Blemish Treatment That Works!

I must say I don't have acne prone skin and thankfully I never have. But once a month I'll always get a few pimples and always in the most visible spots...of course. As a teenager I've learned that piling on makeup just makes it worst.  On my quest to treat these little invaders, I've gone through countless "blemish" products, that either kind of work or just don't. Well, this pink little bottle of goodness does it's job and does it well! Indie Lee's Blemish Lotion is just perfect!

Why I love it: 

- With 8 ingredients it's 100% natural which is one of the most important things for me when it comes to skin care. (All the ingredients are basically natural antiseptics, some with drying properties and others have nourishing and repairing properties)

- It's an over night treatment that only take seconds to apply

- It reduces redness and inflammation

Disclaimer: This product does not get rid of pimples overnight...I don't believe any product does. But it DOES help the healing process and reduces the amount of days of having to deal with a visible and painful intruder. 

How to use it:

Make sure to let the bottle sit in an area that is doesn't get moved too much because the alcohol and pink paste are meant to separate. If it does end up mixing just wait for the product to settle. After it's separated dip a cotton swab into the sediment and apply on to affected areas. I like to do it overnight and let it do it's job, or you can let it sit for a few hours if your at home and then wash it off. 

"Where do I get it?!"

You can get it online at www.indielee.com OR I got mine at The Detox Market in Toronto which is where I discovered this wonderful skin care company!

Prepping for cold season - Power Drink

Working in a salon, I come in very close contact with up to twenty different people a day, five days a week, face to face. Especially with cold season right around the corner, people are already getting sick so I tend to start to boost my immune system around this time.

This is a remedy my mother and I have been using for the past several years to beat colds, coughs and stay energized during the winter. I love this drink because it works, it's healthy and it's easy peasy to make. I actually recently learned that this drink is a popular Ayurvedic medicine.

What you'll need:
1 cup of hot water
1-2 slices of lemon (I use half a lemon for colds)
1 tsp. of shredded ginger (I use a tbsp for "extra strength")
1 tbsp. of honey (try not to get processed honey, raw is best or Manuka)

Directions:
To save on time, I shred the ginger into my mug, then squeeze the lemon while the water is boiling. I pour the water into the mug and let it is sit till it is at a drinkable temperature. That's when I mix in the honey (high temperature can destroy the antioxidants and nutrients in the honey). 

Benefits:
Ginger: A powerful root with anti-inflamitory and antioxidants properties. Ginger aids in indigestion and stimulates saliva and bile production which helps move food and fluid through your GI tract (an organ responsible for digesting food, absorbing nutrients and expelling waste)
Lemon: High in vitamin C and other anti-oxidants can help boost your immune system in fighting colds or the flu. Any food high in vitamin C also help in the absorption of iron.
Honey: Traditionally used as an Ayurvedic medicine has many benefits, it was thought to be effective in fighting imbalances in the body. It has anti -viral and anti-microbial properties. Helps alleviate coughs and is known to help alleviate allergies as well.

During cold season I tend to drink this once a week and for a quick immune and metabolic boost I'll sometime just shred some ginger, add hot water and drink it on my way to work. When I first started drinking this it definitely took some time getting used too the taste. Now I actually love it because I know of all the benefits that I'm getting and it's keeping me healthy.

Cosmania The Must Beauty Boutique to Visit in Amsterdam

During my amazing stay in wondrous Amsterdam, I was told by my housemate to visit her favourite beauty store Cosmania on a beautiful narrow street called Herenstraat filled with unique boutiques.
Following her advice I biked my way over to the Jordaan District(my favourite) where there is a new generation of occupants: artists, students and young entrepreneurs.

Entering Cosmania you automatically feel a sense of comfort, as you clearly see all the products displayed in a minimalistic and simplistic manner. Brands are separately displayed together on wooden selves with testers on the bottom. The front of the store mostly caters to hair and body products, then as you walk farther into the store it fazes into skin care and makeup. The modern feel of the boutique is accompanied by cool house music playing in the background.

A beautiful detail I love about this boutique is that because it caters to both women and men it has a unisex feel to it, so men, want to pick up something nice for yourself or your lady? Don't hesitate to head on in.

A little bit about Cosmania...

The creators of Cosmania, Marije Hoff and Marcel Dekker call themselves "self-confessed cosmaniacs".  A clearly charismatic team Marije and Marcel have a passion for foreign products, beauty, photography, design and fashion which is clearly displayed in their beautiful boutique.  Having years of big companies under their belt such as L' Oreal, Lancome, Biotherm and Oillily the two decided to embark on their own private cosmetic company that caters to both women and men that have a love for beautiful beauty brands. Starting out as an online store celebrating their 4th year, the boutique in Herenstraat has now been open for a year and a half.

I had the honour of meeting with one of the creators, Marcel. Speaking with Marcel was a pleasure as he told me about his and Marije's background and about combining their passions, fashion with cosmetics. As well as bringing international beauty brands to Dutch consumers with affordable pricing.

Myself with one of the founders Marcel

Cosmania carries beautiful, special and affordable international products that you can mostly only find in Cosmania. I love that their products have quality and integrity keeping with the brand's philosophy. With plans of expanding throughout Holland, Marcel gave me some very good tips about being an entrepreneur. Follow your passion, follow a business plan, REVISE the business plan and most importantly stay consistent!

This is defiantly a must visit store for all beauty lovers....

Here are a few of my favourite products from Cosmania:

Inglot Makeup

Korres Fig Body Butter

John Masters Organics Hair Products

If you are ever in Amsterdam, be sure to visit this wonderful store!

VLOG Self-Motivation for a Radiant Life (working out)

Beauty Monday: 5 Beauty Tools I......

 I actually got tagged on Instagram to to post about 5 Beauty Tools I... and thought this would make the perfect Beauty Monday post. As I haven't posted in a while (tons as happened/changed) so I'm getting back on track! Woohoo! Enjoy!

1. Beauty product I can't live without: Annabelle's Brow Pencil and Benefit's Gimme Brow are two product I can't live without! Brows frame your eye and help shape your face. They can make you look put together when your rushing out of the house or don't feel like doing much with your face that day. Early call times consist of shaping my brows with Annabelle's pencil and filling in with some Gimme Brow! 
2. Makeup item I will splurge on: This is more a beauty tool rather than makeup, I will splurge on brushes and I will splurge a lot. I believe that having the right tools makes all the difference with application, blending & execution. l admit I'm more of a brush addict that product addict, especially when it comes to my kit. 
3. Product(s) I travel with: To things I always toss in my purse & ALWAYS have with me wherever I go is my lip balm & Arbonne's Skin Conditioning Oil. My skin gets very dry during travel so having these two conditioning products for me is a must. Recently, popped into Kielh's and was curious to try  out their lip balm as I was running out. It has a lot of natural oils & vitamins , but the only thing I don't like is that the main ingredient is petrolatum (vaseline), for myself it does the trick but because of the petrolatum I wouldn't purchase it again. Arbonne's Skin Conditioning Oil is great cause it's tiny and goes a long way and doesn't leave your hands greasy but moisturized. Perfect for our dry Canadian winters!
4. Beauty Tool I Can't live without: I probably could but choose not too. After purchasing the Mini Beautyblenders for my kit I got my own. Just makes blending so much easier and faster underneath the eyes. So why not? And it's TINY barely takes up any space in your makeup bag!
5. Beauty product I normally don't buy: Would be bronzer....Seriously I don't, I always use it for my contour but somehow I always end up getting one from someone else or a freebie (YAY!) Also, because I only use it underneath my cheekbones it lasts me FOREVER! I do really like M.A.C's Bronzing Powder because even though it's undertone is orange, the pigmentation isn't as strong so it's real easy to get it looking like a shadow as opposed to an orange streak under your cheeks. *Less is more people*

Belated post

Why have I disappeared from this blog????????????

Because I am currently living in Amsterdam for the month of April, specifically till May 3rd. So before my departure from Toronto I was prepping as well as working pretty much everyday. Maybe had 3 days off for all of the past 4 months. Doing freelance makeup, The Brow House and keeping up with my fitness served me barely any time to blog and get inspired. Along with tax season.....don't get me started about that!

I know that's pretty rad right? So I've been here for a week taking it pretty easy, let's face it as much I love my job(s) I'm a nomads, love to travel and needed to experience new people and new places. So I've done all the touristy things and literally just roamed the city. Can I tell you something, I still haven't experienced mediocre food? Seriously, everything is so good. Not only that I live in the best damn area! Steps from the farmer's market, a walk away from a super cool coffee shop called Coffee and Coconuts (a featured blog on that later) and so close to the city centre you can smell it! (not literally, figuratively) Literally dream location for me! #manifestyourdreamlife

After a week of being here, I'm doing a couple of shoots this weekend, WOOHOO! Super psyched to be working with a talented team. And to be living out one of my many passions of doing makeup & hair.

I've had "me time", traveled, explored. I feel amazing, I even reconnect with a friend I haven't seen in 4 years! It's been amazing so far, I know it's only getting better!

Stay up to do follow my Instagram Nomadic Beauty, as I am always posting, not a an IG fan? That's ok you can follow me on Facebook Founder of Nomadic Beauty Blog and Services!

Sending Love & Hugs! Some awesome blogs coming up soon!
Nomadic Beauty

Why Veil Complexion Fix?

For a day to day basis I don't see the necessity of wearing layers of makeup on your skin. My philosophy is to use makeup as a tool to enhance your natural beauty, not to cover it up. So why am I raving about this concealer?

Why? Because it's not JUST a concealer! It's the holy grail! Ok, ok maybe not the holy grail, but it's pretty freaking awesome. 

Benefits: 

- Hydrating

- Soothing 

- Improves under eye circles

- Brightens dull complexion

- Improves uneven skin tone & colour

- Weightless coverage!!!

Veil Complexion Fix uses Lightfast Technology, which means it bounces off light on the area that you apply it on. Which I love because as a lot of the population, I have hereditary indents (not dark circles) underneath my eyes, that can get exaggerated when I'm tired and/or don't drink enough water.   Regardless they are always there, no amount of cover up can help. So this bounces off light on the area so that it's not as noticeable.

"The ultimate brightening, soothing, and hydrating compound. Our proprietary blend of three key actives is found in all our skin care and color products. It targets melanin production, interrupting its development, preventing additional dark spots from appearing, while calming, soothing, and increasing moisture levels not only on the surface but deep down to a cellular level - leaving skin texturally smoother, refined and more even over time."

I find this product perfect for all ages, it's so light & easy to blend. You can use your ring ringer or my favourite is to use the Mini Beautyblender to blend out product. The one thing you do NOT want to do is rub the product in, you want to lightly tap the product until it is nicely blended. 

You can check out my FULL video on how to apply it on my YouTube channel Nomadic Beauty