Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Saturday, January 25, 2014
My company Brija Cosmetics: NEW Disney Villain Collection
Hi lovelies! I still have to make the collection video on my Youtube channel, but the Brija Cosmetics Villain Collection is out, inspired by my favorite Disney Villains! I'm incredibly excited about the new cream highlight stick - it's one of my favorite products I've made so far!
I thought I would share some photos of the collection!
The final villains and products are...
Hades - Electric Underworld Eyeshadow
Yzma - Yzmopolis Eyeshadow
Scar - King of Bones Eyeshadow
Maleficent - Glittering Assemblage Cream Shadow
Ursula - Unfortunate Souls Lip Pencil
Queen of Hearts - Painting Roses Lip Gloss
Cruella Deville - Stolen Luxury Cream Stick Highlight
Support from other green beauty bloggers means the world to me - thank you to those of you who have already tried Brija!
Skincare Routine/Sample Update!
A lot of you are interested in how my skincare trials are going with trying out some samples from La Bella Figura, One Love Organics, and Pai Skincare. I am going to have a separate post and video for each sample kit, but I wanted to share my findings thus far and what I'm loving. So, I thought I would share my current morning and evening skincare routine.
Morning:
So - I've been using the Morning Glory serum in conjunction with the Pai Moisturizer for about a week - my Honeybee Gardens powder foundation looks FANTASTIC over them together. Absolutely smooth, lasts all day, amazing. I wanted to see if just one of them would give the same effect, and they don't.
Then, yesterday, I decided to try the Geranium and Thistle Moisturizer by Pai, with my Sea Buckthorn Oil, to see if that combination would leave my face smooth as well. As soon as I applied the moisturizer, my skin started to itch and my dermatitis started to get inflamed. Mini "boils" started to form, but I went with it anyway. I found out later that the thistle is derived from Safflower Oil, which has an oleic acid content of 75%+. High oleic acid contents can worsen eczema and dermatitis because they make bacteria fester. To make matters worse, I looked at reviews later on MakeupAlley of the moisturizer, and a few people said it made their eczema worse too.
At first I was doubting that the OLO Serum and Pai Moisturizer were really doing anything, but after yesterday, I notice how much less red my face looks, and how calm my dermatitis is when I use both products together. They work together as a tag team to calm inflammation. I'm almost definitely going to purchase the discover size Morning Glory ($29), but I'm hesitant to spend $60 on a moisturizer that doesn't have SPF.
To treat my inflamed, red face last night, LBF Barbary Fig Renewal Serum came to the rescue! I knew I loved this serum before, but when I tested its ability to calm my super inflamed dermatitis, it blew me away. My rash went down 3/4 the size of what it was the previous night. I'm more amazed with this oil every day, and I'm almost positive I'm going to spend the $125 on it.
Morning:
George's Aloe Spray
One Love Organics Morning Glory Serum
Pai Skincare Chamomile + Rosehip Moisturizer
Episencials Cheeky Salve
Night:
Coconut Oil (to remove makeup)
Devita Mud Mask or Nourish Organics Cleanser
La Bella Figura Barbary Fig Renewal Serum
Episencials Cheeky Salve
So - I've been using the Morning Glory serum in conjunction with the Pai Moisturizer for about a week - my Honeybee Gardens powder foundation looks FANTASTIC over them together. Absolutely smooth, lasts all day, amazing. I wanted to see if just one of them would give the same effect, and they don't.
Then, yesterday, I decided to try the Geranium and Thistle Moisturizer by Pai, with my Sea Buckthorn Oil, to see if that combination would leave my face smooth as well. As soon as I applied the moisturizer, my skin started to itch and my dermatitis started to get inflamed. Mini "boils" started to form, but I went with it anyway. I found out later that the thistle is derived from Safflower Oil, which has an oleic acid content of 75%+. High oleic acid contents can worsen eczema and dermatitis because they make bacteria fester. To make matters worse, I looked at reviews later on MakeupAlley of the moisturizer, and a few people said it made their eczema worse too.
At first I was doubting that the OLO Serum and Pai Moisturizer were really doing anything, but after yesterday, I notice how much less red my face looks, and how calm my dermatitis is when I use both products together. They work together as a tag team to calm inflammation. I'm almost definitely going to purchase the discover size Morning Glory ($29), but I'm hesitant to spend $60 on a moisturizer that doesn't have SPF.
To treat my inflamed, red face last night, LBF Barbary Fig Renewal Serum came to the rescue! I knew I loved this serum before, but when I tested its ability to calm my super inflamed dermatitis, it blew me away. My rash went down 3/4 the size of what it was the previous night. I'm more amazed with this oil every day, and I'm almost positive I'm going to spend the $125 on it.
What skincare items are you currently loving?
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
My Favorite Face Brushes - Categories!
I have a few more at my apartment, but these are the ones I brought home with me for 2 months - my favorites!
To hear my thoughts on each brush, watch my video!
Cleansing:
Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap
Foundation:
Real Techniques Buffing Brush - Liquid/Cream
EcoTools Bronzer Brush* - Powder
Powder:
Bronzer:
Contour:
Sedona Lace Angled Top 602 (Cream Contour)
Blush:
Tjmaxx Random Brush*
Sedona Lace Round Top 480* (Cream Blush)
Highlight:
*Means it is my preferred favorite in that category
My eye brushes will be coming when I do my mineral makeup application and blending video!
Do you have any favorite face brushes right now?
Sunday, January 19, 2014
The Honest Company: Shampoo + Body Wash Review
I don't like the coating agents that are typically in shampoos, but this one doesn't have panthenol, so I was excited to give it a try. It's a thick gelly-like consistency, and it smells like vanilla and orange. The scent is nice, but not intoxicatingly good.
The product was a little hard to lather in my hair - it felt as if it were almost tugging on my hair. Definitely not a smooth feeling, probably because (as far as I know), it doesn't have any coating agents. It also made my hair strands swell up A LOT. It's a very odd feeling. It rinsed out alright, and I followed with my vinegar rinse.
The main aspect to note with this product is how much VOLUME it gave my hair. I was very surprised, and had to take some pictures to show just how much volume it gave. My hair isn't even all the way dry in these photos. With volume came a little bit of frizz the next day, but if you use a smoothing oil or serum, I don't think it would be much of a problem.Aaron says ; "No complaints. I wish it lathered more. I feel like you have to wash your hair twice before it really lathers".
Would I use this again? Probably not. In a pinch I would, but I don't think this product would be useful to me to get the henna out of my hair because of how it dragged.
Ingredients: Water, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycerin, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract*, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Citric Acid
Retails for $9.95 for 8.5floz. Aaron purchased this himself!
Friday, January 17, 2014
4 Recent Makeup Looks
4 recent makeup looks from the past week! I had fun naming the looks :P This post also features all of the products from the upcoming Villain Collection from my brand Brija Cosmetics.
I think my favorite look is Romantic Purple.
Which is your favorite?
(Click to enlarge the photos)
On the face in most of them;
Darling Villain
All shadows from my brand Brija Cosmetics - all from the upcoming Disney Villains collection. I LOVE a neutral look with a pop of color liner.
Eyes:
Brija Cosmetics 'Bachelor Watson'
Brija Cosmetics 'Keith Scott'
Brija Cosmetics 'King of Bones' (Scar)
Brija Cosmetics 'Glittering Assemblage' Cream Shadow (Maleficent)
Brija Cosmetics 'Electric Underworld' (Hades)
Cheeks - All Natural Face 'Peachy Rose' Blush
Lips - W3ll People Nudist Lip Shine #7
Green Goddess
I was inspired by Andrea's recent GRWM and decided to use some green! I love using green and am going to use it more often
Eyes:
Brija Cosmetics 'Mean One' Cream Shadow
All Natural Face 'Forest Floor'
Shiro Cosmetics 'Lingered in Twilight'
Brija Cosmetics 'Whitelighter'
Cheeks - Lucy Minerals 'Juicy Peach' Blush
Lips - Brija Cosmetics 'Unfortunate Souls' Lip Pencil (Ursula)
Sweet Sparkle
I experimented with some eyeshadows I hardly use!
Eyes:
P&P 'Doe Eyed'
Silk Naturals 'Tiger Lily'
Darling Girl 'Beast'
Brija Cosmetics 'King of Bones'
Darling Girl 'Whimsy'
Sobe Botanicals 'Avalanche'
Brija Cosmetics Glittering Assemblage Cream Shadow
Ardell Natural Lashes 110
Silk Naturals 'Tiger Lily'
Darling Girl 'Beast'
Brija Cosmetics 'King of Bones'
Darling Girl 'Whimsy'
Sobe Botanicals 'Avalanche'
Brija Cosmetics Glittering Assemblage Cream Shadow
Ardell Natural Lashes 110
Cheeks: P&P 'Fire Dance' Blush
Lips: W3LL People Nudist #7, Pacifica 'Coral' Lip gloss
Romantic Purple
I LOVE this look and think I'm going to make it my Valentine's tutorial for this year.
Eyes:
Pumpkin+Poppy 'My Precious' Cream Shadow
Brija Cosmetics Wide Eyed Pencil Liner
Brija Cosmetics 'Consulting Detective'
Brija Cosmetics 'Reindeer'
Brija Cosmetics 'King of Bones'
Darling Girl 'Boogeyman'
P&P Inventor Cream Shadow (Liner)
Salon Perfect Purple Lashes
Cheeks: Brija Cosmetics 'Stolen Luxury' Face Highlight (Cruella Deville)
Lucy Minerals 'Juicy Peach' Blush
Lips: W3LL People Nudist #7, Brija Cosmetics 'Painting Roses' Lip Gloss (Queen of Hearts)
A mineral eyeshadow application + blending video is coming soon to my youtube channel.
Be on the lookout!
I think my favorite look is Romantic Purple.
Which is your favorite?
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Skincare + Food Haul! Lucky Vitamin, Samples
Haul time!
Here's a mini review of everything and some links.
Lucky Vitamin
King Arthur Pancake Mix
Enjoy Life Cinnamon Roll Bars (First impression is in the video!)
Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Granola
Mighty Leaf 'Detox' Tea
Caprylic Acid Pills (Talked about them here)
Ecos Magnolia + Lily Detergent
George's Aloe Spray - $4.77
-I use this on a cotton pad in the morning to refresh my face instead of washing it. Very multipurpose!
Episencial Cheeky Salve - $8.99
-Get this stufffff. It's amazing and so multipurpose. Great for eczema, sensitive skin, etc.
Jojoba Oil - $7.26
Beautysage
Yarok Feed Your Roots Mousse - $16.50/2oz
-I got this to help hold my steam curls better, but it honestly didn't hold them that well. I'll probably just use it as a root volumizer now. I like the ingredients, but it's pricy!
Shea Terra Chocolate Scrub - $12
-Not a fan. The smell, the texture - I'm disappointed.
Skincare Samples
La Bella Figura Holiday Mini Set - $60
-I feel somewhat terrible for posting this because it's sold out, but all of the individual products are still available. The infatuation that other green bloggers have with LBF is justified - I seriously am having a love affair with their products! I always thought $125 was ABSURD for a face oil, and now I'm about to buy the full size of the Barbary Fig Renewal Serum. It's heaven and smells like heaven too. The first time I used the trio, I had just taken a shower and when my mom walked by, she asked if I was burning a candle because it smelled amazing - that's how great they smell!!
Pai Skincare Trial Pack - $15
-I've been really loving the cleanser and the sensitive skin moisturizer. I really think the moisturizer is make my makeup last better through out the day.
One Love Organics Trial Pack - $4.95
-They say 'single use', but for me they definitely aren't! I will probably get at least 3/4 out of the serums. I was most excited to try out the Morning Glory + Love Springs Eternal Serum.
Are you sampling any skincare lately? I've been adding items to my wish list and researching products night and day. Let me know specifically what oils and serum you're currently loving!
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Nourish Organics Moisturizing Face Cleanser Review
(Photo from the Nourish Organics site)
I'm very familiar with the deodorant and body butter from Nourish, and I love both! When Nourish had their Black Friday sale, I decided to pick up the new moisturizing cleanser because I thought the ingredients were fantastic. And, I wanted to see if it lived up to its 'moisturizing' claims. For those of you that watch me on Youtube or have kept up with my cleanser history, you'll know I don't ever use lathering cleansers. They normally are much too harsh for my skin and dermatitis, and strip my skin, leaving it dry and tight.
However, I was pleasantly surprised when I tried the Nourish cleanser. The first time I tried it, my dermatitis was acting up, so it did burn quite a bit, but now that my skin has settled down, I don't experience any burning. I do want to note early on that I don't use this every day and I wouldn't use this every day.
I'll use the Nourish cleanser every 3/4 days, usually in the shower. I take off my makeup with coconut oil beforehand, but I like that the cleanser removes any last trace of makeup as well as the coconut residue. It doesn't leave my face dry or tight overall, but on the nights I use this, I do notice my face isn't as hydrated as when I use my Aurelia Probiotic Cleanser (testing) or my Devita Mud Mask (recently featured in my December Favorites). A huge plus, though, is that I am acne prone and it hasn't broken me out at all. The cleanser itself is a white pearly color, and it is very liquidy. I do sort of wish it came in a pump, because it is very hard to control the amount that comes out - it sort of just pours. You really only need a little.
Overall -
I really like the ingredients (only one lathering agent), the price point, and how well it removes any residue from my face every few days. I will definitely repurchase and now I can actually say I have a lathering cleanser I recommend!
Ingredients: Organic Aloe barbadensis leaf Juice, Organic cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Organic Sesamum indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Organic cyamopsis Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum, Organic Azadirachta indica (Neem) Seed Oil, Organic cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Organic Nasturtium Officinale (Watercress) Extract
Retails for $13.99 at Nourish Organics. I purchased this myself.
Friday, January 10, 2014
2013 Favorites: Makeup, Skin, and Media Favorites!
Video is coming!
2013 was the year I got into makeup, but with developing my dermatitis, I still had to play it safe with foundation, concealer, powder, etc, which is why there isn't really any of that featured. And a lack of interesting skincare products :P
Makeup:
Skin/Body:
Coconut Oil
TV:
Fringe
Sherlock
Sherlock
Homeland
Breaking Bad
Parks and Recreation
Downton Abbey
Impractical jokers
Movies:
She's the Man!
Music:
Backstreet Boys
Landon Austin
Youtubers:
ShoudraStargleam
Oxana124
Inspiredmom824
WheatenBeauty
AlannaBobana
SincerelysaraiC
NYC Georgette
FromInsideMyCloset
Vivvalore
Inspiredmom824
WheatenBeauty
AlannaBobana
SincerelysaraiC
NYC Georgette
FromInsideMyCloset
Vivvalore
Non-Natural
FromInsideMyCloset
Shaaanxo
Checkinthemirror/Rachel Talbott
Beautybaby44
NikkieTutorials
FromInsideMyCloset
Shaaanxo
Checkinthemirror/Rachel Talbott
Beautybaby44
NikkieTutorials
thatmissygirl7
ReviewsbyJamie
Thebubblegumprincess
MakeupbyTiffanyD
DanandKelcieTV
What were your favorite skincare brands of 2013?
I want to try new things!
I want to try new things!
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
GRWM Blue + Purple: Gluten Free/Dairy Update 4 Months
For this GRWM video, I thought I would also talk through a 4 month GF/DF update, as well as how the holidays went with being so diet restrictive.
FACE:
EYES:
Geogirl 'Treehugger' Pencil Liner
LIPS:
