Natural, Organic, and Cruelty-Free // Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Review

Hi all! If you have followed along with this blog for awhile now, you know that I am on a seemingly never-ending search for beauty and skincare products that are made of "better", "safer" ingredients. After researching for hours, I narrowed down a list of companies I would like to learn more about. I reached out to Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques and they kindly sent me a few samples to try out. After using the products a few weeks, I know I am ready to give an honest review!

A little about the company

According to their website, Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques uses natural and organic plant oils and extracts, soothing flower essences, plus beautiful minerals and pigments from the earth. In their products, there are no parabens, chemicals, or unnecessary fillers.

I received the creme foundation as well as a pressed eyeshadow duo. I originally received 9 foundation samples (for finding my shade), but because I found a great match for my skin, I traveled with it...and lost it. So unfortunately I can not share that shade swatch with you!

Creme Foundation

•  Shade selection: 8/10; There are 21 shades to choose from, including cool, neutral and warm options. I did find that many shades would work with my skin tone. Kind of odd, but I almost feel like the shade can adapt if it is semi-close to your natural tone. I used shade "warm no. 3" when not self tanning; I would say my natural skin tone is about light-medium with slightly golden undertones. When self tanning, shade "warm no. 4" worked well for me. 

[top picture with flash// bottom picture in natural light]

• Application: 7/10; The product itself has a mousse like texture. It almost feels whipped! I was kind of nervous that the foundation would make my oily skin even more oily because it is a creme. Totally wrong about that assumption, but we will get to that later! I put a few dots of this around my face and used a buffing brush to buff the product into my skin. It spreads pretty easily, although I imagine it may be a bit harder to buff out if you did not moisturize prior to application.

• Coverage: 9/10; holy smokes! This stuff is magic. I would say it is easily medium to full coverage. I never tried to build up extra coverage, because the coverage was already enough for me. While the coverage is amazing, it doesn't feel heavy at all, which is a major plus. The finish is pretty matte I would say, maybe semi-matte before setting the foundation.

• Wear time: 9/10; This foundation has become one that I rely on for long work days, or a night out. I have had such a hard time finding a natural foundation that would wear well and look good, so I am happy to have tried this! I would say the creme foundation wears for about 6.5 hours before needing blotting with powder, but the coverage still looks great. Around 8 hours of wear I start to see spots wear the foundation is wearing away. (I do wear a moisturizer, primer, and setting powder with this foundation as well).

• Overall product: 8.5/9; The creme foundation is definitely one of my go-to's for everyday wear, as well as special occasion wear. I love that it does work with my oily skin, not drying it out or making me more oily. I can't say where I would look for any improvements on the foundation-if anything, I just can't decide what actual shade I am, because a few shades can work for me, but that is not a bad thing! Buffing the product in is not 100% easy-but I imagine it is because the product is natural, not filled with all the "bad things". One point I want to hit on is that this does not break me out. Some natural brands have caused breakouts, but this one has not caused any sort of reaction or breakouts! I highly, highly recommend this foundation-I feel it may be hard to beat! I would however love any recommendations for other foundations you may have! 

[Wearing the creme foundation in shade "warm no. 3"]

 Pressed Eyeshadow Duo

I received the duo in the shade "Toffee/Sandalwood".  I was curious how a natural pressed eyeshadow would work out, since I had only tried loose natural shadows in the past. I honestly kind of doubted the pigmentation and wear time because it is a natural product, but I was wrong.

 [Pressed eyeshadow duo in shade "Toffee/Sandalwood"]

• Shade selection: 9/10; There are 12 different pre-made duos to choose from, or you can customize you own duo. I this the latter option would be really fun and an easy way to build a collection you know you will get use out of.
• Application: 9/10; I apply this with a standard eyeshadow brush. It applies just as any other eyeshadow would, so there is not much to say when it comes to this!
•  Pigmentation/Fall out: 8/10; I think this product is comparable to any high end eyeshadow. It is just as pigmented as my Naked Palette shadows. I don't notice fall out immediately, but I did notice that my shadow slightly smudged as the day wore on.
• Wear time: 8/10:This shadow duo wears about 6 hours before I notice any smudging or fallout under the eyes. I have been working a ton  since trying out this product, and I get reallllly hot and sweaty (running up and down stairs as a waitress, until I pass my state boards!) so I haven't had a neutral day to test the shadow when I am not sweating, so I would say the duo works pretty well!
• Overall product: 8.5/10; Love the duo colors, love how it applies, and love how wearable it is! Such a gorgeous set of colors for a neutral loving girl like me! 

 [Wearing the duo on a light makeup day-applied with a light hand!]

I hope you enjoyed this review-Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques is a brand that is really impressive and up there with high end brands. I look forward to looking into more of their products since they have already surpassed my expectations!

Also...I am looking for an all natural primer and bronzer. Any recommendations would be super appreciated! Please leave your favorites in the comments below!

Thanks for reading,
XO, Kelsey

Connect with me on twitter here // connect with me on instagram here// pinterest here //

**The Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques products were sent to me free of charge; I was not paid nor guided to say anything about these products. All opinions shared are my own.

Update // Review of Bella Organics

You know how life gets all chaotic and crazy and you don't know where one to-do list starts and the other one ends? Well, that has been my life for the better part of this past year. My senior year of college got ridiculously busy with deadlines, requirements, and working. I can now say that I made it through it though, and I am one happy Bachelors of Science recipient! At some point this summer I will be taking my state boards and starting a job as a full time registered nurse! Yay! I am literally so excited!

With all that being said, I would like to get back into blogging (on my own schedule that is!) I want to enjoy my time, friends, and family, and as I have always said in my blog posts, I will write when I find inspiration and free-time! That is one great thing about having a blog; you can write posts when you would like, and if someone out there in bloggyland finds interest in your writing, then great-I would love to entertain you with my posts! Now that all of that is out of the way, I want to share a brand with you that I have absolutely been loving for a few months!

Bella Organics 

 " Bella Organics was founded in 2012 in response to a growing concern for the severe lack of all-natural and organic skincare products available. Our mission statement is simple: We believe that we should take care of our bodies, and in turn, our bodies will take care of us. That’s why Bella Organics products will never contain water, emulsifiers, or any of the toxic or unnatural ingredients that are found today in most mass-market products". -The Bella Organics website

A few months back, the Bella Organics company reached out to me to see if I would be interested in trying out a few of their products, since I am trying to change over all of my skincare and makeup to more natural, less harsh/chemical filled products. After looking through their site, I decided the company was one that does align with my concerns in the ingredients in products, so I went ahead and said yes to their email. After having these products for months (literally), I think I have a good opinion on them!

The products I received were the Jasmine & Honey Hydrating Face Cream, the Iced Lemonade Deodorant Creme, the Shea Butter & Sunflower Hand Cream, and Coconut Lime Lip Balm.

The Coconut Lime Lipbalm was probably the product I enjoyed the least; not to say it was a bad product, but compared to the other items I was sent, it was a little lackluster. It did moisturize my lips, but it could be compared to any run of the mill chapstick (except its 100% organic!)

The Iced Lemonade Deodorant Creme was realllly interesting to try out-I found it to control excess sweat, mask any odor, and just be an all around enjoyable product. The scent of this stuff is amazing! I mean the name of the scent is so spot on...I just wanted to eat it! (Don't worry, I didn't!)

The Shea Butter & Sunflower Hand Cream was a nice product; I found it to moisturize my hands and cuticles pretty well, but it was a bit greasy. Since it still is a good product, I work around the greasiness by using it before bed, which means I wake up with soft hands!

The Jasmine & Honey Hydrating Face Cream is the total star here! I was blown away the first time I used this. As you can see in the picture, the product has a whipped-like texture (as does the deodorant and hand cream). When the product is taken out of the container, within seconds it sort of melts down(probably due to all the oils in it). After applying it to my face, it does feel a bit greasy, but I sometimes find that I am using way too much-you only need a small amount to cover your whole face. It does absorb into the skin (but if I am too impatient, I just blot off the excess). Once absorbed, my skin feels soooo soft and healthy...but this isn't even the best part! When I wake up after a night with this stuff on, my skin feels plump, soft and brighter all around. Until today, I had only used this at night before bed, because I thought it would be too moisturizing for daytime. In order to give a good review, I decided to use it as a daytime moisturizer. I am definitely happy about how it works during the day too; using this cream seems to help balance out all my extra face oils (your girl right here is usually an oil slick!) This product would be great for dry skinned and oily girls alike!

Overall, I am super impressed with this brand, and would order from them in the future. If you are interested in natural, non-toxic, organic skincare products, I definitely recommend looking into this brand!

Thanks for reading!
XO, Kelsey

Connect with me on twitter here // connect with me on instagram here// pinterest here //

**The Bella Organic products were sent to me free of charge; I was not paid nor guided to say anything about these products. All opinions shared are my own.

byTavi experience//making an impact [outfit post]

Hey lovelies! I recently had the opportunity to attend a fashion show event/women's retreat to raise awareness about a very sensitive and heartbreaking cause-human trafficking. Specifically, this event addressed human trafficking in Cambodia. Before the fashion show (which showcased items from the byTavi line-more on that later), lunch was provided, informative videos were shown, and a few speakers took their turns speaking to us. Afterwards, their was a trunk show and booths where other causes were presented, allowing for even more knowledge of how we can make a difference in so many different causes. It is heartbreaking to know that human trafficking occurs-around the world, and even in my state. It is my hope that by sharing with you this post, you too can help make an impact in giving these women a voice and changing the outcome of so many of their lives.

What is Center for Global Impact? (CGI)
Quite simply they want to "Empower the poor, protect the vulnerable, and share the gospel". When it comes to their mission,

"Center for Global Impact seeks to bring the Good News of Jesus to those in the grip of poverty and bondage through education, vocational training and business development. Primarily working in Cambodia, many of those we serve are victims of — or vulnerable to — human trafficking".   

What is byTavi?

ByTavi is a project of CGI where vulnerable women in Cambodia are offered "vocational training, consistent employment, and a living wage". With this training, the women learn how to make "high quality, boutique style handbags and clothing". Beyond this, they also receive life skills and spiritual formation opportunities.  All products made are marketed in the USA-all proceeds return to CGI projects. 

Who is Tavi?

  "When Tavi came to CGI in 2008, she found herself in a desperate situation. Her husband recently taken by AIDS, she was the sole caregiver of her two young children and an elderly aunt. Being HIV positive, she was weak and had no resources to sufficiently care for herself, let alone her family. Aware of her culture’s common acceptance of trafficking children to make ends meet, she desperately sought a better solution.

 

She approached CGI and requested a sewing machine and seamstress training. Three short years after she began sewing pillow covers, she had inspired over thirty other women in her community to join a sewing team, whose products were to be labeled byTavi".

It is so inspiring to me that one woman could seek out help to change her situation, in turn changing so many other lives. Today,  byTavi helps women "realize and reach" their full potential. Women spend time in retreats, receive seamstress training, and have other responsibilities in the workshop. Through all this, they become freed from the bondage of absolute poverty.

 Shop byTavi here.

Read more about CGI here.

Below are a few pictures I snapped throughout the lunch portion/fashion show portion of the event. Unfortanetly, my seat and view were a bit obstructed by the microphone and the podium, but I was still able to get a few pictures in. Most of them are blurry, because these ladies were on the move! It is hard to label all pictures with what item form byTavi each woman is wearing, so just know that in each picture, either a dress, top, bag, scarf, or skirt is being worn. If you visit the byTavi website, you will be able to see the items shown! These pictures are geared more toward those that attended the event-I had some requests to try to document some of the outfits! I did my best! I had an amazing time at the event and hope you are inspired and interested in the cause just as I was!

 

If you know me, you know I couldn't resist the desserts after lunch! I didn't get a picture of all the lunch foods, but I couldn't miss out on a picture of yummy cookies!

 Checking out the outfits before the show!

Clockwise: Ava Ritter-who personally invited me and who was a HUGE part of helping to coordinate and put together the event. Beth, the coordinator as well-and hilarious woman, I must add! Kim Anthony, a former U.S. National Team Gymnast; she was the first African American female to be recruited and receive a scholarship to compete for UCLA's gymnastics team. She is also a keynote speaker and author. Her new book is called Unfavorable Odds and can be found here. It tells more of her life story so far. Everyone who spoke during this event had an amazing story, and I feel so blessed that I got to hear these amazing ladies speak, and to learn more about human trafficking. 

[The clothes]

In this set of pictures the items by byTavi are (clockwise): the tunic, the skirt, the top, the top, and the scarf (worn as a top!)

 In this set of pictures the items by byTavi are (clockwise): Scarf and purse, skirt, top, dress, and dress.

 The trunk show and other causes being presented; as you can see, byTavi has plenty of scarves, purses/bags/totes, and coin purses. IN LOVE!

[My OOTD]

 After seeing all the items at the show, I couldn't resist making some purchases and giving to a great cause. The white top is byTavi. I also bought a scarf at the show.

 Watch brand is DKNY.

 The bracelet is from Express, earlier in the winter season.

 My booties are Jessica Simpson, purchased from T.J. Maxx. I can't find these exact boots, but these are VERY similar.

 As you can see, this byTavi top was part of their "Imprint Collection".

 My necklace is very old, but I know it was purchased at Forever 21. This is a very similar necklace, although it is not as bright!

 I hope this event recap was interesting and fun for anyone reading it. If you want to learn more about CGI or byTavi, click here and here!

***This event took place at the Hilton Garden Inn in Beavercreek/Dayton, Ohio. Lunch was prepared by the chef at the hotel and holy cow-it was amazing!

 Thanks for reading!

XO, Kelsey

Connect with me on twitter here // connect with me on instagram here// pinterest here //