Empties #4

I’ve accumulated a few empty products, so I figured the time was right to share my thoughts on stuff I’ve used up. If you read my last post, you’ll know today I am getting my wisdom teeth out, so I scheduled the next week of posts so that my blog wouldn’t be completely neglected. The comments may go unanswered for a few days, but I promise once I’m feeling a bit more spry I’ll be back!

I *finally* finished up my bottle of Dr.Bronners Magic Soap in the Rose scent. This was one of the first reviews I ever did, so it goes to show you how long one bottle can last. It’s great for washing brushes, or general cleaning. I did repurchase, however I picked up the peppermint scent because while I know the rose scent cleanses my brushes just the same, it just feels cleaner. I’m weird. I also finished up the EOS Shave Cream in the Vanilla Bliss scent. While I liked what this product did in terms of moisturization, I felt like I went through the bottle so fast, and a lot got stuck at the bottom and I just couldn’t get it out. It also tended to clog up my razor so I’m not planning on repurchasing any time soon. I polished off my Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser. I really enjoyed using this as a cleanser both morning and night. I feel like it made my skin super clean and wasn’t too harsh at all. I would definitely repurchase this product once I’ve used up some other skincare I’ve got laying around.

The Hello Toothpaste in the flavour Supermint was both a hit and a miss for me. I liked the way it tasted and felt of my teeth. Initially I loved the packaging, but as the product got used up, it was so hard to get it out of the bottle. You can see how mangled the top is from me trying to get it off and squeeze out more toothpaste. While I liked it, this huge flaw in packaging is a real bummer because you end up wasting so much product. On the other hand, with the Jouer Anti Blemish Primer, I squeezed out every last drop. I seriously loved this primer when my skin was acting up. Now that things have settled down I don’t feel the need to repurchase, but if you’re prone to breakouts give this stuff a shot, it’s amazing. Last up is The Body Shop Honeymania Body Butter. This stuff was so delicious to moisturize your skin with. The scent was amazing, I really liked the thickness and how it made my skin feel. A+ product for me.

That’s all the products I’ve used up for now. I’m trying to get through all my makeup and not buy anymore until I’ve used some up, so hopefully I’ve got more makeup products in the next empties post.

Talk soon,

Xx Brianna

January 2015 Favorites

The first year of my blog contained zero favorites posts, mostly because I was in the process of making over my beauty arsenal and ensuring that every product was cruelty free. Now that I’ve accomplished that task, and feel as though I’ve got enough products so that every month doesn’t have the same products in it, I’d love to do a monthly favorites post.

This month I loved an assortment of products ranging from make up, to bath and body, and even a candle favorite.

First up is the good stuff, beauty. I have basically been attached at the hip with my Flower About Face foundation. It provides such a natural coverage, never clings to any lines, and wears fantastically throughout the day. Tarte’s Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder has been an amazing discovery. This is a silky translucent setting powder that keeps the skin matte but not flat and lifeless. My blush of choice has been the Josie Maran Coconut Water Cheek Gelee in Berry Bliss, I am just downright in love with these blushes. They’re just so natural and hydrating and incredibly beautiful. The Flower Beauty Lip Gloss in the shade Lovely Lotus has been a lip favorite for me because it’s moisturizing, a really beautiful sheer baby pink, and is not sticky at all. The Real Techniques Cheek Brush has been carving out my cheekbones with ease all month. A polish I really loved this month was Deborah Lippmann’s You’ve Got a Friend, which was a part of the I’ve Gotta Be Me set that I got for Christmas gifts. I split up all the polishes with a bunch of other cruelty free goodies for my mom, sister, and boyfriend’s mom. I gave this shade to my mom… and then borrowed it. I’M THE WORST. But this polish rocks. It’s a lot like Porchester Square by Nails Inc, and the formula is out of control amazing. Last up is Tarte’s Maracuja Oil which has been soothing my flaky dry skin.

Last up is a little body care and a candle. Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner actually saved me in December and January. Long story short we had no furnace for about a month, and of course we had a terrible cold snap in Vancouver, so getting out of the nice warm shower was like death. Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner saved me for having to moisturize after the shower. I’ve been burning the crap out of my Paddywax Salted Grapefruit candle that I got from my boyfriend’s mom for Christmas. It smells so nice and not offensive at all. Last but not least is the Body Shop Almond Body Butter. When we finally did get our furnace sorted, it was time for serious hydration. I love the scent of this body butter, and it feels slightly more oily, which I really like because my skin is so soft.

How do you like this format for a favorite post? Too cluttered? Not structured enough? Let me know!

Talk soon,
Xx Brianna

Honeymania

I’m not exactly sure when the West Coast of Canada decided to become an arctic tundra, but it has been so freezing in Vancouver lately. The first thing to always show signs are dryness are my skin and my lips. I quickly wanted to share with you what I’ve been using to keep my skin nourished.

The Body Shop Honeymania Body Butter – $20.00 CAD

When I first smelled this body butter, I knew I had to have it. I also have the hand cream in this scent, and there’s something so soothing, floral in a non-offensive way, and downright delicious about the scent.

Like all Body Shop body butters, this is a very thick body lotion that moisturizes your skin like you wouldn’t believe. I apply this stuff extremely generously after the shower, and my skin always feels so smooth and soft. I find this stuff to absorb really quickly, and the scent lingers for quite some time afterwards. I remember applying this stuff in the morning, and later in the day one my of male friends complimented the scent, which is pretty huge because he doesn’t notice anything… ever.

I shot these photos quite some time ago, October 18th I think, and I’m getting really close to finishing this tub already! One fantastic thing about Body Shop body butters is that they’re almost always on sale. I picked mine up when the whole store was 50% off, so this is definitely something that you should never pay full price for. For 10 bucks, I’d definitely say it’s worth it. For 20 bucks, not so much, for sure hold out and grab one or two when they’re on sale.

Talk soon,

Xx Brianna