Review: Rocky Mountain Soap Company's Lavendar and Oat Face Mask

Just sharing my thoughts on the face mask sample I received from the Rocky Mountain Soap Company - I typically am very lazy when it comes to using face masks, but since I'm fast becoming a life-long fan of this company and its products, I couldn't wait to test it out.

 

I tried the Lavender and Oak Calming Face Mask -

 

The lavender smell is SO amazing and it was instantly cooling. When I was sitting there waiting for it to dry, I felt so calm and just couldn't help but relax. I added a few drops of water to get the consistency I wanted in the paste and it gave me ample time to apply before beginning to dry. I love the feeling of a mask hardening and waited 15 minutes before removing it with a face sponge. I was left with a clean tingling feeling and didn't feel I needed to apply face moisturizer immediately (like I normally do any time after washing my face due to my really dry skin). The second time I used it was because I felt my face starting to itch and wanted to cool it down - worked like a charm. For reference, I have extremely sensitive skin - one year I had a year-long reaction for no reason and my body would not heal itself properly (luckily not on my face)... just for reference.

 

I can't wait to try all of them - the next one on my list is the Tea Tree Deep-Cleansing mask and would definitely love to spread the joy of this Lavender one. Such amazingness!

I really like the cute little packets it comes in!

They're so pleasing to look at, all lined up like that!

$12 per one 28 gram pack, up to 3 servings
(I was surprised that my sample was a full sized sample)

 

I've used it twice already and can probably get another 3 uses, easily;
the sales associate said she got 6

 

That's how much I used -
I'd say about the amount that would tightly fill a bottle cap



Just add a little water to turn it into a paste; when freshly applied

 

When dried after 15 minutes

 

Do you still fit?

I live in a country with 4 seasons so most of my clothing only gets worn 50% of the time. When the seasons change and I start to bring out my seasonal clothing, I hold my breath as I try everything on again, and pray that they still fit. It's nerve wrecking. 

The things I worry about the most are outerwear, pants and skirts; especially outerwear for me this year because last year I spent quite a bit of cha-ching to upgrade a few of my coats and jackets - luckily, now that we've come full circle, they still fit. Talk about a sigh of relief. 

The next thing I was worried about were my corduroys - I bought them in January of this year and lived in them. I couldn't wait to break them out again but I was a bit worried because in January I had lost some weight and have gained a little bit of it back since then (although I felt I looked smaller; it really could have gone either way) and these are a more snug fit - luckily they still fit but in the last couple of weeks, I've definitely put a few pounds on due to celebrations and visitors. 

This stress/worry of fitting into things again is not my cup of tea - I remember the days of my youth when things would fit all the time, maybe even perhaps too long. Changes must be made!...

Which, falls in line with another life goal of mine: to maintain a healthy body type. I'm considered overweight for my height and ethnicity, and while I'm not aiming to look like a wafer, I do want to be tone and feel strong. Purchasing these pricey pieces has helped to give me another reason to work towards this goal so I that I no longer have to fear asking the question: do you still fit?

Nordstrom Vancouver is finally opened!!

Last Friday was the grand opening of Nordstrom. I have been waiting FOREVER for it to open and hope they give Holt Renfrew a run for their money. 

Here's a link to learn more: http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/vancouver-new-store

And here are some pictures on its first day!

Its entrance inside Pacific Centre

 

Christian Louboutin was the only place with a line-up

Pop-in @ Nordstrom

One of the three eateries in the store - Ebar

Sugarfina

The crowd

Review: Rocky Mountain Soap butters, hand lotion and deodorant

I want to do a follow-up post - earlier in the year I found these products and I have finally used the last of them. I wanted to share my experience with those who might by considering a change, or are curious. 

I chose these products due to their organic and toxin-free ingredients and this is fantastic for my sensitive skin. 

The body and hand butters - I originally was very excited about the packaging of these but after getting down towards the end of the tube, I wasn't too thrilled. It actually falls off easily towards the end and the way the butter is packed into the tube, there is actually a lot of wasted butter. If the bottom part of the package hadn't fallen out and rolled onto the gross floor, I could have scooped it out and still used it. The butter itself was great for my legs because they get suuuuper dry; I don't quite like it for the rest of my body though as it does get heavy and doesn't spread easily. The smell though, is really amazing. The hand butter, same deal, but it's a bit too greasy for my liking. 

The hand lotion - love the smell of it but I find the texture to be a bit on the thin side. It's great if you have normal hands that aren't very dry like mine, but for myself, I need something that is a bit heavier but not greasy (the hand butter is a bit too greasy; I put it on the top of my hand and it's ok). I have to reapply this frequently. The packaging leaves a lot of waste when you get to the end so I do suggest cutting the top of it off and scoop out the rest of it - I was able to get almost a week of use from what was left in the tube. 

(Yes, in case you haven't noticed, I am big on packaging and waste of product)

The deodorant - I am still un-decided about how I feel about this. I love the roller-ball packaging but I'm not sure if it's effective. The smell is nice and fresh, the feel of it is very nice and cooling and doesn't leave a wet feeling after application for too long. Later on in the day, the smell of it doesn't smell the same (I'm sure due to me sweating) but it doesn't leave me smelling bad - just different. I might try another scent and come back to review this particular item. 

Overall - I would get the body butter for travel purposes because it's very compact, and I'd keep a travel size one in my bag for emergency dry-skin problems. For every day use, I'd probably use it at night so the butter has time to absorb into my skin. I won't buy the hand butter or lotion again. 

They have toxin-free days where they give away samples of products - I received a lavender face mask this week and look forward to trying it. I will continue to explore their products - I'm looking forward to trying their lip-balms when I'm done with all of mine I'm trying to get through. 

Having the right items can really make all the difference

Everyone is different, but this is my story

I used to flip through fashion magazines and longed for the day when I could find a reason to buy a cocktail dress or an evening gown. As the years went by, I reserved these items to a Pinterest board and never thought I would actually need them. 

Flash forward to my mid-twenties when I began my career and unbeknownst to me, slowly found my imaginary lifestyle creeping its way slowly into real life. 

My industry involves a lot of client, and networking events ranging from conferences, company hosted parties, luncheons, happy hour, client dinners, galas, etc., and for a very long time, I felt out of place and under-dressed, and dreaded these events. 

I convinced myself that I simply didn't like going to these events so I 'didn't care' what I wore, but it wasn't until I got married in 2013 and had to purchase a full length evening gown and 2 cocktail dresses, that I actually figured out what the problem was. 

In reality, I was dressed OK - OK, as in 'standard boring, not unprofessional but would never stand out in a crowd'. This was how I saw myself and it made me feel very uncomfortable and self-conscious. Instead of using these events to build my career, I just felt anxious for them to be over so I could leave. 

The problem was that I was always scrambling to figure out what to wear to these events (not just work events, but all special events!). I would fret for days and try to go shopping but as shopping karma would have it - you will never find anything you're desperately looking for. Defeated, I would just try to look my best with what I had. It wasn't my actual outfit that made me feel uncomfortable, it was that I felt unprepared. It was like I was going into a proposal and hadn't done any due diligence. It completely blew my confidence. 

After my wedding, I actually had dresses that were appropriate for these events - feeling the relief of already owning these items, and knowing how they fit me and not having to scramble to find them really gave me peace of mind and confidence and that really helped me to focus on my conversations and enjoy myself instead of worrying about how I looked. 

After years of feeling stressed (yes it took my years to learn this) I've learned that my wardrobe is my arsenal and I wouldn't want to go to battle without all my weapons. That said, I also make sure to have the appropriate shoes and accessories because sometimes those little pieces add even more stress. 

It's getting cooler now! Which means UGGs weather!

One of the best thing about cooler weather is that I get to break out my UGGs. For years I was against this trend, even when I lived in Toronto and walked every where, every day. I thought they were f-ugly to say the least and couldn't describe the distaste I felt for them. 

When I moved back to Vancouver, oddly, I felt colder than ever because of the damp weather and since I still commuted daily, I begrudgingly tried them, and the second my feet touched the soft woolly lining, I was in love. 

So much so, that I wrote a haiku about them. 

Just 'cuz I love them, I still think they're f'ugly - but perhaps in a cute way now ;)

My gray ones are wearing out but I was lucky enough that my mom gave me her brand new ones in tan =D 

My #ootd photographer is moving

So, lately you may have noticed that I haven't been able to keep up with my #ootds - my husband and photographer (yes, I'm very lucky that he takes the time daily to help me with my blog =)) got accepted into school last Wednesday for his electrician's foundations course (hurray!) and we have been scrambling to get him ready for this coming school semester, which starts today. Needless to say, #ootd photos were on the back burner. 

We have been hoping that he gets into school sooner than later, but had no idea it would be so sudden as we were expecting the winter semester at the earliest since the schools he wanted had wait-lists of over a year - we are very excited but that means he has to move 8 hours north, and will be away until February. I'm super excited for him, and very proud of him for taking charge of his life and starting something new - I think he will do a fantastic job and can't wait to see him during Christmas break =) <3 He just flew out on Sunday =(

In the meantime, what does that mean for my blog and closet perfecting? - my #ootds will be taken by myself and I will try me best to showcase the outfits as best I can, but please bare with me on their quality (it's only temporary); and I will be without my Stylebook App. I had planned on returning to capsule wardrobes this month, but I think that will have to wait until his return. I will do my best to write down my outfit information so I can input it into the App the next time I see him (sounds crazy, but I did this for 4 months earlier this year when he was back home in Nova Scotia). 

August comings and goings

What came in - 4

• Franco Sarto Venezia flats
• Keds x Kate Spade purple leopard print sneakers
• Marc by Marc Jacobs black Balle Logodisc flats
• Townshoes black loafers (made in Italy)

What went out - 11

• 5 pairs of designer jeans/shorts - was able to find a new home for them with my friend. I am so happy I was able to pass them to someone I know who will give them a good home. I know, I'm super attached when it's something I love - I need to know it's going to be taken good care of. 
• 1 pair of really old wide leg, 3/4 pants from the GAP - they were really popular 10 years ago; the really comfy and soft kind with the wide elastic waist band that folds over, remember? I can't remember the name for them now...
• my every day Cole Haan Wedge shoes - getting worn out and I found replacement every day flats with the MbMj flats
• 1 pair of red American Eagle wedge sandals - let go because they don't go with too many items in my wardrobe, and I can't think of any new outfits for them
• 2 pairs of Aldo shoes that I have not worn in years, and can't think of any outfits to pair them with
• my Cole Haan leopard flats - they're just too worn out now =( and replaced my trend wardrobe staple with a new trend: black loafers

Budget status: With another month left of the third quarter, I am currently over budget per quarter, but still under budget for the year. I'd love to come out of the year under budget and have more than one month of no-purchase months.Who knows, this may be the end to my shopping for the year.. maybe....

4 seasons - coral sheath dress

It's starting to get cooler now (winds over the weekend reaching up 80km+ and power outages galore!!) so I thought it would be a perfect time to publish my first '4 seasons' post. As I mentioned before, it's hard to own less when you live in a 4 season country, but there are some items that I'm able to wear year round at the office.

As many of you know, I LOVE this coral sheath dress, so I thought I would start with this one =)

Spring - ivory cardigan, boat shoes

Summer - T-strap sandals, ivory belt

Fall - brown 3/4 length sleeve knitted cardigan, brown ankle boots
(if it gets cooler than usual, I'd wear tights too)

Winter - black wool cardigan, black loafers, leopard print belt
(outside of the office, I'd probably be wearing my black knee high rain boots)