product review – Lifexperiment Blog

New Luxury Home Decor: Vintage Map Canvas From Photowall!

I think many of you will agree with me that these last months, almost a year, being so much time indoors and watching the walls has been…well, there’s many ways to describe it. One thing is for certain though, and that is the thing that when one watches the walls for a long enough time, the walls get boring.

So of course, when I was given the opportunity to select a canvas from Photowall and review it, I was happy-happy. 🙂 You see, I have spent an incredible amount of time recently searching online for nice design ideas, inspo and the like. I know myself that Photowall has some truly beautiful designs and I cannot stop looking at my canvas now.

I have been wanting a large detailed world map, as I travel often and it fits with my lifestyle. But, I’m not so in love with those classroom maps which can be purchased in the book shops. I wanted something….special. Now I have it! As you can clearly see, I prefer vintage, earthy items in my living space as it works with my love of natural building materials such as wood and stone. Also, this wall is situated in an ideal location across from windows so the natural light really brings out the vividness of the colours in the canvas.

The canvas was customisable so I got a large sized about 150 x 110 cm with the request that the canvas and image wrap around the inner framing. The canvas comes rolled and nicely packaged inside brown paper so that it prevents it from being damaged and the inner frame is packed with it and needs to be assembled.

I was a bit nervous about putting it together because it is not something I am skilful with. However, even my brain was able to process the simple and very clear instructions and so I was able to annoy my husband greatly while telling him what he should be doing. (Hah!) Speaking seriously though, it is surprisingly easy.

The frame has an adhesive and the canvas has cut edges for marking, so we just laid the frame along the edges and peeled away the adhesive tape, smoothed along the edges, then rolled the wooden frame inwards and repeated on all sides. Then its really just reinforcing the edges and tightening the screws. The piece for supporting the canvas on the wall is thick enough that it doesn’t give that feeling that it will fall away. I told you that it was easy! 😉

This map is actually ideal. It’s a vintage map with all of the vintage imagery and detailed artwork on it, but the actual country lines and area names are those that we use today.

Detailed view. I can watch this map whole day and I keep seeing new details in it!

It’s quite easy to see why I am so fascinated by this canvas. Overtime I look at it, I have nice memories from past travels. It is a good reminder of happy moments. Something that is much needed during these isolating times.

Photowall has a variety of beautiful designs ranging from vintage, artistic, fantasy gardens, sports, cities and so many more.

The variety is great, as not only are their own print designs are available as canvases, feature walls and prints, but it is also possible for having a canvas of an image of your own that you love.

If you are bored of watching your walls and are ready for an addition to adore, I recommend taking the time to scroll through some of the offerings at Photowall. You won’t regret it! The cool people at Photowall offered a 25% discount code for my readers: “lifexperimentblog25” This code will give a 25% discount on any product from the Photowall website and it is valid for one month. Ie; through the end of February.

Happy walls 🙂

-Mliae

#spon

Product Review: Chanel nail polish and lip tint

I am a fan of Chanel beauty products. I purchase them when I am able. That being said, and bias presented, I would like to just give a quick review of these two specific products.

These are my reliable colours. Especially during autumn. The nail lacquer is #663 lovely beige, and the lip gloss is #46. A perfect match 🙂 Like most of you, I usually shop for my nail/lip colours seasonally. It really only takes one set of colour co-ordinating products to last the entire season if…BIG IF you manage to find something that doesn’t require constant care and reapplication. I do have 2 sets of colour favourites that I will buy as long as they sell those. This tinted nude colour set that I am sharing about here and the other is a bright red with a some orange colour in it. With these 2 colour sets I can maintain nice looking nails through the year.

I chose these colors for a few reasons. They are neutral, fitting for many seasons and events and my capsule wardrobe consists of neutral colours which display well with both colour sets 🙂

I have a problem with ordinary nail colour. My problem is: Pieces just fall away. You know, those ugly bits of natural nail showing through the tips of your newly tinted lovelies. Quite frustrating! Some things help (like wiping over your clean nails with toner in order to remove the oils before polishing and using a good base coat) but if your colour is not quality, it will last for about an hour in perfect condition.

I’m addicted to Chanel nail lacquer mainly because it lasts. I mean lasts through serious dish-washing, laundry, administrative work, garden work, cooking, etc. Being able to look down at the evening after a long day and see my beautiful manicure makes me happy. In order to make it last as long as possible, I usually do wipe my clean nails with some facial toner, let dry, then use a good base coat of polish holder, let dry completely, 2 coats of colour and Chanel’s top coat which also shines and keeps your manicure looking new.

I like the lip product because it has by itself just enough colour that you don’t actually have to use it in conjunction with other lip products. It small enough to fit in the smallest of clutches. During the day, I’ll usually dab on some lip balm, then apply gloss over. For a transition to evening, I’ll dab on lip balm, use a light lipliner and then top with this lipgloss. Lasts well and makes me feel pretty.

Thank you for reading

-Mliae

Snickers Protein Bars? Don’t Do It.

I don’t believe it. The candy industry has successfully made its place in the diet foods market. Is it really possible?

Marketing at its best, my friends. A group of very creative minds are clinking their glasses of champagne at the moment, congratulating themselves on frauding us all.

I like candy. I am a fan of snickers chocolate. Which is why this post is even being written. When I went food shopping, and visited the diet foods area as I always do, I noticed that both snickers and mars now have a most visible placement for their new protein bars. I’m quite certain I even said in a voice where others could here ‘Reeeallllyyy???‘ 😀 😀 and of course I looked at those. But then, I went to my next favourite area: the candy space. I had in one hand a snickers protein bar costing €2 and in the other, a tasty snickers chocolate bar costing a bit over €0,50. Time for a comparison shop.

This is what I learned:

‘Let’s stop drooling for the moment and instead think.‘ A snickers bar, which even I can purchase for 25% of the price of this ‘protein bar’, has almost 9 grams of protein. Peanuts. Peanuts have protein. Logical thought tells us that one would need only add more peanut or peanut product to the bar to be able to honestly advertise 18 g of protein. And then magically, your candy addiction has turned into a healthy snack.

So let’s do a simple comparison

Snickers protein bar:

Snickers chocolate bar:

8,6 g protein in the sweet chocolate bar. 18 g in the protein bar. The internet tells me that peanut butter itself has 25 g of protein in 100g of peanut butter. In this case, logic says that adding a bit of peanut butter has made this unhealthy snack, a diet food.

My recommendation: Add a peanut butter topping to your snickers chocolate bar and tell everyone you are now on a high protein diet.

We have now solved the mystery of bad tasting diet food. Hah!

-Mliae

The Best: Poppamies Smoky Reaper Hot Sauce!

I had to save, what I consider as the best from the package, to share as my first review of 2020! To be both loved and feared, it is HOT!

*Having fun with photo editing 😉

This vegan chilisauce, which ranks on 10+/10 on the hotness scale, is a must-have for any hot sauce fanatic! As you know, I am a fan of Poppamies products. This Smoky Reaper hot sauce has established its place in our family.

My husband and I find ourselves, adding few drops of this on most of our meals. It has a lingering burn factor to it, so a few drops goes a looooonnnnggg way! It does add just the right amount of extra oof to our meals, so we really do put it on basically everything. Except of course, those foods which have already determined their own favourite poppamies products. Example; Green apple slices with brie and blackberry sauce!

Be warned that this chilisauce gets even hotter when its heated. So if you add this to food that’s being cooked, keep that in mind before pouring into the pan. This will bring the tears to the eyes, and the sweat to the face!

In my mind, this hot sauce is worth the purchase. Many other hot sauces in the shops can be a bit of a disappointment. Especially if the only taste added to food is that of vinegar. Which is why I really like this company. I have not seen, not one of their products, that is thinned down with the vinegar. These sauces are thick, full of taste, some are full of HOT and delicious. Well worth it!

Poppamies products can currently be purchased from sellers located in Austria, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the UK and online here.

Hot! Hot!

-Mliae

Poppamies Vegan Horseradish Mayonnaise

This was an interesting product. I’ll begin by saying that these were gifted, with no expectation of social sharing, but as I am a fan of this company’s products (and I always share my honest thoughts with you here), I want to review all the products!

Today I want to share with you my thoughts about the Poppamies vegan horseradish mayonnaise. It’s quite thick, as you can see. But not so thick as other mayonnaise products. I tasted a bit from the bottle. It tastes quite heavily of horseradish, so it’s good that its that type of food product that don’t need much.

I wasn’t so certain how to best try this product. It recommends trying with sushi on the front, but when I really thought about it I thought maybe this would be best tasted with écrevisse salad on a baguette. It was so good! I was surprised because the horseradish taste, when mixed with food, was not so heavy. It was quite light actually, and is actually that good that my husband has been eating it on chicken and salad.

I would recommend this product. Currently we are using on breads and salads. I would like to try it with some chips and maybe with sushi.

Poppamies products can currently be purchased from sellers located in Austria, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Surprisingly good!

Looking ideas. What food would you use this with?

-Mliae

Spontaneous Product Review: Poppamies Blackberry Hot Sauce

I really like this Poppamies Blackberry hot sauce. It is for sure one of my favourites! It has a hotness rating of 3/10. Usually this means that there isn’t really a hotness to it, but not in this circumstance. This sweet sauce does have a burn to it. Which will play with your mind a bit because it tastes like a smoky, chipotle version of a dark berry syrup (I guess that’s what it is exactly!), and then…..a burn starts in the back of your mouth and you really didn’t expect that.

The way I use this sauce, I think this is quite tasty with warmed brie on sliced apples. I have been eating so much of this last 2 weeks! The tastes really compliment each other! This sauce could also work nicely on a summer salad and could even be tasty on dark chocolate with a glass of red wine.

The consistency is what I would say medium-thickness. Quite much like a syrup.

I would recommend this product to hot sauce professionals and also to those who like some spice but on a milder spectrum. Plus, all of us sugar mice out there 😉 I think you will love it!

So nom!

-Mliae

*No affiliate links, products were gifted as explained here.

Potato Cabbage Salad With Sriracha Mayonnaise

Hello all 🙂

I wanted to share a recipe for a quite simple potato cabbage salad with Sriracha mayo. This salad would be a nice accompanying food with i.e.; burgers or as served on your table for a Halloween party!

Simple & low preparation, the only item that will take any time is to boil the potato (about 20 minutes).

What you need:

10 small new potato, boiled, cubed
1 large carrot, peeled and cubed
1 boiled egg, peeled and chopped
1/4 red cabbage, cut into thin ribbons
6 Tbsp Poppamies Sriracha Mayonnaise
1/2 red onion, cut into thin slices

*Some small advices for the preparation of this salad: Cut the cabbage and potato pieces at least half the size I have. The salad tastes delicious, but it would be better if it wasn’t in such large pieces.

Put it in a bowl together and mix well. Makes 6 small servings

The Sriracha mayonnaise is really good! It has a surprising after-burn to it which we really didn’t expect. And then, of course, you want more!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you do try it, please share with us what you thought about it!

Simple food fan,

-Mliae

*Mayo was gifted as described here.

Unsolicited Hot Sauce Review: Poppamies Sriracha

We were really excited to try this Sriracha sauce from Poppamies. (See: Hot sauce fairy) This is actually a very new product. I think it only became available 1 week ago! So, of course we wanted to try this immediately!

This Poppamies Sriracha sauce has caused some bickering during our meals. My husband loves it, I love it and we both want to eat it on everything. My husband accuses me of using all of it and not saving him any. He is correct that I use a lot because I am putting it on everything, but I’m not using all of it. ffftttt…

We like Sriracha sauce already. This Sriracha is a bit different from the one you are probably thinking of. This one is a bit smoother, which makes for a more versatile product. It takes you away from the thinking that Sriracha can only be used on stir fry. This is actually something I have used on rice with grilled aubergine and wheat sausages.

The consistency isn’t super thick. It’s more like a light ketchup. This makes me happy because I don’t like the taste of tomato sauce / ketchup / catsup (what name you just use), I’m not a fan. But this Sriracha sauce is mild enough, but still with some hot that I can easily use it as a ketchup substitute! Yay!

Speaking the truth, vege sausages and burgers taste like …. paper. I usually use that many sauces to cover the taste of my food that I feel so happy to have found this little treasure. I will be keeping a bottle of this in my hand bag over the warm months so that whenever we find ourselves at a grill party (always) I have my secret food weapon ready.

Chili sauce makes vegetarian food taste better 🙂

-Mliae

*No affiliate links on this post. Products gifted as explained in Hot sauce fairy.

Product Review: Guinot Longue Vie Cou

For those of you who don’t feel like reading the full review, I’ll make this short: Save your money.

Guinot Longue vie products have been hailed as containing a miraculous mix of proteins, vitamins and amino acids which was supposedly developed in a hospital burn unit to create an optimal potion for cell renewal. I have used quite a few of their products. Some make me feel good, some do not. This one does not.

This product is supposed to increase cell regeneration and smoothing in the décolleté and neck areas. However, I have been using this product twice daily for quite some time now and the results have been – Zero. OK, maybe I’m being unfair. Let’s say…2%.

Now, I will admit that I am beginning to show some signs of aging. Especially from the sun. However, I have always made skincare a priority so I like to think that I am not yet at the point of no return. (i.e.; I am not living in turtlenecks yet) I do not mind paying a premium price for a premium product which delivers good results. I do mind paying a premium price for a product that works just as well as my super market hand cream. Guinot products are mainly available only in spa’s (although I have recently noticed a few available online) which supports the marketing image of a superior product and which also makes this so much more the disappointment.

This 30 ml bottle runs at about 80 €. Trust me, you do not want to spend that kind of money on this kind of product. With that price, you could buy products that actually do work like Guerlain, Ahava or Chanel.

You don’t have to listen to me. Of course not. But creating awareness of the million products that do and do not actually work – no BS included – is why I began this blog to begin with. So…

If anyone has tried this product, please share your experience with it! I am aware that my thoughts are not necessarily the majority and it would be nice to hear from all perspectives.

Thank you and GGGRRRRR…!

-Mliae

Product Review: Ozeri Serafino Hand Blown Glasses

Hello there 🙂

I purchased these glasses last month and I love them so much that I really wanted to write a review for them. Why? Well because I hate clutter and I know that you do too! I always try to make good purchasing decisions and deciding to buy these was a very good decision. Whenever I buy a product, I try to find the best options that will serve as a multi-functional item. Multi-functional items drastically reduce the need for multiple items, and therefore, drastically reduce the clutter. Kind of like buying a dress that can be worn for work, drinks with friends and to a birthday party…instead of buying that party dress that sits in your wardrobe for all other occasions.

So this is what happened. Many of you know me well enough to know that I have minimalistic tendencies. Well, once I got married and we combined all of our belongings, it became overwhelming. It was hard enough dealing with my ‘stuff’. Now our stuff was too much for my taste. Dishes were broken in the move (& chipped during daily use) and we didn’t have a complete set of anything. Just random plates, salad bowls, glasses and coffee cups. So, I went online and started searching for cohesive sets for our kitchen items so that we could begin the process of turning ‘mine’ and ‘his’ into ‘ours’.

It took quite awhile to find what I was looking for. I am selective to the point that I annoy my friends. My husband is also, but he left me to find what I liked. So here were my must-have’s:

Must be multi-functional
Must be unique
Must be a good material (glass, stone, clay or copper)
Must be high-quality (hand crafted and/or from a highly reputable company)
Must be an item that I’m proud to display (We have an open cabinet plan in the kitchen)
Must be cohesive
Must be able to withstand temperature variance
Hopefully dishwasher safe.

As you might well imagine, the search did take awhile. And these beautiful glasses came along at just the right moment. The words hand blown and all glass are what really got my attention. After much deliberation, I purchased a pack of 2 – 12 oz glasses. They came straight to our door and we started testing them out immediately.

Speaking the truth, my husband was not as excited about them as I was. He liked the design, but he wasn’t sure about the actual multi-functionality of them. Until, that is, he had his first cup of hot coffee.

It was at this moment that he decided these might be his new best friend. The glass doesn’t even get warm to the touch! But the coffee inside was boiling. He was sold. If it keeps colds, cold and hots, hot – without affecting the outer glass, it was good! We immediately ordered 4 additional 12 oz glasses. We also began cleaning out our mismatched glasses and mugs from the move. Which felt soooo good! We had our first set. And now our ‘cup shelf’ looks like it should. No clutter, no random items, just a tidy display of glasses which we can use for everything. 🙂

We are collecting these now. We would like to get a set of the smaller size in the future, so that we have some for entertaining. And that will maintain the cohesive look in the shelf. Not to mention, these are a great conversation piece – especially when we mention that it’s all handblown glass.

So that’s how that happened.

This is a relatively small company, which sells on amazon. I know that small hand craft companies do have a struggle in today’s Walmart society, so I really wanted to share about this with you. There is a direct follow link at the bottom of the post if you would like to check them out.

They have 12 oz and 8 oz glasses, as well as different designs, which can be found by clicking here to visit the store.

What do you look for when you buy new drinking glasses?

-Mliae

Random Sauce Referral: Poppamies Kentucky Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Hi there all 🙂

I’m not exactly sure why, but I felt the need to share my absolute adoration for this BBQ sauce. This is a ‘product review’ of sorts. But I purchased this and tried – ok, devoured it all by myself. I love it. Like, seriously – wishing for a closet full of these bottles. If there’s a hot sauce loving Santa, please write down my request for under the tree 🙂

You see, in the USA, it may be quite simple to find an endless array of every kind of spicy BBQ sauce, hot sauces, wing sauces. But in other places, it is not. And sometimes, you get something really…funky. For example, I once went to a shop to buy salsa and it was this awful sugary mix that tasted like chunky sweet ketchup. Bleh!

This stuff is great! A little bit sweet, a teensy bit sour and lots of smoky goodness. If you ever happen to see this stuff, I say GO FOR IT!

Totally yum!

-Mliae

It’s up and it’s Awesome! – Photowall Product Review

Thank you for stopping by today:)

I would like to talk about a really fantastic company I happened upon, called Photowall. They specialize in wall canvases and wallpaper prints – and art prints (my absolute favourite now) for feature walls. It really is amazing what they do. Wow…I mean, really…WOW!

I have been very hesitant to wallpaper. I’m old enough to remember some of the ghastly designs people used to have up – Oh so many years ago. Due to that ongoing design trauma, I refused to put anything up on my walls that I wasn’t absolutely in love with. Needless to say, after 2 years of searching for the perfect item, we still hadn’t found it. But then this happened. I discovered Photowall. I’ve seen many firms who can do a Photo print wallpaper. But this was just unbelievable. Firstly, they had everything I could’ve possibly imagined…and a whole lot that I couldn’t even imagine for myself. I could never have believed that art. True art. Could cover my entire wall! I fell in love with the art selection at first sight. Imagine it: The person who was unable to find anything in 2 years of digging through countless wallpaper books, suddenly had an email full of links and choices to make! (Yes, I’m that chick. I email myself. ) The choice was a difficult one. Deciding on one of something that really brought out our personalities, plus fit in with the rustic-ness of the house, still offered too many options. We kept going back to this Painting by the Swedish artist John Bauer. His Trolls are just too cool. He is a highly sought after artist from the 1890’s and neither of us ever thought we could have his work in our home! This is the piece we got, on our wall and we love it! No, seriously. We can’t stop staring at it. It’s so magical, it’s kind of like stepping into a fairytale 🙂

(Oh yeah, and this is me. You’ve never really seen a whole pic of me before. Ta-Da!)

Let’s start at the beginning.

The selection. At first glance, one might assume that this is nothing more than a photo print or statement wall papering firm. Oh, how wrong you are! The selection is out of this world. For real! There are, quite literally, THOUSANDS of incredible options! We looked at every single one of them. The ones that really made my heart flutter, are the art. I’m not kidding. Do you love Van Gogh’s Waterlilies? Want an entire wall of it? They have it. And they will get it to you…FAST! Want your entire flat to look like the exhibit hall at The Louvre? Nooo problemo.

Here are some of the items we really loved:

Van Gogh’s almond Blossom

Watercolour World Map

(My inner travel blogger is screaming for this in my office.)

Dans le Clapot

These are just a few of the outstanding collection they offer.

Cost. This product seems to average about 32 Euro per square meter. This price really isn’t bad…especially considering the fact that you don’t need so much. It’s a feature piece, without the feature price. Win-win!

Customer service. I have never had my emails returned in such a fast & friendly manner. Even with my 1001 questions, they never seemed annoyed or too busy. This I find outstanding in itself because I know I was annoying. But I could feel the smile in every transaction. And that is worth SO MUCH!

Printing and Shipping. Holy Smokes, Batman! That’s the fastest I have ever seen! No joke, I made the order at 11. By 11:20 I already had an email that it was going to be printed. By 18:00 (6 pm) I had another email stating my tracking number and that my product was being shipped. WOW! All in the same day! I love that, really. Also, for those of you like me who rage against International shipping: This is not a problem. The Photo Wall website actually has links to the website in your home country’s format. Just click on the world at the top right and scroll down to your area. It will be in your own language, currency and delivery will be incredibly affordable. YAY! That’s a huge plus in my book. 🙂

I was so excited to get the package, I made a unboxing video.

The Product: You can see for yourself that their product is superior. It was very easy to put up and the wallpaper comes in one single roll, which is clearly marked where to cut and which panel goes where. It looks like it would be a nightmare, but it was very simple and at no point did we have to rearrange the panels. Just put on the glue, line up the panel and smooth/brush it down. Simple as that! Photowall also offers this instructional video.

I get approached by companies every so often. Sometimes, the product does not fit into my niche worldview and I won’t bother with it. Occasionally though, there is a company that is really worth looking into. I could tell this company was doing good things and I wanted to know more. Photo Wall surpassed my expectations by leaps and bounds. I really cannot say enough good things about this company and their products. This is the truth. I have never had such amazing everything regarding the entire process, as I have with Photo Wall. I am so excited to have had the opportunity to procure one of their pieces and display it proudly in my home!

I highly recommend checking out Photowall. Even if you aren’t currently in the market for wallpaper, just so you can see how far it’s really come! I couldn’t believe it, and you probably won’t either. If you do happen to be doing some decorating, please feel free to use my discount promo code, it’s valid for the next 30 days! MliaeCampaign2017 Expires January 19.

A note to remember: These items are meant to be a focal point. Many of them are measured to be framed by the wall. If you prefer that your photowall image cover the entire wall, it might be beneficial for you to contact the customer service to make sure that you have given the correct measurements. They ask that you add a few extra centimeters, even for the pieces which don’t expand the entire wall. Photowall customer service is awesome, they’ll let you know precisely how to get what you’re looking for!

Thank you for reading and I hope you have a lovely holiday season!

-Mliae

*Disclosure: I was given a complimentary piece, in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. Happily, I am a very happy – soon to be returning – customer!

Product Review: Burt’s Bees Exfoliating Facial Cleansing Towelettes

Hello all 🙂

Today I wanted to review a product that I quite like: Burt’s Bees Exfoliating Facial Cleansing Towelettes. I have always been a big fan of Burt’s Bees products, but alas, I am unable to get my greedy little hands on them as much as I would like. Happily, I do see some Burt’s Bees products arriving on the European market and that makes me a happy girl!

I purchased these while in the USA this past summer. I had never tried them before and wasn’t sure if I would love them or not, so I only grabbed the 1 pack. If I’m ever there again, I’ll be sure to grab more! We were in N.C. for a portion of the trip, and that was really great as far as Burt’s Bees products go. Since they are produced in North Carolina, the price there was awesome! Here, its priced like a luxury item. There, it’s like…everywhere!

I really like these towelettes. They are really great for a lady on the go. I could use these wipes as a dual. I used 1 side for makeup removal, and then folded it and used the other side for exfoliating. My face felt clean, like just washed clean, after using them. Even if I was having to get myself together while in the car. (Yes, it happened & I regret nothing.) They smell really great too.

I will happily purchase this product again. Burt’s Bees really is something special!

What’s your fave Burt’s Bees product?

-Mliae

Product Review: Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser by The Body Shop #thebodyshop

Hello everyone 🙂

I’ve been looking for a new facial cleanser for awhile now. I love my high-end products (as you well know), but after all the money we said goodbye to this summer for the wedding, I needed to find something a bit more … affordable. Affordable and hard working. You can imagine my surprise when my new hubby came home bearing gifts of Tea Tree Oil products from The Body Shop!

We had a mixed reaction to this product in our house. I really like it, but my husband is not a huge fan. Here’s why: He loves tea tree products, but the foam feels really light (not so heavy as the other ones). I love that the foam is light. He doesn’t. For him, I think that it being so lightweight kind of makes him feel like it isn’t really working. For me? As a woman, especially one who uses daily facial products, I think it is so refreshing to not feel like I’m smearing another layer of anything across my skin. So, it’s a divided outcome. However, we both agree that it works! After my surgery, I feel like I’m going through puberty all over again. My face is breaking out, I’m hot all the time, my arms are breaking out. This cleanser helped to clean out my pores enough so that I didn’t have to think about it so much. A daily wash with this, and then followed by Toner, Vitamin C and moisturizer – I was set!

I haven’t used this product in a week now and I miss it. Funny how you can only tell how great something works, when you stop using it…

I would happily purchase this product again!

Have you tried The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Oil products? What do you think?

-Mliae

If You’ve Been on the Search for a Dependable Natural Deodorant, Stop What You’re Doing and Read This Article!

Hi there,

Thanks for stopping by! We both know why I called your attention to this post. Natural deodorants can be…’Iffy’. If you’ve tried them, you know what I mean. Not enough protection, odor or otherwise. Weird smelling. Or just somehow…not right. If you go Goldilocks on your deo search like I do, READ THIS ARTICLE.

I’ll start by explaining why regular deodorants aren’t great. The top reason being that they contain aluminum. Aluminum clogs up everything, including sweat glands. Which is why its anti-perspirant – meaning, you don’t sweat. Ever wonder what happens to your body when you can’t detoxify? It builds up in your body – toxins, ick and all…and kind of festers there. Aluminum can also be absorbed into the body. Guess where it goes when that happens! You got it, straight to the kidneys, liver and even your lungs!

Parabens, a preservative found in waaayyyyy too many daily-use items, has been found to be an endocrine disrupter. Not a big surprise then that ‘they’ say using deodorants with paraben messes with your estrogen and can be a cause of breast cancer. I don’t know about you, but when the C-word is connected to something I use on a daily basis, it makes me re-think my choices!

On my hunt for the products necessary to lead a healthier lifestyle, I found this article by reviews.com reviewing this years natural deodorants. It’s a good article, testing tons of different natural deodorants. Like many of you, I assumed that it was a sponsored post and moved on. However, my interest was piqued. I was able to communicate with the very friendly folks at reviews.com and found out, much to my delight, that none of the deodorants were sponsored in this test and their findings are their own! I think this is a great article because of this and wanted to share it with you. Any review that is a genuine review should make its rounds around the internet. There is so much marketing to navigate! So when its genuine, it should be read!

It turns out that the team at reviews.com spent weeks testing the 155 brands chosen. They spoke to a chemist, a dermatologist and the creators of 2 natural deodorants in order to be well informed on what they were looking for, and more importantly – what to be wary of. According to their experts, there are 3 ingredients which can fight bacteria and mask odor: Coconut oil, baking soda & zinc.

Through my correspondence with reviews.com I learned a great deal. Here are some of the things I never knew:

Deodorant & antiperspirant aren’t the same thing
Natural isn’t necessarily organic. So if you’re going big or going home: Make sure to check for a certified organic label
Just because its in the store, doesn’t mean it works according to the label. Do your homework!

And a few things about the 3 ingredients:

Coconut oil contains something known as Lauric acid. This is a bacteria killer…especially the smelly kind. Yay!
Baking soda is an odor neutralizer. Hence the reason its in the fridge 😉
Zinc, which has been claimed to actually be more effective than aluminum, is a natural odor eliminator as well 🙂

Their top 3 are:

Sam’s Natural Deodorant

Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant

For Pit’s Sake!

I have to say that I will be referring to reviews.com on the regular when I do my product internet search prior to purchasing. It gives me a solid sense of security to refer to this site now that I am aware that their reviews are fully non-biased. Score! Thanks a ton to reviews for allowing me to feature their review post!

What are your thoughts?

-Mliae

Product Review: Clarins Paris Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate

Ladies, if you travel, have children, work insane hours or all of the above; you know what I’m speaking of when I talk about hard to remedy dark under eye circles. You understand the desperation, and willingness to open your wallet for any product that may help you, even just a little bit.

I have an attachment to Clarins products. I’m not sure why exactly, but some of them seem to work small miracles and some are just normal products. (Like every face care line) I am addicted to Clarins double serum. That stuff is AWESOME!

I found this must-have addition to my travel kit when I took a solid glance at myself in the mirror while at work, and it was date-night. No joke, I ran to the closest department store that carried Clarins products, made a bee-line for the Clarins rep and said ‘gimme the strongest eye stuff you’ve got!’ and this was the result.

Noticeable results with eye creams have to be one of the trickiest things to figure out because so many other factors come into play; diet, sleep, stress, hydration, etc. That said, I must admit that I can’t really see a super improvement in under dark eye bags, but the puffiness has subsided and that is a good thing. HOWEVER, this eye cream is not solely focused on under eye bags and darkness. When I look in the mirror in the mornings (I currently use this day and night) I CAN see a difference in developing crows feet and smile lines. Thankfully, this elixir seems to be slowing the aging process of the skin around my eyes. So, if you’re battling aging, I would absolutely recommend this product. I also recommend the double serum for face. Although a bit on the pricey side, it’s worth every penny, especially if you have dry skin. (If you have oily skin, its just a matter of time before a break-out).

My main problem at this point is dark under-eye circles, so I will continue my quest for the perfect eye-cream which battles under eye circles, puffiness and combats aging at the same time.

The search will be cont’d…slowly, since most products have been purchased by myself and posts are unsponsored.

Which eye creams do you prefer? What are the main improvements you are searching for when you purchase eye creams? I look forward to your feedback 🙂

Thank you for reading!

-Mliae

Product Review: Ted Baker sunglasses

What is it ‘they’ say? That nice sunglasses are lost in a second and you can never get rid of that emergency cheapo pair you purchased on the beach 8 years ago. In many cases, this saying proves absolutely true. But…knock on wood…This fantastic pair of Ted Baker shades have lasted me two whole summers so far! (Of course, now that I’ve said that, I’ll probably drop them and step on them on the way out today)

These sunglasses have managed to survive daily commutes, moving, travel, being smashed in my clutch and having been dropped quite a few times. And yet, these beauties still sit on the table waiting for me everyday, in one piece.

I am not usually a super bold colour person, so the intricate floral detail on the arms, suit me perfectly. Just enough colour to match everything, and yet I can still maintain my dark shades look.

Feel free to check out your own styles. Everything mentioned is linked.

Thank you for reading!

-Mliae

Product review: BIOTHERM AQUASOURCE Night Spa

Like many women that live and travel in climates that range from super hot and sunny to can’t breathe freezing, my skin type fluctuates from oily to very dry. Therefore my skincare regime MUST be able to adapt accordingly. Not to mention, I’m always on the look-out for something that has anti-aging properties but doesn’t contain tons of funky ingredients.

I purchased this product when I found myself surprised by a request to attend a big event in the city that I was in that evening and found myself without make-up or skincare bag…at all! Yikes! Time to run to the closest department store and get everything I needed. So I picked-up this little beauty and it’s worked like a charm.

I began using this product on a nightly basis 2 months ago. I have to say, that it is great! The price is reasonable, so I wasn’t expecting miracles. I was surprised though, when after the first two weeks I could actually see a noticeable difference. My face looked fresher and even my neck showed some improvement. It’s tempting to lather on, but really you only need a small amount.

I would definitely recommend this product for dry or combination skin in the autumn when the weather starts to change and so do our beauty products.

Thanks for reading

-milae

Product Review: Organic Baobab Powder by Pandavita

Hello all 🙂

I’ve been testing out a new Super Food Product and I really like it, so I wanted to share my thoughts! Those of you who have been with me for awhile, know that I have been on the search for superfoods, brainfood, and good nutrient mixes. So far, there have only been a few that I’ve found worthy of a good share.

The reason why I’ve been on the lookout for the best of the best however, has remained a mystery…until now. I have blood issues. A horrendous case of anemia – no, not the ‘I bruise easily’ kind of anemia, but the ‘we’re going to find you unconscious on the floor if you don’t fix this’ kind of anemia. So, not only is it fun trying new products, but it is imperative to my health that I find good products that actually work – and stick with them! This is one of those products. Seriously. I have to take a ton of iron supplements on the daily and taking Vitamin C with that iron, helps my body to absorb more of the iron that I need. So you can imagine how excited I was to discover this product.

Until recently, I had never even heard of Baobab fruit. So, I was a bit hesitant to try it. But when I tried it, it was really good – even just on its own, so that was a two-thumbs up moment. 🙂 Also, any kind of nutrient that is derived straight from the plant, is much preferable to nutrients created in a lab. I mean honestly, who says ‘I want non-natural chemicals to make my natural body healthier!’ – Ummm…nobody. So of course I was thrilled to see that this is a vegan, plant-based product.

About this product: Baobab fruit is a fruit that is grown in Africa. The Baobab powder used is 100% organic and unprocessed because the powder actually dries inside the fruit, so no processing is necessary. It contains tons of Vitamin C, Potassium, Fibre, Magnesium and Calcium. It’s very fruit-y, sweet, maybe a bit zingy so it’s great in all yogurts, smoothies, or on its own. I would personally, only suggest using this product on its own, or in cool or room temp foods; as from what I know about superfoods, mixing it with hot food – or heating it – will diminish it’s nutrient power. If you are taking other nutrients which need to be absorbed quickly into the body, or else will be wasted, taking Vitamin C will help your body absorb those nutrients faster. Trust me 😉

About Panda Vita: Panda Vita is a small company in the UK which currently focuses solely on Baobab powder. They believe that the investment into 100% organic product is well worth it because it is healthier for the consumer and the planet. Panda Vita donates 5% of all their profits to charity, to a Panda conservation center in Chengdou, China. (Ok, that’s awesome! ) The people that I have had the pleasure to be in contact with are extremely friendly and helpful. Fantastic customer service is always a huge bonus! Not to mention one of my favourite bits: Affordable World-wide shipping! Yeah, Baby, Yeah!

The nice folks at Panda Vita have been cool enough to even offer a promo code for my readers: If you would like to order this product, please go to the Panda Vita site and when you are checking out, use the promo code: LEB15 for your 15% off 🙂 I will be using this code in the very near future too!

I have been using this product in a Almond Coconut milk Chia Pudding, which I think you might like and I will be sharing the recipe next week 🙂

Thanks for reading, and I hope I was able to help you on your search for great nutritional products!

-Mliae

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary package of Organic Baobab Powder in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I will be buying myself more 😉

Supergreens Vegan Sushi

This has to be the healthiest sushi I have ever eaten!

As I stated in my previous post, I have been on the hunt for good, organic superfoods and nutrients that will serve as a compliment to my vegetarian lifestyle. I was absolutely thrilled when my package from Indigo Nutrition arrived! There are so many nutrients – brain food, that I need and this Supergreens Powder has ALL of it! Yes! Brain food, power food, ENERGY FOOD!

I couldn’t wait to get cooking. The only question is: What to create? I carefully opened the package and peaked inside. Green. Awesome, just as I thought, since the contents are 100% Organic Wheatgrass Powder, Organic Barleygrass powder, Organic Spiraling powder, Organic Chlorella Powder & Organic Mooring powder it would be a surprise if it were say …red. I took a big whiff (we do like to smell foods, don’t we?!) and it smells like …seaweed! 🙂 Question answered! Sushi it is (vegan, of course)!!

So we made this gorgeous set-up:

Here’s how you do it:

Cooking and Prep Time: approx 1 hour (this includes cooking, cooling, prep & prettying)

Serves: 5 (as in, 5 large rolls.)

What you need:

1 package of tofu
3 teaspoons Indigo Nutrition Organic Supergreens Powder
Sushi rice (cooking volume: 1 decilitre sushi rice to 1,5 deciliters water)- for this recipe we used 4,5 dl sushi rice
6,75 dl water (adjust if using varying measurements of sushi rice)
1 small cucumber
1 pack of seaweed wraps (usually come in packs of 8-10, but this recipe only needs 5)
A bamboo rolling mat (covered in plastic wrap) OR a sheet of baking paper
Small cup with water for rolling

Preparing the ingredients:

Preheat oven to 175 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit
Measure your sushi rice, put in pan or strainer and rinse well with cold water. 3 good rinses and drains should do the trick
Add the required water into the pot: 1,5 parts water per 1 part sushi rice
Bring stove to a simmering heat to cook the rice. Cover the rice and simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is completely absorbed. (Check frequently! Sushi rice is temperamental)
While the rice is cooking, remove your tofu from the package and rinse. Cut into length-wise strips and place on baking tray to bake.
Place baking tray with tofu strips into a preheated oven at 175 c for 15 minutes. It should begin to golden when it is done.
Cut one small cucumber into julienne strips to be used as filling
Measure out 3 teaspoons of Indigo Nutrition Organic Supergreens Powder and place into a small bowl.
Take rice and tofu from heat when they are cooked and set out to cool. (The fillings must be cooled or the seaweed wraps will pucker)

Making the rolls:

Place 1 seaweed wrap on a bamboo rolling mat (thats covered with plastic wrap) or on a sheet of baking paper (shown below)

Fill ½ -2/3 with a small layer of rice. Don’t over-fill or it will not roll properly.

Place one line of the baked tofu strips and 1 line of the cucumber strips (next to the tofu) towards the front of the wrap.
Sprinkle Supergreens powder gently over the tofu and cucumber filling

Gently life the end (closest to you) of the rolling mat or baking paper and the beginning rolling fold of the sushi. Squeeze across the roll to give it a little compactness. Put the mat or paper back and continue rolling, squeezing gently along the way to ensure it holds.

Roll until there is a bit more than 1 cm (0r ½ inch) of empty seaweed left to roll.
Dab this last section with a few droplets of water and run finger along line before completing the roll. The water will act as an aid to help the end of the seaweed wrap stick to itself and will seal the roll.
Set aside until all rolls are completed.

Cut into 2,5 cm (1 inch) sections and lay flat on a plate. It helps if you use a large kitchen knife with a few water droplets on the blade – to prevent tearing the seaweed wraps.
Sprinkle the tops lightly with the remaining Supergreens Powder, for an extra boost!

OK, I have to say a few things about this. Firstly, the sushi turned out awesomely! Secondly, these Supergreens are truly SUPER! We are both usually so tired by the end of the day. This small serving of these powdered greens gave both of us a serious energy boost. (I had a partner in crime on this one, so I know it’s not my imagination.) About 3 hours after we ate this sushi, we both looked at each other and were like – ‘I’m not tired… AT ALL. You?’ – ‘Nope, me either.’ – ‘I like that Supergreens powder!’ This fantastic boost of energy lasted about 5 & ½ hours after the meal. I can now tell you that I will have some of this with my food during the day so that I can continue to be a fully functioning human, even after the work day has ended! Yeah, Baby! Yeah!

The Organic Supergreens Powder can be found here. Indigo Nutrition is located in the UK, and they are currently offering free UK delivery with purchases over 30 British Pounds. Best part? This company does offer worldwide shipping, at a very reasonable rate not at the crazy high rates most internet shops do. All you folks around the globe, I’m looking out for you. I hate paying as much for shipping as I do for the product. I know how you feel, so I try to let you know when a good thing comes my way 😉

What do you think about supergreens/superfoods?

Thanks for eating! 😉

-Mliae

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary portion of Supergreens in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. Which I have given, and I love this stuff! 🙂

Super Protein Chunky Mashed Cauliflower with Basil

Good day, everyone 🙂 Today I thought I would do a little something different. You know, I am constantly on the search for healthy products that will add a bit of a boost to my mainly vegetarian diet. So, in addition to merely doing a product review, I thought I would share a really easy and yummy recipe I created to go along with this great product.

I’ve been really excited, as I received my Indigo Nutrition Organic Super Protein Powder last week. This stuff is supposed to be amazing! It’s 100% vegan organic protein powder. The ingredients are: 100% Organic Chia, Organic Hemp Seed, Organic Pea, Organic Pumpkin Seed and Organic Rice Protein Powders. It’s a high source of Protein, Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B3, Phosphorus and Iron. Which makes this a superb nutritional addition for myself and any other vegetarians/vegans because it is difficult to get enough of some of these nutrients from diet alone.

The serving recommendation is 5-20 grams daily, which is quite easy because there are 100 grams in the package and I included 10 grams in my mashed cauliflower recipe. There are no artificial colors or flavors, so I was a bit wary as to what it would actually be like when I opened the package. It is a nice natural color, and smells slightly reminiscent of turmeric. That was a pleasant surprise 🙂 I think that this product would actually go quite well in some smoothie mixtures, but it was dinner time and I was dying to try it, so this is what I made:

Super Protein Chunky Mashed Cauliflower with Basil

Time: 20 mins

Serves 4, 125g servings
Ingredients:
500g Cauliflower
10g Indigo Nutrition Organic Super Protein Powder
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 heaping Tablespoon of Turkish Yogurt (can be substituted with Soy yogurt)
1/4 Teaspoon Basil
1/4 Teaspoon Herb Salt
Fresh Basil Sprigs for garnish

Instructions:
Steam 500g cauliflower for 10 mins
Remove from heat and transfer cauliflower into medium sized mixing bowl
Add 3 Tablespoons olive oil
Add 10g Indigo Nutrition Organic Super Protein Powder
Mix on low with a hand mixer 1 minute, or use a hand potato masher (like I did) for 3 minutes
Add 1 heaping Tablespoon Turkish Yogurt, 1/4 Teaspoon Basil and 1/4 Teaspoon Herb Salt
Mix on low with a hand mixer 2 minutes, or hand potato masher for another 5 minutes
Serve and garnish with Fresh Basil
Enjoy!

This side dish turned out really well! It will pair well with steamed veggies and maybe a béarnaise sauce or vegan mushroom gravy. Personally, I ate a ton of it just how I cooked it and it was delicious!

I also woke up the next morning with a bit more pep in my step, which is unusual because I am normally a morning zombie. So I’m assuming that my body was thankful for the extra surge in nutrients.

Please check out the full line of Indigo Nutrition products. I know I’ve been drooling over what I might order next. I will definitely make sure I have this item in my pantry at all times.

What do you think, would you be interested in trying super food powders? Why or why not?

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

-Mliae

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary package of this product in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Product Review: Lip Ink @Lipink #lipink

Ladies, may I have your attention!! I have stumbled upon the solution to our lipstick woes! You are going to love this stuff! I can speak for all of us, when I say that I am sick of carrying around 8 kilos of make-up in my bag and reapplying/freshening up in public areas all day, every day.

As most of you already know, I am a self-funded site. I purchase all my own cosmetics, clothes, treatments, etc. that I am personally interested in using and then, of course, I use myself as a guinea pig (It IS after all – Life Experiment!) and pass on my personal findings to you. As consumers, we need a reliable network of people who will tell us the truth as they see it, regarding these products. Now with some of them, you must keep in mind that I am in my 30’s, so what might be suitable for a 20-something with a natural glow, doesn’t cut it for this girl. I need high-end, plumping, moisturizing, long lasting, and occasionally – spackle. I have been on the hunt for the lipstick that would create the ‘ perfect pout’. Now that I’m engaged, I’m also searching for the perfect wedding lipstick.

I heard about Lip Ink about a year or so ago, through friends of mine living in L.A. This wax-free, semi permanent lip stick that is super long lasting and Smudge-free. I thought to myself: ‘Too good to be true? Yes. Absolutely. It must feel like house paint if it lives up to these standards. Must try….’ And so, for many months now I have been actively hunting lip ink products that I can 1) afford (I’m happy because it doesn’t actually cost as much as I thought) and 2) Would actually ship internationally! – By the way, I was having a really difficult time with the shipping and whoever it is that is running Lip Ink’s Instagram page, was absolutely AWESOME! They got me set up with their amazon uk page, and also the official site soon began offering really affordable international shipping as well if I wanted more than the trial package. Whoever you are, THANK YOU!

OK, so I go online. And I browse (and drool) for the ideal color kit that I think I want to use on my wedding day. I mean, this HAS to be it…right? How dreamy would it be to not have to worry about leaving lipstick all over my new hubby’s face, collar, or any of my other guests for that matter! And to look photo ready after the nuptials?! Oh yea, on it! I’m thinking since its a special day and I want to look super hot, that maybe red might be the way to go. OK, there’s like 10 different shades of red and you can play mix and match with the other colors to kind of create your own ideal shade. Hmmmmmm…..

So, I finally decide on Lava Red. There’s a process to this whole thing though, so you really should get the whole trial kit. The kit includes 2 ml lip color (will last a long time because such a tiny amount is necessary), 1 OFF towelette (lasts multiple uses if you work it right (i.e.; use a small area, cut it off, refold & replace in pouch) and 1 pouch of shine moisturizer (again, lasts multiple uses because only a teensy tiny amount is required). I added the kit to my cart, paid and waited….

I was so excited when my package got here! I tore it open, read the instructions & used it immediately!

Here’s the process:

Use the off towelette to really rub your lips with – make sure it exfoliates and gets any residue off.
Quickly splash your lips with water and pat completely dry.
Put a teensy tiny amount (seriously, I learned my lesson, the color stays on better if you only use a teeeeeeeny bit) of the shine moisturizer on as a base. Massage it in until it is completely absorbed!
Shake the color well before using. Make sure to wipe the wand, as a little goes a long way. Apply, going in one direction only, on lips. Apply slowly and don’t blot! It tingles a bit but only for like, a millisecond. Totally worth it. Let dry with lips parted for 10-20 seconds. Its recommended you do this 2-3 times to get an even, heady colour.
Again, take a tiny bit of the shine moisturizer to keep your lips shining and moisturized.

This is me, after applying.

When you’re done for the day, use the off towelette to remove the lip colour.

Now for the fun part: I wanted to take this stuff for a serious test run. See what it could manage. I applied the color at 16:00 (4 p.m.). Here’s how I put it to the test:

Ran my fingers over the color after applying, nothing came off on my fingers
Nacho nite! After dogging down on some serious snacks that isn’t the most pristine food to eat, still sporting the same pout.
Wiping my mouth with a white napkin, which is still in pristine condition. Super 😉
Rubbing my lips together constantly (My own bad habit). The colour remained, but this is where I learned that you really need to exfoliate and not over moisturize in the beginning of the application process.
Kissing session with the guy 😉 – I was thrilled to see that he didn’t walk away looking like a crazed drag queen. My lipstick was on me, not him! YYYYEEEESSSSSS!!!
The overnight test. Usually I am absolutely repulsed by the thought of going to bed with any makeup on. But again, I was doing research! Guess what? I woke up the next morning, and although not looking as perfectly pouted as this picture, my lips were still stained the same colour. I kid you not. I threw on some lipgloss and walked out of the house. Also, my white based pillow covers didn’t have a smudge on them. 😀

So there you have it; Tried and tested. This girl knows exactly what brand she’s using for her wedding day, and this will be in my make up bag from now on!

I was going to post this this weekend, but I wanted to play with the kit some more. I did find that if you exfoliate well at the beginning, and use the smallest amount of the moisturizer possible before applying the colour, it lasts better and prettier.

Lip ink carries an array of semi permanent cosmetics, and as well as this works, you can bet I’ll be trying some of their other products.

If you would like to purchase your own Lip Ink trial kit, you can find this specific colour that I’m reviewing by clicking the below image. You can also browse tons of other awesome colours by the company as well!

This is the Lava Red trial kit that I have reviewed from Lip Ink’s Amazon UK site:
LIP INK Smearproof Waterproof Natural Lipstain Lip Color Trial Kit, Lava Red

I will be trying this kit in Rust colour next:

What do you think, would you try this?

-Mliae

Product Review: Yves Saint Laurent Forever Youth Liberator -Eyes

I am finding myself to be rather partial to this product. Granted, it is a bit of an investment, but as a lady in her late 30’s, I can easily tell you that an investment into skincare is a solid investment indeed!

Similar to the Clarins eye cream that I loved, the difference seems to be subtle…until you stop using it. After a 3 days forced break from this eye cream, I looked in the mirror and realized that OK, this is actually making a HUGE difference!

Although I’ve had a problem with dark circles under my eye area this year, Forever eye cream by YSL has actually made a difference. The lines and darkness are reduced, but not eliminated. I have to say though, that I would much rather look in the mirror and see the slightly tired eyes of a late 20 something, as opposed to the dark exhausted eyes of a 50 year old staring back at me. This made that difference, so I recommend it!

Runs at $100 and can be purchased in many upscale department stores or online by clicking here.

What are some of your to-swear-by eye products?

Thanks for reading!

-Mliae

Product Review: Italian Summer Fig Eau de Toilette from The Body Shop

I quite like this product. I usually frequent fragrances which are a bit headier, musky or very light and airy. This is quite light and is named perfectly. It smells very summer day-ish (if thats possible) and has a headier fruity aroma.

One good spritz is enough. I like the packaging because it is compact enough to fit in my clutch, and since one spray doesn’t last an extremely long time, it is nice to have with you.

I must admit however, that I am guilty of giving a spritz or 2 into the entry hall and front rooms when I am expecting company. Smells much better than most air fresheners and it lingers for awhile 😉 It’s a nice little trick.

This product runs at 15 British pounds, 16,90€ or $15 and is available online or in shop via The Body Shop.

What are some of your favourite fragrances?

Thanks for reading!

-Mliae

CARMEX Original Lip Balm Review

I reblogged this post by The High Ponytail because its a good review of this product. I’ve heard many good things about Carmex. Unfortunately it isn’t available in my corner of the world, so I wanted to share an honest review of it as pertains to my seemingly never ending search for the products to produce the perfect pout. Read and enjoy…and drop by the High Ponytail for more great posts!

Product Description: Generations have relied on our hardworking original lip balm formula. Soothes dry, chapped lips Creates a long-lasting water barrier with petrolatum, which acts like a bandage…

Source: CARMEX Original Lip Balm Review

Product Review: Burt’s Bees Hydrating Lip Balm with Coconut and Pear

As I find myself using every product I can get my hands on – or in this case, my lips on, it begins to dawn on me that all products, are in fact, not created equal. I’m a Burt’s Bees fan. A big one…and for more than a decade now I’ve been using every Burt’s Bees product I can manage to get. But, after using a variety of lip products on my quest for the perfect pout , coming back to this old favourite made me remember why I began this experiment in the first place. After only a few days of regular application, my lips are beginning to dry out again.

What I like about this product:

100% natural. With an ingredient list that reads with basically all things you can find in the market (sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, beeswax, castor seed oil, shea butter, lanolin,pear extract, soybean oil, soybean oil & rosemary leaf extract) it’s hard not to love it.
Price. About 4 British Pounds, 4$ or 5€ you can obtain a tube of this stuff.
It’s Burt’s Bees!
Smells yum and feels good
Fits in my jeans pocket

What I don’t like about this product:

The more I use, the more I need, the more I need, the more I use and my lips start to dry out

Overall Decision: It saddens me to say, but once this tube is finished, I won’t be replacing it with another of the same kind.

The hunt continues…..

What are your lip product recommendations?

-Mliae

Product Review: Teadora Nourishing Lip Balm

Teadora Nourishing lip butter from Brazil is the product I am reviewing today on my search to find the products to create the perfect pout. I really like this product. It does not leave my lips dried out after 1,000 uses. I found that, even better, I’m not applying it all day long. It lasts much longer than the average lip balm, so I re-apply maybe 5-6 times per day.

What I like about this product:

Exfoliating properties. Because this is the slightest bit gritty, it gently exfoliates the dead skin on your lips, so you don’t find yourself mindless rubbing your lips.
I think it smells good. I can’t exactly place what the scent is, but it smells…clean, not chemical-y.
It lasts for-ev-er! Due to the fact that its super thick, its virtually impossible to get a ton of it to use at one go.
Product is Vegan. The ingredients I found are as follows: Buriti, Açaí, Cupuaçu, Buriti, Brazil Nut, Andoriba, Maracujá (Passion Fruit), Açaí oils, Cupuaçu, Murumuru, Mango butters & Carnaúba Wax
Price. This product is very affordable, and with the fact that it lasts soon long it’s a good buy. Solid 🙂

What I don’t like about this product:

The almost un-noticeable grit contained within, takes some getting used to
You have to use your finger. You’ll be swiping for ten minutes with a lipstick brush to get any, because it is solid its so thick.
Labelling. (I know, it has nothing to do with product performance) But if you’re like me, you like all your tubes and bottles looking new and beautiful. With heavy use and banging around in my bag, the ink does rub down a bit in some places such as the container lid.

Overall decision:

For me, this one is a keeper. I will have it in my beach bag this summer. I will be buying more, and I like this product so much I want to try to some of the other products in Teadora’s line as well.

Keeper Tally: 2

Teadora Nourishing lip butter
Clarins lip balm with rose wax

I’ve linked Teadora’s website and amazon pages here, just click on where you want to go.

I would love to hear your thoughts about Teadora products.

The search continues!

-Mliae

Product Review & Recommendation: Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lipbalm

On my quest for the perfect pout, 2 bloggers recommended Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lipbalm to me. I have to say…Oh yeeeaaaa. This stuff is great! Thank you to The Utopian Universe and Neeka Doll for the recommendation!

The first day I used this product, I fell in love. For someone who re-applies lip balm 100 times a day, I used this once during the day, then again right before going to sleep. When I woke up, my lips were still moist and soft. After that, I started referring this product to my family as a God-send.

What I like about this product:

It lasts. I mean really. You might think that 20€ is a ton of money to spend on lip balm, but when you only have to use it – max 5 times a day for constant moisture. It’s worth it, it really is.
Works FAST! After one days’ use, it patched up my super dry lips big time.

What I don’t like about this product:

Honestly, the only thing I don’t like about this product is the price. But thats actually ok because 1) it’s worth every cent …and 2) the price seems to vary by store. For example; I purchased this tube at a high-end store for 20€, when ironically, the not-so-high-end store was selling them for 30€. (Sometimes it pays to shop around)

Overall decision: I will be keeping a tube of Clarins lip balm with essential rose wax in my bag. This product is a really good one and I’m sure that when I am much further along in the challenge to find the products for the perfect pout, this item will still be in the top 5 lip balms. I am certain of it. THIS IS A KEEPER!

I love to hear your product suggestions, so please share! Many of the products I am trying, I would never have found if it weren’t for the suggestions of others…so keep it coming! Also, please understand that I am purchasing these products myself to try, so it may take a bit to sample all of them. It seems that since I am in Europe, and most of the firms which desire product reviews, prefer them in the States. So I am currently unsponsored and un-sampled as far as my reviews go. (If anyone knows of a company which would like product reviews done in Europe, please share this information too!)

Thanks for reading!

-Mliae

Lip recommendation: Coconut oil

Well folks, I said I would try your recommendations..and I am. Misstery blog was kind enough to share some of her favourite lip products on a comment feed discussion prior to my bath and body works honey mania lip balm review. Thank you! I never would have thought to try this if it hadn’t been suggested to me.

This is an organic, cold pressed coconut oil that I purchased to try for cooking purposes. I jumped at the chance to try this for my lip challenge, because…how awesome would it be to find the perfect that was just hiding in my kitchen cabinet!

Here’s how it went down:

On day one, my lips were already in atrocious condition. Dry, cracked and bloody. Really bad. I filled half a shot glass with coconut oil (in solid form) and started smearing it all over my lips as often as I just could. No kidding, my lips were that dry that they were sucking this stuff up like it was a mojito in the desert. I tried it on my hands too…same effect. I’ve never been this dried out; I’m starting to think its the water in the new place or something. After about 5 hours of constant re-application, the skin around my lips and on my knuckles started to get red and itchy. (Could this be a bit of an allergic reaction or what?)

On day two, began feeling an improvement, no more redness. Still thirsty, still lathering. After about 100 applications, the skin on my lips started to peel off – in sheets. I know that this was just that horrible dry skin shedding away so that new healthy skin could appear.

On day three, lips looked much better, and even fuller. Not exactly like collagen or a shellfish allergy, but not dry and small. Pretty and a little puffy (in a good way) and MOISTURIZED = happy blogger

On day four, everything normalizes. I’m still applying this stuff constantly, but I know enough about its reactions with me to write this review.

What I like about this product:

Accessibility: This is a somewhat common kitchen product that serves multiple functions. The 217 ml container is 50x the size of your average lip balm container and the cost is low
Moisturizing!
Feels very smooth on the lips
Smells coconut-y
Affordable
Multi-purpose: cooking, lip moisturizer, face and hand moisturizer, super hair and scalp treatment and about a bizillion other things

What I don’t like about this product:

Maybe not for sensitive skin in some cases, as I think I might’ve had a small reaction to it.
Should be cautious of using any oil product on your face, hands or body during parts of the year when UV is high
Kind of melted as soon as it got close to my face, so I was using tons of it and all the time
Container issues: Since you can’t exactly carry around a bucket of coconut oil in your clutch, how do you repackage it nicely for mobility? I kept it in a shot glass at home.

Overall decision: Unfortunately, this is not the perfect lip product for me. However, I will be using it on my lips again in the future because it was really nice and super moisturizing!

The hunt for the perfect pout continues! Any more recommendations for me to put on the try list? I must admit, I’m having a really good time doing this experiment!

-Mliae

Product Review: MAC lipstick in Hue

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge proponent of M.A.C. I have been a fan of this cosmetics company for the past 15 years. I thought it only appropriate to test out one of my favourite brands while searching for the perfect lip products to create the perfect pout. So I did. This lipstick runs for $17 in the states or 21,50€ in the EU.

That said, I decided to take a chance on this shade (Hue). I normally wear a lot of nude shades for a day-to-day basis so this didn’t seem like too much of a stretch. I have to say, I do not like this shade. Its too young for me and washes me out completely. I’m sure that this shade would look AH-mazing on a olive complexioned early 20 something. But for me? Honestly? Nope.

What I like about this product:

It’s M.A.C – one of my favourite brands!
It lasts through life activities and shows well under stage or club lights
Stays put. Doesn’t creep through the sid

What I don’t like about this product:

The shade
If your lips aren’t properly lined and moisturized, this light shade shows every crack and dry spot

Over-all decision:

Not for me. I will buy and use MAC lipstick for years to come, but not this shade…ever again.

The hunt for the perfect pout continues…

What are some of your fave lipsticks and shades?

-Mliae

Product Review: The Body Shop honey lip balm

I wanted to review this product in my quest to find the perfect products to create the perfect pout. I really love products from The Body Shop. They carry Lip balm, lip butter, lip gloss, lip care, lip stick, etc. Just for the lips. This is their 10 ml Honey mania lip balm.

What I love about this product:

Use of Community trade honey harvested by the Beza Mar Beekeepers
Price is reasonable at 8.50€, 4£ or USD$ varies by store.
Softens lips
Smells like honey! Yummmm!

What I don’t like about this product:

The more you use, the more you need. Lips dry a bit when product dries.
Im constantly rubbing my lips together to smooth it over, so my lipstick wears off much faster. Very wax-y
Have to use your fingers to apply it if you are out and about without a lipstick brush

Overall decision: Although nice, I would forego this product if you use lip balm more than 5 times daily or if you plan to use a lip colour on top which lasts long. Constant use will slightly dry out your lips.

Keep it in your bag if you’ve got it on hand for occasional use, or are going for a beachy lip look.

Thanks for reading!

-Mliae

Camphor: Yes, you need it!

Remember that old green jar of smelly stuff (aka camphor-phenic) that your mom used to smear all over your face whenever you got a bad case of the sniffles? I haven’t seen that stuff in ages. But this is the grown up version…in liquid form, so it can be used for more than helping you breathe better when you’re sick.

This is Borneo Camphor, purchased on a small rubber tree and camphor farm in rural Thailand. I swear by this stuff. It’s one of the most commonly used medicines in traditional medicines.

It’s commonly used as inhalant to assist better breathing, but it’s also got at least 100 other uses. It can be used as an insecticide, and anti-nervous inhalant, to tell if there’s an imbalance in the body, as a disinfectant and a germicide.

It is also used to calm muscle spasms and cramping, as a anti inflammatory and sedative. It’s even considered an aphrodisiac when consumed. (Don’t ask me about this one…I have no idea).

I’m a huge fan of all things that serve multiple purposes. (Especially since it helps to minimize the need for bags of different treatments into one pretty little vial). Camphor, is actually relatively inexpensive. So my suggestion to you, is to purchase it when given the opportunity.

What’s your favourite use for camphor?

Thanks for reading!

-mliae

The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner

I am featuring The Body Shops’ Vitamin E Hydrating Toner as this weeks’ Friday find challenge by A Dark Word Inside. This little beauty has been a lifesaver for me!

I was so sad when my Clarins alcohol free toner finally ran out. I found this little guy in my The Body Shop advent calendar this year and was absolutely relieved to use it. It works better than I had expected. Especially on aging skin. I’ve been so set on using Higher end facial care products due to a constant influx of ‘meh’ experiences with affordable products.

This one surprised me though. My pores are staying clean and it is not drying out my skin. (A biggie at this point) I guess the ultimate test will come when I go in for my next facial and am thoroughly scrutinized. But I can tell you that this particular toner actually works! Yay!

What’s your favourite toner?

Thanks for reading!

-Mliae

Lemon juice and Glycerine hand gel

This is my weekly find feature, for the weekly find challenge by a dark world inside. This is also a product review for this product, which I highly recommend…especially for winter hands!

After a month of complaining that my usual hand creams weren’t working -during a particularly cold and cruel winter, this little beauty found it’s way into my Christmas stocking. I don’t know if it was the soap I was using, or the extreme temps outdoors…but my hands have dried out so badly that they were cracking and even bleeding in some places. Ouch! Ouch! OOOOOUUUUCH!

This product, which originates in Finland, is glycerine based – not water based and has made a drastic difference in the condition of my hands. Thank you! For next winter, I will make sure to have a stock of this on hand…literally! Besides, whats the point of having a fantastic manicure when your hands look like you’re 100 years old?

What are your fave hand products for the cold?

Thanks for reading!

-mliae

Guerlain Paris maxi shine lip sensation

This is my weekly find for the weekly find blogging event at a dark world inside and I’m also writing a product review for this product. This stuff is AWESOME!

I’m a loyal Shalimar fan, so when I purchased a bottle of one of may all-time favorite fragrances, I received this little beauty as a bonus. I have to admit, that had it never been added to my bag, I probably would not have purchased it on my own. But now, I will. Not only is it a super moisturizing lipgloss, but…IT SMELLS LIKE ROSES!!

SOLD! I’ve used it to the very end already and will be, without a doubt, purchasing another tube of this maxi shine when I am next at the Guerlain counter.

You can view some of my other lip gloss product reviews here.

What are some of your faves?

Thanks for reading!

-Mliae

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