Category Archives: Beauty

August 5, 2013 · 12:37 am

My Travel Makeup Bag

I don’t wear a lot of makeup on a regular basis, but I do like (and need) a bit. Couple that with my need to pack light (I never take more than a carry-on suitcase), and you can see why picking the right products for a trip is paramount. Additionally, I only use product that are vegan and haven’t been tested on animals. Here’s what I’m taking on my upcoming trip.

My Arbonne day cream isn’t makeup per se, but it’s got SPF 20 and is an important way to start my make-up routine. I’m also bringing a tinted moisturizer with SPF. This Josie Maran is a great substitute for foundation and has SPF 30. It’s a great no makeup look. I find it really natural-looking and they have shades for almost anyone.

I’ll definitely need a concealer and this little tube (lower right) by Too Faced is perfect for under my eyes or to cover a blemish.

A light dusting of powder foundation is optional, but I like to be prepared. The Bare Minerals foundation also has SPF and is a nice way to mattify is sunscreen gets me shiny.

I usually buy single pots of eye shadow because it’s rare that I like all the shades in a set, but this Stila kit is an exception. It has five shadows that I can mix and match for day or night and a convertible lip and cheek cream. It includes a mirror and folds flat. They have several travels sets. I bought Vibrant in Vancouver.

I’m packing a dark brown eye liner by Jordana (proving you don’t have to buy from higher-end brands to get a good product). I buy Jordana because it’s inexpensive, goes on smoothly and gently, and is available in a myriad of colors. Plus, just about any drug store carries it.

I can’t live without my Stila liquid brow liner. The secret to a natural look is the right shade. I use blonde, and I make tiny brush strokes in the direction of my brows. It’s great to fill in and define. Well defined brows really frame the face and are youthful looking.

My BWC (Beauty Without Cruelty) mascara is also a must. If I had to narrow down my routine to three products it would be brows, lashes and lips.

I packed a bright red lip stain from Stila because it’s an easy way to go from day to night and the cheek cream in the kit is pretty neutral.

Finally, Booda Butter keeps my lips moisturized day and night. I have one in my purse at all times.

As for my other skin and body care, here’s what I’m taking.

If I were going to a hotel, I’d skip the shampoo and body wash, but I’ll need my own so I’m packing a solid shampoo from Lush (just lather like soap and apply to wet hair like you would a liquid shampoo). It’ll be nice to pack a solid because I won’t have to worry about it in my carry-on (or at security checks).

I’m taking 3 ounces or less of hand sanitizer, body wash, a small tube of sunscreen (when I went to Hawaii I packed four little tubes instead of one big one–to make my bag carry-on approved), night cream, a bit of hairspray in a carry-on spritzer, hand sanitizer and a face cloth. My Norwex face cloth removes makeup better than a makeup remover so it’s one less liquid I have to pack.

So there you have it. What are your travel makeup essentials? Are you a light packer like I am or to you prefer to be prepared?

5 Comments

Filed under Beauty, Ethical, Travel

Tagged as beauty, cruelty-free, make-up, travel, vegan

June 8, 2013 · 8:58 pm

Trying out the Arbonne RE9 Line

Have you heard of Arbonne? It’s a line of Swiss-developed skin care, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements. They’ve been in the US since 1980 and they’ve been green before green was popular. All products are 100% plant-based (vegan certified) and never tested on animals.

I was contacted recently by an Arbonne rep and I jumped on the chance to try the products in the RE9 Advanced line, specifically formulated for anti-aging. I got to sample the cleanser, toner, serum, eye cream, night cream, and two types of day creams. I love them! They smell wonderfully citrus-y and are so gentle on my skin.

I know it sounds weird, but in just a couple of days I swear my skin looked firmer. It didn’t feel tight though, which can be a problem with some skin firming products. The moisturizers gave me a nice glow and provide SPF 20–perfect for daily protection.

I also tried some samples of the Arbonne cosmetics and I really liked them. The tinted moisturizer had just enough coverage to not look makeup-y, and the translucent powder was really silky.

Needless to say, I placed an order. I want to keep using these products and reap the full benefits. I ordered a couple of masks, and a Vitamin D+B12 spray that apparently tastes like candy! That’s going to be a great thing to use in the gray Pacific Northwest.

Arbonne has other lines too. The FC5 and Calm lines are great for sensitive skin and for those with rosacea. I gave some samples of their baby care line to a friend of mine with an infant. I’ll let you know how baby likes her new products! They carry a men’s line too, as well as body- and hair care.

Sapha, my Arbonne consultant, helped set me up as a preferred client so I can get 20% off my purchases, points toward future orders, freebies, and other goodies. She can help you too if you’re interested in trying Arbonne. She can ship all over the US, Canada, and other places and she’s more than willing to help you find out what your skin needs. You can reach her at (281)748-7943 or saphaariasyoga@yahoo.com or you can log onto Arbonne and sign up with the code 13728752.

One more thing I liked but haven’t tried is their line of makeup brushes. As a vegan, it’s hard to find high-quality synthetic brushes. Arbonne has them!

If you use Arbonne, I’d be interested in hearing what products you’ve tried.

6 Comments

Filed under Beauty, Ethical, Product Reviews

Tagged as anti-aging, Arbonne, beauty, moisturizer, style, vegan

March 16, 2013 · 12:16 am

Josie Maran Argan Oil and Moisturizer

A few weeks ago, while poking around the shelves at Sephora, I discovered Josie Maran Argan Oil. I’ve been on a quest to find vegan beauty products. I thought I was shopping cruelty-free but I was horrified to discover a few items in my stash are by companies that still test on animals. Shameful!

The woman at Sephora explained that the entire Josie Maran line is vegan and cruelty-free (no animal ingredients and no animal testing). Plus, it’s natural and organic.

Josie Maran sources argan oil from co-ops that help women in rural Morocco earn a decent living in good labor conditions, while working toward improved literacy. I love that and I’m willing to pay more for a product with those values.

Besides, the oil is great! It’s not greasy and it absorbs quickly. I use it on my face, the dry ends of my hair, my cuticles, and my elbows. I told my friend Karthik about it and she said she uses Josie Maran products too–specifically their tinted moisturizer. So we planned to stop by Sephora and see if I could get some too.

I was surprised to see that there are only five shades. I chose crème. Karthik wears desert. To find a product that we can both wear–with our different skin types and colors–was pretty impressive (Karthik was born in India and has wonderful, warm brown skin. My light skin is a reflection of my German and Scottish roots). We both love that it’s got SPF 30. No more greasy sunscreen on our faces! (And yes, skin cancer and wrinkles affect all skin types, so slather up!)

Karthik’s issue with sunscreens is that most leave a whitish residue on her face. The Josie Maran moisturizer doesn’t. My issue is that even the lightest tinted moisturizer looks orange on my skin and you can see where the product stops and my natural color begins.

This moisturizer is tinted just right. It blends in, it’s lightweight, and left us glowing, not greasy. I’ve even stopped wearing pressed powder. I really only ever used it to hide the shine of sunscreen. I can’t wait to try their cosmetics too. Argan oil mascara? Sign me up!

We also tried products by other cruelty-free companies (Tarte and Stila) and popped into Lush, so come on back for more of our reviews!

Note: This isn’t a sponsored post. I wasn’t compensated to review these products. I just really like them. Also, I cross-posted this on my other blog, Sunshine and Slaughter, because it was relevant.

4 Comments

Filed under Beauty, Ethical, Healthy Living

Tagged as argan oil, Josie Maran, moisturizer, style, sunscreen, tinted moisturizer

February 13, 2013 · 12:00 am

Goddess Facial at Djaouida Skincare

I was recently given an offer I couldn’t refuse: to review a decadent chocolate and coconut goddess facial from Djaouida Skincare. What a luxury!

I met Djaouida at her West Seattle salon and settled into a warm bed in a relaxing room. With ingredients like coconut, chocolate, pumpkin, pineapple and papaya, you might think I’d wandered into a bakery or a smoothie shop. Her products are all-natural and the treatments are full of antioxidants and nourishing properties.

Djaouida has several types of facials to choose from, as well as sugaring (a gentle and natural hair removal) and massage.

I chose the goddess facial because I couldn’t resist the sound of a gentle cleanse, followed by a pomegranate scrub, and coconut and chocolate masks. Djaouida warned me that I’d smell like a Mounds candy bar when I was done–and she was right! Mmm!

The facial felt great, but it was more than pure decadence. It provided antioxidants and had anti-aging properties. When I was done, my skin was glowing and I felt rested. I realized I’d been doing this all wrong. I’d let other salons apply harsh chemicals to my skin, which dried it out and, frankly, burned it. It didn’t seem right. Now I know it wasn’t. I need to pamper my skin and treat it carefully. At Djaouida’s, I left hydrated and rested.

Best of all, Djaouida is a wonderful person and made the whole experience such a treat. She’s professional, but she’s also the type of person that you’d want to have a glass of wine with. I learned a lot about skincare during my one visit and I can’t wait to go back.

I’ll be making a facial at Djaouida’s part of my regular beauty routine. I can’t decide which facial to try next: Hawaiian? Pumpkin? Maybe Moroccan!

If you’re in the greater Seattle area, I highly recommend booking an appointment for a luxurious facial.