5 Quick and Easy Ways to Become Environmentally Friendly

In the beginning of this self isolation. I felt like we were throwing out so many bags of garbage. A family member suggested that we get paper cups and plates (so we didn’t have to do any excessive  of washing to save money). Loved the concept of the idea but in the end there was so much waste. 

I hated it! 

And I really wanted to try to find a way that we can try to reduce the garbage that we threw out every three days and also see in what areas can we try to be more sustainable.

So I consulted my girl"google" on ways that I could try to reduce.

Double Cleansing: Do you need Micellar water?

I wasn’t always a micellar water fan. Back in the day I’d use it but hated how I still felt a light waxy film on my face from it. Or how much it burned my eyes!! 

Well several formulations later...It’s a important part of my double cleanse routine. 

My routine has changed but a lot of the products I wear now are long-lasting and smudge-proof. Cleanser and water doesn’t always get it all off in one shot.

Even when I’m exhausted... I don’t skip steps because at this age I can’t risk pimples. 

Here are some Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water products -
I was recently gifted to take my make up removal techniques to the next level.

Back to School must haves

I always remember the high of going back to school. Nervous for the new year but happy to see all my friends. I always had two weeks of brand new clothing ready and got my hair done right before classes. There are so many products out there to keep you looking your best for back to school. 

Here are my top must haves for back to school! 

• Lush Grease Lightning ($13.95 CAN)

A few days before school and a pimple shows up right in the middle of your forehead!
What do you do?
Dab Grease Lightning on your problem spot to speed up the process.
A gentle infusion of thyme, tea tree and rosemary cleans up problematic dirt and soothing aloe vera gel calms and hydrates irritated skin. See? Blemishes aren’t so scary after all.

• IMAN BB creme ($27.50 CAN)

Want to get a gorgeous glow in the Fall?

Try the IMAN BB creme. I found that this product works best for me when I'm having a low impact day. So it perfect to wear to classes or to the library... etc.

Hydrates with Kokum, Almond, Aloe and Vitamins A, E & C

• Blueberry Acai Smooth Sphere Lip Balm  ($3.99 CAN)

Dry lips before school?

Get an EOS sphere lip balm. Throw it in your backpack or makeup bag.

It delivers the love, delight and moisturization you always get from eos, but also the goodness and  delicious flavor of blueberries and acai berries.

• Kiss Nail Dress ($12.99 CAN)

Not good with nail art? Try Kiss Nail Dress nail stickers! 

They come in various unique patterns which are suitable for short & medium nails.
2 Looks in 1 Strip—French or Full Manicure. 22 strips that fit all nails and last up to a week. Goes on in minutes, off in seconds without remover.

• Garnier Skin Renew Dark Spot Treatment Mask ($19.99 CAD for a box of 6 masks)

You got rid of the pimple but it left a mark?
Hydrates and treats the skin to deliver results both immediately and over time. With half a bottle of moisturizing serum enriched in each mask, the Dark Spot Treatment Mask instantly hydrates and illuminates the skin for a more radiant complexion after just one application.

June Empties: Garnier, Maybelline & Biore

Anyone else guilty of trying another product before finishing the one that you started? I am. As a beauty blogger, it's the usual but I totally need to do better. I will try to finish at LEAST three products each month. Keyword TRY.

This month, I finished three products that I would recommend.

Biore- ULTRA deep cleansing pore strips
I can't believe I didn't try these earlier! They are different than the regular strips because they are formulated with tea tree oil, menthol and witch hazel. You can feel them as they work. I feel like I need these in bulk!

Maybelline Clean Express Facial Towelettes
I personally prefer to remove my makeup first with a towelette then wash my face. To save money, I usually tear them in half. The formula contains moringa seed extract which helps remove impurities and improve skin texture.

Fructis Pure Clean Shampoo
I'm always on the hunt for a good shampoo! This formula contains no paraben, silicone or dye. After using it my scalp is clean and my feels soft. Plus it smells really good.

Have you tried any of these products?

Current Obsession: Garnier Soothing Gel-Cream with Peach Oil

Is anyone else going crazy trying to find all of their summer dresses! I feel like they have all disappeared. I know that most of you have checked out my Get Summer Ready: Hair Removal & Foot Care post. Now we need to add back in the hydration we lost from the cold winter. One of my favourite creams to use is the Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Soothing Gel-Cream with Peach Oil.

Intensive 7 Days Soothing Gel-Cream with Peach Oil provides amazing hydration in a new texture that is ultra-absorbent and ultra-fresh. Enriched with naturally-derived Mediterranean peach oil which contains essential nutrients, this hydrating gel-cream delivers its soothing properties to dry, sensitive skins. Its lightweight texture penetrates instantly.

This product is very similar to the Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Conditioning Lotion in Cocoa Butter but I find this product works well with hydrating really dry skin quickly because it's a gel-cream.

I should also add that it comes in two sizes 250 ml & 400 ml. The 400 ml is way to large for me to carry around daily. I got a small empty bottle from the dollar store and put some in so I can carry it in my purse.

Have you ever tried a gel-cream?

Introducing Garnier Olia!

Have you ever seen a product and knew the ideal candidate for it? 

That's exactly how I felt about Garnier's new product Olia. 

As you can tell Olia is an oil powered hair dye! 

I don't dye my hair but I knew someone who would benefit from this process.

OLIA utilizes the revolutionary Oil Delivery System (ODS) which allows for better colour absorption. The ODS’s oil-based formula uses oil to repel “waterloving” MEA (an ammonia derivative) and force it into the water-based hair fiber resulting in more of the colourant penetrating the hair fiber.

I asked a good friend if I could tryout this product on her. She didn't want to be shown/identified although I told her my spiced beauty readers were all very nice..haha. Anyways she allowed me to use her head on the condition that she got to screen all the shots after I took them

. For the sake of the blog and her hair- I took her offer.

She has gorgeous long straight locks that needed some TLC after years of bleaching!

Up close you can see that she needs a trim as well..

Garnier OLIA makes it possible to achieve the desired colour while visibly improving hair quality and providing optimal scalp comfort. Garnier OLIA transforms the hair colour preparation and application experience through with a rich texture, increased formula absorption, and beautiful fragrance.

The process was pretty easy and straight forward.

I've been around hair dye and gagged at the horrible scent. Olia had a pleasant light scent. 

Not overwhelming or overbearing. I doubt anyone even knew what we were doing!

After washing out the dye her hair felt amazing. It was soft, shiny & vibrant.

I dont think my camera did it any justice but click these pictures to see the full colour quality.

I can't comment on the aftercare but I can say that she seemed really happy with the outcome.

Garnier Olia debuts in Canada January 2013!

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Argan Oil

If you don't already know for the past two years I have transitioned from relaxed to natural. A choice I made on my own because my hair truly hated to be permed. In 2012, I started to do my hair totally on my own (washing, treatments etc). It's a serious transition from going to a salon to doing it myself but in the end, it will be worth it.

Oils are an essential to hair growth and maintenance. So far Argan oil is the ONLY oil I can use on my own hair & extensions which doesn't weight it down. What does "weighted down" hair look like you ask? It does not move, looks flat and lifeless.. Nobody wants that!

ARGAN OIL- An oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree, endemic to Morocco. It is valued for its nutritive, cosmetic and numerous medicinal proterties. It improves your hair's quality, helps new hair grow more quickly and gives it strength.

Garnier has came out with a whole line dedicated to Argan oil called Sleek & Shine.

The new formula combines Morrocan Argan Oil and Aprocot to prevent bad hair days, even in humid weather, thanks to this unique three-step system that gives you long-lasting control. Its revolutionary formula loaded with intensely rich fruit oils will leave your hair spectacularly shiny and 5 times stronger and smoother.

The whole line is pretty awesome but one product has captured my heart. it's the Sleek Finish 5 in 1 serum. I know some people may have a negative opinion of serums. I can admit some brands can weight down your hair but if you find a good brand you're set! In the summer time my hair is sooo frizzy! It's best to use a product like this to tame my tresses.

The 5-in-1 Serum Spray provides:

- instant smoothing
- luminous shine
- tamed flyaways
- anti-frizz
- humidity protection

This serum comes in an aerosol bottle. It's sooo much easier to apply it all over your hair. One quick spray is all I need. If you see this in your local drugstore check it out!

Have you tried Argan oil before?

Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Conditioning Lotion in Cocoa Butter

After that heat wave last week, my skin ended up being dry and itchy. I honestly felt like the sun literally sucked the moisture out of it.

Thankfully, I decided to put my Garnier Intensive 7 Days Conditioning Lotion with Cocoa Butter for Dry, Rough Skin to the test.

Introducing Garnier Body Intensive 7days, daily moisturiser. The L’Bifidus enriched formula works like a shield and helps lock in moisture. Use daily for hydration that goes on and on.

Let me start of by saying I love Cocoa Butter. I've used it since I was a child and it has never failed me. This formula is exactly what I needed because my skin was in dire need!

This lotion is right for you if you moisturise your body's skin everyday, but feel that it becomes quickly dehydrated throughout the course of the day, making skin feel dry, rough and uneven in tone.

I have never heard of L-Bifidus before but I found out that it's  inspired by probiotics found in yogurt. It acts as an effective moisture shield. I found the best way to use this lotion was right after my shower. The dampness of my skin really allowed the lotion to absorb nicely. Even though the cream is kinda thick, the formula applied very light.

  It literally melted into my skin. It wasn't "greasy" like pure cocoa but a little bit goes a long way!

Doesn't my skin look completely hydrated?

July Favorites: Garnier, Mary Kay, Marcelle,Redken and more!

1. Redken All Soft Argan-6 Oil
   I'm currently obsessed with Argan oil. It's light oil can can be used on extensions, natural or relaxed hair. I use it on my ends to keep them moisturized.
   
   
2. philosophy
   purity made simple
   foaming 3-in-1 cleansing gel for face and eyesI've never used a cleansing gel for my face & eyes before. Using a universal product like this was a nice change. I may purchase this product after I finish my sample.
   
   
3. Mary Kay lash love waterproof mascara in Black
   Waterproof mascara is a blessing because its extremely hot in Canada. I would recommend that you have a good waterproof makeup remover so you don't destroy your lashes.
   
   
4. Marcelle Climatik Outdoor Lip Balm SPF 30
   Every girl needs lip balm with SPF. Perfect for days when you don't feel like wearing anything.
   
   
5. Garnier Fructis Style Pure Clean Smoothing Cream
   This is a must have for anyone who has frizzy hair. I almost used the whole tube on my vacation. It definitely defined my curls.After you wash your hair put a dime sized amount in and work it throughout your hair.
   
   
6. Clear Hair & Scalp Therapy Total Care Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner
   I should have named these as 6. Not 6 & 7. Sorry! I used this product straight for 7 days on vacation and loved it. I couldn't stop smelling my hair. My favorite part was the fact that my hair felt very moisturized after. 
   

Have you tried any of these products?