Eating to Age Gracefully

I am such a foodie.

I adore food and especially eating.  I am most content when I'm in an apron and in front of the stove.  I love cooking for people and especially adore cooking ethnic food from the many different places I've traveled.

Something I am learning more about is how food, mainly specific foods, can be an anti-aging strategy.  This idea, called FoodTrients, was created by a Southeast Asian woman named Grace O and her cookbook, The Age Gracefully Cookbook, talks all about it.

I am not someone who would usually review a cookbook BUT couldn't say no as the recipes directly impact something I am most keen to discuss, anti-aging and keeping ourselves as young as possible,

After skimming the book, I decided to make the Apple Barley Salad (an age defying recipe) and paired it with the Honey-Lime Dressing (a simply healing recipe).

What I loved most about these recipes was how easy they were to follow AND how few ingredients you truly needed to make them.

The salad turned out fantastic.  I did add more than the called for amount of barley, because I love it, and it still turned out fantastically well.  The taste of the dressing was great, albeit a bit sweet, but mixed with the chili powder it was a great combo.  The salad was perfect.

There are a few recipes in the book I probably won't make BUT there are 66 in total and all have a specific FoodTrient that promotes healthy living: Soy Custard Cups (for Skin Hydration), Carrot Quiche (Youth Serum), Summertime Grilled Chicken (Cellular Sensation), and Spiced Rack of Lamb (Tissue Repairing) are just a few great recipes you can find in the book.

I can't wait to make some more!

    

Birchbox Canada October 2015 Review

The Birchbox this month was focused on "Positive Force".  Birchbox explained that they know "firsthand the power of beauty to change your mood, to inspire confidence and to plain ol' make you happy." So the products this month were designed to make us look and feel good.

And, I am rather happy with them!

Inside, I received a Rusk Elixir Mist, Harvey Prince Hello Body Butter, Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Exfoliant, Jelly Pong Pong Glow Getter Luminizer Gel and W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Mascara.

Birchbox Canada
Total price per month: $14.95 CAD
To sign up for your Birchbox - https://www.birchbox.ca/invite/ltwd2

How many of you are Birchbox subscribers?  What are your thoughts?

    

Topbox Canada October 2015 Review

I'm completely thrilled with my Topbox this month!!

After the products I received last month, though still amazing, were more geared towards skincare, I was slightly concerned what this box would contain.  However, I received 2 makeup items!!  YAY

Inside, I received a MaskerAide Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask (love these!), a Make Up For Ever deluxe sample of Smoky Extravagant Mascara (my favorite), Starlooks Gem Pencil in Ultra Violet and a deluxe sample of Elizabeth Arden's Superstart Skin Renewal Booster.

Topbox Canada
Total price per month: $13.44 CAD
To sign up for your Topbox - www.topbox.ca

Do any of you ladies receive Topbox?  What are your thoughts?

    

Review: Marie Ernst Luxury Soaps

I want to begin this post by saying that I've always despised bar soaps.  Truly,  My hubby uses them everyday but I find them drying AND they smell a little clinical.  Plus, they leave this little film on your skin even after you've rinsed and dried off.  Not pleasant.

I was approached by the reps for the Marie Ernst Luxury Soap line and asked if I was interested in reviewing this fancy new soap "system".  Yes, I do call it a system as this bar soap is actually two separate pieces, creating a ying yang effect, that do drastically different things.

First off, the instructions.  There was a whole page on how to use this special soap.  It was even displayed on the back of the package.  One side of the pumice and the other is the moisturizer, when combined they are the perfect pair to cleanse your skin.

 
The beige side is the pumice and the green side is the moisturizer.  Both sides smell absolutely amazing.  The beige side reminds me of my travels through Asia, coconut/sandlewood, while the green side has a lavender/patchouli smell.  Love them both.

Directions say to wet both pieces, place together and then cleanse your skin.  I used them in the shower and though the process made for an extra long shower, my skin felt so clean, moisturized and film free afterwards.

One gripe with this system.  I don't quite know how to store it once it's been used.  I think you'd need to have two separate soap dishes to store them BUT maybe you want to store them together, I don't know.  I will say that the smell alone makes me so happy and seriously takes me back to my backpacking days...

Have any of you tried this soap system before?  Thoughts?

    

Red Lip Gloss on Vacation....With Benjamin!

So, Benjamin and I are leaving on a quick trip to Phoenix super early this morning.  In fact, when you read this we'll already be in the air.  Poor Allan is staying behind to work as this was supposed to be a girl's trip, but we are more than happy to have Benjamin come along.

It's Benjamin's very first flight (and mine with a baby) so needless to say I am very nervous. Hopefully everything will go well and he'll enjoy traveling as much as his dad and I do.

I will resume posting next week!  Happy Thursday, friends.

    

Review: Comodynes Revamps Makeup Remover Towelettes

Towelettes sent to me for review: review is completely my own

It's been a long time since I've used towelettes to remove makeup.  I know, strange.  My last experience with a makeup towelette resulted in my eyes burning and my skin breaking out like crazy.  Plus, my makeup was never removed properly.

I am happy to say that this is not what happened when using the Comodynes Revamps.

These towelettes are great smelling (yay, no chemical smell), feel great on your skin AND removed my 2-day old Younique Fiber Lashes Mascara.  Yes, I did say 2-day old and YES, it actually came off without having to wet my lashes first.

Dirty picture, I know, but I had to show you.  All that goopy black was my mascara!!  These towelettes work so well because they use something called Micellar Technology, a formula that contains molecules that work to both attract water and repel it, giving your skin a deeper cleaning.  Either way, I'm sold.  I will definitely be buying them again!

Now, the one bad part.  They are not sold in Canada.  I'm hoping this will change in the future.  So, my American friends, you are in luck!!

Here's me, with a nice clean face.  YAY, to towelettes actually working.  

What's your favorite makeup removing towelette?

   

A Week of Swatches - Day 5: E.L.F.

It's rare for me to find E.L.F. products that I actually am in love with.  Occasionally, there will be a lipstick or an eyeshadow that I'm made about but most of the time it's hit or miss.  The great thing about the line is that if you hate something, you aren't out a lot of money AND you can always find a diamond in the rough if you look hard enough.

I'd been reading about their Bronzer and Blush quads for quite some time and picked them up for about $6 a piece.  I also snatched up a Mineral Lipstick for about $5 and a Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow for $3.

The colors of the blush palette look gorgeous out of the box.  I chose the "light" version as I am quite pale and love pale pinks on my cheeks.

For a $6 palette, the colors aren't too shabby.  I am really taken with the coral color though the matte bronze/beige is not good for me.

Out of the box, I am completely appalled with the bronzer palette.  Seriously, the colors are all the same, only one has any shimmer and the rest are matte and quite dull.

There isn't too much to say about the swatches except that I will not be using this quad at all.

The Lustrious Eyeshadow in Festivity is a nice shimmery purple.  What I love most about the product is how easy it is to blend and apply.  I adore the creamy texture and am actually quite impressed with the pigmentation.

It's super pretty, actually.  After looking at the color more, I feel that it might be a dupe for a higher end product line.   More on that later!

Last but not least, the Mineral Lipstick.  I ordered it as it was called Beautiful Berry and had a nice berry red sticker on the side of the box.  I do have to say the shade is a lot more on the pink side than red but still not too shabby.

For anyone interested in shopping with E.L.F., shop using this code to get some awesome deals!  Click the link below!
Grab the perfect Smokey Eye Kit for fall, 6 pieces for $6 (a $21 value!); including our newest Mad for Matte eyeshadow palette! Offer valid 10/6/15-10/12/15 with any purchase of $25 or more. use promocode MARSALA at checkout.

    

A Week of Swatches - Day 4: NYX

I've recently become quite addicted to NYX products.  I don't know why it took me so long and what exactly made me jump on the bandwagon but, man, I am so glad I did.  I am in love with their concealer and mascara and recently began liking SOME of their eyeshadows.

I say some because not all their palettes are pigmented or long lasting.  I am very lucky to say that the two palettes I bought recently are both of these and more.  The top palette is called Bon Voyage and the bottom one is called Wanderlust.  (Based on the names, I'll give you one guess why I bought them...ha).

Bon Voyage is the darker of the two palettes with more jewel tones and colors needed to make a crisp, smoky eye.  I am completely taken with the green and purple colors.

As you can see, the pigmentation is actually quite good.  Some of the shadows are a bit flaky but again, what can you expect for the price.

Wanderlust is gorgeous but definitely not my favorite of the two.  It's more of a nude meets shimmer kind of palette.

I think these colors really pop, though, once on.  The second color (reminds me of a pair of my ballet slippers) is just stunning.

Not swatching these two BUT wanted to show you what I picked up for less than $10 a piece.  The top palette is called Wicked Dreams and the second is called Boheme Chic.  I am addicted to these bidding sites on facebook and I scored big time on these two beauties.  I am in NYX heaven!!

What is your favorite NYX palette?  Have you ever used either of these ones before?

    

A Week of Swatches - Day 3: Sephora

As I'm sure you're noticed, I'm slightly obsessed with palettes.  I will begin by saying that almost all my palettes have been purchased with discount codes or during sales, as I am TRYING my very hardest to be a budget beauty enthusiast.  These next two are no exception.

I searched high and low in Canada to find these two but Sephora was sold out, everywhere.  Instead I found them in the states for about $12 a piece.  Really good deal if you ask me.  The IT Palettes came in either Nude or Smoky.

Smoky is by far my favorite and it also had the most types of eyeshadow.  The top left had corner is a highlighter (which I didn't swatch) and the top right had corner is an eyeliner.  The rest are shimmer eyeshadow goodness!  The palette also comes with a dual ended brush (eyeliner and shadow) and an eyeliner pencil.

I am all about the glittery eyes.  Loving the purple and blue shades!

The Nude palette is still gorgeous but much more muted than the Smoky palette.  The lower left hand corner is a primer and the one beside it AND top left are both highlighters.  The top right and lower right hand colors are both eyeliners.

The gold-copper shade that's first in the row of swatches is absolutely stunning.  All in all, a great set of shadows.

What's your favorite palette of these two?  Have you tried these before?

    

A Week of Swatches - Day 2: BH Cosmetics

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I adore BH Cosmetics.  In fact, whenever I think about buying makeup, I instantly pull up the BH Cosmetic website and see what amazing palettes they have on sale.

Reasons I adore BH: Their palettes are inexpensive, they have fantastic variety and the shadows and blushes are extremely pigmented.  All in all, if you've never shopped on their site before you absolutely have to.

As you can see, I have a few BH palettes to speak of.  The first one I want to share with you is the Glamorous Blush palette.  Gorgeous colors, hey?

Though the red blush colors might be a tad on the bright side, they all blend extremely well and I adore the little bit of shimmer a few of the colors have.  FYI, it's on sale on the site right now for $9.

There is NO WAY I can swatch all these colors for you but had to share how gorgeous this one is.  It's called the Special Occasion palette and it has 30 eye shadows and 9 blushes.  They are super pigmented and you literally have every color you need here to create the PERFECT look for a night out on the town.  Also on sale on the site for $9.

The Blushed Neutrals palette.  One of my most recent purchases.  I love the mix of shimmer and matte colors all in great fall colors!

As you know we'd be here FOREVER if I swatched everything so wanted to show you the row above the blushes.  The first four are shimmer while the last 3 are matte.  I seriously can't wait to use that purple color!

Last but not least is the Smoky Eyes palette.  All the colors you need to create your perfect smoky eye.  Just look at all the deep purple and blue tones.

I swatched the Blue and the Grey row for you.  Both rows are great, though I do think the blue has much more pigmentation than the grey colors.

For all Red Lip Gloss readers, BH Cosmetics has offered a great deal!  Buy any two products and get 10% off. Click the link below to get your own fabulous palettes!
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