3 DIYS for Yoga | Bath Bombs, Lotion Bars, Yoga Mat Spray

My kind of recipe video! Beauty DIYs! These are perfect for after a yoga sesh, but also if you don't do yoga and just want to relax and unwind! I've shared the bath bomb recipe before, but the other two recipes were new ones for me-and I love how they turned out. In starting my YouTube channel, I knew I wanted to share beauty DIYs, so let me know what recipes I should test out next!

Recipe for 6 Half-Sphere Bath Bombs

1 cup Baking Soda

1/2 cup Citric Acid

1/2 cup Epsom Salt

3 tsp Vitamin E Oil

1 tsp Water
Essential Oils (I used Lavender & Eucalyptus)
Dried Lavender & Rose Petals (optional!)

Recipe for 2 Lotion Bars
4 tbsp Shea Butter
4 tbsp Cocoa Butter
2 tbsp Vitamin E Oil
Essential Oil (I used Vanilla & Sweet Orange)
Adzuki Beans (optional for massage!)

Recipe for Yoga Mat Spray
3/4 bottle of water
1/4 Witch Hazel
2 drops Tea Tree EO
1 drop Lavender EO

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GRWM Spring Make-Up

It's almost the unofficial start to summer! But I am in the peak of Spring vibes. I am definitely wanting all the florals and creamy pastels. If you are in the spring state of mind too, I just posted a getting ready with me for this make-up on my YouTube channel! Even if you are already focused on summer, I think this look would be perfect anytime of year!

Below are the products I used:

Tatcha The Pearl in Softlight

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Wet n Wild photofocus Water Drop Primer in Rose

Glossier Haloscope in Quartz

Julep Cushion Complexion in 110 Porcelain

Glossier Stretch Concealer in Light

Wet n Wild ultimatebrow Retractable Brow Pencil

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

tarte Flawless on the Fly (This was a limited edition holiday set, but similar colors are in their Tartelette Flirt palette and Dream Big palette!) 

Physician's Formula Eye Booster in Ultra Black

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Blackout

thrive causemetics brilliant eye brightener in Stella

Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara

tarte tarteist ProGlow using Sculpt (contour) & Lit (highlight)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Trio in Cocktail Party using Scorching & Babe

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss in Dirty Chai

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

I mentioned FabFitFun A LOT this video! It's my favorite subscription box-I even order it for my mom! Here is my referral link if you want to get the summer box.

Do you switch up your make-up for the season?

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FabFitFun Winter 2018

Happy Winter! Today I am sharing a weekend routine using products from my winter FabFitFun box.

H Halston Jewelry Portfolio

Thrive Causemetics Brilliant Eye Brightener in Stella

Bite Beauty  Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Meringue

Bearpaw Headband and Pop-Top Glove Duo

Mark & Graham Colorblock Throw

Sherrie Matthews Jade Roller

Ahava Hydration Cream Mask

Blaq Eye Masks

Way of Will Essential Oil Set: Sweet Orange Oil & Eucalyptus Oil

Also Mentioned:
Book of the Month  Severance by Ling Ma

What is your favorite item from this season's FabFitFun box?

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Tatcha The Pearl Tinted Eye Illuminating Treatment

Tatcha is one of the most gorgeous skincare brands I've come across. I've shared a couple of their holiday sets back in 2014 and 2015, as well as the dewy skin mist that everyone raves about! I've also been dying to try the Violet C Radiance Mask-which now comes in a set as a travel version. But today, I thought I would share a product I never really thought about purchasing and is now my secret skincare and make-up weapon.

For most of my life, my number one skin concern was acne. As I've gotten older under eye dark circles have stolen the first place spot. I assumed the answer was just add extra concealer-in a shade lighter-on top- despite that clearly not working by the creasing and cakiness.

The Pearl Tinted Eye Illuminating Treatment stumbled into my hands by way of Kirbie Johnson at the Popsugar Playground event. We sat in on her session about her favorite beauty products, and she shared this little purple Pokeball of a product. We were extra stoked it was included in a swag bag to try out!

It comes in three shades that roughly correspond to skintone but really it's the texture and the brightness that does wonders for the under eye. Hence, this is the medium shade, Softlight, and it works on my super fair skin.

Before

Here is my before face! No filter/editing/enhancing. Mostly natural light, but there was a light in the room to the left side of my face.

After

Only with The Pearl on! It's natural but oh so brightening. And the texture blends in your pores so well. You only need a teeny tiny bit for both eyes. As you blend it in with your finger, it kind of bursts into moisture.

All the make-up!

And here it is with a full face of make-up. Though, I totally skip the concealer step now! I also love that it's not only a make-up product but also a treatment.

What do you think? Have you tried this product? 

What are some of your Tatcha favs?

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FabFitFun Summer 2018

Hello Summer! Technically, not yet, but the weather sure is feeling like it! I'm ready for beach days and long nights with fun, food, & friends. This season's FabFitFun box is perfect for the occasion. It's also packed with beauty products, which as a beauty aficionado, is my cup of tea.

My beach towels were looking a bit scruffy, so I was stoked to pick out the Summer & Rose Beach Towel. I went with the minty palm print. It's a super soft microfiber material and HUGE! I can't wait to bring it to the beach. Or maybe just snuggle up with it as a blanket. This month's box also stocked me up on several large bottles of skincare. I am set with exfoliators-both a physical scrubby formula with Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator and a new chemical peel mask, Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel. I have tried the Vasanti product in previous sub boxes and love it! For my next pick, I chose Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel. I love using this after a yoga sesh. It has a peppery scent. A summer box wouldn't be complete with some SPF. I love Coola's formula and am excited to have fresh tube of  COOLA Face Sport SPF 50 White Tea Moisturizer for sun protection. For make-up, you couldn't go wrong with tarte! I received the tarte tarteist PRO glow highlight & contour palette. Really excited to play around with that, once I bring myself to take the first swipe. My marble, rose-gold obsession knows no bounds, so this Pier 1 Imports Marble Ring Dish is perfection. I have been using it for my make-up sponges. Finally, the wow-item of the box, FOREO LUNA fofo. I have been getting more into beauty gadgets lately, but with the cost point, it always seems like you have to really research before you make that investment. I have been seeing the Foreo devices around and am so happy to finally own one. The silicon bristles are gentle for cleansing the skin. It also has an app and sensors on the back to measure skin moisture-I'm not 100% sold on the accuracy of that, but it is fun to try out. 

I have really become sold on FabFitFun! I've recommended it to all my friends and got my mom a subscription for her birthday. I've only experienced great value and actually trendy products. If you want $10 off your first box, click my referral link here.

Do you subscribe to FabFitFun? What products did you get in this month's box?

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Rose All Day

I am all about rose-rose gold, rosy shadows, rose floral. Here are a few of my favourite rose-themed things.

If you haven't made the switch to natural deodorant yet, pick up Schmidt's Rose + Vanilla scent. If it doesn't convince you, I sincerely apologize-but I am willing to take that bet. It smells like a luxe perfume while keeping you fresh. This was the one that finally stuck for me, but even so, natural deo does take a little bit to get used to.  This Rose Water Facial Toner was a surprising find from Trader Joe's-next post idea TJ beauty finds. It is beautifully scented (duh, it's rose) and a great value. Feels much fancier than the price!

I am nearing the end of my beloved Glossier Coconut balm dotcom and knew I need to pick up another. I loved the coconut and am equally in love with the rose. I've used every last granule of sugar from this Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish jar, and now, I need to upgrade to the big one. Rose + Coconut = Amazing. So scrubby and so hydrating.

Now that I've gone on and on about the scent of rose, let's move on to the colour. I'm a fan of the Urban Decay Naked 3 - classic for rose tones. But lately, I have been loving this small but packs a punch palette- Wet n Wild Rose in the Air. Five dollars. It's clearly a dupe for Anastasia Modern Renaissance and honestly, I had a moral dilemma about purchasing a dupe-creativity should be rewarded! Throwing down $50 for the real thing felt pretty steep until I knew I could pull the colours off, but I loved Subculture, so I am sure the full price is worth it. Depending on your budget check either out! The hot pink and burnt oranges are my favs and surprisingly wearable!

I also threw in a couple packets of this Pukka Tea Love blend for a full rose experience! Rose Hip Oil is another solid beauty staple, and of course, rose gold all the things. Maybe next, I should share my collection of rose gold clothing items. You would think it would be small....until I walk in wearing a rose gold leather jacket....
 

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FabFitFun Spring 2018

I have gone through quite the range of subscription boxes over the years. I love checking the mail, and you got to have something fun in the midst of wrong addresses, spam, and junk. I have always been curious about FabFitFun (my referral link for $10 off!). All the boxes I had seen seemed to have a high value and good variety of products. I also like that it's a quarterly box, so I don't feel inundated by stuff.

I first became a subscriber for the Winter 2017 box. I thought it was an excellent way to get a few gifts for friends while keeping a few goodies for myself. My mom loved the skincare and eyeshadow palette, my sister the necklace, and I got to keep the poncho and socks.

This month, I may just be keeping everything-wait, I did share the Lip Masks with friends which was fun. Sharing is caring :] I am loving the eye mask, earrings, and candle. I have been trying to get better about foam rolling and this massage roller is super easy to use. The moisturizer and nail polish base coat are perfect staples. I am looking forward to some spring weather- brunchin' with the clutch and earrings for a killer spring combo.

Overall, I am super pleased again with this box. The items feel very curated to me and epitomize the spring vibes of the seasonal box. I love that it's basically instant self care in a box, making it the perfect gift for friends or yourself-or a bit of both!

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Review | Herbivore Botanicals

I'm calling this a review, though it's very incomplete as there are many products from Herbivore I have yet to try. But before I spend a massive amount of money on the next batch of amazing smelling, powerful formulas, and streamlined packaging-I thought I'd share my first impressions of the brand.

The first product I tried was the infamous Coco Rose Body Polish. This scrub is amazing. It smells so delectable. The coconut oil, rose combo is just gorgeous. It's super scrubby and very hydrating. I need to repurchase a tub of this-which is crazy that the little one lasted so long! My next dive in the Herbivore pond, was the True Blue set. I couldn't believe the sizes for the price-and the amazing blue colour. I love facial oils and was excited to try Lapis Balancing Facial Oil with Blue Tansy Oil. The Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask and oil make my skin feel calmed and balanced. Gorgeous smelling, gorgeous on your skin, gorgeous packaging.

Next on my list are the mists-Rose Hibiscus, Jasmine Green Tea-, Moon Fruit, Pink Cloud, and a jade or quartz roller, perhaps?

Let me know what your favourite Herbivore products are!

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Beauty Habits for the New Year

Sharing a few beauty habits that I've incorporated into my routine-some more recent than others. Exploring these ideas might have crossed your mind before too, so I thought I'd share to give you some motivation for 2018 to be the year that you test these out!

Natural Deodorant

Last year, I made the switch to natural deodorant. It took awhile to find a favourite that worked for me. And it took awhile to get used to the change, but now, I regret not embracing it sooner! No irritation, no chemicals, and lots of fun scents. My favourite is the Schmidt's stick versions, keeps it the same as you're used to (I can't quite get the pot to work-I think I'm not getting the right amount?). I love the Rose+Vanilla scent for everyday, and I have the Bergamot+Lime in my gym bag to swipe on before hot yoga.

Vitamins

I'm sure we can all relate to being on & off with vitamins-probably since being a kid. I have tried quite a few brands-including all those Instagram trending ones....How I've got my regimen to stick was buying a weekly medicine holder from Amazon (blinged out with some Glossier stickers) and setting my vitamins out for the week. It makes it easy to see if I remembered to take it for the day. You can do a ton of research for what kinds and brands work for you. Personally, I take a vegetarian Biotin everyday (the Trader Joe's brand), and I've been trying vitamins from Hum (my referral code is: 101FD3). They also have great smoothie powders too.

Cruelty-Free Beauty

I started making the transition to cruelty-free beauty when I started this blog. It can be a tricky world to navigate with brands using deceptive legal speak in an unregulated field. But there are a ton of great resources too. I love following vegan beauty and cruelty-free beauty Instagrammers to see what brands they post. You can find people who share anything cruelty-free, just vegan, only natural, etc., etc.  There are so many different brands out there to try, you really don't end up missing out on any products-from high end to drugstore.

 Let me know if the comments what beauty habits you want to start in the new year! 

Or ones you'd highly recommend!

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture | The Ultimate Fall Palette

December 1st is still Fall y'all! And even if you are already jamming to Christmas music and basking in the glow of your twinkle-lighted tree-this palette is still perfect for the holidays. I know the Subculture eyeshadows have been making the rounds of some major controversies, but now that that has settled down...I thought I'd share my thoughts and a few eyeshadow looks.

When I first saw the color scheme of this bad boy, I had to have it. Did I know how to rock an orange or teal eyelid? Hell no-but who could resist these peacock feather, rich hues? I'd figure it out...and then, I read some reviews...which led to hours of YouTube videos of people tearing up this palette. If I was already worried about pulling off the bold shades, a troublesome formula wasn't going to help. There were a few reviews citing no concerns, so I crossed my fingers and purchased.

And I love it. Not that the critiques are unfounded, they are super pigmented shades, but I haven't experienced much of the complaints myself. I use the lightest amount-no swirling here-and plan the shadows accordingly. You can't blend a blue into an orange. But you can lay down some complementary shades for some badass contrast. Below are a few looks I've photographed if you need some inspiration!

Pumpkin Spice

Peacock Feather

Moscow Mule

Camo (& a cat)

If that Beauty Insider Holiday Reward is burning a hole in your wallet, definitely check Subculture out. It will make the perfect holiday gift for your trendiest make-up loving friend or as a treat for yourself to be holiday party ready. And if you end up being in the anti-Subculture camp-I'm sorry I steered you wrong. It was worth the shot.

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GRWM | Everyday Make-up

I'm on a video roll! Today, I thought I'd share a "getting ready with me." Just an everyday look with my go-to products!

Too Faced Shadow Insurance 

Milk Make-up Highlighter 

Wet n Wild photofocus Foundation in Nude Ivory 

Glossier Stretch Concealer in Light 

Too Faced Brow Envy 

Wet n Wild Eyeshadows in Nutty, Brulee, & Panther 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit 

Physician's Formula Eye Booster Liquid Liner 

Tweezerman Rose Gold Eyelash Curler 

Physician's Formula Kohl Kajal Eyeliners 

Julep With a Twist Lash Boosting Bamboo Mascara 

Bite Beauty Fig & Rose Gold Lipstick

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Birchbox | August 2017

My August Birchbox arrived! I loved the summer sunset design, so I had to bring back the nail art. I have matched my mani to my box a few times- (The first time here; and here; and here) I can't believe that was two years ago! Anyway, back to 2017, here's the box & the nails!

I picked the curated box this month. I love a good mask, and this one came with the pur-lisse Blue Lotus Seed Mud Mask and a hair mask, Living proof Restore Mask Treatment. I also have had the amika Bombshell Blowout Spray and enjoyed it and the color of the Stila liquid lipstick looked gorgeous.

With that said, after 5 years of subscribing, I have canceled my subscription. I was tempted to when they had changed the point system but kept going to see if it would still "spark joy". And after a few months, sometime not even sharing the box, even on Instagram,  I realized it was time to try something else. I was just receiving too many of the same brands over and over again, and ones I couldn't use because of their stance on animal testing. That doesn't mean I'm done with monthly beauty boxes! I have decided to try out Petit Vour. It just seems to be a better fit for my beauty profile. I will still order from the Birchbox shop-they have a great mix of beauty and lifestyle products, promos and gifts with purchase, and I love their limited edition boxes. I am just ending the surprises.

Let me know what beauty subscription boxes are your favourite!

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Sephora Favorites Skin Super Foods

I was able to score this here beauty. All the heart eye emojis...It's been quite difficult from what I hear online, but lucky for me, the city is full of Sephoras. I was ready to do my thang and take pictures and write a post. And then, I had a little sense of adventure and decided to try my hand at making another YouTube video. I mean at some point it has to click and get a bit easier? Anyway, hopefully you enjoy, and it helps in case you are thinking of making a mini road trip to get the Skin Super Foods set!

Tarte Maracuja Oil

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

Josie Maran Cosmetics Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask *Not cruelty-free

Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask

Youth to the People Age Prevention Superfood Mask

Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose Body Polish

Kopari Beauty Coconut Melt

 

Have you picked this up? What are some of your favorite products from these brands?

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Another little Glossier haul

Super excited for these new little things. I tried everything right away, but some things I need a few more go-arounds before I can make a proper review.

My main focus was trying the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint and the Stretch Concealer. I was running low on my usual skin make-up items and wanted to have something in a more natural skin finish. The light is a perfect match. The Skin Tint is just that, a lightweight-basically water-like-hint of color. The Stretch Concealer is full coverage but keeps a dewy, natural finish. I need to try these out a bit more before I can reach my final verdict.

I love my skincare, especially masks, so I had to pick up the Mega Greens Galaxy Pack Detoxifying Face Mask. It reminds me of the old-school face masks-you just need the cucumber slices. I didn't think I needed another lip balm product, but a balm dotcom sneaked in my order. I went with coconut, and I have to say it's my new favorite thing. Plus, the packaging is great.

What's your favorite Glossier product?

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Beauty Field Trip | Glossier Showroom

I made a little order from Glossier  some time back. I was super intrigued by the brand and was excited to test out some of their cult products. But like any beauty addict, I wanted to try more. I figured I'd take advantage of my NYC location and visit the showroom to swatch some things before purchasing. My first mistake was going on a weekend-there was a pretty long line, especially considering the summer heat. But once on the penthouse floor, it was fun to explore the Instragram ready space.

At least with the line system, it wasn't too crowded on the floor, so you could take your time deciding on the shades you wanted. I was eyeing up the foundation and concealer, so I definitely wanted to check the color match and feel the texture. I also ended up with a few other things-stay tuned.

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Birchbox | July 2017

Hello again! I am trying to get back on the blogging wagon. I feel like summer is a time when schedules become a bit unpredictable and despite doing a lot of cool things, both beauty and life, it's hard to find the time to put the thoughts into words. Last night, I annotated a calendar to try to get myself organized with blog ideas.  I thought I'd start with sharing my July Birchbox with you before August rolls around.

Box Breakdown

Oribe Matte Waves Texture Lotion

Avene Cleanance Expert

Beautaniq Beauty Blush Serum in Sunrise

Bobbi Brown Beach Eau de Parfum

Marcelle 3-in-1 Micellar Gel Eye Makeup Remover

Overall, it looks like a very summery box befitting of the theme. I am always excited to test out new skincare, and it's cool that the blush almost doubles as skincare. Oribe has super luxe hair products, but I haven't tried anything in lotion form-just the black canister hair sprays. And of course, you can't get more summertime than Bobbi Brown's Beach.

What did you get in this month's BB?

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Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser & Boy Brow

You can tell I took this pic awhile ago with the winter sticker...Oh well, that means I have had plenty of time to test the products out! Here is the quick review:

Boy Brow | Definitely adding this to my arsenal of favourite brow products. I have been using it non stop. It makes it seem like you have naturally perfect eyebrows. It doesn't give a bold brow look, but if I am doing a bolder brow, I like to use it to fill in the beginning of my brow to have a nice fading in effect.

Milky Jelly Cleanser | Even after using this for several months now, I am not sure what to think.  I haven't been wowed, but I don't not like it? It leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated. It does an okay job removing make-up (doesn't quite remove all mascara, liquid liner). The texture matches it's namesake, and you only need a little bit of product per use. I think I just am not a fan of the scent-it's unscented fragrance wise but the scent reminds me of putty. Sorry that my description of this is not much help ;P

There are a few more products I want to order. I am curious about the super serums, and I want to try more of their coloured make-up products. And for the awesome stickers, of course.

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Birchbox Refresh + Reset Limited Edition Box

I am so behind on blogging! I just got back from South Africa, and I can't wait to share the photos. But before that I needed to catch up on my backlog of post ideas that I took the pictures for without quite making it to the writing. First up, I wanted to share Birchbox's Refresh + Reset box. It's been on the site awhile now, but who knows when it might sell out!

Box Breakdown

Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara 

HUM Nutrition Raw Beauty Green Superfood Powder - Mint Chocolate Chip Infusion 
ARROW REFRESH On-the-Go Cleansing Cloths 
Avène Thermal Spring Water
Living proof. Perfect hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo
R+Co ANALOG Cleansing Foam Conditione
S'well 9 oz. Bottle in Amethyst Quartz

Pointe Studio Jett Grip Light Socks

I love when Birchbox does a bigger box with a theme. There is always a mix of beauty and lifestyle goodies at a great price point. Whether you want to sample everything yourself or give as a gift. I've been back on a fitness kick, so I was already digging the theme of this one. Additionally, I had already tried most of the products included and knew I loved them. You can't go wrong with a Swell bottle. You get most of the cost of the box back right there. I have accumulated a couple of Swells but just had to have this cute mini size.

I actually ended up bringing a lot of the beauty items with me on my trip since they were the perfect size. The Arrow Refresh Cloths and Avene Thermal Water were perfect for the long-haul flight (and after hiking and camping!) Dry shampoo is always a good thing, and the R+Co Conditioner is a fav. The Eyeko mascara gives your lashes amazing length and lasts all day while still keeping lashes fluttery. I mainly do hot yoga, so the socks won't be necessary, but they are great quality and would work well for some home practice. Maybe for practicing some up the wall inversions with the non-slip sole... Finally, the box also includes a few packets of Hum Raw Beauty in Mint Chocolate Chip. These packets are perfect for adding to a smoothie to make it taste like a milkshake. I blend it with almond milk, extra greens, and frozen banana and top it with some cocoa nibs. Yum.

Anyway, definitely check this one out. I feel like all the products are everyday essentials, even when not at the gym.  

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