Hello Beauty Lovers!
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Hello Beauty Lovers!
So here is another one of my favourites, this category is my favourite liquid foundation, which I think is really essential to any makeup routine because foundation is the main part of your makeup routine. My current favourite liquid foundation is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour full Coverage Foundation with SPF 15. I wear the shade fair beige, which is for fair skin with pink undertones. This is actually a near perfect match for my skin, for the longest time I was wearing MAC NC15 which is actually way to yellow for me, the SA at Sephora told me I have more pink undertones, which makes sense, honestly I think my undertones are pretty neutral but I don't really know. But anyhow, this is definitely a near perfect match for my skin. The coverage is exceptional, and it lasts for hours without fading or disappearing on me. And it also stays relatively matte. The finish on this foundation is not matte, it's more of a satin finish but I don't really find I need to set it and I don't find it get shinny throughout the day so that's why I say it stays relatively matte. I don't find myself needing to blot or powder frequently, or really ever during the day. I think this foundation would be great for someone with oily skin because it isn't dewy at all, and it doesn't show shine. I am very dry skinned and I was able to make this foundation work for me by making sure my skin is well hydrated and primed with my favourite primer. So a few things on this product: What it is formulated WITHOUT: - Parabens - Sulfates - Synthetic Fragrances - Petrochemicals - Phthalates - GMOs - Triclosan It is formulated with Skinvigorating Ingredients: - Water - Mineral Pigments - Vitamin E - Sodium Hyaluronate - Amazonian Clay And the foundation is Oil Free and Longwearing. I think it is the amazonian clay that really makes it stick to your skin and not move, I don't find myself having too much transfer either. So like I said this is a great foundation for any skin type, even people with very oil skin who don't want a completely matte finish. Initially I got a sample of the foundation because I wasn't sure about the shade or the consistency. The shade was perfect but I had some troubles applying it, a flat brush made it streaky, my real techniques flawless face brush emphasized my dry spots. I love the consistency and the shade was perfect, but it just wasn't working for me. Then I got the beauty blender from my lovely mum for the holidays (my review here) it changed everything I thought about the foundation. With the beauty blender the application is absolutely flawless! It applies to a smooth, airbrushed finish with just the right amount of coverage. I find I do need concealer in certain spots but I wouldn't want the foundation to be too full coverage because some full coverage foundations can feel cakey. There is nothing cakey about this foundation when applied with the beauty blender. It just blends it out perfectly and makes me love the foundation. So overview time. Pros: - Great shade range - They have my perfect shade - Not too cakey - Stays satin/matte all day - Really does last 12 hours or more with minimal touch ups - Doesn't transfer - Looks flawless and airbrushed (when applied right) Cons: - Your skin needs to be well hydrated or else it can show dry patches This is a must try foundation, with 16 shades ranging from Ivory to Deep Sand there is almost sure to be a foundation shade for you. Like I said I do recommend applying with the beauty blender, I have also heard that the Tarte Foundation brush is a miracle worker, I haven't tried it but since brushes seem to emphasis by dry skin I will stick to my beauty blender for now :) I hope you enjoyed this review about my favourite foundation, there will be more favourites reviews coming soon. Here is my Beauty Talk profile for anyone who wants to chat there. Peace, Love, and Flawless Skin! Lady Literary <3 Hello Beauty Lovers! So I love trying new beauty products but lately I have been on the hunt for a holy grail bronzer, and ladies and gents I have found it. The Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Light/Medium Matte Bronzer. It is the lighter version of the cult favourite Chocolate Soleil Medium/Dark Matte Bronzer. There are soooooo many things I love about this bronzer, the first being it smells like chocolate! I mean can you really get better than a product that straight up smells like chocolate? I think not. In general I am too fair skinned for a lot of bronzers, a lot of them can also go kind of orange on me which really isn't a good look on anyone. So before the holiday's I had my eye on the Chocolate Soleil bronzer but when swatching it I realized that I was just going to be too dark for a nice flush of colour, it may be a good one for some serious contouring but for my pale, untanned winter skin it's just too dark. What lured me in initially about these bronzers is first of all, Too Faced is a cruelty free brand and their bronzers and I believe most of their products are made: What it is formulated WITHOUT: - Parabens - Sulfates - Synthetic Dyes - Petrochemicals - Phthalates - GMOs - Triclosan So this is straight from Sephora's website, and I like that there is less crap in their products, that's the same reason I use Tarte, less bad stuff in them. Too Faced isn't quite as natural as Tarte but they are definitely on the right track. The next thing that intrigued me about these particular bronzer is they are matte, I like shimmery bronzers but there is something to be said about a perfect matte bronzer. A matte bronzer is more versatile and more universal and better for everyday wear, it's also better for contouring and if you are trying to achieve an overall tanned look (which in the summer I use self tanner on my body but not my face so usually I just add bronzer to match the tan I am at). And Too Faced is just one of those brands that I like and I want to buy products from. After realizing that Chocolate Soleil would be too dark I realized that Milk Chocolate might actually be my perfect bronzer, so I put in on my holiday list. And my lovely mum got it for me :) I have loved it from the moment I got it, the packaging is gorgeous, very classy and pretty and just something I like having in my makeup bag because it makes me happy and excited to open it and put it on every morning. I have been using it as a very soft contour under my cheekbones, and it just adds a warmth and depth to my face that I haven't found with any other product so far. So overall I give this product 5 chocolate covered stars, it is a definite holy grail product for me sand something I will never be without. I also plan on picking up the Chocolate Soleil bronzer closer to summer when I am rocking a tan. Also because of the to die for smell I plan on getting the Too Faced Chocolate Bar eyeshadow palette, because it smells like chocolate and the colours look fabulous! Thanks for reading this review! What is your favourite bronzer and some of your holy grail products? And click here to go to my beauty talk page and we can chat about all things fabulous! Peace, Love, and Chocolate Scented Beauty Products! Lady Literary <3 So the photo at the top of this page is from Sephora's website, I like using the ones from Sephora because I think they look really clean and pretty. Here are some of my own product photos, I couldn't really get a proper swatch because it is such a subtle bronzer it didn't show up properly on my hand on camera.
Hello My Beautiful Beauty Lovers!
So since I have been working all weekend and haven't had a chance to post a review in a couple days I thought I would try a new thing on my blog, I'm calling it a beauty quicky ;) There are certain products that I am absolutely in love with but I can't say a whole lot about them besides I love them! So this is where a beauty quicky comes in, it's a short, sweet, simple review telling you about a product I love and can't live without. So for today's beauty quicky I am going to tell you lovelies about my favourite hand lotion that I am never without. It is the Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Intensive Hand Cream. I originally got a small tester 30mL size in a black friday kit that also came with a small jar of the nail wipes (which will probably be an upcoming beauty quicky) and this hand cream is the best thing ever. Seriously, it smells heavenly. It is in the scent Vanilla Apricot and it's not perfumey, it just smells like true vanilla and apricot, a little sweet, a little tangy but very mellow. And the best part is it is super hydrating without feeling too greasy when I'm doing paperwork. It is my new holy grail hand cream, I keep one in my purse at all times and always have it at my desk while I'm at work, and everyone always tells me how good it smells! This is a must have, and if you can get your hands on a trial size, do it because I promise you won't regret it! As soon as my little ones run out I will be buying a full sized because I can't live without this cream or the heavenly smell! Peace, Love and Soft Hands! Lady Literary <3 Hello Friends!
I promised I would be posting more! So I decided to do my review of the Beauty Blender. I am possibly the latest person to jump on the beauty blender bandwagon but I got it for the holidays and now I am an addict and a beauty blender believer! So for those of you who don't know, the beauty blender is a teardrop shape reusable cosmetic sponge used to apply liquid and cream foundations. You wet it down first and dry it on a towel so it is slightly damp so it doesn't absorb as must of your foundation. Then you just dip it in your foundation (or put dots of your foundation on your face) and then blend it either by "bouncing" it onto your skin, or by rolling the sponge along your face (I find this method works best for me). And it really does apply flawlessly! I will admit I was a skeptic! How well can a sponge really apply foundation? Is it really worth the $26? And the answer is yes! I have extremely dry skin, especially in the winter so buffing in foundation (like you have to in order to get it streak free) leaves my face with dry patches not to mention it hurts my face! Even the softest of brushes can leave my face feeling tender and sore. The BB is damp when you use it so I don't feel like it irritates or dries out my skin at all, it almost adds moisture to my skin. My tips for using a beauty blender! 1. Follow the directions and make sure you wet it down, then squeeze it out it a towel. 2. I find it works better to dab foundation on my face with my finger and then blend, but find which works better for you! 3. For larger areas like your cheeks and forehead try rolling the beauty blender instead if just bouncing it, I find that this helps it blend to an even smoother finish. 4. Use the pointed end for your nose and under your eyes, and the bottom and sides for the other areas of your face. 5. Clean it frequently; if you are acne prone I would wash it after every use, if you are not as acne prone like me I recommend cleaning it every 2-4 uses. 6. Let it dry in the container it came in. I just set mine on top of the thing it came in and I find this helps it to dry properly. 7. Experiment with it. Use different textures of foundation, try blending it in different ways, find what works best for you! And for cleansers I recommend using the beauty blender solid cleanser. I find it works really well and I now use it to clean all my brushes, I may do a review on the cleanser itself one of these days. I cannot rave enough about how much I love this product. It blends foundation flawlessly, my face literally looks airbrushed when I use it, I will never be without one in my makeup bag because nothing has worked better for me, I have tried half a dozen different foundation brushes and nothing works as well as the beauty blender. As I use it more I will probably add more tips and such and more experiences with it. Thanks for reading! I hope if you don't have a BB in your collection you treat yourself and buy one because I promise you won't regret it! I would even suggest getting a combo pack with two of them to save money, like this one. You get two of the Pro Beauty blenders for $29 which as the original beauty blenders (pink) are $26 each this is a pretty sweet deal. Personally I have a duo on standby for when my current pink BB is done, and when those two are done I will be buying this set because you get 3 beauty blenders and the solid cleanser for $64 which is a crazy good price. Anyways, go get a beauty blender, even just get one of the single pink ones to start and I promise you will love it! Please let me know if you have any questions and feel free to share your beauty blender experiences! I am now on beauty talk so feel free to friend me, or private message me on there, here is the link to my profile. Peace, Love and Flawless Foundation! Lady Literary <3 Oh and I don't own this image, it's from Sephora's website. Peace! Hello Beauty Lovers!
A belated Happy Holidays to everyone! I am so sorry I have been AWOL for so long! I recently switched careers and have been adjusting but I am going to do my best to be back for good, although I am starting post secondary school next year (just got accepted yay me!) but I really do love blogging and I have even recorded a bunch of videos (I just have to edit, if anyone has any tricks for iMovie please let me know) which hopefully will be up sometime in the new year. So I am back from my hiatus and I have been reading lots and trying lots of great products so get ready for some reviews! And it is my New Year's Resolution (well one of them) to try and get at least one beauty and one book review per week! So for the holidays I asked for beauty products, there were certain ones I put specifically on my list but I also just left an open "anything by Josie Maran, Tarte or Too Faced" because I haven't been really disappointed with anything I have got so far from any of those brands. So Christmas morning, I open a gift from my mum and it was this Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Complexion Kit! This is a brand new set from Josie Maran that I believe came out for boxing day and I am not sure how long it will be around so I would get it quickly if you are interested in it. The kit is $82 CAN and includes 3 full sized products, one sample and a deluxe sample (you could call it a travel size), so the kit is totally worth the cost, especially if you are interested in either the light Argan Oil or trying the Matchmaker Foundations. The set is available in 3 different shades depending on your skin tone, Fair/Light, Light/Medium and Medium/Dark. The idea of the foundation is it starts white and is supposed to magically match your skin tone. And my favourite things about Josie Maran products is they are cruelty free, gluten free, paraben free and uses natural and organic ingredients, it really is luxury with a conscience! The kit comes with a 50ml (1.7 oz) bottle of the Argan Oil Light which is a lighter version of Josie Maran's Argan Oil, which really seems to be spotlight product. I still want to get the original AO to use a night hydrator for my skin but I am looking forward to seeing how the AO Light does underneath foundation, I am going to try it tomorrow and see how it goes and update this post tomorrow. The next thing in this kit the Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation (15 mL/0.5 oz). I got the kit in the shade fair/light because my skin is nearly porcelain, so I was a little worried it would be too dark for my skin or come off as orange-y because sometimes colour match foundations are, but this one turned out to be perfect for my skin, it blends in flawlessly. So the foundation itself is VERY light coverage, I would say lighter than a BB cream but it blends very easily and is a nice base, and evens out skin tone without looking cakey or artificial. It doesn't cover up excessive redness or hyper pigmentation or dark circles but honestly sometimes I just like something I can throw up in a quick second before going to there grocery store or something, the other BB cream I have requires a little more fuss than this one, and the best part is it doesn't go all weird under powder like some foundations do on my dry skin. It isn't full sized but it is an ample size, I would call it a travel size and it sufficient to decide whether or not you like the product. This will probably become my go to foundation in the summer because it feels so light and almost lotion like and I don't like the feel of heavy foundation in the summer because who really likes sweating off thick foundation. You also get a full-size of the Argan Matchmake Powder Foundation (6g/0.21oz). This can come off as a little bit cakey if you are not careful but it also gives really nice coverage. I like using it on top of the serum foundation, it doesn't come off as powdery like some other powder foundations can. I also used it on top of another liquid foundation as a touch up powder and it looked flawless and covered up the spots that were fading without looking caked on. And surprisingly it does match my skin pretty close to perfect, if used excessively I can see how it could go a bit orange but with the right amount it looks very nice. And I will be keeping it in my purse to touch up any other foundations I am wearing because it does that very well, which I feel like will extend the life of my foundation from 8-9 hours to 12 hours. And I will continue to experiment with it by itself and with the serum foundation. And this by itself is $34. This is a great kit if you are new to makeup or have issues with makeup upsetting your skin, or if you just want a really nice way to try the Argan Oil Light or the Matchmaker foundations. These seem like products that would be helpful for people with dry or sensitive skin because there is barely any fragrance and it doesn't feel heavy or irritating on the skin. The full size Coconut Water Color Cheek Gelee is in the shade Poppy Paradise is a warm toned hot pink according to the description on Sephora, seems like more of straight up red to me. It is a very pretty colour that can work on almost any skin tone if applied carefully. I have only tried it once and I will do an update when I have used it more. I just applied with gentle patting of my finger along the cheeks and it went on my well. The texture is interesting, its almost a mix between a balm and jello, so Gelee is really the best way to describe it. I think it will probably apply better on liquid foundations than powder but I need to experiment and update when I have played with it more. The last thing in the kit is a sample of the Argan Illuminizer, which I have not tried but when I do I will update! I just thought it was nice to get an extra sample along with the 4 other amazing products in here! The value of this kit is fantastic, for $82 you get a bottle of Argan Oil Light worth $58, a powder foundation worth $34, a liquid serum foundation worth approximately $25 (the full 30mL size is $50) and a cheek colour worth $29. So this set gives you approximately $146 worth of products for $82. But even more than that you get try some really amazing products! The Argan Oil Light is fantastic, I am looking forward to experimenting with it more. The serum foundation will be amazing in the summer and is a great alternative to a BB cream especially for someone with skin sensitivities or dryness, and it blends in flawlessly with my skin tone which was definitely a surprise! The powder foundation blends in really nicely with my skin, layers well if you don't over apply it and is fantastic to touch up other foundations, and will be going in my purse as my new favourite powder. And last but not least the Cheek Gelee is a very unique cheek product, it goes on like a cream blush but also has a very nice staying and staining power. Oh and you get a sample of the Argan Illuminizer. This is a complete face kit and is great for a birthday or even a New Year's present by itself or you could throw a mascara, even a trial size of mascara and a lip product and this becomes the ultimate high end starter set for someone new to makeup or for someone you really love and just want to splurge on them. For a great lipstick I would recommend the Argan Love Your Lips Lipstick, which is lovely and hydrating and gives nice colour. So overall I give this set an 8/10 blushing stars, the foundation worked wonderfully for me and this kit is great value! If you have any questions please ask! Peace, Love, and Argan Oil ;) Lady Literary <3 PS. I do not own the image, its from Sephora's website. Hey Everyone!
So I recently went to this website called Hautelook.com which I will do a post about later, and I saw that they had La Fresh wipes on sale and I love wipes. I love the convenience of them, I love individually wrapped ones that you can just throw in your purse. So when I saw that the $20 box of wipes was only $8 for a box of 36 I was like UM HELL YEAH! There was 18 Eco-Beauty Oil-Free Face Cleanser Fragrance Free Wipes, and 18 Eco-Beauty Waterproof Makeup Remover Wipes. I also bought the Travel-Lite Insect Repellent Wipes, the Eco-Beauty Acetone- Free Nail Polish Remover Pads, and the Travel-Lite Feminine Hygiene Wipes. I got them all for really good prices (Hautelook.com's INSANE expensive shipping cost not included but I will rant about that later). I was really excited to get this wipes but it took about 3 weeks to get them which felt like a really long time to me because of how excited I was to start using them. They were delivered by UPS and on the day I finally got them I was at work until 9 so when I got home my mum had brought the package into the house. It was a huge box because there were 4 boxes of wipes inside. I tore it open and was pleasantly surprised with what I got. The packaging of the wipes are really pretty, not too overwhelming. I like that there is one colour spotlighted in a couple different tones. So my for my first impressions of the wipe, I recording an audio review while I was using the wipe so I would get my true first impressions. And I think this is what I am going for do for first impression reviews from now on. My first thoughts about the wipe.
Pros
Cons
* The reason I included this in the cons is I wish these were available at Sephora because shipping can be soooo expensive and I wish I didn't have to spend extra money to get an already expensive (thought worth the cost) product. I think this would be a great product to put in Sephora and I think it would do really well, especially because of the design and marketing of them. * I simultaneously love that they are individually wrapped because they are super convenient but I also feel guilty producing so much waste. I am going to keep this for on the go and get a pack of 24 for at home. So... I am definitely happy I purchased these, and I am going to order some of the 24 packs for at home. I would say these are the best makeup wipes that I have tried and get 2nd place in overall makeup removers (Lush's Ultrabland will always be Khaleesi). This is a great brand, so please go check out their site (click the photo at the beginning of this post) and check out all their great products. They also have products for men, great for gifts. I look forward to trying some more of their products, I really want to try the body refresh wipes and the antiperspirant wipes. So lovelies, let me know if you like the bullet point format for these sort of reviews or if you would prefer paragraphs. Peace Love and Beauty! Lady Literary <3 The image is from La Fresh's website, no copyright intended. Hello friends!
So today I am going to talk about periods, specifically mine. So if blood, girlie parts, or the human body freak you out, feel free to click away, or you can stay and find out that it's not really that gross :) This post is going to be very long and very detailed so that any of you ladies who are on the fence about switching to healthier menstrual products are more informed. And just before I continue this review, I am not your typical tree hugger, I love animals, I love the environment. I am vegetarian and I love tofu. To be honest though I am not the ultimate tree hugger, I care more about myself than the environment. Okay this is starting to make me sound bad, what I mean is that the Divacup and other reusable menstrual products are not just for tree huggers, they have a lot of other perks other than saving the environment. You have better things to spend your money on than tampons every month! Menstrual cups save a ton of money, especially for people like me who can go through 8-10 tampons on my heaviest days, people who want something less drying and more comfortable. And my Diva Cup has already paid for itself because I would usually spend about $20 on pads and tampons for 2 months, so this paid for itself in 4 months and it can last up to 10 years! So lets break this down.: Lets say you spend and average $20 on pads and/or tampons every 2 months. Some of you may spend more, so many spend less but for me I would buy a box of regular tampons, a box of super tampons and and box of super plus tampons, plus a box of overnight pads. This lasts me about 2 months, sometime the tampons last me 3 months depending. That's not even counting panyliners (which I do still use from natracare for backup) $20 x 6 = $120 for one year! $120 x 5 = $600 for 5 years! $35 = period protection for 5 years or more. So basically I will save $565 in 5 years, that is a lot of money that I would rather spend on books or beauty products or put it towards a holiday! Even if you thing this is a little gross ladies you cannot deny that you have better things to spend your money on than your period! You don't have to worry about having enough supplies for the day! I was one of those people who would always take twice as many tampons as I needed for the day when I had work or school because I was terrified of being unprepared. And I would also change my tampon way more often than I needed to because I was paranoid about leaks. With the Diva Cup you know you have enough supplies for the day because everything you need is always with you. And if you are like me and get paranoid about leaks you can empty the cup as often as you need without wasting money. Yes most women can wear it for 12 hours without leaks but on my heaviest days (usually day 2 and 3) it usually fills up around the 4-5 hour mark then starts to leak when it gets full. Now that I know my cycle better I just know when I need to empty it before it gets to that point, and it never hurts to empty it a little early if you know that you will fill it in a certain time. And the other great thing is no matter how full or not full it is, you don't get that dry tugging that you get with half full tampons . Less trips to the bathroom! As much as we love mirror time, you have better things to do then running to the bathroom every couple hours to check your pad or tampon! With the Diva Cup, you don't have to! The size 1 Diva Cup hold 20 mL (I will break down the sizes shortly) a super plus which is the heaviest absorbancy holds 15g (a gram equals a mL) So lets break this down: For a light day you would use a light or a regular tampon Light: 6 grams Regular: 6 to 9 grams On a heavier day you would use a super Super: 9 to 12 grams And on your heaviest days you might even use a super plus Super Plus: 12-15 grams With the Diva Cup, you are covered no matter what kind of flow you have. No risk of TSS!! How often do you see those scary warnings on a box of tampons "don't wear for longer than 8 hours" that kind of made me wonder what was so wrong with them that they can't be worn for more than 8 hours? Tampons can actually cause bacteria to form inside your vagina and some of that bacteria can lead to TSS. Now TSS is very rare and isn't something you should freak out about, but fact is tampons absorb your natural fluids that you need as well as your flow and the healthy bacteria in your vagina. With a cup there is NO risk of TSS and you can wear it for 12 hours (and if you wear it for a little longer it is not the end of the world, just really not recommended.). Tampons are icky! Now here is when we get to my period revelation. In my random searches of the internet and my general curiosity, I learned that tampons are full of chemicals, are a made of un-breathable rayon and to me that is just icky! I don't want chemicals and bleached materials and carcinogens not just near but IN my vagina! And to be honest Grade 10 science is the extent of my chemistry knowledge but I do know that I don't want potentially cancer causing chemicals sitting in my lady bits. So this is when my period revelation began. After learning this I switched to Natracare pads and tampons. The tampons are made from organic cotton, and come either with applicators or without. I found them at London Drugs and I got a box of super with applicators and a box of super without applicators, I found that I actually liked the ones without applicators more, I had no problems getting them in, and I haven't had a single leak with them. I didn't particularly like the ones with applicators just because I found since I could use the other ones, it was unnecessary to carry something 5x bigger. (Just a quick note, I am going to talk about pads reusable vs disposable later, I just want to focus on the Divacup for this review). I do really like these and will still use them in a pinch, and I always keep a couple in my purse for emergencies whether it be my own or another woman's. And I don't feel guilty about buying these because I know they are better for me. The issue I still had with them was I found I got that horrible dry itchy feeling, not to mention the agony of pulling out a tampon that's not saturated, it's like yanking out your insides! So while I do prefer Natracare tampons, my Diva Cup still beats them in every way. So lets review! - You have better things to spend your money on than tampons! - You don't have to worry about having enough supplies for the day - Less trips to the bathroom! - No risk of TSS - Tampons are icky! The Diva Wash So now that I have raved and rambled about the Diva Cup, lets have a quick chat about the Diva Wash, it is the wash that the company and makers of the Diva Cup recommend that you use to wash your cup. I bought some when I bought my cup because it was only $10 and I couldn't think of anything better to wash my cup with. When I brought it home I discovered it had the most lovely smell. It is a sweet citrus that smells clean but not medicinal and is so lovely I even use it as body wash on occasion. It also gets the cup really clean, and I have noticed no skin irritation from using it. Oh and it is not tested on animals if you were wondering. Using the Diva Cup So here is where it gets a little tricky, first if you decided to buy the Diva Cup, you have to know what size to get. Model 1 is for women under 30 who have never had a child vaginally or by cesarian. This is the model I have Model 2 is for women who are over 30 and/or have had a child Easy enough right? Next part is inserting it, there are two main folds, the c (or u) fold and the push down fold. I have added an image showing both at the end of this review. I have always preferred the push down fold because when folded it is really no bigger than a tampon and is very easy to insert. If you have any issues inserting it, try just using a little bit of water on the top to lubricate it. Once you have it in, try inserting your finger and running your finger around the top rim to make sure it is open all the way, if it is not try pushing on the side to open it until you hear a sort of pop. This is the hard part and the part that takes a little bit of practice, it took me a few tries to get this part, but once you do, you're golden. The next part is taking it out. Figuring out the timing of when to take it out takes a couple months depending on how heavy your flow is. I know on my heaviest days I have to change it every 4 1/2 to 5 hours, and on lighter days I will only change it every 12. If you are worried about leaks, either just wear it at home the first few months, or wear a panty liner or small pad until you are comfortable with the timing. When it is time to pull it out, bear down on it until you can reach the stem, then pull on the stem until it comes out. If you feel resistance, use your finger around the edge to break the seal. Then simply empty the contents into the toilet, wash it out using the Diva Wash (if you are in a public washroom, wipe it with toilet paper or rinse it with water from a water bottle) then pop it back it. Once your cycle is over they recommend that you boil the cup. Since it is medical grade silicone, it can be boiled without risk of destroying the cup in order to sanitize it. I bought a special saucepan just to use for the cup, and I simply boil it for 5-10 minutes, pop it back in the little bag (I love that it comes with a little bag, it is really handy) and then throw it in my bathroom. When I am expecting my period I will keep the cup in my purse so I am always prepared, and if I know the exact day I am going to start I will even put it in so I don't have to worry about it at work. Okay so I think that is it, I may add more to this review as time goes on, please ask me any questions you have, I am happy to answer and any I can't answer I will try to find out for you. Please tell me what you think of menstrual cups, whether they freak you out, or maybe intrigue you. Click the image at the beginning of the review to go to the Diva Cup website where there is a lot of good information and tells you where you can buy it. Peace, Love, and Happy Periods! - Lady Literary PS I do not own the images I have been wanting to do this review for ages because I have been using this products for years, so here I wanted to do my fav skin and body care, ever. I have tried a lot of different brands, Clean and Clear, Neutrogena, Lush (I still use their Ultrabland makeup remover because I do think it the best because it doesn't sting my eyes even a little and I have super sensitive eyes, and doesn't make me break out, dry out or give me a rash), Skyn (their wipes gave me a rash on my face :( ), Nivea (I like the Nivea Creme but nothing else particularly.) And none have compared to.... Alba Botanica Natural Hawaiian.
I have used their Kukui Nut and Papaya Mango Body Cream's for years, my mum got me hooked on them and they are the absolute best. They are not really cheap but they aren't super expensive. Alba isn't really a drug store brand (I get it at London Drugs but Walmart and Shoppers Drug Mart don't carry it so I don't really consider it drugstore), but it's not high end either. I get it either at London Drugs which usually carry a handful of the products. I just discovered today that Planet Organic carries almost the full line including alllll of the different shampoos/conditioners (I bought the Coconut today and I am really excited to try it and review it for all you lovelies.) But back to skin and body. My typical morning routine starts with the Pore Purifying Pineapple Enzyme facial cleanser (sometimes I use it on my Olay Fresh Effects Va Va Vivid scrubber thingy to get a really deep clean around my chin and nose). It is a gel that lathers really well and makes my skin feel really clean but not completely dehydrated, Then I use the Smoothing Jasmine and Vitamin E Moisture Cream which adds necessary moisture to my skin but it is not so greasy that I can't put makeup over top. I have really dry skin so I personal would not use the oil free but there is one available if you are oily or oily combo. I bought the Revitalizing Green Tea Eye Gel a few months ago at Planet Organic because LD does not carry it (at least not the one I go to), and I do really like it, it helps with puffiness but also helps prime my under eyes so my concealer doesn't cake or flake. The cleanser/moisturizer routine suits my skin year round, sometimes I put on two or three coats of the moisturizer on my forehead and cheeks where I am really dry, but I have not found anything better for the price, or even more expensive products have not worked as well for me. Disclaimer! Prices vary depending on where you are shopping and what sales are on so I cannot guarantee any prices, the prices I have given are just the approximate prices for the products where I purchased them, and do not include GST or PST. The cleanser is usually around $12 CAN for 235 ml, it is actually more expensive on the Alba website though, all of the products I am mentioning cost more on the Alba website than what I bought them for at LD and Planet Organic. The moisturizer is $18 CAN for 85 g, and lasts forever! The Body Creams are $10 CAN for 180 g (and I have used the body creams on my face, they do NOT make me breakout and leave my skin really soft, but probably too heavy for under makeup). I think the eye gel was $16 CAN for 28 g. And the shampoo and conditioner are $9 CAN each for 355 ml each. And my new favorite product for summer is the Organic Body Oil - Kukui Nut, which is $10 CAN for 250 ml. So far I have only tried the Natural Hawaiian line so I cannot comment on any of their other skin care lines (they have 3 or 4 others I think but I have not found them anywhere and I like the Hawaiian too much to order any others online.) UPDATE: As I have done more online shopping I do want to try some of their other products just the see how I like them. I really want to try their sunless tanner and some of their Even Advanced products. And their sunscreen is AMAZING just btw, I use the facial on my shoulders, chest and arms if I know I'm going to be out in the sun for a while and usually have the tube in my purse or backpack if I am going to work. The Hawaiian line has all very tropical scents, the papaya mango (divine citrisy sweet), the Kukui Nut (best way to describe it is when you make sugar cookies and you just have the sugar, butter and vanilla, trust me just go and smell it, now, as in as soon as you finish reading this review get up and go to the store and smell heaven, seriously.) Then they have scents like Coconut Milk (self explanatory), Pina Colada shower gel (again self explanatory, and to die for.) I basically just need to order everything from the Hawaiian line and I will be happy because I am looking at the website right now and I WANT IT ALL!! The nice thing about this company is they are 100% vegetarian and cruelty free, they smell AMAZING (I know we have established this but if you don't believe me then just go to London Drugs or a health food store and thank me later and we can all share in the warship of the Alba gods.) I get so many compliments when I wear any of the lotions, I mean seriously everybody asks me what fragrance I am wearing. Not to mention it makes me feel happy, makes my skin gorgeous and healthy and works even on my drier than desert skin. And I love using the Kukui Nut Body Oil after I shave because it prevents any razor burn bumps or itchiness which a lot of creams can actually make worse for me because of my sensitive skin. Okay so to summarize this long rambling review:
So thanks for reading this review, tell me which products you have tried or are interested in trying and what you thing! I double doggie dare you to try and say that 5 times fast. Aaanyways...
Hey beauty lovers! You know I have started like 6 different product reviews and have drafts that I just need to finish so that is my goal for September is to get all of them up but since this product was so freaking AMAZING I had to review it ASAP. And yes if you haven't been able to tell already I am one of those horribly annoying people that uses ASAP like its an actual word. Okay back to the review. I haven't really tried any powder foundations because I have heard they are not always flattering for dry skin because I don't need to mattify my whole face, just my nose which I can use regular finishing powder for. But I saw this at Sephora and the pretty display at the Tarte stand caught my eye, and as I am a sucker for pretty packaging and displays. I have a love affair with Tarte products even though I only have 4 of them because I have never been disappointed with a product and I like that they are cruelty free (I am trying to switch to all cruelty free but this is another post for another time), and free of a bunch of other bad things that you don't want on your skin. The packaging design on this is brilliant, instead of having to tap it into the lid and making a mess everywhere, you push your brush (I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush, but I might treat myself and try the Tarte brush meant to be used with this product) into the mesh, almost kind of like nylons so you don't get any mess. The only thing I will warn you is when I opened it, it exploded a bit on me but powders always do this to me. Other than that it has been mess free! I got the shade Fair Honey which is for fair skin with peachy undertones. It is a bit to light for me but I throw on a touch of bronzer and I am good. I would rather have my foundation too light and be able to bronze then it be too dark and look funny in the winter. And when I put in on, enough of my natural skin shows through (but my problem areas are still covered, its some freaky magic foundation) that it is still doable, I am just quite tan right now because of the summer. But they do have an amazing shade range, of 11 colours, this was just the closest to me. Today I wanted to throw on a touch of makeup before I walked my dogs, not enough to fuss with but just enough to make me look human. So once I had my moisturizer on I basically started applying it around my nose where I have the most problem with redness, blended it out on my cheeks. Then I did my chin where I have some sort of acne scaring (basically a lot of redness where I used to have spots and now the spots are gone but there is still redness, maybe this isn't acne scaring, I'm not sure) this is a spot that really bugs me. This product doesn't cover it completely but to be honest I haven't found anything that covers it completely. This foundation gives me enough coverage that I feel comfortable leaving the house, same with my panda eyes. I have extremely dark circles under my eyes and I haven't found a foundation, concealer or powder that will cover them completely but there are products that cover them enough that I feel confident. This is one of those products. And it really does look airbrushed. My skin looked flawless. So for what I call a No Makeup Makeup day, this is a perfect natural looking and feeling product, it looks like I'm not wearing anything, but my skin looks even, I can't even feel it on my skin, it stays put when I get sweaty and holds up fairly well against oil. After I put this on, I used a spot of blush, lip gloss, and mascara and was good to go. For a more put together, full coverage, photo ready look I will apply my Tarte BB cream primer and Maracuja Creasless Concealer for even flawless skin. Overall this is another superstar product from Tarte, if you haven't tried it, check out the website or make a trip to Sephora (I know your dying to, I always am!) and give it a look and a play. There is a shade sure to fit everyone Peace, love, and beauty! - Anna aka Lady Literary <3 PS. The image is from Tarte.com, no copyright intended. |