Save 35% on ALL Faire Collection!

So I am MAJORLY excited to tell you about this amazing sale from Faire Collection! If you haven't been by in a while, you might not have seen that twice a month Faire Collection has been offering select items at up to 70% off through their Friday Flash Sales. But this week is a little different. Not only can you snag the entire Fall/Winter Collection at 35% off, but the code is good on sale items as well!

I will definitely be grabbing a few favorites that I've had my eye on for a while! The items currently on my "Lust List" .....

These gorgeous Alpaca Highland Shawls were on sale during the last Flash Sale, and it looks like they are still on sale! At 70% off they are already a steal, but with the additional 35% off they are only $28.27! I'm in love with the Creme, but I also love the olive as well!

Tagua Bib (L) $46.80 with Discount ~ Galapagos Necklace (R) $44.59 with Discount

The last couple items on my wishlist are these two lovelies here. I have a tagua seed necklace, the Catalina necklace to be exact. And I wear it constantly. I love how it adds a pop of color to some of my neutral work attire and I get complimented on it daily. These two Tagua necklaces are perfect! The Tagua Bib Necklace is actually the first item I fell in love with from Faire Collection! I adore the Teal, but I'm also torn over the Berry as well. And the Galapagos Necklace in Pacific Blue is gorgeous with all those bright colors! I love that they both have tie necks which allows you to wear them at different lengths as well. I'll most definitely be grabbing one of these beauties!!!

Make sure to stop by the Faire Collection site today through 11:59pm EST on Monday to grab your Fair Trade pretties before the sale is over! Use code FLASHFAIRE at checkout to get your 35% discount! The best part? Not only are you grabbing Style for a Steal, but your Shopping with Purpose as well! =) Want to see the story behind Faire Collection? Check out my first review here.


Christy
xoxo

Faire Collection's Flash Friday - Winter Accessories!!

I had posted a couple months back about a company I fell in love with HERE and the love affair has continued the more I learn about them!  Faire Collection is offering their special Flash Sale again tomorrow & Saturday, as well as every 1st & 3rd Friday until November for 24 hours only! What does this mean? You can snag select drool-worthy, fair trade lovelies at up to 70% off! I love the craftsmanship & quality of each piece and the love that I know goes into each one from the amazing Artisan that created it! Another positive about these pieces beyond the unique styles and the support they offer to Artisan Partners and their families, is the fact that these pieces will stand the test of time. Most are made of polished and dyed seeds that won't tarnish and go in the trash after a year. I simply ADORE all of my Faire Collection pieces!

 

Get early access to Faire Collection's Winter Must-Have Flash Sale right here!

What I'm Loving - Face & Body Edition

Hi Lovelies!

I hope you all had a great weekend! As I had mentioned here, I've been really busy the last couple months doing this amazing fitness program. I've been into living a healthy lifestyle for years, but I kind of fell off the wagon for a while as far as physical activity was concerned, so I really threw myself into it the end of the summer. It's been so great for me. Some days are hard, not gonna lie, but more so because I'm committed to making the time to do it and sometimes I have to fit it in where it's not the most convenient. Anyway, even though I've been living a chemical-free lifestyle for a long time, I've been trying out some new stuff since being so active takes it to a whole other level. I thought I would share some of the latest fav's for the Face & Body with you!

Obviously when you're working out regularly, that means sweat and lots of it. This can definitely take it's toll on facial skin, my own included. I've been fighting breakouts by making sure I remember to wash my face beforehand and using a clean towel to blot my face with. I shower as soon as I'm done and I use my Clarisonic Mia (a must-have for me for the last 6 years) coupled with a good cleanser.

I've been using Sibu's Beauty Bar on and off for years and it's definitely a favorite for me. It doesn't break me out, which seems to be a major issue with most facial washes I use, and it lasts a really long time. Sibu was so kind to send me a Facial Cleanser recently and I loved this as well! This is a great, non-greasy cleanser that offers a little bit more moisture than the cleansing bar. It's a good option for this that are looking for an in-between cleanser that won't dry them out, but isn't too thick either. I also love that Sibu products aren't filled with icky ingredients that I stay away from and are gmo-free, fair trade, and cruelty-free (an absolute must for me!).

Shea Terra Organics is another favorite of mine, as I've mentioned here, here, and here in the past. I recently just placed another order with them and have been using the BlackSeed & Propolis bar for my face. My face has been a tiny bit dry, but it could be due to the recent drop in temps here too. So far it seems to be working pretty well! My face feels clean without feeling stripped!

Another recent purchase that I just have to mention as part of a regular regimen is this amazing beauty gadget that I'm smitten over! I've been wanting this machine for so long now and I was so lucky to get enough birthday money from my parents to buy it! It's called the Riiviva Microderm and it's seriously the most wonderful thing. It's a professional grade microderm machine that you can use at home and it has diamond tips, just like they use in the spa or medspa! At first glance it seems pretty pricey, but it quickly makes up for the cost when you think about how much a microderm treatment costs in your area. And in addition to that, it also has Cellulite attachments and body attachments to help slough away stretch marks! So far I've only used it on my face, but I adore it! My skin has been on overdrive from working out and sweating so much, I really need to do the treatments regularly! I'll be reporting back in a couple weeks to let you know the results! Ps - As a Riiviva Consultant, I can extend a special exclusive coupon! Use code NJ0101 at checkout to save 10% + Free Shipping!

As I had mentioned above with the facial breakouts, this can also be an issue with the body as well when you're sweating a lot. As gross as that is, it's a reality. I like to use skin-nourishing body soaps that make me feel clean and refreshed! Shea Terra makes a liquid black soap in menthe that I've been using for years! But I never noticed that they make a bar version. I tend to be lest wasteful with bar soaps. I usually cut them into 3's and they last a really long time!! I recently purchased the Menthe Bar Soap and it's perfect for me. The black soap keeps breakouts at bay and the mint makes me feel clean and rejuvenated.

Another important aspect of living a healthy lifestyle is making sure to detox every week. I like to take an Epsom Salt bath weekly to soothe my tired muscles and get an extra dose of magnesium. I buy mine at Whole Foods, but a lot of places sell them! Just make sure they are pure and don't contain added synthetics, preservatives, or fragrance! Scrubs are also a great way to detox the body while also feeling a little indulgent - like a little spa treatment in your own shower.

Kaeng Raeng, a Detox company I've worked with in the past, was so generous to send me a sample of their brand new Detoxfoliant! In my opinion, a good quality salt scrub is hard to find and it's necessary when you're looking to purge some of those built up toxins lurking in your skin. This scrub not only contains Dead Sea Salt, but Himalayan Pink Salt as well! There's also some lovely essential oils and nourishing ingredients in there. It smells amazing and my skin felt so soft after using it! I also highly recommend the cleanse (check out my Cleanse Diary here) as well ; )

The last product I want to mention is something I haven't tried, but is on my current lust list. I can't believe I'm sharing this across the internet, but I've noticed lately that I have more cellulite than I did a few months ago. I really would love to be able to get regular deep-tissue massages, but that's just not in the budget for me right now. So this Babybelle body buffer is top on my list and the 1st Gen model is only $150! It helps break down metabolic-waste and ease muscle cramping. The fact that cellulite improves with this type of stimulation is just an amazing side-effect!

So that's my latest round up of fav's! I'll be back tomorrow to share my progress with Kayla Itsines BBG Program and also later in the week with some more fav's! (Hair & Fitness Style)

Christy
xoxo

DISCLAIMER: All products mentioned above, with the exception of the Sibu Facial Cleanser and Kaeng Raeng Detoxfoliant (which the companies generously provided samples of), were purchased by me. My opinion is my own and I received no compensation for this post.

Flash Friday Sale with Faire Collection - Early Access!

Hi Lovelies!

I have some amazing news to share! I had posted a couple months back about a company I fell in love with HERE.  Faire Collection is now offering a special Flash Sale tomorrow, as well as every 1st & 3rd Friday until November for 24 hours only! What does this mean? You can snag select drool-worthy, fair trade lovelies at up to 70% off! I love the craftsmanship & quality of each piece and the love that I know goes into each one from the amazing Artisan that created it! Another positive about these pieces beyond the unique styles and the support they offer to Artisan Partners and their families, is the fact that these pieces will stand the test of time. Most are made of polished and dyed seeds that won't tarnish and go in the trash after a year. I simply ADORE all of my Faire Collection pieces!

Want early access to the sale?! The Zelda Necklace at 30% is a must-have!!! Click through this link!

{ Week 4 of my Fitness Journey }

Hi Lovelies!

It's my favorite time of year again and today I got my first little taste of Fall weather that I've been pining for so much. Mid 70's might not seem like Autumn temps to some people, but with the week we had here in Jersey last week, it's downright chilly!

So if you don't follow me on Instagram (where I tend to be most active), you might not know that I kicked off a major Fitness regimen a few weeks ago. See here....

As you may or may not know, I'm a Certified Health Coach, so I'm really into Nutrition, Fitness, Healthy Living, etc. But I've really fallen off the fitness wagon in the last year or so. My weight has fluctuated quite a bit since I had my son and with some minor health issues that I'm still trying to get under control - think lots of food intolerance's, it was just time for me to take the leap into a major routine.... No excuses. I started out really hitting my home gym hard and was seeing great results! I've been a TIU plan member for a few years now and love their workouts, but I really wanted something more regimented that would build muscle the right way, and quite frankly..... kick my ass. I kept seeing a lot of other TIU girls posting Kayla Itsines BBG program and after about a week or looking at results every single day on Insta, I pulled the trigger!

I absolutely love it so far! I think it's exactly the structure I needed and it's good for me because I could feel myself getting into the mentality that I needed to burn 800-900 cals a workout for it to be good enough. That.... My friends, is how an obsession brews. And I love being obsessed with Fitness, but not in an unhealthy way. Especially with my perfectionist issues. So now I'm on week 2 and I'm loving the results! I still struggle with only doing 45m on the treadmill as my workout, but I'm trusting the process. Besides, there are some nights I'm SO sore and I know I'll be wishing for these easy nights when I get deeper into the program.

After already losing a size and being down almost 10lbs (that includes building muscle) in 3 weeks, I'm pretty happy with where I'm at so far and looking forward to seeing my body change over the next several weeks. If you're interested, I'll keep doing weekly updates here! And make sure to check out my Instragram feed for my daily updates =)

Have any of you tried the BBG program? What do you think so far???

 

PS - I purchased the Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide with my own funds. It was not provided to me for review. This is my own experience and I'm sharing to inspire & motivate others ; ) 

Faire Collection has My Heart

I am so excited to share this post with you today! Mainly because the company I'm about to introduce to you is one that I've been a major fan of for a really long time. But not just because they offer gorgeous accessories and jewelry, but because they have such a touching mission. 

Recently I was contacted by Faire Collection about doing a feature and of course, because I already adore them, I was happy to gush about them. They so generously offered to gift me a necklace so that I could convey the total experience to you, and I have been wearing this necklace almost daily since I received it. 

First let me touch on the initial arrival before I get into the major details and company story. For anyone that is a regular visitor to this blog, or that knows me, you know that I'm a sucker for packaging. It makes a huge impression on me. And Faire Collection is no exception. The package arrived beautifully put together in a shipping box with shred. It was delicately wrapped in bright blue tissue and placed inside a simple, but nicely branded little envelope, along with a card that gives some info about the company and the countries where the Handmade Jewelry & accessories are made. One of my most favorite details though, was a tag that was on the necklace that gives me the name of the person that made it. I absolutely LOVED  this little touch and felt so connected to the fact that a person in another country used their hands to make me this necklace. Amazing!!! 

The necklace that was sent to me is called the Catalina necklace, and in addition to the gorgeous papaya color that I was gifted, there is also a gorgeous sea green option. This necklace was Artisan-made  in Ecuador with hand-dyed Tagua & Pambil Seeds, Wood, Brass, and Wax Cord. I love it! It's the perfect length, has a nice weight but not too heavy,  and adds a nice little soft pop of color, while still being semi-neutral if that makes sense. I love to wear it with my maxi dresses, a cardi & tank combo for cooler summer days and in the office, and it looks great with some dangly gold earrings and a plain v-neck tee. It's really versatile!

So now for the details about Faire Collection as a company.... 

Faire Collection created fair trade accessories that are made with responsibly sourced natural materials from around the globe.

Their New York design team travels to remote corners of the world to design with vibrant indigenous cultures and one-of-a-kind natural materials. They now work with communities in Ecuador, Peru, Swaziland and Vietnam, providing their Artisan partners a path to prosperity. 

Check out this short video to get a sense of just how much this opportunity impacts these communities. It literally gives me goosebumps...

I also really love this "Story of your Necklace" timeline and this Bio on Amanda Judge, Founder and CEO!

In addition to gorgeous jewelry like the Catalina necklace, Faire Collection also carries scarves (love!) & hats, as well as an amazing Sale Section! Here are my current favs - The Galapagos Necklace in Turquoise, the Cascade Necklace in Periwinkle (Gorgeous & On Sale!!!) and the item at the very top of my wishlist, the Tagua Bib, which I love in every single color! I've been lusting after this one for a while and am undecided between the Berry & Sunset Orange for Fall!

I hope you enjoyed learning about Faire Collection & consider making a purchase with a purpose! Make sure to bookmark your favs! Keep.com lets you know when they go on sale ; ) and check them out on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter!

Wednesday Wants - My Summer Lust List

Hi Loves! I can't believe how quickly the summer is flying by! And to be honest, I'm not complaining. I do love the activities and having my kiddo home, but the heat is just not for me. I will say that this summer has been relatively mild. We've had a few great days here and there. Like today for instance, only 81 and no humidity. Perfection!

So this summer I've been coming across a ton of great products and companies and my lust list just grows and grows. I love to share my finds with all of you! Especially since some are relatively new brands you may not have heard of. So here's my top fav's on my current list....

My hair just does not like me in the summer. While I have issues in the winter, which I thought were pretty bad, it's a slew of whole other issues when the heat and humidity get here. My ends are dry and my naturally curly hair (which I blow out almost daily) gets so frizzy with the tiniest bit of moisture in the air. While I do like my current hair routine, I've had Rahua on my list for quite a while. I've heard so many great things and they just replaced the wheat in their line with Quinoa protein! Yay for me!!! It's pricey, but a little supposedly goes a long way. And for me, since I don't get my hair cut really often, it's not too much different in maintenance cost than the average female. It's actually probably less! I think this jetsetter kit is a great way to give it a try!

As I've mentioned on here many times before, I'm a HUGE Pacifica fan. I've been wearing the perfume solids for years. Mediterranean Fig is a fav of mine in the fall/winter. Well they just came out with some amazing beauty products! I've read rave reviews on the mascara, I already use and love most of the lip products, and the eye shadows look divine. But what has really caught my interest is the new facial makeup. More specifically the new concealer and lotus powder. I've been thinking of grabbing this set because it's a fantastic deal, but I'm gun-shy since I can't seem to figure out which color I need.

I've also been majorly in love with simple and ethereal jewelry lately. Maybe it's the fact that in the summer you don't really need to make as much of a statement with jewelry since you're showing more skin. But one brand that I've been obsessed with for a long time is Dogeared. I'm so in love with this tiny little Hamsa necklace. I also love the Karma necklace and all the little stone necklaces as well The rings are also gorgeous, but I have really small fingers unfortunately, so they don't work for me. =(

And I saved the very best for last. The item that's at the very tippy top of my Lust List and probably will be for a long time, considering the slightly higher price. I've doing a little research and came across the beauty that is Riiviva! This little gadget is crazy amazing!!! It offers a professional quality microdermabrasion that actually rivals what you might pay anywhere from $55-$80 a pop in a salon for, depending where you live of course. It also has attachments for cellulite as well! SOLD! I'm planning on putting some money aside and will hopefully get one by the Fall, maybe I'll put it on my birthday list. ; ) Hopefully a full review is in the very near future!

So that's my latest lust list! Make sure to stop back for what I've been loving and reordering as well as a feature on an amazing, fair trade jewelry/accessory company!

My Summer Staples inc The BEST Natural Deo Ever!!!

Hey Lovelies! I know I say this every time I post lately, but I have to apologize for my MAJOR unintentional hiatus. As I had mentioned before, I started working part-time outside of the house a few months ago and I absolutely love it. I love getting out of the house and connecting with other adults (something I was seriously lacking as a sahm for 11 years) and I enjoy feeling like I have a purpose. It's been great for me! But my blog has obviously been a bit of an adjustment. Ok.... So I put it on the back burner. This definitely was not something I intended to do at all. The time just flew by and my time management skills haven't been so great. But I really do want to make an effort to revive my blog. I miss posting, I miss reading, and I miss connecting..... so much. So this week, it's my goal to really start working on some great posts for all of you. Even though I haven't been on here much, I've still been busy trying out some great products and putting some really great things together in my mind. And don't forget.... My Instagram is very active, and you can always find me on there! So without further ado, my latest summer staples....

Menthe Black Soap ~ Lip Spf ~ the BEST Natural Deo ~ Honest Spf ~ Facial Spf ~ Lavanila Rollerball

Like most people, a lot of my must-haves change during the warmer months! This summer has been no exception and it seems that I've needed to be more diligent than ever this year, since a lot of my previous mainstays don't seem to work as well for me anymore.This is by no means everything thing I use on a daily basis, these products are really the things I can't seem to live without at the moment (face/body for summer, perfume, sun protection, and bug protection). I'll start with my absolute FAVORITE of the bunch.

Let me preface this by saying that I have tried MANY natural deodorants. I've been Aluminum & Toxin-Free for years now. I haven't really met a natural deodorant that I didn't like, but just like with fragrance, they mix with your body chemistry and what works great for one person, might work terribly for another. I have a lot of fav's that I've mentioned in the past, but once summer arrives, it all goes out the window. Until now....

Introducing My Savior.... The most AMAZING natural deodorant I've ever tried... GreenBody Deodorant! So I ordered this Deodorant about a month or two ago. I originally thought that the Advanced Soda-Free formula would work best for me. In the past I've used a couple deodorants that I loved the smell of, but had some minor irritation and I had narrowed down the fact that baking soda might be the culprit. Luckily for me, Kristin from GreenBody was so generous and kind to have gifted me a Clarity stick (shown above) in my order as well. I immediately tried the products as soon as they arrived (super fast shipping I might add) and I started with the Soda-Free. Unfortunately this did not work for me. This doesn't mean this isn't a fantastic product. Something with my body chemistry and hormones just didn't mix with this. But it works great for my Husband! So my loss is his gain ; ) Now onto the Clarity version. I was hesitant to try this since it does contain baking soda. However, I was desperate since it had started getting really hot here and my other deodorants weren't working that well for me. I applied this and I'll be honest, it wasn't love at first sniff. As hippy dippy as I can be, I'm not a huge fan of patchouli. But I will say that it must really do something because I did not stink even at the end of the night. This lasted ALL DAY for me. And without getting into the gory details of my hormonal issues, that is a MAJOR thing! And after a couple uses, the scent did mellow out and I hardly notice it now. This deodorant will absolutely be a staple for me all year long and I'll definitely re-order again and again! I don't think I could live without it at this point. I can't recommend it enough!!! Thank you Kristin for making such an amazing product!

The next couple products are items I've been using for years now, but always seem to increase my use during the summer. This Menthe Black soap is great for body and face! I use it to keep breakouts at bay, especially after working out or spending time outside, and it leaves me feeling refreshed. I also use it in my daily facial routine (more on that later this week) and it's been working really well for any potential acne. It can be slightly drying on the face, but I don't really have an issue with this anymore since I've been using it for so long. I also really love Lavanila's rollerballs. As shown, the Vanilla Coconut is my favorite. It lasts pretty long on me and I love to mix it with the scents in my Melange Palette for extra staying power and when I want more of a smoky scent. But it also works great alone and the rollerball is so convenient and wallet-friendly. Don't let the small size fool you, it lasts for a long time! I'm actually due for a new one and want to try Vanilla Summer as well!

SUN PROTECTION: This is so very important. Skin cancer is more rampant than ever, and without sounding preachy, I don't think that it's just lack of sun protection, but also the use of products containing nasty chemicals that react in the sun! Natural sun protection, coupled with a healthy, antioxidant and omega-rich diet, are a necessity for myself and my family during the harsh summer months. I will be honest in the fact that I don't love every single ingredient in these products, with the exception of the 100% Pure item. But, I needed to find some form of protection asap while I was continuing the search for MY holy grail of sun protection that will pass my scrutiny. The Honest Sunscreen, while thick and hard to rub in, works ok for days on the beach or by the pool, and the ingredients are good as far as safety in the sun. The fact that it does take some work to apply is just the sacrifice I make for the fact that it is such a clean sunscreen for the most part. And though the Yes to Carrots Lip Spf contains soybean oil and limonene, two ingredients I'm generally not a fan of, I feel it's better to have a little protection on my lips on days I'm out in the sun all day, than no protection. Especially since the lips tend to be a really overlooked area. My mineral makeup does offer natural spf, but on days that I know I'll be out in direct sunlight, I use this pomegranate spf 20 under my makeup. It works well and doesn't break me out and is actually a decent primer! I actually really love a lot of the 100% Pure range! But as far as sun protection is concerned (body & lips), I'm still on the hunt for my perfect matches!

Last, but most definitely not least.... My choice for Bug Protection. This year has been so bad for Mosquitoes and ticks as well. Both myself and my son have both suffered from bad viral infections over the last month and there's a possibility that we got these infections via mosquito bites. Gross! I actually have a bad mosquito phobia at this point. They make my skin crawl. Even more so now than ever! So I look for the best protection I can find. Even better if it multi-tasks against more than one pest. I love DoTerra's Terrashield Blend for this purpose. It only contains a blend of effective essential oils and coconut oil. No nasty soy oil or other additives. You can simply apply directly to the skin (as it does contain coconut oil as a carrier) or mix with distilled water and spray. Just note that this blend does contain phototoxic oils and should not be applied when laying in direct sunlight for periods of time. With about 300 drops per bottle, it makes the cost per bottle so inexpensive! If interested, you can purchase through my Doterra site by clicking "Shop" and then look through the Oil Blends. If you have any additional questions on oils or this blend specifically, don't hesitate to contact me!

Make sure to stop back soon to check out the latest products on my radar!

Osmia Organics ~ A Review

Hi Lovelies! I hope all is well and all you Mom's & Mama's-to-be enjoyed your Mother's Day weekend!!! We had a busy beginning part of the weekend here, so I spent my day relaxing and spending some quality time with my Hubs, Son, and Furbabies. It was a really nice day! So a lot has been going on here and I've obviously been so behind on blog posts! I'll be sharing some exciting news later in the week!! But I wanted to make sure to get on asap to share an amazing product review with you! Especially with the heat quickly approaching. It's in the mid 80's and humid here in Jersey as I type! Bleh!!! Not my favorite.....

So as I had mentioned before, this past winter my skin was a nightmare. It was way more dry than it has ever been in my life and was just non-stop issues with breakouts. I definitely blame aging!!! But during the balmy summer spring/summer months, it's a whole other set of issues. I have combo - oily skin and it can get way out of control if I don't keep it balanced. I try to vary between some different masks, a nice light, but nourishing moisturizer and light makeup. This usually keeps my skin in check as long as I'm eating correctly for my hormones etc.

Osmia Organics was so very generous to send me some beautiful products to try! I received this pretty little package with the Detox Exfoliating mask (complete with little ceramic bowl & spatula), Black Clay Facial Soap, and samples of the Honey Myrrh Lip Repair and Purely Simple Face Cream. First off, all of the products smell delicious. Like so so good!!! And I love the simple & clean packaging. I'm a sucker for branding, what can I say! Ok, so on to the good stuff. I'll give you my thoughts on each individual product here....

The Black Clay Facial Soap is for Normal, Problem, and combination skin. As described on the Osmia Website: Black Australian clay and dead sea mud balance and tone the skin, while organic almond, avocado, and castor bean oils condition.  Coconut milk helps make the beautiful, white lather.  This is the soap I recommend for perioral dermatitis. For extremely sensitive skin, try a test patch on your inner arm first - the dead sea mud can be mildly tingly.

I really really liked this soap. I had some breakouts and dermatitis going on and within a couple uses, it started to clear it up. It was just the right amount of drying and nourishing. I also love the smell. And a little goes a long way! I like to cut my soaps into smaller pieces so they last longer. I cut a rectangular sliver and repackage the rest and it lasts me a week or more! I would highly recommend this soap for anyone struggling with any skin issues!!!

The Detox Face Mask with Manuka Honey was also amazing! This mask is for all skin types. As described on the Osmia Website: Three kinds of purifying clay, nourishing raw cacao and manuka honey, and toxin-removing activated bamboo charcoal are the key ingredients in this dual-purpose exfoliating mask.  It comes as a dry powder with a small, ceramic dish and stirring spatula, as pictured.  It may be used weekly as an exfoliating paste - the organic, finely-ground walnut shells and olive leaf powders will gently resurface and condition the skin.  If left on for 15-20 minutes as a mask first, it will also pull impurities from the skin as it dries.  The raw cacao will soften the skin, as its natural caffeine tones and lifts.  Afterwards, step in the shower and softly massage the mask away, leaving behind smooth, soft, conditioned skin. 


I loved that this mask actually came with a little bowl in it's own cute little packaged box, as shown above. Again, it smells of herbal & delicious. This review was actually a little tough for me, because for the short amount of time that I was able to use the product, it worked amazingly well! But in all honesty, there was an ingredient that caused a huge amount of itching for me. I'm not entirely sure exactly what that mystery ingredient might be, since I've used all the components before. In any case, I was able to keep it on for 5 minutes, and with the results I got just from that, I truly wish I could have held on longer. My pores were noticeably clearer and whatever wasn't clear was loose enough to easily scrub off. I can only imagine how fantastic my skin would have looked if I could have done 20 minutes!!! 


Due to the essential oil content and the ingredients that might be foreign to some natural newbies, I would highly recommend trying samples of the face mask and doing a patch test. Luckily Osmia offers samples of all of their products!!! This is a great way to give them a try before committing to the cost or if you are concerned that you might have a reaction. I'm sensitive to SO MUCH organic & not organic, that this is a great option for anyone that shares the same issues! 


The last couple sample size products I received were the skin cream which sounds lovely, but I did not try due to the fact that it contains almond oil and I was concerned I might break out from that. But I will say that I fell in love with the Honey Myrhh Lip repair. I actually wanted to eat it, it smells so divine. This is absolutely a product I would order! Just another wonderful way to feed my lip product obsession ; )


Osmia Products on my Lust List:


~ Whisper Lip Gloss
~ Taza Perfume Oil
~ Facial Calibration Serum  

** Make sure to check out Osmia Organics on Instagram & keep up to date on Twitter!!! 

DISCLAIMER: The Osmia Organics package shown above was generously gifted to me for my review. I was not otherwise compensated by Osmia Organics for this post in any way. All opinions stated are my own.

Getting Ready for Spring with Duluth Trading

Back in February Duluth Trading had sent me the amazing Convertible Messenger Bag and I fell in love. They were also so very kind enough to send me a fantastic Spring Staple that has really come in handy the last few weeks.

 The DuluthFlex Ripstop Jacket has been wonderful during the constant weather flip flops we've been having here in Jersey the last several weeks. It's not too hot, but offers just the right amount of warmth on a slightly chilly spring day. It's also thin, but extremely durable. I love the feminine fit as well! Though I do recommend sizing up if you like your jackets to fit a bit on the loose side. 

I also came across this amazing Vest that is just like the jacket, but without sleeves of course. I could see myself wearing this with a cute camo tee or striped long sleeve tee. You could def play around with it to achieve different looks. And the best thing is that they are not only functional, but so versatile, they should last a really long time!

There are 3 different colors - a khaki color, a slightly rusty shade and the green, which is sold out in the jacket in Medium!

I also have to mention that I'm still beyond smitten with my bag! I use it every single day and love it more and more as it gets more distressed. It's the perfect size to use everyday, but it's perfect to toss all my work essentials into it. It's darkened just a bit and has become more soft since it's arrival. And I just adore it. I used it all winter long, have still been wearing it and can definitely see myself slinging it over my shoulder whilst rocking a maxi dress, wedges and some boho jewels. It works with so many styles and can be used year round! 

Also noteworthy....

~ The Free Range undies

~ Durable Plaid Shirts

~ This Longtail Waffle Hoodie

Don't forget to stop by Duluth Trading's Twitter & Facebook pages to say Hi! =)

Latest Natural Beauty Haul

Hi Lovelies! I hope you all are doing well! I'm so happy that the warmer weather is right around the corner!!! This little bit of sun & warmth has been a bit of a tease lately. Though I'm not a fan of the summer humidity, I'm definitely looking forward to enjoying the outdoors and soaking up some Vitamin D very soon!!! With Spring on my mind, I've been making a lot of great purchases lately. I've been on the hunt for the perfect natural deodorant. I do have my mainstays, but I need something a little stronger when the heat hits. I also needed to change over to a different foundation routine and so far, I've been loving the results! This is my latest Natural Beauty Haul....

Top L: DermaE Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A & Green Tea Advanced Creme

Top Middle: Pacifica Coconut Kiss Lip Butter in Stardust

Top Right: Melange Perfume Essential Oil Roll-On No.3

Bottom L: Primal Pit Paste in Orange Creamsicle

Bottom Middle: W3LL People Narcissist Foundation & Pacifica Color Quench in Guava Berry

Bottom Right: Me & The Girls Bar Beleza

So I recently placed my order from Lucky Vitamin (which I do about 2x a month) and this time I decided to add in a couple extras. I've been searching for a really good night cream for what feels like forever. You see, I have very very VERY finicky skin. I'll use something for a couple weeks, everything will be going great and then all of the sudden, my skin decides it doesn't like it and starts throwing all these crazy symptoms at me. I'm sure there are different variables that contribute to this - my hormone issues, the climate, my diet, etc, etc .... but it's really annoying! The night cream that I was using and loving for a couple months suddenly started breaking me out really bad, so I decided to give the DermaE a try. So far, so good! It dried up a couple spots that I had, hydrates my skin without being greasy and a little goes a long way. I'm pretty happy with it so far! So much so that I'm planning on adding this Facial Mist to my next order. I also decided to finally give Primal Pit Paste a try, since as I had mentioned, I've been in the market for a new deodorant with the warmer weather rapidly approaching.

I decided to to go with the kids version in the Orange Creamsicle scent to match the slightly sweet scents of perfume and lotions that I wear. I really like the smell. It's not super Orangey, which is a good thing for me. I like oranges, don't get me wrong, but I was hoping for a more subtle, vanilla type scent. This deodorant works very well for me! The only very small gripe that I have personally, is that I seem to get some very slight irritation from the baking soda. This is definitely not enough to make me stop using it, as it's not terrible irritation, just not something I've really experienced before. It's just a tad drying right now. But this may be a benefit during the heat when I sweat a lot more! I'm not sure if this is a clear cut winner as far as when it's sweltering outside, but I could def see using this pretty much year round! 

Now on to my new foundation routine. I've been a very loyal Everyday Minerals user for years now. I've been extremely happy and have never had an issue. I've even tried a couple other mineral powders out there, and nothing works nearly as well for me. This is why I've been using them faithfully for about 8 years now. However, I've found that this winter, my skin decided it wanted to be super-dry and crepey.  Fun!!! I'm sure part of it are the variables I had mentioned with my moisturizer issues, but the other is the fact that I'm.... well..... to put it delicately, aging. Out of nowhere, it seemed that my beloved semi-matte mineral powder, the very same powder that gave me such a light, airbrushed finish, and the same powder that also fooled so many people into thinking that I had beautiful skin, started accentuating any flake of dry skin I had. It just would not blend properly into my skin. At no fault of the actual makeup at all, it was the canvas it was working with. So I finally decided it was time to change a couple things in my routine. I've been familiar with W3LL People for some time and the Narcissist had been on my Lust List forever!!! So it was time to pull the trigger. I knew this was going to be amazing for me. I could just tell. However, I could not for the life of me figure out what color I needed. Good thing they offer samples on the site! They got them out to me quickly, and after figuring out that I'm a No. 2, I then ended up placing an order with Pharmaca, which also provided excellent shipping time!

I absolutely adore the Narcissist! I use it as an all over foundation base and because I need a little extra coverage, use my Everyday Minerals Powder concealer and a dusting of my EM Semi-Matte Foundation Powder on top. It doesn't give a ton of coverage in the sense that if you have some scars or blemishes it completely covers, but it's definitely build-able. I would say about sheer medium, but it gives this gorgeous "lit from within" look. It's not shiny or oily looking, but like an inner glow. I like to blend with my fingers and then use my sponge to slightly buff it in before using my powders on top. And don't be scared off by the slightly higher price! There are no icky chemicals and a little goes a long way. Def love at first swipe ; )

I also grabbed a couple new Pacifica products this week as well. I'm a sucker for free shipping, so in order to qualify on my Pharmaca order, I decided to add the Coconut Kiss lip butter I've been wanting for quite a while to my order. I really like it! It's a lot more sheer than it looks, so I may go with a darker color next time. But the texture is really nice. I also noticed on my most recent Target trip, that a couple of the lip quench colors were on sale! I like to take a gander through the healthy beauty section every time I go, which is a couple times a week (there's a Target about 8 minutes away from me) and I just happened to see the Guava Berry & Sugared Fig colors were both on clearance for $2.08!!! I grabbed the guava berry and I'm in love! I may grab a few on my next trip if there are some left. The texture is so nice and moisturizing with a sheer wash of color. I don't typically wear pinky/purplish colors, so I was a bit scared, but for the price, I figured why not. I'm so glad I did! So so pretty and the smell..... Amazing! Like a delicious grown up grape juice. I highly recommend! My favorite tinted lip balm thus far!!! 

And last, but certainly not least..... I was recently sent a couple products that I have fallen so in lust with. The first is a product that came in a package that I won from Me & the Girls. It was the travel kit of all the various products. I use them daily, especially the spearamint lip balm... YUM. But the Bar Beleza Multi-Use Beauty Bar has me smitten! I use it on my cuticles, to smooth flyaways and frazzled ends, cuts/scrapes, and I have replaced the lone icky product I was using.... My neosporin, for when I get really bad spots on my face that are of emergency status. I recently had a bad one and no lie, I hit it with the Bar Beleza before I went to sleep, woke up and it literally healed overnight and peeled off! yes.... peeled off!!! And again, a little goes a long way. This stuff is amazing!

I also had the pleasure of receiving a little sneak peek package of a brand new slew of gorgeous natural perfumes from my favorite range, Melange Perfume. Denise is the sweetest and she sent me a roll-on bottle of  No.3 from her new Essential Oil Roll-On collection. It's described as: French Lavender, Moroccan Tangerine, dark Patchouli Leaf, creamy Oak Moss. An adventurous melange of pure Lavender, bold citrus and rich spice, perfectly balanced with creamy Oak moss absolute & a hint of Cedar. To be honest, I was a little nervous/excited. Only because I'm so picky with perfume. But she was spot on as far as choosing the scent to gift me! I adore smokey and earthy scents, and this is on point. When I first rolled it on, I was a little worried, as it has kind of an herbal & slightly citrus scent. But as it dried down, it became more complex and earthy. And by mid to the end of the day, it was this sweet and sexy hint of scent that lingered. I'm not quite sure that this will completely replace my Amber 2 palette (my most favorite perfume ever EVER), but it's really gorgeous and has major staying power, which I love! Melange is my go-to and I can't recommend all of the range of products, especially the palettes, enough!

So that's my latest round-up of purchases with a couple gifts thrown in! If you have any questions about anything mentioned, please don't hesitate to ask!

DISCLAIMER: All of the products above, with the exception of the gifted melange roll-on and the Me & the Girls giveaway kit, were all personally purchased by yours truly. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated in any way for this post.

Monday Musings My quest for the perfect summer deodorant, preparing for spring, and a brilliant date night movie!

Hi Lovelies! I hope you are all enjoying the lovely weather we've been having the last couple days! Here in NJ it's been a breath of fresh air, literally...... I actually don't mind the cold or the snow much at all, but even I'm a bit sick of it lately. I don't know that I'm necessarily ready for it to jump right into warmer weather, but that's only because I'm a little late getting my fitness regimen ready to prepare for losing those winter layers! More about that later this week ; ) Anyway, In the midst of starting a new part-time job this past week, I was forced to finally go through all my clothes and reorganize my closet. I've been putting it off for months! But luckily for me, my hubby is excellent at organizing things and he actually likes doing it! Score!! So he helped me go through everything! Major points for him!!! =)

{ source: honestlyWTF }

So I did a major purge and also found some things that I'm not quite ready to part with, but need some new life. There was a white, gauzy camp shirt I had gotten from American Eagle a couple years ago, wore once and left it downstairs. Only to find the next time I wanted to wear it, that it had gotten a huge rust stain on the sleeve somehow. I'm hoping that I can dye over it. I'm planning on doing some indigo dye or maybe trying out a dye using food or herbs. I'm also planning on making a flowy, floral maxi skirt out of a gorgeous dress I got from H&M a few years back! I'll post pics of the finished projects when they're done!!!

Another thing I start mildly stressing over when the warmer weather approaches, is deodorant. As I've mentioned on here before.... I've found some amazing natural deodorants that actually work! But.... The thing is, for me they fall into two categories - fall/winter or spring/summer. I have yet to find one deodorant that works so well, that I can wear it in the scorching summer heat. I have a few that I'm hoping to try.

{ source: schmidt's online }

This one by Schmidt's has been on my radar for quite some time and I'm planning on placing an order to try it out asap! Once I do, I'll post back on the results soon enough!


I also wanted to mention that I watched the most brilliant, lovely movie on Saturday night. I'm a huge fan of British films and I adored Love Actually. So when I saw the previews for About Time last year, I was already quite smitten. Especially being that I've had a such girl-crush on Rachel McAdams for years. She's so adorable! I finally got a chance to rent it and loved it as much as I thought I would! I think even guys that aren't into super girly chick flicks would like this one. But I will say that if you don't get British humor, you might not be a fan. I think this is going on the "buy list" for me! I highly recommend!!!

Coming Soon....

~ My Spring Jacket picks
~ Summer Sunglasses Obsession
~ What I've been Reading
~ My Latest Fitness Regimen

My {me} day - Poundfit, Holistic Facials, Skin Saving Smoothies, and Lovely lippies!

Hi there! I can't believe how much time has gone by since my last post!! I have had so much going on lately that the time just flies by so fast, but something I've been working on has finally come to fruition and I can really start focusing on this blog now! I definitely plan on organizing my time and putting a lot more energy into this blog!! I actually decided to kick this off yesterday with a personal "ME" day.

Everyone needs a "ME" day now and then. And everyone spends theirs differently. I decided to spend mine nurturing myself and doing some of the things that I haven't really had time to do lately. I started by checking out my new Poundfit DVD's that I got in the mail on Monday! I have been so so SO excited to get these, I was practically stalking the mailman. I have to say, they did not disappoint. Let me preface this by saying that I am not really into Cardio. I know it's necessary and so beneficial, but I really struggle with it. I don't like to run and I do ok on the treadmill, but I get really bored. I sometimes mix it up with some Dance Cardio a la Tracy Anderson Method, but again, I get bored. PoundFit is the perfect thing to add to my weekly routine! It looks kinda easy watching them right? Well let me tell you, it's not. I only did about 20 minutes because I didn't have a ton of time, and I am sore today. You sweat, it's fun, and it's perfect for someone like me that struggles with lack of fitness focus and needs to mix it up! I can't wait to start doing this daily!!! 

After I was finished my little mini-pound session, I hopped in the shower in preparation for giving myself a Healthy Facial. As I had explained before, I am chemical-free & I don't use any personal care products with toxins. I'm a label-reading lunatic!!! =) So here is a little pic of my ingredients....

There's actually one important component that I forgot to put in the pic, but I'll get to that in second. I started out by giving my face a good scrub when I was in the shower. Then I got my mask ready, My favorite thing to use is Aztec Secret Healing Clay, which I grabbed on a trip to Whole Foods probably well over a year ago. This stuff lasts forever!!! I personally love this clay because you can mix it with pretty much whatever you want according to your skins needs. Sometimes I use ACV as suggested on the package, and others I like to mix it with filtered water, brewed tea, facial oils, etc. This time I started out by doing a steam tent with some filtered water & tulsi chamomile tea. This way my pores were open when I applied the mask. The mask consisted of Aztec Clay, a couple pumps of Shea Terra Organics Wild Honey Argan wash (this is more of an oil, so I thought it would be great for moisture!) and my Wedderspoon Manuka Honey mixed with filtered water.  I just mixed everything together with my finger  in a little ceramic bowl (you def don't want to use anything metal here! It will react with the clay) until it reached the consistency I liked. I applied this directly after steaming and let it sit for about 10-15 min. You really don't want this to dry out a ton, or it will pull a ton of moisture from your skin. You can spritz with some orange blossom water if needed. Or, if you are using the mask for oily skin & clogged pores, just make sure to properly moisturize afterwards! Once I rinsed the mask off, I toned with a DIY mixture of Tulsi Chamomile Tea and a few drops of ACV that I keep in a glass spray bottle. 

After I finished my facial I decided to nourish myself by making a skin-loving smoothie! I grabbed some organic beets from Whole Foods this past weekend and have been looking for a way to sneak them into my daily diet. Beets have so many amazing health properties and are so cleansing, so I've been wanting to start incorporating them into smoothies, as I'm not quite accustomed to the taste just yet. I just used what I had on hand to throw this delicious smoothie together! I have an Omega Vert juicer and pressed the juice from the beets fresh. I then added the juice to some coconut milk yogurt, about a TB of organic chia seeds, and a handful of frozen blackberries in my blender, and blended until smooth. This was so good!! It was a tad sweet for my taste (probably because of the yogurt) and I think would have tasted amazing with strawberries, but I didn't have any. So maybe next time! 

I then spent the day just relaxing until it was time to pick my boy up from school. I felt refreshed and in good spirits. Not that my life has been super chaotic lately, but sometimes you just need to do these little things to reset & recharge, whatever that may mean for you! I want to close this post by sharing my most favorite lip balms with you! I am a lip balm addict and these lovelies have been my go-to's for quite some time.

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm, Mongo Kiss, Me & the Girls Lip Moisturizer 

I may have mentioned before, that while I love a bit of color on my lips, I'm not a lipstick girl. Never have been. I've been using this tinted lip balm for a year now and I adore it. It adds the perfect touch of color and it's so moisturizing. Even though it's fine alone, I like to add a little extra pout quenching goodness underneath. Hubby grabbed me a couple of these Mongo Kiss lip balms at the checkout in Whole Foods last summer and I love them! I keep one at my makeup table and one in my bag. The vanilla honey smells so good. And a new favorite, this Me & the Girls lip moisturizer. I love a minty smell on my lips and this has Spearmint, which I LOVE! It's hard to find any lip products that use spearmint (which I prefer to perppermint). I keep this in my bag and have been layering it under my lip tint! 

Enjoy the rest of your day lovelies! I'll be back tomorrow with my "The Last Thing Thursday"!

DISCLAIMER: All of the above products mentioned were purchased by me personally. No samples or compensation was provided for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

{{ Kaeng Raeng ~ Couples Cleanse Diary }}

Hi Lovelies! I apologize for taking so long to get this cleanse diary up. I'm actually typing this as snow is  coming down, hoping that we don't lose power anytime soon. As I had mentioned in previous posts, I was planning on doing the Kaeng Raeng cleanse. It got pushed back a couple times due to a lagging cold that I had. But it finally went away and the Hubby and I decided to do the cleanse together this past weekend. It was actually a great choice for so many reasons. It was fun to do something like this as a team, so that we could cheer each other on during the process, and bitch to each other when we weren't feeling so well! I've done cleanses alone in the past, and this was definitely a much better alternative for me. I would highly recommend doing this or even doing one as a group! Ok, so let's get into the details.

{ source }

Kaeng Raeng is the brainchild of founder, Lindsay Reinsmith. A little about KR in Linday's own words...

" I started this company four years ago with a single blender in my one bedroom apartment in downtown Palo Alto. I was working long hours as an advisor to food and beverage companies and hated how unhealthy I had become.  I started experimenting with raw vegan diets and created cleansing smoothies in my kitchen.  I knew what I had created was special (because it worked); so, in true Silicon Valley fashion, I posted about my weight loss, renewed energy, and better skin on Facebook.  Several men and women, people just like you, asked if they could join me in jumpstarting a healthier lifestyle.

I created Kaeng Raeng to provide an accessible, healthy, delicious, and FILLING natural cleanse product to the market.  I was sick of how tired and gross I felt with my awful diet of processed, artificial foods and decided to embrace the culture of health and wellness so ubiquitous in Northern California.  I found doing the Kaeng Raeng cleanse exhilarating and liberating.  I could really taste my food.  I was finally aware of what I was putting into my body.

I named the company Kaeng Raeng, pronounced kang-rang, which means "be healthy, be strong" in the Thai language. I continue to be fascinated with Thai's cultural cuisine focused on the vegetarian lifestyle (Phuket, Thailand has the largest vegetarian festival in the world). KR is truly a product that empowers you to find your best health and inner strength. Although we have a Thai name, KR is 100% made in the USA. "

To read the entire About Me page, you can do so here.

So while the various reasons for cleansing might be pretty obvious, maybe you're wondering why I, or we (my Husband & I ), chose to do this cleanse. I consider myself a pretty healthy person. I live a Holistic Lifestyle, and though I'm not perfect and do eat junk from time to time, I'm pretty regimented for the most part. I've also been Gluten-Free for a year now, due to gluten intolerance. This really keeps me in check, because some of the junk that I might be tempted to eat, most of the time, I actually can't eat it! Win-win!! lol. But though I lead this lifestyle, I do have quite a few pounds I would like to lose. I'm planning on really kicking my fitness game into high gear and I thought this cleanse would be a great way for me to do that. As far as my Husband goes, he's not as strict as me as far as what he eats. Especially since he's not gluten-free, so he can eat a lot of the food I'm not allowed to eat. He also thought this would be a great way to kick off his healthy living - especially since there's currently a "Health Challenge" going on at his work!


So I was initially sent the original 3 Day Beginner Level Cleanse, but since I did not know it had Soy in the ingredient list, I was not able to do it. I avoid soy and was so disappointed that I had made the mistake of missing it on the ingredient list! But Kaeng Raeng was so generous, that when they came out with their NEW Soy-Free version, they sent me a box to review! So that's when I had the idea of my Husband doing the Soy-based version and me doing the new formula! The cleanse is Vegan, Gluten-Free, Caffeine Free, Non-GMO (super important to me!!!), and locally sourced! To get into the details of cost, there are several levels, several options and various price ranges. It can get kind of confusing at first, but if you're a first time cleanser, you can choose from the following....

~ 3 Day Soy-Based $69.99 

~ 6 Day Soy-Based $119.99

~ 3 Day Soy-Free $79.99

~ 6 Day Soy-Free $139.99

~ Soy Trial Packet $8 each

~ Soy-Free Trial Packet $10 each

So let's get into the details of the actual cleanse process and my experience with it. Depending on the amount of time you choose to do it, you are sent 3 packets for each day. They are ...

"Joyful" ~ Strawberry, Raspberry, Pineapple

"Into the Blue" ~ Blueberry, Banana

"Daybreak" ~ Mango, Peach, Pineapple

You simply choose which flavor you want to do for each meal and blend it with 24oz - 32oz of water, non-dairy milk, or a little low-sugar fruit (or even some leafy greens if you like that!) and/or ice. I tried both and preferred my smoothie to have a little less water, and did the 24oz. We made ours in the blender and poured them in 36oz mason jars. This kept great, as we did not drink our entire smoothie in one sitting. We decided to split it up between two 2 servings. This was also a great option for my Husband, as the cleanse extended into Monday, a workday for him. I made his smoothies in the morning, poured them in jars and put them in an insulated lunch bag for him to bring to work! So the convenience was great!!! Because there's so much going on in this post, I'll break down our experience bit by bit for you. My overall thoughts....

• The price:  I think this cleanse has a great price point! I love the ingredient profile (I'll get more into that in a sec) and the convenience is great! And you don't have to worry about juice going bad in your fridge if you decide that it's not the right time to start after ordering!
• The prep:  The prep is super easy!!! You can choose to make your drink in a shaker or a blender. I prefer my drinks to be smooth, so I made them in the blender. It all depends on personal preference as far as texture goes. But like I had stated above, they keep really well to make ahead in the morning and to bring to work, etc.
• Meals/Snacking: You can eat Raw Foods during this cleanse. I personally don't think I ate enough. In all honesty, I was pretty hungry during the 2nd day. And by hungry, I mean HANGRY. My monthly "friend" was visiting, so maybe that was not the best time to choose to do a cleanse, lol. But I wasn't hang from the ceiling crazy, just kinda bitchy. As far as the Husband, he had no issue whatsoever. It was actually a running joke throughout the weekend because this was his first cleanse, and it was not mine, yet he was coasting right through.... so he reminded me several times! ; )
• The juices:  Ok, as far as taste goes, I'm not going to lie.... They are just a teensy bit bland added with water only. But there is a great recipe page that gives you some great ideas as far as tasty add-ins with juice etc My favorite as far as taste alone was the Strawberry blend and then the Mango blend. We chose to add a few pieces of frozen, organic fruit to our smoothies and were just mindful of what we were eating as far as raw foods went. They both tasted great with a couple pieces of pineapple, mango and a couple strawberries. Because this increased the sugar content of the smoothie, we just made sure to eat veggies in our meal (like a nice raw salad) and if we had a piece of fruit, we ate a fiber-rich apple, no banana's etc. This seemed to work just fine. But I will say this, I LOVE the fact that this cleanse includes a whopping 15g of protein! You don't see this in cleanses and I really loved this, as it kept me feeling full for the most part. It also contains plenty of fiber (necessary to eliminate those toxins), Vitamins, and my favorite.... PROBIOTICS! I'm big into probiotics and gut health. Your gut is your "second brain", did you know that? Well it totally is!
• Hunger: As I had mentioned above, I had a bit of a hunger issue. In hindsight, I would have increased my raw veggies a little. I think I was a bit stingy as far as how much I ate and could have added a little more. Husband had no issue with this at all.
• The side effects: No side effects for me or Hubby!
• The experience & Results: I thought the overall experience was great for both of us! It was really convenient and I loved the ingredient profile of the packets. It was a HUGE plus that I didn't have to worry about taking any additional supplements to support my system during the cleanse, and I had no side effects at all. I personally lost 5 lbs. I think I could have lost more if I was a first time ever cleanser. Because I already lead a Holistic type lifestyle, I think that impacted my results. But I was having some skin issues and I think this cleanse kick-started them clearing up for me, which was great! The Husband on the other hand started prepping for the cleanse the week before by making some minor changes and lost a little weight prior, but he lost a total of 11 lbs!!! This was an amazing start for him. 

My Advice for a Successful Kaeng Raeng Cleanse....

~ Prep yourself the week before! Especially if you are a first-time cleanser!!! I cannot stress this enough. Work on eliminating crappy foods from your diet. Be mindful of your portions. Add in fiber-rich foods so that you don't get clogged up during your cleanse (this might happen because this cleanse contains a good amount of fiber ). In other words.... DO NOT eat a super fatty, junkie meal the night before you start! Prep yourself before you wreck yourself!!! You WILL absolutely regret it if you do this and you may even sabotage your cleanse.

~ Work on increasing your water intake the few days leading up to the cleanse, especially if you are not a water drinker! I personally drink a ton of water normally. I have some coconut milk in my coffee in the morning, but that's pretty much it. I rarely drink juice and absolutely do not drink soda. So for me, this was not a problem. But drinking lots of water to help flush out those toxins and keep you regular during your cleanse time is absolutely crucial!

~ Don't be stingy with your raw meals. If you're hungry, eat some bell peppers or celery sticks. For dinner have a leafy green salad with some bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, etc and a delicious detox-friendly ACV dressing. I make mine with a teensy bit of raw honey and organic dijon mustard. Yum! 

~ Take note that depending on where you're coming from before this cleanse, you may or may not have detox symptoms. This is perfectly normal, unless they are alarming in nature. If you have them, it simply means that it's working. Just like if you do not, it doesn't necessarily mean it's not working. Just be mindful of what you're experiencing and try to keep in tune with the symptoms. You may need to drink more water, eat a serving of veggies etc.

Overall, I could definitely see myself doing this cleanse 1-2 times a year and keeping the packets on hand for quick & easy, vitamin rich meal replacements!  Want more details on this cleanse? Check out the recipe page, FAQ, and Nutrition profile!

I hope you enjoyed my review and found it helpful!!! Make sure to check out Kaeng Raeng on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram to stay up to date!!

DISCLAIMER: For review purposes, Kaeng Raeng generously sent me both the soy-based and soy-free versions of the 3 day cleanse to review. I was not compensated financially in any way. All opinions stated are my own.