"Monsters Be Gone" DIY Spray

Hello Lovelies,

Today I am coming at you with a bit different post than usual, it is not green beauty related, but it is natural living related, and I hope this will help out a fellow mom(s) with small children. The thing is that my second kid inherited my childhood fears of dark and "monsters". She won't go into corridor on her own and also has trouble falling asleep, and was constantly telling me she is afraid of the "monsters". Now, I know she will grow out of them in a few years as it always happens with children, but still I wanted to help her out at this time too, not to brush it away. So one day I remembered a pin I'd pinned a few years ago onto my Pinterest board - that post was about putting a DIY "No Monsters" label on a room freshener spray, a conventional Febreze one. I obviously use none of those, so I made my own concoction of rosewater, lavender and camomile essential oils. And you know what, it did the trick! Excuse my wonky drawing (a 6yr old would do better!) but you get the idea, we just put the label on the spray bottle and we use every time she feels necessary, we spray it in the dark corners of the house and onto her bedding before she goes to sleep. Lavender and camomile essential oils are here for a reason, they both have calming effect and I think they help her fall asleep peacefully. It worked! It is our third week of having this "No Monsters" spray, and we use it less and less, we put it in the drawer under her fish tank, so she always knows it is there if she feels she needs it, but I definitely have witnessed changes in her in the last couple of weeks, she is more calm, less afraid, more daring to do things (read more cheeky if I am honest).

If anybody wants a recipe, it is short and sweet, just fill a 100ml spray bottle with a rosewater and add ten drops of each lavender and camomile essential oils. One of those would do too, if you don't want to purchase two, one of them would work just as well. If you don't like the smell of any of those, you can use any other essential oil you like, just make sure it has calming qualities, so do your little research first.
I purchase rose water from my local Asian shop for less than 2€, and you can get essential oils in any health shop, plus selected pharmacies. Just please make sure to use real essential oils, not "fragrance" oils, those are synthetic and harmful to you, stay clear of them. Even though essential oils are a bit of investment initially, it is totally worth it, because you can use them so many different ways and they will last you years as they are so concentrated.

So there you have it, my short and sweet post, if it helps at least one mom out there, I would be a happy girl! (Join the discussion here).


Lots of Love,
Renata.
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Disclaimer: I can not be responsible for what you will do with this information, nor the outcome of it, I am simply sharing what worked for me. Please be very careful using essential oils and make sure none of the family members are allergic to any of those first. I purchased all items with my own money for those of you who want to know. Disclaimer over. 

Lotus Wei Review

Hello Lovelies,

Where do I start? The day I got my package from Lotus Wei I was having a super crappy day plus I had to walk four kilometres to my post office with my little princess to pick up the parcel, because I missed the post man the day before. Everything that could go wrong, did - it was that sort of the day! So l didn't know whether to cry or explode once I finally got home, but guess what? I opened a beautiful package by LotusWei and misted those beautiful concoctions into the air.. And guess what? Two minutes later all was well in the world! Amazing! 💕 I don't know how they work, but they most definitely do! I couldn't put them down all evening that day, and the next morning I reached for those first thing in the morning, before my lemon water/ coffee. On my second day in, I announced I am addicted for life already. No wonder so many of you recommended them in my Top Three Natural Products post!

Lotus Wei was the brand I wanted to try for ages, ever since I heard about them a few years ago, you know when you "get" the brand before even trying their products? That is exactly the case here. I should also add that I am your regular person, not "hippyish" at all, no smudging or crystal healing anything for me please. If you are into those things, l salute you, more power to you! But for me, I am practical person who puts family and kids first, and never has time to delve into those things deeper.
Flower remedies are not new to me, I have tried several brands before, but none of them worked for me, probably due to the fact that I was self prescribing them, but on another hand I only tried calming remedies, not some specific flower essences, so I feel they should work for everyone, right?
So I decided to try Lotus Wei once anxiety got the better of me, in hopes that it might help, and I am so overjoyed it did! I am your natural born worrier, leave me alone with my thoughts and I will drive myself crazy, my brain loves working overtime playing all these worst "what will happen if this will happen" scenarios in my head. Yep, that is me all over.

According to Lotus Wei, “Flower alchemy is simply another way of receiving the nourishing properties of plants — but instead of taking in oxygen, you’re taking in pure flower essences, suspended in water— liquid energy that transforms your mood + your mind through your acupuncture meridians.” Katie Hess is a flower alchemist + the founder of Lotus Wei — one of the world’s leading floral apothecaries.You can find out more about her in the "press kit" tab on their website.
 If you are newbie like me and simply don't know where to start, there is a helpful 'flower quiz' and then they email you results. In my case they suggested Inner Peace and Joy Juice products, and that's exactly what they sent me, along with my requested sampler kit, huge thank you for that, Lotus Wei if you are reading this! They do a few variations of the products too, mists, serums, anointing oils and elixirs, as well as perfumes. I will touch down on how to use those products in just a minute. Most people feel a dramatic difference in their everyday state of mind within 2-3 days, with a cumulative effect over time. If used regularly, bottle lasts 3-4 weeks, enough time to experience a significant shift in mood and everyday life. Safe (& excellent) for children.

Sampler kit contains six flavours or scents there are more of them available separately though. But in the kit you will get six, whether it will be mist or serums kit - that includes Joy Juice, Radiant Energy, Inner Peace, Inspired Action, Quiet Mind and Infinite Love. The latter two are my favourite from the bunch and that is exactly the ones I am going to repurchase. I never want to be without Infinite Love ever again! It is designed for other things, but this is exactly the one that calms me down, after smelling this (and maybe a cup of tea) all is well in the world for me.

INFINITE LOVE:

“Experience: Unconditional love for yourself & others; attract love + affection, enhanced magnetism, attractiveness + charisma. Magnifies gentleness, compassion, softness + receptivity.

Dissolves: Irritation, being hard on yourself, hard heart, feeling attacked, resentment, anger, jealousy, codependency, giving away all your energy to others and forgetting your own needs, past trauma, breaking through old patterns.”

Aroma: Exquisite Rose, Red Mandarin, & Honey

(My two cents on it - this smells "happy!" that is the way I describe it when asked, you can't feel the rose in it (fear not if you are not a fan of roses smell) and it has just a touch of honey, so it is not too sweet other, it is just just uplifting and nice smell).

INNER PEACE:

Experience: Deep peace, calm, confidence, comfort + contentment; strength + assuredness during times of high-stress.

Dissolves: High levels of stress & overwhelm; feeling a lack of support; nervousness, fear, lack of confidence, nervous about public speaking

Aroma: {Herbal Spice} Calming, grounding lavender, cedar, vetiver, geranium. Great for kids.


QUIET MIND:

Experience: Clarity, focus, relaxed body, quiet mind, sound sleep, ability to take breaks + be more effective

Dissolves: Busy mind, mental chatter, restless sleep, physical tension (especially neck & shoulders), over-analyzing

This is a very pleasant calming scent and I enjoy it a lot! Definitely a repurchase, a must for my over anxious mind. Highly recommend it is you are like me and worry a lot.

INSPIRED ACTION:

Experience: Motivation, drive, follow through, decisiveness, fearless creativity, innovation, intuition, synchronicity, tackling your big goals, finishing projects.


Dissolves: Procrastination, lack of follow through, feeling stuck, writer's block, indecision, projects left undone, distracted mind.

RADIANT ENERGY:

Experience: Energy, vitality, protection, strength, powerful presence, immune system boost, gentle cleanse of environmental toxins, recharge after air travel, computer use, x-rays.


Dissolves: Fatigue due to computer & cell phone use, air travel; accumulation of energies that are not your own; vulnerability, whether physically or energetically; taking on others' stress; feeling invisible, weak, or not clear about what you want.

JOY JUICE:

Experience: Joy, laughter, euphoria, contentment, simplicity, playful, letting your inner child come out, enjoying life more

Dissolves: Seriousness, feeling the weight of responsibilities, worry, overcomplicating things, repressing your inner child

Aroma: Jasmine, Sweet Orange, Davana (strawberry-like), Rosewood.

(My two cents on it - despite this aroma being recommended to me after taking flower quiz, this ended up not agreeing with me at all. I would disagree with the description, this has not sweet aromas in it, all I got was jasmine, wood and something else I disliked, so no matter how much I tried to like and use it, every time I opened the bottle I couldn't deal with it, so in order for it not to be wasted, I ended up swapping it in a green beauty swap.)



How to Use Mists:

With the mist, spray it above and over your face and shoulders. Spray it five times a day on your clothes, pillows, bed room and basically anything. What I like to do is spray above my head 2-3 times and lift my face and step into the droplet cloud. I know it’s kind of quirky, but letting the scent rain on my face is relaxing. My little princess makes sure she joins me in too.

How to use anoiting oils:

Apply to pulse-points 5 times daily. My note: these scents won't be as strong as you might expect, these are all natural flower essences (which have no smell by the way!) and essential oils and they do not have chemical or synthetic fixatives or preservatives (which have been shown to cause attention deficit issues + disturb neurological + hormone functioning).

How to use serums:

Apply to face morning and night--especially after computer use. Can also massage your ears and the back of your neck. Make sure to check individual serum's description on their website, as they can be used different ways, for example Radiant Energy serum can be used for menstrual cramps, cellulite and cold climates to warm you up!


How to use elixirs:

Enjoy 5 drops sublingually 5 times each day regularly until bottle is finished; or put 25 drops in your water bottle each morning and drink throughout the day.
Or get creative with it - morning coffee, party punch, restaurants, water bottle, kid’s water or juice, pet’s water, cocktails.

So, what's my verdict and experience with Lotus Wei? Very positive and pleasant I would say! This made me flower remedies convert, and despite liking other products than those suggested for me, I fell in love with them. Pricy, yes, but I highly recommend trying some, if it works on calming me down and helping me not to stress so much (or calm down massive strop thrown by my three year old) than it's worth every penny. I will rather go without something else to be honest (in order to have this). A must have product in my life.
In Europe you can get those from Naturisimo and Being Content, both are my fave UK based websites with outstanding service and free shipping. Being Content has a brick and mortar shop as well, and if You are lucky enough to visit it in London, then I am jel of you :) They only have mists, while Naturisimo also has serums, mists and anointing oils but no perfumes. I purchased the Infinite Love anointing oil but I have yet to receive it, and I will make sure to update the blog post once it arrives. Love forever it is! Can easily replace perfume I would say, as it could be smelled a few hours later. Having to re-apply it does not bother me one bit either, as I couldn't let it go from my hands either way, so it makes it more fun I would say. Small bottle is perfect for travelling too.

Have you tried Lotus Wei products and what's your experience with them? Please share with me, I would love to know :)

If you want to, get it from Citrine Natural Beauty Bar or The Detox Market. 

That is all for now, see you here next Monday!

Lots of Love,
Renata.

My New Facebook Page & Other Social Media Links

Hi Loves,

I just spent a week building my new freshly-baked Facebook page, so it would mean a lot to me if you went on to like it! Many thanks for doing so in advance :) I wish I could send you real hugs and kisses via some app :)

FOLLOW ME ON:

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TWITTER

PINTEREST

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CHECK OUT MY AMAZON

SEE MY FAVOURITE PRODUCTS

Follow my new blog www.greenlifeindublin.com

And one last word I have to say is:

That is all for now :) See you here again on Monday, that is when I upload blog posts!


Lots of love,
Renata.

What Cosmetics Are In My Travel Carry On Bag?

What's in my travel carry on bag?

Hi my loves, today I wanted to share with you what I took with me for my holidays a little while back. This is my liquids bag as you can see, meagre 15x15cm you can take with you to the plane. I was feeling quite proud of myself of squeezing into such a small bag, until I realised I spilled into my daughter's bag, she ended up carrying my second mascara (because duh, you totally need two mascaras for 10 days trip :) Not!) and Hurraw SPF15 lip balm that I ended up losing on the plane on the way back. So let's get into it, shall we?

From the top left corner: 

Hynt Beauty concealer - star product! I ended up using it every time I did my make up, and more often than not I used it as my face foundation too. To sum things up, you need this in your life! I have a separate review on this product. (Mine is the old packaging so yours will be different).

*You can read a review here.

Four little sample pots of lip and cheek stains from Maias Mineral Galaxy. I didn't touch them a single bit.

BellaPierre lip and cheek stain that I got in a set a while back, l thought it was good opportunity to start using it again, as it sits there unloved in my make up drawer. Yes, you guessed right, I didn't reach for it at all.

Pacifica roller perfume in Blood Orange - this and one more Pacifica roller perfume I own were shelved the minute I got Lucy's B roller perfumes, that's all I can say. I used only LucyB one, so next time I am taking just one perfume with me. Plus I ended up buying two new natural perfumes on my destination, so my plan to use up Pacifica perfume didn't work. Both of Pacifica perfumes will end up in my "disappointing products" post (spoiler alert) and i would advise you to sample them at first - mine were both impulse buys because I liked to top notes, e.g. the way perfume smells at first, but both of them developed into something I didn't like at all after some time. It also extremely short lasting, even though the girls at the shop told me it's a long lasting product.

Pacifica lip butter in brown colour, I used it maybe twice, so again, lesson learned is to take ONLY cosmetics that I really love to begin with! I also took loads of sample baggies of mineral eyeshaddows in hopes that I might do more colourful make up looks, what was I thinking? I find myself doing less and less eyeshaddows in my day to day life, so my holiday looks ended up no different, I only tried one of the samples, and it didn't work as I'd hoped, my hubby asked why I had bloodshot eyes! Not a compliment at all :)

Black Cherry lip balm by Crazy Rumours - again, this was taken to use it up, I got a bunch of Crazy Rumours lip balms once they came out, but none of them impressed me much, they might have cute names and a bunch of different flavours, but I found them not moisturising and not lasting at all. I have a new favourite - Hurraw balms, so move over, Crazy Rumours.

Bottom row from left to right:

Juice Beauty CC Cream with SPF30 - the high SPF factor was the sole reason I got this tiny sample from Naturisimo prior to my holidays, as i wanted to test drive it, but truth to be told I forgot all about it until the last two days, so I don't have firm opinion on it yet. It did work as a face SPF cream, that's for sure, but don't expect any coverage from it, it's very slightly tinted, and all the colour disappears once you put it on your face, so keep that in mind. And as for anti-aging claims, I can't confirm or deny it as I didn't use it enough to see any difference. But I plan to get full size of it for the next summer maybe? We will see :)

PurMinerals pink lip gloss -  again, used once or twice, as l found myself not doing any make up for most of the time. 

Two mini samples from The Organic Pharmacy - Double Rose Rejuvenating face cream and a Rose Facial Cleansing Gel - i really liked those two products and would get full sizes of them! They were very gentle and didn't irritate my skin in the slightest, and as usual with The Organic Pharmacy, great ingredients.

Highlighter by PurMinerals - while I love the idea of glowing goddess make up, I can't go all out with my dermatitis scars on my face, I mean you don't want to highlights your problem areas, right? so I used it very minimal-y, mainly in the inner corners of my eyes. I was also disappointed to see dimethicone in the ingredients list, I don't want silicones on my face, thank you very much!

Jane Iredale multiple in Clarity - I liked the idea of natural version of Nars Orgasm and this my first shot at natural multiples, but while this is beautiful colour, it does not work on my cheeks (again, damn dermatitis scars) as it highlights what I don't want people to see, and it does not last on the lips at all. I will find a ways to use it, not to worry.

100%Pure mascara - I didn't like it at all once I first got it, as the formula was too wet and it didn't do anything to my invisible lashes, but now that it dried up a bit and I can build it up quite a bit, I really like it! This is lengthening formula, and I can testify it does that beautifully :) I also appreciate pure ingredients, so it is likely to be a repurchase once I am out.  

*Update many months later - read my review here.

So that is all for now :) What do you take with you for your travels? Please share with me :)

Lots of Love,

Renata.

How To Remove Skin Tags Naturally

Hello my lovely ladies and gentlemen,

Today i am coming at you with yet more natural discovery, or DIY if you will, I discovered that my beloved Tea Tree Oil can remove skin tags naturally! Yay or what? 
So I've developed a skin tag on my neck and it started to bother me because it was catching on collars and bag straps and it was quite painful/uncomfortable at a times. I poked around the internet and google told me that l can get it freezed/cut off at my doctors office or can get special kits from chemists which retails for about 15-20euros a pop. So I was like, no thank you, and poked around the internet some more, and what did l find? that l can use tea tree oil for the very same purpose! And it is something l always have in my house (you can use it for so many things!) so I grabbed a bottle and started applying tea tree oil on the skin tag in the morning and night, and lo behold, on the day five it fell off! I used the oil straight up with no diluting because l knew that my skin can tolerate it, but for many people it can cause sensitivities/irritation, so proceed with caution! And before you ask, you can use any brand tea tree oil, it does not have to be the same as mine. Mine happens to be organic, but you don't have to go for organic if you don't want to either, just make sure it's 100% pure with no additives to it.
I would suggest you apply small bandage on top to speed things up, at first i wasn't doing that and not much was happening but it fell off after the very first time I used a plaster on it, so you might not even have to wait for five days. Just one little tip, make sure that the tea tree oil touches skin tag only and not the skin around it, as not to get any irritations.
So there you go, hope this post helps someone and saves you money too :)


*And disclaimer, because you absolutely have to these days : I will not be held responsible for what you will do with this information. I am not telling you to do it, l am simply sharing what worked for me. Consult with your doctor before proceeding and always do a patch test before trying new product on your skin first.*

*Update a few years later - I no longer use the brand pictured, I moved onto Neals Yard Remedies & Living Libations - the cleanest and the most transparent brands in my humble opinion.

More posts in this FB album

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and my new blog Greenlifeindublin.com

So that is all for now.
Much love,
Renata.

English Mineral Make Up review

Hi There My Lovely Readers,


The day I got this package in the mail, was a good mail day, let me tell you that :) But let's go back to the beginning. I found out about English Mineral Make Up company via Instagram and intrigued by their fabulous blush I enquired if they do samples. They said they do and I can request some via their website. So off I went to do so, and when my samples never arrived I contacted them again (when you will see the blush shade, you will understand) and some time later this is what I got! I was simply speechless, because not only they sent me the samples that I wanted, but full size foundation and fabulous baby kabuki brush as well! How is that for a surprise? Pretty good, right?

So let's start with the review part, shall we?

Foundation
Foundation comes in a white box with a mirror in a lid, and it's packaged into this fabulous cardboard box that is so nice inside out, and it would make a gorgeous present (gentlemen, take note). The first thing I noticed about the amazing coverage, it is so pigmented and I love it! One layer of this foundation will give you great coverage without looking cakey and it feels so light on the skin, like you have nothing at all. When the day goes by it only gets better, because mineral powders tend to stay put unlike like conventional make up. I have dermatitis on the face, and this powder did not irritate my skin at all, so all my ladies out there with sensitive or problematic skin do not be afraid of using this. Try the samples and you will be pleased you did. The powders are suitable for vegans and formulated with mineral ingredients, and they do not contain Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCI), talc, synthetic fragrances, parabens, or mineral oils. It's also SPF15 which will give you some protection from the sun.
The kabuki brush is so soft yet dense, I love using it, despite me never being a fan of kabuki brushes, the size is perfect for getting in all the nooks and crannies of the face, and the density of it gives great coverage. I would compare it to Real Techniques Expert face brush, only softer.
The only thing I didn't like is the packaging, it lacks some sort of removable insert that you could tip your powder in, as the lid houses the mirror and it's not removable, and the application gets messy. I ended up using the lid of another foundation to swirl the powder in.

Blush
Bubblegum blush was the reason I asked for the samples, as blush is my happy place when it comes to make up, and let me tell you it's gorgeous! I am definitely going to purchase a full size of it. Both blushes I tried are so pigmented and nice, you need only a tiny bit for a nice pop of colour, so the pot will last you for ages. They currently have eight shades to choose from. I asked them about carmine, something I don't want on my face and they confirmed all their products are carmine free and vegan friendly. Cruelty fee too.

Fairy Godmother
It's their name for the veil powder, which will give you that perfect airbrushed look, and what's more it can be used as a primer or a night time skin treatment, which is definitely intriguing to me! Even though it's a powder, it's filled with antioxidants and jojoba oil to nurture your skin. Unique product indeed.
 

My verdict?
 I am so glad to discover this company as their products truly stand out from the rest of the mineral make up I've tried so far. They are not cheap, but in my mind they are worth the money. I am going to purchase the mineral foundation and the blush. The pigmentation and the clean ingredients sold me, plus they are natural, clean, vegan and cruelty free. What more could you ask for? :)

*The products were sent to me, but the review is from my experience and I speak my own mind. I am not on their payrol in any kind of way.





That is all for now :)
Take care!
Lots of Love,
Renata.

100% Pure Cosmetics First Impression Review

Hi my green sistas and brothers,


You simply don't know how happy I felt once my first 100%Pure order came! Like go through the roof happy, or giddy kid in a candy shop happy! You see, I wanted to get my hands on these products for a good few years now, since my switch to natural beauty, and I always held off because of the high prices (my wish list is well over a hundred euro long). So when an email popped into my inbox offering amazing deal I just simply couldn't miss it, I jumped at a chance, because other than this kinda once-in-a-lifetime kinda deal, they never have any sales or deals. The deal was a great gift with purchase if you spend over €40 or $45 or £30, they had this deal both on EU and US sites. I bought a foundation in white peach (37€) and just a recycled bath sponge (4€) to bump up to forty euros. Shipping was further €8. (wanted so much more than this, but my budget is shall we say non existent? I'll count this as my early Birthday present to myself. Like six months early :) )
So here we go, shall we have a look at what I got and what I think of it?

100% Pure first impressions review

How amazing does this look? All this for 48€ I think this is an awesome deal! I also got three tiny samples of shampoo and a cotton make up bag with 100%Pure printed all over it, I didn't care much for that and gifted it to my overjoyed toddler.

100% Pure review

Foundation.
On the closer inspection I noticed that there is something wrong with the foundation, it has those tiny slits all over it, clearly visible from this photo below.

100% Pure foundation review

I posted this picture on my Instagram page, and a lot of people said it is not normal for foundation to look like this, it is possible that it is old/separated or from a bad batch and I should contact their customer service, which I did, and five days later the answer came back saying "In regards to the Foundation this is completely normal. Being that the products are fully natural they do separate due to various circumstances. All that needs to be done is a bit of shaking to re-mix the formula just as most natural products". So at least I was able to use the foundation in confidence, but do I actually like it? Hard to tell at this point and I hope I will warm up to it, as I really wanted to like this product, I really did, but I just don't think it performs very well. Let me make myself clear, there are some things I like about it and some of the things not so much.
Pros: it looks natural from afar, it doesn't not feel like a mask or heavy layer of make up on your skin, you can build the coverage to your preference, and it actually can last all day providing you will set it with powder.
Cons: it is very hard to blend due to the lack of silicones, you get very little time to work it into the skin as it sets fast, so don't make my mistake and don't dot the foundation all over your face and then start blending. you will end up with streaky face this way, it's best to work in small areas. Also all that blending and layering takes a lot of time, so it's not exactly ideal for those morning before work or school run. Second thing l didn't like is that l needed tons of product to get a decent coverage - about 6-7 full pumps, which for me is unheard of, I use one or two at most with other foundations. It also emphasised every single fine line I have, even the ones I didn't know I had! My eye area looked like a cobweb of fine lines with this product on, and dare I say that made me look older than I actually am? Number four is that the foundation does not last well on it's own, it needs a helping hand of powder to help it stay, which is not ideal for dry skin gals like me! After a while the foundation settles into dry areas of your face and rubs off in other areas, revealing the redness underneath. So it is fair to say you will have to adjust your make up in the middle of the day, which is something I have never ever done before. Once I leave the house, that's it for me, l don't lug around make up bag with me. One of the first times I wore this was out for the day running errands and when I checked my reflection in the mirror at about midday, l was like "Oh, looks like we have a problem here". Now I sort of understand why so many of us ladies carry make up bags full of stuff everywhere, but for me, I would rather change the offender product, rather than start carrying around tons of other products to fix one's downfalls. Maybe I am expecting too much of this product, but then again, in my thinking the product not only has to be natural, but to actually perform as well, or is that too much to ask?
I also got the shade that is too light for me (this is in no way their fault) and it makes me look too white and ghost like, so l definitely have to bronze up to wear it, and from what l have seen green youtubers talk about the next shade is way darker and they often get two shades and mix them together to make it just right. But this only adds to my doubts to whether I will repurchase this product, I mean do I want to spend almost €80 for two foundations and start playing mixologist every morning, when none of them is quite right? 
*Update many weeks later - I found out since that if you prep your face really well by using emollient moisturiser or balm and/or using a primer helps a lot with these problems and the foundation does not move and lasts all day. I have gotten their Luminous face primer since (I have a review on it too, please check it out) was a total game changer for me! It totally fixes all the problems I just mentioned.

Lip butter
The most surprising thing about this was that it is not moisturising, and that's a surprise given the ingredients, it has shea and other butters, but I find I need a lip balm underneath. The colour is perfect for winter and autumn, and I really like this product, it looks fabulous on the lips and cheeks (trust me to try it this way too) as it does last a long time and leaves a very nice stain. It takes a very little product,  so I can see this product lasting a very long time!

100% Pure palette review

Palette
Now for the palette. This was the freebie I was the most excited about, l mean you don't get deals like this often, right? it comes with Pink Champagne Luminescent Powder (works well for me, has nice shimmer and it's more on the golden side), Pretty Naked Powder Blush (looked super light once swatched and l have doubts if it will work for me, haven't used it on the cheeks yet due to my dermatitis on most part on my face.. Say no more, check natural fails post for more info). The eyes haddows look pigmented and last very well.. I will insert a few more swatch pictures later on.

100% Pure Mascara review

The mascara was another problem which I noticed straight away, it came broken, something rolls inside of it and if I shake it slightly, it rattles. I could be wrong, but I think that the colour deposit fell down the tube? The customer service weren't exactly helpful, they said unless I will provide a clear proof of what's wrong with it, there's not much they can do. Now, how can I provide proof without completely smashing and destroying the mascara tube I don't know..
The mascara itself didn't blew me away, and I knew it will do very little for my lashes as l have watched enough Youtube review videos over time. A lot of people said it's good everyday mascara, and I have to agree, it won't give you amazing results, and if you are like me who needs a lot of help from mascara, this is not the product for you. It won't give you volume no matter how many layers you will try to apply, and that is exactly what l am looking for. Yes, it will give length but not much, and my first impressions of it aren't great, it just pretty much will colour your lashes and that's about it. It won't be a repurchase for me I can tell you that much. Let's face it, if I am going to spend that much on a mascara (€20) it has to do way more than that. Also many people say it runs very easily and don't even think going into the rain with this mascara on, because you will end up with racoon eyes.
I really like the liner on the other hand, it really compensates for a bad mascara in my eyes! I is super black, creamy to apply, gives you nice smudged Kate Moss look eyes that last all day. Super :)
*Update many weeks later - their Maracuja mascara s a million times better in my opinion, and that is due mainly to the better brush in my humble opinion. I am so glad I gave their mascara a second chance, because the maracuja mascara went on to be my favourite ever mascara, green or not! Truly Holy Grail status if you will.



So that is all for now :) Let me know if you tried any of 100% Pure products and did you like them? Please share with me!

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Kindest Regards,
Lots of love,
Renata.

Natural Dupe for CoverFx Custom Drops foundation / Christopher Drummond concealer review (now called Hynt Beauty)

Christopher Drummond concealer, now Hynt Beauty 

Hi my loves,

(want a hynt? for my new review on this concealer, please click here)

Today I am coming at you with a natural dupe for CoverFx custom drops foundation :) Surprised? Many people seem to think that CoverFx is a "natural" product, just because they claim "no parabens" on the label, and l must admit I was kinda intrigued too when they came out with the custom drops foundation. You see, I am no longer spring chicken and no longer have perfect skin, so have a lot to cover up, and since I switched to natural beauty none of my foundations come up to scratch even when I try to build it up. Plus I have that dreaded dermatitis outbreak that covers half of my face! Horrible does not even cover it. Now, let's get back to concealers here, let's get not sidetracked. Natural concealers are even worse, none of the ones I tried did a decent job and they wear off after one hour. Insert sad face here. Lets get back to CoverFx for a minute here, I just wanted to mention why I was kinda toying with idea of shelling out big bucks for it. ($44 for the drops foundation and plus shipping plus custom tax if you ask) You see, if you saw me in person with no make up on, first question you would ask if i am sick or tired, that's how bad my dark under eye circles are! Since it's hereditary and there's nothing I can do about it I have to live with it. Just under those beauties I've got dark pigmentation from sun damage that won't go away no matter what, some areas with broken capillaries and acne or some irritations from products are also frequent guests on my face. Lovely combination, I know! So you could see why I was interested in CoverFx Custom Drops foundation, it's because it covers everything! So thanks goodness I checked out the ingredients before adding it to the cart!
Here are the ingredients for your perusion:
Ethyl Trisiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Mica, Jojoba Esters, Triethylhexanoin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Silica, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Water (Aqua, Eau), Alcohol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).

And I was like, thanks but no thanks! Yes I can see some seed wax waaay down the list, but other than that, it's dimethicones aplenty, and what the hell is crosspolymer is doing in "natural" foundation? I don't want to cover my face with plastics and silicones, thanking you.

Now, to be fair I have to tell you that it is no comparison post, since I didn't try CoverFx foundation, this is only my take on what might be the more natural option for you. I got this Christopher Drummond concealer a while ago since so many green youtubers and bloggers claim it to be holy grail status, and l have to agree, the coverage is aaamazing! This will be my repurchase for life! I will insert a few pics so you could see the coverage, and in the meantime shall we look into the ingredient list?

Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tri-Isostearlyl Citrate, Acacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower seed wax/Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Hydrogenated Jojoba oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) seed oil, , Stearalkonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Oleic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) oil, Boron Nitride, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuacu) Seed butter. May contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499).

I don't claim to be skincare ingredients expert, but l see more natural ingredients here, don't you?

Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting Concealer, formerly known as Christopher Drummond concealer 

 The consistency is light and creamy and super pigmented, I have to tell you that, it's nothing like I've seen before! (From what I've seen it looks like MAC Prolongwear concealer, but l never had that to compare for myself). One pump will cover your whole face like nobody's business, and that's when I've come up with the idea for this blog post, the first time I pressed the pump waaay too much product came out, and I could see straight from the bat that is too much for under eye area alone. So I covered my whole face with it, and I didn't need any foundation afterwards! It gave me high coverage (perfect for me, if you are lucky enough to have a decent skin and don't need that much coverage, dilute it with a moisturiser or primer of your choice. ) Dark under eye circles, sun damage areas, freckles, spots, scars, everything will be covered. And it lasts all day. Keep this in mind if you will get this product after all, don't press the pump all the way if you will use it for under eyes only. That is one of two problems I see with this product - the pump gives way too much product and I am sad to say it creases if you will apply second layer.
Here is the photo of the amount needed for under eye are, just a small dime, like 1/3rd of a pump.

Hynt Beauty Duet Perfection Concealer In Light

And here it is spread out a bit, you can see that it is very pigmented! I forgot to add that is the shade light.

Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting Concealer in Light Swatched

I am so happy with this product I will keep buying it time and time again, and I am thinking of getting it in a darker shade to use as a foundation, as this is getting a bit light for me for summer if my 100% Pure foundation won't work out. And it does not irritate my dermatitis, always a good thing in my book. I should add that this product is organic, vegan and Peta approved, since someone asked me about animal testing and this company. They also changed their packaging recently to a squeezy tube, but last time l looked (today) they still have this packaging on their website.

Duet Perfecting Concealer in Light blended in

So, tell me do you have any experience with this product? Do you like it?
Please let me know :)


*UPDATE: Christopher Drummond now is called Hynt Beauty & the package looks different)

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That is all for now.
Have a nice day!
Lots of Love.
Renata.

How To Have Healthy Hair Again The Natural Way

Welcome back :)

I was posting a hair and scalp mask DIY picture on Instagram and suddenly the idea hit me, I ought to make a blog post about healthy hair, or rather how to have healthy hair again. Rather I should explain I lost 50% of my hair once i stopped breastfeeding, and my doctor brushed it off as "it will grow back".. So as the months passed and it didn't grow back, I decided to take matters into my own hands and do it natural way.
By the way, are you following me on Instagram? If not, you should :) here's the link :)

 https://instagram.com/green_life_in_dublin/

Back to business! Do you have frizzy hair and endless dandruff that is not going away no matter what you do or what expensive medical shampoo you buy? Guess what? You weren't born that way honey! It is the products you use that is the source of your problems. Yes, you read that right, your eyes aren't deceiving you. It took me a long time time to realise this and get to where I am today, so if you want to make a shortcut and save yourself ten years or experimenting and research and just jump straight to the good stuff and my two cents on it, aka advice :)

Switch to natural shampoos (no sls)

That is non negotiable! Let me tell you what conditions cured themselves almost overnight what i ditched sls (aka sodium laureth sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate) - frizzy hair, dandruff, itchy and sensitive scalp AND backne! If that doesn't convince you, just go on and check the ingredients label on your dish washing soap or washing powder. Yes, there is a method to my madness - these products AND your shampoo have the same ingredients in them, yes, you guessed that right, SLS. What is it? Cheap harsh detergent that washes everything right off, so you are left with scalp that is squeaky clean, with no natural oils left on it. Yes, you will have clean hair, but at what cost? And especially if you do that every day? You can't expect your hair and scalp to be in their best condition if you take away all the natural oils that are there for a reason, can you? And what's worse, your scalp is one of the most absorbent places of your skin, so all the "lovely" bunch of chemicals get absorbed into your head every day.

Cut down on heat
It damages the hair big time, and gives you brittle hair and split ends! If you can't give up it all together, please just promise me don't do it two days in the row, as the second time you do it, the moisture is pulled out of your hair and it will become straw like. Nobody wants that, right? also I recently learned from Whitney or Eco-Vegan Gal from youtube (check out her youtube channel and a video on haircare) that the hair dryers and styling products emit the same high level of radio active waves as the microwave, so basically we ladies are successfully microwaving our heads every day! How scary is that?

Supplements
There are lots of unnatural supplements to choose from, but I wanted something natural, so I will tell you what I used and you can pick and choose what you want to try.. I tried amla (same powder as I used for hair masks can be taken internally, since it's food grade.) it's sour-ish powder that you take a teaspoon or so per day, try to bump it up as it's packed full of natural vitamin C. I just mixed it with water and drank quickly but you can add it to your smoothies or yogurt. Next is MSM, I got mine in raw form from Nourish, and it definitely made a difference, just it tastes quite nasty sour and to be honest l never repurchased it after my course. Biotin is a form of vitamin B and it is also fabulous for the hair, makes it grow so fast! One of my recent discoveries is baobab powder, which has more vitamin C than oranges, more iron than red meat and is a source of alkalising minerals including calcium, potassium (gram for gram, five time more bananas) and magnesium. But as I mentioned, it's new to me so l want to give myself time to see if I recommend it or not, in theory it should be good.
And let's not forget, to have healthy hair you need protein, so consume your fair share of proteins, preferably in food form, not those powdered ones. I like to eat nuts and seeds too, as they have lots of proteins (one tablespoon of sunflower seeds will have your daily quota). Eat them as a snack or sprinkle on yogurt or salads.

 Hair masks
 Here is my usual arsenal of hair loving ingredients, and you can pick and choose what do you want to use and off you go to mix your own concoctions ;)
Rosemary (fresh or dried), egg, yogurt, honey, banana, avocado, amla (none other than gooseberry), neem powder, coconut oil, water and milk, castor oil.
There are no specific measurements here, but if you want recipes, l will tell you a couple of one I am using, but to be honest here I am using whatever I do have on hand at the time. 
All these masks should be kept on for at least 20 mins, with oil masks the longer the better!
Coconut water and milk mask. Take some coconut milk from a can - scoop the thick part from the top and mix it with coconut water, and apply to the scalp and the hair. Keep it on for at least 20 mins, the longer the better. You can totally use coconut milk by itself, next time you are making your family curry, save a spoon or two for your mask. I usually have those two ingredients frozen in the ice cubes in my freezer and defrost only the amount I need.
Coconut oil and amla mask. You may want to add a few drop of rosemary essential oil too, as this ingredients is amazing for your hair! For a mask you will need a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil and about a teaspoon of amla (or neem, esp if you are trying to regrow your hair). 
Egg, honey and oil mask. Take an egg, and equal amounts of honey and egg and after mixing everything together apply to your hair. When washing this out, make sure to use lukewarm water if you don't want scrambled eggs in your hair!
Avocado or banana mask. Take a very ripe banana (or avocado), mash it up and apply to the hair. I have to tell you I haven't done these in a while, because these masks are a pain-in-you-know-what to wash out! But your hair will be happy, believe me!!

Scalp masks
 All the mentioned above masks are good for the scalp, so don't forget to rub it into the scalp too! I am a big fan of oiling the scalp and try to do a coconut scalp & hair mask at least once a week. Think of your scalp and hair as a soil and the flowers, to have beautiful flowers you need healthy soil, and for some reason or another we tend to overlook the scalp more often than not.

Herbal Rinses
Nettle is a fabulous hair friend, and it makes a perfect a perfect rinse. Take a handful of dried nettle (a few handfuls if using fresh) and steep in the boiling water for 30 mins. When cooled to the room temperature, use as a final rinse for your hair. You can rinse it out, but I usually don't.
Rosemary or sage rinse. Use the same way as a nettle rinse.
Rosewater rinse or spray. I recently found out that Indian beauties spray rosewater on their hair to make it shiny and beautiful, but i need to research a bit more about it. Inspired by this fact I made this little spray I try to use everyday if I remember  - equal parts of rosewater, rosemary and nettle. I spray it on my scalp and massage it in to lock the goodness in :)

Scalp massage
Let's just agree that is important to give the hair follicle the oxygen, so let's massage the scalp from time to time, or lay on the bed with your head hanging down from the side of your bed for two minutes each day (the flow of blood surely will benefit your hair) or even do like your grandma used to do and "brush your hair 100 times a day" with natural bristles brush. (speaking of brushes, l noticed tremendouss difference in my hair health and shine levels once l swapped my plastic brush to boar bristles brush. Choose wooden brush if you don't want animal products)


*Disclaimer: consult with your doctor before using supplements first. I am only telling you what worked for me and can not be held responsible for what you will do with this information. 

That is all my friends :)

Take care, 

Lots of Love,

Renata.