Hollow & Ridge Mend Balm, Lavender Face and Body Toner, and Calm Essential Oil Blend

For Christmas my Aunt got my mother, grandma, and I little sample packages of some products from a company called Hollow & Ridge. This company specializes in essential oils and bath and skin care products scented with their own essential oil blends. As you may know, I love smelly things so I was very excited about this little kit!

This company focuses on ethics and quality, resulting in beautifully scented products that you can feel good about using.  Here is a quote from their website:

"The hollow & ridge approach to essential oil production is simple:

source high quality and responsibly-grown plant materials; experiment until

the right combination of therapeutic effect and pleasing scent is achieved."

This business has its ideals in the right place and their products are very lovely as well, as you're about to find out!

My Christmas gift included these three products: Mend Balm, Lavender Face and Body Toner, and Calm Essential Oil Blend.  They were packaged in the super cute floral bag they are sitting on in the above picture.  I also love how cute and simple the packaging is.  The colored translucent bottles and minimalist labels make the products look very sleek and professional.

The first item is the lavender toner.  I have not really used toners before but the packaging says it provides moisture and hydration so I spritz some on my face after moisturizing and before applying foundation primer.  The scent is lovely and starting my day with the bright crisp smell of lavender is just amazing. Here is the store description of this product:

"Our toner is ideal for all skin types to balance, tone, and restore skin. We have left out the rose for this one. Lavender by itself also promotes cell repair, is an excellent coolant for minor burns and sunburns, and soothes sensitive skin. Our lavender hydrosol used in our toners is distilled from freshly harvested lavender."

My little sample size is only 10ml, you can buy the full 50ml size for only $14!

Next is the Mend Balm.  This is a little pot of hard lip balm.  The products melts onto your fingers from the heat generated, allowing you to then rub it on your lips or any other chapped area.  I also keep this at my vanity and put it on before I begin my makeup routine so my lips are nice and soft for when I apply my lipstick. This smells a bit odd, its definitely my least favorite scent of the bunch.  To me it has a minty smell to it, I honestly think unsweetened mint chocolate chip when I smell it, but the oils its made from do not reflect that at all.  Regardless it is a nice product and while the smell isn't personally for me, I'm sure many others will adore it.

"Our new MEND Balm formula is luxurious, rich and intensely reparative. Applying Mend balm helps guard your lips against harsh conditions, like wind, dryness and temperature changes and leaves your lips feeling supple and smooth. The Balm promotes healing, and prevents dry, cracked or chapped lips, providing immediate relief from discomfort and softening roughness on contact. The natural oils, waxes and butters in the MEND Balm protect the damaged skin while it is healing to prevent further damage. The balm has a light, lavender peppermint scent that is both calming and invigorating."

My pot is full size I believe, meaning you can get your own for $8!

Finally is the essential oil! My little sample is called Calm and is blend No 55.  This smells so so so nice.  I have been smelling this before I begin my meditation to help me relax and get me in the right mood.  I will definitely be sad when this oil is gone.

"55 brings together smells from the places which have brought Issa peace throughout her life. Geranium and lavender used to tame irritability. Issa uses rose otto for restlessness and agitation. Petitgrain is used as a "shock absorber"."

My sample is 3ml, but you can purchase a full 10ml bottle for $38.

The other two blends sound just as divine, I wish I could purchase them in 3ml bottles for a cheaper price, because at $38 each I just can't afford to try them all.

Overall I love all three of these items and can definitely see myself purchasing from here in the future.  I believe my Aunt knows where they have a physical shop, so hopefully I can get my hands on more of these cheaper sample versions so I can try everything!

www.hollowandridge.com

Shiro Cosmetics A Girl and A Cat Tinted Balm

I am embarrassed to admit how long I've had this lip balm and kind of forgot it existed....I recently found it again and remembered how adorable it was!  I am a bit bummed that Shiro got rid of their opaque lip products and now only offers these lip balms or glosses.  

I had to get this one as its Kiki's Delivery Service themed which is one of my all time favorite movies.  I even cosplayed as Kiki last year! How can I say no to a purple lip product with a picture of Jiji on it? I can't.

This applies very easily and definitely leaves more pigment on the lips than the hand swatch would lead one to believe.  As you can see it turns my lips a very pleasant berry shade. I think it is very flattering and is a perfect choice for days I want to add color but not deal with lip upkeep.  It will last a few hours as long as you don't eat so I generally only throw this on if I won't be eating for a bit. It is very moisturizing and feels nice on the lips. It also has a slight smell to it, the website says its vanilla, its very nice and not overpowering.

I would definitely recommend these lip balms if you like this kind of lip product finish! They are all so fun and Miyazaki themed.  I'd probably own them all if they were matte liquid lipsticks! Unfortunately tinted balms aren't my go to, but I will enjoy this one. If I ever did buy another it would probably be the Princess Mononoke themed With Eyes Unclouded deep red shade.

Where to buy: shirocosmetics.com

Price: $5

Ipsy Glam Bag August 2014 Review

Another month another Glam Bag! Let's jump right in!

1. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

5/5

"Bigger. Blacker. Badder. Urban Decay's ultra-creamy, lengthening and volumizing mascara features triple-black pigments and a deeply nourishing ingredient blend. Perversion Mascara gets you sexy in one stroke, yet it won’t quit until you say when. "

So I actually already owed this mascara before it was announced that I was getting it in my Ipsy bag.  Long story short I LOVE THIS MASCARA. It lengthens and adds volume and doesn't clump and oh my gosh its just perfect.  I have the mini that came in the Ipsy bag up next to the full size.  the brush pictured is also from the full size as I do not want to open the mini in case it goes bad too quickly.

Where to buy: Urbandecay.com, Ulta, Sephora

Price: $22 ($5.50)

2. Jersey Shore Sun Mongongo Lip Conditioner

5/5

"Slather on this balm for soft lips all year long. Mongongo oil has hydrating, regenerating and restructuring properties and offers a unique protection from UV and environmental pollutants in skin applications. Mongongo oil is rich in calcium, magnesium, zinc, cooper and anti-oxidants."

At first I was a little bummed to get this because bleh what am I going to do with a chapstick?  But believe me it is much much more than just a chapstick! First of all it smells amazing. I was worried because it has orange in its title and I hate artificial orange, but the Mandarin Green Orange Ginger scent is actually quite pleasant. Second it has UV protection and Anti-Aging properties! Sweet! I've also found that lipsticks apply quite nicely on top of it meaning I can use it under my daily lip color without any problems!

Where to buy: Jerseyshoresun.com

Price: $5.50

3. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

4/5

"Klorane Dry shampoo with oat milk gently revives hair, ridding it of excess dirt, oil, build-up and odor while leaving hair soft, clean and full of volume."

I'm very much a fan of this product as well.  I only shower every other day because my skin gets horribly dry If I do it every day.  There are two spots on either side of my head that tend to get greasier than any other part of my hair so I use dry shampoo on off shower days to spruce things up! This product definitely works great however the only reason its getting a 4/5 is because I personally prefer my Tresseme dry shampoo but only because its less powdery.

Where to buy: dermstore.com, Amazon

Price: $19.50 ($12.15)

4. Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil

3/5

"Sensual and exotic, that's the effect that Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil delivers. Just like the traditional Kohl, but with the modern ease and control of a pencil. Giving a semi-matte finish that is also smudgeable, Silk Kajal Kohl's soft tip is ophthalmologically-tested and gentle enough to be used on the inner eye."

This is a fine eye liner and there isn't anything wrong with it....but there isn't exactly anything spectacular about it either.  Its just your average black kohl eyeliner.  I'm really getting sick of all these black pencil liners I've been getting from Ipsy. sigh. Anyway this applied smoothly and I could even do a little wing flick. However it wiped off my hand fairly easily, something you don't see with Urban Decay or Cynthia Rowley. I think this will make a nice purse liner as its very tiny.

Where to buy: Lordandberry.com, beautybar.com

Price: $16 (I couldn't find a size for the full product to calculate so I'm going to guess the mini is $5)

5. Manna Kadar Cosmetics Sheer Glo

1/5

"Sheer Glo is an incandescent liquid that lights up skin with all over radiance. Mix with foundation or wear alone to provide a luminous glow for all skin types. An especially amazing product for mature or dry skin. Sheer Glo provides a youthful glow and dewy finish. Use on face and/or body and get glowing."

1/5? I know...ouch.  But seriously this product is worthless.  First of all I'm all about matte skin and do whatever I can to not be shiny.  I have zero use for this product.  On top of that it doesn't' actually do anything.  I tried it on and honestly didn't see any sort of difference. I'm not really sure what to even do with this besides throw it away....maybe I can try it as a subtly shimmer eye shadow or something. Its a really expensive product for doing a load of nothing.

Where to buy: mannakadarcosmetics.com

Price: $29 ($7.83)

I hope my review helped! 

This month's bag totaled approximately $35.98!

Don't have Ipsy? Click here to sign up!

<3__)~