More Stationary Goodies From the Amazing Hobbry x Indigo Collection

I have raved about the Hobbry x Indigo Collection before (read about it here) and let me tell you the love is still going strong. After posting about the pieces I bought the lovely Bryanne from Hobbry messaged me telling me she wanted to send me a little something as a thank you. Of course, I said yes but I was amazed by her generosity when I received her package. Below you can read my thoughts on the items she sent me, spoiler: they’re all amazing. Also my desk looks so pretty I actually look forward to working on it! 

First there is the Memo Mousepad in Pink Ombre, this is the perfect thing to write your to do list on! There’s lots of space to write and since my desk has a glass top I can just put it on the little shelve beneath the table (you know the place where we used to put keyboards) and see it when I work. Also the watercolor pink design is super pretty! 

Second is the Small Spiral Notebook in She Loved Life (Purple Block), to me this is more of a medium size notebook than a small one, but whatever you want to call it I think it’s the perfect size. You could use it in school to take notes (if you’re old-school like me), write down ideas or your daily gratitudes, basically it’s pretty perfect. The gold spiral is a lovely chic touch.

Next is the Large Pencil Pouch in Well Behaved (Purple), it comes with 2 pencils, 1 erasers and a little pencil sharpener. This is so beautiful I feel bad using it to keep pencils, it would make a great makeup bag because the size is very versatile. It actually looks much better in person, the leatherette material feels lovely and high quality, it just doesn’t look as good on the website. I might actually get more of these in other colors to use as travel pouches. 

One thing I was super excited to see was the Sticky Note Set in Dream Bigger (Pink) because I love sticky notes. Seriously you can never have too many! The set comes with 8 different styles of sticky notes and they all follow a pink and purple ombre theme. They look so pretty, I can’t get enough!! Click the link to see what they look like. The folio they come is also super beautiful, I love the Dream Bigger Darling quote in the gold lettering. 

Last but certainly not least is the Leather Catchall in Be So Good (white), this has become a desk staple, it’s so useful. Just like the pencil pouch, the leatherette catchall looks much better in person and it feels really nice. I use mine to keep my most used jewelry and I might get another one to keep actual office supplies in. This is such a nice way to keep your desk organised and the purple-blue ombre quote looks beautiful against the creamy white. 

I wish this collection was permanent, that’s how good I think it is. I had a look online before writing this and only a few of the items are still available online. However, most can be found in Indigo stores so I recommend you check the “check store inventory” button on the website so see if they are still available near you. The nearest store to me is about three hours away but I hope I’ll get a chance to go soon to stock up on some goodies. Also, there are other pieces from the Hobbry x Indigo Collection still available on the website so definitely have a look! 

Blisume Frangipani Hand and Body Wash Review

More and more products are being touted as two-in-one, hand and body washes are a big part of the trend, but in most cases I find the design does not really work. Blisume has managed to make a lovely natural option that really works. So let’s talk about the Blisume Frangipani Hand and Body Wash.

This is a lovely natural body wash packed with antioxidants like rosehip and is free of sulfates and other chemicals like phthalates. The formula is a light gel that foams up really well, always a nice surprise when using a sulfate-free product.  It makes you feel clean without drying the skin, but it does not leave any residue behind. I have not actually really used it as a hand wash but because the gel is so light it would work really well.

This brings me to one of my favorite things about this product: the design! I love the look of the bottle, it’s chic and classic, but the bright pop of color makes it fun and a bit different. I could totally see this in hotels or spas! The pump is also wonderful, it’s as easy to dispense product on a loofa as it is on your hands. It doesn’t squirt too much product or shoot it out at a weird angle. This is a simple detail but it really makes the product work as both a hand and body wash.

The only thing I didn’t love about this product was the scent. Because I picked the frangipani one, I was expecting something sweet and slightly tropical but it doesn’t smell like that at all. It has kind of a weird citrus scent, it’s not bad but I’m just not a fan of citrus scents in general. Luckily because it’s phthalate-free the scent doesn’t linger. I will be repurchasing this shower gel in the future, just in another scent (probably the vanilla one).

The Blisume Frangipani Hand and Body Wash is available on Nourished Life and the product is actually offered in a variety of scents so I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking. You can also read more about it on their website. 

Nourished Life Haul Featuring Kora Organics, Jar, Edible Beauty, 100% Pure and More

In my last Nourished Life haul, I mentioned having quite a long wish list of things I wanted to get from the site. Well, I managed to make a small dent in the list with a new haul and everything is fantastic! I have become quite obsessed with Nourished Life, I get excited when they send their newsletter (always with nice promotions and gifts with purchase) and I have a look on the site every week to see what new things they got in. I actually ordered these products a while ago and even though I received my order within a week, I hadn’t managed to get everything together for a nice picture until now. So without further ado here is my most recent Nourished Life haul!

First I have the Ecobud Pete Evans Little Penguin Glass Bottle in Aqua, a glass water bottle with a filter to turn regular tap water into filtered alkaline water. I was so happy to find a bottle that could turn tap water into alkaline water (quite a rare find) and it looks really nice. The bottle isn’t too heavy and I love the color of the silicone sleeve.       *Edit: Nourished Life has stopped stocking this product.

Next I have the Jar Body Scrub in Africa, a mix of coffee, pink Himalayan sea salt and sugar. I love a good scrub and this one looked like a great option for deep exfoliation. It’s a great all natural option and it does not contain any microbeads.

I love all things Miranda Kerr so I couldn’t resist picking up another product from her Kora Organics range. This time I went for the Luxurious Rosehip Oil, a lovely blend of rosehip and other oils. I have been meaning to add a facial oil to my routine for a while and this organic one seemed like the perfect one

Up next is the Blisume Hand and Body Wash in Frangipani, a 100% natural and sulphate-free shower gel. I go through body washes really quickly and I am always looking for something new and natural to try. I really love the ingredients list of this one and the cute packaging doesn’t hurt either.

This time, I simply had to get one of the Edible Beauty teas and I opted for the No.2 Fountain of Youth. This is a lovely blend of organic teas and fruits full of antioxidants. It also comes in the prettiest glass jar and you can buy tea refill when you’ve finished it.. 

Now for a bit of makeup, you know my love of lip stains so I decided to dip my toe in the natural makeup pool with the 100% Pure Lip Butter in Pomegranate. This lovely balm is full of hydrating ingredients and super pigmented. It will give your lips and cheeks a lovely flush of color. I’m already thinking of getting another one!

The next thing is probably the least glamourous thing to haul, but hey a beautiful smile comes from healthy teeth so I bought the Dr. Tungs Natural Dental Floss. I am very picky when it comes to dental floss, but this toxin-free option really caught my eye and I love that the container is biodegradable.

Last but not least is the PearlBar Bamboo and Charcoal Toothbrush, the plastic from regular toothbrushes creates a lot of pollution so this is a great ecofriendly option. The bristles are super fine and tapered to give a deep clean and you don’t have to feel bad when you need to replace them.

I really can’t get enough of Nourished Life and their amazing selection of products. I have linked every product above and I highly recommend you have a look at the website. I’m sure you’ll find some great new finds to make your life a bit healthier!

Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion SPF34/PA++ in no.13 Light Beige Review

Cushion foundations have been all the rage in Korea for a few years and even though they looked really fun, I never gave in to the urge of buying one. Buying foundations online is always a gamble, but when you have super fair skin, nine times out of ten you can expect the lightest shade to be too dark. So I indulged on skincare and lip tints instead (nothing wrong with that ;) However Innisfree once again sucked me in and I couldn’t resist their Ampoule Intense CushionSPF34/PA++ when it went on sale months ago.

So how did I get on? Well this particular cushion claims to be super moisturizing and is infused with oil to give you a glow. It also has SPF34/PA++ which is great added protection for a base product (you should still use a separate sunscreen) and the packaging makes it perfect for touching up during the day since most of us rarely reapply sunscreen (guilty!).

Innisfree is not kidding when it says it’s moisturizing, it feels very moist on the skin. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the oil it contains (don’t worry it didn’t break me out), the foundation doesn’t move around but it doesn’t look like it’s set either. The glow factor is very high, bordering on shiny for my combination skin, you really get that extreme Korean dewiness with this cushion. I think those with dry skin looking for that dewy glow will enjoy it and it can work on those with combination during colder months (or maybe if you live in a very dry environment). I have tried it last summer and it looked quite shiny, though a bit of powder did tone it down slightly. While it is long-lasting for such a glowy product, it did oxidise a bit on me. I don’t think it would necessarily make a huge difference on others, but it was quite noticeable on my fair skin (my neck is super pale). The coverage is a nice medium that is buildable. It will even out the skin, cover redness and minor imperfections, but you will need a concealer to cover spots. That being said I loved how this looked like skin when you have it on, in a weird way it lets your skin show through but still manages to even it nicely.

The shade range is small, only 3, and they are all on the lighter side. I purchased the lightest one which no.13 light beige and it was a tad dark for me, requiring me to really take it down my neck. It would be a good color match for me in the summer if I was using a self-tanner. I highly recommend you have a look at swatches online if you can’t see it in store. Very fair or darker skin will probably have a hard time finding a perfect match.

Packaging-wise, the case is actually quite sturdy with a nice mirror and I loved how the cushion is packed with product and you can easily flip the sponge when one side gets a bit dry. Another thing I love is that these are refillable and the refills are quite affordable which is nicer than having to buy a whole new compact every time. The cushion also comes with a puff so you can gently pat the product on. I’m not a fan of sponges generally, but this one is amazing!! The puff really blends the foundation seamlessly and easily, it cuts down the application time in half for me. The one con I have about it is that it’s quite hard to wash, but I don’t really mind because they are super affordable to buy on their own (about 3$). So I would recommend getting an extra one with your purchase just in case.

You can get the Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion SPF34/PA++ on their website and it is currently 50% off 

The Honest Company Purely Simple Face + Body Lotion Review

I am a big fan of The Honest Company, I briefly mentioned their products before in this post and since then, my love for them has only grown. I mostly just use their cleaning products, but I also really enjoyed the personal care products I tried (more about their discovery kits here). One of the stand outs for me is their Purely Simple Face + Body Lotion.

Let me start this review by saying I have not used this lotion on my face, I strictly use it as a body lotion and it is fantastic! The Honest Company has recently relaunched their body lotion to include 3 new ones to the range (the Purely Simple is the classic one) and they have repackaged them in lovely colorful tubes. The formula contains great ingredients like organic olive, shea and jojoba oils as well as aloe, calendula and chamomile. The lotion is fragrance-free, but I find the chamomile gives it very mild and pleasant scent. It is also free of silicones and parabens (read more about the ingredients here) and the formula is biodegradable. On a side note, I love how clear and informative the Honest website is, ingredients lists are detailed and easy to find and they also offer great information about the different products. 

As far as body lotions go, this one has a very unique texture. The lotion is quite light but as you rub it in, it gets a gel like quality that reminds of applying fresh aloe straight from the leaf. It feels very refreshing and soothing! It is formulated for those with sensitive skin so it’s super gentle, but still leaves you with soft skin. I used up my entire bottle and it made my skin super smooth and hydrated. I also found it helped with the little bumps I sometimes get on my arms. Overall, I was really impressed by this body lotion, it delivers nice results and I love how it has a clean ingredients’ list but is still affordable. I plan on trying out the other versions soon (probably the apricot one) and I can’t wait to see how they compare.

The Honest Company Purely Simple Face + Body Lotion is available on the Honest Company website. I believe they do have authorized sellers in different countries (Indigo is one in Canada) so you might want to contact their lovely customer service to see if you can get it in your country. 

Innisfree BHA Skin Clinic Mask Review

It’s official, I’m out of all my Innisfree sheet masks. I have been holding on to my last one for quite some time as I wanted to find the perfect moment to use it. Well my skin has been acting up quite a lot recently (I’m still trying to figure out what caused it) so it seemed like the right time to try the Innisfree BHA Skin Clinic Mask.

I’m always a bit wary of using products for troubled skin, blame it on the drugstore products of the past that made me cough because they smelled so strongly of alcohol and felt like they would burn your face off. Well fear not because, as always, Innisfree delivers a great product. This sheet mask contains salicylic acid (a BHA) to help gently remove dead skin cells and leave you with smoother skin. Salicylic acid is also great at unclogging pores and so it can help treat breakouts. Most importantly it does all that without burning your face (do test the mask before use to make sure you won’t react to any ingredients, a must when using any new products) and it doesn’t smell strongly at all. In fact, there is no alcohol scent only a faint herbal one that is quite pleasant.

The Skin Clinic Mask are made with 100% natural cotton and I find they really help your skin better absorb the essence and they are slightly more discreet than other sheet mask (more transparent). After leaving it on for about 30 minutes, my skin felt softer and smoother and it did not feel dry (though this mask is not very moisturizing). I also found that it helped soothe breakouts and reduced overall redness. Now I have only used this once and obviously it’s not miraculously going to make spots disappear, but I do think it helped clear them out faster. I wish I had more on hand because regular use could probably help keep your skin in check or at the very least be great for those times when you need to calm your skin.

I was actually really impressed by this sheet mask, it delivers great results at a very affordable price. The Innisfree BHA Skin Clinic Mask is available from the Innisfree website and any of their stores (if you’re lucky enough to live near one). 

Victoria’s Secret Açai Weightless Body Oil

Spring is finally here and I, like pretty much everyone else, long to wear dresses and sandals again. That also means you’ll want to do some damage control on any dry skin winter left you as a little souvenir. Scrubs and lotions are a must, but sometimes you need to bring out the heavier artillery i.e. body oils. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on the Victoria’s Secret Açai Weightless Body Oil, one of the newest additions to the brand’s body care lineup.

This body oil relies on Victoria’s Secret Cotton Moisture Complex and acai berry to hydrate the skin and protect it with an antioxidant boost. It also contains a mix of sunflower, argan and grapeseed oils, a combination that makes the product feel very light and nice to apply. In fact, I was surprised at how pleasant the oil was, it almost has a dry finish so it absorbs really quickly and does not leave you feeling greasy. A very nice formulation if you are a bit afraid of body oils, or if you hate the feeling of having a heavy film on your skin.

So texture aside how does it perform? Well I can’t say that I was blown away by its moisturising abilities when used on its own. It’s not super hydrating, but it works nicely on top of lotion to really seal moisture in. After playing with it for a while, I discovered it actually worked best on dry skin (not after a shower) and really gives you nice a moisture boost and leaves your skin feeling super soft.

All that aside, there is one thing this oil does better than most and its making you skin look amazing. I kid you not, this makes your legs look so soft and smooth, it’s incredible. As I mentioned the oil as a dry quality to it so it doesn’t feel oily, but it leaves this gorgeous sheen on the skin, just like you see in a lot of ads. It would be the perfect product to use before a night out! Plus it has a lovely light fruity scent that smells divine. It’s actually one of my favorite Victoria’s Secret scents ever!

The Victoria’s Secret Açai Weightless Body Oil is available in Victoria’s Secret stores as well as on their website and it comes in both a regular and a travelsize (shown above).