Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas For Him and Her

If you are behind with your holiday shopping like I am, hopefully, this post will give you some good ideas for some last-minute gifts. 🧦

Whether you need some last-minute items to fill someone's stocking or maybe some host and/or hostess gifts, there is something for pretty much everyone here. There's also a little something for the guys.

Magnetix Makeup Brushes by Profusion ($10.99 and up)

These gorgeous rose gold makeup brushes by Profusion cosmetics are magnetized and can be displayed on the rose gold stand that's included with the eye brush. Storing them this way keeps them secure, accessible, and hygienic. They are super soft and feel like high-end brushes, IMO. They are also vegan and cruelty-free! Full review on these beauties with pics can be found linked HERE.

Available at: Farleyco.ca, Lawtons Drugs, and select IDA Guardian, and Pharmasave stores.

7th Heaven Renew You Face Masks ($2.99 and up)

I love 7th Heaven is one of my favourite drugstore face mask brands. They are not only affordable but amazing quality and cruelty-free! There are several masks to choose from in this line, all have anti-aging benefits.

Shown above:

• Detox & Replenish Hydrogel Mask- Pore minimize and hydrate, with charcoal & 7 berries
• 24K Gold Firming Sheet Mask- Help prevent sagging skin with amino acids & Star Anise 
• Gold Radiance Eye Masks- Targets dark circles and puffiness with Q10 and Soy Bean Extract

Coming to: London Drugs, Rexall Pharmaplus, Pharmasave, Jean Coutu, Uniprix, Familiprix, Brunet

Modele Plump and Seal Collagen Lip Treatment ($29.99)

I've used this product before and already know that I'm a big fan! I use a lot of lip balms for my super dehydrated lips, so when I finish one, you know it's good. This is the perfect gift for anyone who takes pride in the look of their pout or maybe has chronically dry lips.

Modèle Collagen Lip Treatment restores lip volume, reduces the signs of aging and helps retain moisture.

Clinically proven to:
• Visibly increase lip volume up to 40%
• Reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines up to 30%
• Improve lip hydration up to 60%

Available at: Farleyco.ca, select Pharmasave, Guardian IDA, Jean Coutu, Familiprix, Uniprix, and Brunet

I Love Signature Scents Body Washes ($24.99 for box set)

Give the gift of pampering with these gorgeously scented body washes. My personal favourites are Exotic Fruits and Glazed Raspberry. They are perfectly sweet, and not overpowering at all. They leave me feeling clean and they are not drying. There is a scent for everyone if your giftee isn't a fan of fruity scents.

Available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Lastly, we have something for the guys....

Below the Belt Grooming Fresh & Dry Balls, Active ($9.99)

We may not think about it much (or at all) but guys need to take care of their personal hygiene too!

Available in 3 scents: Active, Fresh, and Cool. Designed to be applied after showering to stay fresh and dry for up to eight hours. Applies as a gel, Fresh & Dry Balls dries to a silky fine layer, leaving the groin area dry and comfortable for hours. This product is dermatologically tested and contains essential oils.

I don't have a review on this yet but I know my guy is intrigued and will be using it. A great gift for the man in your life. Would also make a great host gift for a guy you know REALLY well. I think they'd get a kick out of it. 🤭

Available at: Farleyco.ca, London Drugs.com, select Pharmasave, Guardian IDA, Jean Coutu, Familiprix, and Brunet. Amazon: Fresh, Cool, Active.

Hopefully, these gift ideas were helpful to you or maybe you want to treat yourself!

Happy Holidays and happy shopping! 🎅

Products were kindly gifted by FarleyCo Beauty. This post is not sponsored.

New! Profusion Magnetix Magnetic Attraction Makeup Brush Review!

Profusion Cosmetics is a cruelty-free beauty brand that makes great makeup products at affordable prices. They've just come out with a super innovative line of magnetic makeup brushes called Magnetix Makeup Brushes by Profusion. Talk about the perfect gift for the makeup and beauty enthusiast in your life!

The brush handles are magnetized so they will stand upright on the display stand (included with the eyeshadow brush). The magnets are strong and the brushes are held down securely. The display stand has rubber feet on the bottom which keeps the display stand securely in place as well.

Keeping your brushes upright like this keeps them accessible and hygenic as there is no cross-contamination with other brushes or other nearby items that they may come in contact with. They rose gold colour is also super pretty to display on any vanity.

Pictured above is the display stand with the eyeshadow brush ($17.99), and blush brush ($14.99)

The stand comes with an eyeshadow brush, additional Magnetix brushes can be purchased separately and kept on the stand as well so you can build your collection as much or as little as you like. The brushes can also be stored in another manner if you don't want to use or purchase the stand. The brushes are so pretty and such good quality that I recommend them on those merits alone.

The brushes are SUPER soft and feel like much higher-end brushes, imo. They are made with synthetic bristles and are designed to pick up the perfect amount of product. Vegan and cruelty-free, I really couldn't ask for more. I'm looking forward to expanding my collection.

You can find these products at Farleyco.ca, Lawtons Drugs, and select IDA Guardian, and Pharmasave stores. 

Wishing you all a great rest of the week!

Products were kindly provided by FarleycoBeauty for editorial consideration. This post is not sponsored. #magnetixbrushes #makeupbrushes #profusioncosmetics

'Easy Affordable Festive Holiday Nails!

Festive Holiday Nails

I'm horrible at doing my nails but I recently purchased a new nail polish by Sinful Colors called Let Me Go and it's giving me all the holiday vibes! It's a sheer holographic nail polish that appears mostly silver on camera, but in person, it has a purple, green, and blue shift to it. It has a very neutral look to it as well so it works as sort of a "nude" shade. I added a chunky silver glitter polish to my ring finger for an even more festive look. This one is by L.A Colors. Cannot find the name on the bottle but it's a large chunky, silver glitter in a clear base.

The Holographic polish by Sinful Colors is very sheer but is buildable. I am wearing 3 coats of each polish here. I found it impossible to capture the purple, blue, and green shift with the camera. You can get the idea from the photo of the bottle though (pictured at the bottom of this post).

Every time I look at my nails I have to take a second look, I just love them and they feel so festive! I've shared several pics of this "manicure" (I use that term loosely) 🤭, in different lighting and have not used any filters. As you can see, it looks sheer in some photos and more opaque in others.

Outdoor Lighting

 Indoor Lighting

This mani totally brings me joy! Every time I look at my nails, they remind me of Christmas Tree ornaments. :D

And, btw, I've had these polishes on for days and there is very little wear.

Pictured above: Left: Sinful Colors in Let Me Go, Right: L.A. Colors Silver Glitter Polish.

If you are looking for an affordable festive nail look this holiday season that is easy to do, I highly recommend you give these a try. You can find both online or at select Walmart's and Dollar Tree stores.

Wishing you a great week ahead! 

Xo's, Amy

*Not sponsored. All products were purchased by me. Opinions in this post are mine. :) Some links are referral, thank you if you choose to use them!

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Bronzer #Review

I finally "hit pan" on my Physician's Formula Butter Bronzer in the shade Bronzer. This bronzer definitely took time to grow on me. The formula is fabulous, it's soft and buttery just as the name implies. The shade can look a little muddy on me though because I find the Bronzer shade to be more of a contour shade, so I use a light hand. I like to bronze all over for a sunkissed look, because of this, I actually prefer bronzers with a bit of a red undertone to mimic a fake tan. I find the darker shade from this line "Dark Bronzer" (which is waiting patiently in the wings for me to use it) has more of a red undertone, so I prefer that one for an all over bronzed up look . These bronzers do have a sweet tropical scent which fades once applied. I'm really not offended nor sold by the scent. I actually prefer unscented beauty products but it wouldn't stop me from purchasing this product. 

My all-time favourite bronzer is still Laura Geller's Bronze n' Brighten and it's been my favourite for at least 10 years! But since I like to try new products, I had purchased the Butter Bronzers to give them a go. You never know if you'll find a new favourite, eh? Until I use this up, I will alternate my PF Butter Bronzers and my Laura Geller one, which I use in medium, btw.

Overall, the formula is fantastic and now there are 4 shades to choose from Light, Bronzer, Deep,  and Sunkissed, so there is something for everyone. Physician's Formula is a Cruelty-free brand. Plus, they are accessible and affordable if you wait for a sale. Right now all shades are half price at $7.69 on Amazon.com.

Shop Physicians Formula Butter Bronzers HERE.

What's your favourite bronzer? 

Hope everyone has a great week ahead. 

XO's Amy

*not sponsored. Some links are referral. Thank you if you choose to use them!

Philosophy Renewed Hope in A Jar Peeling Mousse, Refreshing and Refining Moisturizer + Time in A Bottle Serum Review

I had the pleasure of testing out Philosophy's Renewed Hope in A Jar Peeling Mousse, Refreshing and Refining Moisturizer, as well as their Time in A bottle Resist, Renew and Repair Serum thanks to Topbox Circle. 

*All links provided in this post contain pricing and product information

Although each sample was only 7ml's they did last me for a week, using AM + PM. Granted, this isn't nearly enough time to gauge any long term effects but it was enough time to notice some results.

Firstly, I love that these products are unscented. Although, I'm not against products with fragrance, I definitely prefer products that do not have any fragrance.  I have aging, combo, dehydrated and reactive skin. I was actually having a breakout all over my face from some other products that I had just started using when I received these samples. I started the Philosophy samples right away and found them very soothing on my skin. When I woke the next morning, my breakouts were going away already! I was already a fan based on that alone.

The Peeling Mousse is similar to some other products that I've used in the past where it's supposed to exfoliate your face as you massage the product into your skin, and your dead skin cells bead up and roll into little balls. I have never been sure if this is actually skin or the product that's beading up. However, I can say that my skin looked clearer, fresher, softer, and brighter after using this exfoliator. 

The Renew and Repair Serum, also unscented, absorbs nicely and doesn't leave my skin with any sticky residue or greasy feel. It's perfect under the Refreshing and Refining Moisturizer and also underneath makeup. It adds a bit of hydration and is very gentle on my reactive skin. I would love to see the long term benefits, if any, of this product as it has some great anti-aging ingredients. 

From Ulta's site:

An exclusive liposome complex stimulates skin's natural repair functions to help repair skin damage at its source. Next, potent vitamin C8 and a patented antioxidant complex neutralize damaging free radicals to help renew skin's protection from daily aggressors; and third, extracts from rare Himalayan red rice, red grape ferment and plantain leaf help reactivate skin's natural age-resisting mechanisms, for results you can see and feel.

The Refreshing and Refining Moisturizer was also a delight to use. Fragrance-free, extremely soothing to my dehydrated skin, and really does provide long-lasting hydration. Again, no sticky or oily residue with this product either. My skin was left so soft that I couldn't stop touching it for a while there. hehe. I know, that's a no-no. The other noticeable difference was the rough, bumpy texture, especially on my forehead was gone and smoothed out after using these products for a week!

In Summary:

My favourite products are the serum and moisturizer. With the moisturizer, I had immediate benefits and it gave me long-lasting hydration. The serum has such great ingredients that I would have like to continue using it in conjunction with the moisturizer to see if I would experience any anti-aging benefits. I could take or leave the peel. Although, my skin did look fresher and brighter after using it, I can get that from most exfoliators. However, I do prefer a chemical exfoliator over a physical one, and the peeling mousse is a chemical exfoliator. Overall, I find that these products do what they claim. They offer fabulous hydration without being heavy or greasy and would be suitable for all skin types including sensitive and reactive skin like mine, and the prices are reasonable.

Have you tried these products? What is your favourite?

Thank you to Topbox Circle and Philosphy for sending over these products for me to test out.💗

#notsponsored #freesample

*This post contains referral links. Thank you in advance if you choose to use them.

New! Live Clean Foaming Holiday Hand Soaps in Fresh Snow + Frosted Apple

Live Clean is back with their holiday hand soaps and they're better than ever! They have 2 new scents in their Foaming Hand Washes made just for the holidays; Frosted Apple and Fresh Snow. I don't know how they manage to capture these scents in bottles filled with all-natural goodness, but somehow they do!

I wash my hands A LOT and these hand soaps actually leave my skin clean but moisturized as they are loaded with skin softening, organic botanicals, and they're free from drying SLS and Sulfates, and also free from Triclosan (a possible hormone disruptor!).

I love both scents and I like that they are so different from each other so that there is something for everyone. Fresh Snow is as fresh and crisp smelling as they come. And, Frosted Apple smells like a fresh-baked apple pie with an extra dash of cinnamon.

As always, these products are all-natural, free of harsh chemicals, cruelty-free, effective, and affordable.

Fresh Snow Foaming Hand Wash 400ml/ $4.99-$5.99

• This scent is as crisp and fresh as they come!
• The rich lather is very effective at cleansing yet leaves my hands moisturized
• Enriched with Vitamin E, Certified Organic Botanicals of Lavender, Chamomile, and Rosemary
• 98% plant-derived, triclosan-free, SLS free, Paraben-free, pure Vegan

Frosted Apple Foaming Hand Wash 400ml / $4.99-$5.99

• Frosted Apple smells like Freshly baked apple pie with an extra dash of cinnamon spice! This one should come with a warning as it may make you hungry :) 🍎
• This one is also gentle yet effective and leaves my hands soft and moisturized
• Also enriched with Vitamin E, Certified Organic Botanicals of Lavender, Chamomile, and Rosemary

Both scents linger just a little bit on my hands after washing, which I quite enjoy!

These products are:

98% plant-derived

Made with certified organic botanicals

SLS Free

Triclosan Free

Petrolatum free

DEA free

Paraben-free

Silicone free

Phthalate-free

Phosphate-free

Hypoallergenic

Dermatologist tested

Pure Vegan

Cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny Certified)

Made with Recyclable packaging

I'll never understand how Live Clean makes such affordable, all-natural products for the whole family at such affordable prices, I'm just so grateful that they do!

Suggested Retail $4.99-$5.99 / 400ml each.

These products are available at Walmart, Amazon.ca, Well.ca, Sobeys, London Drugs, Metro, Pharmasave, Loblaws Real Canadian Superstore

www.live-clean.com

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Hello + New Blog Schedule!

Hi Everyone!
.
I know it's been a while since my last post, almost 2 months now. I had no intention to just stop posting suddenly, but personal issues and serious family medical issues have taken over my life for the last couple of months, leaving no time for other things that I love. I have definitely missed posting here and have thought about it often but family and health matters will always be my priority. I'm sure many of know how draining and all-consuming it can be when you're dealing with serious medical issues in your family and such.

Regarding my schedule here at HGB, I hope to be able to come back and start posting again. I'd like to aim for one post a week, most likely every Sunday. Even if I just have a quick post to share, I'd like to try and keep this schedule up for the next little while until hopefully things settle down 🙏

I hope things are good on your end and I hope to see you here on Sundays! 🤗