Wednesday, December 31, 2014

New Years Resolutions....

 
 
1) Pass My Esthetician Licensing Exams -
 
a) Written/Theory
b) Practical Exam
 
 
 
2) Lose Weight/Better Shape -
 
This is always the obvious post that everyone posts and most don't keep, but while I was in school this past year.... I gained 20lbs.... 
Since I've been out of school I've already lost 5lbs because of less stress, eating in more and being allowed more time to be more active....
My boyfriend and I have been slowly switching our lifestyle around and substituting with more Organic and Natural Products for our Groceries, Skincare and more...
He recently got a Commercial Grade Ninja... so we've been taking in more fruits and veggies through smoothies and juices and that has helped a lot....
and I've been incorporating a Detox Tea 3 times a day along with Green Tea...



 
 
3) Dream Big/Do Big -
 
I suffer when I'm not able to create... I have a lot of energy inside of me that needs to get out on a daily basis.... whether it be blogging, sewing, printing fabrics, making natural goodies for the home or even Makeup Artistry....I Need to DO!!!  I'm finally ready to bring all of my skills to the next level and the time to do so has opened up to me....
and We want to Move Soon....


 
 
4) Work Hard/Play Hard -
 
I want to build my own set of businesses.... I make so many things and want to be able to share those pieces with others... I want to do what I LOVE....
My goal is to get it all started and get ready to hit the ground at a nice pace....so that I can Enjoy what I do, but also get to Enjoy having a Life....
We Love to go on trips and experiences new people and places and this past year has had it's drawbacks in that department.....
Ready for a Change!!!



 
 
5) Spend More Time with Family and Friends -
 
I had to sacrifice a lot of my time with my family and friends due to my grueling schedule of school all day and work most nights.... I've missed just being able to hang out and not always be on the go....
 
6) Take Better Care of Myself -
 
I have a tendency to go, go, go and burnout fast when it comes to my drive...
I need to:
a) Wear More Sunscreen


 
b) Pamper myself once a week


 
c) Relax - whether it be reading a book, watching a movie, taking a bath.... Sometimes doing what is considered nothing... is Everything.


 
d) Drink More Water -
I'm a coffee lover to my core and I will choose it most days over water...
e) Drink More Tea -
I fell in love with making and drinking tea this past year and it's a relaxing ritual....
It's calming... requires patience..... fills a room with a yummy smell....and they are power packed with antioxidants and skin benefits....
I Love Green Tea, Lavender Tea, Lemongrass and Ginger, Superfruit Teas, Chai... The sky is the limit....


 
f) Meditate-
Prayer and Meditation allow the mind to become clear of clutter... it allows you to assess the things that you need to hold on to and the things to let go of....
g) Yoga -
I want to start really practicing Yoga and even Barre.....I remember when I took classes in college and how balanced it kept me... I could just focus on being in the moment and let go of everything else....

 
7) To Continue My Education a little bit everyday.... 
 
 
 
 
Above Anything I Just Want to Stay Happy....
as my boyfriend always says....
"Happiness is an Inside Job"
 
Happy New Years Eve
 
Heather
 
 
 


Friday, December 26, 2014

Neal's Yard Remedies What & Why?

 
 
As I discussed in my previous post... I was introduced to Neal's Yard Remedies.....
 
Let me tell you a little bit about them:
* Opened December 4, 1981
*Covent Garden in Central London, England
*UK's 1st Certified Organic Health & Beauty Company
*UK's 1st company to produce Soil Association Certified Cosmetics
*Carbon Neutral main street retailer
*Family Owned
*No Nano Technology
*No Genetically Modified Organisms
*No Synthetic Fragrance
*No Parabens, EDTA, DEA, Carbomer or Propylene Glycol
*No Mineral Oils or Silicones
 

 
 
*Cruelty Free - Endorsed by gocrueltyfree.org, frame.org.uk, peta.org and humanesociety.org
 
 
*Fairtrade and Fairwild
* They also launched Bee Lovely and Help Save the Bees campaign
 
 
After doing the research & trying these products out... I chose to pursue these products for my future...
Recently graduated from and Esthetician Certificate Program and soon to be licensed in the New Year...
 
Neal's Yard Remedies was the Right Choice for Me...
 
 
 
 
 
 
These are the Products that arrived in my kit...
 
 
Wild Rose Beauty Balm - $70
- #1 Customer Favorite
- Multipurpose Organic Beauty Must-Have
-Cleanses, Exfoliates, Moisturizes
 
 
 

 
 
Beauty Sleep Concentrate - $53
- Clinically proven to moisturize for up to 24 hours
-Scientifically formulated to support your skin's natural nighttime regeneration
-Optimizes skin's nighttime recovery:
*Helps reduce the signs of premature aging
*Wake up to skin that looks and feels beautifully revitalized, soft & supple



 
Calendula Cleanser - $26
-Super-mild, extra gentle cleansing
-Wipes away makeup & pollution
-Softens and soothes as it cleanses
*Organic Calendula and Jojoba are combined to nourish and enrich dry or mature skin types in the gentle cleansing cream.
(Vegan Product)

 
White Tea Facial Mist - $19
-Instantly refreshes and rehydrates
-Free radical fighting antioxidants
-Can even use on the go over makeup
*Calms, refreshes & rehydrates skin.... Infused with antioxidant white tea, calming organic aloe vera, aromatherapeutic organic essential oils & Bach Flower
*Soothing & Refreshing
*Rehydrating
*Antioxidant, anti-aging white tea
*Dermatologically Tested
*Suitable for sensitive skin
 

 
Rose Water Toner - $17.50
-Leaves skin beautifully refreshed
-Helps prepare skin to better absorb moisturizer
-Balancing Demask Rose Oil
*For Normal & Sensitive Skin
*Cooling & Refreshing
*Cleansing
*Hydrating
 

 
Rose Facial Wash - $23
-Effortlessly lifts away daily grime & makeup
-Leaves the skin feeling soft & fresh
-120 organic roses in every bottle
*For normal and sensitive skin
*gently foaming
*soothing & refreshing
*rich in protecting antioxidants
(Vegan)


 
NYR Men - Purifying Facial Wash - $24
-Fuss free everyday cleansing
-Low-foam to avoid drying skin
-Antioxidant- fairtrade rooibos
-Deep Cleansing
-Energizing & Refreshing
(Vegan)

 
Garden Mint & Bergamot Hand Lotion - $19
-Fresh & Fruity
-Cooling Organic Garden Mint Essential Oil
-Balancing Organic Bergamot Essential Oil
-Gently Cleansing
-Non-Drying

 
Citrus Hand Wash - $15.50
-Tangy Organic Grapefruit, Lemon & Orange Essential Oils
-Great for cooks, gardeners & those who use their hands a lot
-Particularly good to keep in the kitchen to combat food smells like garlic and onions on the hands

 
White Tea Enriching Facial Mask - $48
-Rich moisture boost for dry& sensitive skin
-Free radical fighting antioxidants
-Purifying kaolin clay
-Deeply Nourishing
-Gently Cleansing
-Detoxifying
-Anti-aging, antioxidant white tea

 
Frankincense Hydrating Cream - $44
*Clinically Proven to moisturize for up to 24 hours
*Clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkle
-Revitalizing & Rejuvenating
-Helps boost skin's natural regeneration
-Day/Night Cream

 
Bee Lovely Busy Bee Balm - $9
-Multipurpose must have
-Softens dry skin, ideal for lips & elbows etc.
-99% Organic
-Blend of Organic Cocoa Butter & Beeswax with the citrus scent of Organic Orange Essential Oil conditions of dry lips, flaking cuticles & dry patches
-Intensely nourishing
-Softens & conditions all dry areas
-Helps raise money for Bee Lovely Charities & Projects

 
Orange Flower Facial Wash - $23
-Effortlessly lifts away grime & makeup
-Leaves the skin feeling soft & fresh
-Soothing calendula & aloe vera
-For dry or neglected skin
-Gently Cleansing
-Nourishing
-Rich in protecting antioxidants

 
Aromatic Foaming Bath - $23
-Relaxing
-Conditioning
-Soothing
-Feel your worries float away
-Soothing & skin conditioning
-Relaxing Organic Essential Oils

 
NYR Lip Gloss - Nude- 0.5oz - $16
-Rich, lasting color
-Enriched with skin-nourishing Organic Beauty Oil
-Subtle tasting Organic Sweet Orange Essential Oil
-Antioxidant White Tea
-USDA Certified Organic Castor Seed Oil
-No Parabens, Silicones or Carmine
 
 
White Tea Toning Eye Gel - $42
-Reduces the appearance of puffiness
-Helps to counter dark circles
-Tones & firms the delicate skin around the eye
-For all skin types
-Cooling
-Minimizes the appearance of dark circles
-Antioxidant, Anti-aging White Tea

 
 

 
Geranium & Orange Shower Gel - $20.50
-Make a fresh start each morning
-Uplifting Organic Essential Oils
-Soothing Calendula Extract
-Revitalizing
-Conditioning
-Uplifting Essential Oils


Aromatherapy Essential Oils
-100% Pure Essential Oils extracted from natural, wild-crafted & organically grown flowers, leaves, bark and berries.
-Uses: Massage, Bath & Shower, Vaporization & Inhalation
 
 
I am lucky to have received this Amazing Gift from my Family to help me get started in the New Year... My Facial & Body Treatment Bed to get me started on my Esthetics journey.... I'm so excited to have such an Amazing Skincare Line as Neal's Yard Remedies to help me in practicing Holistic Skincare....
 
 
 
If you want to learn more about these products:
 
Heather
 

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Neal's Yard Remedies Review

 
A little over a month ago.... A friend of mine wanted me to try a skin care line that she was promoting not only for home use, but also for her spa.... She's a Licensed Esthetician aka Skin Therapist....
She sent me a link to the website and sent me a digital copy of the new catalog so that I could do the research on it.... and even came to visit me and my classmates in the Esthetics Program that I recently graduate from to tell us about the line....
 
It was really good timing for me because I was running out of my current skin regime products and needed new everything...  I like to stay more with the natural and more holistic skin care lines because so many of the products on our shelves, whether Prestige or Drug Store have so many added chemicals and harsh chemicals.....
 
So....
 
The line is Neal's Yard Remedies....and they believe in SAFE Cosmetics.
*No Sythetic Fragrances
*No Silicones
*No Mineral Oils
*No Parabens
*No GM ingredients
*No Pthalates
*No Propelene Glycol
*No Animal Testing
*No DEA
*No EDTA
*No Acrylates
*No Nano
*No BHT
 
I got pretty excited about the fact that this was the kind of line that I was looking for... with the ethics that I would love for all products on the market, but like all products I like to do the research....
 
So I bought a few of the Starter Kits...

 
The Award-Winning Skincare Kit
-Revitalizes -Replenishes -Recharges
 
Contains:
*Wild Rose Beauty Balm- the one-pot skin savior: Cleanses, Exfoliates and Deeply Moisturizes
*White Tea Facial Mist: carry with you for refreshing bursts of antioxidant-rich moisture.
*Beauty Sleep Concentrate: moisturizes and fights lines and wrinkles as you sleep.
*White Tea Enriching Facial Mask: use weekly to help restore skin's moisture levels.
 

 
Age-Defying Skincare Kit:
-Helps to: -Rejuvenate -Tone -Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
 
Contains:
*Rejuvenating Frankincense Refining Cleanser: sweeps away grime and make-up while gently exfoliating.
*Rejuvenating Frankincense Toner: Removes last traces of cleanser and prepares skin to better absorb moisturizer.
*Rejuvenating Frankincense Facial Oil: add a few drops before moisturizing for an extra deep moisture boost.
*Frankincense Hydrating Cream- moisturizes, firms and helps keep skin feeling soft and fresh.
 
 
Because I spent on the 2 kits I also got a Free Full Size Rehydrating Rose Daily Moisture Moisturizer:
*Replenishes and rehydrates
*Lightweight and easily absorbed, skin drinks it in
*With ultra-moisturizing hyaluronic acid.
 
 
I've been using these products for over a month and I'm In LOVE:
 
I have a Combination/Dry skin and it can be a pain to fine the right products to take care of my skin ...  What I Loved is that I can mix and mingle the products to customize my regime to my needs...
 
Since I've been using these products on a regular basis my skin feels smoother, fine lines have slowly started to fade and I look forward to washing my face twice a day instead of being completely lazy about it....
 
I get to pamper myself every morning and at night....
 
 

 

 
 
The Biggest Stand Out Product that I got was the Wild Rose Beauty Balm:
 
I've decided it's my Holy Grail Product because it has so many uses:
*It has totally replaced my eye makeup remover
*It's an awesome cleanser
*It also works really well as a hydrating mask
*It even helps with chaffed skin.....
 
All in All: I Love Neal's Yard Remedies
 
Some other things to note about these products.... If you are used to synthetic fragrances in your products.... These are going to smell unfamiliar to you because they don't use synthetic fragrances ....they use essential oils in their products.... So it can take some getting used to....
 
You can only get these products in the US through a Neal's Yard Consultant... If you want to know more about these products or if you want to try any of these products you can go to:
 
 
Heather