#SelfCareSaturday Episode Two: Sleep

Welcome back to #SelfCareSaturday!  This is episode two of my biweekly series that focuses on making self-care a daily habit.  Missed last week's episode?  Watch it here!  

I learned so much from the research I did over the past two weeks and share some of my insights in the video.  I'm also excited to tackle one of the most important aspects of self-care in this week's episode: sleep!

Why is sleep important?  Sleep is the time for our bodies and minds to recover from our stressful lives.  Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can worsen the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and even be a factor in developing them in the first place.

Let's look at ten ways to improve our sleep and show ourselves some much-needed TLC!

As always, watch the video here or on YouTube and don't forget to subscribe!

10 Tips For Sleeping Better

1. Avoid caffeine in the 6 hours before bed.
2. Make your bedroom a sleep inducing environment.
3. Create a pre-sleep routine.
4. Don't force yourself to sleep.
5. Utilize sunlight in the morning.
6. Set a sleep schedule.
7. Avoid naps.
8. Don't eat within two hours of going to sleep.
9. Exercise in the morning.
10. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Get more details about each of these tips in the video above!

What are your favourite tips for a better night's sleep?  Let us know in the comments!

Until next time,

Lily Lolo Creamy Lash Alert Pure Natural Vegan Mascara Review

It's time for another vegan and cruelty free mascara review!  I started doing research into mascaras for my wedding and have really enjoyed sharing them with you.  If you missed the last two mascaras I reviewed, go check them out!  I looked at Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara and Pacifica's Aquarian Gaze Mascara.

Let's get to the review of Lily Lolo's Creamy Lash Alert Pure Natural Vegan Mascara!

What Lily Lolo has to say about its Creamy Lash Alert Pure Natural Vegan Mascara...

'Award Winning Lily Lolo Creamy Lash Alert Pure Natural Vegan Mascara from London is easy to apply and will volumise and lengthen lashes to produce a dramatic effect. An everyday essential for fabulous looking lashes. There are no artificial ingredients, just long lasting colour with a smooth, creamy texture. Natural and gentle formula is perfect for sensitive skin and those who are discriminating with what they put on their face.  Watch our how to video for mascara application tips. Natural SPF 15.  10.5ml

Made with pure inert minerals, organic, and natural ingredients. Completely free of gmo, nano particles, talc, additives, harsh chemicals, parabans, gluten, bismuth oxychloride,dyes, fillers, fragrance, preservatives, petroleum based chemicals, and other questionable ingredients.

New formula is vegan, all are gluten free and suitable for vegetarians.'

Cost: $19.50 US

Vegan?  Yes!

Cruelty-Free?  Yes!

Formulated Without: GMOs, nano particles, talc, additives, harsh chemicals, parabans, gluten, bismuth oxychloride, dyes, fillers, fragrance, preservatives, petroleum based chemicals, and other questionable ingredients.

Ingredients: Gluten Free, Vegan Friendly.  Aqua (Water), Myrica Pubescens Fruit Cera (Myrica Pubescens Fruit Wax), Propanediol, Copernicia Cerifera Cera (Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax), Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Sucrose Stearate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera (Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax), Lactobacillus Ferment Bis-Octyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate/Propanediol Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Oryza Sativa Bran Cera (Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax), Glyceryl Caprylate, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, May Contain Iron Oxides.

What I have to say about it...

The Good

• Very lengthening; 
• Contains wholesome ingredients;
• Doesn't smudge;
• Doesn't flake,
• Can be very natural-looking with a light-handed application;
• Doesn't tend to clumping (as long as you scrape off the excess from the brush before application);
• Separates the lashes;
• Leaves the lashes very soft;
• Applies very easily and smoothly;
• Is very easily removed with almond or castor oil.

The Bad

• Doesn't add a huge amount of volume;
• clumps if you don't scrape off the excess OR do more than two light coats;
• Doesn't hold curl as well as it could over the course of the day (though maybe my expectations are just too high, since so mascara holds a curl the way I'd like them too!).

---

RATING: 4.7/5

---

How does it compare to Too Faced Better Than Sex and Pacifica Aquarian Gaze?

Final thoughts:  I LOVED the Pacifica Aquarian Gaze mascara, giving it a 4.5 out of 5 in my review.  The Lily Lolo mascara is VERY similar to the Pacifica mascara, but with a little more length and volume.    They both have a more natural look than the Better Than Sex mascara, but the Lily Lolo mascara adds a bit more oomph than Pacifica.  I also find it a little easier to remove (and therefore easier on my lashes) than both of the other mascaras.  For this reason, the Lily Lolo mascara is my favourite of all the vegan mascaras I've tried!  I didn't want to give it a perfect 5/5, since I'm hoping to find a mascara that holds a curl the way I dream of, but I will DEFINITELY be repurchasing this mascara and highly recommend it!

What's your favourite vegan mascara?  What mascara should I try next?  Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

#LastWeekInVegan Pope Urges World Leaders To Act On Climate Change

Here I am again, back with another episode of Last Week In Vegan!  This week we chat non-vegan currency (in the UK and Canada), the Pope's snub of Donald Trump, Marineland being charged with 5 counts of animal cruelty, a 100-year-old lobster rescued in Canada, and more.  

Watch the video here or on YouTube!

STORY ONE

UK Currency is Not Vegan
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8694&catId=1

Petition: https://www.change.org/p/bank-of-england-remove-tallow-from-bank-notes?recruiter=12006801&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

England Considers Making Its Cash Vegan
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8705&catId=1

Canadian money is also non-vegan: http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesday-edition-1.3874554/vegans-decry-canadian-corpse-cash-that-contains-traces-of-animal-fat-1.3874564

STORY TWO

Pope to World Leaders: Act on Climate Change Now
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8696&catId=1

STORY THREE

Marine Animal Park Charged with Five Counts of Cruelty
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8701&catId=1

STORY FOUR

Vegan Rescues 100-Year-Old Giant Lobster
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8700&catId=1

STORY FIVE

Court Drops Charges Against Cecil's Hunters
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8682&catId=1

STORY SIX

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Greenlights Veganism
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8698&catId=1

STORY SEVEN

Scurvy Makes a Comeback in Australia
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8695&catId=1

STORY EIGHT

Toronto Food Bank Served 50,000th Veg Meal
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8702&catId=1

OTHER STORIES

http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8688&catId=1
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8675&catId=1
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=8685&catId=1

---

What do you think about last week's stories? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

10 x 10 Wardrobe Challenge

Some of you may have been expecting to see another winter capsule wardrobe of 40 pieces, but you know me, always keeping you on your toes!  I wanted to do something a little different, to challenge myself, and the 10 x 10 Wardrobe Challenge seemed like the perfect choice!

What's the 10 x 10 Wardrobe Challenge, you ask?

10 Outfits, for 10 days, using only 10 Pieces. 

Let's jump into it!

Watch the video here or on YouTube!

What was your favourite outfit?  Would you ever do a challenge like this?  Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,