Happy Halloweenie

It started like this..

And ended up like this...

Hoping you have a howl of a good time..sorry, couldn't help myself!

What I'm trying: Konjac sponge

I've been eager to get my hands on this little miracle sponge for quite some time, but the prices I saw ranged from $10-15 and it seemed a bit much for something that would only last a month or so.  I finally was pleased to find the above Eco Tools Konjac sponge for sensitive skin at Whole Foods for $5.99 this past weekend.  No matter how much the packaging tries to reassure me that it's okay for sensitive skin, I'm always a bit skeptical.  I've indoctrinated myself for years that I should avoid anything remotely scrubby on my sensitive/rosacea skin, but the rave reviews I've read about Konjac made it simply too irresistible.

You can use the sponge with or without cleanser, and I think in the morning for me I would opt for the non-cleanser option, however in the evening I took the opportunity to unwrap the Plantlife Argan facial bar I'd been saving to use in conjunction with the sponge.  I was pleasantly surprised by the lather the combination produced, and the immediate effect: my skin felt softer and smoother after just the first use. I didn't have a tremendous amount of make-up on (Coola tinted moisturizer, Vapour concealer, RMS blush and eye shadow) but it definitely took it all off. My face didn't feel extra irritated (although I do think I got carried away with the scrubbing the first time) and this is definitely something I will continue to use on a daily or semi-daily basis.  Other bloggers have reported that they experience less breakouts over the long term using konjac, so I will be interested to see if that proves true for me as well. There are a few different clay and charcoal versions of konjac sponges on the market, so I would say those might be more effective in pimple prevention if that's your primary goal.

I love that the sponge is 100% vegetable fiber, and to provide a little background on Konjac:  Konjac is a highly renewable root plant indigenous to Asia. It’s traditionally used as a detoxifying dietary staple and as a naturally exfoliating sponge for delicate skin by the Japanese. 

Channel surfing..

I went through a phase many months ago during which I became obsessed with hair styling and watched an inordinate amount of how-to videos on Youtube. It's actually a bit bizarre because typically I'm quite lazy and don't like to spend much time on my hair.  Perhaps it's like the people who watch cooking shows but rarely cook.  In any case, many of the videos were unintentionally hilarious, and for your entertainment pleasure on this Tuesday I've copied below an homage I did to some of those ladies, bless their hearts..  Enjoy!

Monday...funday?

I don't know about y'all, but last week was a bit of a tough one, no?  Sometimes it's the little things like your skincare ritual with some lovely aromatherapeutic products that can make you forget your woes for a while.  I've been trying out a new line that I will soon be blogging about and can't wait to share with you!

In the meantime, here's some Monday morning eye candy:

The $60 kit includes:

Modern Radiance Concentrate-.16oz/5ml

Barbary Fig Seed Oil-.16oz/5ml

Jardin De Fleurs-.33oz/10ml

Decouverte Under Eye Repair Serum-0.3oz/1ml

A great Chicago based brand, I'm keen to try their products especially because I'm intrigued by the Barbary fig seed oil (also included in the eye serum). It also contains prickly pear oil which has had a lot of buzz recently.  Besides, I just love a good prickly pear margarita, so of course I want to try it on my face!  And I feel like the adorable travel pouch would fit right in at any cantina..

~~~

I hope your week starts well and to kick it off I want to thank my fellow blogger Britanie of Beauty by Britanie for introducing me to this great Osho quote:

“Rest, relax, and be in a letgo. Letgo is the secret of life. Letgo is the secret of religion. Letgo is the greatest secret. When you are in a letgo many things, millions of things, start happening. They were already happening but you were never aware.”

“Know that everything is in perfect order whether you understand it or not.” ― Valery Satterwhite

What's in my make up bag

I'll admit, I'm as nosy as the next when it comes to products other people use - I've been guilty of staring a little too long at someone putting makeup on the subway to try to identify what cosmetics she's using...so I thought I'd give back and share with y'all what's in ma bag!

I picked up this adorable little tropical pouch at the beginning of summer in Soho. The brand is Dezso.  The products are from left to right:

1. Revlon Illuminance creme shadow - Not Just Nudes (in addition to eyes, I also use 2 of the shades for contouring. While it's not a green product, it's sooo handy, and I will likely use up before I replace with a more natural product)
2. Maybelline Balm Stain in Pinky Promise (this does stain the lips but doesn't really moisturize and probably has parabens in it so will aim to replace with a more natural brand)
3. Pacifica Color Quench in Sugared Fig which is full of yummy ingredients and oils
4. RMS uncover-up in #22 and Lip2Cheek in Smile (see review on these here)
5. NYX tea tree oil blotting papers for my oily lil' t-zone
6. Valentina's Home Brewed perfume rollers in Psychic Detox and Protection (review here)
7. Everyone hand sanitizer in coconut and lemon. This smells like a beach getaway and is a bit less harsh than other sanitizers. When I run out I'll be replacing with my own concoction.

Enjoy your weekend everyone and in closing I thought I'd share a quote I like from Mr. Deepak Chopra..

“There are no accidents... there is only some purpose that we haven't yet understood.”

La Divina Sunrise Healing Elixir

I don't know if it's because I've seen some spectacular sunsets against the mountains here in Ojai, but when I caught a glimpse of La Divina's Sunset Velvet Hydration oil I had to pause for a moment and check it out.  While it's loaded with great ingredients like copaiba*, cacao and frankincense, I instead chose a sample of the Sunrise Healing Elixir for combination skin (pictured above), partly because that's exactly what I have, but also because it contains many of my favorite carrier and essential oils:

Organic seabuckthorn / Organic tamanu / Sesame oil / Frankincense / Lavender / Lemon / Myrrh / Cypress / Sandalwood / Melaleuca / Wild orange / Geranium

The lemon EO, while astringent and good for sebum regulation, is phototoxic so this will be a nighttime application for me. All the ingredients in La Divina facial oils are hand picked from certified organic, wild crafted and trusted sources.  They are chosen for their therapeutic and healing properties as well as their aromatherapeutic qualities. Plus it's cofounded by two California girls, one an aesthetician, who have put a lot of thought and care into the mixtures and the ingredients.

(*An oil typically sourced from the Amazonian rainforest, Copaiba contains the highest amounts of beta caryophyllene (55 percent) of any known essential oil. It's long been used in folk medicine and is high on my wishlist of EOs to play with.  It's known for its anti-inflammatory properties, so I'm eager to see if it impacts my rosacea. It is also reputedly effective for acne reduction.)

Raw chocolate avocado frosting

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming with a very important message:

Raw chocolate avocado frosting...it may sound like one of the weirdest combos you've  heard, but it's one of the best frostings I've ever had and it's SUPER easy.  (As someone who merely looks at a kitchen appliance and it malfunctions, trust me on this one!)

In a quest to eat healthier but not scrimp on the taste factor, I stumbled upon this simple little frosting recipe and decided to try it on some chocolate cupcakes I made (okay my mother made):

• 1 perfectly ripe avocado
• 1/2 cup raw organic unsweetened cacao (it's a superfood!)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (get the good stuff)

 Put the ingredients into a food processor and blend. If you like it sweeter, use 1/2 cup maple syrup, if you like it chocolatey-er you can add some semi-sweet choc chips (although I didn't and it was quite chocolatey) and if you're like me and you like a little kick to it add some Kahlua! Finished product has the consistency of a ganache and it's actually good for you.  Enjoy!