life lately

Happy Election Day, America! I voted, did you?



In other news, my boss got some new geckos and they're really sweet. Look at this little guy! They're so soft. This one hung out on my shoulder for a bit while I stocked at work.



I've gotten more into baths lately, so I've been using up some bath bombs. Here's one from Ladyburg. So if you have any recs, send them my way!



I've been getting lots of wear out of my new leggings! Here's the print Royal Ruby. They just released faux fur lined and fleece lined prints, so I can't wait to get some shopping done!



The past week has been pretty weird, as I've had a bout with a nasty sinus/allergy headache, then what appeared to be a virus that kept me out of work yesterday. Sigh. I didn't even get any blogging done yesterday while I was home in bed.

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empties #7

Wow! Seven whole months of keeping up with my empties. I might've finally stuck with a series here on lb. Haha! I've really been thinning out my products, so I haven't been going through as many, coupled with the fact that I haven't been wearing as much makeup during the hot end of summer days. But here's what I've finished up!

Auromere Ayurvedic Herbal Toothpaste in Licorice // cruelty free & vegan // I'm gonna be honest here - I didn't know this was licorice flavored when I picked it up. However, I liked this toothpaste. I'd been wanting to get away from the fake, minty, flouride-filled toothpastes, so I snagged this at TJMaxx on a visit to my mom's. The licorice flavor wasn't bad and I'll definitely purchase this brand again. (If you use my link, use the code TNZ430 and get $5 off!)

L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Conditioner // I'm still using up these little travel sizes I got for free with coupons forever ago. This is a good conditioner, but L'Oreal isn't cruelty free, so I won't be repurchasing.

Poor Farm Soap Co. Lip Balm // I got this a few years ago at a local festival. It was a decent balm, but it died a summery death melting in the car, then when it solidified again it was grainy, so I'm tossing it. It's not vegan and I can't verify if it's cruelty free or if I'll even see the booth again, so I doubt I'll repurchase.

Tarte Drink of H20 Hydrating Boost Moisturizer // cruelty free & vegan // Here's my full review post of this here. I'd repurchase this.

L.A. Colors Nail Polish Remover Pads in Peach // cruelty free & vegan // I've had these things for YEARS and they stayed moist that whole time and still worked! I have another container of them somewhere in Strawberry, but after that container is used up I probably won't buy these again. They worked well, but left a residue on my hands and feet, so I felt I had to wash after using it.

Juice Organics Brightening Conditioner // cruelty free & vegan // I've never seen a conditioner be both thick and light, but this one was both. It was really creamy and thick, but didn't weigh my hair down. My hair felt healthier and more vibrant after using it. I'd definitely repurchase this one!

Palmer's Eventone Dark Spot Correcting Cleanser // cruelty free // Sadly, I missed a milk ingredient in this bottle after I'd opened it. For shame. It didn't work anyway, so I'm not missing out on a miracle product. My skin felt so soft and silky after using it, but I won't be repurchasing.

Not pictured:

Suave Creamy Cocoa Butter & Shea Body Wash // This was a buy one, get one free coupon deal that I finally used up. Suave body washes lather so well but sadly, they're not cruelty free. I have another bottle of this waiting to be used, but I won't be repurchasing.

Clean & Clear Morning Burst Hydrating Facial Cleanser // This was a hand me down from a friend who didn't want it anymore. It was a decent cleanser, but not a life changer, nor is it cruelty free.

Edge Sensitive Skin Shave Gel // Another freebie from my coupon stockpile. It's shave gel. It works. I won't be buying again after I use up my stash.

Colgate Total Mouthwash in Wintermint Rush // It's mouthwash from my coupon stockpile. I'm not a huge mouthwash fan, but picked it up because it was free a while back. I'd like to try Tom's once I get through the other bottles in my stockpile.



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link love

Here are five things you should never assume about someone with an eating disorder.

So, caftans may not be the "it" thing for people in their twenties, but I can totally see myself shuffling around the house in my slippers wearing this one.

This is a really great "beginner's guide" to preparing tofu - check it out over on Mo'adore!

I just started my minimizing journey in early September, so this article about why you shouldn't feel like a minimalist imposter is great.

I'm in love with this coffin makeup brush holder!!!

Seven species of bees have been added to the endangered species list. 

Here's a great list of 2016's Best Vegan Lifestyle blogs.

I LOVE bats, and three endangered species were just found in Turkey! Yay!

Roasted garlic cream over potatoes? I'm practically drooling.

I just found this shirt with a print about rescue dogs and I love it.

A friend of mine is a marine biologist in the Maldives, and he posts articles on Facebook like 8 plastics to quit right now and they're really helpful!




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cruelty free dupe: pacifica vs. opi

Now, most dupe posts are for the cost side of things. I'm all for a cheap dupe when it comes to beauty. However, this post is for a different reason - animal testing!

OPI is not cruelty free, as they sell in China. Years ago a friend bought me a bottle of my favorite color: You Don't Know Jacques. I love the brown/grey because it can be worn with anything! However, my bottle is almost to the point of being gunky. Of course I love the color, but I won't buy another bottle since they test on animals.

I went on the hunt for a similar color, but was having trouble finding it. I don't like to buy polish online since I can't see the color in person, so I took off to Ulta. My local store carries quite the selection of Pacifica polishes, so I thought my efforts may be fruitful.

Success! I found Pacifica's Beach Wood to be a wonderful color match AND 100% vegan and cruelty free! Not only that, but Pacifica's brand is a whole dollar cheaper, with no nasty chemicals, animal products, or hurt bunnies. ♥

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a lazy day downtown

Yesterday, after I ran some errands on my day off, I decided to head downtown. I work down there, but very rarely get to actually stroll around. I stopped and had lunch at the Virginia Deli, which is one of my favorite spots. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the streets weren't really busy, so I sat outside and enjoyed the day.





Earlier that morning, my grandpa changed the oil in my car for me, so I stopped by Sugar Shack and picked up a couple sprinkle donuts for him and my grandma. My grandma grew up downtown, so as I was telling her where Sugar Shack was, she told me their building is right across from what used to be the service station my great grandpa ran! I love learning family history.





I've been watching my spending lately, so I didn't pick up a lot of things in my shopping, but I did stop by Ladyburg for a bath bomb, The Grove of Brite Blessings for a few stones, and then I stopped by Ulta (but that was an awesome point redemption deal and I ended up only paying $1.26 for the polish!).



Overall? A very unproductive, relaxing day. ♥


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