Nature's gate organic and natural skincare

Like any other day when I’m completely bored, you will find me at Winners browsing and I always end up buying something >_<. My l’occitane shea butter moisturizer is almost out but I wanted to try something new to see if there is anything out there that would compare or may be even better then it. Winners always has a fair amount of skincare stuff and I stumbled upon this brand called “Nature’s gate”. I honestly never heard of this brand before but I had an open mind and wanted to try something new and the price point around $8-12 each product. They say they are all natural and organic and are paraben free which was really what attracted me.

 Each skincare product has their own spotlight ingredient and is supposed to give you the benefits of what that spotlight ingredients is. I got almost their whole line of advanced care products except for two products: “Have a vine day” Chardonnay Hydrator for Daytime and “C for yourself” texturizing Serum. The rest of the products that I actually have is:

- “Tone back the clock” Alcohol-free soothing toner $8.99--> Coneflower

-“In the beginning” Gentle Cleansing Lotion $9.99--> Clary Sage

-“Light switch” Lemon Skin Brightening Serum for day & night $12.99-->JapaneseMandarin

-“Forget your lines” Wrinkle Diffuser Serum with Ameliox $12.99--> Milk Thistle

-“Oh what a night” Walnut Therapy for overnight renewal $9.99-->French Walnut Seed Extract

  What really impressed me is the actual packaging. It is so high quality for such a drugstore price. It comes in a frosted glass bottle and the lettering is actually printed on there! The original price point is around $20-$25. If it was that price for each product; I wouldn’t try everything but try bits and pieces of the collection. I have been using it for a week or two but I can’t give a full review on these products. I would say that the “In the beginning” cleansing lotion and the “Oh what a night” walnut therapy that they have somewhat of a weird raw smell which will need some getting used to. Just like lush products, these products are natural so not so great smellingness will be somewhat excepted. The toner has a lovely lavender scent and the light switch brightening serum smells just like lemonade. Its soo yummy! I’m still kind of on the fence about it but summer is coming up so I think these would work well for the summer time.

I have combination normal dry skin and my target problems are dryness around my cheeks, nose and chin. Why I don’t like to wear foundation is because even after moisturizing my skin, once I add foundation on my face, the dry patches appear. I’m just like What the heck!!?!?! Pain in the ass. That’s why I stick to the hot pink skin79 bb cream since it is a dewy finish and is really moisturizing for me and it doesn’t show my dry patches! I actually grabbed the walnut treatment first and was just checking it out. You’re supposed to use it as a treatment and not everyday. After I read the packaging and found out that it is organic and natural, I spotted more products from this line and was intrigued. I really liked the idea of the lemon brightening serum and it was cheap okay! I’m a sucker for discounted things. All the other products were just an impulse buy so please don’t judge me :’(.

Have you tried this brand? I have never heard of this brand, not even on youtube so tell me what you think :D. Would you give these a shot?

If you want to check out this line, here’s the link.

http://www.natures-gate.com/Shop/Catalog?category=196

Boyfriend's one year anniversary present!

Me and my boyfriend has been going out for a year. I still can’t believe that time has passed that fast. I would have never believed that I could be going out with someone for this long period of time, but I don’t believe that we’d separate ever. So to celebrate this awesome day, my boyfriend made me a well thought out goodie bag. When it comes to me and my boyfriend, I’m such a kid. I know he listens to me when I tell him things, but sometimes women do question if the men are really actually listening. LOL but obviously me has been since he got me JELLYBEANS! I really wanted jelly beans one day since I haven’t had them for the longest time! We even went to 7-11 near his place but they didn’t have the ones I wanted and I was super disappointed :’(. So when I saw these in the bag, I freaked out! I went full female and was like HEHEHEHEH YEAA! And they were organic, and they were a 10 pack and they are only 60 calories per bag which I think is amazing!


He also got me my favorite body cream, the Scottish fine soaps Au lait body cream in the full size which is super hard to get here in Canada and he managed to find one in Winners. What a sweetie <3. Also in the goody bag was some orange and pistachio chocolate which I wanted to try for the longest time but never come around buying it since its about $5 for the bar which I think is somewhat expensive >_<. He also got me bride and groom salt and pepper shaker which is soo damn cute! I’m going to have to use it soon LOL. Or give him the bride one and I’ll keep the groom: D. He also got me some airhead candies; I swear he wants me to be jumping off the walls LOL!

I would rather get a really thoughtful goodie bag then a really expensive LV bag or some Prada shoes or what not since I would be so careful of those things, it would be super annoying and ridiculous. And plus I wouldn’t want him to be spending that much money on me since its unnecessary. Happy one year baby :).

Chic band bracelets from The bay

A few days ago, I was alone once again since my boyfriend was at work and I was just strolling around in the mall (which is dangerous by the way) and killing time before I went to work.  I was in the Bay when I saw their accessories on sale.  They were actually on clearance, more like double clearance. The sign said “Items that are less than $10.99= $3.99 and items more than $10.99= $6.99”.  When things are on sale, I get confused if the tag is already reduced or not but I saw this gold band bracelet that I thought was super simple but chic at the same time. I love how the band is just a medium thick band but has a “tie” that is mad out of a really nice pink rope material with a bead to tighten the bracelet. And the really surprising thing is that the bracelet really fit nicely with my very, very tiny wrist.  I almost always try to avoid buying bangles since they just fall off my arm anyways.  I also found the same bracelet but a silver version with black rope and a silver bead. Originally the bracelet was $16.99 which I think is super ridiculous since this isn’t really “metal or alloy” material.  It was marked down to $7.99 but I got these for $3.99 each plus tax.  If any of you guys are near the bay and love accessories, they’re “Expressions” accessories collections is actually really trendy but they have ridiculous prices for each piece, like $30, so just wait for them to go on sale.

ELF studio baked bronzer

ELF's description of the product :

“Create a healthy, shimmering sun-kissed look with our Baked Bronzers. Baked in an oven, these bronzers offer rich pigmentation for a beautiful effect. The long-lasting formula provides a luxurious, smooth and even application. Infused with active key ingredients Jojoba, Rose, Sunflower, Apricot and Grape to nourish and hydrate the skin. Apply this shimmering color dry for sheer pigmentation, or use a damp brush or sponge for a more vibrant effect.”

Product Packaging:

These are the exact same packaging as the studio baked blushes. If you haven’t checked out my other review on the newest baked products from elf, I will link it down below. Unlike the studio baked blushes, these don’t have vining in them and are just one color. These are packed in a decently hard plastic with a nice clear lid that closes quite securely. The powder itself is pressed into a dome which I quite like but if I use this more and more, there will be a huge hole >_<.

Its dome :O.  Can someone say Domo-kun? :D

    Baked bronzer compared to the baked eyeshadow

         Baked bronzer compared to a MAC blush

Color pigmentation/ pay off :

Unlike the bronzers I usually use, this bronzer has a satin finish which some people would love and some people would hate. I personally quite like it since it gives me a really nice natural finish and you don’t really notice the subtle sheen.

 Los Cabos: dark cool brown with subtle sheen; one of the most pigmented one out of all three

This shade would work great for those that have a more cool tone skin tone or people with warm skin tones could use this has a bronzer instead of contouring.

 Maui: warm brown with subtle golden sheen; second most pigmented

This one would be great for contouring warm skin tone since it’s got more of a reddish brown color.

 St. Luca: light cool brown with little to no shimmers

When I first swatched all three on my hand, Los Cabos and Maui really impressed me but when it came time to swatch St. Lucia, there was little to no color. I had to rub the produce so hard to get any color on my bare skin. But when I tried it over my foundation, the color did show but it was still subtle. So I’d only suggest this shade to those that are really really pale since it is really subtle and barely there.

Texture:

Unlike regular good powders, baked products usually have this somewhat griddy texture. This is just like those types. If you have ever felt a MAC mineralized blush, it has the same texture. Just imagine touching the surface of a really smooth but somewhat griddy stone. :)

Smell:
For those that hate smells, this is for you! No stinky smells :D.

 Lasting power:
I tried these out today and they lasted for almost five to six hours of wear. This actually wore pretty good throughout the day, but I would say that you might have to touch up halfway through the day, but I don’t even bother.

Price :

These retail on their site for $3 each which is a really reasonable price, but there are always coupon codes so just check out retailmenot and grab yourself a 50% off studio line coupon :). I believe that there will be a 60% off sale that happens every year around the beginning of July so check back on their website for that sale.

Overall:

Overall I do like this product and I would use St. Lucia a lot more even though it’s not that pigmented but it works great for my pasty pale skin tone. For contouring, I would use Los Cabos but I will definitely stay away from Maui since I don’t wanna look like a oompa loompa, you know what I’m sayyying? ;)

ELF studio baked blushes..NEW!!

As you might know by now, I absolutely love ELF products and their company as a whole.  So after a year of not buying any make up from them and check back from then two weeks ago and to see that they have baked products that came out the day that i checked up on it, I just wanted to get them then and there! I finally got them a few days ago and I'm excited to share my review and some swatches with you guys. :) Enoy!

ELF's description of the product:

“The soft and shimmering color of our Baked Blush creates a natural healthy glow. Baked in an oven, these blushes offer rich pigmentation for a beautiful effect. The long-lasting formula provides a gorgeous, smooth and even application. Infused with active key ingredients Jojoba, Rose, Sunflower, Apricot and Grape to nourish and hydrate the skin. Apply this shimmering color dry for sheer pigmentation, or use a damp brush or sponge for a more vibrant effect.”

Product Packaging:

At first glance, they these would remind a lot of people of the mineralized MAC blushes, and I would have to agree too. These have the same marble vining going through them, baked in a dome shape and they actually have the same amount of product (0.21 oz./ 6 g) but for a fraction of the price! Elf packaging isn’t the best, but I don’t really mind these. They are in a plastic container that is decently sturdy with a clear top. The blushes come in a decent size, the same size as a MAC blush.

Elf studio blush size compaired to their also new elf studio baked eyeshadow.

ELF studio blush size compaired to a MAC blush.

Color pigmentation/ pay off :

Generally, all of them have a satin finish. Its borderline shimmer and metallic, but these do give the skin a really natural glow which I personally really like. I have NC20-25 skin tone and a combination to dry skin and when I wear foundation, dry patches would show. It’s really hard for me to wear matte blushes since it does show off my dry patches. These are perfect! They are all very pigmented, so a light hand with these is necessary. I usually just use a duo fiber brush since I have a really heavy hand with my blush >_<.

 Passion pink: Mauvey rose color with hot pink vining; swirled together= light peachy coral

 Rich rose: Rosey chocolate color with peach vining; swirled together= browny orange   

 Pinktastic: Yellow white color with pink rose vining (more of a highlighting color); swirled together= white pink

 Peachy Cheeky: Pinky coral color with brown vining; swirled together= light peach

Texture:

Unlike regular good blush powders, baked products usually have this somewhat griddy texture. This is just like those types. If you have ever felt a MAC mineralized blush, it has the same texture. Just imagine touching the surface of a really smooth but somewhat griddy stone. :)

Smell :

Thank god that this product doesn’t have a smell to it. Like at all :). That’s good.

 Lasting power:

I tried these out today and they lasted for almost five to six hours of wear. This actually wore pretty good throughout the day, but I would say that you might have to touch up halfway through the day, but I don’t even bother.

Price:

These retail on their site for $3 each which is a really reasonable price, but there are always coupon codes so just check out retailmenot and grab yourself a 50% off studio line coupon :). I believe that there will be a 60% off sale that happens every year around the beginning of july so check back on their website for that sale.

Overall:

Overally I would say get this product.  This is a really amazing product and for elf to finally come out with something like this is amazing.  The price is amazing and the colors are gorgeous.  I can't wait for the day that they come out with more shades. I highly reccomend these :).

After my picture taking, i dropped one of them :'(.  Sho sad!! This was the pretty shade too. Stupid butter fingers.