Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Lip Pick Wednesday! C.O. Bigelow: Mentha Lip Shine

  Happy Lip Pick Wednesday! For today's post I have decided to review the C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine from Bath & Body Works. The Mentha Lip Shine is made with 100% natural mint flavour that is intended to create a cooling and fresh sensation on the lips. When applied on, the texture of the product produces a high gloss finish that leaves the lips feeling highly moisturized and soft.


  From using this product, I must say, that I am quite pleased with the results. This is the second lip product I have purchased from Bath & Body Works that I find works very well and is budget friendly at $7.50. Whenever I apply the product to my lips, I instantly feel a nice cooling sensation. It feels as though the dryness I was experiencing goes away, as the product hydrates my lips. Although some people may prefer a more floral scent, I personally really like that the scent of mentha has been infused into this product. I find it to be very refreshing to wear during the winter.

  If you have never used the C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine before, I would highly recommend giving it a try for the winter months.

Have you ever used the CO Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine?

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Massive Beauty & Fashion Haul: BCBG, Urban Outfitters, Sephora and more! (Video)


  The holiday sales were pretty good to me this year, as I got great deals on amazing items. The video below shows you the beauty and fashion items I picked up in the months of December and January. I hope enjoy it! If any of the items shown stood out to you, please feel free to leave a comment below.

        

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

IT'S LIP PICK WEDNESDAY: C.O. BIGELOW ROSE SALVE





Today is lip pick Wednesday! In case you are unfamiliar with lip pick Wednesday, every Wednesday I have been reviewing a new lip product for the month of January. Due to the frigid temperatures in Toronto, I have decided to focus on lip balms. The lip balm I am reviewing today is C.O. Bigelow's Rose Salve, that I purchased from Bath & Body Works. The salve is a budget product that currently retails for $5.50 and comes in a really cute circular tin. Although the tin may appear to be a small, a little goes a long way, so the product will last for a long time.


  I have been using the rose salve on my lips for a couple of days and it feels so nice on my lips. Although the product is applied on with my fingers, it does not go on my lip heavy. In fact, its creates a nice smooth base on my lips that feels highly moisturizing. I have noticed that from continual use, my lips have been less dry and are no longer chapped. I also really like the fact that the salve is multi-purpose and can be applied to other parts of the body (e.g. elbows, knees, cuticles) basically any dry areas. I must admit, multi-functional products are my favorite, because they can do the same job as other products, which helps to save me money. I also really like the rose scent that is infused in the product. It gives the salve a very nice floral and feminine feel when applied to my lips.

  I personally enjoy using this product, and I highly recommend it others to try out this winter and even to use year round.

  Do you shop at Bath & Body Works? And have you tried out the C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve


Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Sephora's Super Nourishing Lip Balm



  Today is Wednesday lip pick! Every Wednesday for the month of January I will be reviewing  different types of lip balms in order to find a great balm for the dry winter months and quite possibly year round. Today I have decided to review Sephora's Super Nourishing Lip Balm which contains shea butter, grape seed oil, vitamin E, meadowfoam seed oil and beeswax.I was first recommended to try out this product by a Sephora employee who informed me that a lot of girls had been purchasing the product after it was mentioned on a talk show. Although she informed me that she had not used the product herself, I decided to give the product a try. Besides the price of $6.00 was very appealing.  


  When I first opened the lip balm, I noticed that it was shaped similar to a lipstick. I found this to be a benefit since the product can be evenly applied to ones lips and you don't even have to worry about getting your fingers covered in the product like some balms. I also really like that the lip balm smells so good- similar to vanilla. Although vanilla scented products may not be for everyone, I am huge fan of this scent. Its a warm and a yummy scent for the winter. 

  Even though the scent is great, and the product applies nicely to my lips, I don't find that the staying product is very good. When I use this balm on my lips, I find that it does feel hydrating initially; however, my lips often feel dry an hour or so after applying the product on to my lips. To be honest, I was really disappointed that this lip balm did not work well for me, as I hoping that it would become my new favorite lip balm to wear this winter. Womp!

  Thus, stay tuned for next Wednesday as the search for a great lip balm continues. Hopefully after trying out a few more products, I will find a great lip balm.  

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. If you have tried Sephora's Super Nourishing Lip Balm, did it work well for you?






Monday, January 12, 2015

Earth Therapeutics Intensive Heel Repair



  Do you have cracked heels? Its okay, lots of people have them. Trust me I have seen this numerous times at the nail salon. Young or old it does not discriminate; lots of people suffer from cracked heels and I can admit that I too sometimes have this issue. This winter has been no exception as not only am I dealing with dry lips, but I also have dry heels. It sucks, but I know there is a solution.

  The Earth Therapeutics Intensive Heel Repair is a product that I have been using on my feet recently. It contains products that I really like using on my skin: cocoa butter, peppermint and tea tree oil.



  Although you can apply the cream whenever you want, I chose to apply it right before I went to bed. I also put socks on after applying the product in order to lock in the moisture. After applying the cream before going to bed, I immediately saw results the next morning. There was less dryness and a diminishment of cracking. The more I applied the heel repair to my feet,  more improvement I noticed.

  The cream also feels really great and highly moisturizing on the foot. It's a really great product and I have to say that I was quite impressed with how quickly it works to repair damaged heels. Overall, I would highly recommend this product to individuals in search of a great foot balm that you can apply year round.

  Are you experiencing cracked heels this winter? 


Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Carmex Lip Ointment





  The search for the perfect lip balm continues.... As many of you may be aware from my previous EOS lip balm post, I have been in search of a lip balm that can conquer this cold weather and help nourish my dry lips. As a result, I have been testing out a variety of different lip balms in order to find the best one that will work for me.  

  The newest lip product I have decided to try out is the Carmex lip ointment. I first discovered Carmex a few years ago when I first started watching YouTube videos, and noticed that so many beauty gurus would rave about this product. After hearing many positive reviews, I decided to purchase this product. Unfortunately, I could never find it in stores. Yet another product only available in the United States I assumed; thus, Carmex was out of the picture. However, while recently shopping at Target (our newest US big box retailer in Canada) I noticed this little yellow tube hanging beside other products close to the checkout. I could't believe it was Carmex. I completely forgot that when Target came over to Canada they would bring  all the products not available to Canadian consumers beforehand. I could finally get my hands on a product that I wanted for so long and I was definitely not going to pass up on purchasing it now. 


  I have been using Carmex for two weeks and noticed that it lives up to its name as a lip ointment. When applied to the lip the product has an ointment consistency and scent, similar to one that would be found in a medicine cabinet. I also noticed that I feel a tingling sensation when I apply the product to my lip, but this is because the product contains menthol and camphor which is meant to help moisturize and soothe the lips. 

  When I first started using the balm, it was hard to tell whether the product was working. It doesn't have instantaneous effects so I couldn't really notice much difference. As more time has passed I have noticed that my lips appear to be in better condition. They are no longer dry and are not peeling as much, which is a huge plus. However, I do notice that the product is not as long lasting as I would prefer. Perhaps this is why the instructions on the back of the tube recommends applying the product 3-4 times daily. 

  And while the product may not be very long lasting, I have noticed that my lips don't feel too dry after the product has fully absorbed. In fact, my lips still feel moist long after the product has absorbed and I find it to be a perfect base to apply lipstick onto. I especially like using it with my matte lipsticks, which are often very drying. 

  Overall, my lips feel much better after using Carmex lip ointment. My lips are not as dry as they were beforehand and do not peel as much. I also think that this is a fantastic product to use before and after applying lipstick. 

  Although it is a good product, especially for the price ($1.97), I found that the product took a bit too long to help my lips feel restored and moisturized, and I personally am not a huge fan of the tingling sensation. Besides these minor downsides, I would nonetheless recommend this product. However, I still will continue my search for a great lip balm, even though Carmex is a good contender at the moment. *Stay tuned for next Wednesday to find out the newest balm I have begun to try out. 

Have you tried Carmex before? And which lip balm do you recommend I try out?


Monday, January 5, 2015

Shop Local For The New Year!


  I love to do most of my shopping in the mall, but sometimes I forget about the great selection of products that local boutiques and shops offer in my city. In fact, it never occurred to me how much money I spend supporting big retailers rather than local businesses, until I recently discovered a new website called The Chic Canuck. Although its a pretty new website, founded in 2014, The Chic Canuck offers some really great products created by Canadian artists and companies. The items they carry range from skincare, home decor, jewelry and accessories. 

  As there are so many amazing items available on this website, I have decided to create my top 5 favourite items from The Chic Canuck

1. Hair oil and treatments have been big a beauty trend over the past couple of years, which is why I decided to select hair oil from the brand F.Miller as my first item. This product is incredibly hydrating and nourishing for the hair as it is infused with 14 different botanical oils that will help to improve the appearance and strength of the hair.  Some of the ingredients used are my favourite oils: argan oil, pomegranate seed oil, grape seed oil and avocado oil to name a few.

                                                     


  Not only is the product helpful to maintain the hair, but it is also beneficial for individuals that may suffer from dandruff or an irritated scalp. All that is needed is 2-3 drops in your palm to place all over your dry and damp hair. 

2. The second item I picked was the dalish lip and cheek balm in the shade dusty rose. This product is 75% natural and is multi-purpose as it can be applied to both your cheeks and lips to give it a pretty stain. Since the product is in stick form, all one would have to do is dab and then blend with their fingers until they get the desired result. Easy and simple.

 

3. There are so many talented jewelry designers living in Toronto, that do not often get enough  recognition for their lovely pieces. As result, I choose a beautiful necklace as my third top pick from The Chic Canuck. The piece I selected is the Nelle Hana Ova Pendant in aqua. This is an18k gold necklace with a signature Nelle Hana rose heart tag.


                                                             


  I love the elegance and class that this piece embodies. And the best part is that it's perfect to wear on a daily basis, because it's not too casual, but not too dressy. If you are not a fan of aqua, not to worry because this pendant comes in 4 different colours.



4. Since home decor always adds some punch and style to any living space, why not incorporate some Canadian pieces? Toronto artist Jacqueline Poirier creates some lovely printed plates that embody Canadian culture. One of my favourite plates that Poirier has designed is the stag head printed plate- a Moose head. A great Canadian piece of artwork to showcase in your house or cottage. Why not show some pride- Eh?                                 

             

5. The final pick for my list is the rosemary mint bath soak from the brand Sweet Leaf Bath Co. I always like the idea of relaxing after a long day, and bath salts are such a great way to allow your body to release. These bath salts are made up of natural ingredients, some which include: dead sea salts, essential oils of rosemary and spearmint.



                  

  Just pour some bath salts into your hot bath, and allow the oils to hydrate your skin, while your body detoxifies and releases built up stress.


 If you have never shopped local before, hopefully this post gives you some inspiration. 


Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post! 

Do you shop local?