April 2014 Petit Vour Box

I'm a big fan of Petit Vour (you can check out my reviews here and here) and when I went to check my mailbox yesterday I found a surprise box awaiting my discovery! Before I tell you about the box let me say thank you to Madeline, the founder of Petit Vour, for sending me this awesome box – I love it!

If you're unfamiliar with this particular subscription box here are a few important details you should know: Petit Vour is a cruelty free monthly beauty box that provides subscribers with deluxe sized, and sometimes even full sized, beauty products that are eco and animal friendly. Inside each box you will find luxury cosmetics, skin care, hair and body products, fragrance, and more that are free from animal products, parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, sulfates, and all scary stuff that often lurks in personal care products while being totally ethical.

Clean, luxurious, and ethical –what's better than that? If you're interested in purchasing a subscription for yourself or a friend there are several plans to choose from including a month-to-month plan that costs $15, a 3-month plan with a price tag of $45, or the $90 6-month subscription. This box ships internationally so those of you in Canada or other parts of the world can receive your very own Petit Vour box! You can check out plans and pricing by clicking here.



At this point you're probably wondering about the box itself, right? Well, I won't keep it from you any longer because the April box was amazing and blew my mind, in a good way of course. The theme of this months box was Boheme Beauty and is described as unconditional, feminine and pure. This box features 1 full sized product and 3 generously sized samples.



So, what's inside:

Lily Lolo Eye Shadow Quad in Smokey Rose
This alone has a value of $32, if you're doing the math that is more than double what the cost of the box is, and it's seriously gorgeous! I have been wanting to try Lily Lolo products and this quad is fantastic. The shadows appear to be on the sheer side, which is the type of shadow I prefer, so they are perfect for me! It comes with a shimmery white, a pinky shade, taupe, and a dark matte brown and they're all so lovely!



Harvey Prince Yogini Fragrance
It is described as a "fragrance that calms the mind, soothes the soul, and frees the spirit. Sandalwood purifies, grapefruit elevates, and Egyptian Myrrh adds a touch of sensuality and serenity.



Kimberly Parry Organics Creamy Cleanser
I love trying new cleansers and this one is a coconut argan cleanser that is high in sea minerals and vitamins and comes in a very generous 15 ml glass bottle. The full size retails for $79.



Jane Scrivner Un Conditional Oil
This is a skin conditioning oil made with organic Argan Oil and Frankincence Essential Oils. It is for all skin conditions like eczema and rosacea.



Do any of these items catch your eye?

If you're interested in learning more about Petit Vour you can visit their website. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

(FTC: This box was generously provided to me by the company for free. I am not being compensated to write this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own and honest.)

Talk About It - Schmidt's Deodorant

In September of last year I was sent a box of stench stopping all natural, vegan, and cruelty free deodorants from a company called Schmidt's. I tested the deodorants out a couple of times but wasn't very impressed until I picked up the jar again in March. I have been using the Bergamot + Lime version religiously every single day and I don't really know why I didn't really like Schmidt's Natural Deodorant on the first go around but I'm a huge fan now!



Schmidt's creamy deodorant comes in many different scents besides my beloved Bergamot + Lime (which smells so fresh and summery; I would love to have it in the form of a body fragrance as well) like Cedarwood + Juniper, Ylang-Ylang + Calendula, Lavender + Sage and Fragrance Free. I don't really enjoy all of the scents because my sniffer is quite sensitive but I highly recommend the Fragrance Free and Bergamot + Lime.

I have a serious love/hate relationship with natural deodorant. I hate the thought of chemicals being applied to my underarms but nothing I had tried previously had kept me stink free for long enough. One important thing to take note of is that this deodorant (and any natural deodorant for that matter) will not keep you dry. There is no such thing as a natural anti-perspirant and if you think about it why would you want to stop the sweat that helps remove toxins from your body anyway? With that said, this doesn't keep you as dry as you might be used to but I personally don't mind. I think it does a pretty great job and it keeps me smelling great all day and night without having to reapply!



The form of application isn't ideal and is quite possibly the reason I didn't like it originally. You have to scoop some out with your fingers (or a little spatula) and massage it into your underarms. The cream is thick so it takes a few minutes to warm up and spread evenly on the skin. It's not the end of the world though and since the formula is excellent it's worth it.

One last thought - the company is based in my home state of Oregon, which is awesome!

You can purchase Schmidt's Natural Deodorant online or by locating a retailer near you.

Talk About Cosmetics - Honeybee Gardens Pressed Mineral Eye Shadow

Honeybee Gardens is a company dedicated to bringing high quality, healthy, and non-toxic cosmetics to its customers with a wallet friendly price tag. I reviewed their Truly Natural Mascara way back in October of 2011 and am now bringing you my thoughts on their Pressed Mineral Eye Shadow.



I'm a huge fan of mineral makeup but often struggle, like many of you have told me you do, with the mess that loose powders can make but Honeybee Gardens has released an entire range of pressed shadows that help eliminate the fallout. I have seriously fallen in love with the 3 shades I have been testing and highly recommend them!



I received the shades Porcelain (a matte light pink), Canterbury (a matte light dusty taupe leaning on the side of mauve), and Daredevil (a pretty plum shade of purple). These shadows are super soft and buttery without being powdery or difficult to work with. They provide a rich color payoff and blend flawlessly. They are long wearing, even without a primer, and don't seem to crease easily. These are definitely right up at the top of the list of my favorite eye shadows!

They are vegan, gluten free, cruelty free and score a 1 on the EWG Skin Deep Database. They are also eco friendly since they come only in pan form being shipped in a paper sleeve, meaning they don't come in a clunky plastic package. This means you either have to purchase a reusable palette from the company or something like a Z Palette. Another point I need to make is that these shadows are completely affordable at only $8.99 each!



I'll be using these shadows in upcoming "Get the Green Look" posts soon so keep an eye out!

Talk About It - Badger Headache Soother

When I opened my Christmas Stocking this year I discovered a little tin full of soothing wonder that I have been loving the past few months and I thought it was time to share it with you. My Mom picked up the Badger Headache Soother for me at Ulta as stocking filler because she knows how often I am struck down with headaches and/or migraines.

I have been a migraine sufferer all of my life, or at least all of my life since I was about 16, and while this salve doesn't magically make the pain in my head vanish it does provide some much appreciated relief.

It's certified Organic ingredients list is comprised of: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Beeswax, Castor Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Menthol, Essential Oils of Peppermint, Eucalyptus Oil, Mandarin, Sandalwood, as well as Calendula and Rosehip.

It has such a lovely, happy, uplifting scent and I absolutely adore it. It is not too strong or overpowering and you all know how ridiculously scent sensitive I am. I like to massage it onto my temples, forehead, neck, and chest whenever I feel pain or even when I'm a bit down. I particularly like to apply this before hopping in the tub to soak because the combination of the bath and the Headache Soother make a huge difference in the way I feel. I even like to just open the lid and sniff sometimes, just because it makes me happy.

It provides a relaxing and cooling sensation wherever it is applied that feels fantastic. It doesn't burn or last long but the initial feeling is really nice and light. It's also nicely moisturizing without being pore clogging. It is a bit greasy but I like it, and I like to use it as a hand salve as well. A little goes a long way in whatever capacity it is being used so the tin should last quite a while!

I love this so much that I'm totally interested in checking out more Badger products. Do you have any Badger recommendations?