September Favorites

Here are a few things I'm loving this month!This Week Pad - TargetI found this notepad in the Dollar Spot at Target and I loved it so much I actually went back and purchased a few additional ones. Since things in the dollar spot aren’t typically there for very long I would highly suggest getting to your local Target asap to get yourself one of these notepads. I’ve been using it for several weeks now and it is incredible for structuring your weekly to-do list. It is shorter than a typical to-do notepad so it really helps keep the most urgent things on top. It also is fantastic for tracking time spent on different activities since there is the perfect amount of boxes and the sizing is wonderful.BlindspotBlindspot is back!!!! Remember last October when I told you that I was totally in love with the new show Blindspot? Well, it’s back on TV and better than ever! You can find season 2 streaming on Hulu. It looks like you can only buy Season 1 on Amazon, but I guarantee you will fall in love with this show if you start it!Michael Kors “Dillon”My sister introduced me to the world of designer handbags a few years ago and I finally found one I couldn’t live without. The Michael Kors “Dillon” satchel is the perfect bag in my opinion. I purchased this bag a few months ago in the Dove Grey color and it has been amazing. I held off using it for a few months since it looked so pretty but I’ve been carrying it exclusively since the middle of August and I absolutely love it! While they don’t have the exact color I purchased anymore the bag I linked to is just as pretty in the pink color. The bag itself is super roomy and very sturdy. I tend to overfill my bags and so far I haven’t had any issues at all.

Party Plate Ideas

Here are some great ideas for your party plates this Labor Day weekend!Party PunchSpicy HummusEasy Pretzel BitesSpicy Sausage Phyllo BitesCheesy Mushroom Cups

August Favorites

Here are just a few things I’ve absolutely been obsessed with the last few weeks! QuanticoI was browsing through Netflix and found this show. I had seen previews for it on Hulu but had forgotten about it until I ran across it again. I thought, oh, this might be a fun show to watch” so I decided to try it out. I was not prepared for how addicting it is. If you’re a fan of cop/FBI thriller shows this one is for you! Brooke Pretty GlossI received this gloss in my July Pretty Club and I was SO surprised how quickly this became my favorite color. It is so versatile and I wear it almost every day. I actually have started keeping it in my car dash since I put it on pretty much anytime I leave the house. If you’re looking for the most perfect peachy pink color this fall, check this one out.Wax & Wool Etc: Fig Tree CandleI found this amazing small company a few weeks ago when they opened their Etsy shop. This is my absolute favorite candle. While this exact scent is only available during the summer she has a whole host of fall scents just in that I can’t wait to try. The candles are made from pure soy wax that burn amazingly clean. If you’re looking for a non-toxic candle option this fall/winter this is a great company to try!Forever 21: Rhinestone Stud EarringsThese were beautiful earrings I found at F21 a few weeks ago when we were in the cities. They work with pretty much every single outfit I’ve tried wearing them with so far and they look gorgeous to boot.  

The Honest Company: 4 in 1 Laundry Packs

Today I thought I would review The Honest Company’s 4 in 1 Laundry Packs. I’ve been using them now for several months and feel like I finally have a completely formulated opinion on this product that I’d like to share with you, my readers!If you’ve followed the blog for a while you’ll know that back when I first started the blog I posted a recipe for homemade laundry detergent. This is a recipe I’ve been making and using for years and I really do love it. However, I’ve been getting progressively busier over the last year between work and all the Theater related things I do. So when I ran out of laundry detergent this spring I didn’t really have time to go through all the steps to make more right then. I decided to look for a green/non-toxic  laundry detergent that was easy to use. After some research, I settled on the 4 in 1 Laundry Packs from The Honest Company.You may have heard about the Honest Company recently, they’ve been under fire for using toxic chemicals (that they swear they don’t use) in a couple of their products.  These laundry packs though are a powdered formula, so they are not in the contaminated products category.One thing that drew me to these laundry pods was the fact they scored so well on the EWG. I really wanted a product that was actually going to clean my clothes but wasn’t going to have a lot of skin irritants in it. Way back, when I started making my own laundry detergent right after college, the main reason was the fact that a lot of the “cheaper” detergents made my skin itchy and irritated but I didn’t have a lot of expendable income to purchase high-quality detergent. I found that when I made my own detergent I didn’t have those issues so I’ve been making it ever since! Since these pods don’t have much in the way of skin irritating ingredients though I haven’t had any issues with using these to clean our clothes.The one complaint I have about these pods is that the film doesn’t always dissolve completely and sometimes it created large buildup spots on our clothes. However, if I simply wash them again in a less full washer (I have a tendency to overfill the washer) the dried on detergent will go away.Alex swears that these don’t clean as well. However, I think it mainly has to do with the fact our clothes don’t come out of the wash smelling like a perfume factory. They come out smelling like absolutely nothing, which I think is fantastic.One other thing to watch is the cost of these. You can purchase a pack of 50 pods for about $16 directly from them. If you purchase these from VitaCost you will actually pay slightly less than you would directly through the Honest Company. However, if you already subscribe to their bundle service you can add one package of these for no extra cost to your bundle which makes it very economical.I will probably continue to purchase these pods since they are very convenient and do the job, I’m sure at some point I’ll go back to making my own laundry soap since it is so much more economical to do so. These though are great for the time being when I don't really have extra time to deal with making my own soap.

Travel Hacks: Three things to pack when traveling!

I meant to write this after we got back from Europe in February but I didn’t have a chance so I decided to finally get something written now, right after we got back from Florida. Here are three things we’ve discovered over our last few trips.If you’re driving in a new city or area bring a dash mount for your phone GPS. This is a lifesaver when traveling in an unfamiliar area. Target has them for $5 in their dollar spot so there is pretty much no reason why  you wouldn’t have one when traveling. If you’re walking rather than driving in a new area I would suggest downloading maps of the areas you’ll be walking in.Bring several extra ziplock baggies in multiple sizes. You never know when you’ll need a ziplock so a wise idea is to travel with them at all times! We actually forgot to bring extras when we went to Florida and we ended up  purchasing a box while we were down there. When we were in Europe we used all of the extra ziplocks we brought with. We used them to store dirty clothes/wet clothes when we traveled. We used small snack sized ziplocks to store snacks for our daily outings and we used the quart sized ziplocks to store multiple items. I wouldn’t travel without these ever again!Bring a reusable shopping bag. Unless you’re at an all-inclusive resort this is an item you don’t want to leave at home. When we were in Europe I saw the usefulness of traveling with one of these when we picked a bag up while traveling. I forgot to pack one when we went to Florida and I certainly regretted it!  It is very useful if you need to carry a lot of items around. I would have really loved to have one on hand for when we went grocery shopping or to the beach.  When we were in Europe it was really handy to have a larger bag to hold our lunch or foodstuff during the day.

May Favorites

I looked back and realized I hadn’t posted any favorites in quite a while. I thought I’d show you three of the items I’ve been absolutely loving in the last month or so.Root Sunniest Blushing BronzerThis is a pretty new product for Root, but I’ve fallen instantly in love. I’ve been pretty much exclusively wearing peach based blushes this spring and this Blushing Bronzer is the perfect transition into summer and (hopefully) sunkissed skin. If you have paler skin like me this will be a fantastic color for you this season. Currently I only have a deluxe sample size from my Pretty Club, but as soon as I run out I will be purchasing the full-size. This is one makeup product I don’t want to go without!Forever 21: Leaf EarringsI picked these up when we were in Florida last week and I’ve been wearing them incessantly since then. They are just such a unique design, so they go with just about every outfit I have. The only downside to these earrings is that they are made out of something that hurts my sensitive skin if I wear them for too long. However, I can typically put them on just before I go out without any problem.HamiltonChances are you’ve probably heard of this musical by now, it’s up for 16 Tony nominations this year, it just won the Pulitzer prize for Drama and its pretty much been exploding because of its innovative style on Broadway. This musical is the story of Alexander Hamilton and his influence on the founding of our country. It uses innovative musical stylings of rap, hip-hop and reggae to tell the story. It really is unlike any Musical I’ve listened to before. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to this yet, you a really missing out! I suggest you find a copy of this immediately!

Plant Apothecary: A Review

Plant Apothecary was a fantastic find when I discovered them a few months ago. I’d been searching high and low for some non-toxic shower gels and hadn’t had much luck finding any without lots of ingredients. When I found Plant though, their simplicy of ingredients and the lack of any nasty chemicals made me realize I just had to try them.One thing I absolutely LOVE about Plant is the fact that their products are made by people with disabilities in their Brooklyn plant. This provides lots of job opportunities for people with disabilities which is a great reason to support this company!Plant has several different products. I personally purchased their Zip Zap Mask and a shower gel. They also offer several other types of masks, body and face oil. They offer several different scents in both the body oil and shower gel. There really is something for everyone.The shower gel is lovely. It is very cleansing without leaving any sort of film on your skin afterwards. It also does not dry out your skin after you shower like some non-toxic shower gels I’ve used. I find it to be extremely moisturizing and I don’t seem to need a lot of moisturizer when I’m done showering.The Zip Zap mask has been underwhelming for me. I had high hopes for this mask but it just didn’t seem to help me when I would get a pimple. The mask is a powder mask that you mix with water before you apply it to your face. This is a great idea since you can mix only what you need and it will keep much longer. However, I didn’t feel like it really did anything for me when my skin was struggling. I prefer Herbivore Botanicals: Blue Tansy mask in this instance since it calms my skin pretty much instantly. The Plant mask just didn’t measure up.I really love this company and I absolutely plan on ordering more of their shower gels in the future. I also would love to try one of their body oils, however with summer coming I won’t get much use out of one for a while so I’ll probably wait till next fall to purchase one. If you’ve been looking for a new non-toxic shower gel I highly suggest trying one from Plant!

Rail Europe: A Review

Having a car is completely unnecessary when traveling around Europe. Pretty much all of the cities are connected via rail all over Europe. It can be very confusing though to know what type of rail passes you might need when traveling.I tried looking into and researching rail passes before we went and I couldn’t really make heads or tails of all the different types of  passes out there. That’s when I found Rail Europe. Through their website you can look into rail passes and train tickets. They also have a plethora of articles regarding rail travel through Europe answering a lot of questions you might have.You can book your tickets through them two different ways. You can call one of their travel agents who will discuss your trip with you and find the best passes for your particular trip. Or if you already know which passes you need you can go directly online and book your own tickets. There is a service fee if you book through the travel agent, but it is really an excellent way to figure out what you need if you’re unfamiliar with rail travel. They also mail the physical tickets to you, we received ours within three days of placing our order.If you’re planning a European vacation in the future I would highly suggest using RailEurope for booking your train tickets. Their travel agents are highly knowledgeable and have often traveled on the routes they are suggesting to you. You won’t regret using them for your European train tickets!

European Adventure Photo Recap: Pt. 1

Brija Cosmetics: A Review

Brija Cosmetics is the brainchild of the lovely Brianna. She founded Brija in 2013 and has turned it into a very successful company along with running her YouTube channel.  They have many different collections for you to choose from with many different colors and finishes. They also have recently started to offer a few skincare products through her Brija Skin line.I’ve made several orders from Brija over the last few months. Several of the products I’ve gotten from this company have become staples in my routine.  Brija offers blushes (loose and cream), bronzers, highlighters (loose and creams), eye shadows, lipstick and lip jelly. They also have several different eye primers, a lip balm and an eye balm.The eye shadows, blushes, bronzer and highlighters are all loose products.  The regular size products come with a sifter, the mini-products do not. The sample sized products come in a small plastic baggie.  All of the products are made without any nasty chemical ingredients, are non-toxic and very clean! You also receive a free gift with any purchase over $15 that is an unreleased or special release product.The color payoff of the loose shadows is average. While I don’t feel there is anything overtly special about the Brija shadows over any other green beauty loose shadows, I do enjoy the color offerings Brija has. However, I don't find myself reaching for loose shadows very often at the moment, I've mostly been a pressed powder sort of girl the last few months.I do however, love the fact Brija's collections are named after movies or TV shows. I love being able to say I have the Downton Abbey collection, Wanderlust collection and half of the Gilmore Girls collection. I think it’s a very exciting way to come up with a collection and unique to Brija. I’m very excited to receive her Alice in Wonderland inspired spring subscription bag, especially since that is the show I’m currently working on.One product I’ve come to absolutely adore is the Organic Eye Balm. I’d been looking for the perfect green beauty eye cream or balm for awhile before Brija released theirs. It is incredibly hydrating and I find my very dark under-eye circles are almost erased in the morning when I use this product. If you struggle with dark circles under your eyes I would suggest trying this product. It has made a huge difference for me (like not having to use concealer under my eyes difference) in the time I’ve been using it.Another staple of my makeup routine has become the Brija Eye Wax. This is a sticky base for your eyeshadows that really helps amp up their color and staying power. I always use this product now under any eyeshadow. It helps the shadows stay all day long and it also makes them brighter.There have been two of the loose products that I’ve really fallen in love with, these are the You Know Who… highlighter and the Sunrise Highlighting Powder. Both of them make for incredible highlights. I also find that they have a more silvery base so they seem to show up better on my skin tone and don’t wash me out as much. Both of these highlighters are must try products in my opinion.Brija is an excellent company. My one complaint is that it takes so long to get your order (2-3 weeks) since it is just Brianna. Every time I’m SO excited to get my order and it just kills me to have to wait so long for it. However, they do say that perfection cannot be rushed! And in the case of Brija Cosmetics I completely agree. This is one green beauty company you’ve got to try!

Travelon Anti-Theft 3 Compartment Crossbody Bag vs Travelon Anti-Theft Two Pocket Crossbody Bag

Before we went on our trip, I was searching all over the internet to try and find reviews on Travelon Anti-Theft 3 Compartment Crossbody Bag and the Travelon Anti-Theft Two Pocket Crossbody Bag. I found several reviews on each of them, however I wasn’t ever able to find a comparison between the two of them. I thought I would post one to help you if you’re looking at purchasing either of these bags.I’m going to skip the specifics of each bag because you can easily find posts on them. I am however, going to focus on the differences between the two bags so you don’t have to end up buying both and returning one like I did. Similarities include locking pouches, slash-proof strap and sides, and an RFID blocking insert to keep your cards and id documents safe. Furthermore, they are both cross body bags to deter a thief from trying to remove it from your person.Here is a comparison shot of the insides of the two bags. As you can see the two pocket bag (the grey) is considerably smaller than the three compartment (black). When I travel I typically take my kindle and several pouches with various items in them. I was also planning to take a mini-three-ring binder with all of our travel documents with in this purse.With the two pocket bag you really only had the main pouch to store things in. There was a small zippered pocket on the back, but the bag does not really expand much to allow you to easily access items in the main pouch when the back one is full. The only other place to store things is the unsecured, small pockets in the front. However, these are fantastic for storing gum, hand lotion and chapstick.The tree pocket bag is considerably larger than the two pocket. It has two locked compartments, one zippered pocket on the back and one zippered pocket on the front. The bag also has pleats in order to allow the bag to expand as you put things in and allow for easy access to everything you might need.I personally took the three compartment bag with me on my trip. I typically carry quite a large purse so the three compartment worked better for what I wanted to carry with me. If you normally have a small bag, or don’t plan to carry much with you, the two pocket may be a better choice.Travelon bags are quite highly regarded in the travel world and I can tell why. They are excellently constructed and they seem to have thought of everything when it comes to keeping your valuables safe. The bags also come in a variety of colors so you can pick whatever matches your wardrobe on vacation! You can order them on Amazon so you can get them quickly if you’re traveling soon.

Commodity Perfume: A Review

I found Commodity Perfume at the end of last fall when I was trying to keep an eye out for any perfumes or sprays that weren’t formulated with parabens and phthalates. Unfortunately, there just aren’t many options out there for good, clean, non-toxic perfumes.One of the best things about this brand is that it’s available through Sephora. This makes it very easy to order and reorder items if you find something you like. While I really do love ordering directly through individual small companies, sometimes the convenience of Sephora or Amazon is worth it.This brand has structured their products differently than normal. To start off, you purchase their starter kit which is basically trial sizes of all the perfumes they offer. You then can try each perfume with your skin and see which scents really work for you. You can also try layering them for a more complex scent. You then go back, with the knowledge from the test kit, and can purchase travel or full-size products of the scents that worked best for you.They have a large array of smells that will appeal to almost anyone. While they are structured with the black scents being a little heavier and the white scents being a little lighter there is really no "men" or "women" feel to any of them. I could easily see wearing any of the scents in the kit and I think a lot of men would like to wear most of the white scents too. You can even layer the different scents to make a fragrance blend completely unique to you. (I suggest layering Rain and Wool, it smells like a thunderstorm in the country!)The one downside to this brand, in my opinion, it the fact they are very pricey. You will pay $99 for a full size (100ml) jar of perfume. As you can probably see this can get expensive quickly if you like more than one scent. However, since they are formulated without parabens or other nasty chemicals it really is a tradeoff. The travel size vials of the perfume have lasted me several months each so you can decide if this is the right type of brand for you to try.While I don’t have any plans to purchase additional items from this brand I may change my mind in the future if I got a gift card or good coupon to Sephora. The scents are luxurious and I have absolutely fallen in love with several of them. My favorites (the ones I own) are Rain and Wool. However, I’m also crazy about Gold, Tea, and Paper.  If you’re in the market for some green beauty/non-toxic perfume this would definitely be one to try.

February Favorites

I honestly can’t believe it’s time for another monthly favorites post. The month of February has just flown by! Here are a few things I’ve loved over the last month.BrijaSkin – Eye BalmI typically have horrible dark under eye circles. I have tried lots of different products to try and help alleviate the darkness, those products work, but not nearly as well as this new eye balm from Brija Skin. This balm is absolutely incredible! I’ve been using it every night with fantastic results. I’ve even noticed I don’t need to use as much or even any dark circle correcting makeup some days.LilyLolo – MascaraI’ve been trying to find the perfect green/nontoxic mascara over the last few months. I’ve read about LilyLolo across several green beauty sites and every time it comes highly recommended. I decided to take the plunge and I’ll never go back! This is one of the best mascaras I’ve ever used. It is incredibly volumizing and will give you great definition. It was the only mascara I took with me to Europe and I’ve been absolutely loving it over the last month.100% Pure – Mattifying PrimerI’ve been curious to try a primer underneath my makeup, but most of them contain silicone and other nasty ingredients that I avoid in my makeup. However, when I saw 100% Pure had a couple different primers I knew I had to try them! I’ve tried both the luminizing and the mattifying primers and I have to say the mattifying primer is amazing. I can tell a difference in how long my makeup lasts when I wear it and when I don’t.  It also keeps my skin even and dry the entire day. I can’t wait to see how it helps my makeup hold up during the summer.Root – Casey Pretty GlossThis is such a pretty color! It goes on very sheer but still provides you with a great amount of coverage. I’ve really been loving wearing it over different types of lipstick. It is really a perfect color for any occasion.Cadbury Dairy Milk: CaramelThis is one thing Alex and I discovered while we were in Europe. The Cadbury chocolate over there is amazing and the Caramel filled one is to die for! If you visit over there you NEED to try this chocolate.PrimarkSadly there are only two Primark’s in the US and they don’t sell online. But when we were on our trip we visited several different Primark locations and I fell in love. Their clothes/accessories are very stylish and have a good quality for the price you are paying. I purchased a bag while I was there and it has been absolutely amazing. If you ever have a chance you should totally visit a Primark.

Green Beauty - Basics: Why Switch?

If you’ve followed the blog for a while you’ll know that I am a huge fan of green products. I’m constantly on the hunt for new companies and products to use. I thought I’d give you all a little overview on why I decided to switch to green products and some of the ingredients I try to avoid.To begin with, I have SUPER sensitive skin. I’ve always struggled with finding products that don’t irritate and that I can use consistently. I’ve struggled with this in all areas from makeup to hair/skincare and cleaners to laundry detergent. This week I’m going to be discussing green beauty with you. I have found several companies and products that I absolutely love and I can’t wait to share them with you!I have tried pretty much every different sort of makeup, and with my sensitive skin it always ends up irritating me. I just ended up assuming that I wasn’t ever going to be able to wear makeup, and that I would have to rotate my skincare for the rest of my life. I started reading ingredients to try and identify what I was allergic to. Have you ever read the ingredients on your skincare or makeup? Well if you want to open Pandora’s box go ahead and stop right here and do so…See! Do you know what half those ingredients are? I certainly didn’t! I decided it was high time to switch from ingredients I can’t pronounce to things healthy for my skin. Here is a short list of things I try to avoid:Silicone – this is a common ingredient in haircare or makeup products. Silicone sits on the top layer of the skin impeding its ability to let the skin breathe. It keeps the moisture contained within the skin and will often cause breakouts or acne flare ups if used with sensitive skin. I’ve found my skin to be much clearer when I don’t use products that contain this ingredient. If you’re checking labels you need to keep an eye out for –cone –conol –siloxane, Dimethicone is the most common ingredient you will see.Parabens – studies have linked parabens to increased occurrences of breast cancer. It disrupts the reproductive and endocrine systems. They are used as preservatives in makeup and skincare items.SLS – Sodium Laurel Sulfate, it is a product commonly found in skincare, toothpaste, bodywash, and haircare. It is a detergent and surfactant that give the product lather. Some studies have indicated that SLS is a possible carcinogen and can disrupt hormone levels.Phthalates – this helps other ingredients dissolve into a consistent solution. However, studies have shown that it disrupts the reproductive and endocrine systems. It will often show up in a product under “fragrance” since that is so vague.Carmine – this is actually an ingredient used by many “natural” makeup companies to get a vibrant, true red color. It is made from crushed up beetle shells. It can cause allergic reactions in people with sensitive skin.These are just a few of the MANY ingredients I try to avoid. I have made it a habit to read the ingredients list on any new product I’m interested in and research anything I don’t recognize. I would suggest you get in the habit of doing this too. It will help you decided what it right for your family and what you want to keep them from using. In addition to avoiding these chemicals listed above, I also try to make certain my beauty products are gluten free, cruelty free and vegan. This just helps me narrow down products when I am searching since I know they have a higher probability of not containing anything I avoid.Tomorrow we’ll be discussing getting started on switching over to green beauty products, ie which are the most important and what you should switch first. Our bodies are exposed to so many harmful chemicals every day, the more of these chemicals we can take out of our regimen the healthier and happier our skin will be. You will also find that when you begin taking the irritants out of what you apply to your skin, the happier your skin will be.Is this something you’re passionate about? Let me know below!

January Favorites

I realized I hadn’t done a monthly favorites post in the last few months so I thought it was high time I let you know what I’ve been loving lately!Doc MartinOne of my friends in my aqua aerobics class suggested I watch this show. I found it on Netflix and absolutely fell in love! It is about a Doctor in a small town in England. He doesn’t have good people skills and the show deals with that and his aversion to blood. If you’re in the market for a new show this is one you really can’t miss!Antonym Blush: RoseI’ll be doing a fuller review on Antonym in the future, but their Rose blush has quickly become a favorite of mine. It is the most perfect color for my complexion. It goes with just about any look I wear. It goes perfectly with a bold lip and with a nude lip. Keep an eye out for a review complete with phots in the future!Faux-Suede Ankle BootiesThese have been my go-to boots over the last month. Personally I have them in maroon, but I find the black and grey available online super cute. The heel on these is pretty much the perfect height for being able to wear them for a long time without being uncomfortable. I love to match these with my scarf for a really put together look.The 5^th WaveI read this book over my “Christmas Break”. It was a great story, fast moving and very entertaining. Apparently it’s also been made into a movie. If you are looking for another dystopian fiction novel you will likely enjoy this one.Root: Pomegranate SerumI love this serum!!!! I received a travel size in a Pretty Club and from that moment I knew I loved this serum. It is highly moisturizing and even has some anti-aging properties.  I sent a bottle to my Mom and she agrees it is a fantastic product.

Root: Pressed Pigment - A Review

If you’ve been following the blog for a while you’ll be familiar with my favorite green beauty brand Root. I’ve done several reviews on their makeup, their skincare and they are constantly in my monthly favorites. This month I wanted to give you a short review on one of their newest product releases, their pressed eye pigments!I am absolutely in LOVE with these shadows. As you can tell from the photo they are intensely pigmented. They blend so beautifully together you can pretty much create any look you want. The shadows are magnetic so they are easy to add to a Z-pallette. I have several other pressed shadows from different companies and none match up to the wear, pigment and lack of fallout that Root pressed pigments offer.Root is constantly releasing new colors. Currently they have mostly neutral colors with a few crazy colors (pine green, light pink, gold and silver) thrown in. However, this combination they have released so far makes it really easy to create versatile shadow looks. I personally LOVE to combine Cocoa in my crease, Pine on the outer corner and Cleo on my inner lid. This is pretty much my favorite shadow combo right now. Check out my Instagram if you’d like to see a photo this look in action.If you shop through this link you’ll receive 10% off your first order! Seriously! Root’s shipping is crazy fast too. Whenever I order I typically receive my order the next day since I live so close. These pressed pigments would make the most amazing Christmas present for that person on your list who loves makeup. It also helps that there aren’t any nasty chemicals in their products so you can feel good about gifting it!

Honeybee Farms – November Buzz Box

I love trying new green beauty products and when a company offers a sample box I typically jump on it. I found Honeybee Farms a couple of months ago but it took me forever to decide exactly what I wanted. When I saw their November Buzz Box I decided this would be the perfect way for me to try some of the products out. Honeybee’s Buzz Box contains 4 full-sized cosmetic products, 1 body/face/hair product and 1 gift (non-cosmetic).In the November box I received their Cosmopolitan Eye Shadow Quad, Jojoba Eye Liner in Belgian Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice Soap, a four sided nail buffer and Eucalyptus – Spearmint Tea Lights. I was very excited about this box since I was very interested in the eye shadow quad.The tea lights smell amazing. I am excited to try them. They are GMO free – soy wax candles made with essential oils, so they are perfectly safe for you to burn! The nail buffer looks interesting. I haven’t found a good, safe nail polish or polish remover so I rarely do my nails. I’m not sure when I’ll use it, but it will be nice to have it on hand. The Pumpkin spice hand soap smells very nice. I haven’t broken it out yet, but I look forward to doing so. The jojoba eye liner is luxurious! It goes on silky smooth and the color is great. It lasts for pretty much the entire day. However, my eyes were super irritated by the end of the day. I’ve never had that issue with the other green beauty brand liners I use, so I’m not sure what is in this one that I’m allergic to.The eyeshadow quad is my favorite thing in the entire box! I’d had my eye on  it before ordering this box and it was a dream to receive it. The shadows are silky and super long wearing. They blend incredibly well and stay all day long. You cannot go wrong by ordering one of these shadows or quads. The brush that comes in the quad is pretty useless though. It doesn't blend the shadows well at all. I did find it made a great lip brush in a pinch.Honeybee Farms is a gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO and cruelty-free company. HOWEVER, they do list carmine as one of the ingredients in their Party Girl Eye Quad. When I emailed the company about this they said:

“Two of the palettes are vegan.  But the one shade in the Party Girl palette (Cupcake) MAY contain carmine.  There was an issue in its manufacture, and this is why we can't list it as vegan. Our three palette offerings – The Cosmopolitan, Rock the Smokey Eye and Party Girl – all list the same ingredients because they use the same general formula.  The only one that has carmine is the Cupcake shade in the Party Girl palette, so it is listed in the “may contain” section of the ingredients list.  The Cosmopolitan does not have carmine.”

This is something you’ll need to consider if you decide to purchase from them. It would also be very easy just to avoid that palette/color until they get the manufacturing issue resolved.I am a fan of this company and the products I received in this box. I have already purchased their December box in order to try more new products. I highly encourage you to try them out if you're as interested in green beauty as I am!

Lockdown – Book Review

Lockdown by Tarah BennerI received an advanced reader copy of Tarah Benner’s brand new book Lockdown so I wanted to post a review of it. I’ve included her other books on my Things I’m Loving and so she sent me an ARC of this newest book. I am a HUGE fan of Tarah’s work and was super excited to read this newest installment of her Fringe series.Lockdown picks up right where Outbreak left off. Harper is stuck in jail, on trial for treason and collusion with the enemy. Celdon is working with Constance and trying to keep it a secret from those around him. Eli is stuck in a small dark room being tortured by Constance for disobeying the leader.While I absolutely loved this book, it was definitely a slower pace than the previous ones in the series, still I highly suggest it! The story seemed to me to be the bridge between the fast paced beginning and the explosive ending. One thing it really had going for it was that there was some fantastic character development due to the slower plot lines.Although for much of the story Harper and Eli are apart I really feel this was a great decision on the part of the author. It really seems to deepen and strengthen their relationship and it gives Benner time to develop their personalities separately. I really enjoy the fact that the author has developed Eli into something more than just the brooding bad boy he started out as. It makes him seem real, rather than just a character for a plot.There were several new characters introduced and developed in this book. We also get a deeper look into Eli’s brother Owen. I found reading his side of the story compelling, especially since I didn’t really love him in the previous books.  You really get to see how what he has been through on the Fringe has really made him the complicated character you’re reading about today.Another character I really began to love was Harper’s friend Sawyer. I’m not sure why Benner has waited until the fourth book to develop her character so much because she is absolutely fantastic! In the previous books, she seemed to be a slightly whiny, results-obsessed, one-sided character. However, with this book she really came alive. I cannot wait to see how her storyline ends. I’m especially interested to see what her parents have been working on in the virtual reality world.Again, this book deals with adult themes and has a huge amount of language so it is not geared towards younger children. If you’re on the fence about letting your child read it, make sure to pick up the book first and check it out. I guarantee you’ll be hooked from the first moment you begin reading!Lockdown is available now wherever e-books are sold! Make sure to check out the previous books in the Fringe series if you're new to this author's work. I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say, I can't wait for the final book in this series!!!Make sure to follow Tarah on social media!FacebookInstagramTwitterTarahBenner.com

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This post has not been sponsored, all opinions are my own. I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes only. I have not received compensation in any form for the writing of this post.

Cruelty Free for You & Me – A Review

Cruelty Free for You & Me is a quarterly subscription box containing cruelty free beauty items and treats for your special fur baby too. A regular box contains six full sized products made up of both beauty products and treats for your dog. When you subscribe, you get four boxes per year, each for 49.95. This is a great way for both you and your dog to try new products you might not necessarily know about otherwise.I was sent a sample subscription box to review. It contained four different full sized products. I received two different types of dog treats and two different beauty items. Pond was sent grain free, coconut banana bite sized treats and lactose free, grain free cheese treats. I was sent a Skinveda Rose and Sesame face masque and Brija cream blush.Customer service was excellent. Every time I sent an email I was responded to quickly and each of my questions was answered completely. I was able to choose which beauty item I wanted out of three different options.Pond absolutely loved her new treats! I also felt good giving her the treats since they don’t have any nasty ingredients. Her favorites are the Cheese Please! treats. Every time I go to get them out she is always sitting there waiting for some new treats.The beauty items are very interesting. I like the Brija blush, it makes for a very nice highlight color with my complexion. It also is a great green beauty item. I hope to do a company review on them in the future.The Skinveda masque is another story though. The ingredients include ethylhexylglycerin, phenoxyethanol and Polysorbate 80. These ingredients are either potentially toxic or have been known to cause contact dermatitis. Since my skin is so sensitive I typically try to avoid chemical laden products. I already have two different fantastic all natural, all clean masks so I won’t be using this product again. I will probably end up taking it to my sisters the next time I see them.I may purchase of the full sized subscription boxes in the future. I will probably need to see what type of products, and how clean/green they are, before I decide on a future box. Pond definitely approves of the things that were sent to her!

Red Apple Lipstick - A Review

I have to admit, I absolutely LOVE the formulation of Red Apple Lipsticks. It is silky smooth, goes on creamy and stays on all day long. They have a wide array of colors so no matter what you’re looking for you will most likely find it from them. They are gluten free, paraben free, cruelty free and carmine free. There are no nasty chemicals or fillers in any of their products, just clean, safe and natural ingredients!I have two of the full size products that I purchased myself, and RAL sent me several samples to review! The full sized products (the ones I purchased myself) I will be reviewing at a later date. This post is simply dedicated to the sample products I was sent.I received six different sample colors from RAL along with a sample of their Ralley Balm. There were some colors I fell in love with and others I wasn’t too crazy about.Hollypeno – This is an absolutely fantastic color! It is a bright vibrant red color perfect for the holidays. I got so many compliments when wearing this color. My only complaint about this lipstick is that it doesn’t dry down very fast, so if you get your hands anywhere near your mouth you’ll  probably be wearing this bright red color all over your face. Also, after eating most of it had rubbed off and I was left with a “lipliner” like line around my lips. However, I’ve come to the realization that the key to this color is blotting, this will get it to dry faster and you’ll be less likely to track it all over your face. I always get a TON of compliments any time I wear this lipstick.Audrey – This is a great pinky nude color for my skin tone. I absolutely loved the way this color looked. It was very understated yet brilliant. It paired perfectly with a more dramatic eye. It dried quickly onto my lips and stayed pretty much the rest of the day even though I ate. I had to use a makeup remover at the end of the day in order to get it all off.Mauve Me – This was the best of the mauve colors. It wasn’t too much on the dark side. Once I blotted it out it was a great medium dark color for me. I don’t think I’ll purchase this one right away, but I could definitely see getting this one in the future.Ralley Balm – This was a very interesting product. When I put it on my lips it was very heavy but did a good job at moisturizing my lips. However my lips don’t really have an issue with being too dry and if they are ever dry Root’s Pretty Balms do the trick for me. I LOVED this product though when I put it on my cracked cuticles. It healed them within a few days use. I have already purchased a full size of this. I do wish it came in a pot or tub though since it would be easier to apply to my cuticles and heels.Maven Mauve, Gypsy Soul, Berry Blast, Ooh La La – Ehh, these colors weren’t just for me. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the formulation, I just wasn't a huge fan of the way the colors looked on me.Red Apple Lipstick is definitely a green beauty brand to try. The formulation itself is enough to warrant purchasing a lipstick or two. However, the colors are what really sold me on trying them. A huge variety of colors means you can purchase just about anything you need.After reviewing these products I actually went back and purchased Hollypeno, Audrey and the Ralley Balm. They were just too amazing for me not to have a full-size product on hand. I have to highly recommend them for anyone looking for a bright red or nude pinky color. I might purchase additional colors I tried in the future, but for now those two were by far my favorites.The only thing I dislike about RAL is their website. It feels like an “as seen on TV” website. I understand they are trying to educate potential clients but it just comes across poorly to me. The product is fantastic though if you can get past their sadly designed website.Follow them on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterPinterest