Mommy's Beauty Kit by CeraVe

ChickAdvisor has been spoiling me lately. I was fortunate enough to be selected to try and review three CeraVe products via amazing Chickadvisor Product Review Club offer.

CeraVe developed with dermatologists is the first brand to contain essential ceramides, cholesterol and fatty esters that healthy skin needs. You can read little more about company, their idea and products on their website here.

Studying products very carefully :)

Very curios to see what's inside. 

Today I will talk/write about these three CeraVe products, that I was testing:

• ) Diaper Rash Cream 
• ) Intensive Stretch Marks Cream
• ) Eye Repair Cream

First on the line is CeraVe Bebe diaper rash creme:

This product will take care of your baby's diaper rash that we know may appear here and there. Enhanced with InvisibleZinc, Vitamin E and Dimethicone, this cream helps seal of wetness and calm irritated skin. It also works to prevent unwanted and unpleasant rashes. 

It's important to know that cream doesn't contain paraben, sulfate, fragrance, gluten.

As mentioned above, cream doesn't have any scent, it has a very light texture and won't leave messy and annoying product stains. I love how easy it is to apply it and that all it will leave is clear and invisible protection layer. I'm a huge fan of non pasty texture. 

Earlier this week we returned home from our vacation. We had a long flight and after all the travelling and being on the road thing, my daughter developed minor diaper rash. So I decided that this is the perfect time for us to put the product in use. I will repeat myself about how much I loved the texture and appearance of the product. Rash was gone in no time, next morning there was no trace of it!

We don't really get diaper rashes, only on few occasions, but I've been using diaper rash creams to avoid unpleasant surprises. I was always turned off by a very thick, pasty, messy rash creams. I'm happy to say, this is the one for us! And very possible for you too. 

I would recommend all moms and dads to try this one, it might just change your world :)

Let's continue with CeraVe Intensive Stretch Marks Cream:

Just like the product above, Cerave Intensive Stretch Marks Cream is fragrance, paraben, sulfate and gluten free. It contains all the good ingredients - argan oil, hyaluronic acid, essential ceramides, peptide, botanical complex and many others. For more detailed information visit their website, where you can also find what is each components task.

This products main goal is to help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and to improve skins hydration and elasticity. 

Cream has a very light and almost watery aka hydrating texture. Very easy to apply, it's not greasy, not sticky nor it's thick, like other stretch mark creams might be. Cream absorbs fast (one of my favorite things about it), so you won't have to wait awhile before putting your clothes on and being worried about staining them. 

Products unique formula keeps skin hydrated for up to 24hours after just one application!

You can apply it as often you need or find it necessary, twice a day is all I really need. My pregnancy has left me with very few, almost invisible stretch marks (Thank you skin for being this flexible ;) ). So at the moment for me this cream works as a tool to keep my skin hydrated, healthy and elastic, and to prepare it for second pregnancy that is planned for the near future. Here you go, the secret is out!  

I remember using all kinds of stretch mark creams while I was pregnant, just to prevent them. With today's knowledge in available products I would probably go with CeraVe cream for the reasons I mentioned above. While pregnant I was sensitive to smells and I couldn't find a good cream that would have been fragrance free. I remember not liking all the greasy products, wait time for cream to absorb, stickiness. If that's something you don't want to deal with, I would recommend to give CeraVe Intensive Stretch Marks cream a try. Plus in the packaging you will find discount coupons for your next stretch marks cream or any CeraVe bebe product. Who doesn't like to save some money?!

And the last but not the least of CeraVe products this time is Eye Repair Cream:

With CeraVe Eye Repair Cream you wont need to hide behind sunglasses. 

Specially formulated with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, CeraVe Eye Repair Cream is designed to visibly reduce dark circles and puffiness as it repairs and restores the delicate skin barrier around your eyes.

Another amazing CeraVe product with bunch of great ingredients that you can find listed on their website here. This product just like the other ones I reviewed above, is non-irritating, hypoallergenic, fragrance, paraben and sulfate free.

Product has a very light texture, that is easy to apply, it absorbs really fast and doesn't leave a greasy trace. Cream is recommend to be used twice a day. As you will require very little amount of product per use, tube will last you a good while. "Nose" of the tube will help you to apply necessary amount of cream avoiding waste of the product. 

I would recommend to look into proper eye cream application prior usage. Biggest mistake we tend to make is applying cream very close to an eye, that way sometimes causing irritation. I will add photos for better understanding. 

So I have been using this cream for about a week now and I can see the difference, especially in my morning look. Skin around my eyes really looks more healthier, smoother and brighter. Fine lines I have seem little less visible. I believe there might be even better results after longer use of the product.

The left side would be the right one.  Use your orbital bone as your guideline, there is no need to apply cream higher than that. Use your ring finger for gentler touch. And then just with tapping motion gently apply product under the eye, don't rub or pull, as skin under the eye is very delicate.

 Don't do the right side application, cream is way too close to your eye. 

I hope you enjoyed my post and please share your experience with CeraVe product in comments section, I would love to hear what you have to say. 

-Stay Beautiful-

*I received product free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ice Balls

This time few words about Bar Brat product campaign I took part via Tomoson review site.

So it's Ice Ball Maker that creates four 4.5 cm ice balls.

So the process actually is very easy and simple, and product box also provides easy to understand instructions. 

So all you have to do is to fill bottom tray 3/4 (wash the tray prior using) and then press the top tray into the bottom one (there might be little spillage). After that is done, all what's left is freezer time 4 to 6hours and after that you're good to go. 

Ice balls like this will keep your drink colder for longer time as ice balls will melt much slower than regular ice cubes. It will also add style to your drink if I can say that :) 

I would prefer little bigger tray though. I would love to have at least 6 or 8 ice ball tray. 

Bar Brat also suggest to make coffee creamer balls for iced coffees, mint and fruit balls for sangrias or other cocktails, even popsicles. 

Overall a fun and practical product. Great for entertaining guest and would work great as a gift too. 

*I received product free of charge in exchange of my honest opinion.

L'oreal Paris Fibralogy VoxBox

I was super excited to receive my first VoxBox from Influenster (free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion). This one happened to be a hair thickening magic box filled with Loreal Paris Fibralogy products.

Fibralogy - word that I did not know prior this campaign. Let me quote L'oreal on this:

"The formulas with Filloxane coat the hair fibre and provide substance from within. The combination of its properties and those of hair allow Filloxane to remain inside for a cumulative thickening effect.

The key is its flexible material. The Filloxane molecule is a three-dimensional structure that has a double balance: organic and mineral.

This property lets Filloxane stick to the hair and create multiple connections. Filloxane is carried by water and can stick to the hair when the water goes away.

Filloxane increases the diameter of the hair fibre by several microns per hair. Over a whole head of hair, this gives the impression of mass."

1) Shampoo - a gentle cleansing base whose texture spreads easily and evenly for effective, lasting cleanliness;

2) Thickening booster - ultra concentrated pre-conditioning booster instantly increases the substance inside the hair;

3) Conditioner - a velvety soft texture that is easily spreadable from roots to ends and softens the hair fibre. 

My hair is pretty thin and after pregnancy, I lost a fair amount of my hair and they just never looked like before. Thickness and volume is something I always wish for. So when I found out, I'll be testing hair thickening products I was "all in"!

I love the product smell! Scent is airy, elegant and definitely not overpowering like a lot of hair care product can be.
Shampoo is more or less much like the other ones I've used before, texture and application didn't seem to be much different.
Thickening booster was more liquidy than I thought it would be, I felt a need to use more than suggested dime size, because it just wouldn't cover my hair otherwise. It could be length of my hair or just very runny texture.
Conditioner on the other hand was thicker that I was expecting it to be, almost like a cream or mask. I really liked that. It was very easy to apply it and I needed just a little bit of product to work it through my hair. Easy to wash out. After use it almost felt like my hair is covered with silky layer. Loved it!

I've been using product now for little over a week, still very early in the process, but I do honestly think it's working and has effect on my hair, unless I'm experiencing Placebo effect :)
Don't get me wrong, I'm no lioness, not hair wise anyways, but I see little more volume, that probably is a result of thicker hair. And I'm loving it!

I'm curious to see if using it long term will improve results in more visual manner.

So far I'm satisfied with this product line. L'oreal Paris Fibralogy seems to be working for me. Thank you Influenster and L'oreal Paris for campaign.

#FibralogyWorks

Organic Deodorant

This week I'm testing a product from fairly new company with great philosophy Bella Organics - organic deodorant/deodorant creme with vanilla mint scent. 

Organic Deodorant - I have head about it before but this was my first time using it. Very different I have to say, but it seems to be working.
Organic deodorant works by fighting bacteria and providing pleasant smell at the mean time. It's much healthier option compared to antiperspirants. Don't expect sweating to disappear because that won't happen as it's a natural human body's function.
Prior use company suggests to exfoliate your armpits as that will shorten detoxing period, how long and how to do that you will find on the "instruction" sheet that comes with the product. 

Comes with instruction and description sheet. Gives you also tip and preparation steps for better results. 

Product comes in little a container (at least this specific one), looks a lot like a lip balm. Creme feels almost silky and is very easy to apply. It's organic and chemical-free deodorant, smells great and fresh and that nice scent stays with me all day. 

I have to mention that I don't sweat too much, so I can't say how would it work or how effective it would have been to ones sweating more, but I'm satisfied. Biggest bonus in my eyes is that it won't leave white strikes/stains on clothes. 

Today I put the cream to test by using it before my boot-camp workout, mint is strong enough to keep me feeling fresh.
Bella Organics offer lots of different products, all of them organic, and they have several deodorant scents to choose from too - Lavender and Lemongrass ones caught my attention. I like the mint scent in this one a lot - very refreshing.
I can't wait for summer to come, that would be another testing platform for this product. I hope it will work as great then as it does now.
Visit Bella Organics website and check their product selection. It's pretty impressive.

*I received product free of charge for testing and reviewing.

Enter for your chance to win (US residents only) and try this amazing product. Please also follow my Blog and Twitter account for future giveaways.

OZ Naturals

The last couple of weeks have been all about OZ Naturals products, that I've been fortunate to try free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion and reviews. So here we go. In a picture below you can see all the products I picked to try out.

OZ Naturals Ocean Mineral Tonic (Glycolic Acid + MSM +Vitamin C)

OZ Naturals Vitamin C serum (Amino Blend + Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin E + Ferulic Acid)

OZ Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum (+ Vitamin C)

First of all I want to say, that times have changed - the world we live in, is more polluted than ever before. We have less greens and more machines around us, busy lifestyles and high stress levels, it all affects not only our health but also our appearance. A lot of us tend to forget to take care of our skin.

I just turned 30 and before that I was always playing the "good genes" card and thought that I'm still too young to use countless skin care products. A few days before my 30th, I decided to take advantage of those complimentary makeovers you can get at the beauty stores, a little pre-birthday treat I thought - "Your skin is dehydrated, (..) enlarged pores, (..) redness etc". That was all I could hear in my head for the next few days and that wasn't the worse, I could also see it in the mirror. How didn't I notice that before!? Thank You beauty lady for ripping away my "good genes" card! No, really, thank you!! 

Very soon after, I had a chance to apply to test some OZ Naturals products and here is what I have to say - they worked great and I really liked them. Company is based in USA and is committed to the highest formulation standards, using only natural and organic active ingredients. Their products are cruelty free, paraben free, sulfate free, mineral oil free, lanolin free and gluten free. 

First on my list here is OZ Naturals Ocean Mineral Tonic (Glycolic Acid + MSM +Vitamin C).

This toner is a dermatologist grade skin treatment, and is intended to be used as the base layer for your serums and moisturizers. It also prepares skin for makeup application and can be used throughout the day to refresh the skin. 

Active ingredients in this spray will heal and restore on their own, as well as support a synergistic relationship with anything layered on top of it. Organic sulfur acts as a healing solvent, driving ingredients deep into your cells and creating permeability, for nutrients to move in and toxins to move out.

Amino acids, ocean minerals, vitamin c, and active plant extracts work miracles with dry, sun damaged skin. (Information from OZ Naturals product descriptions).

I love the original packaging for tonic. This is my first spray tonic and I have to say I think this is the way I prefer it. It's very easy to use, just shake it and apply in the morning and evening after cleansing your face and before applying serums, and moisturizers. Spray bottle eases application for bigger areas such as neck and decollete. 

Tonic has an ocean-ish smell to it. It's not expired, that's just the way it is suppose to smell. Don't be scared away, smell vanishes very soon after applying. Smell was actually one of the indicators for me that tonic is organic and might actually work. 

I've been using this product along with other OZ Natural products mentioned earlier and without a doubt I can say I already see the result. And I wasn't even looking for the fast visual proof.

It took away my skin's dryness in no time! I couldn't believe.

Before I could use all the moisturizing hydrating creams I wanted, but they just wouldn't lock in my skin. So this success already convinced me on re-purchasing the tonic. 

OZ Naturals Vitamin C serum (Amino Blend + Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin E + Ferulic Acid) 

(This product was Powered by Brandbacker)

OZ Natural Vitamin C serum combines the highest quality Vitamin C, and Hyaluronic acid to create a potent antioxidant that goes on smooth and helps protect and brighten your skin throughout the day. Combination of these two, create pure, transparent, non-GMO serum that goes on smooth and works deep down below the skin's surface to aid your skin in naturally producing more collagen, something we lose as we get older. In addition, hydration is improved thereby plumping up skin cells to minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. (Information from OZ Naturals product description).

My morning and evening face care routines have changed big time. I have few more products to use but it's not as complicated as I thought it would be at first. I love how very little of product you need to make it work and how quickly it absorbs. Because I also use OZ Naturals Hyaluronic Serum I was advised to use Vitamin C serum only in the morning routine. Put a little bit of product on your fingers or in your palm and apply to your face, neck and decollete. 

My skin tone is more even compared how it was before I started to use OZ Naturals products. My skin without a doubt looks more radiant and pores seem to be less noticeable too. And that's a big thing! As I don't use makeup too much, healthy and good looking skin is very important to me. So far I'm satisfied with the product, can't wait to see results after longer product use. 

OZ Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum (+ Vitamin C)

OZ Naturals Hyaluronic Acid serum deeply hydrates and plumps skin to diminish fine lines and wrinkles. Rich with antioxidant vitamin C, this formula leaves skin soft & rejuvenated & because it's botanically derived, it is considered to be the highest quality HA serum on the market. Its formula has been designed to create the perfect mix of ingredients your skin need to achieve a youthful, lifted glow. (Information from OZ Naturals product description)

Similar to OZ Naturals Vitamin C serum you need to use just a little bit of product. I apply it twice a day (AM and PM) after serum in the morning and after tonic (skipping the Vitamin C serum) in the evening. Absorbs fast. Texture is little thicker than serum's. But as I said very little product will be enough to cover your face, so that little bottle will last you awhile.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) locks the moisture helping your skin to look amazing and radiant. My skin tone was starting to look dull and tired, after using HA it looks like it's back to life. Fine lines I have by my eyes look less visible and skin seems to be more firmer. 

Looking forward to more satisfying results after longer use of products.

For better results I would suggest to use all product line. If you're confused about how to properly use the product, OZ Naturals team is amazing. They will answer all your questions.

Here are my AM and PM routines:

AM:

1. Cleanser
2. Ocean Mineral Tonic
3. Vitamin C Serum
4. Hyaluronic Acid Serum
5. Eye Cream
6. Moisturizer

PM:

1. Cleanser
2. Ocean Mineral Tonic
3. Hyaluronic Acid Serum
4. Eye Cream
5. Moisturizer

It is recommended to exfoliate your skin twice a week.

I'm looking forward to introduce myself with more of OZ Naturals skincare products in the near future.

You can order OZ Naturals from Amazon and get them delivered to your door step in no time:

• OZ Naturals Ocean Mineral Tonic
• OZ Naturals Vitamin C Serum
• OZ Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum

-Stay Young My Friend!-

L'oreal Fibralogy Voxbox unboxing

Very excited to receive my first VoxBox. Product testing has begun. Review to follow soon and at the mean time you can go to Influenster website and create your account, be active and hopefully you will receive your own VoxBox in no time. Good luck!

P.S. I'm camera shy, so please don't judge and forgive me my shaky and nervous video :)

Looking for Spring

This year Mother Nature is not spoiling us with sun and warmth, not yet anyways. So when the calendar says Spring but view outside the window screams "WTF?!" You just have to take it all in your own hands and go looking for the lost Spring.

Yesterday when day was super gloomy and freezing rain was big part of it, a good friend of mine shared her hidden gem in the core of the city - Allan Gardens.

Allan Gardens Conservatory is over 100 years old with a garden-filled greenhouse that covers over 16,000 square feet. This garden is open to the public year-round. It contains tropical plants from all over the world from palm trees to cacti. There are also seasonal plantings throughout the year.

Amazing escape place, so calm and beautiful. When you enter the room with those fantastic flowers - smell is just hypnotizing!!

And nowadays when you pay for even leaving your house I was pleasantly surprise that this place was free. For new stay at home parent like myself, places and activities like this are truly appreciated and are going on my "Gems" list.

My 18 months old toddler had so much fun. This is the time for first experiences so seeing swimming turtles, all kinds of amazing smelling flowers, cactus - blew her mind. Little puddles here and there - what else a kid needs?

We had lots of fun, as you can see. Little escape from in between season :) Place is not too busy, at least we were lucky enough not to deal with crowds.

 

As I mentioned before, atmosphere there was so calming and magical. Place (Allan Gardens Conservatory) definitely worth checking out. When the weather is nice outside there is a great and huge playground right across the street. So you can make a day event out of this and all with $0 coast.