FOTD – Holiday Glam – Rebel by Red Apple Lipstick

Bring out those red lips, ladies!  This is holiday season!

Holiday Manicure

I did this manicure a while back thinking these colours would be perfect for a fall manicure….you be the judge, but I definitely feel this screams holidays and presents more than leaves and crisp autumn air.

November 2014 Favourites

This month has been a battle with my dry skin, and I’m still not quite winning, but I think I’m getting closer.  I have a few products under the body care category this month just to help show the extremes that my skin is requiring of me right now.

Body: I shower in cold water to help preserve my skin’s moisture barrier and then exfoliate every three days or so with 100% Pure’s sugar scrub (review) in the marvelous scent of White Peach.  The oils in this product are helping with my skin too.  Then, after patting my skin with a towel, I apply a thin layer of a body oil.  I’ve been alternating between Chagrin Valley’s body oil in the scent Tranquil Spirit – which I adore!- (review) and Weleda’s body oils (review) in an array of scents (I got the sample pack a while ago, so I’m working through those and using up my full-sized bottle of the rose scent).  I’ll immediately follow that with some shea butter from the African Fair Trade Society and let that all sink in before getting dressed.  It makes me a big greasy mess, but it will hold off the itching and dry skin for at least 10 hours.  Then my skin needs more help again, but what can ya do?  On the especially dry spots I also layer on SBT Seabuckthorn’s Eczema and Dermatitis Salve.  Repurchase? I haven’t found a body oil that has reached HG status, or even come close, so I’ll keep looking on that front.  As for the shea butter and the scrub ? Yes, I already am on my second/third tub of each.

Skin Care: The skin on my face is also feeling the drier weather, so using just my regular moisturizer isn’t enough.  Juice Beauty’s CC Cream (review) not only offers me SPF but gives tons of moisture that lasts all day long.  Now if something could just be done about that smell… Repurchase? Absolutely.  The strange scent isn’t enough of a deterrent for such a high performing product.

Makeup: 100% Pure’s Super Fruits Healthy Skin Foundation (review) pairs perfectly with Juice Beauty’s CC cream because this foundation is a bit on the dry side, and really offsets the moisture of the CC cream.  Both stay put all day long when applied one after the other, and keep my skin balanced and gives me adequate coverage. Repurchase? Probably.  I might try a few other liquid foundations first, just in case I can find something better before I settle.

Hair Care: In an effort to keep the fashion colours of pink, purple, and teal in my hair for as long as possible between hair appointments I am getting used to the idea of only washing my hair every five days or so.  Don’t worry, this diva doesn’t like the idea of greasy hair either, so I’ve been working with dry shampoo recipes.  I can now wear my hair down for three full days before wanting to pull it into a braid or up in a pony tail.  I could probably even push it for 6 days at this point.  Anyway, another part of this journey is to find products with a low pH to help keep the dye on my hair.  John Masters Organics Honey and Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor (review) not only has a low pH (2.5) but gives my hair a rich drink of moisture that lasts for several days.  Exactly what my high maintenance hair is craving right now! Repurchase? I have repurchased this product as a hair mask so many times I’ve lost count.

Do any of those products strike your fancy?  Do you have any body oils to recommend to me?

 

FOTD – Minimalist Multistick Makeup

There are some days that I just need a minimalist, no-makeup makeup look.  I have wanted to try a multistick look for a while now, using it to its full range so here it is!  I used Vapour Organics Multistick in Crush.

RGB 5 Free Polish in Sea Review

There’s something about RGB polishes that put them just a step above the rest of the 5-free world.  Sea, this beautiful, deep, rich teal colour is no different.

Vapour Organics Aura Multi-Use Blush in Crush Review

I love the idea of multisticks and cream blushes.  They just feel so nice on my skin, blend so well, and look very natural.  Staying power?  Not always awesome.  But how does this gorgeous multi-use blush from Vapour Organics stand up?

FOTD – Moroccan Sunset

It’s my very first face of the day!  I am so excited.  I like these colour combinations because it works well for everyday, but also adds a bit of glamour and makes me think of the beach, ocean and rolling waves.

Fall Manicure – a neutral twist on the french manicure

 

I have been playing around with different combinations of nail polishes to find some fun looks.  This look is a subtle colourful take on the traditional french manicure.  Instead of the usual neutral pink, I’ve substituted Sheswai’s polish in Stone.  Sadly, they don’t sell this colour anymore, but What is the closest colour match in their current collection.  The colour I used as the tip highlighter is HIPP by RGB in 1, which is a standard pale beige colour.  Of course I want this look to last as long as possible so I use Spa Rituals 3 step manicure system.

Hope that you like this look!

 

100% Pure Lip Creme Stick and Lip Glaze Review

It is such a joy now that my skin care routine is all ironed out that I can start truly delving into the world of green makeup.  I really do like playing and experimenting with makeup, but your skin is truly the canvas and so taking care of it and finding the right balance of skin care products is an absolute necessity for me before I can start thinking about makeup.

Lip products are one of those things that I have always liked, but I was hesistant to use them prior to going green because having the ingredients on my lips meant that I could ingest them and probably did.  I had no idea how scary my products were until I started doing my research, but now that I know better I will never go back.  I can deal with the lesser staying power because I know that they are safer.  Considerably safer.

100% Pure is one of my favourite companies (have you noticed?) but I haven’t given their lip products much of a try so far.  Up for review this time are the Lip Creme Stick in Perfect Naked Berry and their Lip Glaze in Velveteen.  

October 2014 Favourites

There’s just something about the autumn colours that stands out for me, and makes me want to be outside.  Plus, autumn is a great time for scarves!  Here’s what I’ve been liking a lot this month:

Makeup – My Strawberry Lips Red Apple Lipstick arrived just in time for fall.  It is a beautiful burnt ombre and berry shade that works so well with the season.  Plus, it is ultra hydrating which works well with the cooler temperature and drier air.  Repurchase? Probably, yes, when this tube eventually runs out!

Skin Care – Exfoliation is the name of the game as my skin adjusts to the drier air, so I have been reaching for Andalou Naturals Lemon Sugar Exfoliating Scrub (review) every three or four days or so.  You really can’t get much better in the ingredients department, and for the price this product really can’t be beat! <b>Repurchase?</b> Absolutely, I already have.

Hair Care – I have been learning a lot about hair care this month and last month as I am strugging to keep a new kind of hair dye in my hair.  A product that is supposed to last 6 – 8 weeks before it starts to fade has been rinsing out completely after three washes.  I have been mean to my hair, attempting a few times to get this dye to stick and by changing things up in my hair care routine – ah the vanity of having fashion colours in my hair!  Since I have been so mean to my hair lately, hair masks are a must!  I have been doing oil treatments of olive oil and or coconut oil as well as apple cider vinegar rinses in an attempt to rebalance the pH levels in my hair.  Hopefully after all these new steps the dye will finally take.  Fingers crossed, everyone!

<b>Body</b> – Nothing is saving my skin right now from drying out like Chagrin Valley’s Body and Massage candles (review).  They have a rich blend of butters and oils which seem to help maintain a decent balance of moisture in my skin which lasts almost the whole day. The only downside is that they have to be warmed before use, but I just plop the little tin on my candle warmer before jumping in the shower and it’s ready to go when I’m done.  Repurchase? I already have.