Morning "Green Drink" Routine

Ahhh mornings… they can either be the best part of the day… or the literal worst. To help me start my day off I’ve been pre -making as we call it in my house my “green drink” each night before bed so I can just grab and go in the mornings!

In full disclosure, this drink isn’t yummy… but to me it’s not bad and I’ve grown to actually crave it! I get that little boost of caffeine I need, some collagen peptides that help me with soooooooo many things – I’ll get more into that in a second, b12 to keep my energy up all day and liquid chlorophyll that helps with gut health.  These drinks have helped me with my gut health as well as clean up my skin and help with some joint pain it’s seriously been a game changer in my life.

Items needed:

1.       Contigo Autoclose Shake & Go Double Wall Tumbler

2.       Matcha Powder ( I like this one). 

3.       Collagen Peptides  - I am loyal to the Further Foods brand

4.       Liquid B12 – (I like this one)

5.       Liquid Chlorophyll (I like this one)

Directions:

(I’ve found that this order mixes the best for whatever reason…)

1.       Fill cup almost to the top with water, I leave about ¾ of an inch room

2.       Add  1 big scoop of collagen peptides

3.       Add 1 big scoop of matcha powder

4.       Add  1 tablespoon of b12 (check your mcg’s if you purchase another brand and measure accordingly)

5.       Add  1 tablespoon of chlorophyll

6.       Shake shake shake senora!

7.       Enjoy, or put in fridge overnight. I haven’t ever let them go longer than overnight in the fridge. 

So why these ingredients?

1.       Matcha – packed with antioxidants, boosts metabolism, detoxifies, enhances mood and provides long lasting energy - what isn’t to love?

2.       Collagen Peptides - helps improve skin health, increases muscle mass and prevents bone loss, relieves joint pain and helps with gut health.

3.       B12- B12 helps your body produce red blood cells. Improves mood and gives you an energy boost if you are deficient. B12 also helps support healthy skin, nails and hair due to its role in cell production.

4.       Chlorophyll - the same stuff that helps plants with photosynthesis! This will help support your body in a few ways; it promotes intestinal, digestive and immune health. As an extra benefit it also helps neutralize body odors as an internal deodorant. (Read- less stinky poop).

That’s it guys! Let me know if you try it, I’d love to hear what you think!

(These links are affiliate links, I may make a small profit if you use them!)

Holiday Gift Guide #4 - Beauty Gadgets!

Hey babes! This guide is all about gadgets... beauty gadgets that is! These are all items I have in my bathroom and use on a regular basis - you know I am all about trying things before I share them with you!

I thought this would be a great roundup for the beauty lover in your life, as it can often be hard to shop for makeup and products for someone else. We're picky about our brands, our shades of foundation and what we put on our faces aren't we? So here you have it... five gadgets for your beauty babe. 

First up... this awesome make up brush drying rack. I first learned about this from my friend Lauren (check out her beauty blog while you're at it! www.laurenerro.com) and let me tell you, I am not sure how I lived with out it before. 

No more brushes on towels scattered around your counter. No more weird flat bristles from drying on their sides. Game. Changer. You can pick it up on Amazon for $8.99 HERE.  You probably want to pick one up for yourself as well... 

The next item is something you never knew you even needed, and then once you start using it you have no idea how you ever lived before. I was gifted this mascara guard by a friend and thought that it would be just another something I used a few times and got lost in a drawer. Oh how wrong I was. This simple curved mascara guard from Tweezerman helps keep your perfectly blended eyeshadow and your painstakingly applied concealer just how you want it. You can grab it for just $8.15 HERE.

You know that relaxing feeling when you get facial where the warm steam starts to cover your face and you just know you're going to leave there glowing? Why not give that gift to someone! Enter... the at home facial steamer. 

Facial Steamer $25.99

I think this is the single biggest improvement I have made to my skin over the last few months. I use this 2ish times per week after cleansing my face super well. I then tone and apply products. This is a great gift for someone looking to upgrade their at-home skincare routine, or perhaps someone that isn't able to get regular facials. You can pick this one up on Amazon for $25.99 HERE. 

Any guesses what this next product is? Nope not an ear thermometer... its a vacuum for your face! 

Home "microderm" skin vacuum $34.99

... ok stick with me here. A vacuum for your face. Yes, sounds insane. Yes, you look insane but... it totally works. They advertise this as a sort of at home microderm procedure, which it certainly is not quite the same. I have been using this for about 3 months now. I would highly recommend you start out with super light treatments and work your way up. I don't think this thing sucks out impurities quite like it says it does, but it is a wonderful exfoliation and has evened out my skin tone. You can pick this up on Amazon for $34.99

Last on the list, if you have followed me for any length of time you have seen a gazillion times. But, really its so amazing I knew it should be included here. There is a not a single person who wouldn't benefit from a facial ice roller. Get rid of those puffy under eye bags in an instant. Refresh that dull complexion and get rolling! You can grab it on Amazon for just $11.00 HERE

Facial ice roller $11.99

So there you have it! My favorite beauty gadgets right now. Do you have any gadgets I need to know about? Be sure to drop it in the comments below! Happy shopping! 

XOXO | SLL

Belif Skincare - Moisture Bomb Review (Eye & Face)

We all know that skincare can be a daunting task, there are so many lotions, potions, serums, masks etc I often don't know where to start. I also feel that it usually takes a few weeks of using a product to know if it's going to make a difference or not. That, first and foremost is why I am writing this review after only a couple uses.  

Before I get too far into this blog - I want to be sure and mention that I received these products for free in exchange for my review on sephora.com, and there alone... that being said... I really enjoyed them so much I wanted to be sure and spread the word with everyone.( I also just spent another $150 ordering different products from their line... I mean... Dom, these were free too when they show up... )

So what are we talking about here? We're talking about Moisture Bombs by belif -believe in truth a Korean beauty brand with an impressive line of skincare and cosmetics. You can find their line of products at retailers like sephora or online via Amazon. 

I have pretty normal skin. I'm not overly oily or dry (except in the winter) so I am hesitant to buy all new products just for a season (stupid I know) so I was delighted to see that these products were called "moisture bombs". 

My first impression was that I was initially impressed with the packaging. I have been known to not use a product because it doesn't work with my bathroom aesthetics, yes I am that crazy.  The pretty packaging makes these products feel special. Upon further investigation, I again was not disappointed. 

I opened the Belif Moisture Eye Bomb - ($48, currently exclusive in the US to Sephora). The thick cream has a pleasant yet not overpowering scent. Important for me especially around my eyes. Their claim is that the eye cream provides a "26-hour burst of moisture" - while I'm not sure that I felt like I had fresh product on, I did wake up with pretty darn good looking skin around my eyes! It definately held its moisture, and the skin around my eyes was much much less crepe-y when I applied concealer. 

I also used The True Cream - Moisturizing Bomb ($33) all over my face and thought it worked nicely. This might be a little too thick for me to use twice a day so I think I will continue to use this, but only as a night moisturizer.  It is not greasy per say, but you can certainly tell its on your skin. If you like more dewy look then this is for sure the moisturizer for you. Again, it was lightly scented but nothing identifiable, just enough to smell fresh. 

Overall I was more impressed with these two products than anything new I have tried in a while. I am excited to get the masks I ordered (I mean... oops sorry Dom!) and will update you once I've tried them! 

Also, after doing a bit of research found out that this brand is a total cult favorite, even making PopSugars list this fall. I keep hearing all about K- Beauty (Korean Beauty) but have not yet tried any until now. So tell me... do you have any other K-Beauty musts?!?! 

XOXO | SLL