Chocolate Masque

Doesn't that title sound yummy?

Yum. By the way, I am using my new camera :) 

Hello! So it's been awhile but I want to talk about a new masque I tried. I actually tried it today :) I'm sure most of you have heard of these masques by Montagne Jeunesse. You can find them anywhere really. I picked this one up at Ulta a few weeks ago. It took me awhile to use it because I only use masque's once a week and I was/still using one my Giovanni (check out that post here). So if I had known that this one smelt so good I would've started using it sooner. So a few things about this companies product: it is cruelty free (BUAV certified) and vegetarian.

Cruelty-free and vegetarian

How awesome is that? Also, it is very budget friendly. Because even when you are on a budget you probably still want to treat yourself and let's be honest, LUSH is an amazing company that also makes face masque's but it isn't ideal for the girl on a budget. Or even if you are new to trying face masque's this is a good one to start off with.

Let me start off the major details of it by saying this: It smells like chocolate. Not like that weird fake smell but actual candy bar chocolate. You can't go wrong with that. Just don't try to eat! I'm sure it doesn't taste like candy. This particular masque is for dry skin/ t-zone. T-zone meaning you tend to break out along the forehead down the center of your face. And of course, knowing me, I didn't look at which type I picked up until I got home. Luckily my biggest issue is in the t-zone. It says to wet face with warm water then apply. Make sure you read the back for what to do because some say to apply dry and some say to apply when face is wet. This mask is supposed to hydrate, deep clean pores and an anti-stress. I can agree that the smell of chocolate is de-stressing. I let it on for about 10 minutes and it got very hard. I personally can't tell if my pores are cleaner perse but I do feel like my face is more moisturized.

A real awkward bathroom selfie. The models did it better. 

This definitely a product that I would repurchase and would recommend to others. It is great for those who are on a budget, trying to/are cruelty-free shoppers, strictly vegetarian product users, or for those that like chocolate. 

Have you tried this masque before or another one like it or by this company? Let me know! I would love to hear what you think or your reviews. :)

Giovanni purifying facial mask

Giovanni purifying facial mask
D:tox system

Hey! Long time no talk. Sorry I've been gone for some time. I just started college classes, picking up more shifts at work and other life odds and bits. I hope you had a fantastic end to 2013 and an even more wonderful start to 2014! How are you doing on those resolutions? ;)

So today I wanted to talk about Giovanni purifying facial mask (if that wasn't obvious, haha). What a great one to talk about for my first post of the new year? The word purifying, it makes me think of refreshing, clean and new. And it should make me think of that. Everyone (or almost everyone) starts the new year with intention of a clean slate, starting over and change. For some it's little things like, smile more and for some it's huge things like, over coming a fear. For me one of my resolutions is to love and take care of myself. I don't take a lot of time for myself, I don't know why. But in the past few months I've been learning how to "listen" to my body. Sounds a bit...hippy, right? Well whether it is or isn't shouldn't really matter. It's good to learn how to "listen" to your body. Learn what foods work for you, what make up and facial cleansers work, etc. For me I've learned many things my body does NOT appreciate. Many things I have been eating, drinking or using for many years but that is a topic for another day and another blog post. So onto what THIS post is about.

So if you have read any of my older posts you may know that I have sensitive skin. And it's beyond picky. What I mean is, I can't use many popular face washes (which I don't mind because many test on animals) I can't use liquid foundation or I will break out. And other things. So I am very weary of a lot of products. Also I like to use organic or close to natural as possible. And it has to be cruelty free.Well I have heard many wonderful things about Giovanni from bloggers and The Leaping Bunny. The thing that caught my eye was that they are cruelty free, that right there got all my attention. So for a few months I had been looking at reviews and posts about them, going on their website and such. I came to the conclusion that I wanted to try some of their products and lo and behold I couldn't find any of their things. That's not the companies fault, I could order online, but I'm far too impatient for that :) Anyways the stores I had gone to didn't have their things or if they carried it didn't have it in stock, which I have a few issues with stores not caring adequate amounts of cruelty free products. But I'm not upset by that, I understand. So a few days ago I went to TJMaxx (If you haven't been to TJMaxx before I suggest you go, it's also called TKMaxx in other countries, right?) Anyways I went to their hair and body section and they had many brands that I can't ever seem to find and I saw the Giovanni face mask and I thought: "well well well...I'm going to try this! It's here and I better get it before it's gone." So this was a few days ago. I love face mask, but my luck with them has been so so. It's my skin. Face masks will make my skin feel soft and smooth and clean and then I break out the next day. I don't know why. It's happened with LUSH face masks. So I thought I can't make a blog post the day after trying this to give a real review I need to wait a few days to see how my skin reacts. And the outcome was...

I did not break out! Not one bump and red spot, nothing, nada, zip! I think we can say that this product was blessed by the face gods. It's been 3 days since I used it and not a single zit. It's grey in color and there are no beads on scrubiness to it. I am indifferent on the smell, it's not bad but not amazing. It's the typical face mask smell. My favorite thing about it is that it contains acai and goji berry both very powerful antioxidant superfoods. It's a mask you put on for 20 minutes and gently wash off. When I washed it off my skin felt smooth but it did make it feel dry, I don't know if it was the product that caused it or just the fact that I live in Arizona. This product is certified by Leaping Bunny.

Oh just me looking like an alien with the mask on.

I hope you enjoyed this review! Leave a comment below if you have tried any Giovanni's other products, I would love to hear what you think! Bye! 

Winter LUSH haul!

So I know a haul for some people means buying out an entire store of their merchandise. To me, a haul means you bought something, even if it is one thing. Yesterday I had finally made my way to LUSH. In the town I live in we don't have one but two towns over there is one in the mall. I was super excited to go because I knew they would have Cinders. One I had been wanting for awhile now because I have heard many good things about it. I already knew what I wanted and had a spending "limit". I picked up three bath bombs.

Of course I had gotten cinders. I personally have never tried it but like I had said I've heard many good things.

Look at this cutie. Bombardino! Let us just say he is winking. ;)

Ickle baby bot! This is one of my favorite ones at LUSH. I mean, look at him! Plus I love the smell, it's very relaxing to me.

They gave me a small soap sample when I was there. I don't know if it was a promotional or what. But it has a minty smell and to me it's invigorating. 

This is what it looks like. It's a very pretty blue.

Well that is it for my haul. I'm very excite to use these! Have you tried any of these or other holiday ones? 

Alba Botanica Shampoo review

Alba Botanica Shampoo

Hey! Have you ever struggled with shampoo before?  I have and I hate having to go through many brands looking for ones that work on my hair. Everyone's hair is different and therefore not every shampoo is effective. Which means you do have to be patient (something I am SO not good at) and look, look, look! Recently I have made the switch from typical brands, such as, L'Oreal, Maybelline, Covergirl, Garnier Fructis, etc. And have been looking for products that aren't tested on animals. Doing this is not easy. I have a hard time finding things that meet the criteria  So when I came across the brand Alba Botanica (Parent company Haen Celestial which also makes Avalon Organics) I was thrilled to find a shampoo that was cf! For anyone interested these shampoo/conditioner and other hair care products are cf:

• Giovanni
• Dessert Essence   

So the main questions are, does it work? Is it effective? And I'll tell you, the answer is yes! I love this shampoo! It doesn't have many of the harmful chemicals many shampoos have and it really gives my hair moisture and my hair just feels...clean. It doesn't suds up like a lot of shampoo's but that is due to sodium laural sulfate. Ick. I only use it on my roots because I want to target where it's oily, and condition the ends. The packaging is cute, very tropical to me. The only down fall (which it may not be for everyone) is that I find that I have to use a lot. I don't know if it's because I'm use to suds or what. It smells like coconut as well, which is a big plus! It's not a fake smell either. I would definitely recommend  this product to anyone.

Have you tried any new shampoo's, conditioners or other hair care things? If so tell me what you think or if you have made a post link me! 

E.L.F cosmetics haul!

Make up haul time! So I got this bundle of fun about a week ago and have finally had the time to sit down and tell you about it! I love when I actually can blog about something. Sometimes I get such a bad writers block that I just sit at my computer and cannot think of a single thing to talk about. It's a pain in the...well anyways. A few reasons why I love E.L.F is because they are cruelty free and they are super budget friendly! If you haven't heard of them I suggest you go check them out!
Let us get into it shall we?

E.L.F cosemtics

I only got four things. But they are four wondrous, marvelous things! I got:

• Mineral infused mascara
• HD mattifying cream foundation
• Under eye concealer and highlighter
• Baked eye shadow in NYC

This is the mascara. It is in black and it is the typical wand. Of course my camera didn't focus on the words so much as the dust...
This stuff is really great!

This is the cream foundation and it is in porcelain. It comes with a mirror and sponge.

Alas, the under eye concealer. I need this so badly. I have the worst under eye circles and this is a life saver! It is in fair.

This is what I was most excited for! I'm a huge eye shadow junkie. I love the colors on this palette so much! They are so pretty and I just don't want to ruin them. They are great colors for everyday wear or a night out! This is the NYC palette. 

What is your favorite E.L.F cosmetic? 

How to start becoming cruelty free part 1

The cruelty-free life

This post isn't to shove my views down your throat. This post is explaining what my life style is and what is really happening behind factory doors

Why did I choose to become cruelty free? I used to have a bunny. Her name was Snickers.

Isn't she a cutie?
She actually passed away recently. But she was one of the soul reasons why I decided to go cruelty free.
I had conscious knowledge that there was possibly testing happening. I didn't really look into it though. Plus I thought testing, probably wasn't that bad. I'm sure we all have had that same thought. Then when I was on tumblr I had seen a post (given that the source was so incorrect) it was a girl showing what it was like for animals to be tested on. Of course they weren't actually hurting her in the same way they do to animals but it is quite graphic. Then in 2012 I had discovered Lush. You know, that lovely bubble and bath place. And they told me that they were the ones who had done the campaign I had just mentioned. Lush is completely cruelty free. They don't test, parent company doesn't test or third party company doesn't test. They are the goddess...god of being cruelty free.

Why does testing happen? It happens because companies want to make sure that the chemicals they use aren't going to cause an issue to a human who will use it. Or if it does cause an issue, they can put a warning. Can we think about this for a second? It's 2013...by this point we should be developed enough as a civilization that we should know what can and cannot be put on us and we should have other methods of testing on not a living creature. Plus, if they have a need to test their products, what does that say about their ingredients?

Who is victim?

Mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and many other animals. There are products (maybe not cosmetics) that are tested on dogs and monkeys. Animals we see as companions are being subject to cruel treatment. They are forced to have chemicals in their eyes, nose, ears and mouths. These animals are tested on and then carelessly tossed. 

There are many companies that claim the leaping bunny seal of approval. Therefore, research is highly required. What I mean by "they claim" is that their parent company tests or a third party tests. If the parent company or third party is testing, then the product isn't cruelty free.

There are many companies that test, many that you may purchase from currently. L'oreal, Maybelline, Covergirl, Garnier, Bobbi Brown, Smashbox, Estee Lauder and a lot more!

This website has a good list. 

What companies could possibly be cruelty free in that massive list?
The leaping bunny has a very reliable list, go check it out! There are many budget friendly brands out there that are 100% cruelty free. The website does put icons by some companies about whether or not they have a parent or third party that tests. 

Some helpful websites that you can look at are:
Leaping bunny

Peta (I personally don't use them as a resource)
Google

Apps:
Buycott 

(Though out time I will continue to add to these lists, if you know of any, leave them in a comment)

I plan on making a few more posts about cruelty free things. I plan on putting lists of budget friendly companies and high end companies.
I also plan on finding websites and resources on how to help and make a difference. 

How I take care of my hair

There are many ways people take care of their hair. There is no perfect way to do it and there's no wrong...no there are wrong ways to take care of your haha. I dyed my hair 5 times in 6 months and took horrible care of it. It stopped growing after a certain length due to being damaged and dead. So about a month ago (give or take a week) I chopped inches off my hair to give it a fresh start. Upon cutting it I decided to make a conscious effort to take proper care of my hair, and here's what I do:

I only wash my hair 2 times a week. This does not mean I don't shower everyday. I don't have poor hygiene. But I typically wash my hair Mondays and Thursdays and on Mondays I shampoo and condition with Joico. After that I use macadamia natural oil deep repair masque and run that through my hair paying close attention to my roots and let that sit in my hair for 50-60 minutes. I only use the deep repair masque once a week (you can use it up to two times a week) but once works well for my hair. While I'm waiting I'm not just hanging out in the shower for an hour letting water run. I get out wrap it up, I use a plastic grocery bag. That's college kid budget for you. But honestly, you don't need a $20-$100 hair holder thing. Use what you already hair and it helps the environment. I usually watch tv or YouTube videos during this time or even do chores. Just don't go out in direct sunlight. It doesn't specify that on the bottle you shouldn't go outside but the masque is intense and so is the sun and could potentially hurt your hair further. Then I wash it out. I part my hair and let it air dry most days. Once it is mainly dry I use the macadamia oil on my ends. If you are going to use a heat tool run the oil through out all of your hair. Dot use too much it'll look oily and gross. A good amount is a dime size. Then style as pleased. The second time I wash my hair is on Thursday nights. I just shampoo and condition, dry my hair, run macadamia oil in the ends and typically put my hair in braids. So what do I do when my hair is getting oily on days I don't wash my hair? Dry shampoo. Get to know it, it'll be your best friend. I use Batiste because they are budget friendly and cruelty free. I know there are people who like the product and people who don't. I personally do. But it's all trial and error with hair products. Find what works with your hair don't buy something and pretend you like because someone said they liked it. Anyways, I spray this in my roots, give it time to sit (about a minute) and brush your hair. Use as much as you desire, again it's all trial and error. Your hair will not only be non greasy but the volume will be insane! Also, I spray in part conditioner part water into my hair for a little extra softness sometimes. I hope this post helped and maybe will lead anyone with questions about hair care in a good direction! :)

Lush Ickle Baby Bot review

(Image via Lush Cosmetics)

Hello everyone! So I feel as though I'm a bit late on the band wagon for Lush reviews. I've been a Lushie for quite sometime now, thanks to Youtuber Zoella. I don't know how I ever over looked this place but I'm very happy that I have found it and purchased from them. What I really love about Lush is that they are cruelty free and vegetarian/vegan friendly. They are a good company all around. I haven't tried every little thing there, I've tried a few bath bombs, a few bubbles and one face mask. But I love baby bot. Isn't he just adorable? I love the color of blue as well. I've only used half of it because I like to split all of my bath bombs in two to enjoy them longer. Baby bot is their cheapest bath bomb and it is vegan friendly. It smells very fresh. That's the best way to describe it for me. It has a very fresh, spring smell and it left my bathroom smelling good for awhile after. It turns the water blue (not as blue as Big Blue.) It is a great bath bomb for those on a tight budget but want to try out Lush :) 

Everyday face care routine

Everyday face care routine.

My everyday routine really isn't crazy with expensive scrubbers and high end face washes. My three go to things are:
1) Alba Botanica face scrub
I only use the face scrub twice a week (at least 2 days in between uses) I use this to help get dead skin, dirt, make up, etc off. It leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed.
2) Avalon Organics
I use my face wash 2x a day. Once in the morning and again at night. I only use this face wash because my skin is very sensitive and very picky and so far this is one of the few that doesn't irritate my skin or make it break out. It has vitamin C in it. Also it helps defend against photo-aging.
3) Apple-cider vinegar in water

I use this once a day (sometimes 2x because of the weather in Arizona can be harsh) I take apple-cider vinegar and fill the little blue container about 1/3 and then the rest water to dilute it. This helps the pH in the skin. After about a week of using this daily I have noticed such a difference in my skin. I still get blemishes here and there but my skin looks brighter. 

I only use organic face products because to me using products that have tons of chemicals makes me think that aging and other skin issues are tied together. I'm not stating that as a proven fact but that's my philosophy. Also I only use products that are cruelty-free. 

All of these products I got at Walmart (except the apple-cider vinegar) So if you're looking for a more reasonable price for skin care check out these at walmart or target or wherever you shop. I hope that this post helps!
  

Tarte eyeliner review

(Tarte multiplEYE eye liner)

This is definitely by far one of the best eyeliners I have used. It's a liquid liner which gives very detailed lines. It has a defining color and applies easily. Though I do suggest to those of you who haven't used liquid liner before use a pencil liner, try it, become confident and try liquid liner. This eyeliner is from the company Tarte. They are a bit more pricey make up company but their products are cruelty free, high quality and they do not put harsh ingredients in their products. This is an eyeliner that you will not be let down on.