Five Things Friday: Fall Changes Edition

Good morning!

It is Friiiiiday, which means it is almost the weekend. I've got one more day of work and then the weekend is here! As usual, I am sharing five things that I have been loving this weekend. Let me know in the comments what YOU have been loving this week - try anything new? Eat something delicious? Buy some cute shoes? I wanna know! : )

First things first, this is an exciting change for my hair! I am not the type to get my hair done often, so when I do I like to make it special. Seriously. The last time I got my hair trimmed was over six months ago, and the last time it was coloured was when I did the whole ombre scenario over a year ago. Not only was my hair in need of freshening up, but I figured now was the best time to make a colour change, too! I am so happy with how it turned out. Funny how a new hair do can make you feel like a new person! : )

Ooh, yes. The coveted Blundstone boots I have been wanting for the last year. Ryan and I celebrated our anniversary on Tuesday, and this was a thoughtful gift that he knew I would love. Now it's time to break them in!

Mmm, Monday night's dinner was cauliflower crust pizza! Have you guys tried this before? It is amazing. The only downside is the cheese, BUT that is my own fault for adding more on top. Ha, ha. I used veggie pepperoni on mine, whereas Ryan cooked up some chicken breast for his pizza. This picture was taken pre-oven, so picture this all hot and melty. Ooh, yah!

So Nala still kills me. Seriously. She is so cute. Look at those puppy dog eyes! It made my at home yoga practice on Monday night difficult with her trying to get in there too. It's safe to say she is the real master of downward facing dog, no matter how hard I try.

So it's not exactly a Christmas mug, but it's close enough. For now. This has been my go to mug lately for any hot beverages, accompanied of course by my candy cane pajama pants and red, green, and white striped socks. I know. Too soon, Holly. Too soon. I can't help myself!

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Hope you guys enjoyed! Catch ya tomorrow : )

BYE BYE Mainstream Deodorant!

Hey, so I have some news for you guys.

I am ditching mainstream deodorant.

*GASP*

Yep, you heard that right.

Let me get into the (seriously) dirty details about mainstream deodorants and why I have decided to branch outside of the drugstore.

First things first, let's talk about ingredients. As you guys know, I like knowing how to pronounce my food ingredients, and now I am moving onto skincare, too. Your skin is the largest organ, and the thought of slathering a bunch of unknown substances on myself gives me the creeps.

And so does sticking chemicals under my arm pits. I was doing some research about these ingredients and this is what I found:

- ALUMINUM is disgusting and it's one of the main ingredients in deodorant. This helps block your pores and stop your sweat glands from doing their job - sweating! Sweating is so, so important at flushing out your body of toxins. Additionally, aluminum has been linked to breast cancer in women and linked to an increase in Alzheimer's.

- Parabens are part of a larger group of synthetic preservatives and are found in EVERYTHING. I have started buying shampoo with no parabens and sulfates for the sake of my hair and skin health. Parabens are said to disrupt hormone balances, organ toxicity and even birth defects. YIKES!!

- Propylene glycol is a petroleum based material that makes products soft. In deodorant and antiperspirant, this makes it spread easier under your pits. Too much propylene glycol is said to damage the central nervous system in large quantities.

- Phthalates, like parabens, are part of a bigger, ugly class of chemicals that help dissolve other ingredients, create a lather in cosmetics like shampoo and hair products, and have been connected with SO many health issues. These health issues include hormone disruption and cell mutation. Ew, ew, ew.

- Triclosan is used as the actual odor killing component in deodorants and antiperspirants. While it does have anti-bacterial properties (ahem, so does coconut oil), it is technically classified as a pesticide. Nothing better than putting some pesticides under the pits!

SO, here's the question you guys probably have for me now. What the heck are you using? Nothing? Going completely granola and not having any kind of underarm protection?

No, no. No.

I am currently on the hunt for the perfect natural deodorant, but this is what I have been using lately. It isn't as slick as, say, a swipe of Lady Speedstick, but it does the trick. It is free of aluminum, parabens, and synthetic fragrances. Winning.

I haven't used it during extremely sweaty workouts. The thing is, this isn't going to stop me from sweating as it is still allowing my sweat glands to breathe rather than blocking them altogether. One thing I like about this deodorant though, I must say, is the smell. It is feminine but not sickly sweet, and has a little bit of a masculine touch to it.

I am in the midst of looking for another natural deodorant to try out as well. Any others that you would recommend? Looking forward to sharing my reviews of them on the blog!

Five Things Friday: All Over the Map

Good morning, and happy Friday, friends! I am extra excited this morning because I don't have to work tomorrow. Oh, the joys of having a few days left of vacation time to use. I will be preparing for the Victoria Half Marathon on Sunday, so laying low and taking it easy is on the schedule.

I wanted to jump in with my usual favourites post this morning. It is a little all over the map, but that gives variety, right? Let me know in the comments what YOU are loving this week!

Fall sunsets have been amazing lately. I am usually up to watch the sun rise too, and there is something so peaceful about the rising and setting of the sun. Everything is quiet, the sky looks beautiful, and (for me anyway) it makes me feel thankful for LIFE. Life is great, hey? Is that too happy for the morning? Sorry guys, but it's true.

This last weekend was spent with the pupperoni. We have been enjoying quality couch time reading Harry Potter. Or rather, I was reading, she was sleeping. Nevertheless, I enjoy this time so much, and it is so relaxing, too.

THOSE EARS. Enough said. I die.

I came across these pea crisps at the grocery store last week, and I am obsessed with them. So much so that the next day I purchased their Caesar flavour. Ryan is a fan too, which is a huge win in my books! These little pea crisps are full of fibre and flavour, without going overboard on the sodium, which is important.

I have also loved brain storming for Blogtober! Yes, it is still Blogtober, but I have been putting a lot of work into this. There is something about sitting down with a mug of coffee, opening up my notebook and my laptop and just letting the writing flow. It has been a great way for me to get more creative in the kitchen as well, as I hope to share more recipes with you all, too!

I have been using this serum for the last couple months and have noticed a huge difference in the overall brightness of my skin. My skin is super sensitive and can easily become irritated, but this is gentle enough to use both morning and before bed. It has a light scent, and is made with natural and organic ingredients. Can't beat that!

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What have you guys been loving this week? Let me know if there's anything I MUST try!

Shopping Time: Beauty & Skincare Haul

Good evening & happy Monday everyone!

Three more work days and then I am on holidays. Can you tell I am excited? I have been waiting for this since I booked my vacation time back in January. It has been a long time coming, and the break will be so much needed!

What am I going to do? Get a massage and pedicure with my sister. Go on day trips with Nala and Ryan. Sleep in, work out, eat some good food. No vacation plans now, but we will find fun ways to occupy our time!

On the bright side, I can always do more of these skincare & beauty hauls for the blog!

But wait. That involves shopping. And spending money. I am not sure if I should spend all of my time off doing that, as much fun as it would be!

I will, however, show you a few items I have acquired within the last week or so.

We will kick it off with a prize pack I won at a free yoga night/open house at a local new juicery and raw food bar. My sister and I enjoyed 45 minutes of yoga, then as we were all blissed-out and zen we got to peruse all kinds of skincare, make up & clothing goodies from local brands and businesses in the Cowichan Valley. While we were there I put my name in for a draw (they were having several throughout the night), and lucky me - I was a winner!

In my prize pack were mini hand lotion samples from Kogi Naturals, made in Chemainus, as well as local soap, a bottle of yummy green juice from the juicery that hosted the event, and a one month GYM MEMBERSHIP! Yup, I'm going to have to take advantage of that! It was such a fun event, and I hope they do more in the future.

I also picked up a goat's milk soap & a skincare serum to try.

I have been using goat's milk soap lately and it makes my skin feel so silky smooth! On the same note, this face serum from Pure Anada makes my face feel like a baby's bottom and has a light fresh scent.

I just had to add this in here. After breakfast, Nala and I had some quality time on the couch where I finished up Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Oh, YEAH folks, I am still on my Harry Potter kick. So much so that I asked Ryan if he would have a HP movie marathon with me, and he just laughed and asked if I would even be able to stay up that long. Touche, buddy. I will try my hardest!

Today's workout: 45 minutes on the treadmill. Nice and easy watching YouTube videos, of course. All of my workouts are pretty darn relaxed this week because the big half marathon is on Sunday! I am excited, and frantically trying to plan our lives and make 100's of lists of what I need to bring.

Notebook from Chapters. Born This Way Radiant Concealer, Living Proof dry shampoo, Sephora brand eye mask, Sephora brand charcoal face wipes.

And finally, some goodies from my adventure into Nanaimo today. Nala had a puppy play date for the afternoon while I ran into Nanaimo to run some errands. I had a gift to buy for a certain event coming up (will share later), and while I was in the mall I had to, haaaaad to, stop at Sephora and Chapters. When in Rome, right?

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Any beauty or skincare recommendations? Or any favourites you have? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time, friends!

Monthly Favourites: July

One more week and I will be in Vancouver to run the Lululemon SeaWheeze Half Marathon!

Holy crapola did the time ever go by fast! I am looking at my training plan now thinking, hmmm. I only have three runs left until it's go time!

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I wanted to kick off this morning by sharing my July favourites. July was a busy, busy month. It's always when I think, "Oh, we have no plans this month!" that by the time I blink, the month is full of things to do. August is going to be busy too, so I will have lots to share next month, too!

Let's get into it!

Still loving this Beauty Blender to apply my foundation. It is great to use with tinted moisturizer as well, and I find it makes my foundation appear better blended and less streaky. I highly recommend getting one of these bad boys if you are falling out of love with your current foundation brush.

I LOVED our day at Neck Point. It was a new adventure for both Ryan and I, and we will definitely be back with Nala to have her adventure at the seaside. 

Yep, you bet I am still loving this combination in my diffuser at night. There is something so relaxing about the scent of eucalyptus, and the "breathe easy" blend has peppermint in it as well. The blend leaves a nice scent lingering in the area, without the chemical residues that you find in candles or commercial fabric sprays. Can't go wrong with essential oils!

I had to. I'm sorry. I know you've seen a dozen pictures already, but I just love this little pumpkin!

OOOOH You thought my Harry Potter spree was over! Fear not. I am still puttering my way through this book, and read a good chunk of it over the long weekend. Saturday was the release day for J.K. Rowling's new screen play book, and I was THISCLOSE to buying it at Costco on Sunday, but something in me told me to hold back. Besides, I still have another three books after this one to get through before I can even venture into the newest one.

One thing I have enjoyed this month is getting back to basics and using my planner. Sure, I'm not using fancy stickers as often as I used to. Honestly, I find that I am spending my time doing other things such as playing with the dog or catching up on housework rather than cutting out stickers. Nevertheless, my plain ol' planner with my blue ink is working out just fine. It is helping me stick accountable to what kind of blog posts I want to work on, as well as organizing my life with time off from work approaching (and various things in between).

Hiking at Holland Creek Trail earlier this month. If you are in the area, be sure to go to the waterfall and check out all of the scenery along the way. It is a good work out!

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What have you guys been loving this month? Let me know in the comments!

Woo-Woo 5 Things Friday

Hey, hey, hey!

The weekend is just around the corner. I've got two more work days left and then it is smoooooooth sailing!

I wanted to kick off this morning with the usual 5 Things Friday post to share some things I have been enjoying this week. There are a few things some people might consider "woo woo," or as Ryan would say, "hippie granola." We will get to those in uno momento.

Let's get into it! ; )

I love the quotes from Yogi tea. They always seem to come at the right time, you know? I kept this one, although now that I think of it, I can't remember where it went. I documented a picture anyway so it will forever live-on on the interwebs.

Soooooo. This Beauty Blender is a game changer. Seriously. If you watched my every day make up routine on Wednesday, you'll notice I was using a foundation brush. However, I picked up this bad boy on Sunday and have been using it every day since. Unlike a foundation brush, it does not leave any streaky foundation lines, and I find that the product goes further. If you can get your hands on one of these, I highly recommend giving it a shot!

So "hippie granola" item number one: I have been wanting an oil diffuser forever. Like ever. And last night my sister and I went to an essential oils class. We made a few different natural products using essential oils, but there was a beautiful scent in the air coming from a diffuser. So, naturally we stopped at our local community farm store and picked some up for ourselves. This brings me to the next favourite... 

Second "hippie granola" item: essential oils. One cannot diffuse simply water. I picked up a few oils while we were at the community farm store last night, and I currently have the Calm blend going as I type. There are SO many things you can do with essential oils, and I am excited to learn more about it. From skincare to making your own cleaning products, I want to know it all! Besides, it beats using chemicals any day.

Last but not least, my $3 Winners special. Does anyone else find hair ties EVERY WHERE? In a drawer, in the bowl where the keys go, on the table, on the floor, under the couch - seriously. Where does it end? So, I wanted to keep them at least semi organized. It's nothing fancy, bur it does the trick and is pretty darn cute.

Video: My Every Day Make Up Routine

Can you guess what this post is all about?

Yep, my every day make up routine!

Disclaimer: I am by no means a make up artist or even a video guru for that matter ; ) You will see that below in my super quick make up video.

Here are some of the products I use pretty much every day. Usually on the weekends I don't wear much make up at all, but since I work full time, I like to wear a little bit of make up at least so I don't look like a walking zombie, ya know?

You can find all products from Sephora! The gold palette and "bling it on" blush palette are from Tarte cosmetics as part of their 2015 holiday collection. I don't think you can still get the full pack in store, but you may be able to find it online if you are curious.

When it comes to make up, I am simple. Like, so simple it hurts and people probably wonder why I never do anything different with my face. Well guess what, people? Sometimes I do a bit of a contour with that "social butterfly" shade above. I didn't in this video, but I felt the need to throw that out there so you didn't think all these products go to waste ; ) Lol. When it comes to eyeshadows, if and when I use it it is always a neutral colour. That's why you don't see anything crazy in here!

In this video, I used the shade "beaming" from the bling it on palette. It may be hard to tell from the picture, but it is my most loved shade, closely followed by prim.

My skin is super picky, and so far the Sephora brand of foundation is working out well for me. It is in shade Light 14, and the Nars concealer is Light 2/Vanilla.

So, onto the video!

See? That's why I don't do the YouTube ; ) I am already wearing a bit of foundation in the video, so it is not a complete routine that includes my skin care regime, but you get the idea. I love me some highlighter, and I often rotate between the "pink champagne" shade shown above, and a highlighter from Becca in the shade opal.

P.S. I apologize for the poor lighting! I used my laptop camera, and Lord knows how good that quality is. I will definitely consider getting a better camera if I plan to do future videos!

Here is the finished look (sans mascara on the lower lashes): Simple & easy!

Let me know in the comments if you have any make up recommendations! Despite only using a handful of things in the morning, I do love make up shopping. I just hate spending money on it ; ) LOL. What are your go to products?

Until next time!

5 Things Friday

1. Holland Creek Trail Hike

I am back this Friday with some more weekly favourites for you! I hope you are all having a wonderful week and have some fun plans for the weekend. On the other hand, if you have no plans, I hope you enjoy that time to relax! : )

Time for the favourites!

2. Bronzer: Since it's summer time, I have been adding a little bit of bronzer into my make up routine. You will see an every day make up routine video next Wednesday that features this little palette from Tarte Cosmetics. I received this for Christmas as part of a holiday kit, so I am not sure if it is available still, but if you can purchase the bronzer alone, I highly recommend it! It is called "social butterfly."

3. Fresh blueberries: All hail the glorious blueberry bushes in our backyard! I picked this giant freezer bag full of them on Sunday after our hike. You already know I am on a huge blueberry kick, and now that I don't have to pay for blueberries for a while, that train ain't stoppin' anytime soon!

4. Foam Rolling: Ugh, hurts so good. I have not foam rolled in a hot minute, and the first time I did it this week I could totally tell that my muscles would be dying in the best way ever. After my long run last weekend my hamstrings were so sore, and then we went for our hike on Sunday and my quads were sore. This meant that foam rolling was calling my name, otherwise I would be hurting even more! Yes, I still neglect to stretch properly after my runs (five-ish minutes is good, right?), so adding foam rolling into my routine will benefit my muscles. Plus, you can watch tv and foam roll at the same time, so #winning.

5. Calling all cereal lovers! This cereal has been my jam lately. I add it on top of smoothie bowls, or put it in a little mug and top it with either almond or cashew milk for a little snack. Plus, it is not loaded with sugar like some other cereals. I mean, cereal in general obviously isn't the best, most wholesome food to eat, but it helps when you can read the ingredient list, you know?

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There we have it! Five favourites on this fine Friday. What are you loving this week? Let me know in the comments!