Supplements for Beauty and Health

I believe in supplements, but I never force my opinion on others. Our diets often lack necessary vitamins and minerals, because either we consume too many empty calories, junk food, etc, or we have limited diets, or don't consume enough food (even the good one) to satisfy the need. What works for one might not work for another and what to take depends on everyone's individual situation, so unless you know what  you need, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist.

I'm also very picky with the brands and will not take a supplement if I don't know the brand. I have to know it, it has to be trustworthy and reliable, so usually I end up with a choice of few brands that I've used throughout the years and feel confident to buy from.

This post is strictly on what supplements I take in my situation. 

I used to take multivitamins with a few additional supplements, but now I tend to be more specific and target my certain needs. Fish oil/Omega 3-6-9 is one of my must take supplements, because I only get very small amounts of it with food. For example, I eat smoked salmon almost every day, but very small quantities that are often less than a serving. I like fish, but don't eat it too often and when I do, I don't have a full serving. I can't eat avocados and I'm not a big fan of nuts. I like some seeds (e.g. flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds) and dark green leafy vegetables, but again I don't consume the needed amount.

Calcium is another mineral that I have to supplement my diet with. It is very important for muscles, bones, heart, nervous system, cells. I don't drink milk, I don't like yogurt, I eat very little cheese and I don't like most other calcium-rich non-dairy foods, so besides beans and a few oranges, leafy greens and nuts, I have no other source to get it. To make things a little more fun (and sweet) I like taking supplements not only in tablet/capsule/powder form, but I also choose chocolates and chews/gummies.

A few times a year (or when there is a need) I take supplements targeting specific needs. For example, when I move more and want to support my joints, I take these soft chews* to help me with inflammation and joint hydration. 

Some people argue that vitamins/minerals are a waste of money, because we pee them out, but I'd rather take a supplement that I don't absorb completely than not take it at all (I am more careful with fat soluble vitamins that our bodies store and can do more harm than good easily). I take this specific vitamin C, because it also contains electrolytes, antioxidants and B vitamins. It's good for immune system and skin and it's an easy way to replenish the body during workout or any other activity causing sweating.

I also take a few supplements for beauty. Sometimes I take collagen (type 1 and 3) and biotin separately, but I like using one supplement that combines both as well as other ingredients (like silica that is important to use with collagen). I have normal skin that used to be a bit on the dryer side in cold months and more on the oilier side in hot months (never flaky or anything like that, but it varied) and after using this supplement I noticed that my skin stopped fluctuating. It's normal and the weather temperature doesn't affect it anymore. I also noticed how much quicker my nails started growing. I do my nails every 2 weeks and I tend to start short, two weeks later just shape them and two more weeks later to cut them short again. When using this supplement I have to trim my nails after the first 2 weeks or else my nails are just too long (for my liking and what I'm used to) at the 4 week mark.

Usually I take one supplement for nails-hair-skin not targeting specific need. Sometimes I see changes in all 3, sometimes only in 1 or 2 areas. My hair is a little harder to notice a change on, because once it reaches a certain length it slows down growing. I used to get hair cuts/trims twice a year and that was enough for me. 3-4 months after my last haircut I started thinking that it's time to go to the salon again and then realized that it hasn't been that long since I've been there. My hair did grow back way quicker while using supplements (collagen and biotin). However, while it stays stronger and I don't loose that much hair brushing, it doesn't grow past a certain length quickly afterwards no matter if I continue with supplements or not. Since beauty supplements are versatile, I do see benefits in taking them.     





* marks PR samples received complimentary

Brand Review: Memoize

I think Friday is a perfect day to talk about perfume. It's the start of the weekend, everyone relaxes, goes out and wants to feel extra special. Perfume is an important part of every "getting ready" part as makes people feel a certain way or brings back memories of certain mood/events/people/place. 

Today I want to tell about Memoize (link) fragrances*. It's a British luxury niche perfume brand offering 8 scents (one of them is limited edition). The first 7 fragrances are inspired by the "Seven Sins". The descriptions and notes of each of them sound tempting, so it was a hard task to pick one, but finally I chose Luxuria (link).

 

Not only the scents are beautiful, but the whole presentation is spot on. The boxes feel luxurious, the bottle is presented like an object of admiration and something special. The glass bottle comes with a wooden cap, which to me represents the perfumes perfectly - luxurious, special, yet there's a wild, raw, natural side to it just like something raw from inside that causes "Seven Sins".

Luxuria (link) stands for desire and passion. It has notes of cassis and raspberry with ylang ylang, tuberose and muguet in the middle and vanilla, amber, musk, suede leather at the base. Luxuria has a very captivating scent. There are perfumes that I may like, but I am not sure if I can wear them, but the moment I smelled Luxuria I knew this was IT! It's my perfect scent that is sweet, but has a sexy sweetness and doesn't remind of marmalade. I received Memoize package right before a trip to Europe and packed Luxuria in my bag without hesitation.

This is a very powerful, but not an overpowering scent. It has sedated sweetness to it. Luxuria is a perfume that can be worn all year round and for any occasion. It's a sexy, seductive and feminine fragrance. It reminds me of a very classy, feminine, noticeable woman that lights up the room the moment she walks in. It's a woman that everyone wants to be around and to copy/follow, because she is different, mysterious, intoxicating. 

If you don't want to commit to just one of the 8 right away or want to explore them all, there's always an option to get samples of certain scents or to get a sample kit (link) that includes all 8 fragrances and can be a great gift option for someone special. All of these perfumes have a quality of something greater and unusual and the smell keeps pulling you back to them. 





* marks PR samples received complimentary

Weekly Empties (24)

Glamglow ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatmeant (link): I used this after a day in the sun to give my skin extra hydration. It did make my skin feel nice and soft, but I wouldn't get this in full size.

L'occitane Immortelle Divine Cream (link): I only tried a few skincare products from L'occitane as I always associate the brand with body care products. I'm very glad I tried this cream as I liked it a lot and would get full size for cold months. It was ok in this hot weather, but only in such a small size, because it would be too heavy for my skin in the long run. This cream is very rich and a little goes a long way. It applies easily and sinks into the skin quickly leaving it soft and hydrated.

Skyn Iceland Glacial Cleansing Wipes (link): I love most products from Skyn Iceland, but these wipes were just ok. They did remove makeup really well and were moist without being too wet or too dry, but they didn't excite me. Besides, the package wouldn't close after a few uses, so I had to keep it in a plastic zip up bag and that's inconvenient.   

Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Mask* (link): This mask smells like oranges! It is very hydrating, doesn't irritate the skin and leaves it extra soft and plump. I used this mask after flights or time in the sun or just whenever I needed extra moisture. It's not a big tube, but the mask lasted really long.

La Chatelaine Lychee Cranberry Hand Cream (link): I've gone through a couple of these hand cream in different scents. They are very hydrating and long lasting. The tube is travel and handbag friendly. The scents are strong and this one was becoming too strong for summer months, so I'm happy I used it up, but I would get this hand cream again in the future.

Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (link): I used this cream when it first came out and I liked it, but didn't repurchase until recently. It is a rich cream, but it is not too heavy on my skin even in summer. It is rich, but applies smoothly and absorbs quickly. It has tiny sparkling particles which make the skin look great in the sun. I mostly use it on the days when I'm not in the sun or in the evening as during the day I often use a different body cream with SPF in it (too lazy to apply SPF on top of Sol De Janeiro). 

Voula The Serum Foundation* (link): I have a full review with swatches HERE. I used this one up and I really liked it. My skin felt like there's nothing on it while wearing this foundation. Nose and chin are my trouble areas with most foundations, so when using this one I would use another foundation on those spots or I would mix Voula with another foundation to get the best possible result. I really liked how nice my skin looked with this serum foundation and I would definitely use it again.

Benefit BadGal Bang Mascara (link): I didn't think I will like this mascara as much as I did. It gave me volume, separation, it arranged lashes very nicely and didn't clump them together. It lasted all day without a problem and wasn't hard to remove at night. I have one more sample size of it and I will use it and love it again.

Lipsticks: I'm getting rid of a few lipsticks that don't work for me anymore. I want to make my lip product collection smaller, so I promised myself not to get any new lipsticks/lip glosses unless I use up at least 2 old ones (one new one for two old ones). I guess that makes it easier to say goodbye to any lipstick that I'm not crazy about and make room for new ones. Finding Ferdinand (link) lipstick is a custom color and I love this unique service that they offer. I really love the shade even though I wish it was more opaque, but my issue with this lipstick is the taste. It tastes/smells like an old/grandma's perfumed lipstick and I just can't stand it. Tom Ford Indian Rose (link) is a very neutral everyday pink shade that looks beautiful on the lips. It's not that old, but I'm unsure about scent/taste, so I'm getting rid of it. Burberry Nude (link) is a great light nude shade, but it also starts to smell/taste old, so not keeping it any longer. I'm not crazy about the metallic tone of Smashbox Legendary (link) lipstick, but I love Dior 999 Matte (link) though both lipsticks are going to the trash. I love wearing red lips, but I don't do often enough, so I don't need that many red lip products. Besides, I prefer the ones that are long lasting and transfer proof, so I never reach for these two.




* marks PR samples received complimentary