Tag: Lifestyle

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Products Review

It’s easy to fall into bad habits when you’re constantly on the go (in my case, this related to juggling a full time job and blogging) so I have rounded up a few product that I have tried recently (to improve my daily routine) and am sharing my experiences with you.

One good habit that has fallen by the wayside for me in the last while is my before-bed routine. I always used to cleanse my face every night and do the whole toner and moisturizer bit. Nowadays I’m usually so beat by the end of the night that I fall asleep on the couch while watching a movie with my BF and my face is lucky to see a cleansing cloth, let alone cleanser! Been really trying to get back into the swing of things, and trying Skinfood seemed like a good starting point. Skinfood is just what it sounds like – products that are like a well-balanced diet – but for your skin. I was excited to try this line as I’m really into natural products and am always looking to find great new products. Skinfood uses products that are natural based, all ingredients are sourced from sustainable suppliers, free from a lot of toxic ingredients, and are not tested on animals – which are all fairly important points of consideration for me.

I tried a few different products and have summarized my faves below. Overall I was pleased with the line and found all of the products to be quite nourishing.

Cleanser – Left my skin feeling moisturized while effectively removing my eye makeup.

Light Moisturizer – Smelled yummy (made with peach oil, manuka honey, avocado, elderberry + marshmallow extract) and make my skin silky smooth. A little goes a long way with this one.

Exfoliating Scrub – Hands down my favourite item out of this assortment. It had a very refreshing smell, the granules were a good size and really gave my skin a good scrub down. Also left my skin feeling silky smooth.

Next up is eyecare.

firmoo glasses

I stare at a computer screen ALL DAY. At work and then when I get home. Doing so can be quite strenuous on the eyes and it doesn’t help that I rarely take my contact lenses out. Not good I know. I recall my optician telling me years ago that doing so does not allow your eyes to breathe properly. So in an attempt to break bad habit #2 I am trying to give my eyes a bit of a break and wear glasses more often. Which in my case required a frame upgrade from the circa 2009 Chanel frames that have been living in my dresser. I had been meaning to upgrade my glasses old pair for some time now so reviewing a Firmoo pair was just perfect timing. If you’re looking for an economical pair of glasses, they will serve your needs just fine. They come in a variety of trending styles as well as a cute carrying case which comes equipped with that mini screwdriver I’ve been trying to get my hands on forever! It can be tricky to pick out the right pair of glasses without trying them on so I opted for a wayfarer style frame as I know I like the way this frame looks on me. The frames themselves are pretty comfortable; good quality, and give me the line of sight I require, although I strongly recommend that you go with the anti-glare coating on the lenses. Another word of advice if you are planning on purchasing eyeglasses directly online, pick a familiar frame style that you are comfortable with even if it’s sunglasses – chances are you will also like the way a similar style will look on you.

This post was created in collaboration with Skinfood (supported by Shopping Links) and Firmoo.
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How To Care For Your Winter Knits

how to care for winter knitsWith the change of seasons and cold temperatures comes the re-introduction of winter fabrics into your closet. I wrote this post in an effort to share some tips that I have picked up over the years on how to care for winter knits.

Hang vs Fold
Personally, I prefer to fold any wool or heavier type sweaters. Not only does this prevent wool sweaters from stretching, but it’s a good way to keep them organized. Folded sweaters can be stacked on shelves in your closet or in a drawer. More lightweight knits tend to fare better on hangers as at times they can be flimsy and more of a nuisance to fold. However if using hangers, opt for wooden ones or a hanger with padding for these garments.

how to care for winter knits lavender essential oilLavender Sachets
Lavender scented sachets are not only great for deterring fabric eating pests (moths/carpet beetles) but they also keep fabrics smelling nice. DIY lavender sachets are relatively easy to make using loose lavender. Or even potpourri with a few added drops of lavender essential oil tied up in a piece of linen or cheesecloth. Alternatively you can pick up a box of pre-packaged ones as well. Freshen up the lavender sachets by adding a few drops of lavender essential oil whenever needed.
Sidenote: If you do require pest control stay away from mothballs, not only are they smelly but they are also toxic to yourself and your pets. Lavender sachets and cedar are a great natural and non-toxic alternative to moth balls.
how to care for winter knits lavender scented satchels essential oil

Cedar
Cedar chips or planks in your drawers are also a good moth-deterrent. But they should be replaced often as their effectiveness usually lasts up to a year. Cedar chests are also a great storage solution for stowing away winter knits once the season is over. I haven’t used cedar, but have heard that you should avoid storing cotton or linen in cedar as the acids in the wood can be potentially damaging to those particular fabrics.

Washing Care Instructions
For those garments that you really care about make sure to read the label and pay close attention to the washing care instructions. Try to dry clean all garments that call for such care. Although typically ‘dry clean only’ garments can be hand washed. You can also try your luck with a cold-wash gentle cycle in lieu of hand washing. I’ll be honest, most times I just throw things in the wash. However, I do pay special attention to delicate fabrics or ones of sentimental value to ensure I follow the specific washing instructions for those pieces to prevent damage. Whatever you do, do not throw your wool into the dryer as you will end up with a doll-sized sweater! I have done this to myself multiple times sadly.

After the wash lay any knits flat to dry, this helps to preserve their shape. Cotton-blend sweaters have survived my dryer with no casualties to date so you should be good to toss those in the dryer, although check the label first. I do dry-clean some of my favourite sweaters, but to be honest, I have yet to be impressed by any one to fully remove all stains/dirt. So lately I have opted to hand-wash instead. Another word of advice when laundering is to avoid mixing clothing with towels. Doing so can cause pilling.

Washing care for specific fabrics:

Wool: Wash wool in cold water to avoid shrinkage and lay flat to
dry. Do not throw wool in the dryer (unless you are looking for a cute
new sweater for your furry four-legged friend). I use Woolite Delicates
liquid laundry detergent for my wool.

Flannel: (cotton-based) is quite sturdy and can withstand the washing machine/dryer.

Cashmere should be washed with care. Always make sure to turn cashmere pieces inside out and wash with cold water, or dry clean. When machine washing, use a gentle cycle and use a pH neutral detergent. Lay flat to dry on a towel and reshape the garment once it starts to dry.

Yoga attire: Wash these separately from all other articles of clothing
as you should not be using fabric softener with your favourite Lulu Lemons.

how to care for winter knits lavender essential oilLeather & Suede
Leather and suede can be trickier to clean yourself. If you are treating a stain, the sooner you are able to treat it the better. Use lukewarm water and gently dab at the stain, until removed. Danier Leather sells leather cleaner which is pretty decent at removing surface dirt, although I haven’t had success with it in removing set-in stains. When you cannot get the stain out of leather yourself you may have to seek professional help.

 

Velvet
Some velvets are machine washable so take extra care in reading the label for each specific garment. Other options are dry cleaning. When spot treating stains be careful not to brush the area too hard, as the nap can come off pretty easily. This also applies to shoes (I have ruined a pair or two of suede shoes due to inadvertent overly-aggressive brushing). Velvet is a lot less durable than I thought.

Hope you find some value in this how to care for winter knits post and that it helps keep your winter fabrics looking new for many seasons to come.

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DIY Succulent on Pink Rocks

I’ve always had a thing for succulents. Unfortunately “that thing” always ends with me inadvertently killing off the poor things. Having recently picked up another succulent I tried to pretty it up a little bit in the hopes that maybe that will help it survive. Since I’ve always liked succulents on a bed of pink rocks I attempted to do my own DIY succulent on pink rocks with a spare glass vase I had laying around. And the best part of all this? No soil or re-potting required.

What you will need:

First step is to find a glass vase/container that is slightly larger than the potted succulent. Fit the pot inside making sure there is wiggle room around the sides.

Add a layer of pebbles to the glass, enough to cover the entire bottom. I chose pink pebbles but this can be adjustedsuited to your decor theme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sit your potted succulent on this new bed of pebbles in such a way that the pot sits lower than the edge of the glass. If you can’t get the pot low enough you may need to remove some pebbles from the bottom.

Once you’ve placed the succulent in the glass, start dropping more pebbles around it. I started with the edges and eventually made my way around the entire pot. This part does require a little bit of patience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the sides are filled in, cover the top of the succulent and pot as well. Fill in any gaps and try to keep the pebbles somewhat tightly together so that the pot does not show through any sides of the glass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is how my succulent turned out. PS If anyone has tips or advice on how to keep these things alive, please let me know. I’ve killed my fair share of cacti (I will argue with anyone that says it’s impossible to kill cacti) so if you have any suggestions on caring for them they will be much appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed my DIY succulent on pink rocks.

 

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