Review| Burt's Bees Sugar Scrub

    I have been looking for a cheaper alternative to the Fresh Brown Sugar Body Scrub, which smells heavenly and softens the skin like no other product, and which is ridiculously expensive ($60). And I knew that such smell won't be found in a drug store product, but could not help when I saw the Burt's Bees Honey&Shea Sugar Scrub at Target with the $10 sign beside it.

Pros : 

1-  Scrubbing wise, it scrubs well. The particles are small and not abrasive, but still do the job.

2- The consistency of it and the density of the scrubbing particles are perfect. 

3- Cheap.

Cons:

1- The smell is not my cup of tea. It smells nutty and sweet, and I love nutty smells that are balanced well and smell more natural, but this one is not to my taste at all. I am too precise when it comes to scents, and I don't know if I am too precise this time but I find the oils smelling like as if they are kept out in the sun for a while until it started to smell expired. That is why I use it before shampooing my body.

  Actually, when I first used it I thought it was too greasy, but then I realized that the oils are separated and that I have to mix it with my finger. It turns out fine. 

Overall, this is a good body scrub, considering the price and the way it scrubs. I would buy it again only if there is another scent that I like.

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Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored. I wrote my honest opinion of a product that I purchased with my own money.

A Haul

Hello there,

I did some sort of random shopping during the last week and picked some clothing and beauty stuff.

From Target :

Burt's Bees Honey & Shea Sugar Scrub $10.69 : I am going to do a separate review about it soon.

 Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes with White Tea Extract $6 : I actually bought the travel size which I think was about $4, wanted to try it first as a make up remover, but I could not find it at the Target website so I linked the Burt's Bees website instead. 

Biore' Deep Cleansing Pore Strips $6.49 : A girl's best friend : )

Bic Soleil Bella 3 Disposable Razors $5

Rimmel 621 Orion Eyeshadow: I can't remeber the price and it is not even written on the website.

 Rimmel Scandal Eyes Nude Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner: I only find this either at Target or Walmart. It is always sold out at CVS and Walgreens ! Also I don't remember the price and can't find it at target's website so I linked another site.


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Online :
  
Avene Eau Thermale Rich Hydrating Cream for Dry to Very Dry $25.99  
Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray $8.99 

One of the best skin care brands out there. Wanted to try this cream for a long time. Going to do a review on both the cream and the spray soon.

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Brandy Melville :

Found some lovely and cheap jewelry at Brandy Melville. The quality of some of their pieces are good considering the price, some are not that good. At least, if it broke or something you will not feel guilty throwing it. 

I picked up 3 bracelets and one ring which is my favorite. I'll list the links to the website so you can check the prices if you want. But I could not find the ring though ..

http://www.brandymelvilleusa.com/accessories/jewelry/rose-gold-infinity-beaded-bracelet.html

http://www.brandymelvilleusa.com/accessories/jewelry/antique-turquoise-stone-bangle.html

http://www.brandymelvilleusa.com/accessories/jewelry/antique-silver-red-stone-bangle.html


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 Clothing :

From Target I found this Ombre Xhilaration® Juniors Sleep Tank $9.99

Quilted Baseball Jacket $39  ( I am not sure if the website has extra 50% off)
 
Also I went to French Connection, they always have this crazy sale section. Yesterday they had extra 50% on already reduced prices. They have nice things at the women section but a jacket at the men section caught my eyes. It was reduced from $158 to $39 ! Could not decide between the black one and the orange , even though I don't like orange at all but this one was a lovely elegant shade. At the end I decided to take the black one because it goes with everything, size XS.



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This is it for my haul, hope you liked it and hope I reminded you to buy something you needed  : D




Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored. I write my honest opinion of things that I purchased with my own money.

Lazy Cooking day | Pasta

   it is not all about my skin, it is also about my stomach.The process of cooking something is a bit annoying sometimes, especially if you are lazy to do so and at the same time hungry and the night turns into a hunger game ( I have not read the novel and did not watch the film). And because I do not stick to recipes at all, I like to improvise. It could be a mental exercise for your imagination too ! So without further ado, lets see what lazy cooking days look like:

Munster and Bologna Pasta

You need :

Salt

Pepper

Vegetable Oil

Pasta ( I used Farfalle ) 

Creamy Tomato Sauce ( or any sauce you like)

Turkey Bologna

Munster Cheese 

- All ingredients I bought from Trader Joe's, except the cheese -

And if you are going to make the sauce yourself and you are wondering what this tomato sauce is made from, then here are the ingredients from the package : 

Tomato, Cream, Parmesan Cheese, Onions, Extra Virgin Oil, Basil, Garlic, Salt, Sugar, Spices.

Cooking + Preparing Time : 

About 20 mins ..

Directions:

( Quantity good for two ) 

1- Put a pot full of water on high heat. Add pasta when water boils ( I added half a bag of pasta) and cook as directed on the package. 

2- add salt and oil then stir and reduce heat to medium-high.

3- Meanwhile, take about 3 slices of Bologna and 2 slices of Munster cheese and cut them into cubes.

4- When your pasta is finished, drain it well, then add the creamy sauce ( I added 6 table spoons) then stir. Then add the cubes of bologna and stir again.

5- Serve pasta on a plate and add the cheese cubes on top of it.

6- Enjoy : ) and thank me while eating it.

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See you,

Stay tuned.

Current Skincare Routine

I thought it would be nice to share with you my current skincare routine :

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For face washes, I switch between 3 products :

BodyShop Seaweed Deep Cleansing Face Wash:

Bodyshop isn't always on my list when looking for skincare products, but sometimes you just go into a store!  And because I am addicted to seaweed salad, I was browsing their section of seaweed products. The lady there recommended their face wash, which is for Combination/Oily skin, and my skin is combination to dry, even the oily zone isn't that oily. I find this a descent,gentle wash, I think it is going to work great for those who have oily skin. But I still have this feeling after cleansing my face, a tight dry skin kind of feeling, which I don't know if it should feel this way or if it's just a product that did not suit my skin!

Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser:

This is a great product! I went straight to Keilh's after trying a sample of it. I usually don't find samples enough to see if a product is good or not, but I was impressed with this one from the first use. It is formulated with Amazonian White Clay which leaves the skin smooth and soft, and cleans like no other face wash I have ever used. It also has very few, barely noticeable exfoliating particles. And even though this is supposed to be a daily cleanser, I feel like it should be every other day, at least for those with dry skin, because it really clarifies the skin. But for those with oily skin, this will be perfect ..

St.Ives Green Tea Scrub:

I use it twice a week, and sort of daily on the nose area to get rid of any flakiness. I also use it as a lip scrub and it works great. I talked about it in detail in my Empties Post

 

Acure Day Cream : 

I raved about this product in my previous post. I talked about it in details so I am not going to say much about it here other than " I love this cream" .

LaidBare Pack Your Bags Eye Cream: 

Don't you love the name of this product! "Pack Your Bags" how cute !

Here are some details about it from a website:

• Say good bye to sleepy eyes
• Clever eye cream contains a unique blend of effective ingredients
• Buckwheat wax helps reduce puffiness and dark circles
• Shea butter hydrates skin
• Eyebright helps reduce the appearance of redness and brightens the skin

 I found this brand at T.J.Maxx, I have never seen it before anywhere. I have been using it for several months and did not see much change simply because I don't expect change from an eye cream. My only problem is dark circles which I was born with, and which becomes less dark when I regulate my sleep, other than this I don't have any dryness or puffiness. I only bought it for the sake of keeping this part of my face hydrated and not ignored. I find it a decent product that is going to last for a long long time. It might work for someone else perfectly !

Bodyshop Vitamin E Moisture Cream:

I did not like this at all, I know many people like it, but it is not for me. Even though I bought the travel or sample size, I could not finish it, so this might turn into a hand cream instead. The consistency and the smell of it is just like putting a glycerin hand cream on my face! It feels weird and uncomfortable. Lately, I apply it on certain dry patches on my face or nose, only few amount of it that won't bother that much ..

Vichy LiftActiv Night Cream :

This is a really thick, greasy night cream.I had great expectations for it, but I was disappointed. Even with the consistency of it, it still does not moisturize that much. I have been a loyal costumer to Vichy; I started my serious skincare routine when I was in high school with Vichy products, and I loved their day creams, which seemed to have been formulated differently now ! I remember the moment I apply their light creams I feel my skin getting quenched immediately, which I hardly feel now with most products of any brand. Long story short, this product is not for me at all ..

DDF Protect & Correct UV Moisturizer SPF 15:

It is too light and does not moisturize enough. It leaves a shiny film on the skin. I hate the way it smells ( which is only my problem, not the product's). By the way, does anyone hate the smell of SPF products? Ah I just can't stand it. If you know any SPF that does not smell please tell me in the comments.

 

 

 Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub:

This smells and tastes lovely, even though I try not to eat it but it just sneaks into my mouth. I use it while I shower or after I brush my teeth. It is decent, but not the best lip scrub out there. I actually find my St.Ives green tea scrub much better. 

 

Wholefoods Vanilla Honey Lip Balm:

Trying to get as natural and organic products as I can, I decided to ditch all lip products that I used to use ( even though I am still in love with Labello, the first and the best lip product I have ever used) for a healthy alternative.  This one is 100% natural, and the consistency of it is perfect. 

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Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored. I wrote my honest opinion of products I purchased with my own money.  

 

 

 

Can't take my nose off you | Jo Malone Elderflower & Gooseberry

Jo Malone Elderflower & Gooseberry Cologne $60.00

I didn't know why I walked into Neiman Marcus, but now I know why. It is called the force and effect of a really good product on a picky costumer. I lingered a while at the perfumes section sniffing and sniffing as any other human being in front of bottles filled with scents.
I must say that I am always allured by the lovely, simple yet elegant display of Jo Malone. 

 

There, stood four of their limited edition perfumes. I can't even remember the other 3, or even the other perfumes I smelled, because only Jo Malone's Elderflower & Gooseberry
stood out like no other perfume, and have not been attached to a scent like this in a long time! 
I usually take samples home and see how it wears. But sadly they did not have samples for the limited editions so I sprayed on a scent strip and kept sniffing it non stop, the taxi driver must been thinking that I was on drugs. The next day, went again to Neiman Marcus and ended the misery. And I was lucky because there were only 3 left ..

The scent, Oh the scent!  you can't get enough of. It is a refreshing floral, fruity, spicy scent,  but not as you imagine, it is just unique, and each ingredient harmonize with the other without being overwhelming. This might sound weird to some of you, but it also has a scent similar to high end lipsticks, that luxurious,classic scent! Believe me I am not exaggerating, this perfume deserves at least a sniff before it is gone...

At the end I would like to say something to Jo Malone: " Why the hell is this a limited edition !! "



  Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. All I wrote is my honest opinion of a product that I purchased with my own money.

Product Discovery | Acure Day Cream

 

A month ago a new branch of Wholefoods opened near where I live, and at the same time I was in need of a new face cream. And as Wholefoods always carry natural beauty brands, I decided I will not leave the store without a face cream. Unfortunately, the branch was too small and they only have few brands. But a brand ,that I have never seen before anywhere, caught my eyes with its simple white and orange packaging design.

The brand is called Acure, and they have so many products on their website that I wish to find at the store. And I love how the packaging is all white, while each product has a different  design, which I found attractive.

Acure Day Cream:

For Normal to Dry skin

 Firm | Hydrate | Restore

$18.99 - $19.99

At first I was not sure, as I am when buying a brand that I have never tried before. And I appreciate that Wholefoods have testers. So I tried it on my hand and I liked the consistency of it; not thick nor too light. It smells like orange, and even though I am used to face creams that have no smell to it, I did not mind this as long as it has no perfume. And luckily, this brand turns out to be really natural to the point that when you read the ingredients you feel like you can make it in your kitchen ( kidding!) .

It is Vegan, sulfate free, Cruelty free, Paraban free, Gluten free, PEG free, Petroleum free, pthalate free, silicone free,Synthetic fragrance free. Everything free ! ( water huh!)

It has a lot of fruit oils and extracts (Mandarin, blacberry, Acai, Pomegranate, olive, sunflower, aloeV , rosehips ...etc etc). Also I don't know if this is the only product that has it, but it has something called Gotu Kola Stem Cell which helps fight enviromental damage. I googled Gotu Kola and it turns out to be a plant called Centella Asiatica found in parts of Asia and Africa and have been used as a medicine and wound healer for thousands of years.

 This cream also has something called Chlorella Growth Factor, which supports collagen and fights signs of aging. 


Impression:

 Actually when I read the ingredients, I did not care how well this will moisturize  as long as it is going to nourish my dull skin, and I can always use it as a supplement with another cream. But it turns out to be a great moisturizer, and even though I am not into citrusy scents especially on my face,  this one is subtle and fades away shortly. It is not greasy, it just soaks into the skin laving it soft without shine. I usually don't notice any difference, but I was surprised when the fine lines on my forehead are gone! yes gone ! and I wish this isn't temporarily..

I am going to repurchase this again, and I would love to try their night cream only if it does not smell like lavender ,which I can't stand..

I just wish the tube comes in a larger size than 50 ml...

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Disclaimer : This post is NOT sponsored. Everything I wrote is my own opinion of a product that I purchased with my own money.

MAYBELLINE Color Show in Poolside (Limited Edition)

Maybelline Color Show in Poolside (Limited ) $5.99

 When it comes to nail polishes, I am into nudes and maroon(ish) reds. But sometimes you 
want to see that certain color on your nails. Baby blue, the color that I always desire in clothes and rarely find, or at least rarely find the right shade of it. So yesterday I went to CVS to buy something not related to beauty, and found that baby blue nail polish randomly placed on a shelf, as if by some sort of magic it moved itself so my eyes can see it.

This is the first time I try a nail polish from Maybelline, and I struggled to put this polish on, the brush is too thin and not that flexible. Plus, I am awful at applying nail polishes,which adds on the not so good results. 

The color looks perfect in the bottle, and it would be on nails if one coat is enough, but the more coats the darker and brighter the color gets, which is not what I am looking for.