February Empties - 12 Items! + 100 followers on Bloglovin'!

Zatik Mulberry & Blue Cornflower Shampoo: Unfortunately this shampoo did not do much for me. Please click here to see my original review.  


L'uvalla Orange Toner:  This was another one of my fabulous finds at Winners. This retails for approx. $23.00 but I was able to get it at $12.00. I found this toner to be gentle and moisturizing. This toner is 100% natural and rates a 0 on Cosmetic Database! Can't get any better than that. This is why I love Winners. I would have never found this product otherwise.


Greenscape Organic Cocoa Butter Shower Gel: I found this product at Winners (I know another one!) This had great ingredients except that it has fragrance. I won't be repurchasing this product due to that. 


Andalou Naturals Eye Makeup Remover:  This makeup remover lasted me forever. I found it very effective, easy to remove makeup, and gentle. Will purchase again as it is only $13.00


The Body Shop Nutriganics Foaming Facial Wash: This was one of the first "green" products that I bought. I love using foaming cleansers because it easily removes makeup. Once I bought my Clarisonic I used this to clean the brush head. I may purchase it again just for that (so I am not wasting my good cleanser for cleaning my Clarisonic). 


The Body Deli Almond Milk Cleanser: I love love love this cleanser! It has become my favorite along with other Body Deli products. See my original review posted here. 


MyChelle White Cranberry Cleanser: I decided that I needed a facial cleanser for acne to use once a day. Anything more will be too harsh on my skin. I found this cleanser to be good as it didn't overly dry out my skin. Although my first impressions were that it reminded me of dish soap! I don't know if I will repurchase this again. I think that I will look for other acne cleanser as I have a few on my list that I want to try out.


The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil: I purchased tea tree oil from The Body Shop because they were having a sale, so I would basically get it free. I purchase my cotton rounds from The Body Shop because they usually have great sales (buy 2 get the 3rd item free). It usually ends up being cheaper than at Walmart or the grocery store. Plus they are much more soft! Anyways, I don't think that I will repurchase tea tree oil from The Body Shop as I often question that store (they use some harmful ingredients in some of their products). I think that tea tree oil is great to always have on hand, so I will probably purchase it at my local health food store. 


Zatik Pomegranate Eyebright:  I found this eye serum from Zatik to be better than some of the other products that I've tried from them. I did lighten up my under-eye circles. My only complaint, and it remains the same with all of their products, is that the consistency of their products is to "thin". I  use up all the products from them way to fast, making their products expensive. I am happy to see that they have a brand new website. It looks great. I will probably repurchase toner from Zatik (the Chamomile and Blue Cornflower toner is amazing) and try out their cleansing grains. 


Tarte Amazonian Clay Mascara: I liked this mascara, although it did dry up way too quickly. See my original review here. 


Eminence Lime Stimulating Masque: Oh Eminence, who doesn't love Eminence? I actually won this mask from my local natural store! I had tried this mask before and I love it! Eminence products always have amazing quality and performance. This is a true antioxidant mask. Although it will make your skin red and feel like it is on fire, this mask is truly amazing. After about half an hour the redness will go away and you will have glowing, radiant skin!


TANF Face Food - Strawberry and Cream: I love this product! Although I don't recommend to use it alone for cleansing this is great to add to your favorite cleanser. This went perfectly with the Almond Milk Cleanser from The Body Deli. I would even let this sit on my skin for a couple minutes so that it could soak up all the good nutrients. I will be purchasing this product again and will be trying out the different 'flavors'.



Largest empty month ever! But it was a good one nonetheless. Have you tried any of these products above? What are your thoughts? 


Ps. I just reached 100 followers on Bloglovin' yesterday! Thank you so much! I'm wanting to do a giveway soon of some of my favorite products!

How to Practice Yoga on a Budget

As some of you may know I am recent yoga enthusiast. I first discovered yoga 3 years ago when Bikram Hot Yoga was very popular. Back then I wasn't looking for something that would challenge me mentally, I was only looking for a good workout - hence why I decided to go to Bikram. Only after a few months I fell out of it. I became bored with the classes and I was no longer looking forward to going. Instead I was dragging myself there and eventually stopped going at all.

As time went on I felt bad that I was no longer going to yoga. As I reflected on the past I realized that going to Bikram gave me a lot more than physical strength. It gave me mental strength and allowed me to be more at peace. I have problems with anxiety and turning my emotions into anger. Going to yoga helped alleviate my anger. It helped me to become a happier person. As corny and typical as it may sound, yoga has taught me to learn to love myself, to take care of myself, and to appreciate myself. Last year I decided to get back into yoga. I practiced all different kinds of yoga and even ventured off into more relaxing classes such as yin (which now happens to be my favorite type of yoga). I should mention that yoga has also helped with my asthma because of its connection to breath and breathing exercises.

Now, here's the problem - going to a yoga class is so expensive! Where I live it costs approx. $16 dollars per class, a couple dollars less if you purchase packages. Most will say that you can practice yoga anywhere, and you can. But for those who are new to yoga or prefer to be guided by an instructor, what can you do if you are working with a budget?

Fortunately there are many great tools online that offer free full classes. YouTube is my best friend. Here are some channels/sites that I regularly visit to practice yoga:

Do Yoga With Me is a great site that features many different types of full length yoga classes that range from 20-60 minutes.

Do You Yoga offers a 30 day challenge that's perfect for beginners. Their videos feature introductions to sun salutations and advance poses such as the Crow Pose.They also feature a blog on their website that hosts fun yet helpful yoga tips. 

Bloom Yoga only has a few videos so far, but Terry's full-length Yin Yoga class (50 min.) remains to be one of my favorites. His approach to yoga is more traditional featuring a holistic approach that draws from traditions such as Buddhism, Indian Yogic Science, Christianity, Scientific Inquiry, Mythology, Psychology, and others

Therapi Honey Skincare - Orange Blossom No. 3 Honey Moisturizer Review

Therapi is a natural and organic skincare line with a focus on honey. The line was created by Tanya Hawkes, who has been a bee keeper for over 25 years. Honey has many healing properties as it is naturally antibacterial, moisturizing, and full of antioxidants. Therapi has been so popular in England that I couldn't wait to place an order and bring it all the way here to Canada. 

The Orange Blossom No. 3 Honey Moisturizer features key ingredients such as calendula, sea buckthorn oil,  extracts of orange fruit, and of course honey.
Here are the full list of ingredients:  


Aqua, Rosa Damascena Flower Water*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil*, Polyglyceryl-3 Rice Brannate Cera Alba (Beeswax)*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil*, Mel (Honey)*, Lecithin*, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder*, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Sweet Orange) Peel Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Flower Oil*, Jasminum Grandiflorum (Jasmine) Flower Extract*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Parfum*, Linalool+, Limonene+, Geraniol+, Farnesol+, Citral+  * Organic   + Naturally occurs in essential oils


I've been using this moisturizer for almost a month and have had a great experience with it. Within a couple days I noticed that my skin appeared to be more supple and radiant. It had even calmed down the redness on my skin from acne scarring. I've been using this in the middle of winter where it has been on average -20 degrees Celsius and for the most part it has kept my skin moisturized. I do think that for when the weather is like this I could use a heavier night cream. That is where their Rose Otto moisturizer would come in handy. I think that this is a fantastic moisturizer and it will work on most skin types since it is so gentle. Now, I want to try the rest of their skincare line since my experience with this moisturizer has been so fantastic!

I purchased my jar of the honey moisturzer from Naturisimo who offers free worldwide shipping! Always a great bonus to receive free shipping! 

Going Green Tag

I was tagged by the beautiful Liz over at Well Meaning Being for the "Going Green Tag". The "Going Green Tag" is a get to know me series of questions and answers started by Rachel at All Natural Aspirations. It gives readers/viewers some insight as to why us bloggers or youtubers decided to switch to green products. It's a fun way to bring together people with similar interests.

Now, lets get started!


What started it all off for you?
Early 2013 I watched a documentary called Chemerical. It left an impression on me, however I didn�t think about �going green� until I saw iluvjesse�s youtube channel. There I learned that switching to safer products isn�t hard and can actually be a lot of fun.

What was the first thing to go (ingredient or product)?
The first ingredient that I got rid of was parabens. I had heard the most about this ingredient and decided to let it go. For products I knew that I wanted to switch my foundation right away because it is something that I used on a daily basis. I thought that maybe all the chemicals that I was putting on my face was contributing to acne (it was to an extent).

What are you/did you struggle to let go off?
I still struggle with mascara. It has been a hard to find a product that doesn't dry out fast or clump. I also found that the hardest ingredient to get rid of is synthetic fragrance. It is probably the worst ingredient too.

What has been your best find or change (i.e a green product or a tip that you are really glad you've found)?
There are so many amazing products out there. I am constantly wanting to buy everything and try every new product. I think that I would have to say that The Body Deli has been my best find. I am in love with their products. Raw and organic skincare? Yes please!

What has been the worst thing about going green (what has been the hardest transition or find an adequate replacement of)?
I find that shampoos and conditions are the hardest part. Although my hair is a lot healthier, I find that finding the right shampoo and condition is difficult. This is especially true for my long, thick, naturally curly/wavy hair.

Deodorant has also been a difficult one. Although I have found one that works for me I lived through a few months of having smelly underarms (gross!)

Anything else to add (a tip or trick to pass on):
The best thing that you can do before going green is to get as much information as you can. Go on youtube and visit blogs. Find out what ingredients are good/bad and learn what the popular brands are, so that you won�t be disappointed when you make your first purchase. It is a lot easier to shop online at first. This way you can check ingredients easily by copying and pasting them into Cosmetic Database. Sometimes the ingredient may sound harmful when it isn�t at all.

I Tag:   
Ashley at Green Beauty Life
Brenda Quebec at The Wanderlusting Beauty 
Yvonne at Organic Beauty Crave

February Wishlist

With February already half way over I decided to share my wishlist with you guys. Some of these items I have already went out and bought but they still make a great collection!

1. Suti Cleanse Organic Balm $49 - This winter I am loving balms. This cleansing balm has great ingredients such as avocado, apricot kernel. sunflower and shea butter.

2. Lily Lolo Finishing Powder in Flawless Matte $22 - I've heard such great things about Lily Lolo and I'm thinking that with summer just around the corner (I wish) I should try their matte finishing powder.

3. Rica Bathtub Tea $40 - This one is pretty self explanatory as I love having foot baths at home. Although $40 is extremely high Rica looks like a luxurious brand for handmade bath products.

4. Pukka Organic Herbal Love Tea $6.95 - I've already bought this tea and it is pretty lovely. It is 100% organic and has a unique blend of roses, lavender, elderflower, marigold, limeflowers and chamomile.

5. Indie Lee Blemish Lotion $26 - I am patiently waiting for this to arrive in the mail. The indie lee blemish lotion has been featured in magazines such as Glamour and Seventeen. It is unlike any blemish cream due to its ingredients and method of application. There are such positive reviews of this product online, I am so excited to try it!

6. ILIA Lipstick Neon Angel $26 - Most of you should already know that this lipstick has become my recent favorite. I had a sample of this from Fresh Faced and couldn't help but purchase the full tube. It really is the perfect color for valentines day and these upcoming summer months.

7. Suit Rose Water Facial Toner $34 - I am a sucker for a good toner, especially one made with calming ingredients such as rose.

Fresh Faced Samples - May Lindstrom, Tata Harper, & Dr Alkaitis

Fresh Faced is a online store for Canadians to buy natural & non-toxic cosmetic brands. Fortunately they have an excellent sample program, so you can always test out a product before you purchase the full-sized bottle. Each sample costs only $0.75 and you can add up to 10 samples per order. I decided to spurge and test out some luxury skincare brands!

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser - As soon as I tried this cleanser I immediately knew why Tata Harper is so popular. This cleanser has a gel texture and smells like fresh fruit. The cleanser was so gentle on my dry/sensitive skin even though it had tiny beads for a mild exfoliant. I have to admit, I was pretty sad that I only had a tiny sample. If I ever feel like spending a ton of money on a cleanser, this one will be my first choice! 

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask - This mask is perfect to use right before an event or a night out. It will give you a fresh healthy glow to your skin. I found this mask to be gentle and easy to use. This works great for a skin "pick me up" for tired or dull skin. 

May Lindstrom Skin The Blue Cocoon - I had heard great things about this balm because of it's interesting and innovative use of ingredients. It contains blue tansy to provide nourishment to irritable skin conditions and camellia oil to replenish dryness. For day to day use, this was to much for my skin. I do think that this will be very beneficial after using a mask that is very drying. It can also be used as a spot treatment to areas that are prone to dryness. I like this balm because it is so versitile and can be used to treat a number of different skin conditions. This is not limited to facial use but can be used anywhere that suffers from dry skin conditions.

May Lindstrom Skin The Problem Solver - Unfortunately I kind of ruined my sample of this.  I was being cheap and wanted to get more than one use out of it, so I skimped on the application. That being said, I did find this mask to be gentle. I find that some powder masks can be rough on the skin when they dry, this wasn't the case. I'll have to buy a new sample of this and use it properly! I love how May uses exotic spices in this mask, she always finds something to set herself apart from the rest!




Dr. Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel - Although I had only a small sample, this gel helped calm down my breakouts. I found it to be very effective. The best part is that a little goes a long way. The only thing that I didn't like was the smell.  It just didn't agree with me. However, that won't stop me from using it - this product is to effective to quit! I look forward to trying more Dr. Alkaitis products in the future, especially their Organic Purifying Facial Cleanser. 

DIY At Home Spa Pedicure!

I love getting pedicures, but I don't like paying for them and I am extremely ticklish on my feet, which makes it difficult for an esthetician to do a good job. Most of the time I am left doing them at home, which I actually quite enjoy. There are two ways that I like to do pedicures, one with homemade products and the other with Farmhouse Fresh Products (I will do a review for these products at a later date). 

DIY Home Pedicure: 

You cannot start a pedicure without soaking your feet in some nice bath salts. At my local natural store around Christmas they had a booth setup to make your own botanical bath salts. The ingredients include:

1/3 cup coarse sea salt

1/4 cup of epsom salts

1 tbsp fine sea salts

1 tsp cocoa butter 

1 tsp botanicals

10-15 drops essential oils

This has to be my favorite mixture for bath salts, not only does it smell fantastic but the use of cocoa butter will leave your feet feeling silky smooth. 

For pedicures my favorite DIY scrub recipe is the Lavender Salt Scrub. I like this one because it is strong enough to get rid of all the dead skin or calluses on your feet. 

  1/2 Cup Coarse Sea Salt 
1/3 Cup of Avocado Oil (or any oil that you prefer) 
Lavender Essential Oil (I didn�t have any of this on hand but I did use 
lavender compound and it turned out good)
1 Tablespoon of Lavender Buds 

If you don't like the texture of this scrub you can also try a sugar scrub which is a lot more gentle. Click here to see the recipe for the Orange Cream Sugar Scrub 

What are your favorite ways to enjoy an at home pedicure? 

January Empties

(Please excuse the horrible quality of this photo!) 

I took a picture of my empties a week before January ended, as a result I already have 4 empties waiting in the February pile. Expect lots of empties next month!

When I first ventured off into natural skincare and makeup I went a little bit crazy, mostly with skincare. Anything that I could find in store I would buy. I wanted to try everything and anything! Thankfully now that obsession has died down and I think that once February is over those products will all be used up. Now the fun part starts, now that I know what to look for in natural products, what ingredients work for me, I can really take the time to buy good quality products that suit my skincare needs.

Now onto the empties!

Juara Mini Spotlight Mask Trio (3rd mask not pictured): 

I decided to purchase the mini sizes of these masks because together they were only $16. The 3 masks are: Rose & Willowbark Blemish-Free Mask, Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask, and the Avocado Banana Moisture Mask. I honestly just found the masks to be ok. Nothing about them really stood out to me (aside from their use of ingredients). This could be because I usually use higher quality masks, mostly from the Eminence line. The only mask that my skin really seemed to enjoy was the Avocado Banana Moisture Mask. It left my skin incredibly moisturized and supple. If the full sized tube of this mask was less than $35 and more around $15, I would probably repurchase it.

I should also mention that I received a sample of their Rice Facial Cleanser, which I very much enjoyed. A full-size is $25. For that price I would be more likely to repurhcase this cleanser. But before I do, I really want to try the Blissoma Rice Cleanser.

Too Faced Endless Summer 16 Hour-Long Wear Bronzer: 

This product is not natural at all, not by any means! I bought this in the summer when I was having problems with bronzer not lasting on me. Thankfully, this bronzer did what it said, it lasted all day. The only problem with this bronzer is that it only lasted me 3 months. What is that!? Usually bronzer will last me almost a full year. I found the color to work well with my skintone (light-medium), I don't see this bronzer working at all for medium-dark skintones. I won't be repurchasing this product again due to its ingredient list and it only lasting me 3 months. I am currently using the Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer which I love and think is a good substitute for this Too Faced bronzer.

Zatik Coconut Milk & Safflower Cleanser: 
I had high hopes for this brand, I really did. I loved that they are certified USDA organic, they have an interesting list of ingredients. But all of their products feel like water and as a result they are used up way to quickly. Also, all the products that I've tried didn't do anything for my skin. It's very disappointing.

The Body Deli Sea Cucumber Gelee: 
I love love love this brand! The Sea Cucumber Gelee is the perfect moisturizer for my dry/combination skin during the summer. It ads the perfect amount of moisture while feeling so refreshing (especially when its super hot outside). Click here to read my original review. 

Zatik Gingko & Pumpkin Face Moisturizer: 

Guys, I don't even want to mention this one. It's not even on their website anymore. This moisturizer did absolutely nothing for my skin and left a weird residue on my face. 

Wow, what a disappointing empties month! Thankfully I had the Body Deli up there!