innocent animals from unnecessary suffering!

#BeCrueltyFree


Amy
XO

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year + The 9 Year Cycle


I wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah etc. Whatever it is that you celebrate or even if you don't, I hope you enjoy the season.

I also acknowledge those of you who may find this season very difficult. I personally know how hard this season can be. And, I hope you can find something to enjoy during this time.

I also want to wish everyone a fabulous New Year. I really hope that 2017 is your best year ever! I wish you health, happiness, and prosperity, and whatever it is that makes you happy.

I read somewhere that 2016 is a year that will be ending a 9-year cycle and that 2017 will be the start of a whole new cycle. I like the sound of that! I don't know much about it but I believe this is a theory in numerology. If you google it, you can find a lot of info about it. I always heard that life went in cycles of 7 years, maybe that's from another theory or maybe I was wrong all along and it's really 9.

9 years is certainly a long time for a new cycle to begin. So, I'm excited about a new start and hoping the next 9-year cycle that we are about to begin is much better than the last 9. This is a good time to set your intentions for the next 9 years, make peace with the past and leave it there if it no longer serves you. And, also decide what you want to be/do differently.

Here is just one article that I found about this cycle if you'd like to read more about it and what you can do to set your intentions for the next 9 years http://in5d.com/november-2016-a-time-of-completion-the-end-of-the-9-year-cycle/

See you all next year!

XO

Amy

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Mellisa B. Naturally Premium Moisturizing Cream with Argireline & Progeline Review + #Giveaway *CLOSED


Let's shake up a Monotonous Monday with a giveaway and rave review, shall we?!

I recently discovered a new skincare line, and I've been so happy with my results that I want to share my experience, as well as the product being reviewed with one lucky reader!

Most of you know that I'm a total skincare junkie, especially the anti-aging kind. So, I was really excited when I got the opportunity to try a new line of anti-aging skincare by the brand Mellisa B. Naturally.

Who is Mellisa B. Naturally:
With a passion for health and skincare and decades of working and training in the skin care industry, Mellisa Baylis and her husband Ray, set out to create the best skincare on the market. Combining modern science with the most natural ingredients, their products are both safe and effective.

In this post, I'll be reviewing and giving away their Premium Moisturizing Cream.

A bit about my skin type: 
I have combo/oily, dehydrated, reactive, and acne prone skin. yay, me!




Their products only contain ingredients that are pure, healthy, safe, and effective. You can read more about their ingredients HERE.

"In 2016, Mellisa B Naturally introduced their line of anti-aging products that balance the potency of nature with modern cosmeceutical ingredients. Fruit and plant extracts work alongside peptides and antioxidants to create deep nurturing natural skin care."





According to Mellisa B. Naturally's website "Each formulation has been independently evaluated by a third-party lab to affirm its potency, purity, and efficacy."

They also work with skincare professionals on all of their formulas. Each ingredient is researched and deeply scrutinized before they decide to add it to a product's formulation.



The Premium Moisturizing Cream is very lightweight but very hydrating and a little goes a long way. I like that it's not too heavy so it doesn't "weigh down" my skin and add to the sagging that aging skin can have.

I didn't notice results immediately. but after about a week there was a noticeable difference in the clarity of my skin, it almost had a glass-like appearance. It's now been almost 3 weeks since I started the cream and my skin is much brighter and clearer. Fine lines and wrinkles are barely there. I looked in the mirror and thought, is this what a mild dose of Botox looks like!? I believe this botox-like effect is due to the ingredient "Argireline" that's in this product. My skin feels firmer and I haven't experienced any irritation or breakouts from this product.

I test out a lot of skincare and I take pretty good care of my skin but your skin likes what it likes. And, as you can see by my before and after picture, this skin cream really agrees with my skin!


Before & After (2 weeks):
Mellisa B. Naturally Premium Moisturizing Cream: Before (top) and After (bottom)

Above are my before and after pictures after using Mellisa B. Naturally Premium Moisturizing Cream for approximately 2 weeks. I am totally makeup free in both photos and there are no filters used in the photos. This shows just what I see in person, much clearer and brighter skin. If you look at the lines around my nose and mouth they look really plumped up in the after picture. The spots on my face have faded as well. I've found that I can wear less makeup since my skin is looking so much clearer!

I couldn't be more impressed. These results didn't come overnight but these results are pretty amazing for 2 weeks if you ask me! I can't wait to see what happens after continued use.

After showing my before picture to Mellisa, the owner of Mellisa B Naturally, she explained that my skin looks inflamed in the before picture and in the after it is much less inflamed. This reduction in inflammation is most likely due to the Peptide called Progeline that they use in this formula. Progeline slows down enzyme production which can cause inflammation in the skin.

Just one look at the ingredients in this product and I'm really impressed. I recognize most of them and I don't see any cheap fillers thrown in.


Ingredients:
Water, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Argania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Emulsifying Wax, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 (Syn-Coll), Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline), Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2 (Progeline), Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder-Organic, Vegetable Collagen, Allantoin, Malachite Extract, Dimethylaminoethanol, Dextran, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate.

Free from:
  • Parabens
  • Sulfates
  • Phthalates
  • Mineral Oil
  • Petrolatum
  • Gluten
  • Silicone

What else you should know:
  • Cruelty-free
  • Made in the USA
  • Eco-friendly

Size:
1.0oz / 30 grams

Price:
$42 USD

Would I Purchase:
Yes

After dealing with this company and using their products, I can tell that they pour their heart, soul, and years of experience into their formulas. Each ingredient is in there for a reason!

I'm so happy that my skin LOVES this product! I'm really excited about this new line of skincare after seeing the results that I got from just 2 weeks of using this cream. I can't wait to try more products from this brand and share my results with you.

Mellisa B. Naturally has a great range of products and caters to every skin type.

You can learn more about this product and other Mellisa B. Naturally products here: mellisabnaturally.com


Giveaway Time!!

One lucky winner will receive 48 grams of the Premium Moisturizing Cream (in the form of 2-gram sample packs x 24). This is more than the 30-gram full-size jar that I have been using. The sample packs will be great if you are doing any travelling. 

The only mandatory entry is to leave a comment on this post and enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway will run for one week. Good luck, everyone!

Open to the USA & Canada!

a Rafflecopter giveaway








*This product was provided for consideration. All opinions are mine alone. No affiliate links are used. 

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Indulge Your Senses | Live Clean Holiday Hand Soaps- Vanilla Peppermint & Holly Berry


Just in time for the holidays, Live Clean's Holiday hand soaps are back!

They've brought us 2 delicious scents; Vanilla Peppermint and Holly Berry.




Vanilla Peppermint is a soft and refreshing peppermint scent with a hint of vanilla. Holly Berry is light and sweet- my personal favourite! I just love how holiday scents can add to the feeling of the season, and these products do just that.

Both scents are enriched with vitamins E and B to hydrate and restore moisture levels. They gently cleanse without stripping our skin as they don't contain SLS which can be very drying.

Live Clean is a Canadian company that is affordable, natural, eco-friendly and cruelty-free! Like all Live Clean products, these are 98% plant derived and vegan.

They are also free of:
  • SLS/ Sulfates
  • Phthalates
  • Petrolatum 
  • Silicone
  • Dye
  • Parabens
  • DEA
  • Phosphates
  • Mineral Oil
Size:
500 ml

Price:
$4.99- $5.99

Availability:
Walmart, Walmart.ca, Well.ca, Rexall, Sobeys, and Lawtons Drugs.

Note: These would make great stocking stuffers, too!


Happy Holidays to you and yours!
xo


*This post is not sponsored. The products were provided for consideration. As always, my opinions are solely mine. No affiliate links are in this post.
End of code