Empties & Update!

Hey guys!

Judging by my blogging absence, I've been slacking-BIG time!

I could give you a list of everything I do and complain about how busy I am..but who wants to hear excuses? Bottom line is, I love my blog and will stay committed to posting.

Okay, this is starting to sound like couples therapy. Without further adieu, my empties...

Body Shop Sweet Lemon Lip Butter: Won't repurchase, I found it tasted very sweet and didn't do anything out of the ordinary to moisturize my lips. That being said I don't regret using it.

Bumble&Bumble Seaweed Conditioner: Hefty price tag! The formulation and smell was lovely but I will most likely go for something cheaper next time. If you want to try something out from Bumble and Bumble, this might be a nice place to start.

Clinique Moisture Surge: I've raved about this before, and will always go back to it.

Mitchum Deodorant: HATED it! My friend concurs!

Crabree & Evelyn Jojoba Oil: I mostly used this during the summer. It was great for after sun. I would buy it again.

Pond's Facial Wipes: The best I've ever used. I couldn't find them last time I was at Shoppers and ended up getting the Nivea facial wipes but they pale in comparison.

Lush Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask: Yucky, I much preferred Brazened Honey. The smell of this product throws me off. If you don't mind garlic + tea tree + grapes + eggs you are a warrior and should give it a go. I won't repurchase.

Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner: I love this! I repurchased it about 2 weeks ago (I think?). Let me know if you want a separate review/demonstration.

Di Palomo Fig & Grape Shower Gel: This was heavenly and was included in my last favourites post.

I love how Empties Posts make me aware of everything I use. Sorry the photo didn't give a proper look at the packaging. 

Be Be Your Love - Rachael Yamagata

Dice - Finley Quaye

If Only - Fink

These are the songs I have on repeat! Please take a listen and let me know in the comments your favourite songs right now :) Or if you did an October Empties post leave me your links!

Review: Lush Cosmetic Warrior

You might remember how ecstatic I was after using Brazened Honey! Everything about it was perfect :) So I was happily prepared to drop some more dough at Lush and try another mask. There were so many to choose from and while Brazened Honey was amazing, I am always looking for something even better. If I didn't do that..I'd be a pretty bad beauty blogger.

With the help of a lovely sales assistant I bought Cosmetic Warrior. Grey-ish taupe in shade and as the photos hopefully show, chunky in texture. This mask is supposed to help combat breakouts using tea tree oil, garlic, grapes, eggs and honey. It has properties that can "smooth and tighten the pores" as well as moisturize. All for $6.95

So what did I think? The mask felt very cooling and refreshing. My skin felt calmed down once I washed it off. I didn't get any new breakouts during the 2 weeks and I thought it helped with a few nasty spots along my chin. Keep in mind I use this in conjunction with other skin care items; masks, moisturizers, cleansers etc!

My reservation with this product is the smell. It is gross. There is no way around it. The combination of garlic and tea tree oil just does it. The scent took away the 'pampered' feeling I typically get from using a mask. It wasn't horrible enough that I stopped applying the product. Just like the other mask, there was enough inside to cover my face about 4 times. 

Overall: If you are extremely sensitive to smells or hate garlic this is not the mask for you! On the other hand, if you are willing to pinch your nose and do something good for your skin I would recommend this mask. Yes it stinks but your face will thank you. I would still recommend Brazened Honey over this one.

My Skincare Routine!

My skincare routine is a bit of an ever-evolving process. I wrote a guest post on this subject for Sophia Ford's blog (also known as Tattooed Tea Lady)! So you might have already read this, as her blog is immensely popular and lovely. If not feel free to make an attempt at deciphering my ramble! :)

A little back-story… I am acne prone and have combination/oily skin. I have tried just about everything from the Clarisonic Mia to overpriced spa facials.  At the end of the day it comes down to hormone balance for me *sigh* as well as healthy diet. However, these are the products that I find help regulate my skin.

1. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser: I use this because I like a basic, no-nonsense cleanser. Fragrance free, non-comedogenic . It says it is for normal to dry skin but I find it works well for my oily/combination skin. I use  a quarter sized amount of this in the morning and at night.

2. Vichy Softening Exfoliating Cream: After about 2 years of using harsh exfoliators that seemed to aggravate my skin I opted for a creamy and effective product to slough away all the dead skin cells. What I love about this, is the exfoliating beads, the bottle is jam-packed! I use it 2-3 times a week.

 3. Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner: The first ever toner I have been able to consistently use. I tried a Lancome toner maybe 2 years ago and found it did nothing. The sly hippies who work at Lush coaxed me into buying this, and I’ve so glad I did. I spritz it directly on my face (no cotton pads for this rebel) after I shower and it makes my skin feel happy and helps my moisturizer do it’s job!

 4. Boscia Oil-Free Daily Hydration: Alas, I am almost finished this product. Pretty good considering I’ve used it since November! A little bit goes a long way. It doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy and the packaging is ideal, the design helps you get bang for your buck while still being hygienic unlike those pesky jars. I use this with my toner about once a day.

Hope this was informative and that you have some ideas about new products to try!

If you have any recommendations please leave them in the comments or feel free to tweet me @frowardfashion

I've got some posts scheduled to go up later this week so stay tuned...

August Empties!

The end of August...good bye long, hot days. Hours spent on the beach reading shallow books and sporting swimsuits that are...hmm...less than figure flattering.

As much as I love the sunshine and general relaxation that takes place in July and August, fall is my favourite season. 

So I thought an Empties post would be an appropriate adieu to the season. Here are the products I was able to finish up this summer :)

Lever 2000 Body Wash: Can't say I loved the formulation of this product. I found it oddly gooey. It is a product my Mom reaches for so I thought I would give it a shot. If you want a really simple, inexpensive, moisturizing body wash this might be for you. I think I will try something different next time.

EOS Shave Cream: After using the EOS lip balms I HAD to try their shave cream. I bought the vanilla scent-smells amazing! The product itself is super rich and felt great on my legs! My only complaint is that I found it hard to use the entire product. While the pump worked well it didn't get all the product out. Since the bottle was so hard I couldn't cut it open like I did with other products. I would still buy this product again.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser: My current favourite cleanser. This was the mini bottle I took to my cottage. The full size is sitting in my shower, being perfect.

Tresemme Conditioner: Just a standard conditioner, helps detangle hair and moisturize my dry ends. I bought this travel size container in February but finished it up this month while at my cottage. It's cheap, easily accessible and does a decent job conditioning hair. If I don't find anything else that interests me I would probably repurchase.

Clinique Moisture Surge: I've raved about this product so much already. This is the third mini bottle I've finished along with another full size of the product. It works wonderfully making my skin feel supple and hydrated!

Bliss Body Butter Lemon + Sage: I dedicated an entire blog post to rave about this product. Unfortunately I think there are other, cheaper body butters so I most likely won't be purchasing the full size. Maybe I'll put it on my list for Santa..

Bliss Triple C + Oxygen: Just like the other Bliss product, I got it in the Sephora 500 pt. reward gift set. Therefore it isn't something I would necessarily buy with my own money. I liked using this at night before bed because when I woke up my skin always felt a bit better, not sure how else to describe it.

Lush Brazened Honey Mask: I got 3-4 uses out of this tin! I will for sure buy another Lush mask, I'm just not sure if I should buy this one or the Cupcake mask. I will keep you posted!

Crest 3D White Strips: I used this the day before a family reunion just to brighten up my smile. This took some of the yellow tinge (cringe at that description) out of my teeth. The effects didn't last very long but it was perfect for that day. I will use these again.

Thanks for reading! If you've done an Empties post please leave me a link. Hope you are all having a great day!

Links!

EOS Shaving Cream

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Clinique Moisture Surge

Bliss Body Butter

Bliss Triple C + Oxygen Energizing Cream

Lush Brazened Honey

Crest White Strips

My First Trip to Lush!

I know you are all thinking 'LAAAME' after seeing the title of this post-but why not be honest? Yes, I did lose my Lush virginity, after all these years I had to wait until it was right for me. After responsibly preparing my wallet, and checking to make sure I had the necessary funds I popped into the  store one lonely night after work.

All joking aside I am so happy I bought these products! The verdict isn't quite out on the toner yet. I've used it about 3 times and it made my skin feel lovely, but I will need to use it a bit longer before formulating an opinion. As far as the mask goes, it is fair to say that I am OBSESSED! My skin looks brighter, feels smoother and my complexion overall has improved! I've used it 3 times and probably have enough product left for 1 or 2 more uses. 

What is the next Lush mask I should buy?