Contributing Angel | My New Favorite 100% Natural Face Wash

It's that time of the month again! Catch me guest posting on blog Sew Crafty Angel where I share with you a recent discovery that I am absolutely loving, not to mention that my skin is thanking me for. Read all about the Desert Essence Face Wash here!

My Acne Coverage Foundation Routine | Talk Through Tutorial

I've had acne since my pre-teenage years, and unfortunately still deal with breakouts as an adult - oh the joys of hormonal imbalance and poor diet! Fortunately, my skin has gotten much better (I know, I know, it's still pretty bad  - as you will see in the video that I filmed a couple of months back and finally got around to editing - but believe me it was honestly three times worse at one point in my life). For all those years I trusted doctors who said my diet doesn't in any way contribute to my acne, and I truly believed them. I cannot even tell you how many different medications (both pills and topical) I have tried, and although some did help in the short-term, none have helped heal my acne completely. I am left with a lot of scarring and still get breakouts regularly, but I am now determined to heal my skin in the most natural way possible. I have made important changes to my diet, because I have finally realized just how much what I eat actually reflects in my skin. Some may see it as drastic, but in fact, changing to a raw vegan lifestyle in the last month has already made such a big difference in my skin and my overall health. Animal products, meaning dairy, meat, fish and eggs are in fact very bad for us, and their consumption reflects in our skin and other organs since they increase our chances of contracting a disease or illness. The nutrients they do provide can be equally found in better quality in large quantities of fruits and vegetables and in smaller quantities of seeds and nuts in their purest, unprocessed, raw form. I won't go into too much detail here because I plan on dedicating a whole post to this transitional phase in my life and maybe also my more detailed acne story if you would be interested - do let me know!

NEW Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic Waterproof Glide-On Eye Shadow Pencil in D-12

Now that summer is in full swing, I like to reach for products that are capable of withstanding the heat. Although my face makeup rarely glides off in these circumstances despite my combination skin (I think I've just been lucky in finding great foundations and setting powders), my eyes on the other hand can become quite watery which is definitely not cool on my eye makeup. This brings me to being overjoyed whenever I come across an eye shadow that can put my eye troubles to rest. Insert the new Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic Waterproof Glide-On Eye Shadow in D-12*, a beautiful golden-grey cream pencil with a diamond finish that really lasts.

Guest Post | Sip Pretty: Lemon Infused Detox Water

When life hands you a lemon, do you take it, squeeze it into a glass of water and drink daily? No? Well, you should!

I’ve gotten into a habit of beginning each morning with a glass of lemon infused detox water. It’s such a simple, healthy start to the day and the benefits of lemon are too good to ignore.

Right now, my favorite detox water is a combination of lemon + cucumber.

While lemon cleanses and purifies the blood, cucumber gently flushes out toxins and impurities from the system, making lemon + cucumber a perfect combination.

Lemons can also improve your complexion, jump start digestion, are high in Vitamin C, can relieve bloating, fight off colds, help with weight loss, increase energy… I could go on and on!

Drinking fruit-infused water is a great idea if you find the thought of plain water too boring, but know you need to up your intake. There’s no better way to stay hydrated.

To reap all of these amazing benefits, combine one sliced lemon and a sliced cucumber into a liter of water. Let infuse overnight and have a glass first thing in the morning (and throughout the day.) You’ll be well on your way to gently detoxifying your body and kick starting your digestive process.


Thanks for this wonderful tip Alicia! I have been drinking lemon water first thing in the morning for the last couple of weeks and it really is the best way to jump-start your day. I also dedicated a post on the benefits of lemon for acne scarring here and also how I use lemons to lighten my hair here.
 Have you tried fruit-infused water?
  For more beauty and lifestyle ideas, visit TheDumbbelle.com

Transitioning into Summer: Skin Care Tips and Product Recommendations

Today I will be sharing some tips as well as my go-to products when it comes to getting my skin summer ready. This was originally written as a guest post on blog Workaday Ramblings - I was selected as the Canadian Beauty Bloggers' Blog of the Month in May and thus invited to join in on their monthly round of guest posting with the theme being transitioning to warm weather. With summer being hands down my favourite season (I actually very much enjoy the heat and just being outdoors!), I thought I would share here on my blog as well since summer is almost officially here and hopefully these tips can help you with a smooth skin care transition.

How To Lighten Your Hair Naturally Using Lemons and Chamomile

Today I will be sharing with you my secret on how I lighten my hair naturally using two simple ingredients: lemons and chamomile. Having dark blonde hair, my hair lightens in the summer by just staying out in the sun, but these two tricks are great if you want your hair to become even lighter, quicker. I enjoy doing this every once in a while once the weather is warmer, and after a couple of applications the results are definitely visible. I alternate between both methods, and they have both worked very well for my hair. Although I cannot attest to these tips working on darker hair, I have read that quite a few dark-haired women have seen results with this technique as well.

My Summertime Pamper Routine featuring Nivea

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

When it comes time to sit back and relax, nothing beats a little pamper session to help me recuperate after a long day spent indoors working on my feet or on campus sitting through my summer classes. With the hot weather seemingly staying for the long haul (fingers crossed), the heat can however have a toll on my body both physically and mentally. By the time I get home, all I want to do is let myself decompress from the day, eat a good meal, brew myself some chamomile tea, sit outside for a while in my backyard to breathe in some fresh air, and also catch up on my favourite bloggers and vloggers. Before heading to bed, I also enjoy incorporating skincare products into my routine both when in the shower and right after to soothe my dehydrated skin. Since I'm always on the lookout for the next best product, I went for a walk to my local Walmart the other day to see what Nivea products they had to offer as part of this #CollectiveBias shop. Having previously only tried a couple of their products, I was pleasantly surprised by all the body care items that were displayed and may have spent more time than necessary in the body lotion aisle - yes, I'm that shopper who likes to open lids to help me decide on a scent, and Nivea certainly doesn't disappoint in that regard since there is a nice variety of products to choose from that will surely please a scent-lover like me.