Bio-Oil, The Perfect Head-to-Toe Moisturizer! ~ Review + Giveaway!

Bio-Oil is a world renowned, specialist skincare oil that is clinically proven to improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. But it's so much more than that! Bio-Oil's moisturizing properties make it an effective head to toe moisturizer. From split ends to cracked heels, Bio-Oil can treat it all!

Bio-Oil has won countless awards (332 but who's counting) and is the No.1 scar and stretch mark product in 24 countries, including Canada - source

Formulated with proprietary PurCellin Oil, Botanical Oils (Lavender, Calendula, Rosemary, Chamomile) and Vitamins (A&E) to help maximize skin elasticity and to lock in moisture -this makes skin softer and smoother.

You can use Bio-Oil on your face to help minimize dark spots and hydrate your skin, regardless of skin type. Contrary to popular belief, those with oily skin can and do benefit from the use of beauty oils. Skin often reacts to dryness by creating an abundance of sebum (oil). Bio-Oil helps to restore skins natural oils that can be stripped away from washing or harsh weather conditions (hello Canadian winter) which can help prevent your face from producing extra sebum.

Admittedly I was nervous of using beauty oils on my face because I have combo skin and I was always told that oil would break me out. I now know that's a myth, but nonetheless I was still nervous. I took the plunge and I can tell you that you will benefit from it! Incorporating Bio-Oil into my beauty routine has helped my skin maintain balance and I don't see any more breakouts than I normally do.

The neat thing about Bio-Oil is that you can use it around your eyes and even on your lips which makes it perfect for those of you who don't want to use a gazillion products on your face.

You can also use it to remove your makeup! Bio-Oil completely dissolved all of my facial makeup with the exception of my mascara. In all fairness, I find most products can't handle mascara removal.

I have also swapped body lotion for Bio-Oil and my skin is thankful for it. After my morning shower I apply it to my body and my skin stays hydrated - all day. Unlike some oils (coconut for example), Bio-Oil absorbs into my skin and doesn't leave a heavy feeling. I can get dressed in a matter of minutes and know that the oil won't get all over my clothing. It also makes the perfect after shave treatment. My legs feel so smooth and I don't experience any irritation from it like I do with certain lotions.

Bio-Oil is also great for hand and nail health. Cuticles love oil and so do hands, just apply it sparingly (bedtime is best). Same goes for your feet. Bio-Oil can help with dry, cracked heels. I use a Pedi device to remove any build up of dead skin, apply Bio-Oil and a pair of socks before I go to bed. In the morning my feet feel much smoother and look way better. Buh-bye scaly, flaky skin!

I have a couple scars and a few small stretch marks that I've been applying Bio-Oil to but I haven't used it long enough to see any major results. I'm going to continue to use it and will update you all as to whether or not it improves them.


GIVEAWAY TIME!

One lucky subscriber of Mom Loves Makeup will receive a Bio-Oil prize pack valued at $65 courtesy of Bio-Oil and LexPR! This giveaway is open to Canadians only (sorry international friends) and will run for 2 weeks. Please read and follow the rules. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below. Good luck to all who enter!


Mandatory Rules

Open to legal residents of Canada only
Must be subscribed by email
Absolutely no giveaway accounts!


All other entries are optional. The more you enter, the greater your chance of winning. Check back daily for additional entries and please don't follow/subscribe to enter the giveaway only to unfollow after it ends. If you follow just for the giveaway and unfollow after it ends, you will be blocked from all future giveaways and I've got some good ones planned.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


*PR samples were sent to me for editorial consideration. No affiliate links were used and all opinions are my own!

Thursday Plantation's Cold and Flu Emergency Kit #TPWinterRescue ~ Review

Essential oils. We use them in our bath water, we diffuse them into the air for fragrance, we use them to help us relax - but did you know that you can also use them to ward of pesky winter colds and influenza?

There are many different essential oils out there, but today I'm focusing on three powerhouse oils from Thursday Plantation; Lavender, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus. These three can help you maintain your health and combat colds and flu this winter (and all year round!)

I'm sure you're all familiar with Lavender Oil. It can be found in many different beauty products and is a well known calming therapeutic. We all know that stress can play a negative role on our health. In moments of stress and tension, try diffusing this calming therapeutic into the air. The sweet scent of lavender is sure to help settle the nerves and create a calm environment. If you don't own a diffuser, try placing a few drops in a bowl of water and set the bowl near a radiator or heat vent and voila! A make shift diffuser. Alternately, It can be massaged directly into your temples to help temporarily relieve your symptoms of stress or anxiety. I have been running my new diffuser every evening with a few drops of Lavender Oil and it really helps me to relax.

Did you catch a nasty stomach bug? or maybe you're just feeling a bit nauseated? Place a drop of Lavender Oil behind your ears or around your navel to help alleviate feelings of nausea. If you're feeling up for a bath (wonderful way to relax and soothe achy muscles) add a few drops to your bath water. The vapour will help to clear your head and leave your skin feeling soft. I also like to rub a drop on my lips to keep them feeling hydrated.

One of my personal favourite uses for Lavender Oil is to apply a few drops to my pillow before bed. It brings an air of calmness and helps me fall asleep quicker. If you haven't tried Lavender on your pillow you're missing out. Trust me!

Tea Tree Oil is known for it's anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. Heck you can even use it to help ward off head lice! Fun fact (well not so fun- more like useful fact) Tea Tree Oil can be used to ease the discomfort of a sore throat. One of the first signs of a cold is a sore throat and most people don't have throat spray or lozenges on hand (I never do) If you have Tea Tree Oil, try adding a drop to a warm glass of water and gargle with it, but don't swallow!

Adding a few drops to a hot bath filled with epsom salts will help ease aches and pains associated with a cold or flu and as an added bonus the steam will help clear congestion.

I've also heard that Tea Tree Oil can help heal cold sores. I personally don't suffer from them, so I can't say whether or not it works, but it's worth a try if you do!

Eucalyptus Oil. It smells lovely, it can help to boost the immune system and you can clean with it! This multi-tasking oil can be diffused into the air to stimulate the immune system and to help clear the sinuses. This potent (in a good way!) oil also makes a wonderful vapour rub. Just add a few drops to some coconut oil (or any other carrier oil) and you've got yourself a vapour rub. If you're not a vapour rub kind of person, you can always add a few drops to a face cloth and inhale as needed instead.

As I mentioned earlier, you can use Thursday Plantation's Eucalyptus Oil as a disinfectant. Simply add 10-30 drops to distilled water to make a disinfectant spray. You can also mop your floor with it. I use a water-vinegar mix and add a few drops of Eucalyptus Oil. The addition of Eucalyptus Oil makes it much more bearable (I really dislike my house smelling like vinegar) and it leaves my hardwood floors gleaming. I definitely recommend doing a test patch before mopping your hardwood with it though. Better to be safe then sorry..

All of Thursday Plantation's Essential Oils are 100% pure and natural. They're free of synthetic parabens, harsh detergents and they're cruelty free. They also have a very long shelf life (the bottles I have are good until 2020).

You can find Thursday Plantation's Essential Oils at Walmart, Rexall, Whole Foods, The Big Carrot, well.ca and many other locations (click here for store locator)

To learn more about Thursday Plantation or to find more uses for their essential oils visit their website http://thursdayplantationcanada.ca/ and be sure to follow the hashtag #TPWinterRescue


#PR samples were sent for my consideration. No affiliate links were used and all opinions are my own!

Runway Rogue, Lip Products With An Attitude! ~ Review + Swatches

Runway Rogue is a new cosmetics company that's all about lip products with an attitude. Your attitude! From bold to subtle and everything in between, you can be sure to find a lip product to suit your attitude of beauty.

Runway Rogue is the creative vision of 90's supermodel Patricia Hartmann, whose favourite aspect of her modelling career was the incredible transformation that happens in the makeup chair. As a lover of all things that make lips luscious, Patricia carefully crafted each and every shade of this limited edition collection of creamy lipstick bullets, rich glosses and extreme long wear pencils.

All of Runway Rogue's lip products are made with high quality, mineral-based rich pigments suspended in hydrating butters and oils. They are cruelty-free and contain healthy ingredients such as Vitamin E, Jojoba oil and Chamomile extract. The lipsticks and lip glosses are paraben-free, talc-free, sulfate-free, gluten-free and are made with non-comedogenic ingredients.  

One of the first things that caught my eye was the packaging. The boxes are white with a picture of luscious lips showcasing the shade of the product inside. Simple yet beautiful.

The lip gloss comes housed in a sleek silver tube with a clear window to see how much (or how little!) you have left. The wand has a standard doe-foot applicator which picks up enough product that you don't really need to dip a second time (unless you're like me and need to be extra). There are currently 7 shades available and they retail for $19USD.

I have the shade Chameleon and it is absolutely gorgeous! It's a shimmery, golden rose that will flatter any skin tone.

"During my career I was given the nickname Chameleon, because depending on the hair, make up and fashion of the photo shoot, my look could go anywhere from sexy and sultry, to understated and minimalist. This sheer and super shiny shade is so multifaceted with shimmery tones of gold and rose, in a warm nude base that I had to name it Chameleon..."

As a lover of all things rose gold, naturally I fell for this gloss. It's very hard to capture each dimension of this gloss in a photo. It's glossy, glitzy, pinky, nudey (is that even a word?) and/or golden depending on how the light hits it. Chameleon is the perfect name for this shade because it's so multifaceted.

The formula feels comfortable on the lips, not tacky and not sticky. It feels like a gloss should feel-glossy! My lips feel hydrated while I'm wearing it and once it's worn off my lips are left feeling smooth. I don't usually wear gloss often, but I've been reaching for Chameleon a lot since I got it!

Now onto the lipstick!

Runway Rogue really outdid themselves with these lipstick bullets! They're a sleek silver-gunmetal shade and they have some weight to them, which I personally love. And they have a magnetic closure! There is nothing more satisfying (and practical) than a bullet that pulls itself closed. Tightly.

There are 8 shades to choose from and they sell for $21USD. I have the shade Casting Call and it's the most gorgeous deep burgundy shade I've come across in a while. It's not too bright or too dark; It's literally perfect!

"Ok, so I once had an audition where the client asked the models to show up with a dark red lip. Hmmm? Clients almost always ask the models to come nearly barefaced, so that they can basically view you as a blank canvas for whatever look they had in mind. What to do? I mixed and matched whatever I had available and showed up with this reddish burgundy lip. Well, guess what? I got the job, and ever since this has been one of my favorite shades. Now you don't have to mix and match, because I did it for you! Inspire serious lip color envy with this matte burgundy red, and if you want to give it an extra pop, top it with a layer of my High Shine Lip Gloss in Runway Red."

The lipstick has a sharp point that ensures crisp lines and makes lining the cupids bow a breeze. It doesn't feather and it feels amazing on the lips. It's a nice change from the oh-so-drying matte liquid lipsticks I'm (we're) always wearing. One swipe provides opaque coverage and it doesn't accentuate any dry patches. My lips feel so hydrated when I wear it thanks to the blend of jojoba oil, safflower oil, and aloe vera in it. 

For a bullet lipstick it's long wearing - obviously it will transfer/when eating or drinking, but it does so gracefully, leaving behind a nice stain. I can get a few hours of wear before I need a touch up and that's fine by me!

I'm very impressed with both the packaging and quality of Runway Rogue's lip products. I already have my eyes on some of the other shades in the line and I'm hoping they introduce some more in the future.


To learn more about Runway Rogue or to purchase any of their fabulous lip products, go to https://www.runwayroguebeauty.com or visit them on Instagram. You can also look up the hashtag #socialrogues to see their products in action!

*PR samples were sent for my consideration; no affiliate links used and all opinions are my own!