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Beauty Vixen

I haven't done an empties post forever, but I was tidying up and tossing a few things, so I may as well do a post.

Hubby stuff...
The hubs tend to use up his face washes the quickest.

Mary Kay Foaming Beard Wash
This foaming was in the shower for a while, but he liked both the scent and the fact it was foaming. He requested more, but it was a limited edition, so instead he is going to be using a few Jack Black beard wash samples I received.

L’Oréal Paris Men Expert Pure Power, Anti-Imperfection Scrub, Exfoliating Face Cleanser With Salicylic Acid
This wash has exfoliating beads and salicylic acid in it, which is great for his acne-prone skin. He liked it a lot, but we are moving back to PanOxyl for a while, it really is the best for his acne.

My Stuff...
Sol De Jannero 62 Body Fragrance Mist
I got a mini of Sol de Janeiro 62 and then a set with 4 that also included it. It was then I put a focus on using it up. I'm actually shocked I did, I like the scent and will keep on using the next bottle.

Bathorium Crush Bath Soak Northern Sage Recovery 
I'm a big fan or Bathorium and this tiny pack didn't take too long to use up. I have a few more of their larger packs to use up, and I'm going to work on that the next few weeks.

Pantene Miracle Intense Rescue Shots Dry Hair Treatment
I buy 4 packs of these minis when they go on sale. They're pretty good shots of concentrated hair masks. I used two this round,
Pure Standard Products Epsom Salts 
As much as I love other bath products, I always have a 5kg tub of this stuff from Costco around. I usually use one up every 3 weeks or so. I do mix it into other products, it lets me stretch other products out. 

Teas..
Teas aren't something I use up quickly but do have a lot of. Last week I was shocked to learn when I decided to make an Excel sheet of all my teas and realized I used some up.

Tazo Passion (Herbal Tea)
Passion is the original tea used in Starbucks passion tea. I have a backup box, so I won't be buying another

Tazo Wild Sweet Orange (Herbal Tea)
Sweet orange I picked up in the US last fall and really fell in love with. It is naturally sweet and smells just like oranges. If you are a fan of mulled apple-type teas and like oranges, I think this one is worth trying. Lucky for me, it is now in Canada and I can get a box just about anywhere. I am going to wait until the new year to get another box in an attempt to use up some of my other ones.

Teavana Darjeeling. 
I got this when Teavana was still around. I used to use my star rewards from Starbucks on ounces of tea. I have so many black Teas I forgot about it. When I was making a tea spreadsheet I found it and decided to use it up. 

That's it for empties. Hopefully, I do another post at the end of the year.  
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Yes, summer is over, but it was 24 degrees out the other day. It is so warm and sunny it feels like late Summer. With that, I thought it would be a great time to talk about the 5 things I have liked the most this past summer.

The products are going to be hanging out with my Feather Friends from the summer collection. I do not know how I became a person who fell in love with decorative birds, but here I am ordering ones for the holiday season.
Biore UV Aqua Rich 50 SPF
I got a four-pack of these at Costco in the spring. I really enjoyed it. It is one of the few sunscreens that does not burn my eyes, which is a big deal in the hot summer months.

I did a full review here if you want to read it. They did a very good job of adapting the Japanese formula for the Canadian market, considering we do not allow all the ingredients here (which I really hope they update soon).
Dr. Scholl’s® Ultra Exfoliating Foot Mask *
I used this in the early summer to prepare my feet for sandal season, and it worked great. I had thick and flaky skin on my feet and didn't want to get a pedicure. I used it again after my pool closed. I tend to kick off the rough walls of the pool and get cuts, so I had to wait until after they healed to use it again. 
I did a full review here. I love the multi-pack, which means I don't have to worry about picking up more and how well it just works. I also like that there is a lotion version, so I can keep the smooth feeling going as long as possible. Their Ultra-Hydrating Food Mask is also fantastic.
Pixi On-The-Glow Blush/Bronzer
I picked these up when I did a Shoppers Drug Mart order and have loved using them. Everyone talked so much about how great they were, and I now see why. I really liked using them in the hotter months for a glowy blush look. Really nice formula.
Joico Air Dry Styling Cream
Since I swam from Canada Day to Labour Day pretty much daily, I did not want to damage my hair more by styling it with heat. I ended up using this no-heat styling cream instead and let my hair air dry. I do really enjoy how my wavy hair decides how straight or curly it wants to be every time I wash it, this product helps it do that without weighing it down while preventing frizz.
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush / Trader Joe's Brazil Nut Butter Products
Ok, I know it is not a single product...but hear me out. I went to Trader Joe's in June after a concert at Fallsview. I picked up the three Brazilian Nut Butter items they sell, Body Butter, Body Scrub and Body Wash (they all cost $5.99 USD). They are apparently a dupe of the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush scent. Since I have two minis of the Sol de Janeiro body spray, I figured I would focus on trying to use one up.
Since they all go so well together (I do not think the TJ is a dupe of the scent; the TJ smells a bit different), I just started using all 4 products daily. As a result, I used up a mini body spray by the end of September. Mission accomplished for intentionally using up a product.
So there you go, those are some of the things I really enjoyed this past season. I am actually looking forward to some fall weather in the next few weeks. The trees are now a great shade and I always enjoy walks with Bradley when we aren't going to pass out from the heat.

What have you been loving lately?
* denotes products sent for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
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It is that gift giving time of year again, and I thought I would share with you some items that I think would make a great gift. Whether for you, a friend, coworker or loved one these gifts make great gifts if you ask me. I bought many of these myself and would love to receive any of them as a gift.


Gifts for Fragrance Lovers:

If you have a fragrance lover in your life these are the gifts for them.

Yardley English Rose Eau De Toilette / $18.99*

When it comes to fragrances, I love this one. Yardley's English Rose is a light and wonderfully simple rose scent that I just truly love. Every single time I wear it my husband tells me how great I smell. There just truly is something classically perfects about this rose scent. 

I think this makes a great gift for anyone you know who loves fragrances and roses. They also make a Lily of the Valley and a Lavender version, both of which I also really enjoy, but the rose is by far my favourite and as such it makes a great stocking stuffer.

Mary Kay Women’s Fragrance Gift Set / $39.00*

Mary Kay makes a some great fragrances, but picking just one can be a bit hard. This little set has three Mary Kay eau de parfumes in miniature 7.5 ml spray versions. It makes a great gift for someone you just don't know what type of fragrance that they like or someone who likes to play with scent. I personally am giving this to my one Mother In Law.

What you get:
- Dream Fearlessly -- Chypre Floral fragrance
- Love Fearlessly -- Amber Floral fragrance
- Live Fearlessly -- Floral Woody Musk fragrance

Mary Kay Men’s Fragrance Gift Set / $39.00*

If you have a man in your life, or just like men's fragrances yourself this set if perfect for you. Similar to the woman's version, this one has cologne sprays.  I personally adore the scent MK High Intensity, I will spray this around my bedroom just because I love the scent so much.

What you get:
- Cityscape Cologne Spray
- MK High Intensity Cologne Spray
- MK High Intensity Sport Cologne Spray

Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Jet Set / $33.00

looking to gift something fun and tropical? This might be the kit for you to give. It features three Sol De Janerio's '62 scent products in miniature versions. 

I picked myself up this travel set in November because I wanted to tryout the brand I had heard so much about. 

What you get:
- 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
- 3 oz/ 90 mL Brazilian 4 Play Shower Cream-Gel
- 1.01 oz/ 30 mL Brazilian Crush Body Fragrance Mist
- Travel case


Bath and Body Gifts:

If you are like me, you may like baths. I honestly could not live without them, so that is why I love bath time gifts so darn much.

Mary Kay Citrus Rose Satin Hands Pampering Set / $51.00*

Mary Kay's Satin Hands Pampering Set is a cult classic. I have loved this for decades, and while they make it all year round in the White Tea version and in unscented, right now there is a limited edition Citrus Rose version that is very nice indeed. 

You get the classic three step set, unscented Protecting Softener, Citrus Rose Satin Smooth Refining Shea Scrub and Citrus Rose Nourishing Shea Cream in a gift bag.

The Citrus Rose scent is light and floral, really quite pleasant and I hope they make it a permeant item.

Dr. Teal's Melatonin Canister Gift Set / $9.99

Dr. Teal's Melatonin products have been heavy rotation of mine since this past spring, so when I saw this cute set for just $9.99 I had to grab it. I personally love this line and think gifts like this are a real affordable way to try out a bunch of products from a brand. I also really like that it comes with a tub to store a full sized version of their salt soaks in. 

The Melatonin is supposed to help relax you before bed, but the scent of Lavender and Chamomile is what really does it for me.

What you get:
- Dr Teal’s Melatonin Sleep Soak / 396 g
- Dr Teal’s Foaming Bath / 118 ml
- Dr Teal’s Ultra-Moisturizing Body Wash / 118 ml
- Dr Teals Epsom Salt Scrub / 15 g
- Bath Pouf
- Reusable container fits a full size 3lb bag of Dr Teal's Epsom Salt Soaking Solution

Dr Teals Relax & Relief with Eucalyptus + Spearmint 5-Piece Bath Travel gift Set / $9.99

I still love other Dr. Teal's scents, so I also picked myself up the Relax set. This one features Eucalyptus and Spearmint, which is great for cold weather. Also it is a great steal at about $10

What you get:
- Dr Teal’s Relax & Relief Epsom salt/ 396 g (14 oz.)
- Dr Teal’s Relax & Relief Foaming Bath / 88 ml
- Dr Teal’s Relax & Relief Body Wash / 88 ml
- Dr Teal’s Relax & Relief Bath and Body Oil / 30 ml
- Dr Teal’s Relax & Relief Body Lotion / 28 g

Bathorium Crush Bath Soaks / $8.99*

Bathorium is a Canadian brand that is on a mission to make baths a fabulous experience for everyone. With that their Crush Bath Soaks I feel are a fantastic gift option for anyone on your list.


Their Crush Bath Soaks are each designed to do different things to help your body and that is why I think they will make the best gifts for your loved ones. They can also be made into a foot bath!
Bathorium Northern Sage Recovery Rejuvenating Bath Soak - it makes your body tingle! It also has eucalyptus to help clear your sinus and has BC Blue Glacial Clay.
Bathorium CRUSH Eucalyptus Apothecary Rejuvenating BathSoak - Eucalyptus for congestion, Pink Clay and Aloe Vera for sensitive skin and Tea Tree oil for muscle tissue
Bathorium CRUSHCharcoal Garden Detoxifying Bath Soak - Charcoal, Coconut Milk, Sweet Basil and Lavender, overall it is supposed to 'detox' the skin, but I love how it helps relax me so well.
Bathorium CRUSH Sea Kelp Serenity Relaxing Bath Soak - Kelp and Shea Butter to hydrate the skin, Sea Salt to relax muscles.

You can pick them up alone or together in a holiday set. I really like the concept of these soaks and how they are so concentrated in ingredients.

The Body Shop Fragranced Bath Bubble / $3.00

For some stocking stuffers I picked up some Bath Bubble bars from The Body Shop. At $3 a pop they are easy to pop into any stocking or add onto a gift. With Pink Grapefruit, Coconut and Moringa, they are fun and make bath time better. I also picked up their bath bomb in Strawberry.

Me! Bath Unicorn Magic Bath Bomb / $5.99*

Me! Bath makes great Bath Bombs, I reviewed this one before and I think they make great stocking stuffer. I mean it is a bath bomb after all!

WR Watkins Lavender Hand Cream / $9.99*

Hand lotion? In the winter? Who doesn't need that? I know I do. WR Watkins Lavender Hand Cream smells great and does a great job of fixing dried hands in the cold weather. With Shea and Cocoa Butter and 10 natural oils and extracts this is the gift to give to anyone who works with their hands, walks a dog a lot or even just exists in this cold Canadian weather.


Skin Care Gifts:

Skin care gifts are great gifts, so let's start talking about them.

Mary Kay Rose Quartz Facial Roller with TimeWise Replenishing Serum C E / $67.00*

Right now if you buy Mary Kays TimeWise Replenishing Serum C E you get a free Rose Quartz facial roller and a bag for it. This is a fantastic serum that I adore so getting a bonus is always a great thing and a great gift to give (or keep).

Mary Kay MKMen Skin Saver Set / $65.00*

My man is 100% still clueless in skin care, but that doesn't mean other are or have to be. This is a cute little kit that contains a pouch, MKMen Advanced Eye Cream and MKMEN Advanced Facial Hydrator Sunscreen SPF 30. 

My man has been working outside at a security gate for the last few months and I keep on telling him to wear a lotion with some SPF and he doesn't. So he is getting this kit for Christmas and I will sleep better know that he will be using it.  All joking aside (BTW not at all joking about this), this is a fantastic kit to give any man out there. I would be giving it to my father in law if not my husband, and my just order him one.


What you get:
- MKMen Advanced Eye Cream / 18 g
- MKMen Advanced Facial Hydrator Sunscreen SPF 30 / 88 ml
- Limited Edition Grey Pouch

Sephora Collection Mini Mania / $34.00

This is a mini kit full of six Sephora Collection skin care basics. It is everything you need to kick start a skin care regiment without the expense. It also comes in a travel bag making it a great jet setter gift.

What you get:
- 0.8 oz/ 25 mL Triple Action Cleansing Water
- 1 oz/ 30 mL All Day Hydrator
- 0.7 oz/ 20 mL Overnight Glow Mask
- 0.5 oz/ 15 mL Ultra Glow Serum
- 0.7 oz/ 20 mL Brightening Eye Cream
- 0.5 oz/ 15 mL Clean Skin Gel

Makeup and Beauty Gifts:

I love a good beauty gift, brushes, lipsticks, blush, you name it I love to get them. With that I present my Makeup and Beauty Gifts.

Real Techniques Everyday Essentials / $29.99*

Real Techniques constantly makes the best brushes at an affordable price out there, which is why their Everyday Essentials brush set is on my list this year. This is a great kit filled with some of their best brushes. I think this would make a great gift for anyone looking to buy for someone new to makeup or even someone you know who just loves brushes. I am thinking teens and early 20s here.

What you get:
- RT 400 Blush - Blush
- Miracle Complexion Sponge - The classic sponge for foundation applications
- RT 300 - Deluxe Crease
- RT 402 - Setting
- RT 200 - Expert Face

Quo Beauty Glow Serum Blush / $25.00

I haven't tried a lot from Quo since their recent relaunch, but this intrigued me. Four gorgeous liquid blushes packaged together. I think these make for great stocking stuffers too, so take them and break them up and give one to each person you are thinking of.

There are 4 shades in here and each one is 8 g in size.

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Mini Soft Pinch Liquid Blush Trio  / $32.00

Since I haven't tired anything from Selena Gomez's makeup line I really thought I should give these a shot. There are three mini liquid blushes in here. It is a great way for someone to try out the line without a huge commitment. It also features two exclusive shades.

What you get:
- Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Bliss / 3.2 mL
- Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Hope / 3.2 mL
- Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Peace / 3.2 mL

Mary Kay Matte Shine Lip Set / $30.00

This limited edition kit has options for both matte and glossy lips that will make anyone smile. With a matte long lasting lipstick and a clear lip oil , whoever you give this to can mix an match how they like to wear them. It comes in both Rose Pink and Cinnamon as shade options.

What you get:
- Matte Liquid Lipstick (Cinnamon or Rose Pink) / 6.5 g
- Lip Oil / 9.5 g


Cozy at Home Gifts:

Staying in is what I do now, which I think all of us do a lot more of now a days. Being comfy at home is the goal if you ask me. I personally love to snuggle up so here are my gift ideas.

Saje Room Spray Kit / $40.00

Getting the right at home scent down is easy with this kit of 4 fragrance sprays from Saje. I picked this set up because I love mint and this has their Peppermint Twist in it (I also have the fragrance oil). This set also has 3 other festive scents to help set the mood in your home. You can buy Peppermint Twist on its own, but the other three sprays are exclusive to this kit.

What you get:
- Liquid Sunshine 100 ml
- Fresh Start 100 ml
- Peaceful Slumber 100 ml
- Peppermint Twist 100 ml

The Comfy Dream Original Blanket Sweatshirt / $59.99*

I received one of these Comfy Dreams in the spring and instantly fell in love. It is a massive fleece hoodie that goes down to my knees. It is warm, comfy, loose and overall just the best thing to wear in the house. I loved wearing it to the drive-in all spring and fall long where it kept me warm and snuggly. Now that it is the winter I am wearing it in the basement while I snuggle up with a hot coco. 

I love mine and wear it constantly.

Michel Design Works Boxed Candle / $28.00

Nothing sets the mood better than a great candle. I absolutely adore peppermint, this Michel Design Works candle smells absolutely amazing even when not burning it. It has peppermint, hints of spearmint and vanilla and eucalyptus. Made of 100% soy wax it has burn time of over 45 hours. You can pick it up in plenty of other scents, but I truly adore this one.

Those are my top picks for gifts this year. I hope there are a few things that you like and may consider getting for a loved one or yourself.

* This post features pr samples for review purposes, those products are marked with a *. All other products were purchased with my own money. All views and opinions are my own. In addition there are some affiliate links on this post, if used I may earn a small commission. I thank you for your support of my blog.

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I haven't posted a haul post in what seems forever.  Honestly I haven't been buying much and when I do I forget to post on them.  I recently grabbed some things from Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart and Sephora (with a friends and family 20% off coupon).  
Sol de Janeiro Anitta x Sol de Janeiro Perfume Mist
I have never tried a thing from Sol de Janeiro, but this sounded really intriguing to me. Unlike their other mists this one said 'perfume mist' on the description vs 'hair and body fragrance mist' but when it arrived it said 'body fragrance mist'. What the difference of all of this makes but it was a bit confusing. 

Anyways this is a light fragrance that's fruity and tropical. 
The notes are:
TOP: Passionfruit Nectar, Água de Coco
MID: Tiger Orchid, Jasmine Honey
DRY: Pink Patchouli, Vanilla Bean

I've been enjoying it but wish it had less of a coconut lingering scent to it.
Tom Ford Eye Color Quad Eyeshadow Palette 29 Desert Fox
I already have one TF palette and thought this would be a good time to pick up another.  

Desert Fox is made up of pale orange, deep shimmering gold, light warm brown, and deep brown with red undertones shades.
Bumble And Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Hot Oil Concentrate (5 Pack)
Remember hot oil for hair? V05 comes to mind (which went out of business but seems to be back in the USA). Anyways, I have wanted some for a long time, so when I saw this limited edition product I thought it was worth picking up. You can also get them in singles, but this seemed like a great idea so I got it.
Sephora Collection Holiday Coconut Foot Mask  & Holiday Mango Hand Mask
I have no clue why I picked these up, except they were $7 and 20% more off made them seem intriguing. My feet and hands get pretty beat up during the holidays so maybe they'll make them feel a bit more comfortable.
Sephora Collection Vitamin Tonic - B3 Dragon Fruit
Sephora has 3 different versions of these tonics, I chose the B3 version. I understand it to be a toner. I haven't opened it yet, but am excited to try it out.
Wet 'N Wild Multistick
I picked these sticks up at Walmart. They are rich and creamy, these happen to have no shimmer or sparkle to them but have a nice sheen. They can be used for the lips, cheeks or eyes, I clearly wanted these shades for my eyes. 

So far I really like them and love that I was able to fine shimmer free versions.
Quo Smooth & Soothe Beauty Bar
This was in a random holiday display at my Shoppers Drug Mart. It is by Quo and is a massaging facial tool. It cost about $14 so it seemed like a great idea.
L'oreal Extraordinary Oil Daily Treatment
Ok so I have no clue at why I bought this. I guess I thought it was a single shot oil for your hair like the hot oil. I realize now that it is just a sample single size of the Extraordinary Oil, either way I bought it for my aunt so I hope she likes it.
So that is a bunch of stuff I got recently. I did just place some orders for the Sephora Sale, so maybe I will post more on them soon.

Have you splurged on anything lately?

*I purchased everything myself with my own money. Some  links contain affiliate links that may earn me a small commission.
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About Me

Jill Oliver-Fox is a Toronto based beauty blogger with a love for beauty, food, and pets. She began the blog in 2009 and hasn't stopped since. To read more about Jill and the Blog, click here.

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