What are Parabens? And why should I care if they are in my products?

Hmmm…What are parabens? I found myself asking this particular question when I finally started reading the labels on cosmetics and realized that there are different types of parabens and that they come in just about every comestic product…seriously! Oh, and you can even find butylPARABEN in your Buckley’s cough syrup, ewh!!

Parabens are a kind of chemical that are most commonly used as a preservatives in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Why should you care about parabens? Well parabens are known as “estrogen mimickers” and have been found in breast cancer tissues and may also interfere with male reproductive functions. By all means AVOID the paraben family, especially propyl-and butylparabens!! The rest of the world should be like Denmark and BAN the most heineous of parabens!!

So, what are you waiting for to go PARABEN FREE??? Next time you are thinking about purchasing a new lispstick, shampoo, body wash, body cream,foundation…ANYTHING, choose PARABEN FREE.

And if your favorite brand doesn’t carry Paraben free..TWEET them and get your online community involved in the conversation so the brand can hear you and take note.

Do you own any Paraben Free product? If so, what is it?

Beauty

Lise Watier: Fall 2013 Collection TARTANTASTIQUE Swatches and REVIEW

Fall 2013 Collection:

“Tartantastique is a reinterpretation of the tartan trend, both rebellious and sophisticated with rich textures and brilliant effects. This season’s look is about elegance, confidence, and simplicity. Eyes are emphasized, the skin appears naural, and the lips are distinctly rosy.” -Lise Watier

Lise Watier‘s QUATUOR TARTANTASTIQUE Eyeshadow Quartet is LIMITED EDITION. This seasonal palette is composed of delicate pink, bellflower mauve, teal blue and hunter green. It comes in a plaid-print compact. The colours are highly pigmented, contain shimmer, and there is no fallout that I noticed.

This TARTANTASTIQUE palette retails for $36 CND.

Lise Watier‘s OMBRE SOUFFLE SUPREME is available in Tartan Magique, a LIMITED EDITION colour for Fall 2013. It’s texture is exceptionally silky and airy (light). The Ombre Souffle Supreme is composed from combination of a cream, a powder, and a foam, giving it that creamy texture. I like that Tartan Magique colour is a mix of teal blue/green and provides a subtle pearly lustre/gloss. It can easily be applied with your fingertips and is long-lasting. It’s formula is infused with the exclusive Lise Watier antioxidant, Labrador Tea Extract.

Tartan Maqigue retails for $24 CND.

“Chic Tartan” is one of my favorite nail lacquer’s for fall 2013. With just two applications of the Lise Watier’s LIMITED EDITION ,really brings out the rich charcoal colour. Something that makes Lise Watier‘s nail lacquer packaging different is that the cap has a small light to illuminate the nails for a more accurate.

Chic Tartan Nail Laquer retails for $13 CND.

You can find Lise Watier‘s Fall 2013 Collection, TARTANTASTIQUE at London Drugs (Canada) or online at www.lisewatier.com.

DISCLAIMER: I was gifted these products at a media event and decided to review them, based on my own experience and opinions.

Baby on the Moon

Welcoming Parenthood: The Day Our Lives Changed Forever…

Hahaha..so a couple months ago while Gabriel and I were waiting for our Doctor to come back with the pregnancy results we decided to take a picture “just incase” this was a life changining moment….this is my rendition of that photo we took.

Ohhhhhhhhhh boooooooooooooooooy, we were just so excited, antsy/nervous while waiting. Anyways, minutes later our Doctor peeked in the room and congratulated us by saying “YOU’RE DEFINETLY PREGNANT!! CONGRATS MOM + DAD!!” We just laughed hysterically and held each other tight for about 10 minutes…

I’m sure we will be laughing and holding each other tight for what is sure to be a wild ride of parenting!!! I am so thankful to God that I have my best friend by my side; Gabriel, I couldn’t have picked a better partner to spend the rest of my life with, to be the father of my children and to experience all of the wonders and joys this journey has to offer. Te amo.

Culture, Events, Giveaway

Romeo and Juliet 2013: Win tickets to Vancouver advanced screening #ForbiddenLove

The ageless story from the world’s most renowned author is re-imagined for the 21st Century by Academy Award® winning writer Julian Fellowes (Downtown Abbey) and directed by Carlo Carlei (The Fight of the Innocent). ROMEO & JULIET stars Academy Award® nominee Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) and Douglas Booth (LOL) as the iconic star-crossed lovers. The all-star cast also includes Academy Award® nominated Paul Giamatti (Sideways), Emmy winner Damian Lewis (Homeland), Stellan Skarsgård (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End) and Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl).

“When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.”

Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite love stories, so I am really looking forward to watching this new adaption by Fellowes and Carlei. It has a great cast and the soundtrack sounds amazing too! I am also excited to see the costume design, I love how people dressed during this classic era. Oh, and Ed Westwick…hehehe.

This new adaptation of the timeless love story, Romeo & Juliet, opens nationwide on October 11, 2013 across Canada and if you live in Vancouver (Canada) you have a chance of watching the advanced screening on September 30th 7:00pm at Scotiabank Theatre. I am giving away 2 tickets (each ticket is a double pass)! Simply enter the giveaway below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beauty

Mineral Fusion: Eye Shadow Trio, 3-in-1 Colour Stick, and Beauty Balm Review

I was introduced to Mineral Fusion a couple months ago while attending a beauty event hosted by London Drugs. I’ve been a fan ever since because most of their products are paraben anf fragrance free. You can read more about these “Minerals on Mission” and my review on their Lengthening Mascara here.

Today, I will be reviewing Mineral Fusion’s Eye Shadow Trio, 3-in-1 Colour Stick and Beauty Balm!

Mineral Fusion’s Eye Shadow Trio comes in eight different colour combinations, all of them are really nice Earthy/Natural tones, that beautifully blend shimmery and matte. I currently have the trio labelled “Espresso Gold,” which consists of a matte beige, shimmery gold and rich brown.

Honestly, this little pallette is one of my favorite because it’s perfect for either using individually or together (perfect for my smokey eye!). Espresso Gold has great, long lasting pigmentation that is crease resistant, I wore it all day for a wedding and didn’t have to touch up! The colours glide on smoothly during application, so smooth it almost feels soft…hmm I don’t know if I am making sense to you, but I swear that’s what I feel ahaha. Can you tell I’m kinda new at reviewing makeup?

Anyways, besides the colour, I LOVE that Mineral Fusion’s Eye Shadow Trio is hypo-allergenic, paraben free, artificial colour free, fragrance free, talc free, and gluten free. YES!!!! Oh, and did I mention that it has natural age defying components like pomegranate, white tea, red tea and sea kelp?

Now this little colour stick is awesome, you can use it on your eyes, cheeks and lips! It’s super quick and easy to use; no brush needed and if you want to blend, just use your fingertips. The formula is light-weight and has the perfect tint of peach and shimmer.

I never know how much blush to apply when using a brush, so Mineral Fusion’s Terra Cotta 3-in-1 Colour Stick is perfect because I just swipe once or twice and blend with my fingertips, leaving my cheeks glowing!

On my lips, the peachy tint was subtle, but the shimmer did show up nicely. I really liked how my lips looked when the sun/light hit.

On my eyes, I used it like a highlighter under my brow, which it was perfect for because of the shimmer and natural tone of colour.

The 3-in-1 Colour Stick comes in four different colours and is Paraben and Gluten Free.

Finally, I tried a BB Cream…I think they are half way through the alphabet with these creams right by now right? Hehehe…Anways, Mineral Fusion’s Beauty Balm is an all in one: makeup, moisturizer, age defying treatment and sun protection!

I found that the Perfecting Beauty Balm was sheer, light and creamy. It moisturized my skin, leaving it feeling hydrated and smooth. It blends really well and is breathable. I really like that it is fragrance free, not only because that means that it doesn’t smell, but most importantly, it doesn’t have a ton of chemicals, which is what “fragrance” really means, seriously! Oh, it’s also free of Gluten and Parabens.

Have you tried any Mineral Fusion products? Which one of these products would you be interested in trying??

Check out Mineral Fusion’s website or at London Drugs and Whole Foods in Canada, and Whole Foods in the USA.

DISCLAIMER: I received these products for my editorial consideration and I decided to review them, based on my own experience and opinions.

Beauty, Eco

I’m in a GREEN TRANSITION (Beauty)

During the last few weeks I have been doing a little bit of research on eco-friendly (organic, “natural” “green”) products. While reading a couple of nights ago, it dawned on me ….I RARELY read labels, especially on beauty products.

I don’t know if it’s because I can’t pronounce 50% percent of the items listed under ingredients or because I don’t know what those really long words REALLY mean? It’s probably both haha, seriously…

Maybe I’m just afraid to face the truth? I mean, I’m not stupid, I know that so many chemicals in ONE product can’t be good for my body, environment and eco- systems..so why am I still using this stuff? Ugh, I read that the average North American woman uses 10 or more personal care products everyday…that is a WHOLE LOT OF SH*T going into me, the environment and eco-systems…

*Takes a deep breath* I don’t know, I guess I was a little naive…I thought that living in a Country like Canada meant that the government would be PROTECTING THE PEOPLE. I thought that the regulations on what can go into cosmetics (even food for that fact) would be stricter. But, it turns out I was wrong…

I decided I was going to take five small steps into transitioning my beauty routine into a healthier one..The first step in my green transition was to throw out my regular toothpaste and start making my own. Who knew it was so EASY to make your own toothpaste?! Don’t worry a DIY post is in the works! I also decided to stop buying deodarant and start making my own (D.I.Y coming soon!). The third move was to ditch the fragranced body wash and grab a natural handmade bar of soap (read my Escents CALM soap review). Next, was saying ADIOS to my shampoo and conditioner…and only buying either sulfate free shampoo or an organic handmade one. And I’m not using conditioner anymore, I am using a “pre-poo” that I made myself, thanks to my friend Daily who has MANY easy to follow DIY hair masks on her blog, DailyCurlz. Check her blog out for more hair tips!!!

Are you down to take the challenge and join me in this transition? Just five easy steps!! Let me know what you think!

PS: Check your product’s safety ratings on Environmental Working Group‘s cosmetic data base.

Beauty, Eco

Escents Aromatherapy Handmade Soap Review

Escents Aromatherapy is a Vancouver based brand that is all about making you (body and mind) feel good naturally. At Escents you can find a variety of products ranging from bath & shower to body care, natural sleep aids to stress relief and a whole bunch more, just check out their website or store. All Escents products contain 100% pure essential oils and are NOT tested on animals.

One of my favorite Escents products is the CALM handmade soap. It’s the perfect aroma to start or end my day, it just gets my head clear and body relaxed, very peaceful. I personally love that I can use this soap for my face or body because it is sooo gentle and soothing. Oh and it lathers GREAT, and leaves your skin feeling soft/smooth and smelling fresh.

Escents soaps are paraben free, have no mineral oil, no Sodium Laurel & Lareth Sulphates, no phosphates are non-comedogenic. A 140 g bar of soap retails at $4.95 CND. If you are interested in trying out a NATURAL soap that will not only do your mind and body, but nature too, you’ve got to give Escents CALM handmade soap a try!! You’ll love it!

Baby on the Moon, Fashion, Outfit of the Day

Starting a New Chapter in Life: Parenthood

[wearing: Jazz Lace Dress - Monica Bandala Necklace - Monica Bandala Jeans - Jeffrey Campbell Wedges]

I AM SO EXCITED!!! This little gift is the best I’ve ever recieved. It’s one that I will nurture, cherish, nourish and love unconditionally until my last breath…

YES!!!! Gabriel and I have been generously blessed by God, we are starting a new chapter in our lives called PARENTHOOD.

I’m estatic to know that inside of me, life is happening; that there is a little bundle of love growing everyday and he or she is already experiencing life inside my womb, and that in a short 6 months he or she will be experiencing life outside of me. To me, this whole process has been a miracle… Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming, LIFE, it’s just that beautiful…

Beauty

Nexxus Hydra-Light Product Line (Shampoo, Conditioner, Root Lift Mist and Leave-In Conditioning Foam) Review

Hydra-Light “Wightless Moisture” by Nexxus is “an advanced hair care system full of moisture, free of heaviness. Infused with lightweight, deep-sea minerals, Hydra-Light gives hair advanced hydration without weighing it down.” I’ve been using Hydra-Light product line for about a month and a half and have to say I am pleased with the results. Below is my review on the Hydra-Light Shampoo, Conditioner, Root Lift Mist and Leave-In Conditioning Foam.

Hydra-Light Shampoo:

The Nexxus Hydra-Light Shampoo cleans thoroughly, removing the grease without leaving my hair feeling dry, instead leaving it light, soft and moisturized. The Hydra-Light Shampoo is light weight and lathers really well, I use about the size of a quarter and it’s the perfect amount for my hair length/type. Hydra-Light Shampoo has left my hair feeling healthier (stronger and shinier).

I am sensitive when it comes to fragrances and the scent of the Hydra-Light Shampoo is a little too strong for my preference. I also wish that this shampoo was SULFATE-FREE….

Hydra-Light Conditioner:

This conditioner is amazing. First thing you notice when you pop open the bottle is the light smell of coconuts. I use even a smaller amount of conditioner, since I just use it on the bottom half of my hair and it detangles perfectly. The Hydra-Light Conditioner rinses well, leaving my hair feeling clean, moisturized and manageable.

Hydra-Light Root Lift Mist:

Nexxus Hydra-Light Root Lift Mist is a lift and shine spray that targets roots to lift hair where oils usually weigh it down, for added fullness and body.

I personally prefer using the Hydra-Light Root Lift Mist instead of dry shampoos because it is a lot easier to use. Again, like the product line states, it is light weight! I’ve used the Hydra-Light Root Lift Mist on both damp and dry hair, and it works great in both circumstances. The scent is light and not over bearing. It does not leave any sort of stickiness. It leaves my hair with body and manageable volume.

Hydra-Light Leave-In Conditioning Foam:

Hydra-Light Leave-In Conditioning Foam is a daily leave-in treatment that provides weightless nourishment to restore softness & shine.

This product leaves your hair feeling SUPER moisturized. I also use the Hydra-Light Leave-In Conditioning Foam on either damp or dry hair, and it works great both ways. It leaves my hair feeling soft and frizz-free. The Hydra-Light Leave-In Conditioning Foam leaves my hair bouncy, soft and shiny. It does not leave any sort of stickiness!!

All in all, I have really enjoyed using Nexxus Hydra-Light product line. I have noticed a visible difference in my hair, it not only feels healthier/stronger, but looks it too! Have you tried any Nexxus products?

DISCLAIMER: I received these products for my editorial consideration and I decided to review them, based on my own experience and opinions.

Fashion, Outfit of the Day

Butterflies and Silk

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” Mother Teresa

[wearing: Butterfly Shirt - Vintage Silk Skirt - YSL Purse - Expression Wedges]

I think it all starts with a sincere smile. Not only does that gesture make you feel good, it also makes those you interact with (or even walk by) smile too, in turn making them feel good and smiling and passing along the good vibes to others!

I’ve said it before, smiling only takes a second to do and it’s positive effect is contagious. What are you waiting for…SMILE