Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques 2021 Holiday Advent Box (+ Instagram Giveaway!)

"Long time, no blog" seems like a major oversimplification of these many months of silence here on the website.  Like for many of us, the last 18 months have been a lot, and I also started a new job back in March, so, all-told, maintaining the blog has just not panned out this year like I had hoped.  

I've still been around periodically on Instagram, so I haven't completely disappeared.  And in other exciting news, I was asked to team up with Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques on their 2021 Holiday Advent Box ($65 USD for $138 of goodies, 10% off with code <naturallabeauty>), which has had me working behind the scenes on creating a collaboration product for this year's release.  You may recall my love for last year's box, and I have to say, this year's is EVEN BETTER!  I'm beyond excited to finally share it with you all.

Keep reading for a full reveal of the 2021 Advent Box contents, then head over to Instagram and enter to win a box for yourself!

Photo Credit

Worth the Splurge: DUÅ A & KAMEN Rose Quartz Skincare

I’ve been trialing DUÅ A & KAMEN, a new German luxury natural and cruelty-free skincare line, for the past several months, and I’m excited to share my thoughts today on the products and the brand as a whole.  Hana, the company’s founder, is a trained beautician and physiotherapist who first formulated skincare products to solve her own skin problems, then later decided to sell them.  What followed was two years of further product development and dozens of test formulas before DUÅ A & KAMEN was born in June of 2020.


The company’s inaugural launch, the Rose Quartz line, features wonderful raw and natural ingredients, and, per the name, there are real rose quartz stones found in every bottle.  The line is specifically targeted towards acne-prone skin, but after using the products for the last few months, I think they have a lot more versatility than that description implies, and could in fact suit a variety of different skin types. 


Keep reading for my detailed take on each product in the line, plus head over to my Instagram page for a chance to win two of the products for yourself!

Blush Crush: New + Old Favourites ft. Aether, Lauren Brooke, Clove + Hallow, Fitglow + more!

Despite wearing masks that cover most of my cheeks whenever I leave the house these days, I’ve really gotten into blush over the last several months.  There’s just something about a flushed cheek that’s been doing it for me, and I’ve also fully embraced cream blush formulas for the first time. 


I wear powder foundation many days, so all of these have been been tested over both powder and cream/liquid base formulas without any issues.  


Top 6 Skincare Discoveries of 2020

January 13th is pushing the limit for a best of 2020 post, but, in my defense, my new year started with a computer that wouldn’t boot up on the 1st, which put a major damper on any blogging plans.  Combine that with the lack of motivation I’ve felt in recent weeks watching both the pandemic spiral in Ontario and the disturbing political events of our US neighbours, and here we are on the 13th.  But, I figure better late than never!  


While there are lots of skincare products, both new and old, that I enjoyed last year, these are specifically my very top standout discoveries -- things that I tried for the first time in 2020.  As it turns out, this lineup makes up an entire basic skincare routine, which is also fun!