On My Mind

Hi lovelies! I apologize in advance if this ends up being a rather rambling, random post. I have a lot of little things to talk about that don’t really warrant their own post. Spring is finally here, and I’m busy testing out products and thinking of fun features for you all, but I always think it’s important to update you on happenings and this and that.

So do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? There are some great ones in the natural beauty world and last month 2 in particular just knocked it out of the park. Goodebox is one I subscribe to every other month and luckily, I happened to receive the March box. I received 3 full sized products, along with some hair bands and good sized sample of Angel Face Botanicals face wash. Among the full sized items: Aila nail polish (you know I loved that), Acure Hair Mask, and Juice Beauty black eyeliner. Amazing, right? I probably got $70 worth of products for $18. Petit Vour is another highly rated box that includes natural brands although their true focus is on Vegan and cruelty-free brands. They start at $15 a month and generally include some awesome, luxury products. They recently included my favorite mascara by Lily Lolo. That mascara alone is $19.50 normally so that was a true steal considering the other items in the box as well! Unfortunately, I wasn’t signed up for that box, which brings me to my next topic..

So I used Lily Lolo’s Mascara for a while and loved it. But you know how it is, I just can’t resist trying new things and returning to old favorites. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Not in this case. When I ran out of my beloved Lily Lolo I decided to see how W3ll People’s stacked up since I couldn’t really remember. I just got it a couple weeks ago and I’m having such buyer’s remorse. It isn’t at all how I remembered it. 3 hours in I have raccoon eyes and it just doesn’t hold curls or lengthen my lashes the way Lily Lolo’s does. I hate to ever post negative stuff about a brand but since I’ve recommended it to reader’s in the past, I thought I should share my recent experience. I think it’s official that Lily Lolo is my favorite non-toxic mascara.

I finally ordered my first Kjaer Weis eye shadow and really love it! I’m wearing it in the photo above (although you can’t really tell). I don’t always have the best luck with loose mineral powders, which are so prevalent in the natural beauty community, so I was excited to find a pressed shadow that is comparable to some of my old toxic favorites. I decided to just buy it in the refill container since I already had a Z-palette and I usually wear at least 2-3 shades at a time. It just seems easier to open one palette instead of several little compacts, although I have to admit they have some of the sexiest packaging out there! Right now my one little shadow is looking a little lonely in there so I will have to splurge on more soon. You can sneak a little peek in the bottom of this picture:

Also in that order, I tried Nudus for the first time and will be writing my review soon! I’m also wearing it in the photo above. I was having such a good skin day in this picture I think I will plaster it everywhere (brace yourselves). Ok, so this last part might get a little heavy, but in the words of ‘The Wedding Singer’: “I have the microphone, so you will listen!!” … Totally kidding! You don’t have to, but here goes anyway.

So recently I had a bit of a health scare and it made me call into question the whole non-toxic living thing. I hate when people are vague about things like that so I’ll share. I started having bad headaches and feeling really faint late this past fall, along with some other things. I was concerned because I obviously can’t just pass out with two small kids in my care and what if I was driving? Apparently, when you have vague symptoms doctors like to just vaguely throw out the scariest scenarios. My doctor told me that it sounded like M.S., although he kept saying it probably wasn’t that, but still I should go see a neurologist to be sure. Of course, at the end he added “If you look up your symptoms, it will probably say M.S. so I’d avoid doing that”. Umm, ok. So I went home and promptly looked up my symptoms and it was either M.S. or a brain tumor. I started to get a little scared. I finally went to the Neurologist in December and he wasted no time pointing out it may be M.S. or something even worse. I was terrified when I left. He had ordered an MRI. All I could think was “Well great. I’ve spent all this time trying to eat as healthy as possible and use non-toxic products, and of course this happens to me. What’s the freaking point?”.

Before I could have the MRI, I ended up going to the emergency room one day during Icemagedon because everything was shut down (even urgent care) and I needed help fast. The German doctor on duty apparently had a penchant for spinal taps and continuously offered his spinal tapping services all while explaining an entirely new yet terrifying scenario. “Well it sounds like it could be an aneurism. I could see if there’s any blood in your spinal fluid. Of course, it would just be a slow leak. I mean a big leak- wow, you wouldn’t even be here! Or it could burst! So do you want me to get started?”. Seriously where were these doctors trained? WTF. I declined the spinal tap and quickly called my doctor to speed up the MRI. In the meantime more craziness happened due to me searching online. Brain tumors that are connected with having Malaria (which I’ve had and also had no idea it put me at bigger risk for a brain tumor). I finally had the MRI and thank God everything was fine. He diagnosed me with Atypical Migraines and I’ve never been so happy to be diagnosed with something in my life! I gave everything some thought after living in fear for several months and here’s the reality: Something is going to get us. We are not immortal, our days are numbered. So the point in living healthy is not to cheat death, but to live the best life we can while we’re here. Who wants to be sick and feel miserable? I want to feel great and be healthy up till the end. So I’m going to keep doing my best to live as naturally as possible and I’m also NEVER going on Web MD again. Seriously, I was positive I was dying.

Thanks for bearing through this rambling! Cheers to good health and safe beauty products! xo