First Impressions: NEW Himalayan Charcoal Facial Soap from the Body Shop

So I recently got my hands on the new Himalayan Charcoal Facial Soap from The Body Shop and I just could not wait to try it out. I've raved before about the Himalayan Charcoal face mask (note to self: must buy more), so I definitely had high hopes for this. Spoiler alert: I loved it!

Before I get into my thoughts on the product, I wanted to tell you guys a little bit more about it. I reached out to Body Shop Canada via Twitter and this is what they said: "The soap is infused with bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan foothills and Community Trade organic tea tree oil from Kenya. It effectively cleanses skin to remove impurities. When you buy our skin-tingling Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask or Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Facial Soap, you’re helping protect endangered red pandas in the Himalayas. From April 2018 we’ll donate 30p to Red Panda Network with every charcoal mask or soap you buy, for a period of two months."

So what are my first impressions on the product? Well firstly, I love the smell. It is a bit heavily scented, but I don't mind at all. The soap works into a nice lather - not too much that you're afraid to get it in your eyes, but enough that you really feel it cleaning your skin. It was easy to rinse off and left my skin feeling very clean, but most importantly, not dry. It felt like while it drew out the impurities from my skin, it injected some moisture. This is really important because a lot of other products that claim to be 'intensely purifying' also leaving your skin feeling parched and dying of thirst. You know what I mean, that tight feeling that is just dying to have some moisturizer.

I also feel like this is a great product for everyone because it's such a simple yet effective product. No fuss.

Will I continue to use this? Of course. I already love it after one use and I'm curious to see how my skin will look after continued use.

This facial soap will be released online and in stores on April 4th, with the price being $10 (CAD).

If you try this product, I would love to know your thoughts.


Come on guys, save your skin and the red pandas at the same time!

Until next time,

PS. This post is NOT sponsored. The product was sent to me for free as a thank you. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

January, February, and March favourites!

Hey guys! As we get past the first quarter of the year, I want to share some of my favourites from the year so far with you! A little bit of beauty, some fashion, and even food and electronics. Here’s my likes so far!

First on the list are PC mini whole wheat naan rounds. They’re supposed to be used for burger buns, but for three Weight Watchers points per bun, a set makes a good couple of mini pizzas with the addition of some sauce, light cheese and ground turkey! I’ll eat them for any meal of the day, and I’ve got my fiancé hooked to! When we move in together next month, they’ll definitely be a staple in our home!

Next up is Margaritaville margaritas in a can. My roommate recently introduced me to these, and I love them so far. This is the first time I’ve actually enjoyed premade margaritas, and I’m happy to have found it, since they’re my favourite drink!

FINALLY, Halo Top has come to Canada. I have been waiting for what feels like a million years for it to arrive, but now it’s hear and I’m in love! So far, I’ve tried Peanut Butter Swirl, Candy Bar, Birthday Cake, Cookies & Cream, and Chocolate. I’d have to say my favourite of the bunch is Candy Bar (I don’t have a picture of that flavor because my grandparents and I very quickly ate the entire container, and it ended up in the trash under dinners leftovers.) Chocolate, which is pictured, is my next favourite. Can’t go wrong with a classic!

I recently started Weight Watchers, as discussed in my last post, and I wanted to kick off my weight loss journey in a big way, so I treated myself to a new FitBit. So far, it’s been great. It really keeps me motivated to get my steps in, and it tracks my sleep, which is good, because I’m trying to work on getting more of it! My only complaint is that sometimes it disconnects (not fully because it shows that it’s still paired with my phone in my phones Bluetooth settings), and it won’t show me my phone notifications like it’s supposed to. But that’s minor, and can be fixed by going into the FitBit app and re pairing for notifications.

Just recently, my mom gave this to me, and it’s been working miracles on my hair. Paired with a diffuser, it really defines my curls and waves and locks them in place! And it smells amazing, like coconut!

This wouldn’t be a list of my favourites without a lipstick. I am lipstick OBSESSED, and I’m always seeking out new ones. This one is 707 Matte-jestic by L’Oreal. I’m not sure if it’s actually new, or just new to me, but it’s the perfect bold shade to make me feel on point, even when nothing in my life is!

Last, but not least, are these two shirts from Bluenotes! I think they’re adorable. I want to start making my signature look white t-shirts and jeans, and these are the perfect place to start! Plus, the graphics add some fun!

I hope you enjoyed having a look at some of my favourites. I’m going to try to do quarterly favourites posts from now on! Let me know in the comments below what you've been loving lately!

REVIEW: Shills Peel Off Mask & Aztec Secret Healing Clay

Hey guys, so I've been seeing these products floating around the internet for quite awhile now and they both seem to be really hyped up. I LOVE face masks and I'm always down to find a new amazing product to make my skin feel and look good. So naturally I had to try these guys. 

I ordered them, got them quickly (thank you Amazon) and got right down to it. I decided to get my BF to test them out with me because not only do we both like to relax with a face mask, we both have different skin types.

I have combo skin - I can get quite oily in my T zone and my pores are large around there. Right now with winter, my skin is all over the place. I was also on my period, which causes me to break out more than usual. Usually, my skin is decent break out wise. I don't get big pimples often, but I do tend to get those annoying under the skin breakouts - where your skin has little bumps. I also have a decent amount of blackheads.

As for he BF, he has oilier skin that is acne prone. He has large pores around his T zone. I'd say his skin is a bit more sensitive than mine. 

Let's start with the Shills Peel Off Mask. We took some before photos:

 And some after photos:

 Honestly, I was really disappointed with this mask. I read so many raving reviews and it did not cut it for me. You have to put it on quite thickly and you don't get enough product for the price. It didn't really pull any gunk out of our skin - just some hairs. Little holes appeared in the mask too once we peeled it off, so it looked like it worked when it really didn't. I tried this mask again by myself after steaming me face and it worked a little bit better, but not much. It also hurt so much to take off - especially around the cheek area. Yeah, our skin felt softer but it didn't quite yield the results we had hoped for. We'll continue to use it, but definitely won't repurchase. Maybe if you really steam the heck out of your face and maybe if you have EXTREMELY large, gigantic pores it will work? But honestly, it didn't work any better than ones from the Drugstore. I'd rather stick with pore strips.

Also, be careful where you apply this. Avoid delicate areas and areas where your hair can easily be caught. I avoided the side of my eyes due to this. My BF put it too close to some areas and it hurt even more.
*You'll notice I didn't put a photo of the mask peeled off. That's because there was nothing to see.

Now, this is the one I was really excited for: the Aztec Secret Healing Mask. I read/saw so many amazing things about it and how it can really clear up acne after several uses. I really love clay masks, so I was excited how this would measure up compared to my favourites.

As before, we took a before photo:

 And an after photo:

We really liked this mask! It was different because the tub comes with just dry clay and you have to mix it yourself. It says to use Apple Cider Vinegar or water and we opted for water because didn't have the other. The first time, it was tricky to mix and to get the right consistency. We didn't get it as smooth as we wanted (as you can see in the picture), but the second time we got it right! It should be a smooth paste.

We used to the mask 3 days in a row to see what results we'd get.
Once you put the mask on, you feel a lot of different things while it's drying. It gets super tight, a bit sore and you feel your face throbbing. Once you take it off, your skin is red. Like you had a bad sunburn on your face. It does go away after about 30-60 minutes. I think it's because the mask draws your blood up closer to the surface.

It draws out impurities MUCH better than the peel off mask. And it makes your skin feel so good. It feels soft and rejuvenated. It cleared up our skin a little bit. I'm sure with more use, it would make a huge difference.
This mask was definitely a win in my opinion. The only down side is having to mix it yourself and the splotchiness of the face once it's rinsed off. We'll continue to use it and I would repurchase it. It was actually cheaper than the peel off mask and came with more product.
I would even say that this mask was so good that it's possibly my new favourite (or tied) clay mask.


As always, reviews with skin care can be tricky because everyone's skin is different. What works for one person might not work for the other. You'll never really know unless you try it yourself. In that case, have any of you tried these masks? What did you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

Until next time,

UPDATE: I have since used the Aztec clay mask with apple cider vinegar instead of water and it is a whole new experience! The clay mixes much easier and it the perfect consistency. The smell isn't too great, but your skin will thank you for it!

Weight Watchers and Me

For me, Weight Watchers was always something that my aunt, mom, and grandma used intermittently, with no real plan, beyond general weight loss, and I don’t remember them actually going to meetings or being really actively involved. I do remember being fascinated by this booklet my mom had that listed the points value for a bunch of different fast foods. My weird goal was always to try to find the food with the highest points value. I didn’t realize that the goal was for it to be low.

Fast forward to me at 27 years old. I was at 224, just ten pounds below the highest weight I’ve ever been at. I work in an office, and all I did was bus to work, sit at my desk, eat a bunch of snacks, get up, bus home, eat an incredibly unhealthy dinner, and lay in bed until it was time to go to sleep. My clothes were too tight, my breathing was more labored by the week, and I was constantly breaking out. In general, I felt like garbage. About a month before, my aunt had rejoined Weight Watchers, and had been having some success. I figured I didn’t have anything to lose, so I decided to join as well, on February 1^st of this year.

Let me tell you that this is not your mommas Weight Watchers. Whereas before, I thought it was all about restriction, I now realize that it’s about making weight loss work for you. I routinely eat chicken nuggets and fish fingers, spaghetti, fried rice, and garlic butter smothered veggies while on WW. I’ve simply found ways to make what I like work for the plan. Instead of eating store bought chicken nuggets and fish fingers, I crust them in a little bit of bread crumbs and drizzle them with a tablespoon of margarine, and for spaghetti, I just spaghetti squash instead of pasta.

I’ve also learnt to eat the things I want, but in moderation. I love to eat green beans in garlic butter, but now I’m actually paying attention to portion size and using probably a third of the garlic butter. I’m also exploring low calorie desserts, such as this great fudge brownie frozen yogurt that’s sold at FreshCo (for Canadians). I get the same great flavor as a big bowl of ice cream, for way less points and calories, as long as I stick to the serving size. Another great tip is to stir chia seeds into low fat yogurt. Let it sit for a few hours, and the yogurt thickens, leaving you with a super low point, but still thick and delicious, yogurt.

Being a WW member has also made me more aware of fitness. There’s no point in eating really healthy, then staring at Netflix for hours. I might as well get out and make diet and exercise work together for optimal results. I’ve been walking more, and trying to do a bit of yoga. I plan on adding in bike rides once the snow is gone, along with tennis, which my fiancé loves, but I haven’t gotten that into yet. I also got a new Fitbit, and it really helps keep me accountable with my steps.

All told, I’ve lost 14 pounds, and I’m feeling great. My pants fit a little looser, I’m feeling more awake and alert, and I’m having a great time coming up with new recipes, and finding ones online. As I write this, I’m waiting for a friend to come over for a dinner of chicken and shrimp skewers with a side of roasted brussell sprouts and pan fried green beans, followed by Jell-O sundaes and a walk. My favourite sites for healthy and WW recipes are skinnytaste.com  and www.drizzlemeskinny.com  . Both have been great sources of inspiration on my healthy eating journey.

I’m going to leave you with one of my all time favourite Weight Watchers recipes, which my grandma has been making for as long as I can remember. Let me know your favourite healthy recipe, or healthy lifestyle tip, in the comments below!

WEIGHT WATCHER'S KEY LIME PIE

INGREDIENTS

·         1 reduced fat graham cracker crust

·         1 (1/16 ounce) package sugar-free lime gelatin

·         ¼ cup boiling water

·         1 (8 ounce) container fat-free whipped topping

·         2 (6 ounce) key lime pie yogurt

INSTRUCTIONS

1.    In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.

2.    Stir in yogurt with wire whisk.

3.    Fold in whipped topping with wooden spoon.

4.    Spread in crust.

5.    Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Harry Potter Tag

In case you didn't know - I'm a HUGE Potterhead. I live and breathe Harry Potter. I occasionally dream that I'm helping defeat He Who Must Not Be Named with the others... in front of a grocery store. That's not the point. The point is that I was tagged to do this IN DECEMBER and I'm just doing it now. I'm ASHAMED of myself. Really. But as they say - it's better late than never; so, here we go. 


WHAT HOUSE ARE YOU IN?

I did this a couple of times on Pottermore and I got Ravenclaw both times. It took me a minute to accept it, but now I'm full of Ravenclaw pride!

WHAT IS YOUR PATRONUS?

That is a very good question. I stopped playing Pottermore when that came out and I want to know the official answer. I will go see. I have a feeling it will be something like a rabbit or a chipmunk or some other woodland creature.. I got a badger. Which I don't really find very fitting.

WHAT IS YOUR WAND?

Okay so it looks like my old Pottermore account doesn't exist anymore so I need to redo this. I believe before it was a holly wand. Apparently now it's Cypress wood with a dragon heartstring core, 11 ½" and slightly springy flexibility. The little paragraph about it says: "Cypress wands are associated with nobility. The great medieval wandmaker, Geraint Ollivander, wrote that he was always honoured to match a cypress wand, for he knew he was meeting a witch or wizard who would die a heroic death. Fortunately, in these less blood-thirsty times, the possessors of cypress wands are rarely called upon to lay down their lives, though doubtless many of them would do so if required. Wands of cypress find their soul mates among the brave, the bold and the self-sacrificing: those who are unafraid to confront the shadows in their own and others’ natures." I don't know if that's true about me or not. 

WHAT WOULD YOUR BOGGART BE?

I really don't know. I'm scared of a lot of things like grasshoppers, clowns, but I don't know about my greatest fear. Maybe I'd be like Mrs Weasley and it would be someone I care about dying.

WHAT POSITION WOULD YOU PLAY IN QUIDDITCH?

Oh geez. I'm not a very athletic person at all, so I don't think I'd make the team. Being a seeker would be super cool, but that's a whole of pressure. Either a Seeker or a Chaser - definitely not a Keeper. I'd be such a failure at that!

WOULD YOU BE A PURE BLOOD, HALF BLOOD OR MUGGLE BORN?

I would think that I'd be a Half-blood.

WHAT JOB WOULD YOU WANT AFTER GRADUATING HOGWARTS?

Definitely a Ministry job. Maybe not an Auror because I'm too wimpy, but something else in the law enforcement?

WHICH OF THE DEATHLY HALLOWS WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

I've actually thought about this a lot and I think I would go for the cloak. The stone would be amazing to see people I've lost, however, I think it would be very depressing. I'm not someone who's all about power and I'd be scared of someone trying to kill me for the wand, so definitely the cloak. You could do so much with it!

FAVOURITE BOOK?

Oooh that's tough - I love them all! HBP was really intense, as was the last one. I love the 3rd and the 4th because the plot really moves forward with those two.

LEAST FAVOURITE BOOK?

Again, tough. Maybe Chamber of Secrets? I'd say the first one, but that's very introductory. The second one wasn't as gripping.

FAVOURITE FILM?

Prisoner of Azkaban. Hands down. It's the film that I find it the closest to the novel.

LEAST FAVOURITE FILM?

Chamber of Secrets? The basilisk scared me so much when I was younger, that I'd be anxious to go to the washroom. Overall, it could have been done better? Again the first I didn't LOVE, but it was the first so I can't really say bad about it. There were some moments in all of the films that I wish were different (AKA VOLDY'S DEATH! I'M STILL RAGING)

FAVOURITE CHARACTER?

Call me cliche, but Harry. 

LEAST FAVOURITE CHARACTER?

Umbridge is nasty. I also don't fancy Dumbledore too much at all.

FAVOURITE TEACHER AT HOGWARTS?

Lupin because he was a very good teacher. I also admire McGonagall - while she was stern, she was also a very good teacher and very brave.

LEAST FAVOURITE TEACHER?

Umbridge, duh. Lockhart too, he was useless and a fraud.

DO YOU HAVE ANY UNPOPULAR OPINIONS ABOUT THE SERIES?

Of course. I don't think Harry and Ginny should've ended up together. Luna should have ended up with either Neville or Harry. And part of me wishes Hermione was with Viktor. 

IF YOU COULD SAVE ONE CHARACTER FROM THE FINAL BATTLE, WHO WOULD YOU SAVE?

That's hard. So many died. I would really love to save Lupin, but I think I would save Fred. His death hit me hard and I wish they had done it justice in the final film.

So, there you have it! I would love to know your answers to this tag!
I tag all you Potterheads reading this!

You guys can expect more HP content in the future from me!