Marin Bee Review and GIVEAWAY

Marin Bee is a fairly new company hitting the green beauty scene with bee-loving and environmentally friendly personal care products. This company, founded by backyard beekeepers Debra and Bill Tomaszewski, has a mission to help spread the word about the worldwide die-off of the honey bee due to Colony Collapse Disorder and other environmental factors.

The pair also started a nonprofit called the Planet Bee Foundation, with a goal of empowering the next generation of environmental stewards. “Planet Bee offers free and low-cost backyard beekeeping workshops and hands-on bee education lessons to schools, nonprofits, community gardens, environmental centers, businesses, and communities.”

A portion of the profits from Marin Bee products purchased goes directly to the Planet Bee Foundation. So when you click that checkout button to pick up a product or two you’re not only getting a natural, non-toxic and cruelty-free product but you’re also helping to save the planet in a small, but meaningful way.

I can’t tell you that I’m an avid shaving cream user because I lean towards the lazy side and just use whatever shampoo, conditioner or soap is already in my shower. I mean it. I’m super lazy when it comes to removing hair so I usually just give myself the quickest pass of a razor ever but Honey Shave is such a rich and luxurious cream that gives you a taste of an ultra luxurious spa treatment right in your very own shower or tub.

Made with luxe hydrating and conditioning ingredients you need only a small amount of this concentrated cream to coat the surface of the skin. The formula allows your razorblade to glide effortlessly along your soon to be super smooth and silky skin protecting the skin from any nicks or cuts and making sure you get as close a shave as possible. Without any artificial fragrances or chemicals this cream smells a bit herbal, a bit citrusy and very spa like. It’s very gentle and I find that it leaves my legs feeling soft afterward, as well, without feeling like there is a thick coat of anything left behind. They just feel naturally moisturized and supple.

 Marin Bee’s Lip Repair is an uber glossy, smooth and soothing lip balm with a touch of light pinkish color and some shimmer. It’s thick and hydrating but not sticky so it’s a perfect winter balm for day to day. They even suggest you can use it before bed but I’m not someone who likes to put on shimmer to go to sleep. The formula would allow you to wake up with ridiculously plump and juicy lips, though!

And now for some extra exciting news (although, you may have already guessed it from the heading of this post)… it’s time for a giveaway! With Valentine’s Day coming up now is the perfect time for soft lips and smooth legs so one of you Beauties will win this pretty pair for yourself. If you want to enter to win Honey Shave and Lip Repair just follow the Rafflecopter prompts below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Talk About Cosmetics - Pixllady Lipstick + GIVEAWAY

Hey there, Lovely! Welcome to the first post on Beautiful Basics in the new year. Can you believe it’s 2017? I don’t know how last year went so quickly but I guess that happens as you get older, doesn’t it? With a new year comes new (whether newly launched or simply new to me) brands to discover, new products to try out, and new and reviews to post so I can share my thoughts with all of you and today is a perfect review kind of day and guess what we’re talking about? One of my absolute favorite types of beauty products to blog about and to just wear in my daily life, lipstick!

Traditional lipstick can be really scary with a terrifying roster of toxic ingredients but every day more and more green beauty companies are coming out with beautiful, hydrating and healthy lippies that prove green can be glam. Pixllady Cosmetics is one of those companies. With 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free lipsticks in a range of stunning shades, you’ll want to collect them all.

Simply made but beautifully formulated this line of lip products is made with ingredients like Organic Sweet Almond Oil, Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil, Candelilla Wax, Unrefined Shea Butter, Cold Pressed Castor Seed Oil, Vitamin E, Boron Nitride, and Organic Benzoin Resin and may also contain Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, and Manganese Violet for color. Each tube of Pixllady Lipstick is smooth, buttery, and gorgeously pigmented. I have 3 of them and really enjoy each of them!

I also have the Cocoa Shimmer Gloss that is rich and luxuriously moisturizing while giving the lips a shiny, shimmery finish. It’s lovely on its own or layered on top of lipstick. It’s got a yummy cocoa butter scent and flavor that is absolutely dreamy!

Now on to the colors! I selected Brussels, Sofia, and Budapest. All 3 are surprisingly wearable and flattering. I like them all and can’t decide if Sofia or Brussels is my top pick so it’s a toss up between the 2.

Budapest, Brussels and Sofia

Brussels is described as “a warm rose with medium coverage and a satin finish.” This particular shade is a bit lighter than what I normally gravitate towards and I really love what it does for my complexion!

Sofia is described as “a beige-rose with medium coverage and a satin finish.” This is a perfect MLBB (my-lips-but-better) shade for me and makes my lips look plump and perfected.

Budapest is described as “a dark brick with high coverage and a satin finish.” This is the only one that surprised me color-wise because it looks much more brown in person. It’s a chocolate kind of color on me. Once I saw it in real life I wasn’t sure I would love it on me but I actually do! I’ve even gotten a couple of compliments about it when I’ve worn it. This is a very on-trend shade since it’s kind of reminiscent of shades from the 90s!

Top Row: Left - Brussels  Right - Sofia
Bottom Row: Left - Budapest  Right - Cocoa Shimmer Gloss

Like I mentioned above, all of these lip products are super softening and feel like they do an excellent job of hydrating, smoothing, soothing, and protecting the lips. They have a very light scent that is uplifting and fresh but doesn’t appear to linger. I’m a big fan! 

As for other colors I would love to try, I’ve got my eye on South Beach! I think it’ll be the perfect warm weather lip color! The entire collection is beyond pretty, though, and I don’t think you can make a wrong choice! In fact, one of you Beauties will win your choice of lipstick! How awesome is that? Simply enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway