April Fool Romance

Sweety Milky Blue Circle Lens Review

2016-01-07T20:24:00.001-05:00

Hello, everyone!

I've decided to start a new blog with a new name but I'll keep the content on this blog available and I'll continue making preview posts here until I see fit. I had been wanting to start new for awhile so I went for it :] Feel free to join me if you'd like!

If you're interested in these lenses, read my review here: Sweety Milky Blue Circle Lens Review

Lorina xoxo

Brighten and Renew Chamomile Rose Face Mask

2015-12-12T16:58:00.000-05:00

Lately, this has been my go-to face mask! It's great for combination skin!

If you're interested, read my review here: opaljelly.blogspot.com/

MoistureRose Me Soap for Soft Skin + Natural Deodorant

2015-12-07T15:50:00.000-05:00

*my Mac is still wonky so I'm still editing pictures on my phone, sorry for the low quality pics!!

This review will consist of an awesome natural soap and natural deodorant in the MoistureRose Me scent! I'm super thrilled to share this!

I didn't know I could be infatuated with a soap! MoistureRose Me is thoughtfully handmade with natural ingredients by Epic Soap Company on Etsy. They're currently changing their labels so you'll see their old name, Epic Organics, for a little while.

So, where do I begin? Maybe breaking down my points will help me organize my excited thoughts!

Aesthetic
It's simply gorgeous. What a beautiful warm rosy pink red color. It's romantic with dried rose petals scattered across the top of the soap. It's within my one of my favorite ranges of colors so I'm naturally drawn to it, as well as the flowers. Gardens and flowers are on top of my favorite things ever. Looks great to decorate a bathroom. Pictured above is only half the size of the bar since I prefer cutting mine in half.

Scent
I've already use this word already, but, romantic. Like pressed roses in a diary. Okay, yeah, I'm getting cheesy and dramatic but I literally imagine a late night scene with candles and dry pressed roses scattered about when I smell this soap. The scent doesn't linger on the skin but showering with it is so calming.

Lather
Amazing lather. Originally, I thought natural soaps would be too hard to lather well. This surprised me and it glides over the skin so well.

Experience + Results
Other than the aesthetic and scent, I wanted to try this out because of the other buyers claiming that it softened their skin. Moisture is a big deal to me. I can't stand the feeling of my skin being dry.

For me, I can tell this is helping with softness the more that I use it. It's not dramatic since my skin's already hydrated but compared to all the other soaps I've tried from this company this is the most moisturizing. It's ESPECIALLY working well for my husband!

He hates the feeling of lotion and prefers the feeling of dryness which doesn't help with his mild eczema, mild acne, and calloused elbows and knees from working. We've been using natural soaps for a few months now and we've seen some all over improvements. While they were very slow, they've been working to heal his skin.

The thick, sharp, dry callouses on his elbows have been completely softened and his knees are on the way there! That's a HUGE deal since he doesn't like lotion/creams, there wasn't a way to improve the callouses into his routine, but just using natural soap? I'm super impressed!

When we started using MoistureRose Me, it seemed to increase the speed of healing on his skin compared to the other soaps (but maybe it's thanks to the help of continued use of other soaps that this is working faster?). His skin is softer and clearer. I think the eczema calms down a bit more too. All this just in the week we've had it. He even made mention of the soap helping his skin when he's never commented on his own other than enjoying the scents we've gotten from EpicSoapCompany. This soap is a win for both of us!

I want to try other soaps for fun but this is officially a repurchase and go-to item when we want a good soap that cleans, heals, and moisturizes!

5 out of 5!

☆☆☆☆☆

Also made by Epic Soap Company, the EPIC Natural Deodorant in MoistureRose Me, the very first natural deodorant I've ever used. Deodorant is kind of an unusual topic but I'm excited to share this!

There are many companies with their own ingredients and mixtures for natural deodorants but since I loved the MoistureRose Me scent, I went ahead with this brand. There were reviews made by their customers that gave this product 5 stars and I wanted to see for myself how well it worked!

Texture
It's softer than chemical stick deodorants with a soft grainy texture. There tends to be some clumping that needs to be rubbed in.

Experience + Results

I'm still new when it comes to natural products so I tend to be in that iffy crowd questioning whether the products really work or are lesser versions of what's readily available in stores. I'm happily surprised to say this works just as well or even better!

For real, I was smelling myself constantly the first couple days (lol) from one application. It wasn't wearing off nor did it have that typical deodorant smell that chemical deodorants have that get kind of obnoxious as the day goes by. Instead the scent just waters down while you stay fresh :]

My husband used this, too, by my request for the sake of this review and he wound up really liking it! He works all day and chemical deodorants tend to wear off by the end of it. This EPIC natural deodorant lasted longer than the old one so we're definitely getting one for himself soon!

Epic Soap Company offers options for scent. I chose MoistureRose Me and it translates well between the soap and the deodorant. The scent isn't overpowering but just enough to start off bold and as the scent fades you're just left with no smell of anything at all. Not you, not the deodorant, just, no smell.

But like other stick deodorants, it leaves white marks on black clothing. It can be rubbed out though.

This is all by our experiences. I'm sure it will vary from person to person, but we hit it with this item. It works so well and this is yet another wonderful smelling and reliable natural product that gets me excited to use it!

5 out of 5!

☆☆☆☆☆

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Lorina ♡

I-Codi Colors of the Wind No 16 - Kiwi Sherbet Circle Lens Review

2015-11-16T15:30:00.000-05:00

Ahhh! First, I want to point out and apologize for the different quality and layout of this circle lens review. My Mac is starting to see it's last days and my husband's computer isn't doing so well either so I had to edit my photos using a phone app and then make the post on a slow computer T OT'' !!!

I was just looking at some old reviews and am now feeling sad I can't use my layout lol So please excuse the change in the meantime ; 3; It might be awhile till I can get back to it so I hope this will still show the lenses off well enough for you! My goal for these reviews is to help you see what the lens really looks like!

Okay, here we go!

Kiwi Sherbet from Uniqso.com!

Use my 10% discount code "LORINA"

~ This review is based on my own opinion and experiences. ~

Please take a look at my Circle Lens Care page if you are interested in circle lenses!

This time the lenses are from Uniqso! It's a very popular circle lens and beauty web store. They offered me a chance to review a lens of my choice and I was very drawn to the beautiful Kiwi Sherbet!

I was sent a tracking code when it was shipped and they also include a link for information on circle lenses. It's a lot more thorough than my page so take a look! http://www.uniqso.com/circle-lenses-library

Packaging + Shipping

It came in a bubbled envelope with a Thank You box and a free lens case. The vials were gently but securely packaged in bubble wrap inside the box. When it was shipped, it took 12 days including weekends.

Lens Info

Kiwi Sherbet from Uniqso.com

Available from PLANO to -8.50

Base Curve: 8.6mm

Water Content: 38%

Life Span: 12 months

Diameter: 15mm

Review

Color + Pattern

It truly does remind me of a pretty kiwi! It's a beautiful green that's fresh like spring and the lens is opaque so it will show brightly on the darkest of eyes like my dark brown eyes. The pattern isn't unusual, it's actually kind of natural. The pupil hole slightly blends in so I really think these would look great on any eye color.

Comfort

I wore them for 8 hours after I soaked them in contact solution over night. There was no issue whatsoever for me. The lenses are thin and comfortable. They were easy for me to put in and take out. My eyes didn't feel dry nor did they become red. But as usual, you should always have eye drops and your lens case with you if you if you're going out just in case you feel any discomfort or if you've worn them too long!

Enlargement

I didn't expect them to be so big! They're 15mm and as you can see from the picture above, they do make a difference. Keep in mind that I kinda have big features, so big lenses on me may appear bigger on you if you have smaller eyes.

Experience

I'm truly in love with these! Green is my second favorite natural lens color to wear, next to gray, and it's hard to find a bright green that will show without it looking unnatural or the lens winds up being too dark to see the green nicely. These would be perfect for every day looks and for cosplay! I really didn't come by any complaints with these :3 Makes me really curious about the other Colors of the Wind lenses. They have so many pretty patterns and colors!

I truly hope the quality isn't as bad as my worries are making them out to be. The app I used for editing is Aillis, which used to be LINE, and then Moldiv to make the collages for my eyes. Smart phones are pretty convenient lol ^^'

Anyways, thank you for reading my review!

Take Care!

Lorina ♡

Birthday goodies! Lizzy Storm Designs + ZooShoo

2015-09-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

My birthday was earlier this month and here are some of my favorite presents from my best friend ♡

I consider myself a difficult person to get gifts for. I like practical things that suit me and I don't like wasting money. Other than that, I don't like accepting money or gifts, idk, I'm hesitant and I don't feel like I deserve it, lol. So things have to be pressed on to me.

My best friend knows me well, and even though she considers this impersonal, I feel that it's the best route to take with me. She gave me birthday money to get something I truly will enjoy, and this way, I can be as stingy and picky as I want with the money, lol.

So, I'll be linking where these items are from!

The Crystal Diagram Top + Solar System Top by LizzyStormDesigns

Love these tops! They're stretchy and comfy and the designs are unique and well balanced ♡ I'm looking forward to layering with these on a colder day :] Description says it runs small and to go up a size. I definitely recommend it!

Qupid IGGY-05 Bootie from ZooShoo

These are super tall and thin. They're really beautiful in person. For me they're true to size but just a bit stuffy with thick socks. I don't think these will be good for people with wide feet.

I haven't walked in really high shoes in a long time but these were comfortable! They might look a little funny on me though cause of how short my legs are and how high these are, lol. Still, they're beautiful and I like them :]

Beetlejuice Wallet Case from LBCustomDesignsLLC

I've been needing a case and wanted to try out a wallet style. I like it so far! Buuut, I can tell the bind is cheap. It won't be too long until the fake leather starts feathering cause when I fold the front to the back, the bind creases. That's okay though since it'll match the theme, haha.

I really love everything! ♡ It's always fun getting new stuff and it's refreshing wearing new clothes you like!

Epic Organics Review - Skin Care

2015-09-26T12:15:00.001-04:00

I'm continuing my search to replace all my bath and beauty products with natural choices.

What I'll be sharing with you are products from Epic Organics at Etsy!

I've ordered twice from them already and I'll be reviewing all the items in those orders. Keep reading if you're interested in natural alternatives for skin care :] Especially if you have oily/dry combination skin!

Sample Soap Review

(click this link to look at the sample soaps!)

Scent

1. OH MY

It nearly had no scent at all and what I could smell was very mild. Milk, oatmeal, and honey aren't exactly known for strong scents.

2. The Exorcist

This was mine and my husband's favorite! I was so in love with it that I would have gotten it as a perfume! It's hard to describe though. While the description they have of it fits, it's just something you have to experience yourself.

3. Biker Baby

This was the extra they put in the order. It was a simple and pleasant scent. I mostly smelled the baby powder. It's not something I would personally buy but it's not offending or strong.

Texture + Lather

These soaps give you that literal squeaky clean feeling but none of them felt drying after getting out of the shower. As for lather, to be honest, since they're natural soaps I wasn't expecting much but they did well! The only thing that sticks out to me was the texture of The Exorcist. It felt more slick directly on skin, but in a good way. Since it can be used for shaving it makes sense that it's texture is like that.

Longevity

Between me and my husband using all three soaps together, they lasted about three weeks. So I'd say for sample soaps, they're a good size to truly try out for an individual person.

Experience

1. OH MY

I wanted to try this out for dry skin. Though it wasn't drying, this wasn't the soap for me. I feel that it was possibly breaking me out. Sometimes my skin doesn't react well to food ingredients so that may be why. But I do want to get another sample for my husband to use since he has some mild eczema.

2. The Exorcist

Once again, this was our favorite! The scent was the driving point that made us want to order this again but it also felt great on the skin and I was really curious to see long term results for clearer skin for the body and face. We ordered the full size of The Exorcist 2 which is a harder and bigger version with our next order. I'll elaborate on our experiences with at the second half of the review!

3. Biker Baby

This was just a regular soap to me. I mostly used it as a hand soap and then a body soap when we ran out of the others. Though I think it's a limited edition soap so I'm glad I got to try it!

I enjoyed the sample soaps a lot and I'm looking forward to trying more! Next, I'm looking at the MoistureRose Me, Fairy Kisses, and Peachy Keen!

Mini Round Lotion Bar, Moonlit Garden

Scent

This is lilac scented. I like floral scents but this wasn't for me. Funny, yet also unfortunate story, one night my husband and I were going to bed and he said, "Something smells like bug spray." Turns out it was the lilac lotion bar, LOL.

Texture

These lotions bars are heavy duty and block out dryness. I absolutely LOVE their suggestion with putting this on before washing dishes. It protects my sensitive hands ♡ This is a repurchase item for sure but I'll be trying out different scents every time.

Longevity

The description says about a month and that's pretty correct depending on how much you use it.

Experience

I feel that this gives my skin more of a barrier rather than actually moisturizing my skin so I prefer to pair this with my lotion on top, cause without the lotion it doesn't stick or soak as well. I like to use this under my lotion on drier areas like my elbows and shins. That way the texture of my skin looks less stressed and feels softer! Exfoliation is also important to get the best out of this.

I've also noticed that since it's heavy, it can stain paper. That might sound odd, but since I draw a lot I get my hands on paper frequently. Dark paper like grey tones will get stained because of the oils.

Reborn Natural Whipped Coconut and Shea Body and Face Cream, Fairy Kisses

Scent

Such a cute and fitting name, fairy kisses! It smells just like fresh cut flowers. I'm in love with it so I ordered this again!

Texture

On their stock pictures, the texture looks way different and the heat of south Florida weather can take that blame. Since this is coconut oil and shea butter, they melt, and I knew that buying this so I don't mind at all. Works the same to me.

I love, love, love the texture for this. It doesn't feel greasy or that overly oily texture. It's a very clean kind of oil that goes into the skin quicker than expected.

Longevity

This depends on how much you're using and where you're using it. The first time I ordered this it lasted two weeks, I think? I was using it for my body and face, but probably sparingly to try and make it last longer.

Experience

This is their 2 oz and that was plenty enough for me to know I was going to buy this again.

As a body moisturizer, I enjoyed that it was natural, felt clean, and it did well but it would have been too expensive with how I like to use body moisturizers and it wasn't as moisturizing as I prefer.

As a face cream, YES.

I have oily/dry combination skin. Oily nose, around the nose, and forehead. Dry cheeks and temples that get flaky and can be painful! Using this has balanced the oil BUT it's not enough for my dry cheeks (a change of face cleanser and another face cream will fix that). Oily skin has been the worst cause it ruins my makeup and it can generally be embarrassing, so I would recommend this for oily skin. Don't put too much on, just a light layer. It'll give you a hydrated glow, not a shine.

Some other notes, it hasn't clogged my pores or made me break out. I also had to change my face cleanser and I had to learn the amount to put on before I noticed an improvement on the oily skin.

Second Order Review

Since I enjoyed the first order so much, we ordered again ASAP!

The Exorcist 2 Review

They were out of The Exorcist so I got this one fully expecting it to be a bigger version of The Exorcist that lasted longer, but it doesn't smell the same which was a disappointment. Still works the same, but I prefer the scent of The Exorcist sample that we received. I guess their ingredients are a little different in order to make it last longer. My husband split it half so we have our own separate pieces and each half is over a whole month's use.

I'm quite convinced it's softened the texture of my skin, reduced break outs, and is slowly improving my husband's mild acne. There hasn't been any miracle turn overs but there aren't any complaints. My skin feels clean and isn't drying out. I'd still like to use it longer to determine how well the soap really works. I'm definitely happier knowing it's natural and good for me.

For a few weeks I was using it as a face cleanser and it definitely cleans up. My pores are smaller and clearer, My skin looked clear but it was too drying for my dry skin to continue using. If you have oily and acne prone skin, I suggest giving this a try if you're not allergic to any of the ingredients.

Also, this lathers a lot! All together, I've enjoyed this soap and I do see that it does work the longer you use it. It's a good soap and I'd buy again :]

Mini Round Lotion Bar, Pumpkin Bread

This time I got the Pumpkin Bread and it has a strong spice scent to it. It smells great for the fall! South Florida doesn't get the season changes, which is too bad since it's beautiful, but this is helping me prepare for the holiday season!

Shave Smoothie

This is the extra they put in our order this time. I gave it to my husband to use for his facial hair and he likes the feel of it and tells me he hasn't had any problems with it. The scent is mild, pleasant, but doesn't stick. So far, the soaps you can use for shaving feel really great on the skin!

Reborn Natural Whipped Coconut and Shea Body and Face Cream, Fairy Kisses

Ordered this one again for the second time, same scent, but as you can see it looks totally different! Sadly, it arrived on one of the hottest, muggiest, miserable days this summer and I couldn't check the mail until the end of the day ;; Last time I was able to pick it up right away and save it from the heat but this poor jar got left in a metal box standing in the sun all day. They kindly put the product in a plastic jar instead of a tin jar cause they were aware of the summer heat. Though that didn't save the texture, it saved the product from leaking!

When it cooled down the texture was gritty. It was no longer smooth or whipped but that didn't stop me from using it!! I love this stuff and I'll take it in any form! I just rubbed it into my skin to let it melt.

Seriously, sometimes I just stare at my nose and am awed that it's not shiny. Just a thin layer of this stuff and it hydrates the oily skin enough to keep it from over producing more oil. I still get oily but it's really not awful anymore.

Now I just need to figure out how to balance the dry skin. I'm using a new oil based cleanser right now, hoping it's gentler and more hydrating for my dry skin (that'll be the next review for my skin), and it hasn't offset this as a face cream! So I'm hoping and believing I'm getting closer to finding that perfect combination to balance out the mess on my face!

Will I Buy Again?

Yes! The second order is enough proof of that but I'll be sticking with this shop if I don't find something better than Reborn for my oily skin. I'm also enjoying the soaps and the variety they offer and idk, I love trying different scents. My husband and I can get stuck in a candle aisle for 5-10 minutes just smelling candles, lol.

5 out of 5!

☆☆☆☆☆

Thank you for reading!

Take care,

Lorina ♡

Dover Koa & Black Wood Watch by Jord

2015-09-08T16:30:00.000-04:00

Technology advancements have given us smart phones and even smart watches but there's always something classic about a finely crafted wrist watch. As an appreciator of a variety of arts, this wood watch was too beautiful to pass up!

This is the Dover Koa and Black Wood Watch from Jord.

[ Like their Facebook | Follow their Instagram ]

Free Shipping Worldwide to International Customers!

Click this link for a clearer video.

Wood isn't a medium I've used before but my father-in-law does carpentry professionally and as a hobby. The works I've seen him do are amazing so woodwork is something I admire. Something like this would definitely make a great gift! The overall look and presentation is wonderful.

I decided to give this watch to my husband since I'm a wreck and anything on my hands and wrists will get caught on things and I'd ruin something, lol. That's my wrist, btw, not my husband's.

When I first showed the watches to him, he got so excited and fell in love with them. His dad thinks they're awesome too! My husband gets so many compliments on it and it's really no wonder cause it's just so, so, so much more beautiful in person. In pictures, it's really nice and different, but goodness, if you buy one of these you won't be disappointed.

It's really like a piece of art!

Inside the box are a few other things. A pillow to store and display the watch, extra pieces to lengthen the watch if you get it sized, a year long warranty card, a card with instructions on how to use the watch, and a cleaning cloth for the watch's face.

If you're the show and tell kind of person, they included a card that shows what tag to use on Instagram!

Aesthetically, it looks very clean and professional but can also be worn casually. It was hard to capture the correct color of this watch. It's like a medium honey with a hint of red. The pieces somewhat have a tiger's eye gemstone affect and the edges of the wood look clean cut without any chance of splinters. It's very well made from my amateur eyes, but even my father-in-law thought it was nice so that let's me know it's good!

As for the watch itself, the moving gears are my favorite feature. Everything looks polished and it moves smoothly.

The part that barely anyone will see is ALSO beautiful. When I turned it around I was just as stunned with this side.

To put on and take off, it has a deployment buckle with push buttons. Very simple and easy. We got it sized to his wrist so this kind of closure is good.

Here's a close up of the extra pieces.

At first I thought it would be difficult to put together but all you have to do is push out a pin that's already in the band with one of the loose pins and then tinker with it from there with the other pieces to fit it to your wrist. Of course, I didn't figure that out myself. I let my father-in-law do that, lol.

BUT, we all assumed his wrist and my husband's wrist were sized the same but wound up being loose after he was done. When my in-law tried to push the pin out to take a couple pieces out, it wasn't budging. He had to use a small hammer to take it apart and assemble it again.

It's definitely worth knowing and sharing.

If you liked what you saw here, check out the tag #jordwatch on Instagram to see other watches people have bought! It always gives me more comfort to buy something when I can see it from different perspectives.

Thanks for visiting and take care!

Lorina ♡

Ladies Wooden Watches

Sapphire Diamond Rings by Jeulia

2015-08-20T15:30:00.000-04:00

My husband and I have always done things together. Before we got married in 2010 he was with me picking out wedding dresses as I tried them on. The most important thing to us is being there for each other. We're basically inseparable.

Getting married was special and the rings we have are just as important to us as they're his late grandmother's and grandfather's rings. However, before we agreed to marriage we never looked at it like the peak of our love. To us, it's just a piece of paper with a few rings to make it public. It's not the symbol of our love, we are our own symbol with the way we treat each other.

So I've never wanted or asked for an expensive ring or a big wedding. I just wanted to spend the rest of my life with the person I love. The most I would ask for, is I'm going to wear a ring I want it to be pretty and either meaningful or matches my personality.

In comes, Jeulia, an affordable online jewelry store! They approached me to review a product so I took this opportunity to get new wedding rings that my husband and best friend agreed matches my personality. I'll still wear my first rings, but when I'm in the mood for a dark theme, I'll switch out to these. Eventually, my husband will get something matching with peridot instead of sapphire :3 Our birthstones!

Now that the backstory is out of the way, I'll get onto the review and pretty pictures, lol.

When this ring set was available, the stock pictures looked exactly how the rings look in person. Except the surface of the band is very shiny which makes it look like a dark grey. I didn't do much with correcting the color in these pictures. The sapphires are a true deep blue. I don't know anything about the craftsmanship of jewelry so I can't say how well this will hold up but it looks good to me, lol.

These rings feel light which surprised me. I'm used to some weight with my first wedding rings. Other things I noted was that the sides of band are a bit rough cause of the tiny gems. If your fingers press together and/or if you have texture sensitive skin, I'd recommend a simpler design.

I can't say much on the fit since I don't know my approximate ring size. I guessed and it fits well, lol.

I'm in love with how dark these rings look (´∇ﾉ｀*)ノ I'm really happy with them and they're just gorgeous! They definitely fit a darker style and suit me well :]

It took two weeks to arrive and the packaging was decent. The box came in a plastic bag so the box was a bit banged up but the jewelry box inside was well protected. It came with a little gift bag, greeting card, and a cloth for polishing! Those are the most important parts for presentation anyways.

As with any online purchase, always do some research and make sure you're comfortable with what you're buying. It's always difficult buying online when giving the product a chance to be exactly what you want and to receive it with no problems. It's too bad they don't have a store you can step in to because their jewelry would be some serious eye candy!

Thank you for reading my review!

Take care,

Lorina ♡

Pt 3 of 3: PureLips on Etsy - Youthful face! - 100% Natural Vegan Cleanser and Facial Buttercreme Review

2015-07-30T14:00:00.000-04:00

My last review of the products from PureLips at Etsy!

Look through her store for natural vegan products for skin, hair, and makeup!

Favorite their store on Etsy.com and Like them on FB.

These last two are the cleanser and facial buttercreme.

My skin is oily/dry combination and a little sensitive. Very oily nose, chin, and forehead, and then dry and flakey cheeks that go up to my temple that can be painful if not taken care of.

It's frustrating (◕︿◕✿)

Let's start with the

Detoxifying Charcoal Green Tea Facial Cleanser.

Pros

only need a little

easy to spread

doesn't sting

doesn't break me out

cleans pores well

moisturizes instead of strips

good ingredients

very light fresh scent

Cons

???

Best For

In my opinion, this could be used for all skin types.

Price

Definitely good for $10. I think this could last me just as long as my old face wash which would be great. Crossing my fingers!

Texture

Like a thin lotion which helps with spreading all over the face. There's no foam or sudsing.

Experience

It's easy to overload with product when washing your face, but you only need a little for this to be effective. You can apply this on your skin without or with water. With water, it's easier to spread out and to exfoliate. Without water, it's comfortable, fast, and no mess. It's recommended to use a quarter size, but I'm still trying to get down what amount is necessary for me personally.

It feels clean, doesn't dry my skin, or make it red, and knowing it has good ingredients makes me feel comfortable using it. For me, it does tingle a bit when applying on skin that isn't wet. (Using these products have made me realize how sensitive my skin actually is since I don't experiment enough to grasp my skin's needs.)

It's now three weeks since I started using this product and, from what I can tell, my pores are smaller and they definitely look cleaner thanks to the charcoal. I have been getting pimples here and there, which isn't that uncommon, but I feel like there's more than usual. I'm assuming it's the charcoal drawing out impurities. It's done such a great job with my blackheads and making my face look cleaner, I can't imagine it's making my skin worse.

For me and my oily/dry combination skin, I have no problems with either but I still put the buttercreme on my dry areas immediately. My oily skin can get away with not having any moisturizer and it's fairly balanced. But the areas that are both oily and dry at the same time, I prefer to apply a light layer of moisturizer after cleansing.

Will I Buy Again?

Definitely! I really have no complains. I'll probably still try out new stuff but I like this cleanser a lot! It's gentle, effective, and it feels clean.

5 out of 5!

☆☆☆☆

To go along with the cleanser, I got the

Avocado Green Tea Facial Buttercreme.

Pros

doesn't seem to exacerbate my oily skin

has improved the texture of my skin

moisturizes/hydrates well

great ingredients

Cons

unpleasant smell, but it goes away quick (i have strong nose)

dry skin needs a concentrated amount

Best For

In my opinion, this is best for normal to dry skin.

Dry skin may need extra or thicker application.

Price

For me and this size, $15 is getting pricey for moisturizer but I LOVE the ingredients and what it's done. What will make it tip the scale for being too pricey is how long it will last compared to my old moisturizer, but for sure it works muuuuch better.

Texture

Creamy and thick. Feels nourishing. Doesn't take too long to dry when rubbed in and there's no film or layer feeling after it's dry.

Experience

Moisturizers are a VERY important part to my skin care because of my dry skin. It can get dry, crackly, and painful if not taken care of. I need some serious moisturizing so that I don't get repeat dryness and be tempted to exfoliate my entire face off!! (ᗒᗩᗕ)՞

Thankfully, I have this! This is the best moisturizer I've used thus far in my life. The ingredients are doing an amazing thing to my skin, but I'm mostly thankful that it actually hydrates the dry areas. Though the only way to do that is to concentrate the buttercreme and rub it in to make sure it's worked into the skin. I use about a chickpea size to do this and only lightly layer the oily areas, or completely skip and just take care of the dry areas. Some days I do a second, lighter application if I feel that my skin will need more.

In just a few days my skin's texture improved and my face didn't look as weathered or tired. I didn't realize it was that bad! The texture is continuously improving with the use of this buttercreme.

As a side note, the week the products arrived I exfoliated a lot more than usual so the first time I tried the buttercreme, it stung my face. As the days progressed, it felt more like a tingle, then minty, then I didn't feel anything when my skin was healed. Other sensations that I've felt is firming, which I first mistook as tightening from dryness until I touched my face and it was soft and hydrated. It does seem that my skin is more supple and firm.

The only complaint, for me, is that the smell is not pleasant but it's no longer as strong as in the first week of use. Though I had been smelling weird things around that time so maybe my senses were tricking me.

Will I Buy Again?

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessss. I would like to try other PureLips moisturizers but right now, this is number one for me.

5 out of 5!

☆☆☆☆☆

Results of Cleanser + Buttercreme

Within THREE days of use, I saw noticeable results that have been balancing my face.

For example, before PureLips, the texture of my skin looked like it was struggling and tight, just tired looking. There was dry skin and patches. Then there was oil being produced over skin that looked dehydrated! With the cleanser and the buttercreme, my face looks and feels hydrated with less oiliness. I still get shiny but it doesn't look nearly as bad. It used to be oil slick-like.

I was also starting to get fine lines in places where I make harder expressions because of the tired, dry skin. Now they're less defined and are basically gone in some places!! My bad habit of exfoliating too hard has diminished as well and I have started using a terry wash cloth for gentle exfoliation when removing the cleanser.

While wearing makeup, even though I still get shiny at the same times I usually do, my face doesn't feel as heavy and touch up looks better, not as dry or cakey. Makeup just works better on hydrated skin. I'm not saying my skin has done a miracle turn around, but it just looks and feels better from before.

I would have taken pictures but I wasn't sure if I was going to review these items (or if my phone camera wold of been good enough for that detail) but they all turned out too good to keep to myself! Just believe me on this cause I wouldn't lead anyone astray with skin like mine. I understand the pain and the struggle.

The prices combined is similar to my old cleanser and moisturizer. I'm really hoping they can last just as long or near to it cause these work great for me. Such a relief for my skin ♡( •⌄• ू )✧

My skin appears cleaner, clearer, and less tired/stressed. With these results, I really want to get a toner and serum to see how much better my skin can get! I know it could use more pampering and I'm getting greedy seeing the improvements. I want more!

I have truly enjoyed all these products! I took my time to test them out and to revise my posts to make sure that what I've put together are true to my real life experiences. A lot of my opinions changed and solidified over the weeks, so if you try something make sure to not go by first impressions.

If you're intrigued by my results, check out Pond's store and buy some samples for yourself! It's good to test for allergies and reactions before committing to a full size, as well. Remember, not everyone's skin is the same so what good thing happened to me, may not happen to you. But, I really hope it does if you buy PureLips!

Thank you for reading and I hope this review has helped you!

Read Pt 1: Wonderfully nourished skin! - body cream + lip treatment review

Read Pt 2: Bright eyes make a bright face! - concealer review

Take care,

Lorina ♡

Pt 2 of 3: PureLips on Etsy - Bright eyes make a bright face! - 100% Natural Vegan Under Eye Concealer Review

2015-07-29T17:30:00.000-04:00

Here is the second post of a three piece review of products from PureLips, a 100% Natural Vegan store at Etsy!

Favorite their store on Etsy.com and Like them on FB.

Quick reminder, this is the first time I'm trying natural vegan product. All my experiences in these reviews are results from using chemical based products to clean ones, so I'm completely new to all this!

(left picture, my head is slightly tilted down, casting a shadow on my eye bags

right picture, my head is slightly tilted up, allowing light to even out my features)

The only editing done to the pictures above are color and light corrections.

I've been out of concealer for awhile so I went ahead and got the

Natural Undereye Cream Concealer.

Pros

healthy makeup

natural ingredients

very opaque

only need a little

tube will last a long time

blendable

conceals well

not heavy if applied correctly

hydrating for dry skin

not heavy for oily skin

not shiny

no scent

Cons

good application requires patience

settles into lines without primer

even after awhile, it does settle into lines a bit

and fades a little after 5ish hours

(I only use primer, foundation, and setting powder)

dry skin more visible

smudges easy

Best For

In my opinion, people with normal to oily skin.

Or very balanced dry skin.

Price

For $10 (in the tube packaging), it's a great price. It will last long, too!

Texture

It's creamy and doesn't feel sticky or heavy, which is great because layering makeup can feel uncomfortable at times. It's good for smooth blending.

Experience

I was quite surprised with how opaque this is! I lightly tapped it a few times on my hand to sample it in the first pictures above. You only need a little.

For me, I've had the best results applying the concealer with the tip of my ring finger and lightly dabbing it around my under eye area in an upside down triangle, slowly building coverage as I gently blend. It does take some time and patience. Though the concealer is opaque, it smudges easily. Some people may have difficulty doing this or won't have the patience or skill. If you want a quick and even application you may want to skip on this.

However, the under eye area is sensitive and could use extra loving. If concealer is a must in your routine, I would make the time to use a healthy, nourishing concealer.

I have oily/dry combination skin so let me tell you how that affects the concealer.

Oiliness breaks makeup apart and moves it which tends to make me look cakey but the cream concealer doesn't look too bad! Liquid concealer is recommended for oily skin but with primer and setting powder, this one doesn't look as heavy and feels light on the skin. At best, it will get dewy looking when you start getting oily but it has a fair staying power when settled with powder.

However, in my case, I have dry skin too (╬ Ò ‸ Ó) Which this concealer, though not drying (thank goodness), can make the dry patches apparent. There's no smoothing that out, and you can't always exfoliate and get rid of everything without hurting yourself! (；￣Д￣）SO, you just deal with what you've got and hope for the best. I don't think it's visible unless you're in personal space with someone, depending on how bad the dryness is.

After five hours, this is how it looks. It's a bit faded and my makeup has ran down. For touch up (not pictured), I only use blotting paper and powders and it doesn't look as fresh cause combo skin is always a battle（￣～￣;）

The pictures above are with NO concealer, closer to natural light from the window.

To get an understanding of my eye features, there's a difference between eye bags and aegyo sal (I don't know what the english translation is). My bottom lid naturally puffs out and is NOT a result of tiredness, etc. That is the aegyo sal, but below it you can see a second line and darker shadow. That is the eye bag that I want to brighten.

The pictures below are WITH concealer, settled with powder, and further from the window. It definitely will look better with primer and setting powder. It doesn't feel thick or heavy, it's very soft!

Just make sure to press the powder on your face instead of sweeping since this concealer smudges easy. As you can see, my eye bags don't look as shallow or dark, making my face look brighter and more awake!

(I know my pictures aren't consistent, sorry sorry - .-'' I tried lol

I only use natural light and my phone for pics. It storms every day now.)

Will I Buy Again?

My expectations for a concealer is for it to blend well, not be streaky or chalky, give me the ability to even it out and build up, not feel/look heavy or oily, doesn't look bad when using powder over it, doesn't settle into lines or make the skin look dry, and lasts even after touch ups.

I've tried this concealer at least more than a handful of times now and it has met most of those expectations. Of all things, I'm grateful it doesn't make my face feel heavy or melting. This is definitely on my mental list of concealers I do like and would fall back to if I don't find any new ones of interest.

4 out of 5!

☆☆☆☆

Thank you for reading and I hope this review has helped you!

Read Pt 1: Wonderfully nourished skin! - body cream and lip treatment review

Read Pt 3: Youthful face! - cleanser and moisturizer review

Take care,

Lorina ♡

Pt 1 of 3: PureLips on Etsy - Wonderfully nourished skin! - 100% Natural Vegan Body Cream and Lip Treatment Review

2015-07-28T17:30:00.000-04:00

What you will see today are products from PureLips at Etsy, a 100% natural vegan beauty store!

The products range from skin care, hair care, and makeup.

Favorite their store on Etsy.com and Like them on FB.

The products I purchased are the...

Pandan Vanilla Hand and Body Cream

Avocado Green Tea Facial Buttercreme

Detoxifying Charcoal Green Tea Facial Cleanser

All Natural Sea Buckthorn Berry Overnight Lip Treatment

Natural Undereye Cream Concealer

(Their store names are different from their label names.)

In this review, I will be highlighting the body cream and the lip treatment.

But first, let me gush over the owner/creator, Pond Parker!

You can feel her dedication just reading her item descriptions. I appreciate thorough detail, especially when online shopping, because it shows me that the person truly cares about what they do and are sure of their work. I love people that are passionate and it makes me want to support them which is why I picked her store for my first venture into natural vegan beauty!

I felt sure and safe buying her products. Though it helped that she has many good reviews from real buyers and I hope that my review helps you too!

Of course, no product suits every single individual. There may be some hit and misses if you don't know how your skin well or if you have certain expectations. However, in my opinion, I feel that it's guaranteed that what she offers is quality, honesty, and care.

When it comes to shipping, I bought the items July 3rd and they arrived July 9th!! They came packed with shipping peanuts in a secure box which was covered in a bubbled envelope. I could smell the products through all that! Because my purchase was over $50 and I'm in the US, shipping was free with a code: FREESHIPPING50.

The first item I will review is the

Pandan Vanilla Hand and Body Cream.

Pros

amazing ingredients

feels light and fluffy

goes into skin quick

not greasy

positive changes to skin

super squeezable bottle

scent isn't overwhelming

Cons

out of my price range for daily use

not up to my standards of hydration

not moisturizing enough for dry skin

Best For

In my opinion, this is for people with normal skin.

Price

This bottle is $15 which is expensive for me. My usual lotion is in a bigger bottle and around $6 but $15 is worth it. Read more to see why!

Scent

I would describe it having the warmth of vanilla, a light sweetness of cocoa, and mostly a leafy aroma of something similar to green tea (but not, lol). It's a light and airy scent that gently lingers and then disappears. I looove it.

Texture

It's creamy and thick but doesn't feel heavy. It's fluffy and absorbs into the skin quickly. On the skin it's kiiiiinda like a very light dry wax that goes away. I know that seems weird, but it doesn't actually feel like dry skin or waxy. It's just, different, but not bad different. Let me explain below.

Experience

It makes sense that an all natural ingredient recipe would create a different texture (the product itself and what it feels like on my skin) from a chemical ingredient recipe, but I didn't think about it until I actually tried a natural body cream for the first time. This being my very first one!

Now, I drink plenty of water and try my best to take care of myself so the softness and hydration of my skin isn't been bad even though some areas of my body leans a bit on the dry side. Using PureLips' body cream, my skin feels firmer and the texture has improved. It's not unnatural or greasy. Like I said, it's kind of like a dry wax but not??? But that does go away after awhile. It softens my skin to a satisfactory level for me, but I would bathe in lotion to give you an idea of how soft I prefer my skin to be, lol.

It works best when exfoliating dry skin and applying it immediately after a shower. The dryness blocks it from working on the skin so it'll only provide very temporary softness until you exfoliate which is why I think this is best for people with normal skin and then getting a separate cream for drier areas like feet, hands, knees, and elbows.

There is one interesting thing about this body cream that I'd like to share.

When I was younger, I was insecure and hid in long sleeves even on the hottest days in south Florida. That created unpleasant bumps on my upper arms that have never gone away. The only exception is when I go to the beach and the salt water smoothes out my skin.

After ONE shower and application, the next day I casually touched my arms and I did something like a double take. They felt smoother but I thought I was just over thinking it. I asked my husband's opinion and he noticed that they actually were smoother! It wasn't some incredible miracle, it was only a bit smoother so I don't think it will get rid of the bad skin, but there's definite goodness going on with those ingredients. Maybe with a good body wash for clear skin, this could work well with it.

I've used up about half of the bottle now and I would describe this body cream as nourishing more than hydrating. I LOVE that my skin's texture looks better and healthier but I'm stingy when it comes to moisturizing and pretty much have ridiculous expectations（￣□￣；）

Will I Buy Again?

Yes! Though I prefer more moisturizing, the reason why I would repurchase this is because of the wonderful scent and it improved the texture of my skin which I love, love, love. Having it around as a gift or as a treat would be nice. Maybe use this on top or underneath another body cream that's unscented or use it for the benefit of the ingredients.

4 out of 5!

☆☆☆☆☆

Next is the

All Natural Sea Buckthorn Berry Overnight Lip Treatment!

a.k.a. Lip Oasis

Pros

good ingredients

moisturizing

easy to apply

melts on the lips

doesn't require heavy application

good to lightly apply before lip color

Cons

doesn't work on already chapped lips

doesn't stay on lips long from eating/drinking

Price

$5 is fair as lip balms typically range between $2-$6.

Scent

Though there's no scent added, it has a natural scent from the ingredients.

Just kind of waxy and oily.

Texture

It has an oily consistency with a bit of shine. There's also a some grain since some of the ingredients are raw, but it melts fast with body heat and you don't need too much.

Experience

Using this correctly will give you the best results. If you have chapped lips, gently exfoliate them and then apply the treatment before sleeping to allow it to work during those hours without it being disturbed by eating, drinking, etc.

I wouldn't say I got immediate results but I could tell this would be good. With persistent use, my lips are much happier. My bottom lip is usually badly chapped to the point that every day I peel skin off out of bad habit (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ) Half the time unconsciously!

In the pic above, I had been using it for a week or so and you can see the sections of skin that I would peel off (๑•﹏•)''' Now my lips look less strained and they feel better. I can smile without a tight feeling or fear of splitting them ✧٩(•́⌄•́๑) Haven't been peeling as much since they're better but I still kinda try to even when there's no chapping, bad bad habit lol.

Will I Buy Again?

Yeees. I've become attached to this and wind up grabbing it instead of my usual lip balm. It may not last as long this way but my lips are happier. I wish it stayed on longer but it's a treatment! It's not meant to last long on the lips for use in the day.

5 out of 5!

☆☆☆☆

Thank you for reading and I hope this review has helped you!

Read Pt 2: Bright eyes make a bright face! - concealer review

Read Pt 3: Youthful face! - cleanser and moisturizer review

Take care,

Lorina ♡

Natural 3tones Grey Circle Lens Review

2015-07-19T12:30:00.000-04:00

Aren't these lenses too gorgeous and so natural looking?!

I got them from Lensvillage.com~

Click the link to be sent directly to them!

~ This review is based on my own opinion and experiences. ~

Please take a look at my Circle Lens Care page if you are interested in circle lenses!

Color + Pattern

The color is a lovely medium tone grey. It shows best in good lighting and in dim light it shows slightly. They look natural, far and close. Of course, if you're in very personal space you'll see they're not real, but they're still appealing at that distance because of the design. The limbal ring (dark outer ring) is one of my favorite features of this lens. It somewhat blends in with the grey, giving it a texture that imitates a real iris. I've read in an article about eye colors that darker limbal rings are considered more youthful and attractive!

Enlargement

It's 14.5mm but it doesn't reach the ends of the lens itself so there is no enlargement. It's a natural size lens.

Comfort

They're my go to lenses the past few months and they've been comfortable to wear! As usual, keep eye drops on you and try not to exceed 8 hours of wear!

Experience

These are on my list of repurchases. There aren't many circle lenses that look natural AND beautiful like this. I really wish they were my eye color. There's not much else I can say other than I love them!

Here are more pictures! It was a bit cloudy so these aren't the clearest pictures.

Thanks for taking a look at my review :]

Take Care!

Lorina ♡

Affordable Natural + Cruelty Free Bath + Beauty Products SUUUPER Wish List!!

2015-06-12T19:15:00.000-04:00

WARNING: long post!

First and foremost, this will NOT be a place for judgement or argument when it comes to going vegan or all natural. Everyone comes from different financial backgrounds, disadvantages and advantages, and beliefs. This is simply my first step into natural body and beauty products and there will be room for myself and any reader to learn more. This doesn't mean my blog is turning into a natural only blog either.

Ultimately, what we purchase is for our own individual happiness, interests, and within our life's limitations.

It's not for everyone and in many cases it's not a lifestyle someone can afford whatsoever regardless of how affordable something can be. A lot of people only have time to work and sleep and just "pay those bills"! And maybe pick out a little nice something for themselves. Everyone who works hard deserves to treat themselves and be happy about it.

For me, these products are within my price range. I would like to slowly swap out my products with these items that I've literally spent HOURS searching for, specifically for my needs. Just with any product, giving it a test or trial to see if it will work well and doesn't trouble you is smart. So this will likely be a slow process within my budget and I'll likely change out some items down the line.

I'm keeping in mind that my body is used to all the chemicals in my products right now and in the long run if I start and continue to use natural products, I will likely become sensitive to brands I can get right off the shelf down the road when I'm in a pinch. That's a concern I wouldn't want to face so preparation is important.

Once again, some people don't have that luxury so it's definitely a lifestyle and a privilege. It's not just buying products, it's having the time to find good ones, having the money to try different things to find the right ones for YOU, and it's availability is super important.

I will be explaining my skin and hair type within this list so if you have similar needs, this list will likely be more of use to you and if it's not, I encourage you to look at the other products in the brand's web stores for your skin and hair needs.

Now, onto my huge natural wish list!!

Don't forget to check ingredients in case of allergies!!

Face Products

My Skin Type

oily/dry combination

dry cheeks - can feel tight and uncomfortable, eventually turns flakey and painful without moisturizer

oily everything else - excess oil on my nose (almost wet looking at it's worse); forehead, around the nose, and chin gets "dewy" but not as glamorous lol - only non oily when I'm using products to balance it out but my nose still shines a bit after awhile

I wouldn't consider my skin to be sensitive, but I'm cautious at best and I can be too rough on my skin at times. My cheeks are what I'm concerned about the most cause of the uncomfortable dryness and flakiness, then my nose because the oil is ridiculous and difficult to keep contour on, but I would choose happy cheeks over lasting contour.
My skin is fairly clear with a few pimples that rarely get very big or bad, my pores enlarge without proper care, few blackheads, the texture is okay except for my cheeks sometimes so I need exfoliation without hurting myself. It's a little work but it typically reacts well to new products. I don't break out easy or get too red. I stay cautious of heavy fruit concentrated facial products because of a couple bad experiences in the past.

Cleansers
Acure Organic Facial Cleanser Gel $9.99
Claims to be for oily and combo skin which makes me cautious for my dry cheeks, but it also says it cleanses and purifies without drying. I may need two different moisturizers with this, to balance the oil and the dryness.

PureLips Green Tea and Clay Cream Cleanser and Makeup Remover for Mature and Sensitive Skin with Coconut Milk Powder. Natural. Vegan Cold Cream. $10
For Mature skin tends to mean it's for dry skin trying to bring moisture back to the skin. There's a mild and gentle exfoliating factor to this and one of the ingredients is kaolin clay which is good for oily skin. My guess is I can skip moisturizing my nose and just tone it, but do a light moisturizer on my everything else.

Facial Toner
PureLips All Natural Hibiscus Facial Toner with Hyaluronic Acid, Sea Minerals and Multi Teas. 100% Vegan. $10
This toner claims to tighten pores, clean and wipe away impurities. The hibiscus has a high percentage of vit c and has natural moisturizing properties. Not for sensitive skin. Stains clothes.

Moisturizers
PureLips Unscented Rosehip Hibiscus Boosting Facial Serum - Light Weight Moisturizer with Superfood for Skin in Airless Bottle. 100% Vegan. $17
This is one of the more expensive products on this list but it's ingredients and claims are hard not to resist even for the small 1fl oz bottle. In the descriptions I've read for natural products, "a little goes a long way" is a saying that pops up a lot. The usage directions says to use a very thin layer. I'll only be using this on my cheeks so maybe this really will go a long way.

PureLips Vegan Mineral Primer - Unscented Natural Make Up Primer and Moisturizer for All Skin Types and Sensitive Skin. $15
A moisturizer AND a primer. I'll probably have to be careful with this on my nose (or use a powder primer) and skip all moisturizer on days I'll wear makeup and just use this instead.

Face Scrub
PureLips Cleansing Grains - All Natural 13 Exotic Grains, Herbs and Clay Facial Scrubs for Acne Prone Skin - 100% Vegan. Unscented. $10
"So gentle, no scratch whatsoever," is it's claim while removing dry surface patches. This is a dry formula so you can add liquids or oils of your choosing. You can also use this as a mask or body scrub.

Mask
PureLips SAMPLE - Charcoal and Clay Face Mask - with Coconut Milk Powder and Organic Green Tea- All Natural. Vegan. $6
I like charcoal masks so I naturally gravitated towards this. Charcoal draws out oil, dirt, and other harmful substances from clogged pores.

Hair Products

My Hair

Having natural black hair and doing a light silver shade means my hair is extremely processed and damaged from bleach and stripping out as much yellow from it as possible. However, my hair is naturally very strong and soft so it's still manageable and strong with care and trims. My roots have grown and my scalp tends to get greasy in a day or two, depending on my activity since I exercise. I only wash my hair every couple days at the most. I usually let conditioner sit in my hair instead of shampooing unless it's super built up from products.

It's a medium length at this time, colored a dark ash brown (due to the silver underneath but I'm going back to black soon), and my ends need the most treatment being dry but with no split ends, at least for my untrained eyes. My hair grows about an inch every month and a half, even when I bleached it, so imagine how fast it'll grow with using natural products!! That's what I'm hoping for at least.

Shampoo

The Honest Co. Shampoo & Body Wash $9.95

This company's target audience are for those to use on infants but it can be used for the entire family. It's hypoallergenic, vegan, pH balanced, and color safe for hair. I've read some reviews on this and it seems promising for hair and body.

Acure Pure Mint + Echinacea Stem Cell Shampoo Volumizing $9.99

This is for normal to fine/limp hair to create volume without stripping natural oils and is safe for color treated hair. This may not be so effective for my oily roots, but I have my dead ends in mind.

Dry Shampoo
WildEarthCrafts Herbal Dry Shampoo - pH Balanced for Sensitive Scalps - Gentle, Organic - Dark & Light Hair Formula $4.00+

White dry shampoos can make dark hair look chalky and dull so I'm going for the cocoa formula.

Conditioners
PureLips Vegan Natural Herbal Extract Hair Conditioner - Protein-Rich Intensive Treatment for Dry, Damage, Brittle Hair. $8.50
I have high hopes for this conditioner because of my processed hair needing every bit of nourishing. If you're in the same boat, read the description!

PureLips Natural Roselle Hibiscus Intensive Hair Conditioner and Detangler. Vegan Intensive Cream Rinse and Detangler for All Hair Types. $15
This is supposed to encourage hair growth and circulation, decrease split ends, hydrate, and detangle locks. Hibiscus will stain fabric but says it won't stain hair.

Hair Spray
Carina Organics Pure & Natural Fast Drying Hairspray $9.99
I've only seen a few reviews on this but nothing thorough enough for me to completely trust it but not keep me away either. It's worth a shot.

Hair Mask
OrganicSkinShop Long Hair DO Care. Organic hair-growth stimulating mask/ hot oil treatment. $7
In the description, the creator of this product uses it on her hair extensions! It's gotta be pretty good to bring some life back to already cut and used hair. Fingers crossed!

Skin Products

My Skin

My biggest concern over the years is having soft skin. I don't have clear skin, but in most places it's very soft. I'm looking to remedy the former. In general, my skin is normal to a little oily on my upper arms, upper back, and chest when I'm active or if the weather is muggy or hot. Those are also the most affected areas - __-
I'm sure the chemicals in the products I've been using over the years have not been helping and have been keeping my skin soft because of the "protective" and "barrier" chemicals that create a coat on my skin. Though I do my best to keep my body well hydrated internally which affects your outward appearance.
I wouldn't consider my skin sensitive or dry but I don't like trying new body washes or lotions much because I really, really, really do NOT like a dehydrated feeling body.

Deodorant
PureLips 100% All Natural Vegan Deodorant for Sensitive Skin - TRAVEL SIZE $5

Schmidt's Natural Deodorant $9
Carina Organics Unscented Natural Deodorant $9.99

Sunscreens

The Honest Co. Sunscreen SPF 30 $13.95
Another Honest product that I'm hoping to be promising. I've read that you should use sunscreen at least up to 30 SPF and that it should be broad spectrum.

The Honest Co. Sunscreen Stick SPF 30 $9.95
For easier application on faces, ears, and noses! I don't know how my skin will react to this but I keep saying to myself, if it's good for babies, it's gotta be good for me lol.

Body Wash
Acure Clarifying Body Wash $9.99
This specifically targets body breakouts and reduce imperfections while keeping your skin hydrated.

Pacifica Vegan and Cruelty Free Body Wash $10
This product is available at Target and they have a wide range of scents! This is a convenient product since I can go down the road. This'll likely be the first body wash I'll try.

The Honest Co. Shampoo & Body Wash $9.95

Once again, if it's good for babies, it's gotta be good for me xD

Lotion
The Honest Co. Face + Body Lotion $9.95
It's made with organic olive, shea, jojoba, and safflower oils. Another high hope product since I haaaate dry skin and I want to hit it on the dot with lotion instead of trying a bunch of different ones.

Pacifica Vegan and Cruelty Free Body Butter $15
To pair their body wash are matching body butter scents. It's pretty pricey for me considering the size of the bottle but maybe "a little goes a long way" works with this product.

Makeup Products

My Interests

I'm seeking things that won't exacerbate my current facial skin problems while looking natural. I'm sure my nose will still beat out the best with oil, so it's important that what I touch up with won't look bad and that it won't dry out my cheeks. Combo skin is really tricky D;'
On top of that, I need something that will match my medium skin tone and it's undertones. Thankfully, a good number of these products can be bought as samples!

Primers
PureLips Vegan Mineral Primer - Unscented Natural Make Up Primer and Moisturizer for All Skin Types and Sensitive Skin. $15
The only reviews I've seen of this are short ones directly posted to their web store which isn't enough for me to get a good idea of what this does for skin like mine but there have been enough positive praise for my curiosity to purchase this in the future. I'm fairly loose on my stance with primer so it won't be a big deal if it doesn't work well. I'll still use it as a backup moisturizer since it's made with good stuff.

Alima Pure Mineral Primer $20
Sample sizes are $1.75 and I've seen some reviews that say they last quite a bit for samples so you can really get a feel for it.

Foundations
PureLips Bare Skin Natural Liquid Foundation Serum. Weightless Mineral Foundation in Serum Base with Fruit Extracts. 100% Vegan. Unscented. $15
Foundation AND serum. Serums are made to be extra-light, fast absorbing liquids used as an alternative or in addition to creams or lotions. Definitely will probably want to use a powder primer for my nose with this one.
The color Desert Sand looks like a near perfect match for my skin tone but it's encouraged to buy samples first to try out and to test on the skin.

Alima Pure Mineral Satin Matte Foundation $20
Sample sizes are $1.75 and I've seen some reviews that say they last quite a bit for samples so you can really get a feel for it. Mineral makeup is great for oily skin so this is another high hopes product. They have an amazing range of colors.

Concealers
PureLips All Natural Concealer - Under Eye Concealer Cream with Coffee Seed Oil, Pomegranate for Dark Circle, Blemish, Redness Spots, Bruises. $12
I've seen lots of hype for this in the web store reviews even though I'm a little iffy on it. I haven't had much success with concealer but I desperately want one that works will with my skin and natural puffy eye bags. My under eye area is a strange place of oily, normal, and dry - ___-' Idk what to do with it.

Alima Pure Mineral Concealer $14
Sample sizes are $1.75 and I've seen some reviews that say they last quite a bit for samples so you can really get a feel for it. There are six different colors for light to dark complexions.

Bronzer + Contour
Alima Pure Minerals Bronzer $20
Alima Pure Minerals Contour $20
Samples at $1.75
There's three different bronzers but only one contour shade. Kinda iffy on that but I'd like to try.

Eye Liner
Zuzu Luze Liquid Eyeliner $14.85

Liquid black eyeliner is a staple to my makeup. I need something that'll stay on, be matte, and be DARK. I've seen a few reviews and swatches of this in different colors and it's beautiful. May need a couple layers for a solid color. I hope it lasts awhile and doesn't dry out fast.

Eyeshadow
Etherealle Natural Vegan Eyeshadow $3-$9
I wish there were swatches of the colors instead of photoshopped eyes but with over 15k sales and 5 out of 5 stars with 4k reviews, I'm okay with a little testing since the price is low for samples at $3. I tend to stick to neutral colors anyways but they have lots of colors to choose from.

Blush
Etherealle Natural Vegan Blush $3-13
No swatches either but you can buy a sample size at $3 and there are matte and shimmer blushes with lots of different shades.

Lip Colors + Balms
Etherealle Natural Vegan Lipsticks $3-$10
Swatches and model pictures! Yes! And they're beauuutiful. Light and dark colors, natural and unnatural. I'm specifically eyeing Papaya (orange peach) and Soft Spoken (semi sheer light peachy pink).

Pacifica Vegan and Cruelty Free Devocean Natural Lipsticks $14
Any lipstick hitting $10 is a commitment lol. I use lip liner more than lip color so lipstick isn't something I look into much. I would like to try Firebird, Natural Mystic, and Rebel Sol in this line though.

PureLips Lip Balms $4-$5
Non tinted lip balms with different flavors. I'm looking at the Green Tea Creme Brulee *A* My lips chap super easy no matter how much chapstick I use. I'm guessing it's those chemicals preventing actual moisture. Please, please work. I have a bad habit of peeling till I bleed sometimes . _.'

PureLips Vegan Tinted Lip Balm - Statement Ruby. All Natural Unscented Lip Tint in Rich Red. $6
Tints are more of my thing now than solid color. I'm expecting a pretty flushed lip color from this.

Makeup Remover
The Honest Co. 3-in-1 Facial Towelettes $6.95
It claims to be extra gentle for delicate eyes and sensitive skin. I prefer towelettes but want to be less harsh with my face. Hope this does me good.

Other Products

While on my search I came upon these products that I found interesting and may want to revisit in the future.

Pacifica Vegan and Cruelty Free Nail Polish $9
Pacifica Vegan and Cruelty Free Solid Perfume $9
OrganicSkinShop Teeth Whitening Treatment - Activated Charcoal $4.50
PureLips Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo - Soothing All Natural Shampoo and Conditioner with Oatmeal and Aloe Vera for Dogs $9

Some of the ingredients in all these products I've listed above may not be amazing, but I don't know. I still have very little knowledge on this subject and at one point I kinda pooped out on reading so many articles on ingredients so some of the products may be lazy picks lololol.

But that's my natural wish list!
For now :3

--

! Special Feature !

Environmentally Friendly Hygienic Products for People with Menstrual Cycles

These aren't all natural products but they're environmentally friendly, better for your body, convenient, and it will save you money in the long run! These two companies are the ones I will be purchasing from in the near future and will be my first try of these kind of products!

Intima Lily Collapsible Menstrual Cup
Party In My Pants Pads

For those of you unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the idea of these, read through this FAQ and the reviews for the reusable pads, then these pages [x], [x] for the cup, on how it's ultimately the best move for your body and comfort to use one or both of these options when it comes to your period and how it's NOT gross or unsanitary.

Let's all be mature about this. Periods are natural yet people who have them are shunned and made to feel embarrassed about it. We have enough insecurities and this shouldn't be one of them. For most people, talking about periods make them uncomfortable because they either think it's gross or it takes away sex appeal which can make a person who has periods feel embarrassed and insecure. It's a ridiculous cycle.

1. They're not gross. If periods are gross, then your entire body is gross. Regardless of what reproductive organs you have or how attractive you are. Human bodies do strange things. It will do what it needs to.
2. Guess what?! People aren't sex objects!! Someone on their period doesn't make them less sexy and someone not on their period doesn't make them more available for sex.
3. If someone makes you feel embarrassed or insecure about your period, there's little I can say to comfort you but your body will do what it can to take care of you. Your body is constantly fighting for you to be your best. Healing you up, alerting you when you're hungry or thirsty, telling you when you need to sleep. This is just a different kind of care. It's healthy and normal and nothing to be ashamed of.

I really do trust that reusable pads and menstrual cups will help ease some of your period concerns, especially for those that want to be discreet, save money, and generally want more comfortable periods.

--

Alright, that's the end, finally!

Let me know if you've used any of these products and what you think about them or give me some recommendations of your favorite natural products and hygiene products!

Lorina's Sally Beauty Supply Favorites!

2015-03-08T20:15:00.001-04:00

Hello, everyone!

I couple months ago I was contacted by Sally's Beauty Supply to be featured in their March store flyer! It definitely didn't feel real and I only told a few people just in case I was only dreaming.

But here I am!!

A few people DMed me on IG taking pictures of the ads when they saw me!

As you can see, Sally's quoted me from a couple of old reviews on ION Color Brilliance Brights and Beyond the Zone Color Jams. Brilliance Brights is still my goto hair dye because of it's availability but Color Jams was something I used when I was younger and frequently experimenting with my hair.

Anyways, I thought that about making a post about my favorite products from Sally's since I've been going to there for SEVERAL years now. That's where I got all my supplies when I started experimenting with my hair at 13-years-old and now I'm 25 :000

I have a Sally's Beauty Card and I go every month to spend at least $25 so I can get my monthly 15% off! It's very convenient for me since I go there so often :]

So let's start!

*** I'm not a hair dresser or cosmetologist. This is a hobby and these are the items that I've tried over the years that I enjoy.

-- HAIR --

I naturally have black hair that's thick and pin straight. It's very strong and healthy. My hair gets greasy pretty fast x[ As it is right now, it's bleached and colored to a light medium silver.

ION Color Brilliance Brights Semi-Permanent Hair Color

I've been buying this dye ever since it came out! It's always available so if you want a change immediately, instead of buying online, you can go to the nearest Sally's!

It's a very thick cream, making it difficult to mix and apply, but I personally add in white conditioner to smoothen it out and to add more moisture to my hair. Some people mix in water. I make my own shades using other colors and adding in conditioner for lighter/pastel colors.

It kind of smells like soap. It's not too strong to me but it's an apparent scent.

My favorite shades are Magenta diluted with conditioner (my roots in the picture are straight from the tube), Purple diluted with a lot of conditioner to make silver lilac, and Aqua straight from the tube! All of this was on light bleach blonde hair.

L'Oreal Excellence HiColor HiLights for Dark Hair Only

My hair is basically jet black. It takes a lot of work for it to lift and this product does an amazing job with only a one step process! At the time I was using this I had auburn hair. It's a noticeable difference and the auburn truly shows through. It helped blend into the rest of my hair which was bleached and dyed over with an auburn shade.

I had this hair about four years ago so I don't have many pictures from that time anymore but there's this one. Maybe about four inches down from my roots is the HiColor Hilights for Dark Hair Only, which I know is hard to see, but it blends well with the auburn I had dyed the rest of my hair to. Underneath the rest of my hair was BRIGHT GREEN!! It took a few times to get the shade I want right.

I did have one bad experience with it once. I forget which shade it was (I'm thinking Copper) but it felt like it was burning my scalp :[ This is why testing first is important! If you do your own hair at home, you're risking yourself!! The other times went well though and it wasn't uncomfortable and did the job well!

L'Oreal Quick Blue Powder Lightener
I'm frequently asked how I do my hair and what products I use. This is the bleach that I use. I don't experiment much with different lighteners cause I'm familiar with this and I know it works well for me. I know how long I need to have it in, how strong it is, how much I need for my hair, how long it lasts, etc. I use Salon Care 30 Volume Creme Developer with this.

There seem to be mixed reviews on it, with positive views leaning in favor, but you really need to know what you're doing when you lighten hair. This isn't something that can be casually done, which is why there are professionals that do it. It's really a skill, on top of knowing your hair and what products to work with it. I'm very lucky that I have hair that's good for experimenting.

Proclaim 100 Percent Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is great for your hair and skin! I specifically use it for my hair. When I shower, I like to add a bit to my conditioner and it makes my hair feel absolutely lovely and soft. Too much will make your hair feel stringy and greasy when it's dry though!
This is only $6USD and I like that it's in a plastic container. The coconut oil I used to buy was in a glass jar and I accidentally broke it lol

ApHogee 2-Step Protein Treatment and Balanced Moisturizer

This is some kind of miracle treatment. The times I've used this is after a big hair change that causes a lot of damage, and this treatment feels like it reverses the damage on my hair. It's a bit of a process to do but worth it if you have the time/patience (which I don't always have, and I'm lazy LOL).
If my memory serves me right, the protein part may smell a little funny.

One n' Only Argan Oil Restorative Mask

It's been a VERY long time since I've used this but I'm quite fond of it still. I just tend to be a creature of habit and buy the same things over and over again. Still, I remember this making my hair very soft and it felt so healthy. This would be a good investment!

Miracle 7 Products

Just... use it. Just do it. If you have the money to spend on it, treat yourself. Ngl, I'm a sucker for pretty packaging and theirs has a simple yet appealing aesthetic that reels me in big time. The products themselves are good though. They have good ratings and when they release something new it's basically almost always sold out pretty fast.
The product I use from them that I restock for myself is the Miracle 7 Leave-in Mist for Extensions.

-- SKIN --

I have oily/dry combination skin. It's so difficult!!!

I've never been able to truly balance it out BUT, at this time I do have a pretty good line up of products that gets rid of the dry skin and keeps it from coming back, and reduces the oil. I used to have to scrub my face almost every day in a desperate attempt to get rid of the dry skin but it just wouldn't go away and it hurt and my face was just in agony D;

Beyond Belief Lift & Firm Creamy Gel Cleanser

This cleanser caters towards dry skin and it has tiny little grains in it like a daily scrub. I've heard that people with big pores may have problems with tiny grain kind of face cleansers but mine aren't that big and I haven't had any problems. The only thing is sometimes I miss some grains when I'm washing it off but that's not much of a problem.

The tube is somewhat small but you only need about a chickpea size of the product to cover your face and neck. I don't know how well it would work for sensitive skin but doesn't feel strong. It's clean and refreshing. No tingly feelings or anything. My skin doesn't feel dry or uncomfortable after using this.

One n' Only Argan Oil Treatment

Immediately after I dry my face I put this on. It's a hair product but I mostly use it for my skin, and honestly it works better for my skin than my hair (but my hair has been through a lot lol).

The texture is silky without it feeling too heavy or oily when using the right amount. The scent is light and warm.

You'd think that oil would make an oily face worse but I guess I've been trying to get rid of it so much that my face was compensating. So now I use this but in the morning I only put it on the dry areas and leave the oily areas alone for a different product. At night I use it for my whole face.

My face still gets very oily but it feels better and looks more like a shine than just oily at least. I haven't put enough time in to see what combinations of my products works best for that part but I'm glad the dry skin is gone.

Aside my face, I use it for my body and I lock it in with my favorite lotion (St Ives Skin Renewing Collagen Elastin) and WOW, the result is amazing.

Beyond Belief Lift & Firm Facial Moisturizer

Then after the oil, I put this on. Sometimes I use it all over my face and neck or just the dry areas and my neck. This is a thin cream and it doesn't feel heavy if used without the oil. It works pretty well by itself but I'd rather not chance it since my dry skin gets patchy, accentuates/creates wrinkles, and is sometimes painful. I have noticed though that even on my oily areas, they're not as bad when just using this.
There's no fragrance. It takes awhile to dry unless you work it into your skin. The texture feels nice and there's definitely lots of moisture.

Beyond Belief Lift & Firm Clay Mask

A mask for dry skin? Yes, please, thank you. One problem with clay masks is that it can draw out too much moisture and that's no bueno for me. This mask is gentle but it cleanses beyond your daily face cleanser/wash. I use it once a week and it's pretty quick, only 10-15 minutes.

Beyond Belief ABH Clay Mask

This mask is stronger which I use only for the oily areas of my skin or areas with larger pores. If you have pretty noticeable pores and black heads, this won't be strong enough to make a huge difference. This is kind of a "keep up" product, as in you have to have fairly good skin already and this just helps keep it that way.

Queen Helene Avocado and Grapefruit Masque

For something with more strength, I use this. It can have a bit of that minty/burn sensation when it's applied thickly. I mostly use this for my nose since it has the biggest pores.

-- MAKEUP --

I buy my essentials from different stores. I don't have much of a makeup collection, just what I like and what I know. These are the products from Sally's that I repurchase.

Palladio Herbal Lip Liner Pencil in Natural + Suede

I like a natural lip color that's warm and compliments my skin tone and hair. These two combined are beautiful. The liner doesn't budge much, only when I eat.

My lips are naturally two toned in a way that kind of looks like I already have lip liner on and my upper lip is darker than my bottom lip so I use Natural as a base color all over and then Suede to match the darker shade. Oh, I do dab some red liner in the middle of my lips.

Palladio Rice Paper Blotting Tissues

If you use this lightly and let it sit in place for a couple seconds longer, it'll soak up the oil and leave a light cover of powder without it looking cakey. Otherwise, pressing it too hard may take some of your makeup off and make you look powdery, uneven, or cakey.

I love these since I get shiny pretty quick and the powder keeps my skin looking soft almost like when I apply fresh makeup. I don't use any products to help reduce oil just cause I haven't done my research on those products yet. I've read some of them clog up your pores and I'd rather just have oily skin that'll keep me from getting wrinkles faster lol

Beyond Belief Facial Cleansing and Makeup Remover Towelettes

This is a convenient product that I like to have around. It's easy and quick to use and takes off all my makeup with a couple sheets, except some stubborn mascara. I use coconut oil to break that down and then wipe it off. It feels fresh and clean!

♡♡♡

I randomly try out things here and there when I have money to spare. They constantly have deals that'll give you the chance to try something new. There are even sample sizes of some products so you don't have to dedicate yourself to a huge bottle at full price. There are still MANY products I haven't had the chance to use yet but for sure I will continue to go to Sally's for a veeeery long time.

If you try out any of my favorite products, let me know what you think about them! And share what your favorites are with me so I can try them out too :]

Take care,

Lorina ♡

Gray Fuzzy Sweater from TrinityStyles.net!

2015-02-21T13:39:00.002-05:00

Hello, everyone!

So who's doing a LOT of layering with their outfits right now? It's pretty chilly here in South Florida, so I can only imagine the cold horrors people are experiencing up north! I'm not equipped for such weather. I've only a couple heavy jackets (probably more like autumn jackets up there, haha) and some long sleeves.

A new addition to my closet that's helping me stay warm is this gray fuzzy sweater from

TrinityStyles!

TS Webstore | TS Facebook

I'm in loooove with fuzzy fabrics right now. I'm a texture person and I can't keep my hands to myself when I'm shopping in a store for clothing or for fabrics.

Since this is a gray sweater, it can pick up shades from different lighting making it appear more blue or yellow. In person it's a dark medium gray slightly towards a blue tone.

This piece is great for layering as it's super stretchy and the fabric wouldn't fight against layers underneath it or over it.

The quality is great! It should last me a long time.

Go check out TrinityStyles for more clothing like this and stay cozy and warm in this winter weather!

Take care,

Lorina ♡

ICK Clara Violet Circle Lens Review

2015-02-02T17:41:00.001-05:00

~ This review is based on my own opinion and experiences. ~

Please take a look at my Circle Lens Care page if you are interested in circle lenses!

This lens is from Lensvillage!

Click this link to purchase ♡

Color + Pattern

I love patterns like this that allow a smooth blend with your own eye color. I think these would look really great on any color because of that, and it looks fairly natural. The pixel pattern can only be seen very closely.

This lens isn't eye catching, but it's charming. The subtle color and the dark brown limbal ring gives a soft look. These look like natural purple eyes! On people with a smaller iris than mine, you'll be able to see the purple through the whites of your eyes and it will be very pretty :]

Enlargement

At 15mm, they are big lenses but because of the soft dark brown limbal ring, it doesn't look as harsh as black limbal rings which can look unnatural. You can see in the pictures above that there's still quite a difference.

Comfort

They're very thin and soft lenses. I've not experienced any discomfort or dryness! But as always, keep eye drops with you!

Over All

Like I said, these are charming. They may not be an immediate choice for most but this is perfect for those that want something subtle and comfortable. I can always imagine wearing something dark like this and someone doing a double take.

Take care,

Lorina ♡

10 Different Ways to Style Short Medium Length Hair

2015-01-18T19:38:00.000-05:00

For my hair, I'm starting off this year by putting away my extensions and experimenting with my short medium length hair. I needed to do my roots not too long ago so I thought this would be a great time to share how I've been achieving my silver color and show you the hair styles I'm planning to wear!

In order to get a light silver hair color, you have to have very light hair. There's no skipping from black hair to silver hair. Since mine is black, I have to bleach my hair three times with 30 developer. The result is the picture to the left above. It's very yellow.

To get silver hair, I've been using ION Color Brilliance Brights Purple diluted with white conditioner. Overestimate yourself when adding in purple. I always put too much in. Typically I use enough conditioner to cover my hair and then start adding in the dye. This time around I did a very light amount which gave me a beige silver.

You can still see yellow parts. Those are the areas that didn't get bleached enough.

There are silver dyes like from Pravana, but I haven't bought any only cause this dye is readily available to me at Sally's Beauty Supply. I don't mind the different results, whether it comes out beige silver, silver, or purple. They're all pretty!

Though I'm really in love with the shade right now!

As for my current hair length and cut, this is how it looks straight and lightly curled in. I do my hair myself with no help, cut and dye and all, so it's a mess, lol. But, it's fun and it gives me a lot more control over how I want to look.

So here are the styles I've thought up thus far that will work with this kind of cut!

(Ngl, I've been watching a lot of Friends on Netflix and I think it's had a ridiculous influence on this, lol.)

If you're curious, the flower accessories were gifts from one of my best friends, bought from Crafts Way in Hawaii! She sent me a little video when she was in there and the shelves were FILLED with so many pretty flowers. I wish I could see it in person and buy one of everything!

Well, I hope this inspires someone out there :] I know a lot of people get bored with short medium hair quick but try these out and as well as victory rolls, crown braids, and accessories!

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Lorina ♡

Choco Crystal Toric Contact Lens For Astigmatism Review

2015-01-13T17:01:00.001-05:00

~ This review is based on my own opinion and experiences. ~
Please take a look at my Circle Lens Care page if you are interested in circle lenses!

This is a very special circle lens review. What separates these from the others is that they're for astigmatism! Astigmatism, in simple terms, is when the surface of your eyes have an irregular shape instead of being smooth. Therefore when I don't wear contacts specifically shaped for my eyes, my eyesight will still be a little blurry. For example, I wouldn't be able to read very small text.

Regular circle lenses are an accessory to me so I don't use them when I need full vision and concentration. Some of us are okay with sacrificing a few things here and there for a look, lol. I'm not tripping all over myself or anything. Just don't give me fine print xD

Typically, I use them when I go out and do reviews but I thought it would be nice to have a pair of circle lenses that I can use beyond that. So here's my review for my first toric lens :]

Buy the Choco Crystal Toric Contact Lens For Astigmatism at OhMyLens.com!

Color + Pattern

I decided to choose a natural color close to mine since I wanted to use these a little more daily. They're actually a tad bit darker than my own eyes but I love how pearly and shiny they look. The pattern doesn't really show up unless the whites of my eyes show through which doesn't happen often.

Enlargement

For 14.4mm, these look pretty big and it's due to the fact that they're a dark solid color. It adds to the effect. I was hoping it would only be a bit bigger than my own eyes but I'm okay with these, they're not too large. They're dolly and pretty.

Comfort

These are a slight bit thicker. If you've ever used EOS Dolly Eye, they're kind of like that. I'm assuming it's because they're toric lenses. It's not uncomfortable but my eyes do get red after maybe 6 hours. I haven't experienced any dryness though.

Over All

They're pretty standard circle lenses, but as lenses for astigmatism, they do go blurry once in awhile and I think that's because of the lenses moving around. I used my last eye prescription when ordering these and it's possible I may need to get a check up if my eyes changed at all. I recently got new glasses using my last prescription and they're perfect so I was thinking it was going to be the same. Not sure, but I probably should make an appointment anyways!

I'd say these are a commitment since they cost $60, which is basically $10 per month I'm using them so I'm okay with that. Toric lenses are always more expensive since they're order made to your prescription.

I'm still pretty happy with them though. After years of wearing circle lenses as accessories, having a pair that I can use for work and reading, lol, is nice. I've also been appreciating dark brown eyes more and more too.

If you're curious about my experience with OhMyLens, my lenses came pretty quickly and it came with a free contact lens case. As well as a guide that helps you open the bottles, take the lens out, and how to use them safely! I really love that :] It's very important to take care of your eyes!

On their site, they have a wide selection of choices and they organize their lenses by color and size! Double love that. Take a look around and if you're a blogger, see about getting a free pair in exchange for a review!

Thanks for reading and take care!

Lorina ♡

Black + White, Suns + Moons

2015-01-09T21:19:00.000-05:00

Finally caught up on all my clothing reviews!

This last one is from YoyoMelody.

"Contrast Long Sleeve Crop Top"

I've taken a really basic, laid back approach to my fashion sense lately and this is a perfect addition. Sure, it doesn't have much to it but it looks great by itself.

The sizes on the website will be very off if you live in the US so make sure you check the measurements. The top I'm wearing is an XXL, their largest size. I could of gone a size or two down, depending on how fitted I want it. It's not the same product in their pictures, but I still like it.

"Black Bodycon Sun And Moon Totem Print Short Vest Dress"

The graphics on this dress doesn't look like the stock pictures on their site. I'm not a huge fan of it, but had I not seen the original, I may have been okay with this design. It's also a beige color instead of white. The cut is different as the shoulders are broader. I ordered an XXL, their largest size for this piece, since the measurements were closer to my preference and size, but the fabric is very, very stretchy and I would of probably preferred the L.

Letting all those things go, it looks rather good in pictures and that kind of cut is generally flattering for many body types. Since it doesn't fit me well, I don't see myself wear it a lot though. So if you like this piece and want it fitting, choose a size or two down! Depending on your measurements.

"Dark Grey V Neck Loose Crochet Knit Jumper"

This is one of the first pieces I've gotten since I chose to add more texture to my wardrobe to make my outfits pop. I feel that being able to imagine how something feels through a picture gives a sense of reality, like seeing smoke from a hot cup of cocoa.

Since I'm in Florida, I don't need very thick jumpers. Having a light piece like this where air can flow through is best for me to be able to wear it more than just a few times in the year when it actually gets cold. There's no form to this top, giving it a relaxed look, and gives space for comfortable layering.

The cold weather finally came back! So I'm looking forward to creating something with these pieces :] Cold weather here means it's gotta be ridiculously freezing everywhere else in the US!

Bundle up and take care!

Lorina ♡

Stripes, Hearts, & Velvet

2015-01-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

Got a couple more items from TrendyFine.com!

I've been eyeing velvet and stripes for awhile which led me to these choices :]

"New O-neck Striped Casual Knit Sweater"

I put this on immediately and didn't want to take it off. It's a comfortable, adorable sweater that's not too heavy so I can still wear it in other seasons but I can easily layer underneath or over it too. The heart elbows are a cute touch! It comes in M and L, and it's got some stretch to it. A+

"Red Solid Color Velvet Fashion Skirt"

Velvet creates great texture for an outfit, especially in pictures. I've got a small collection of velvet skirts now and this deep red one is my favorite! It's such a beautiful color and a great length for me as a high waist skirt, as someone just shy of five feet. Keep that in mind if you're tall, measurements are available on the webstore's description.

Thus far, I'm enjoying all the items I've gotten from TrendyFine. This was my last review for them. I'm trying not to overwear them too much, haha. I prefer to rotate my pieces as evenly as possible so I don't make too many repeat outfits. It's difficult since these go with so many things and they're so comfy ; 3;

Anyways, thanks for stopping by and take care!

Lorina ♡

Six Kisses, Three Pieces

2015-01-04T19:49:00.001-05:00

Here are a few pieces I ordered from SixKisses.com!

It's taken me a bit to get some pictures together since my husband and I barely have time together anymore and he's the one that takes my outfit pics! I may have to resort to mirror pictures in the future if I actually want to blog a little more regularly again ; ___;

"Burgundy Striped V-neck Long Sleeve Pullover Sweater"

Advertised on their website, this was a pretty bright red so I was surprised that it came as a rich burgundy. I'm very happy with what I received! I wish they had pictures that reflected just how beautiful it actually is.

Unfortunately, it only comes in one size and it only has a bit of stretch. It's suitable for autumn/winter weather. It keeps heat in really well and it's fairly soft. It comes in other colors: grey, black, khaki, navy, and white. I wouldn't mind a collection of this!

"White Back Hollow-out Spaghetti Strap Sleeveless Dress"

I have a plain little black dress, but I didn't have a plain little white dress!

This is such a simple but pretty piece!

What's unique about it, to me, is that the straps are laced in the back. It gives you control of how long or short you need the straps which is great for those of different height and/or bust. This comes in a S, M, and L with measurements offered in the description. It fits me well when on but I do have broad shoulders so putting it on and off is just a little tight because the fabric has no stretch. Instead it has a zipper on the side.

I already put this through the wash when it first came and it didn't shrink. However, the ends of the straps aren't closed. I'm not sure if that's on purpose or not. You can see in the picture of the back of the dress how the string has come out of itself. It's no bother to me and an easy fix. I'll just tie it off and cut the excess.

"Grey Plaid Loose Lapel Long Sleeve Blouse"

I wanted to try something a little different and trendy from what I have in my wardrobe. Grids have been pretty popular for awhile now and I wanted to see if I would like it.

Of all the pieces, this one is my favorite. It's easy to wear and easy to style. The outfit I put together is very simple but with this long sleeve on top, it puts everything together!

It comes in a few other color combinations but I've been in love with grey as of late and it compliments most of the items I've been wearing. What I like about this long sleeve is that the fabric is soft and light, but it feels pretty durable. The style is something that can be used on and off as trends come and go since it's basic.

It only comes in one size and it seems to range fairly well but there is no stretch to the fabric so there's a limit to the shoulders and arm circumference. The sleeves are probably of average length. As you can see on me, they go to my knuckles.

It took a bit for the items to reach me. I'm not sure if it's just because it was during December, as busy as that month already is, but I'm happy with the pieces :]

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Lorina ♡

Geolica Euro Lady Cobalt Blue Circle Lens Review!

2014-12-07T21:42:00.001-05:00

And finally, here is the last review of the Geolica Euro Lady series from GeoColouredLenses!

Read my Lime Green, Pearl Gray, Aqua Blue, and Light Brown reviews :]

~ This review is based on my own opinion and experiences. ~

Please take a look at my Circle Lens Care page if you are interested in circle lenses!

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Click here to buy!

Color + Pattern

Surprisingly, this was one of the hardest lens departures I've had /teardrop

These are so, so subtle but my goodness, are they beautiful. To me, I feel like the darkness makes me want to look at them a little longer to admire the shade. It's a very personal color. Someone has to be very close to see them properly. And as per usual for this series, the pattern imitates a natural pattern.

Enlargement

The label says they're 14.2mm but that's hard to believe with the size difference. I wear 14.5mm clear contact lenses which look the same size as these. Though they definitely do appear more natural sized versus other lenses that are labeled 14.5mm for that dolly look.

Comfort

I would expect monthly lenses to be soft, moisturized, and comfortable, and these meet up each expectation. I would recommend just from comfort alone!

Over All

I saved these ones for last not because I thought they were going to be amazing but because I thought I wasn't going to like them and they turned out being so precious! Though honestly, I've been in a more natural kick with my face which may be why I loved these so much. Less makeup, natural/dark eye colors. I haven't even been wearing lashes but they suit much better for my lens reviews.

And thus ends the reviews for the Geolica Euro Lady series!

Thank you, GeoColouredLenses for providing me all the colors!

It's been an absolute joy wearing them and are my top pick for natural lenses :]

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Grey Rose Long Sleeve + Black High Waist Skirt - TrendyFine.com

2014-12-01T15:31:00.000-05:00

TrendyFine.com sent me a couple cute items to show off!

Buy Here: Top | Skirt

The top is something I wouldn't normally choose but I was drawn to the cozy color scheme and I have an extreme lack of long sleeves. Looking at it in person and trying it on, I'm ridiculously surprised with how much I like it! It's comfortable and feels like a typical boyfriend shirt. You know, the kind that's baggy and comfortable and you just want to lounge in all day?

Which inspired me to take these kind of pictures instead of the usual!

Other than a lounge shirt, it's easy to style for a casual day. I just put on some shorts when I went out but you can wear any kind of plain bottoms with this top. Things I would wear with it would be a white or powder pink maxi skirt, beige harem pants, black high waist jeans, or an evergreen or pink pleated skirt.

As for the skirt, I actually didn't have a plain black skirt before this :0 I'm really bad at collecting basic items for my wardrobe even though I know it will expand the possibilities of different coordinations Dx'

The waist has a wide elastic band instead of a set size with a zipper, which I prefer. The quality is pretty nice and I feel like it will be durable. The cut is clean and it looks good over all. The way it falls and moves around is lovely.

I couldn't get many pictures of this one because it's such a plain piece it was hard to make an outfit with my current wardrobe without something else overpowering it or hiding it.

This is the first time I'm working with TrendyFine and it was a good experience. The package was to arrive 8-12 business days and it did arrive on the very last day, but since it's business days it took most of the month. It came in a gray plastic package and the clothes inside came in their own plastic packages.

I'm pretty happy all in all :] I'm probably gonna wear out both these items, haha. When the colder months are over, I'll probably wear the top at home to sleep in or something. I just love it so much! And the skirt is an all year item I can style it for different occasions so that's plus :3

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TruSelf Organics Detoxifying Mask Review

2014-11-23T22:59:00.000-05:00

Here's something of a different pace.

And it's for your face!

I'm a little bit obsessive with having clear skin when it comes to my face. I use a mask at least once a week, exfoliate a few times a week, wash it morning and night, and I drink lots of water. If I'm gonna wear as much makeup as I do, I need to put in the work to make sure my skin is in good condition!

Masks are such an essential to feel fresh and to get deep in your skin where you can't easily wash away. Today I tried the TruSelf Organics Detoxifying Mask and I'm so satisfied!

Follow them on Instagram, truselforganics, and treat yourself on their website!

http://truselforganics.com/

It comes in a powder form, which is unique to any mask I've used before. Just add water and mix it up. The directions say you only need a small amount, but I'm unsure how small is small, haha. Either way, I think this allows for options of consistency and additions such as honey or oils.

I made mine a little thick. I didn't add anything to it but maybe I will next time!

The mask claims to tone and reduce pores, discoloration, fine lines, wrinkles, and scars. That's a lot of promise! But I won't expect any miracles in the first go or even in the next few. Skin results take time and patience. However, even though I've only used it once I enjoyed my experience in that one try. I'll have to keep using it for awhile longer to see if it will be my go to or not.

The mask I would have used if not for this would have been Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. The mint on that is quite strong, sometimes to where it may even hurt. TruSelf Organics Detoxifying Mask does NOT sting and I love that comfort. There's no strong smell either and you can control the consistency.

Since I made mine a little thick it took a bit for it to dry up. Some people are too impatient to do masks but it's a great to take some time to yourself. Just as the card says that was in the package, #loveyourself!

Maybe pass time strengthening your Pokemon team, or maybe I shouldn't be so lazy and do something about my chipped nails, or maybe some other time xD

And after it was all dry and washed off, here are the results!

The only edit on this picture is the lighting and the color. This is my skin directly after removing the mask. I didn't have a before picture cause I didn't think to but I can tell you that the pores on my nose shrunk and it looks much cleaner! It wasn't awful before but it was enough to bother me. I'm SUPER happy with the results for my pores and the lack of blackheads there. Huzzah!

As for the other things the mask claims, well, we'll have to see. I don't really have wrinkles but I'm sure this'll help prevent them as I age. My complexion is just a wee bit uneven. Let's see if that changes over time with this mask. I definitely felt the toning and my skin feels fresh and clean :]

I'm pretty happy with this mask. It's all natural, it's not tested on animals, it doesn't sting my skin, or have an odd smell. All in all it's a great mask!

It's supposed to last longer too since it's in powder form. I thought it was odd at first and maybe even a little bit of a hassle, but I like having the control of the consistency and amount. It won't ever dry up and it'll always be fresh every use!

Now I'm curious about their other products. More specifically their Raw Body Butter. The description is amazing so I want to know if it truly is!

Anyways, this was a great introduction to TruSelf Organics for me. If you buy one for yourself, I hope you have as good of an experience as I have!

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Geolica Euro Lady Light Brown Circle Lens Review!

2014-11-05T19:15:00.000-05:00

I've been having such a hard time keeping up with this blog lately! I feel so bad ; 3;

Thank you to everyone who's still checking up here and commenting T ^T

I'm hoping to have the motivation to get back into blogging a little more seriously next year. This year has been strange for me but definitely progressive in so many ways. Thank you to everyone who's been there for me and has encouraged me!

Anyways, this is the second to last review of the Euro Lady series from GeoColouredLenses!

This one is for the the Geolica Euro Lady Light Brown!

Read my Lime Green, Pearl Gray, and Aqua Blue reviews :]

The last one left is Cobalt Blue.

~ This review is based on my own opinion and experiences. ~

Please take a look at my Circle Lens Care page if you are interested in circle lenses!

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Color + Pattern

These are the kind of brown lenses that tend to lean more towards yellow but not unnaturally. Typically, I don't like yellow brown lenses with my skin but I feel like it worked really well with my current hair color. The pattern, just like the rest of the series, is semi-natural. From far away it looks pretty natural but up close you can see the pixelation.

Enlargement

Comfort

I would expect monthly lenses to be soft, moisturized, and comfortable, and these meet up each expectation. I would recommend just from comfort alone!

Over All

Just as the rest of the series, I seem to always be sad to part ways every month. These aren't my favorite in the series but they're still beautiful. I feel like they would be a favorite for daily brown lens lovers!

Sorry for the lazy pictures Dx''' Wish I coulda done them in the daylight but that's exactly why I do the different lighting/angle pictures just in case I don't get the chance to get nice and bright pictures.

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