Merry Christmas!

It’s almost Christmas and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a holiday season filled with love and laughter. Even if you don’t celebrate, I hope you have a beautiful week. I also wish you all health and happiness now and in the New Year.

I also wanted to take a moment to say thank you so much for all of your love and support in 2015. I started Beautiful Basics when I first became ill because I needed something that I could do and call my own. I could have never imagined what this little hobby of mine would eventually turn in to, and it’s because of you, my dear readers, that Beautiful Basics has grown into something I am immensely proud of. Thank you for reading my blog and commenting and sharing. I can’t even explain how much your interaction means to me and I look forward to seeing our community grow even more in 2016.

And also a big thank you to the companies I have worked with in the past year. My readers love learning about new companies and products and your belief in me has been so generous. I look forward to continuing our working relationships.

Thank you. See you all in the New Year!

December Goodbeing Review

I think it’s a safe bet to say that most of us enjoy subscription boxes and the surprise that arrives in our mailboxes or on our doorsteps each month. I’ve been a huge fan of Goodebox since they launched and now they have rebranded as a Beauty, Wellness, and Lifestyle Subscription Box called Goodbeing. They’re still an awesome subscription service (from my beloved state, Oregon) but they’re bigger and better than ever before!

With new options to customize your box you can be sure you are getting products tailored to your preferences. You might be wondering what a Goodbeing is, well the company defines it as “a human being living their best, healthiest, most vivacious life”. This means this box is perfect for all Green Goddesses and those of us trying to live a clean and green life.

If you’re looking for a perfect Holiday gift that keeps giving try gifting a subscription to a friend or family member. With several different plans to choose from you can gift (yourself or someone else) as many or as few boxes as you would like. You can pay as little as $18 for a subscription or $21 per box if you would prefer to pay as you go. 

When you sign up you are asked to fill out a quite lengthy, albeit unobtrusive, survey asking you about your tastes in beauty and lifestyle products. You can get very specific and tell them what shades you love and which ones you don’t, scents you like and dislike (or if you’re like me – that you prefer no scent at all) and other things that will help them pick out the best products to send to you to each month. This way you’re not getting perfume samples when you’re really irritated by fragrance or skin care products created for acne prone skin when you’re dry and sensitive or visa-versa. My biggest issue with subscription boxes is getting products I’ll never use because they’re not suited for me so I’m impressed with the fact that Goodbeing has engineered a way to match people with products that can work for them.

I’ll be talking about Goodeing quite a bit on Beautiful Basics in 2016 and I’m so excited to share my thoughts with you on future boxes but today we are talking about the December box.

So, what did I find inside of my December Goodbeing Box?

Gia Minerals Mineral Blush in Splendid Rose (3 grams - Value: $18)

Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defying Hand Cream (Full Size – Value: $12)

Diana Ralys Specialty Blend Oil (Full Size, 1 oz – Value $53)

Board and Batten My Softer Side Sugar Scrub with Fig & Turmeric (Value: 18)

Graydon Clinical Luxury Superfood Mask + Scrub (5 capsules – Value: $10)

Overall, I’m really happy with the contents of this box. My absolute favorite discovery is the Gia Minerals Blush, which is such a beautiful shade! I’m a big time blush lover so finding cheek products in a subscription box will always be a win for me. The Hand Cream is also really awesome and the Sugar Scrub with Fig & Turmeric is great as well.

The only thing I really wish I wouldn’t have received is the Superfood Mask + Scrub. If you follow me on Facebook you’ll know why. This mask and I do not get along, which is a bummer because I’ve heard such good things from other bloggers about it. It will be going into the giveaway pile for the next beauty bag giveaway. Maybe one of you will have better luck with it than I did.

If you're interested in signing up for a subscription you can use this link and you'll get a bonus item in your first box!

That wraps up this review. What are your thoughts on Goodbeing? I’d love to hear what you think so leave me a comment down below.

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

Talk About Cosmetics - Kari Gran Jolene and Shimmer Lip Whip Duo

Kari Gran recently teamed up with Jolene Hart, former beauty editor turned health coach and Author of Eat Pretty, to create a gorgeous new limited edition Lip Whip aptly named after the green wellness warrior herself.

Jolene is a powerhouse of pigment that can be worn boldly or sheered out for a softer pop of pink. It’s a beautiful bright fuchsia shade that makes a lovely statement with any makeup look. I wasn’t initially sure how good this bright pink shade would look on me but after some experimentation I believe that this Lip Whip would look great on any skin tone.

You can purchase Jolene (for $20) alone or pick it up as part of a duo (for $31.50) paired with Shimmer, a gorgeous frosty champagne shade that can go over the top of any color to add a little extra sparkle and shine.

As with all Kari Gran products these two beauties are made with healthy, organic ingredients and housed in gorgeous glass pots. This pair would make the perfect gift for any green and glamorous gal you know. 

Kari Gran also has several other Lip Whips you can check out by clicking here. To learn more about the company and their product offerings you can visit their website by clicking here. You can also find the company on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

(FTC: These products were provided to me free of charge by the company for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.)

Talk About Skin Care - Buff Her House of Exfoliation Exfoliating Food Facial Scrubs

If you believe that food ingredients make the best skin care products you are going to seriously love Buff Her House of Exfoliation and their line of Exfoliating Food Powders! These chemical free and cruelty free formulas are made using only pure and organic ingredients and are suitable for everyone regardless of age or skin type. They are also super easy to add in to your routine because you can mix the powders with water to create a paste or to your favorite cleanser or oil. They are versatile and fun to use!

Each bottle of Exfoliating Food Powder is made with a base of rice and other ingredients are added with different skin loving benefits. Their menu is made up of Apple Granola, Oatmeal Blueberry Cookie, Banana Bread Pudding, Sweet Potato Pie, Strawberry Parfait, Vanilla Bean Latte, Rice & Beans, and Milk & Honey. In addition to their regular line up they have an option where you can create your own blend as well as a blend for men called Hey Poppy. If you're looking for something that foams they also have Strawberry Lemon and Vanilla Almond Foaming Food Facial Scrubs.

I selected Sweet Potato Pie and Banana Bread Pudding to test out and I really like both. I was sent mini bottles and they might be small but you can get 50+ uses out of them, which is awesome. They have two Buff Her Mini Kits that I think would make perfect gifts or stocking stuffers.

Sweet Potato Pie’s ingredients list is made up of Rice Powder, Organic Sweet Potato, Whole Dry(Milk Powder, and Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate. This particular formula contains Beta Carotene, thanks to the Sweet Potato, which is great for blemishes and blackheads and also has a brightening and soothing effect thanks to the milk.

The Banana Bread Pudding formula is made of Rice Powder, Whole Dry Milk Powder, Organic Banana Fruit, and Organic Colloidal Oat Flour. This bottle is packed full of ingredients that are great for dry skin because bananas have potassium and Vitamin A while oatmeal is cleansing and moisturizing.

Neither formula has much of a scent. They are both extremely gentle and add something extra to your regular cleansing routine. I love the bottles and the simple ingredients inside. To learn more about the company and their other products you can visit their website by clicking here. You can also find Buff Her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

(FTC: These products were provided to me free of charge by the company for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.)

Talk About Cosmetics - Biba Lips

If you’re looking for a fantastic gift for a green beauty who also happens to be extremely glamorous look no further than Biba Lips and their beautiful Lip Crèmes.

Each luxurious Lip Crème comes housed in a beautiful and eco-friendly gold compact and also comes with a lip brush and pouch. There are three lovely colors to choose from each hand-crafted and made with 100% natural food-grade ingredients. They are also cruelty free and made in the US. 

The packaging is absolutely stunning and feels vintage and special. The Lip Crème inside the beautiful gold metal compact is also something special. The smell is incredible (think rich butterscotch and vanilla) as is the taste and the color is really nice. I received Clarity Nude and even though I am more of a pink or coral kind of girl I was pleasantly surprised to find that this shade actually suits me so much more than I ever thought it would. My Mom and I were calling it a “My Lips but Better and more Brown” shade. It’s not too nude or too brown and looks natural. It’s not too pale, either. It’s the type of shade that makes lips look supple and a lot bigger.

They also have two other shades, a pink called Inspire Pink and a red called Elegant Red. Even though the company only offers 3 shades I am confident in saying that everyone can find one that they fall in love with because the color is sheer but buildable and the formula is silky, smooth and totally dreamy. It’s moisturizing and provides long lasting hydration and doesn’t look super shiny, which I really appreciate.

This product is truly a show stopper and if you want to learn more about the company you can visit their website by clicking here. You can also find Biba Lips on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

(FTC: These products were provided to me free of charge by the company for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.)