GIFT FOR HIM- Groom Culture

Skin care isn't something that most men care about. I've tried to show my hubby how exciting facial masks are, and he is definitely coming around to seeing the light more and more these days! I still cringe every time my hubby says he "just used the regular lotion" on his face. I roll my eyes and try to explain the importance of taking care of the skin now, but this advice often falls on deaf ears! I'm sure you can understand how thrilled I was when we got a care package from the lovely Groom Culture team (THANKS GUYS!!!) I was first and foremost interested to learn about the Groom Culture range of products. I liked that all their products are vegan or vegetarian, cruelty free, paraben free, and made with American sourced ingredients.

I was very impressed with the Face Wash ingredients. Some of these ingredients are in my own favourite skin care products like:

Check out this clay mask and face wash :) Nothing feminine about these products!!

Glycolic acid  - naturally derived from milk and fruit sugars, glycolic acid helps to gently exfoliate your skin thereby removing the substance that binds dead skin cells to the surface of your skin. Daily use will soften skin and leave it looking healthy.

Lavender extract - naturally derived from the Lavandula plant, lavender extract cleanses skin and actively removes impurities that may lead to acne, and dull looking skin. It features anti-bacterial properties, it is anti-microbial, anti-fungal and a natural anti-septic.

Lemon peel extract - citric acid extract is a natural exfoliant belonging to the alpha hydroxide acid (AHA) family of molecules. Its primary function is to break down protein bonds within cells thereby causing dead skin cells to shed. This leaves your skin looking fresh and clean.

Burdock root extract - is naturally an anti-bacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory ingredient. Therefore, it can alleviate skin symptoms that may lead to psoriasis and eczema.

Rose hip extract - is naturally rich in bioflavonoid. Bioflavonoids are a natural group of metabolites (plant derived proteins, sugars and amino acids), that aid in reducing fine wrinkles, as well as providing the required nutrients to promote healthy skin.

MY THOUGHTS:

I liked the simple packaging of the mask and face wash. I could see how this would appeal to men, and the mask was fragrance free...definitely not what I'm used to! The mask is Kaolin clay based and has a ton of benefits:

• Hydrates and restores skin natural moisture 
• Tightens pores, improving skin texture and appearance
• Removes impurities associated environmental toxins 
• Paraben & sulfate-free formulation
• Vegan mask with no animal by-products
• Reduces shine associated with oily skin
• Helps unclog pores to remove blackheads
• Reduces redness, resulting in uniform skin complextion

I did notice that my hubby's face was smooth and less shiny. I was actually surprised!

HIS THOUGHTS: 

I liked the way my face felt after using the face wash. I did feel clean and refreshed. I used the face wash in the shower and I think the steam really helped the face wash do its job of detoxifying the skin! I was a bit unsure about the mask at first and I thought the formula was a bit like thick glue. I've never used a clay mask before so I wasn't sure what to expect. 

I let the mask sit on my face for about five minutes. I felt a slight tingle after the first minute. I was confused as to why the mask didn't harden, but I now know that this clay mask has a prolonged damp phase, where all the nutrients contained within are absorbed into the skin. By drying at a delayed pace, the Groom Culture mask will not draw out excessive moisture. I also learned that the tightening effect of other masks will often leave skin dehydrated and itchy. Good to know! I was very impressed with the results and was happy to have soft skin! I recommend Groom Culture for any guy looking to up his skin care game!

If you're interested in learning more about Groom Culture, visit https://www.groomculture.com/ where you can find more information about the ingredients, other products, and their awesome grooming guide!

My First Time using Beat Queen cosmetics

Hello fall! The time of year when the air feels crisp and fresh, and sweater season begins! I love the fall, and I love busting out my darker shades of clothes and cosmetics. My current lipstick obsession and fall faves are from Beat Queen cosmetics. A huge thanks to the Beat Queen team for spoiling me with three new fall colours that I fell in love with!

From Top to Bottom:
Zig Zag
Revenge
Vino Noir

I got two Matte Lips lipsticks in Vino Noir and Revenge, and one Vinyl Lips liquid lip colour in Zig Zag. I loved the cute organza bag that the lip products came in. It was perfect for storing them when I travelled.

I was immediately drawn to how good they smell. I definitely noted hints of vanilla and it felt good on my lips. My lips felt moisturized and the colour didn't crack even though I wore it all day. All three colours were highly pigmented and went on smooth. I absolutely love the formula of these lip products!

Yes I'm on Snapchat and yes I post selfies with funny filters. Follow me: monice.87

I was happy to learn that Beat Queen cosmetics are paraben and cruelty free. The down side is that they are not smudge proof, but I didn't notice anything too upsetting when I was wearing it. I wore Revenge to a wedding this past summer and it was the perfect nude for my skin tone. I liked how it was long lasting and not too flashy. Revenge stayed on nicely even though I was eating and drinking at the wedding. I can't tell you how many compliments I got about this colour!

If you want to learn more about Beat Queen cosmetics, you can check out their website at www.beatqueencosmetics.com/

What are your favourite lip colours for fall? I'd love to hear from you!

My First Time using Simpli Mandi

My skin care obsession continues with Simpli Mandi skincare. I was sent a lovely care package from the Simpli Mandi team (THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!) I got to try the lavender shea butter scrub, Brighten Up serum, and a very decadent bar soap. I'm growing fond of small batch products because I can truly feel a difference in the way my skin responds to them. Simpli Mandi products are natural,vegan, organic, as well as free of chemicals. All Simpli Mandi products are cruelty free. How awesome is that?

I absolutely loved all three products, but what stood out the most was how the Brighten Up serum can be used in different ways. This isn't just your ordinary face serum! I put a few drops of Brighten Up in my running bath water and used it as a bath oil. It was truly aromatic and made my skin feel fabulous! I loved the aroma the serum created when used with the warm bath water. I was left wondering what else I could use the serum for!

I'm definitely going to use the serum in my next homemade mask! Brighten Up has some outstanding ingredients that are perfect for at home masking, like Tamanu Oil. This oil is well known for it's anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and skin lightening properties. Brighten Up also contains rose hip seed oil. This oil helps balance skin tone as well as lighten dark spots. Rose hip seed oil is an all star ingredient that is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, essential fatty acids, Omega 6, and Omega 3 which makes for a killer complexion!

The other ingredients used in the serum are quite impressive:

Organic Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil, Pure Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Lavender Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Orange Peel Oil, Pink Grapefruit Oil, and Peppermint Oil. WOW!

If you're looking for a body scrub, I recommend checking out the lavender shea butter scrub. I have many dry patches on my legs and this scrub did an excellent job of buffing the skin. I LOVE THIS SO SO MUCH! It smells fantastic and the texture was exactly what I like in a body scrub. Some scrubs are too coarse and hard to work with, but the lavender shea scrub went on smooth. This is a sugar based scrub and my skin looked brighter after just one use :)

You can find more info about the other products Simpli Mandi has to offer by visiting www.simplimandi.com. Visit the gifts page if you're looking to spoil someone else with fantastic organic, vegan, cruetly free skin care!

SUBSCRIPTION BOX REVIEW- HUE nail polish Adventure Collection

Some days I like pamper myself with a glass of wine, a nice bubble bath and facial at the end of a long day. If I have time I might even put a fresh coat of paint on my nails because I sure don't have time to visit the salon all the time! I've been fortunate enough to learn how to do my own nails at home, which let me tell you, saves a ton of time and $$$. My current nail polish obsession is Square Hue polishes. A huge thanks to the Square Hue team for spoiling me with these lovely polishes!


Square Hue is a subscription service with a mission. The brand has set its standards high and delivers a 7-free clean formula, one of the cleanest in the industry, cruelty-free, vegan-friendly and proudly made in the USA. SquareHue was intentionally created with the purpose of funding organizations that are changing the world. Currently a portion of all monthly subscription proceeds are donated for prevention awareness, protection of trafficked victims and prosecution of human traffickers, through The A21 Campaign. How amazing is that?!


I loved how pigmented the colours were. I got to try Ikaika (purple), Nani (orange), and Akamai (green) from the Adventure Collection. The formula was very smooth and the polish spread very well on my nails. I needed just one coat of the Ikaika and two coats of Nani and Akamai to get vibrant, long lasting colour. I didn't even need a top coat because the finish was super shiny, especially Akamai because it had a bit more metallic shimmer than the others. These polishes do not contain Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP, Camphor, Ethy Tosylamide, Xylene, or Formaldehyde Resins and are Triphenyl Phosphate (TPHP) free. Oh and did I mention they are all vegan and cruelty-free?!?! I can definitely appreciate that!



Even though I have an impressive nail polish selection, I was happy to try three shades I didn't already have. You can check out the Square Hue website if you want to learn more about the subscription service, or to see what new colours you can find in their singles shop by visiting https://squarehue.com/

My First Time using Maple Holistics

Who doesn't love a nice relaxing bubble bath after a long work week? I sure do! And I'm so excited to share with you my current bubble bath obsession. I got a lovely care package from the Maple Holistics team (THANKS GUYS!) that had 4 lip balms and their Lavender Hybrid bubble bath :) The bubble bath formula includes Bulgarian lavender, Clary sage, and Palmarosa. I've never heard of some of these ingredients and if you're curious like me, keep reading!

I really liked the formula of the bubble bath. It felt luxurious and smelled amazing. My skin felt soft after the bath, and that could be due to some awesome ingredients! The Lavender Hybrid includes:

Bulgarian lavender- this essential oil has a rich but mellow floral and fruity scent. It has the therapeutic ability to reduce stress, anxiety and improve sleep.

Clary sage- often used to help improve vision and tired or strained eyes. It is also used to help calm the nervous system, help address menstrual issues, and ease menopause symptoms just to name a few benefits.

Palmarosa- sourced from a sweet smelling grass that is found mainly in India, the therapeutic properties or palmarosa are numerous! It is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat, cough, bronchitis, colitis, jaundice, and fever. It is a mood enhancer and is also known to have age defying properties. Palmarosa also provides unique moisturizing properties, regenerate cells, and conditions skin.  That is why you can find it in many soaps and cosmetic products.

I was also very impressed with the lip balms. I liked that they are all natural. My lips felt very moisturized all day after using the balm. The fragrance of each balm was so incredibly decadent. I got to try the pomegranate, vanilla, peppermint and acai berry, but you can find pear, mango and green tea lip balms on their website. I highly recommend these balms if you're looking for a natural, beeswax based lip balm.

If you want to learn more about what Maple Holistics has to offer, visit their website at www.mapleholistics.com!

What's your favourite way to unwind after a long week? I'd love to hear from you!

September 2016 Ipsy Glam Bag Review

My current makeup subscription box is from Ipsy. I was a bit skeptical about a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box because I didn't want to end up with a bunch of products I couldn't use or didn't know how to use. Each month you get full size or deluxe-sized products in a cute makeup bag, and I was sold after checking out their previous bags. If you're not very adventurous with makeup like me, it's a great way to build your makeup collection on the cheap and expand your makeup expertise!

The September Ipsy Glam Bag theme was Glamazon. The bag design was a bit boring and is my least favourite out of all the Ipsy bags so far this year. It featured feminine golden silhouettes that spell out the word "IPSY" with their hands. Meh. 

My bag this month was just ok. I'm convinced that not much effort went into this bag and that IPSY must be putting all their creativity in the December bag!

In my bag:

EYEKO Eye Duo liquid eyeliner
Onomie powerful priming serum 
Ulta3 nail colour in sizzling red
IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara in super black
Buff Her House of Exfoliation vanilla almond crumbles

I'm very happy to try 4 brands I have never heard of before. Thanks Ipsy, not for the product selection, but for the variety! I rate the September Ipsy Glam Bag 2/5 :( I'm pretty sure this is my lowest rating ever and I'm not happy about it!

The product I was most excited about was the Onomie priming serum. I've been a huge fan of the Too Faced Hangover primer so I was excited to see how the  Onomie primer stacked up. 

Click here to sign up with Ipsy and get your very own Glam Bag! 

More about the products inside:

EYEKO Eye Duo liquid eyeliner- I'm a huge fan of liquid and felt tip liners. I have never heard of EYEKO, and I was stoked to try this brand. This liner was exactly what I like in every way. I liked the felt on the tip of the liner. I was able to get a precise line and sharp wings. The formula was perfect and it wasn't too runny or thick.

Onomie powerful priming serum - I was really excited for this and was pleasantly surprised. This primer had a very nice subtle shimmer. It absorbed nicely and made my skin look super smooth and hydrated. Definitely my new "go to" primer! Thanks Ipsy for helping me discover this awesome brand!

Ulta3 nail colour in sizzling red- This nail polish is like any other drug store brand nail polish. I liked the finish, but didn't think there was anything spectacular about this polish. Meh!

IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara in super black- I liked this mascara very much. I was impressed with the way in made my lashes look longer and fuller. I did not like the odour though. It smells a lot like melted plastic. I'm not sure what's in it to make it smell this way, but I won't be using this mascara until I find out what it is!

Buff Her House of Exfoliation vanilla almond crumbles- I really liked this scrub. The fragrance was pleasant and I liked that the main ingredient is rice powder. It made my skin feel smooth and polished. A fantastic exfoliant for buffing your skin gently. 

What did you get in your September Glam Bag? I'd love to hear from you!

GIFT FOR HIM- Halliard Soap

If you're looking for a gift that is out of the ordinary, look no further than the Halliard Soap Company. This isn't just your average soap!   All Halliard soaps are handmade in the USA, all-natural, sustainably sourced and never tested on animals. I got a lovely care package from the Halliard team (THANKS GUYS!!) and my husband and I are super impressed with these soaps. We got The Mariner, The Hunter and The Trader. 

MY THOUGHTS:

I loved how much care and attention to detail taken not only in the packaging, but the soap itself. Every bar looks different and each bar is individually molded. You can see, feel, and smell the quality of these soaps. My favourite soap is The Hunter because it has a very masculine fragrance, but not too overpowering. I was also happy to learn that these soaps are 100% vegan. These soaps would be the perfect gift for that guy in your life that isn't a fan of mass produced or harsh soaps. 


HIS THOUGHTS: 

I liked the box that the soap came in. I like the minimalist design and the quality of the box. It's reusable so I'm able to take the soap to the gym or wherever I'm travelling. I really liked the smell and formula of the soap. It lathered and washed off well. There was no residue on my skin and I did like how my skin felt really clean after using it. I would have liked something grainy to exfoliate, like sand, but as a gift for a guy, I would definitely recommend these soaps!


If you're interested in learning more about the Halliard Soap Company, visit https://halliardsoaps.com/ where you can find more information about the scents, soaps, aesthetics and more!

You can also use promo code GLOSS15 to save 15% on your first order if you wanted to grab some of these amazing soaps!

My First Time using MixNBlend goat hair brushes

Makeup brushes. OH BOY! There are so many different brands, types and materials to choose that it might get a bit overwhelming for some. Not all brushes are created equal, and different brushes are meant for different products to achieve different results. My current obsession is something a bit out of the ordinary. I had no idea about the differences in synthetic and natural brushes and I finally got to try a set of goat hair brushes from the Mix N Blend team (THANKS SO SO MUCH!) This brush set came with a brush holder with buttons on the side. Perfect for travelling and looked super cute on my vanity. 

Natural makeup brushes are made up of various animal hair. The Mix N Blend goat hair brushes were some of the softest I've ever touched. These brushes felt really durable and can actually get better the more you use them. I didn't like how a few hairs kept falling from the brushes the first few times I used them. The shedding did get better the more I used them and I'm glad I didn't dismiss these brushes because of the shedding. I noticed I did get a better application when I used powder products. This could be because natural bristles move more freely so I was able to not only pick up more product, but also blend it out properly. 

I'm happy to add some of  these new goat hair brushes to my makeup arsenal, but I'm not ready to ditch the synthetic brushes just yet.  I still use a liquid tinted moisturizer and the goat hair foundation brush doesn't do well with liquid or cream products. 

If you would like to find out more about the Mix N Blend makeup brushes, check out their website at http://mixnblendofficial.com/

Have you tried natural or goat hair brushes before? Let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear from you!

My First Time using DODO false lashes

False lashes can be intimidating if you aren't sure how to put them on or which style to get. I have always liked the way false lashes look but couldn't find the confidence to take the plunge and put them on myself. If you're unsure about how to put on false lashes, keep reading!

I got a pretty set of lashes from the DODO lashes team (THANKS so much!) and I thought it would be a prefect way to add some glam to my look for a wedding. At first I thought the lashes were way too long. I have always stayed on the conservative side when applying makeup, so this was kind of a big deal for me. Once you find a set of lashes you like, follow these steps:

Step 1: Apply mascara

Curl natural lashes and comb on a coat of mascara, creating a shelf to support the weight of your falsies.

Step 2: Cut to fit

There are many ways to cut your lashes to fit. I trimmed a bit off one of the ends. You can also cut the lash band right down the center to create a large individual lash. It's easier to place than a full lash strip, which can become wonky and weird and asymmetrical.

Step 3: Add adhesive

Trace each lash band, one by one, with a laser-thin line of lash glue and wait a few moments for the adhesive to dry a bit.

Step 4: Put 'em on

Using your fingers, not tweezers, place your extension on the outer corner first, hugging that lash line tight." For an eye-lifting effect, you can place the outer extension slightly above the natural lash line.

I had to try a few times before I got it right but I'm pleased with the results. I'm happy I wore long lashes to the wedding. I got so many compliments! Do you like wearing falsies? Share your tips and tricks, I'd love to hear from you!

If you would like to try a set of lashes from DODO lashes, visit their website at dodolashes.com and use code ALITTLEBITOFGLOSS to save 5%!

Source: http://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/how-to/a28132/apply-fake-lashes/