SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic

If there is one serum you need to add to your skincare regime, it's Vitamin C. No word of a lie--I am OBSESSED! I often get asked "why" and "which one", so I'm finally getting into it. I often chat about my serums on Instagram stories, but rarely they make it over to the blog. Sometimes, I forget that not everyone knows just what they do. And let me tell you... the benefits are endless. And now you're wondering why vitamin C and which one to use, right? I know.. it can be confusing!

I'm going to break down why SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is the best vitamin C serum.

So let's talk ingredients? Vitamin C is an antioxidant. You need antioxidants for your face. Why? :
*fight free radicals like environmental stressors and pollution
*prevent skin cancer since they act as a barrier to the suns rays
*literally make your skin glow
*reduces wrinkles, fine lines and prevents aging

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic contains 15% pure vitamin c. That is highly concentrated, so you know it's worth the price.  I have been using SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic as my vitamin C serum for about 3 years now. When I go without it, I seriously notice a difference in my skin! It's dull, pale, not as plump and looks shallow. The C E Ferulic contains such powerful antioxidants to fight so many of life's stressors that is is a number on in my beauty aerosol. It can last on your skin for over 24 hours so you only need to apply it in the morning (which I only do). Bonus-- you get more out of the product since it lasts long! The bottle is also dark for a reason. Light can deoxidize the ingredients so you want to keep it out of the light. And if you are worried that your skin isn't familiar with antioxidants/serums, or is super sensitive, don't worry! I thought the same thing since I had previously battled with rosacea, however, the serum is great for all skin types, and I have never felt any discomfort or had any reaction to the product (aside from glowing skin)!

Ready to try out SkinCeuticals?

I recently visited 1Clinic in Toronto, where Dr. Linda (who is just as gorgeous as she is brilliant), offers a multidisciplinary approach to medical care. She does it all-- takes walk-in appointments and offers advanced clinical spa treatments. When I saw 1Clinic only carries SkinCeuticals products I knew I had to get in for her GLOwUP facial! It was divine. I left with zero redness. It's a facial you can do before a night out and look amazing! The focus for the facial is to exfoliate your skin, regenerate your skin cells and hydrate, which ultimately leads to just glowing, radiant skin. You can still catch a peek into the facial on my skincare highlights on Instagram stories! Check it out and book one for yourself.

*Hot tip: Apply your serum after your cleanser and before moisturizer. And ALWAYS apply sunscreen!

**I was invited by 1Clinic to have the facial, however, all my opinions on SkinCeuticals and the treatment are 100% true. It's a brand I've known and loved for years!

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BeautySense is also one of the very FEW online Canadian retailers of SkinCeuticals! They have an amazing reward program to check out too. You can find an amazing selection of the line on their website, plus free shipping over $29! Here's the C E Ferulic.

Sexy Strawberry No Bake Collagen Fudge

Happy [early} Valentine's Day, beauties! Oh baby, do I have the treat for you. I got into one of those "I just need to make something sweet but I don't even want to wait for something to bake" mode. You know what I mean. And obviously, when this happens, all I want is almond butter slathered on something. 

What I came up with is a healthy, no-bake strawberry collagen freezer fudge recipe I just had to share.

So I whipped out these adorable little ice molds that I picked up at Miniso for $3 and got to the cupboard. I just pulled out a random selection of ingredients and decided I would make these sexy strawberry collagen bites. If you don't have the collagen or sex dust on hand, don't even worry! All you really need is almond butter, coconut butter and a topping. You could throw in some dark chocolate here or whatever you'd like. They take literally 10 minutes to throw together and you'll have a delish batch of "fudge" to store in your freezer for when the sweet craving hits. It's creamy, tastes kind of like a strawberry wafer and will leave you excited for the day ahead. *wink wink*

P.S.: Did I mention they are packed with healthy fats, contains no refined sugar and will improve your hair, skin, nails, joints and gut all at the same time? All thanks to the COLLAGEN.

... you know I love collagen... you can read more on that here. 

But since this is a Valentine's Day treat I thought I would pack it with a few sexy additions. A little sex dust (totally optional) which is just a natural adaptogen that spikes creativity and energy, and goji berries, which are full of antioxidants and also boost your mood and energy.

Here's the recipe and some links if you want to stock up on some goodies!

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Understanding that Self Care Isn't Selfish

How can you show up to be supportive, loving and genuinely a happy person when you are run down, exhausted and burnt out? I'll tell you... you can't!

Brandon just underwent knee surgery and to say it has been easy would be a lie. As we live together I am his main support. Don't get me wrong, both our parents have been showing up with open arms, meals and more! They have helped in an enormous way. But, I also have a full-time job and other commitments and deadlines. I guess I underestimated the extent of his surgery. For the first week, he could not walk, get up, or basically move without physical support of someone. He was so uncomfortable and in so much pain it was just hard to watch. I would lay beside him trying to make him relaxed and comfortable all well knowing that it was an impossible task. If he wasn't sleeping, I wasn't sleeping. If he was in pain I was in pain. I felt horrible just going out to do simple things like getting groceries, but things had to be done.

It came time to decide whether or not I would go to a staycation at Hotel X Toronto last weekend and I felt rotten. I really wanted to go but did not want to leave him. Then I realized, I needed it to stay sane! I was so exhausted, so burnt out and just anxious. So I went. Having this time away made me realize that you cannot be there for someone else if you are not there for yourself. If it seems selfish, I know. But it's not. How can you possibly show up for someone and be there ultimate caregiver when you cannot satisfy your own basic needs like rest and mental clarity?

So how do you do it? Here are a few of my realizations when it comes to putting yourself first and realizing that self-care isn't selfish: 

1. Just say no. 
Sometimes you may have commitments and you just have to cancel. It's okay to cancel if you are not up to it because in the long run you will be better off. Would you rather go somewhere and be miserable just because you said you'd go? No. Why put yourself through that and subject others to your misery. I had to cancel on some personal things but that's okay because it ultimately I knew I just couldn't be myself in those situations... there was too much on my mind.

2. Acknowledge that you cannot care for someone if you are physically ill. 
I was feeling ill. My stomach was nauseous from not sleeping and to say I needed a good shower was an understatement. Getting up every hour in the night was taking a toll on my body. I was exhausted all the time, relying on coffee to wake me up and not getting enough movement. I knew I had to set aside time to rest and then get my body moving just to find some mental clarity. In doing so, I was able to be there for B more fully, since I was sharp and more alert.


3. Energy transfers is a real thing. 
The flow of energy is strong. Your tension and inner anxiety can so easily be projected on others. Misery loves company, right? If you are miserable chances are you will make those around you miserable. Just like when you are happy it is easier to make others happy. When you need to ground yourself and get back into your grove, say by meditating, or by taking a long bath, do it. It will ultimately better your mood and the mood of those around you.


4. Realize you cannot do everything and that is enough. 
A good friend had to sit me down and tell me straight up: there will be dishes in the sink, there will be a pile of laundry and your house may need a good vacuum, but your impending house chores is not a reflection of your capabilities and worth. WOW. Did that just blow your mind? I keep telling her she needs to start a podcast (lol). But honestly, this was so good to hear. Instantly my shoulders relaxed and I felt like I could take a deep breath in for the first time. It's okay if things are not perfect. You are doing everything you can, and just that is enough.


So what did I do? I went. I went to the hotel while B was at home. Thank goodness we have an amazing support system that stayed with him the whole time, which ultimately made me feel better. But I still went out and enjoyed the 12 hours away. Eleni and I shared a room, we popped bubbly, learned all about the new Bio-Oil Dry Gel (more on that to come) and we had a great girly night in.  And naturally, we had to get a photo shoot in before breakfast. I mean... what else would we do!

So there we have it... I went and had fun. Is that so wrong? I came home more relaxed and even more ready and willing to care for B because I had that time to care for myself.

Do you have a hard time accepting that self-care is the first step in caring for others? Let me know!

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