These are a few of my favorite things...

*This is an old post that I never published. I thought I'd go ahead and post it. 

 

I went back to school last year and I am really enjoying studying and learning new things. With that being said going back to school can be stressful. Something that seems to help me is planning. I plan my meals, errands and when to do my homework, etc... I bought a planner at school but it fell apart too quickly. I wanted something small so I could carry it with me to school and I ended up finding this great Create 365 planner from Michael's. It's a great quality planner.


You know I love Red Apple Lipstick and Brija Cosmetics. I'm so in love with both of these lip products. Berrycuda by Red Apple Lipstick is such a fun beautiful color and Talent Wand Lipstick from Brija is perfect for everyday wear.

Berrycuda on Left and Talent on Right

Schmidt's Naturals now makes toothpaste. They do not have a gluten free statement so I emailed the company and they let me know all of their products are gluten-free. They have many flavors and I found a three pack for 9.99 at Costco. Such a great deal. I believe I have seen them in other stores for around 5.99 for a tube. They have a lot of flavors and I chose their activated charcoal toothpaste. The toothpaste itself is grey so I'm not sure how much-activated charcoal is actually in the product compared to other brands but it was a good starting point for me. It tastes minty and it leaves my mouth feeling clean. https://schmidts.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiApvbhBRDXARIsALnNoK0e110gnCPG0NsXLJ0CCEAxivCGCp2WYNUqBnhIj0txFd4DCPn5ZfsaAtPjEALw_wcB

Re: Fresh organic Toning Face mist is great for setting your make-up or misting yourself in hot weather. The one I have is in the scent in cucumber and rosewater. It's organic, gluten-free, organic, GMO-free and vegan. Find more about it at plantapothecary.com 

My Favorite New Blush

I wanted to make a quick post on my new favorite new blush. I'm really loving Tango from Red Apple Lipstick. It is perfect for olive skin tones. It goes on smooth and the pigment is gorgeous! It's also gluten-free, cruelty-free, and doesn't have nasty ingredients. You can find more of my reviews on Red Apple Lipstick in older blog posts. 

It is $25.00 and you can find it at https://www.redapplelipstick.com/blush/#B304anchor

BRIJ'ADORE (Brija Sub Box)

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you know I love Brija Cosmetics. Brija Cosmetics is not only gluten free, vegan, cruelty-free and natural it has amazing customer service. Every product I have used has been amazing. When they announced they were coming out with a subscription service I could not have been more pleased. It's a quarterly subscription and is 35.00 a box plus shipping. I feel is a great price. Each box contains full limited edition products. To find out when you can buy the next box check out the Brija Cosmetics Chat group https://www.facebook.com/groups/brijacosmeticschat/ (it's a great group where you can make new friends and post looks) or sign up for the newsletter on the Brija Cosmetic Website http://www.brijacosmetics.com/ Here is a quick look at the two last boxes.

Each Subscription comes with a leaflet that lists all the ingredients and details of each product. I fell in love with the packaging. I mean look at the artwork.

 The first box theme was Alice in Wonderland. It came with one lipstick, four full-size eyeshadows, a full-size blush and a sample of the brand new Tumeric Primer Serum. I thought it was so cool that we got to sample a new product before it was available to anyone else (now available). Every product was just gorgeous! It even contained an organic tea bag which just shows how much thought was put into this box.


I just got June's sub box and it is hilarious! It is a Meme Theme. It contained four full-size eyeshadows, one cream blush and a sample of the new Whisper Setting Powder. Again the eyeshadows are gorgeous. I never tried a cream blush and I fell in love with this one. It gives you a nice subtle flush of color. It's perfect and I love the packaging. Since I did just get this box I have not tried the setting powder but again it's awesome that we get to try a new product before anyone else.

Overall, I love this subscription service and I will be buying more. *I purchased all products on my own.*



Have you tried Brija? What is your favorite subscription box? Feel free to leave comments and questions below. If you haven't already you can always subscribe to my blog to get the  latest updates on gluten free food and beauty.

New Gluten free Beauty Haul and Review

I picked up a couple of things to start the new year and I'm excited to share them with you. I will also link all the products websites for you if you would like to get more info on any of the products. 

I had been wanting to try the Acure Organics brand and I'm happy to say I love them. I picked up the Acure Organics Sensitive Face Wash and the Acure Coconut plus Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes. Usually most face washes are too harsh for me since I have very sensitive skin but this face wash is perfect. It not only made my face cleaner it was very gentle and did not irritate my skin one bit. I'm also in love with the face wipes. I love the smell coconut and the wipes are so soft yet does it's job. It also did not irritate my eyes or skin. I highly recommend them. They are gluten free, cruelty free and have pretty good ingredients.
Acure Organics

While I was ordering the Acure Organic products on Iherb I went ahead and picked up my favorite mouthwash since I did need some. I have talked about my favorite mouthwash by Desert Essence in the past but if you need a mouthwash that keeps your breath fresh and helps your gums you might want to try it. I will warn you because it's tea tree oil based it tastes horrible. I mean it's pretty bad and took me awhile to get used to but it really does it's job and after awhile I could not even taste the tea tree. I since tried another brand and it just did not live up so I switched back. I also saw that they are having a sale on the Desert Essence website. Of course they are also gluten and cruelty free. Desert Essence


I wanted to treat myself and since Red Apple Lipstick is my favorite lipstick brand of all time I decided to try some new lipsticks. I chose Wine and Dandy and After Hours. Wine and Dandy came out awhile ago but it looked gorgeous and After Hours is from their newest winter collection. The colors are amazing and the formulations are so pigmented and moisturizing. Wine and Dandy is on top and left. After Hours is on the bottom and right. I'm in love with both of them but After Hours has to be one of my new favorite lipsticks. It's a very wearable purple. Red Apple did it again. Red Apple Lipstick is an amazing gluten free, cruelty free and vegan company. I do have a review that I will link if you want to know more about this brand. Red Apple Lipstick Website
My Review on Red Apple Lipstick

Next I picked up a sugar paper planner from Target. I'm pretty sure it's only available online. I really wanted to get a nice planner but I really could not justify spending 50 dollars for one. Although those planners are beautiful they are just not in my budget. So I started looking for more affordable options and that's when I found Sugar Paper. It was only 9.99 and there was decent variety. I feel like they are pretty comparable to the big brand planners as well. It does not have a removable cover or any customization options but it's still a great planner. It's cover and design is sleek and so pretty. I really like the horizontal layout because you have much more space to write on versus the square layouts. It has pages for contacts (because who hasn't lost or broken their phone and lost their contacts), a year calendar page, monthly calendars, a page with holiday dates and one note page. I will say I wish they would add more note pages. All in all I am very impressed with my planner especially for the price. Target(sugarpaper)

 Last but not least while browsing Marshall's I found Gabriel Cosmetics Hydrating Mask. It's says it's great for sunburns and irritated skin but I figured it wold be good to revive my dry skin this winter. It definitely worked. My skin feels hydrated, soft and smooth. You can see what it looks like in the picture. It is very lightweight and soothing. Plus the ingredients are great. I believe it said the regular price is about 24.00. If you can find it at Marshall's like I did for five bucks you can save some money. I do not think I would have purchased this at full price just because I could probably find something similar for a lot less. Gabriel Cosmetics

Have you tried any of these products? Feel free to leave comments or questions. To get updates on my blog you can subscribe by email. 

               
*All products were purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own*

Lipstick Haul and Review-Silk Naturals-

I finally picked up Silk Naturals Lipsticks. If your new to gluten free and green makeup Silk Naturals might be a great option for you. They are inexpensive and there are so many choices to chose from. The formulations that I tried were perfect. They were very creamy and pigmented. They are such a great value for the price. They start at $4.50! They had a pretty good lasting power but I would not say they last all day. None of the formulations dried out my lips and I will definitely be repurchasing.

Pretty Please is a peachy pink and is just perfect for an everyday look. It's part of their lip glazers line and it has a a bit of menthol so if you are sensitive to that you might not like this line. I loved it personally. It's supposed to naturally plump your lips but I do have fuller lips so I am not sure if it made a difference.






Eternal is the perfect nude for me. It's a neutral pinkish nude and I am in love. This is the first nude that did not wash me out. I love it and I have used this one the most so far. It's a dupe for Mac's Twig Lipstick

 Marsala is gorgeous! I would say Marsala is a plum brown color and would probably look much darker on fairer skin tones. It's part of their velvet matte line. On me it's a lot more subtle but it's still a perfect everyday color for me.

This a perfect day time red lip color. Unfortunately,  I did not notice this particular color has dyes. Not all colors have dyes so be careful if you do not use dyes. It is supposed be a dupe for Revlon's Wine with Everything.

*All of my opinions are my own and all products were purchased by myself*
Have you tried Silk Naturals? Do you like them? What's your favorite? Are there any other gluten free make up brands you would like me to try? Let me know in the comments below. Oh and do not
 forget to subscribe through email (on the right side of the blog) so you can get all my latest updates.

A Quick Update

Hey everyone. So, I wanted to let you know what has been going on with me lately. So, my Husband and I just bought our first home. Let me tell you it was not easy. I thought getting a mortgage approval was going to be the hard part and boy was I wrong. That was by far the easiest. Finding a home, waiting to see if your offer gets accepted and then having to go through the inspections was very stressful and time consuming. Now that we are settled in and everything is getting back to normal I am excited to get back to blogging and sharing all the fun gluten free and green finds. I'm putting some blogs together right now. I also will be starting a YouTube Channel. I'm not sure if i'm going to like do them or where that will take me but I have been wanting to do it for awhile now. I'm not sure when I will start them but I know it will be pretty soon. This blog is still very important to me and a big part of my life. I have met so much wonderful people in our gluten free and green community and I am so thankful for that. Hope you all enjoy your holidays. Have a wonderful week, Sylvia

Summer Favorites

It has been awhile since I have been able to blog. It has been a busy and crazy summer but I'm back and I can't with to share some of the fun gluten free make up and food that I have found this summer

This summer So Delicious released their Cashew Milk Dairy Free Ice Cream. It is creamy and tastes amazing. My Husband was surprised that it was dairy free. Their salted caramel cluster flavor is perfection. I love ice cream and this is now my favorite ice cream flavor of all time. P.S. if you haven't already check out their Coco Whip Whipped Cream.

 If you follow my Instagram or twitter you know I love Justin's Peanut Butter Cups so when they came out with gluten free pretzel snacks I had to try them. They are perfect for an afternoon snack or when your own the go. I love their almond butter flavor.

Although I have mentioned this in a previous favorites I decided to talk about it again because it is so hard to find a good dairy and gluten free ice coffee. Califia Iced Coffee is wonderful. They have many flavors and come in a single serving size and quart size. I will add all the websites at the bottom so you can check out their ingredients and where you can find them.

Now to make up. This summer I have been keeping it simple especially because of the crazy heat where I live. I been loving my Honeybee Garden's Pressed Mineral Powder in Montego. As, you can see in the picture below I have already hit pan. It is light to medium coverage and slides on your skin smoothly and does not look cakey. It is natural, cruelty free, and of course gluten free. I also been loving Brija's new 90's eye shadow collection and Brija's amazing new Mean Girls Collection blushes. Just look at those swatches. Besides being cruelty free, vegan and gluten free the ingredients are natural and never break me out. Lastly, I wanted to find a good waterproof mascara. I have read good things about Pacifica's Aquarian Gaze Mineral Mascara. One day while at target I spotted it on sale and I had a coupon on cartwheel for it so I decided it was a good time to try it. I loved it. It didn't smudge, it made my eyelashes pop and didn't make them feel crunchy or clumpy. They are also cruelty free and do not use gluten in their formulas (they do not test for gluten).

If you have any questions or comments leave them down below and have an amazing day.

Websites:

http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/coconut-milk-beverages/original

http://justins.com/products

http://www.califiafarms.com/

http://www.brijacosmetics.com/

http://www.pacificabeauty.com/

http://honeybeegardens.com/pressed-mineral-powder-foundation/

March and April Gluten Free Favorites

 

 



 

I have heard great things about North Coast Organics Deodorant so when I saw it at T J Maxx for five dollars I had to grab it. Good natural deodorants are so hard to find. After using it for a good amount of time I feel that it works great and I would repurchase. I still prefer Primal Pit Paste in jar form but North Coast Organics comes very close. It is more convenient because it's in stick form. A lot of natural stick form deodorants (including primal pit paste stick) has a dry hard texture and has to be warmed up which is annoying. What's the point of getting a deodorant in stick form if it is not going to be convenient? Luckily the North Coast Organics Deodorant texture is soft and there is no need to warm it up. Plus it non irritating and their ingredients are simple and clean. They only had their naked deodorant which is scentless so I will probably look into getting their sample pack because I do prefer something scented. http://www.northcoastorganics.net/#!/Organic-Deodorants/c/7094980/offset=0&sort=normal




 I found another Deep Steep product and I love it. The Deep Steep moisture spray is perfect for dry skin. If you have dry skin like I do then I recommend this product. It's light refreshing and smells great. http://www.deepsteep.com/






I love peanut butter and chocolate. Not only are Justin's Peanut Butter Cups gluten free, organic, vegan and free trade they are delicious! So much better for you than a recess peanut butter cup and it tastes better too. They also carry almond butter jars and packs.  http://justins.com/







If you haven't already you should check out my Love with Food Box review. The giveaway contest is over but if your looking for a gluten free subscription that is also healthy then this one might be right for you. Plus for every box purchased they donate two meals to food banks. http://letusreview101.blogspot.com/2015/04/love-with-food-box-by-gfree-foodie.html


I have tried many different gluten free pizza crusts good and bad. Glutino pizza crust is my favorite  by far. I feel like a lot of crusts are either gooey or hard and this was crust was not. It has a great texture and a perfect taste. This crust is also perfect for making some garlic bread. Just add some Italian seasoning and garlic. http://www.glutino.com/









*taken from website

It can be tough finding truly gluten free coffee. The problem with coffee is that it is often contaminated with wheat. There are truly only a handful of coffees I trust. So, when I found Califia Farms Iced Coffee I was excited. Not only are they gluten free but they are made with almond milk which is perfect for those who avoid dairy or are lactose intolerant. When browsing on their website I found out they also make almond milk, coffee creamer, aqua frescas and even horchata! Also, most of their products are carrageenan free and they currently removing carrageenan as an ingredient. Their products are also GMO free.
http://www.califiafarms.com/learn-more

Izzy's Organic Blue Agave is perfect for substituting table sugar for foods and drinks. It is only 11 grams of sugar per tablespoon. I love to use it instead of maple syrup and since I don't use that much on my pancakes it really cuts down my sugar. It's organic and gluten free. I found it at a discount store but you can find it on amazon.






http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Agave-Sweetener-11-5-ounce-Bottles/dp/B00KPN8L08/ref=sr_1_1s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1430858957&sr=1-1&keywords=izzy%27s+organic


I usually pick a classic movie but I thought I would talk about one of my favorite movie series of all time. Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea by Kevin Sullivan. Sadly Jonathan Crombie who plays Gilbert Blythe past away recently. I know he was apart of my childhood and so many others. This was the first movie I can remember my Aunt (we loved watching period movies and reading period books together) showed me. I instantly fell in love with the series and read all the books. Although Anne Of Avonlea is different than the books it's still a great movie. I hope you check it out or revisit the series because they are truly wonderful. http://anne.sullivanmovies.com/


I hoped you enjoyed this post. Have you tried any of these products? Did you like them? Feel free to comment and don't forget to subscribe for more.

Andalou Naturals 1,000 Roses Moistuerizer Review

I was looking for a new moisturizer when I found the Andalou Naturals 1,000 Roses Facial Lotion on Iherb. It was $11.96 for a 2.7 oz. tube. I chose 1,000 Roses because I have very sensitive skin. My skin can also be dry at times and yet it can breakout easily so it is tough to find a moisturizer that works for me.

After using it for awhile I would definitely recommend this moisturizer. It is not overly thick or too thin so it blends into your skin easily. You don't need a lot of product either which is another plus. My skin feels a lot more hydrated now and I love that it does not leave my skin feeling greasy or oily. Best of all my skin did not get irritated or breakout like it usually does with conventional moisturizers. It has a nice rose sent (which I love) that is not to overpowering. If you do not like rose scents that may be a con for you. The only downside is that although it also has SPF (18) you have to reapply it every two hours to stay protected from the sun if using it alone. If your going to be outside all day it would be inconvenient to have to reapply every two hours. If you have sensitive skin but it's not necessarily dry then you might want to consider their other moisturizer because it might be a better option for you. They even have BB and CC creams but they only come in one shade. Overall, I am very pleased with this moisturizer and want to try the other products in this line.

Things to know about this moisturizer:
*100% GMO Free
*Verified Gluten Free
*Paraben Free
*Cruelty free and vegan
*SPF 18
*Sulfate Free
*Fair Trade
*Website: http://andalou.com/index.php/

Have you ever tried an Andalou Naturals product? Have a question? Feel free to comment down below. Don't forget to subscribe by email to get more posts on gluten free goodies.

Keep an eye out for my next review (coming soon) on the Love With Food Box by G-Free Foodie!

Harry Potter Collection from Brija (Swatches!!)

When I heard Brija Cosmetics was releasing a Harry Potter Collection I was beyond excited. Not only am I a new big Harry Potter fan, I am a big fan of Brija Cosmetics as well. I really feel that there is so much thought put into the products and I have never been disappointed. Not only is the quality amazing it is very inexpensive. Brija Cosmetics is non-toxic, cruelty free, vegan and gluten free! Look at that artwork!

I decided to get the mini jar collection ($44.00) because everything just looked so gorgeous and wearable. Plus it's Harry Potter!  It came with 10 eyeshadows (3gram jars), a full size highlight (10gram jar!) and a full size lip jelly. I believe the full size collection is $70.00  and you can also just purchase any item by itself or sample sizes ($1.25-$7.50). I also got a GWP called Copper Rain that I will swatch for you.

The colors are amazing. They are even prettier in person! I am overall happy with the collection and cant wait to use them! My favorite eyeshadows in this collection would have to be The Boy Who Lived, Choices Trumps Abilities and LeviOsa. The Boy Who Lived is a gold with green eyeshadow and one of the most unique eyeshadows I have ever seen. Choices Trumps Abilities is beautiful purple color (my favorite eyeshadow color) and LeviOsa is a beautiful red copper color. Look at that highlight and lip color!

GWP                                                                    

Have you ever used Brija Cosmetics? What products would you want to try? Feel free to comment and don't  forget to subscribe for my latest blog posts. ;) You check out my other Brija Cosmetics Review by clicking this link http://letusreview101.blogspot.com/2014/10/brija-cosmetics-review.html?m=0
                                                                           

January Favorites

I found great gluten free food and products this month and I'm so excited to share them with you. I added the ingredients to all items and a link to their website so you can check them out.

So Delicious Whipped Cream: If you love coconut you need to try this dairy free whipped cream. It's light, fluffy and has a killer coconut flavor that I think is perfect for a fruit salad. I even put them on top of my cupcakes instead of frosting. It's a lot healthier than regular dairy whipped cream and perfect for people who avoid dairy. http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/21-day-challenge

Daiya Strawberry Cream Cheese: I really missed my occasional morning bagel with cream cheese. Now I can have it again with this yummy strawberry cream cheese. Just a little a little bit of it topped on a Udi's bagel and I forget that I'm dairy and gluten free.  http://us.daiyafoods.com/our-products



Raizana Teas: I found this tea company at my local Gluten Free Expo. All the teas they make are gluten free. I tried the Woman's TLC tea. It is a delicious herbal lose tea that is suppose to help you on that time of month. The reason I chose this tea is because I really dislike taking medication not to mention most pain medicine are not guaranteed to be gluten free. I really believe this herbal tea helps and relaxes me. It is about $4.25 for a 1oz. bag and $9.99 for a 3oz bag. They really last a good amount of time. You can find more information and order on their website. http://raizana.com/


Udi's Burritos: Udi's frozen burritos are way better than regular frozen burritos. Perfect for a busy day or to take to work for lunch. There are about five flavors. I tried and love the veggie burrito. I Can't wait to try the other flavors.  http://udisglutenfree.com/ I believe most or all flavors do have dairy in them so these might not work for you if you are completely dairy free.





Desert Essence Mouthwash: I already love Desert Essence  tea tree oil toothpaste so I decided to try the tea tree oil mouthwash. I'm going to be honest when I first tried it I thought it tasted really bad because the tea tree oil taste. It took me awhile to get used to the taste and now I do not notice it at all. The reason I decided to keep using it is because of how fresh it left my mouth feeling unlike other natural mouthwashes I have tried. I have also had gum issues in the past (pretty sure because undiagnosed Celiac Disease) and tea tree oil helps keep your gums healthy. So there are many benefits from this mouthwash. I found this mouthwash at Sprouts and you can find them at other health stores and websites.  http://www.desertessence.com/

Deep Steep: Deep Steep is gluten free, cruelty free and has green ingredients and is amazing! I was shopping at Marshalls (I also heard people have found them at TJ Maxx) when I spotted a Deep Steep Scrub on sale for $5.00 (I believe the sticker said the original price was $10.00). I always wanted to try the Deep Steep brand and I am so glad I did. It feels so luxurious and smells so good! It leaves your skin soft and smooth with a light refreshing sent. It's perfect for when I want to treat my skin with something after a hard run.


Running: So I know this is not a product but I am just loving how running has been making me feel this year. You see last year was a very horrible year for me because I lost my Grandmother and Aunt who I was very closed to. I am still struggling everyday with losing them. I started feeling worse and worse so I knew that I had to do something about how I was feeling. A few years ago I was a very active person. I would run around maybe 3-4 miles a day. I got pregnant with my Son and after that I got sick (thyroid & celiac) and I haven't jogged since. I have always been a person who stresses out and has a lot of anxiety and I know that excising has always helped me deal with stress. To be honest I was scared to try to go running again at first because I knew I was so out of shape. I made a lot of excuses of why I couldn't do it but I realized it didn't matter how much I ran but just trying would help. I'm so glad I tried because I'm getting better and better everyday. When I run it just feels like all my stress just melts away. I feel so energized and happy especially when I reach a goal. Of course it doesn't take all the pain and sadness away but it does help.

So these are my January favorites. Have you tried any of these products? What did you like or dislike? Feel free to comment below. Don't forget to subscribe by email to get all my latest posts. Have a great weekend!  :)




*I am an affiliate for Raizana Teas but I will still post my honest opinion on their teas.

Save on Raizana Teas with this link

http://raizana.com/?affiliates=6

My First Giveaway-Red Apple Lipstick-

Hi everyone,
I am beyond excited to announce my first giveaway. I recently won a Red Apple Lipstick (RAL for short) giveaway myself. I was so happy I decided to do a giveaway of my own. I chose my new favorite RAL Lipstick color Gypsy Soul. It is part of their new Winter Collection and it's gorgeous. I seen it featured on different YouTube videos and it looks great on a lot of different skin tones. This color is a semi-matte formula but it's still moisturizing. You can lightly apply it or wear it full on to get it's dramatic effect. A lot of people compare RAL to MAC Lipsticks because of the high quality of lipstick and sleek packaging. What makes Red Apple Lipstick different is that they do not have nasty toxic cancer causing chemicals like parabens, they are cruelty free, vegan and completely gluten free! So there are no worries if you have Celiac Disease. Besides Lipstick the carry lip gloss, eyeliners, lipliners and mascara. You can visit their website at www.redapplelipstick.com You can check out my full review by clicking here.

Feel free to share this giveaway to with your fellow makeup lovers or gluten free friends. Good Luck a Rafflecopter giveaway Congratulations Rushell Tuggle! I sent you an email. Please respond in the next 48hrs. I cant wait to send you your prize. Thank you all for entering. I plan to do more giveaways soon so keep an eye out.