Mother's Day Gift Guide 2019 | Top 10

MOTHER'S DAY GIFT IDEAS

With Mother's Day approaching on Sunday, May 12th, I thought I'd compile a list of some of my favourite gift ideas this year.

Whether you want to treat a Furbaby Mom or Mom to Human Beings, this gift guide has a range of gifts from jewellery to health and beauty. I'm also a firm believer in "treat yourself if no one else will." 😉

Hopefully, this gift guide will give you some great ideas for you or your loved one this year.

Jewellery

There's nothing like receiving a beautiful piece of jewellery as a gift. Make it personalized and it's even better! I have several pieces of personalized jewellery from Sincerely Silver Co. and I absolutely love all of them! They have a ton of options and they are high quality yet affordable. The piece that I'm showcasing here, the Name Necklace, has been a popular style for years and it never seems to go out of style. It's available in silver, gold, or rose gold. I chose the gold here in the 18" length. It's made from solid .925 sterling silver and plated with 18k gold, available in 16", 18" or 20" lengths. Shipping is fast and they have amazing customer service!

Retail $55

Makeup

I'm not one to splurge on expensive makeup, but once in a while, there's a product that is really worth the high price tag. I received this infamous Charlotte Tilbury blush in Pillow Talk blush for my birthday in February, which I had actually requested, and it's totally worth the $50! This is the gift that keeps on giving since I use it most days of the week. It's just stunning and really is a magical makeup product which is what I've always dreamt of but had never found before. If you have a makeup lover in your life, I can't recommend this enough! I have a full review with swatches, linked here.

Retail $50

Bath & Beauty

Crystal Hills Organic Crystal Love Bath Salts are not your average bath salts. The packaging is spectacular and looks stunning by the bathtub. But what's inside is what really makes this special. "This is crystal-infused skincare and is certified organic. Made with Rose Quartz Crystals, its pink hue symbolizes the essence of love. This beautiful gemstone lifts up our vibration to the pure energy of unconditional love, bringing us to a state of peace, happiness, forgiveness, and compassion."

"Enjoy a long and luxurious soak in the tub surrounded with the delicate fragrance of rose blossoms. Sixty thousand petals go into one ounce of the rose absolute that is added into these lavish bath salts." All of the ingredients are natural and the fragrance comes from essential oils including geranium rose, organic neroli, and rose absolute. Muslin bag is included.

Retail $44

Sleep

If you know someone who has trouble getting their beauty sleep, a silk sleep mask is a must. The secret to a good sleep mask is finding one that blocks out ALL of the light. I had tried a lot of sleep masks before I found one that actually did block out all of the light. The secret to it is a large and soft mask, this way it can conform to the shape of your face and nose which blocks out the light. The silk material is not only soft but is breathable and can help reduce wrinkles since it keeps the skin from crinkling up while sleeping.

Retail $10

Beauty Tools

A Jade Roller is an inexpensive way to improve the look of your skin. By massaging the skin with the roller it helps improve Chi circulation, improves lymphatic drainage and can reduce the look of puffiness around the eyes and the face. It can also help with product absorption, and with regular use, you should notice improvements in the look of your skin. It doesn't take long at all to massage your face with the roller and there are all kinds of videos online on how to use the roller to increase lymphatic drainage which will reduce puffiness and rid the skin of toxins.

Prices vary greatly but I don't see any reason to spend a lot of money on this item as long as you purchase one made of genuine materials like jade etc.

Retail $10

Facial

If you know someone who loves to pamper themselves or just take good care of their skin, a facial steamer like this is wonderful! I remember in high school, I used to put my face over a sink filled with hot water and put a towel over my head. Once I got this Kinga steamer it took facial steaming to a whole other level. This was a much more gentle and effective way to steam the face compared to the sink method, which isn't very comfortable and is usually too hot and actually dehydrates the skin. The steam from this professional steamer is very gentle and it cleans out and opens up the pores and prepares the skin for any other treatments. The skin will absorb any treatments, serums, or moisturizers much better after using this product, and it will actually hydrate vs. dehydrate the skin.

Retail $34.99

Masking

The Body Shop makes some of my favourite masks! I usually like to use a detoxifying mask like The Body Shops Himalayan Charcoal one and then follow it up with a hydrating mask like this British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask. I think that any skincare lover would appreciate this gift. The Body Shop is cruelty-free, too!

Retail $28

The Eco Tools Mask Mates set is a must-have! I use the sponges in this kit every day when I cleanse my skin. But, I also use it to remove my masks as it's intended for. The handy brush in the kit makes applying face masks less messy and more precise. It really does make me use my masks more often. Although my first thought was that this product was gimmicky, it is far from it! The sponges are also made from the same materials used in spas.

Retail $10-15

Fashion

I love this affordable version of the trendy Gucci belt. I actually have it in 2 different sizes. It's great quality and no one would know that it's not the real deal. A great gift for the fashion lover in your life.

Retail from $12.99

Health

There is nothing better than the gift of health. If you are looking for a gift for someone who is into health or considering changing their diet or health for the better, I can't recommend this book enough. This is a life-changing book! I purchased it years ago and it changed my life as well as many others after I passed the book along to loved ones. The book, Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution: Turn Off the Genes That Are Killing You and Your Waistline, is eye-opening and will change the way one eats. The reader can take recommendations and customize it to suit their needs. I actually didn't follow the diet recommendations all the way to the last chapter, but it still changed the way I ate and I lost the 20lbs that I had gained and it was quite easy to follow. I still follow most of the principles in this book to this day.

Retail Approx. $13

I hope you got some ideas to treat the special person in your life, or maybe even to treat yourself. 💝

Some links are referral links which support this site. Thank you if you choose to use them! Some items were gifted. All opinions are my own. 

Monthly Empties | Health, Beauty, Makeup, Skincare!

Happy November, everyone! I don't know about you but I'm actually glad that November is here. No idea why, maybe new month, new start!? Anyhooo, it's time for another empties post. Sorry for the lighting in the photos, it's been raining all week and the lighting was terrible, to top it off my bottle of Glycine wouldn't cooperate and pose properly for the photos! 😂

As always, I will share links to products in the titles and mini reviews.

Health

PhiNaturals Collagen Complete
I liked this collagen powder as it didn't have any taste, mixed well in my smoothies and it's also non-GMO and grass-fed. However, I have switched to Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate as it is pasture raised and grass fed which is a better choice. I also feed the collagen to my cat for all the same reasons I take it. There are too many benefits to get into here but one Google search will fill you in if you're not familiar with some of the benefits. A few benefits are joint health, gut health, restores bone density, helps with tissue repair and is reported to be good for hair, skin and nails, too!

Repurchase- No (will purchase Great Lakes Collagen)

Now Glycine Pure Protein Powder
I've talked about Glycine a lot on my site recently. Although I purchased this for the reported sleep benefits, I actually found that it helped with daytime stress rather than my sleep. I take 1 heaping tsp in a bottle of water and sip it throughout the day.

From iHerb:
Glycine is the smallest and simplest amino acid, making it versatile for use in a wide range of functions. Glycine is necessary for the production of glutathione, DNA, creatine, bile, hemoglobin, and most proteins. It also helps to promote glycogen storage, thereby making glucose readily available for energy production. Glycine also functions as a calming neurotransmitter in the brain, where it facilitates nerve impulses and is important for the maintenance of healthy sleep patterns.

Repurchase- Already have!

Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin and Nails Gummies
I like to take these for my hair and skin health. I really only notice my nails growing like crazy when I take these, so I know they're doing something! These contain biotin, vitamin c + E. For some reason, biotin on its own makes me breakout but these do not.

Repurchase- Yes

Jarrow Max DHA
These have been my favourite fish oil caps for a long time. I try others but always come back to this one. The gel caps are small and I don't get fishy burps. Plus, I get a higher dose of DHA which is the predominant fatty acid in the brain, nervous system and retina of humans and also supports neurological function. 

Repurchase- Already have

Schuessler Tissue Salts- Nerve Tonic
It's been years since I took tissue salts. I was introduced to them when I developed my severe insomnia and discovered homoeopathy while looking for help with my sleep issues. I saw these in the store and decided to give them another try since it has been so long (since about 2002). I didn't really notice anything though. Tissue salts come in single remedy form or compositions such as this one.

About Tissue Salts:
Tissue Salts are specially prepared micro-doses of the body’s 12 essential minerals. These minerals are important for the functioning and health of the body; if deficiency or imbalance occurs, common ailments or illness may result. With today’s reliance on highly processed foods, keeping a healthy balance of minerals in the body is often difficult.

Repurchase- At some point. Perhaps the next one will be a single remedy tissue salt

Bach Rescue Remedy Night
Bach flowers are another form of homoeopathy. I had taken the very popular Rescue Remedy drops before the night version was available and unfortunately, it didn't do anything for me. However, I do find the Rescue Night formula helps my sleep somewhat. I take it before bed and if I wake too early it often helps me fall back asleep. The other great thing about homoeopathic remedies is that there are no contraindications with medications. Note: I find the actions are very subtle. I don't feel sleepy after I take this but it does help with my sleep somewhat.

Repurchase- Already have

Beauty

Prescription Retin-A 0.04% (RX only)
I've been using this Retin-A for years. It's Retin-A Mirco 0.04%. It has never been harsh nor irritated my skin, I didn't even need an adjustment period when I started it. The only time I needed an adjustment period was when I started using it on my neck, and even then it was minimal. If you've had a hard time adjusting to typical Retin-A, ask your Doctor about this one.

Repurchase- Yes

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask
This was a great mask for pulling impurities out of my skin and getting a little exfoliation in as well. My skin really did glow when I used this. Whenever I use a mask like this one, I like to follow it up with something very hydrating- either a hydrating mask or Essence followed by my serum, moisturizer, and sometimes oils. This product is Vegan.

Repurchase- Possibly, I have so many other to use up first and I'd like to try some of the other ones from this line.

Elf Perfect Finish HD Face Powder
I purchased this with one of my iHerb orders. It was a steal and lasted for a long time. It definitely blurred my pores and killed the shine on my face, I'm pretty oily. It is a white powder though, so a light dusting is all you need, probably why it lasted so long! This product is cruelty-free!

Repurchase- I would but I have SO many others to use up first

Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray (Sample)
I loved this product and it was my first experience with Living Proof products. I get the feeling that this brand will work really well for my hair type, so I am eager to try more from them. I have naturally super frizzy hair, plus it's damaged hair from bleach and this spray did a great job at smoothing my frizz without weighing my hair down. I was impressed!

Repurchase- Yes

Anbber Beauty Sponge 6 pc
I ordered these makeup sponges from Amazon on a whim many months ago. I was blown away by the quality! These are my HG sponges! They are super soft, they don't absorb your product, they blend makeup really well (I use them damp), there's no funky smell, and none of mine have developed mold like some name brands sponges that I've used. I use each sponge for 3 months and then throw them out, even though they still look fine and have no tears or mold.

Repurchase- Yes

Sonia Kashuk Lipstick in Sheer Pink Lust
My HG lipstick of all times! This had such an anti-aging effect on my lips and the colour was so perfect! But, sadly Sonia Kashuk is no longer selling makeup. :(

Repurchase- No. Discontinued

Ecotools Mask Mates / Cleansing Sponge
I cannot rave enough about this sponge and the brush the came with it! At first, I thought these were just some gimmick to get us to purchase more unnecessary items to add to our beauty routines. These are NO gimmick at all. The brush (included in the kit but not shown) is wonderful and actually makes masking less messy and just easier and more enjoyable. The sponge is made from the same materials (natural pulp) that they use in high-end spas! It makes mask removal easier and less messy, plus you can use them daily with your cleanser. They really help to remove every trace of makeup while gently exfoliating the skin. I adore these!

Repurchase- Yes!

Misc.

Kirkland Face Wipes
I love to stock up on these. You get a huge box and it even contains a few packs of wipes for travel. The wipes are huge, nicely saturated and very gentle on my skin. I use one every night to remove my makeup before cleansing.

Repurchase- Yes

Himalayan Botanique Complete Care Toothpaste
I really enjoyed this toothpaste and loved the cinnamon taste. It checks off all the boxes that I look for in a natural toothpaste, it's free of SLS, fluoride, carrageenan, and gluten. However, after one tube of it, I can't say that I'm converted from my favourite Now Foods Xyliwhite cinnamon toothpaste. Although I love my Xyliwhite, I always love trying out other natural toothpaste.

Repurchase- I've already gone back to my Now Foods Xyliwhite

Sleep

Homeocan Insomnia Homeopathic Remedy
This product didn't fit into my photo of health products, and I figured that it deserves a spotlight all on its own. I've used a ton of homoeopathic remedies over the years. Some single remedies, some compositions and I've had some success with many of them. I think my body got used to many of them and they no longer worked for me. I came across this one by Homeocan which I had never tried before, so I figured I had nothing to lose. It really helped with my sleep issues and I've sadly run out and need to get some more asap!

Repurchase- ASAP!

I hope you enjoyed seeing this month's empties and hopefully, you found some of the information helpful.

Here's to a new month! May it be a happy and healthy one!

Always consult with your Doctor before beginning new supplements

Not sponsored. Some links are referral. Thank you if you choose to use them

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. 

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! 

Fall Haul! Shoes, Fashion, Beauty, Skincare & Health

I hope you guys are in the mood for a little haulage. I personally love to see what people buy and get ideas and inspiration. I already did a haul this month (found here), not sure if I should feel guilty.. #shopaholic !? I will provide links to products where possible.

This is a small haul of items that I purchased over this past weekend. I wanted to share it right away as many of the items are from Winners and you know how quickly their items can sell out. To my US readers, Winners is the same company as TjMaxx and Marshalls, so you can often find the same items at all 3 stores.

Winners

Catherine Malandrino shoes

I needed some nude flats and these are quite trendy but I decided to take a chance on them as they were on clearance. The brand is Catherine Malandrino. I've heard of this brand but never purchased from them. These felt really comfortable in the store and I'm hoping they will be just as comfortable once I start wearing them.

These shoes actually came completely covered in pom-poms of all colours and sizes. I was not a fan but I could picture the shoe without them, so I immediately pulled them all off and I'm so happy with what was hiding underneath. I should have taken a before picture but I didn't know I'd actually be showing these in a haul. Here are a few of the pom-poms and tassels that I kept for my cat to play with... at least they didn't go to waste!

Catherine Malandrino Shoes- Cost $15, regular $40, compare at price $60. 

Pom-poms and tassels from the shoes!

Able Top

I needed this lighting so you could see the detail at the neckline. It has a cutout that makes this top really stylish but still casual. I can see it with some skinny jeans and even some strategically placed jewellery. I really love this top but I do have to try and stop buying black all the time. The brand is Able and it's made in the USA.

Able top- Cost $13, regular $25, compare at $38

I spotted these in the food section at Winners. It's a powdered peanut butter where they press roasted nuts to remove the oils. Although, I'm not against eating healthy fats I just wanted to try this for my protein smoothies. I've tried other similar brands and didn't like them. This one tastes amazing in my smoothies and it adds some more protein and nutrition to my drinks. This brand is non-GMO and gluten-free.

Tru-Nut Powdered Peanut Butter- Cost $7 each, regular $13, compare at $17

The Body Shop

The Body Shop

I haven't shopped at The Body Shop in years! Recently, I tried some samples of The Body Shop's new face masks and decided to pick up the Himalayan Charcoal one. I also wanted to try their new Lightening Shade Adjusting Drops as I have some BB creams that are too dark and I don't want to waste them. I signed up for The Body Shop emails and was pleasantly surprised when I was sent a 50% off coupon. Reviews to come on these products.

Shade Adjusting Drops- Cost $11, regular $22

Himalayan Charcoal Mask- Cost $14, regular $28

-I finally ended up using Ebates which I never think to do. It saved me an additional $6 on the Body Shop order as I got 12% back based on the regular prices. I have to use Ebates more!

If you want to sign up for Ebates, you can get $5 just for signing up (click here to sign up).

That's it for this week. I think I got some great deals. I hope you enjoyed seeing what I purchased this week.

xo

*some referral links in this post. Thank you for the support if you choose to use them.