Yes To Tomatoes - Mask

Good evening ladies! I hope you are all having a great night! I'm just squeezing in this post between my paper writing and finals studying so it may be shorter than usual (but probably not! lol) I also can't say that there will be many posts in the next couple weeks! As much as I will try to squeeze them in I have a ton of studying to do! 

So if you haven't already noticed I have a weak spot for masks! I love pampering myself and laying back in the tub with a good cleansing/oil absorbing mask! The people at Yes To Carrots! were nice enough to include this mask in my package that they sent me and I was VERY excited to see it!

Clay masks are my favourite types of masks! I have really oily skin so its great for controlling my oil and breakouts! I also have sensitive skin that is prone to rashing or getting dry patches from anything too harsh (Hello Benzoyl Peroxide..) so its hard for me to find a good oil control/acne control product to help me out! 

Here is what the Yes To Carrots! website has to say about this mask:

"Time to treat yourself. Totally treat yourself. To Tomatoes. Yes To Tomatoes Facial Mask is a total deep pore treatment that refines, purifies and even moisturizes your skin, while keeping your complexion clean, clear and balanced. Filled with potent anti-oxidants that fight free radicals, and bursting with powerful sebum (acne-causing oil) absorbers, you'll be tickled red with this tantalizing treat! Go ahead, take the time to treat yourself, your skin will thank you!"

I am in LOVE with this mask! I don't know about you guys but most of the time clay masks make my skin incredibly itchy when they are on and I can't stand to keep them there for very long! But with this mask, I find myself wearing it for much longer than I should! (Shhh!) It doesn't dry to the point where it irritates your skin and makes it really tight and uncomfortable. It just dries enough to get the extra sebum off your face and clean it out!

I'm really trying to go natural with my skin care lately. I've been seeing much better results when sticking to nourishing, natural products as opposed to my harsh acne products. My skin has actually gotten better and has much less blemishes, and I'm not even using "traditional" acne products! Who knew?

Here are my pros and cons of the product:

Pros:

- 99.6% Natural

- Deep Cleansing

- Petroleum, SLS & Paraben Free

- Doesn't dry out the skin

- Leaves skin feeling hydrated without greasiness

- Comfortable to have on!

- Contains antioxidants

Cons:

- Smell - same as cleanser, not enough to stop my use! 

- Availability - I can't buy it in Canada :(

I barely have any cons on this product! It is one of THE best masks I have ever used! I'm super picky about my masks too because I hate the super drying ones but they still have to remove excess oil and do the job! I love that this mask contains lots of antioxidants and nourishing ingredients instead of just being a plain clay mask! I've been incredibly impressed with my Yes To! products! I still have many more to come so keep checking back!

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LUSH Mask of Magnaminty Review

Hey Everyone! Happy Saturday to you all, hope you are having a relaxing day, and maybe doing a bit of blogging! :)

Mask of Magnaminty

So this is actually Lush's only face mask that does not have to be refrigerated! Thats a huge bonus for me because I find the ones I have to keep in the fridge, not only go bad faster, but get pushed to the back of the fridge and lost forever! Then I will find them 3 weeks later (once they've gone bad) and be sad! I am a big fan of Lush's fresh face masks (the ones that need refrigeration) because I do love a good all natural product that works wonders on my skin, and most of them do! This one looked even better because Number 1 I don't have to refrigerate it (!) Number 2 its less expensive (size vs. price wise) and Number 3 its BIG!

Ingredients

This mask is more suited towards troublesome or oily skin. It is marketed as a deep cleaning, toning and exfoliating mask that refreshes and brightens skin. It contains Kaolin (clay), Bentonite (clay) and talc as the absorbing materials as well as honey, glycerin and evening primrose seeds to prevent overdrying.

Consistancy/texture

I think this looks like green oatmeal haha. It is chunky because of the evening primrose seeds that are there to exfoliate as you rinse off the mask. You apply this like any other clay mask, letting it dry then rinsing it off in circular motions to exfoliate! It is very thick (like some of the other Fresh Face masks) and can be hard to spread because of the chunky consistency (minor speed bump). Lets move on to the pros and cons!

Pros

- Price: Less expensive than the Fresh Face Masks (this is $8 and change but double the size)

- Absorbs Oil without over drying

- Does not leave a greasy feel

- Does not make skin "itch" - You know that feeling that you can get from some clay masks that is like an itch because they tighten so much? That doesn't happen haha

- Exfoliates

- Brightens Skin - Boosts blood flow

- Smells Great (Peppermint)

Cons

- This is NOT for sensitive skins! The peppermint oil will be much too strong and cause irritation. It was borderline irritating on my skin and I do not have sensitive skin at all! (it actually made my eyes water for the first little bit because the peppermint oil was SO strong, but I do have sensitive eyes, they water at everything!)

- Too drying for dry skins

- The talc in this product can leave a "residue" on skin - I use a toner to get rid of it! :)

Overall, I did like this product. I will definitely continue to use it but will use great caution to not get it anywhere near my eyes! The look it gives my skin, bright/glowing/clean, outweighs my discomfort of watery eyes but if you do have sensitive eyes or skin, skip this mask and try one of Lush's other Fresh Face Masks. They make great ones for sensitive skins and dry skins (and oily) without the peppermint oil. 

Final Verdict: Use caution when purchasing and using this particular mask, but don't hesitate to buy other Lush Fresh Face masks! They are all natural and work amazing! :)

Naturopathica Pumpkin Enzyme Peel Review

Hey Everyone! I thought I would start reviewing some products I've had for a while that didn't get a chance to be reviewed yet (I just cleaned out my makeup boxes so I found lots that I forgot about...of course haha)

Pumpkin Peel

Looks like pumpkin pie too!

I'm going to start with this Pumpkin Enzyme Peel by Naturopathica. If you haven't heard of this brand, its an all natural, organic brand focused in holistic health. If you want to read more about them, they have a fantastic website with all their products and information. I came to know this brand through a great spa here in Calgary called Leela Eco Spa and Studio. They have all natural treatments and yoga classes in one place all in a great atmosphere! They used this on me while I was receiving a facial and I was hooked, here are my thoughts:

Pros:

- Super gentle exfoliation with no acids

- AMAZING smell, just like Pumpkin Pie!

- Leaves skin so smooth and bright

- Doesn't clog pores or leave you feeling greasy

- Doesn't dry on the skin so its great for dry skin as well as oily skin

- Only need a very little amount for full face

- Get the exact same treatment at home for a fraction of the cost!

- All Natural and Organic

Cons:

- Price, this set me back $66 CAD (but it was worth it!)

- May not provide as good of results as a chemical/acid exfoliant

- Contains a lot of essential oils that may irritate very sensitive skins (cinnamon, ginger, rosemary)

Overall, I don't know if I will buy again but I will certainly enjoy what I have! I love using this mask so much because of the amazing smell and great results. If you can get your hands on any of Naturopathica's products I highly recommend them, it is so amazing to find all natural, organic products that produce great results!

Economical Indulgence

Hello ladies! Tonight I'm thinking of doing an at home spa-night (one of my all time favourite things to do!) so I thought I would share a few of my inexpensive but super effective finds with you!

I usually like to have a bath first, so here are some great bath finds!

Lush Bubble Bar - Creamy Candy

Okay, this is arguable regarding the "economical" part but I have some tricks to make it more cost effective! This is Lush's bubble bar in Creamy Candy! If you want to really indulge yourself and relax any of Lush's products are a great way to do it! They are so well formulated and fragrant you don't need much else! My trick to make it last longer is to break it up into 4 chunks, that way you get 4 baths out of it! I do like to add bath salts as well to suck all the toxins out of my skin. I like Rocky Mountain Soap Company's Detox Bath Salts (www.rockymountainsoap.com) or for an even less expensive option, regular epsom salts from Wal-Mart work great and are only around $2.50 for a large carton!

I really like to use candles when I bath too to get the full spa like effect! Some of my favourite candles are by Beanpod. The scents are so rich and they have such a wide variety! They last forever and are completely soy so they are much better for you than regular wax candles. You can find retailers at www.beanpodcandles.com. An easier option to find, and my second favourite, is Bath & Body Works candles. Again, super fragrant and moderately inexpensive and MUCH easier to get your hands on! I really like the Sweetpea but am really into Christmas-y, fall scents right now! Beanpod has one called Oatmeal Cookies and it is to die for!

After my bath I'll move on to a facial. Here are some fantastic masks I use that are so cheap you wont believe it and more effective than my high end spa brands!

Freeman Pineapple Enzyme Mask

I usually use two masks if I'm doing a full indulgent spa night. This is the first one I use, Freeman Pineapple enzyme mask. I use this first to get rid of all the dead skin cells that have built up from the week! It works incredibly well and is only $3.77 at Wal-Mart, YAY!

Lush Magnaminty Mask

Next, I'll use a clay mask to get every last bit of debris out! This is one of my favourites and its by lush. This is their only mask that doesn't have to be refrigerated (which I love) and also works the best for me. Another great mask (that I actually use more often because its less expensive) is Freeman's Mint/Lemon Clay mask. It has the same effects for about a third of the cost for $3.77 as well! St.Ives also makes a really good one but recently it has been making my skin itch. Its called their Mineral Clay Firming Mask, it works really well and its only about $4.50.

I also like to give myself a mani/pedi on these nights! I'll start in the bath with a pumice stone to remove all the dead skin. Then I'll push all my cuticles back and add a good cuticle oil or cream. I love Sally Hansen's Green Tea and Soy oil as well as Lush's Lemony Flutter balm. Then I'll polish my nails with whatever I choose (tonight it will be Unripened from my Go Goth! collection!) 

I love doing all this stuff and hope it will help you find a great, inexpensive alternatives to a pricey spa visit! 

Have fun! :)