SKINCARE | Birch + Beauty Renew Daily Anti-Aging CBD Moisturizer and Lavender CBD Soap Bar

 

Press samples

It has been no secret that CBD has become a big part of my life as it has helped me with sleeping more soundly at night and be less of a grump during the work day. While I am generally a CBD gummy and tincture gal, I have tried a couple of topical CBD products including bath bombs, pain balms and moisturizers through local CBD retailers in Vancouver, but the one I have shopped the most with is Birch + Fog! In addition to carrying a ton of brands and products (both THC and CBD), they also have their own house brand of products with Birch + Beauty being the latest addition to their CBD product line up! 

MAKEUP | Sprout Plantable Eye and Browliner

Press sample

That's right. PLANTABLE makeup - it actually exists! While I had heard of plantable writing pencils before, plantable makeup liners were something that had not crossed my inbox until this summer! Founded in 2013 by Michael Stausholm, Sprout was the first plantable writing pencil which was a sustainable way of giving a second life to otherwise a very short and unusable pencil!

NAILS | Grey Abstract #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

This nail art was a bit of a surprise as I was so tired over the weekend that I had initially just painted my nails grey and intended on leaving them that way until last night when I just couldn't resist the urge to do some experimenting with colours. While I am not thrilled with the final result, it was a bit more interesting that just a plain swatch! 

SHEET MASK | Wonjin Effect Medi Energy Infusion Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

Wonjin Effect is one of my FAVOURITE Korean sheet mask brands and it was also one of the first brands introduced to me when I first got started on my sheet mask journey back in 2018. After trying a couple of masks from them, I have yet to be disappointed and find myself repurchasing them by the pack! Today's #SheetMaskSunday is no exception!

NAILS | The Chocolate French Manicure #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Ooh, I know I am pushing it here calling this a ManiMonday post on a Wednesday, but if you did see me in person on Monday you would have seen me wearing these nails! It was just a busy week and I didn't feel like pushing myself. It was a long work week with the next two weeks picking up in steam as well and then it will soon be Christmas if you can believe it! I have been "self-medicating" with some cake and chocolate everyday so when I was thinking about what to do for this week's manicure, I had dessert on the mind! 

SHEET MASK | L'Occitane Immortelle Hydration & Glow Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

Not gonna lie, but my sheet mask self-care routine has taken a nosedive mainly due to stress. After I have my showers at night, I have been opting to just curl up on the couch while watching Schitt's Creek which I have watched in its entirety before and it is just as funny and heartwarming with each iteration. I think back to July when I had more than a month's worth of #SheetMaskSunday posts queued up and how proud of myself I was, but for now I think my focus will have to be on my mental health and my day job. While I hate doing work things on my days off, that is exactly what I did this morning just so I wouldn't feel quite so stressed when I back in the office on Tuesday. There just never seems to be enough time in the day! 

SKINCARE | Bondi Sands Pure Self Tanning Sleep Mask

Press sample

I had planned on talking about self tanners and being glowy for summer a loooong time ago having tested this Bondi Sands Self Tanning Sleep Mask back in July when I was on vacation, but fate intervened and all things beauty were put on hold for a bit. I guess we still want to look glowy in the dead of winter so maybe this product can still be of use to some of you!

NAILS | Abstract Fall with the OPI Fall Wonders

Press samples

I started watching She-Hulk: Attorney at Law on Disney+ last week and I am enjoying it! I love the little cameos and Tatiana Maslany is pretty cool as a Hulk! I have been playing the last week by ear in terms of blogging and even though the thought of scheduling posts and being on top of things for the Fall is enticing, when I have my sad moments I just let myself fall into them. If all I want to do is veg on the couch after work and watch Schitt's Creek, that's what I will do. I try not to feel guilty about the fact that I haven't posted much in the way of press samples or blog posts, but I am realizing that grief is its own creature and I also have to let it run its course instead of setting deadlines for myself. 

SHEET MASK | Papa Recipe Bombee Pore Ampoule Honey Mask

The last Papa Recipe sheet mask I reviewed here was less than impressive compared to its siblings (Green Honey Mask) when it comes both to fit and general results which was surprising as after trying four different Papa Recipe masks all had been successes. Having said that, I got back on the Papa Recipe train when I saw the Pore Ampoule Honey mask on sale at T&T and crossed my fingers that I would be wowed!

NAILS | Back to School with "Mean Girls" #CBBxManiMonday

Some polishes are press samples

I was feeling mentally better this weekend. I wasn't sure if I would be participating in today's #CBBxManiMonday as I have been through a wealth of emotions the last week with having my Hugo moments as well as dealing with an uncomfortable situation at work that left me absolutely seething for a few days. Alas, I found a mental trick to deal with it and I think going forward I will be able to handle it! Now, there is something about September that makes me think of a fresh start even though I am no longer a student. I wanted to do some Back to School-themed nails, but because I had done "school supplies" before, I wanted to do something a little different which brings us to...Mean Girls!