I'm a convert to Lush Toner!

My most recent purchases at Lush are hands down new favourites, one of them being something that I have recently been converted too!

I have to admit that I was not convinced toner was something that I needed to incorporate into my everyday beauty routine, especially since these days my routine consists of next to nothing! However, when I went to West Edmonton Lush for a free facial I was convinced! They used "Breath of Fresh Air" toner water which comes in a super handy little spray bottle (pretty handy for the lazy lady I have become) and as most of the products I am using, is totally vegan! The combination of sea water, aloe, seaweed and rose is outstanding, and totally great for all skin types (mine is a bizarre combination of oily yet super dry!) Throughout my research I have learned that most elements from the ocean are incredibly beneficial for skin that gets put through the ringer all the time, and I figured I would put it to my own test! For those who know me know that I am huge fan of aloe/seaweed type scents but I am not interested in floral scented products at all and so I was pleasantly surprised that I did not pick up on to much of a rose scent when it was sprayed on my face!
After a couple of different tries I figured out the best way to use this product, so here we go. First wash your face with your most beloved face wash (I will tell you my new fav a little later on in this post) then after your face has dried for a few seconds spray your face (I find 2 sprays work best) a few minutes before you apply face lotion! Make sure after you spray your face you allow it some time to soak in and work its magic before slapping the lotion over top.
I honestly found that my face felt so much fresher immediately, I didn't find my skin felt tight and dry like it normally did! After a couple days of using it I noticed that I was not getting nearly as greasy by the end of the day, my complexion began to even out a little bit and, AND I felt that I didn't need to use as much make up to even out my skin! Such a bonus!
So yes, my name is Becki and I am now addicted to my toner. Not a day goes by that I do not use it and I do not plan on ever running out of toner again!

My other purchase was face wash, I honestly cannot tell you when the last time was that I bought the same face wash more than once. I am always finding new ones, or finding out that the face wash I had was not as cruelty free as I thought that it was. So, I have been switching brands and types pretty frequently. The newest one is 9 to 5 cleansing lotion from Lush.
I love that it is made from almond oil and orchids which give off an amazing smell! Not to florally which I definitely enjoy! It is of course vegan, and one of the few (if only) liquid cleansers that Lush carries. It does not disappoint I will tell you that!
The explanation brags that this is made for the working girl, and for most skin types with the ability to remove all the dirt and make up off your face at the end of the working day! Thus far, it is not lying! The most beautiful part is that a little goes a long way, I usually use about a dime sized amount and can easily clean my whole face and neck! Once I have washed it all off I feel so clean and refreshed and there is no make up left, including mascara! An added bonus was that I am able to clean my fresh tattoos with this because it is so gentle on your skin and doesn't have harsh chemicals or perfumes that can very easily harm sensitive skin.

So, all in all I am so impressed and in love with my new products. I am even considering buying a second bottle of the 9 to 5 when I am finished with this one!
Hello major life commitment!

As soon as my tattoos heal and I am allowed to soak in a bathtub again be ready for my review on a couple of the bath bombs I've been so nicely storing underneath my sink!

Be well
Becki

Easy, simple, chia seed pudding!

As per the request of the lovely Arianne Bieber (keep in mind, I still want to use Leishman), I am posting the easiest recipe that I have ever come across! Not only is it easy as all get out it is delicious, like mind-blowingly delicious.

Chia Seed Pudding

What you need:
3 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup non-dairy milk (preferably a sweetened, but non flavoured one)
1/2 tsp vanilla
something to flavour it with just before serving

What to do:
1. Combine the chia seeds, milk, and vanilla in a sealed container and stir.
2. Place in fridge, stirring every half an hour or so for the first two hours.
3. Let sit between 2 hours and overnight.
4. Serve and enjoy!

I topped mine with cinnamon when I served it, and it was TO DIE FOR! Nutmeg, cardamon, brown sugar, agave nectar, fresh fruit, chocolate syrup or billions of other things could be delicious atop this easy creation!

It has a similar consistency to tapioca pudding but has a ridiculous number of benefits such as fiber, protein, blood sugar balancing, omega-3, and anti-oxidants. I could go on, but I am sure by this time you have tasted your concoction and have been sold based on the delicious flavour alone!

Don't stop with chia seeds and pudding either, these puppies are versatile! Add them to salad, pasta, cereal, smoothies, basically anything you eat!

I hope I managed to convince you how amazing these little guys are!

Be well!
Becki

LUSHious products review!

Since the women that working at the West Edmonton Mall location of Lush are some of my favourite women in the whole world (no joke), I went to visit again! This time I was surprised with a number of amazing things, one being that even though they didn't have any of the face mask I was jonesing for in stock they did have enough to give me a little container to try! The second surprise was that they were having a product party the following Saturday, which I (luckily) had off! My friend Amanda and I booked an appointment for facials and tried to contain our excitement until Saturday!

This brings me to my review of the face mask I was gifted! I opted for the Catastrophic Cosmetic since it is one of their vegan and fresh face masks. The idea of it being a fresh face mask was incredibly appealing to me because it means there is a serious lack of preservatives and instead it is just an amalgamation of fresh plant based products! At first glance/touch/taste (admittedly this stuff did go in my mouth a little bit) I was convinced the the main ingredient was seaweed and thought nothing negative about it! However, the base of this face mask is blueberry and the skin of the blueberries kind of emulated the texture of seaweed, which I enjoyed! Not to mention the smell is to die for! 

Since you keep this face mask in the fridge prior to using it the chilly temperature is incredibly invigorating and helps to open up your pores to receive the insane number of vitamins the blueberries are packed with! I am not the most graceful of individuals so I definitely got the mask all over my face, shirt and bathroom but in the process I could feel the mask start to pull all the garbage out of my face! I was a little bit nervous that I would have a slight reaction to this product since I have such sensitive skin, but it is so mild and cleansing that I was just left feeling a lovely tingle. 

I did find that the mask dries very quickly, and if you tend to make very bold facial expression (not unlike myself) you can end up getting the dried mask all over your apartment! However, it was a breeze to clean up and the smell just kind of lingered. Removing the face mask from my face was also so easy! I simply soaked a face cloth in coldish water and placed it on my face for a few minutes and then I was able to gently wipe it away!

The end result was a fresh, grease free face and a very pleased customer! I definitely plan to purchase this again in the future and attempt to use on a weekly basis. The combination of blueberries, calamine powered and almond oil was just wonderful! I would most definitely recommended this to anyone, with any kind of skin type you can think of! 

Catastrophic Cosmetic Face Mask

Another product that I have been using for the past couple weeks is the Lush Veganese hair conditioner. At first I have to admit that I was not sold on it, I have a large amount of curly thick hair and it takes a lot to work through the knots and mats that occur near the nape of my neck, and the veganese conditioner did not seem to have the manpower needed to work my hair out. However, closer to the end of the bottle I noticed that my hair was not getting as knotted and I was able to use to a little bit less conditioner than I was using at the beginning and to top it all off I was getting lots of compliments on my hair! I do plan to purchase another bottle of veganese when I get paid because I would like to see what other miracles this stuff can create! Not to mention the smell, seaweed and lemon! HELLO! So lovely! 

Stay tuned to see how my adventure with Lush Veganese goes. 

Until then, be well.

Becki

The secret to delish banana bread... even the critics love it.

As per the request of another one of my lovely friends I have decided to share the ever loved banana bread recipe that I have conjured up! It is a mix between a number of banana bread recipes that I have come across and have found unsatisfactory. I figured what the heck, I will combine the best parts of the great ones and make my own banana bread which if I do say so myself is to die for!

Banana Bread
(Note, I ALWAYS use bananas that have gotten to ripe for my liking and so I froze them. I feel like this is the key!)

4 medium bananas, mashed
1/4 cup Earth Balance, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar (or raw sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 pinches of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. Mash the bananas (sometimes I put them in the microwave for a few minutes to get them nice and gooey), and then add the butter and sugars then mix till they form a creamy texture.
3. Add in the salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix to combine.
4. Stir in the flour, mixing only until moist.
5. Bake in a greased pan for about 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. If you choose to make muffins, cut the baking time in half (but keep a super close eye on them!)
6. Let them rest before you take them out of the pan.

Again, please enjoy! This is one of my favourite and most loved recipes.

Be well.
Becki

A couple favorite recipes of mine!

A friend of mine requested that I post a couple of recipes for her, since she claims I inspired her to make some of her own! I don't know that inspired is the best word, I don't think what I do is especially extraordinary but I am happy to share the delicious things I have created with the rest of the world!

First one is ridiculously easy, and I ALWAYS have the ingredients that I need to make it hanging around my house.

Banana Ice Cream
Ingredients:
6 frozen bananas
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4 tbsp sweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp coconut or vanilla flavor

Steps:
1. Let the bananas defrost for about 20 minutes, this makes them easier to work with.
2. Put the bananas in the food processor one at a time. If you don't own a food processor you will have to use a potato masher or a fork to get them to the proper consistency.
3. Add the remainder of the ingredients and blend until they are a smooth consistency.
4. Taste and make sure it is sweet enough.
5. Put back into the freezer so it becomes frozen solid again!

Try swapping out the coconut for peanut butter, or something else delicious if you want something a little bit different.

The next recipe is one that I found on Pinterest and immediately knew that I had to give it a shot!

Chocolate Coconut Granola

Ingredients:
2 cups of rolled out (I used instant)
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp coconut extract (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp agave nectar
pinch of salt
3 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp water

Steps:
1. Preheat the over to 300 degrees.
2. In a large bowl stir together oats, coconut, and almonds.
3. In small pot, combine oil, brown sugar, agave nectar, salt, vanilla and coconut extract, cocoa, and water. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved (about 4 mins).
4. Pour mixture over oats and stir till coated.
5. Cover a baking sheet with foil and pour in oat mixture, press to about 1/2 inch thick.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes.
7. Remove granola from oven and press down again.
8. Once granola is completely cool, break into chunks and store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

It is tasty on basically everything!

Let me know if you have any questions, but I hope this is comprehensive enough!

Be well.
Becki

My first review!

With my conscious decision and need to be more kind to the environment as well as the living creatures I share it with I have begun to move towards a cruelty free brand of make up and beauty products. While I am not using one brand exclusively at this point have begun to distinguish which brands I find more effective in their own right. At this point one of my favourite overall brand is Lush, they have such a wide variety of products that it is truly hard to go wrong, and it is one of the easiest tasks I have ever taken on to find something to purchase each and every time I set foot in one of their retail locations.

Since Christmas, when I made the final decision to be more consciously aware of what is in the products I am using I have acquired an obscene (and I truly do mean obscene in the best possible way) amount of products from the various Lush locations in Edmonton. I currently have everything from bath bombs to mascara and a number of products in between!

Although I do want to stop using the chemical ridden brands I currently own (which will remain nameless), I do feel it is important that I do not waste what I have spent my hard earned money on. So I am slowly integrating the happy and healthy products I have stock piled in my bathroom. On top of the purchases I have made, I have also been so graciously gifted some products by the fantastic ladies (and some men) who work at Lush and in turn I suggested that I would test the products and review them on my blog as well as rave about them to most of the people I encounter on a day to day basis.

Before I go deep into the products I used I want to mention for a moment how much I love the retail locations in Edmonton that I have visited, multiple times. It is incredibly heart warming to walk into a store and feel welcome and have each and every staff member greet you with a smile and some sort of blessed sentiment. They are there to help their customers and do not make you feel as though you are a burden when you ask silly questions (such as, "does the none of your beeswax lip balm contain beeswax?") They are more then willing to chat with you about your specific needs as well as doing an outstanding job of selling the products it is clear they are excited about. Not once have I had a poor experience shopping in any of their locations, mainly West Edmonton Mall, and I am certain the great experiences will continue for the duration of my loyalty to their company and brand.

Let me continue on with my rave about the products I have had the chance to use!

Eyes Right Mascara

One of the first things I purchased from Lush was their mascara. For those who know me quite well that mascara is one of the things that I am unable to live without, and envy of those with full luscious lashes is something I have to live with everyday. The need to stray from tar filled mascara was stronger than my envy for huge (clump filled) lashes and so I took the plunge! I finished up the last of my lash blasting earth hindering chemical filled tube of volumizing lengthening mascara and cracked the seal of my snazzy new Eyes Right Mascara! At first I was a little bit perturbed at the size of the brush, I wasn't confident that it would give me the length and the volume that I so desire, but instead of giving up hope I knew I had to give it a shot. The size of the brush and handle take a large amount of getting used to, but once you have a handle on it the mascara itself is quite lovely. Although the mascara is not as hugely dramatic as some of the larger nationwide brands it definitely holds it own in the mascara department (in my humble opinion). I also find that you have to add a couple of layers in order to get a solid amount of volume, pending that is what you are into anyway! The mascara lasts all day, even when I am sweaty or splash milk, water or number of other liquids on my face at work which I love! It is always a pleasure to check your make up and not spend your time trying to wipe away the flakes of mascara that have accumulated underneath your eye. The only thing I cannot yet attest to is the hold it has if you have started to cry, the mascara does not claim to be waterproof, so I can only assume the worst would happen if I teared up at any point but I will only be able to tell you if I choose to cry one day soon. As for the removal of make up, it was an actual breeze! I did not have to use any sort of make up remover as it came off when I washed my face with my regular face wash at the end of the night.
So, my final decision on this mascara is: lovely! I would consider purchasing it again, however I would also invest in some larger brushes to go along with it as I am growing tired of cleaning mascara off my eye lids once I have finished my make up in the morning. The volume and lengthening is great, and no clumps is something I am still getting used too (granted I am excited about it!)

Blousey Shampoo & Happy Happy Joy Joy Conditioner

These are both samples that I have been gifted from some of the lovely ladies at the West Edmonton Mall location who were so excited about the new conditioner that was released that on top of the conditioner I was already purchasing they wanted me to try out the new one!

The shampoo was somewhat standard, and a pretty intense change from what I normal use (an unscented, coconut oil one... not Lush brand). Although this one did not have any added colours or scents it had a strong hemp scent which I am not totally opposed to, but not in love with. The consistency is thicker than I expected it to be, and it is not foam as I had expected it to. However once I had pushed it through my hair and rinsed it out my hair felt incredibly clean and fresh! 

Happy Happy Joy Joy is a new conditioner that Lush has just announced (fun fact: the name derives from the old Ren and Stimpy cartoon back when I was a child!) I was excited to try it, mainly because the cashier at Lush was ecstatic about this new conditioner and it was all she could do not to give me an entire bottle to sample! Upon smelling it in store I was a little bit weary about giving it a shot, although it did have citrus in it (my all time fav scents usually contain a citrus of some sort), it also had a very strong rose scent. I later learned that it is not simply a conditioner, but also a hair perfume... hence the strong floral scents. I figured I would give it a shot anyway, even if I didn't like the scent it could end up having some greater benefits for my hair! The amount I was given was barely enough for the extreme amount of hair on my head, but I massaged it through and let it sit for about 6 minutes because I wanted to give my hair the opportunity to soak up as much moisture as possible considering I hadn't used conditioner for 4 days prior to this (I ran out, and kept procrastinating getting more). I really liked how soft my hair felt in the shower after I had used it, however my only concern comes from the lack of detangling I found it did when I was trying to comb out the knots afterwards. I ended up using a detangling spray to be able to comfortably run a comb through my hair, but let me tell you my hair was softtttt! I let my hair air dry as I normally do, and I ended up with soft and pretty curls! I could only determine one thing: this conditioner did not weight my hair down as most other ones do, which I appreciated greatly. However, the scent was far to overpowering and I truly believe that the only way I made it through the entire day was by pulling my hair into a bun for work. Each time I moved my hair a wave of perfume came flying at me, and since I really do not enjoy the scent of roses I would gag... slightly. 

Everything else about the shampoo and conditioner was amazing, but unfortunately I do not believe I will be using the conditioner again purely based on the strong rose scent! But hey, if that is your thing this conditioner is the one for you! I will likely stick to my Lush Veganese conditioner (I will be reviewing that in a following post).

I feel like this post is far to long to continue, so I will leave it as is and will review some more of my favourite Lush products as well as a couple other brands that I have started using at a later date. 

Be well. 

Becki

The life I have been leading.

So clearly I have been M.I.A in the last little while again, so I feel like I am obligated to tell you what it is that I have been up too (not that it is overly exciting).

School, school, school and a little bit more school is really what took up the majority of my precious time. Then when I was not hunched over a book or my laptop I was likely at work. For whatever reason I felt like working 30 hours a week on top of my pretty intense course load would be an excellent idea. Let me tell you for those of you who are considering doing such a thing, don't! Unless of course you feel like death would be really fun, or you hate sleep. 

Christmas definitely could not have come soon enough for me, after exams and final papers were done I finally had the opportunity to breathe and get a whole 10 hours of sleep one night (I felt like I deserved it after the semester that I had). Along with the copious amount of sleeping I managed to do I also got my Christmas shopping done and gathered the recipes that I was planning to do for my Christmas day feast, which I know some of you have been on the edges of your seat waiting for! So here we go. 

I have to apologize for the lack of photos in this post because I decided a couple of days ago that I should delete them off of my phone! If you want to see what all of this looks like check out my instagram (@missbeckip), they are all entombed on there.

Pico de Gallo ... I really don't know if the spelling is right, but you can also just call it fresh salsa. 

6 medium vine tomatoes (somewhat firm)

1 large red onion

1 orange pepper

1 yellow pepper

a bunch of cilantro

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut everything up into 1cm cubes except for the cilantro, oil and seasoning (you can use a food processor for this as well, which I would have... except it was gifted to me AFTER I made this dish)

2. Combine in a bowl and add shredded cilantro (as much as you would like), I did not add to much because I am apparently genetically abnormal and am one of those people who really do not like, almost hate, cilantro. 

3. Add in the oil and coat the vegetables. 

4. Salt and pepper to taste. 

5. Serve with crackers, tortilla, or pita chips. 

Hint: the longer you let it sit, the more the flavours work together to create delicisouness. 

Spicy Butternut Squash

2 medium squashes (peeled and cut into 1 inch-ish cubes)

1 diced onion

4-5 cloves of garlic (minced/crushed)

chili powder

2 tbsp olive oil (or another cooking oil)

pepper to taste

1. Put the olive oil in the pan to heat for a couple of minutes (medium high heat), then add the onion and garlic. Let those sweat out and unleash their delicious flavour for about 3 minutes. 

2. Throw in the butternut squash and fry on the higher heat for 5 minutes until they have a crispy outside. 

3. Turn the heat down and to low (about 4 on a standard stove) and put the lid on the frying pan.

4. Stir the mixture every 4 minutes or so until they are fork tender and then add in chill powder and pepper. I added quite a lot because I really enjoy spicy foods, but it is really up to you. 

5. Let the flavours meld together on low heat for 2 or 3 more minutes and then remove and enjoy!

Another idea for the flavouring would be a taco seasoning kind of mixture, the flavours would go really well together! 

Sesame Green Beans

2 pounds of green beans (you know those bags of green beans you can get at the grocery store)

3 tbsp of sesame seeds

3 tsp of sesame oil

pepper to taste

1. Cut the gross ends of the beans off and rinse under cold water.

2. Blanch the green beans in boiling water for about 2 mins or until they become a bright beautiful green colour. Promptly remove from the boiling water, drain and run under ice cold water until the beans are cold.

3. Heat up a skillet with 2 tsp of the sesame oil, when hot add in the green beans and sauté for 4 mins or until the beans are warmed through again. Then add in the remaining sesame oil. Remove from heat.

4. In a hot dry frying pan add in sesame seeds. Toast until they turn a light brown and begin to emit a pretty door (DO NOT BURN!)

5. In a serving dish arrange the beans and top with pepper and sesame seeds, then serve.

Other than that my dinner was pretty standard and consisted with mashed potatoes, which I finally convinced my mum to make with vegan margarine and no milk as well as stuffing which my mum does not put into the bird and uses a brand that does not have any animal byproducts! 

So that is how I do Christmas dinner, it was incredibly delicious and I will most definitely be making these recipes again! I loved them. 

I hope you all get a chance to try these recipes out, if they sounded appealing to you. 

As for the rest of my life, I have a couple of announcements that I should make... I'm pregnant! 

Haha, just kidding... I would never considering taking away Arianne's thunder, nor am I ready or willing to have a child that I am responsible for. Speaking of Arianne - please call/text me, I need to speak with you about baby gifts! I want to knit you something, but I need to know what colours I should be focusing on. 

Anyway, in all seriousness this is what is happening in my life: I am no longer in school and just working full time at Startbucks and for those of you who are curious, this is not by choice. If people are concerned or curious as to why this is you are more than welcome to get in contact with me but I do not want to air any dirty laundry about certain people/institutions on the world wide web. I do have every intention of going back to finish my Public Relations degree somewhere at some point in the next year though, don't worry! Until that time I going to focus on cultivating who I am as a person and the things that make me happy and that keep my creative juices flowing. 

The next couple of months have some really exciting things in the works such as:

- A food blog tentatively titled - The Everyday Vegan. With this I plan to experience the food that Edmonton has to offer and hopefully answer some of my friends/family/followers questions about how I eat out at restaurants that do not cater to vegan diets.

- A homemade cookbook, nothing incredibly fancy but it will include some of my favourite recipes that I have previously featured on my blog and instagram... including some secret ones that you guys have not actually seen yet.

- A small (very small) Etsy shop with some of the things I have been working on in my spare time. 

- A new series of art which I plan to sell and showcase at ArtWalk on Whyte ave in Edmonton this summer. 

Hopefully I will come up with some other really interesting ideas that I will be able to share with all of you in the next couple of months. It is something that I am incredibly excited about and have been wanting to do for the last little while and finally been given the time to do so. 

So, this is really all that I have for now! Stay tuned for more great stuff in the next little while. 

Be well, 

Becki