Cruelty-Free Beauty Favorites This Autumn (AD)

It's that time of the year again — the rain has arrived, and so has the wind and 4:30pm sunsets. I love the autumn and winter but despise the way it affects my skin and hair. Everything dries out and I end up having to moisturize my face three times a day. Here are a few of my favorite beauty/haircare products that I have been loving as the weather cools down.

Maple Holistics Tea Tree Shampoo
I'm not going to lie, I was hesitant about a Tea Tree shampoo purely because it reminds me of the Tea Tree solution that my mum used to lather all over my hair when I came home with head lice as a kid. But the lovely folks at Maple Holistics offered to send me their Tea Tree shampoo and oh my! It's so great. The smell doesn't conjure up my head lice days at all. It's spicy and invigorating and works up such a good lather. I've been trying it out for a couple of weeks and love the way my hair has looked. It's kept its volume but is much softer and more manageable. Big thumbs up, I'll be repurchasing!

Mario Badescu Facial Spray
I picked this up on a whim at Urban Outfitters this summer, and boy am I glad that I did. I use it morning and night, just a light spritz all over my face/neck/chest. It wakes me up in the morning and soothes at night. It's also great under or over makeup, and smells so herbal and fresh. Plus, it's a bargain at only $7 for the travel size (I have the full size, which is still only $12)!

Liz Earle Signature Foundation
I bought this when I was living in Scotland, and now it's almost empty and I'm really sad because I don't think they ship it outside of the UK. I must find a way! I've never actually enjoyed wearing foundation but did it just because my face was red and spotty. After trying this, though, I love wearing it most days! I only use the tiniest bit on my nose and chin, and it is super buildable so on any given day I can step it up if I'm feeling extra red. It's not matte but feels really hydrating without looking like I'm wearing anything. Ahhh I just can't explain my love for it enough. Need more. ASAP.

Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Mask
I have grown up seeing this brand in most drugstores, but I never tried it out. Last month, though, I was having a really bad breakout and saw this bad boy at the drugstore for only $5, so I picked it up. It's vegan/cruelty-free and uses natural ingredients. It smells amazing, and helped zap away a lot of my spots. I've been using it 2-3 times a week for about a month, and I have to say it has really evened out the redness and splotchiness on my face. It's highly-rated everywhere so definitely worth giving it a try!

Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub
My beautiful friends bought me a Lush package for my birthday in August, and when I opened it up and saw it included Rub Rub Rub, I was overjoyed. I have loved this product ever since I tried it out a few years ago. It's bright blue, smells AMAZING, and really works at scrubbing away dead skin. I feel like a fruity cocktail every time I use it, and am already dreading the day I finish this tub.

If you've tried any of these products, what did you think? What are your go-to items to make the winter weather more bearable?

x B

My Daily Beauty Routine

So makeup has never been a big part of my life, although I am partial to a browse around the Sephora website every now and then. That said, lately I've been using a few products that I just adore, and tend to wear most weekdays. It's very minimal but I really love how it all looks together.

Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF 30+
I had been searching for a cruelty-free, lightweight SPF that works well on its own or layered with other products. It's super hydrating and non-greasy, and I'll definitely be buying it in the bigger tube.

RMS "Un" Cover-Up in 00
I thought about buying this for the longest time (it's on the pricy side for a concealer) but I am so glad I did! The base for this formula is coconut oil, so it's super hydrating and lightweight, and really buildable.

Anastasis Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
This remains the only brow product I've found that matches my brow colour perfectly. I use it to fill in sparser areas, and it's super buildable to suit anyone's needs!

Pacifica Mascara
I have this in brown and black because I love it so much. Day to day I wear 'stardust' which is a dark brown colour. It's a lil bit lengthening and a lil but voluminizing, so it ticks all boxes. Lasts all day and doesn't smudge, perfection!

Ardell Brow Gel
This was super duper cheap on Amazon, but it's actually really great. It keeps my brows nicely shaped all day long and smells strangely delicious.

x B

My Skincare & Beauty Basics: November 2015

The weather has been dreadful in the PNW lately, so I've been paying extra attention to my skin so that the cold winter air doesn't dry it out!

Some of these products I use everyday, others every week, but they are all part of my routine and I love them so much!

Up first: face. I use my Clarisonic Mia 3 (previously the Aria) with the 'Radiance' brush head. My cleanser changes almost daily, I have about three I use in rotation because I've yet to find one I really love. I then use the Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner. I found this a few months ago at a supermarket actually and love it so much. The packaging is delightful, it smells great (none of that awful alcohol smell that most toners have) and it really does work. When my skin feels a little dry or I just feel like a pampering, I use the Caudalie Grape Water. I love this product but I recently learned that Caudalie is not cruelty-free so I need to finish this and then find a cruelty-free alternative. For moisturizing, I start with the Fresh Seaberry Oil (not pictured, but link to previous post about it). I have also started using the Hana Eye Oil that I received in a Petit Vour box and it's so great! Plus, it's made in Bainbridge Island so it's a local brand! Next I'll use either the Belif Aqua Bomb (mornings) or Burt's Bees brightening moisturizer (nighttimes). Would recommend both! Also pictured is the Origins charcoal mask, which I really like. I bought a trial size and I don't think I'll buy it again but I really like how it feels on my skin.

For my body: I was such a devoted fan of the L'Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate (this is my third jar), but like Caudalie, they're not cruelty-free, so once I'm done with this one, that's it! They also increased the price recently which is pretty uncool. The consistency is PERFECT though so I need to find something similar that is cruelty-free. The other moisturizer I've been using is from Coconut Revolution, their coconut oil for the body. I was given this (really big) sample at a market a couple of months ago and it's great! The only thing I don't like is that you need to warm it up to use it, so you can't use it in a hurry.

Finishing touches: the perfume I've been wearing a lot lately is Urban Rituelle's Ginger Apple. It's an Australian brand so it's much easier to find when I'm at home in Melbourne. This must be my third bottle and I have a few more stashed away for when I finish this one! To me it smells like Christmas so it's perfect for this time of year. I also really like the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow wiz pencil. I wear it in Soft Brown and the consistency is perfect, as is the little spooley brush it comes with. Lastly, this Habit nail polish was also in the last Petit Vour box and it's all natural, cruelty-free goodness. I love it!

What are your go-to products?
x B