Catchup #56 Update

Catchup 56 Update

I hope this post finds you all doing very well; sorry for being gone for so long, and happy 2016! I am finally able to sit down and work at my computer so I am going to squeeze a few new things in this post. I may also have a best of 2015 & a few blog posts coming your way pretty soon (including overdue reviews that you guys requested). Thank you for your emails, comments, and all the kind messages you sent me while I was away ❤︎.

NEW Ecobrow shades. If you read my full Ecobrow review a few months back, you probably remember that I liked the product very much, but I was slightly dissatisfied with the color options. Of the four shades available, I was using Liz, a dark brown color, which looked like a great match for me. However in photo it showed up a bit red compared to my naturally ashy brow hairs, and therefore, a little un-natural. Thankfully, Ecobrow recently launched two new shades, which are both more ashy in color. The one I purchased is called Frida, and is specifically designed for very dark & ashy hair, and is absolutely perfect to fill in sparse areas in my brows. I do keep a light hand to prevent my brows from looking too dark and harsh, (this stuff is pigmented!), but it’s perfect to fill in the gaps and give a more polished look to my eyebrows. The other new shade is called Sharon, and works best for dark blonde, light and medium ash brown hair. You can find both new shades here and you can read the full review here.

Ecobrow Review Frida Liz Swatches

Red Apple Natural Lip Pencil. A little before the holidays, Red Apple launched a very Winter-appropriate collection of six new bold, fun lipstick colors, including a berry, a couple of reds and some pinks. Together with the new lipstick shades, they also launched three new lip liners: Barely Pink, Dusty Rose, and Natural. The shade, Natural, has been my go-to lip liner for the past two months. It’s similar to the Jane Iredale Spice lip pencil, but it is a bit more peachy and a bit less brown, and makes a great base for a nude lip. It is my favorite item out of the entire collection. I included a comparison swatch with the Jane Iredale lip pencil in Spice, so you can see the difference. Formula-wise, it is creamy enough not to tug on the lips, but it has enough grip so it does not smudge. Not completely oil-proof, (if you eat something oily or greasy you will have to touch up), but I usually get at least 5-6 hours of wear. Available here.

Red Apple Lipstick Lip Pencil Natural Jane Iredale Lip Pencil Spice

Schmidt’s Deodorant Stick. This was a lovely surprise. I didn’t find the Schmidt’s cream deodorant (the one that comes in the jar) to be very effective for me, but the stick version has been working great. I am currently using the Lavender-Sage* scented version, which has been keeping me stink-free all day long. It has bee working great even throughout workout sessions and on hormonal days. The texture of the product can become more hard or creamy depending on the temperatures, (because it contains coconut oil), so if your room temperature is very low, it may feel not creamy enough to spread. When it feels like that, I just dab it on my pits. I don’t even need to do much rubbing, because it takes little product to get good protection. I am very happy with it and I am glad to have found another stick deodorant that works (the other one is the Agent Nateur, reviewed here, which is more expensive than Schmidt’s). Please also note that it contains baking soda. I haven’t experienced any issues with it, but if you are  very sensitive to baking soda you may want to patch test first. You can find it at Whole Foods and many other local apothecaries, and you can also shop it online here.

Winter necessities. You guys know that I don’t typically struggle with dry skin, thanks to the humid Florida weather. However, since the temperatures dropped, I have spent so much time indoor with the heating system on that my skin, my lips, my throat, (my everything!) have become dry. Beside scheduling alarms to remind myself to drink lots of water, there are a few products that I have found to be soothing and moisturizing to my skin:

  1. Odacité Beautiful Day Moisturizer. I had not used any water-based, face moisturizer in a while, but this has been a real treat for my skin. It is light and soothing. It gives my skin hydrating relief, but it does not feel too rich and does not clog my pores or break me out. I am not sure of how this would work for someone with very dry skin, but if you have normal-to-slightly oily skin, it may work for you, too. I received mine with the Green Beauty Award Box* from the Detox Market, but it is also sold individually here. Full review in the works.
  2. Cleansing oil. Lately, I have been taking more time to massage my face while cleansing than usual. There is something about seeing my complexion go from pale and dull to alive and flushed that feels very satisfying. I still use my all time favorite cleansing oil from One Love Organics, the Vitamin B Cleansing Oil, which most of you already know about. If you are new to my blog, you can read more about it here. Always recommend this one to anyone for makeup removal, but it also works great as a face cleanser because it dissolves with water and offers the most gentle form of exfoliation. You can find it here (use code GG10 to save 10%).
  3. Body balms. Body oils and lotions are my favorites for Summer. In Winter, however, I love the thick, creamy, and comforting texture of balms and butters on legs, arms and everywhere needed. I recently finished the Metta Body Butter* (which I enjoyed very much), and I am currently using the Ellovi Body Butter* in the Mint Chocolate scent, which is perfect for Winter.

Winter Sale. Use code SNOWFLAKE to receive 10% off sitewide at The Detox Market (ends Sunday evening).

Have a great week!!

*PR/gifted sample

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