by Marie | Aug 29, 2016 | Best of 2016, Chewy, Featured Posts, Lotion
To me, macadamia nuts will forever evoke memories of Hawaii. I was last there with my family when I was seventeen, and I remember picking up a bag of some chocolate covered macadamia nuts in the airport on our way home. Those nuggets of chocolatey goodness were unbelievably delicious. To this day I’m certain there was some sort of covert layer of butterscotch or caramel in there that made them full-on addictive and memorable, even years later. So, when I finally got around to buying a wee bottle of macadamia nut oil (I’ve learned not to buy new oils in large quantities!), I knew what I’d have to turn it into: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Lotion. Yum.
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by Marie | Aug 4, 2016 | Featured Posts, Lip Balm, Very Crunchy
Ever since I made my Chocolate Lip Butter I’ve been completely smitten with it, so naturally I want more of it in all kinds of different variations. I’ve been wishing for a citrussy lip treat for ages, but since citrus essential oils are photosensitizing, I’ve never made one (sunburnt lips are the pits). This lovely, sticky, buttery lip treat uses some citrus-esque essential oils to get that bright, fruity hit of summery goodness without the risk of earning myself a pair of blistered, sore lips. Bring on the vegan citrus lip butter!
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by Marie | Aug 1, 2016 | Facial Serums & Balms, Featured Posts, Very Crunchy
Last week I was watching a makeup tutorial with Adele’s makeup artist, Michael Ashton, and as he was prepping his beautiful model’s skin, he used two products that really intrigued me. One was a fancy-sounding French facial serum; Decleor’s Aromessence Rose D’Orient Soothing Serum. The second was a Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm (which was really a lotion, not a balm, but I digress). Michael raved about both products—the serum for plumping the skin and eliminating redness (the model also says it smells amazing), and the moisture balm for a natural strobing effect thanks to the tiny “gold particles” (gold mica) it contains. Anyhow, intrigued, but certainly not intending to spend upwards of $100 to try the originals, I thought I’d fuse the two ideas into a Rose Gold Facial Serum and see what happened.
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by Marie | Jun 27, 2016 | Best of 2016, Facial Serums & Balms, Featured Posts, Very Crunchy
The amount of money some shop-bought natural skincare products sell for never ceases to amaze me. You’d think I’d be used to seeing price tags north of $150 for a few tablespoons of something, but I’m not. I’m perpetually astonished to find a blend of oils or a simple lotion enriched with a few posh sounding ingredients can sell for more money than many people make in a day, but I’m also still surprised when I receive an email I literally sent myself seconds earlier, so perhaps I’m just easily surprised/have a rather flighty short-term memory. Anywho, all that is to say that this Luxury Facial Serum is inspired by Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil, which sells for a whopping $170/30mL (1 fl oz). This one features most of the same ingredients, and costs far less than 1/10th of that. BAM.
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by Marie | Jun 13, 2016 | Best of 2016, Featured Posts, Lip Balm, Very Crunchy
Out of all the things I’ve made that I have to frequently remind myself not to eat, this Chocolate Lip Butter is pretty high up that list. It smells downright delicious, and leaves my lips oh-so wonderfully soft and hydrated. And did I mention that it smells exactly like high end chocolate and is pretty much irresistible? This stuff is great.
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by Marie | May 26, 2016 | Facial Serums & Balms, Featured Posts, Very Crunchy
My new Pomegranate Primrose Summer Facial Serum is a fantastic way to lighten up your skin care routine for warmer days (I’m calling it my PrimPom Serum for short, ha!). It is silky and light, absorbing into your skin quickly and leaving it beautifully hydrated, and it smells amazing—like fresh air, light spice, and warm apples and hay. I am loving it as the humidity rises (ever so slightly, at least) and the sun stays out longer every day. I think you’ll love it, too.
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