Treating Mosquito Bites

I'm not a fan of mosquitos, mostly because I'm their chosen victim...

100% of the time. Even though, I've had horrible experiences in the past with them,

I apparently still did not learn my lesson. My worst experience with a mosquito bite

was when I was in Vietnam, when I was around 12 years old? I don't really remember.

It was over a decade ago and it swelled up pretty badly... I had a fever and my ankle

was swollen to the point where it was literally purple. I had to get injections and well...

it was pretty bad, haha. I've always had very bad swelling with mosquito bites.

This past weekend (Saturday), I went up to the cottage with my partner and I got bit the

night we arrived. Yep, the first night, but apparently it was not just one bite. No.

Apparently I had to get 3 mosquito bites on my left foot. Just my left foot.

It looked fine the night of, looked kind of weird the second day, but I thought it

would go away, but then it started to swell up really badly... to the point where it

was getting difficult for me to walk properly.

My mom was pretty pissed at me when I got home, for not coming back earlier.

She put freshly cut aloe vera all over my foot. It was pretty painful.

The aloe vera definitely helped, but I had to go to the doctor to get it checked.

Apparently it was infected and I needed antibiotics. I wanted to avoid taking

antibiotics, but this is what happens when I don't learn.

So... I am doing a post about treating mosquito bites. For my own sake and yours.

If you react badly to mosquito bites, like me... you may want to take note(s) :p

Be sure to use organic, pure ingredients, if you want the best results.

♡ IMMEDIATELY ♡

1. Disinfect the area immediately with rubbing alcohol

2. Soak the area in epsom salt with water, or baking soda and water

(for areas like the feet, leg) for 10 minutes

♡ TOPICAL OPTIONS ♡

You have to be pretty consistent with these, apply it at least 3x/day

1. Apply aloe vera generously on the area and let it dry

2. Apply calendula/marigold tincture or a calendula healing cream

3. Apply an apis/ledum cream (homeopathic remedy)
ex. Dapis Gel from Boiron

Cold compresses may also help after doing all the above steps.

But before even going outside, you should be spraying yourself with something,
to prevent the mosquito bites. I am currently using the Saje b-gone spray.
It works pretty well because I haven't gotten bitten after using it. I was just being
completely stupid for not spraying it before I arrived to the cottage...

I would recommend any spray containing: witch hazel, lavender, citronella, catnip, eucalyptus

A scientifically proven mosquito/bug repellent spray is Yemaya's Outdoor Spray, which I can't
seem to find online, but you can purchase it at Peaches & Green, if you're in Toronto.
It was studied at the University of Guelph and has proven to be just as effective as DEET.

and you might not want to wear a lot of perfume/nice smelling scents...
but scents like lavender, lemongrass, should be fine.

They're also attracted to sweat.
Basically when you're feeling quite hot and emitting some kind of body odour.
Either through your skin or your breath.

Take care! ♡

My Favourite Restaurants in Toronto ♡

In alphabetical order!

I can't rank them, because they each have their own charm :)
I left a hyperlink to each restaurant, so click away~

$$ moderate     $$$ expensive

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♡ Cafe Belong ♡
This cafe/restaurant is located at the beautiful Evergreen Brickworks market/park.
The best time to go is during the weekends in the spring/summer, when they have the
farmer's market. You can also hike up the hills and get a great view of the CN Tower and
the city. Many people walk their dogs in this area. You will also find many families here.
This is also a great place for dates, hanging out with friends, or just having a stroll by yourself.

$$$ 💐 550 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON. M4W 3X8
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♡ Hibiscus Cafe ♡
This small cafe uses organic ingredients, while using sustainable materials.
Their salad is colourful, flavourful and nutritious! This is also a vegan cafe
and yes, they serve vegan cheese with their crepes :) It's located at the Kensington
Market, so there is a lot to see in the area. There is also an organic grocery store nearby.
There's usually a 15 minute wait time, just because the place is kind of small.

$$ 🌺 238 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON. M5T 2L7
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♡ One Love Vegetarian ♡
This small take-out/dine-in restaurant offers delicious vegan/vegetarian, Caribbean
food. They have a fairly small menu, but everything is delicious and very flavourful!
It's a very small place. There is a communal table and a couple of seats on the side.

$$ 🍌 854 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON. M5R 3G2

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♡ Woodlot ♡
This restaurant is known for their sourdough, as well as cooking with local ingredients.
Their menu changes by the season and most importantly, the food is delicious!
It's also more expensive, so it's nice to eat here on special occasions. I also love the
ambience of this place. They have an open kitchen and the lighting is dim, but during
the summer time, the natural light coming in through the large window is beautiful!
You will always find something new on the menu, but once it's gone... it's gone.

$$$ 🌿 293 Palmerston Ave., Toronto, ON. M6J 2J3

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DESSERT!

♡ Bar Ape ♡

Okay, this is not a restaurant but my favourite vegan-friendly gelato shop!

They have the best flavours in the city. No doubt. Peach bourbon? calamansi?

Yes, those are some of their flavours. The best part is... they have a new flavour

pretty much every week. You can follow them on Instagram to find out more.

Sometimes, they have vegan soft serve or gelato bars! :p

$$ 🍧 283 Rushton Rd., Toronto, ON. M6C 2X6

♡ Zimt Vegan Chocolate ♡

I found this vegan chocolate over a few months ago and I love the packaging!

Not only is it vegan, it's also organic, raw, and ethically sourced!

Introducing Zimt! The founder is from Vancouver, Canada :)

Her name is Emma Smith. Thank you for producing these amazing treats!

I will always love my mint chocolate combo, but they also have a maple

and rosemary combo, which I enjoy. The ingredients list is super simple and

you can understand every ingredient that you are reading.

This bar includes:

cacao nibs, coconut sugar, cacao butter, peppermint essential oil
Yep, that's it.

Raw: meaning it is not processed with heat. Raw chocolate is Cacao.

Cocoa is processed cacao with heat.

Find a location near you here!

Thank you for reading.

I just wanted to share this random favourite :)

♡

Resolutions Ambassador for Well.ca ♡

Guess what!?

I've been selected to be one of the New Year's Challenge participants for Well.ca!

I received $100 to spend on the website, so here are the items that I picked out!

Thank you Well.ca! I shop on the website frequently!

#wellnewyear #wellnesshaul #wellnessdelivered

♡

So what were my resolutions for this year?

I want to support companies who care about the environment, on a social or ecological level.

To start off, I will always look for organic products, but that's just a starting point.

There is so much more involved in the products that we buy and how they are made.

Looking for labels that are also non-GMO is also important to me.

I like supporting Canadian companies as well. Products being fair trade

and biodegradable/easily recyclable is also important! Check the number in

that rotating triangular symbol. It should be a #1 or #2, for it to be easily recyclable.

I know plastic packaging is an issue and I will work on reducing!
Unfortunately 3 of the items I chose cannot be recycled :(

I've chosen very practical items! There will be some items that I didn't

really need, but have been wanting to try out *ahem, skincare*.

🍁 Canadian Product

♡ Skincare ♡

1. Andalou Naturals Soothing Face Mask
I've been wanting to try something from their '1000 roses' skincare line.
But this will be a gift for someone instead :) I don't like the packaging though.

2. Divine Essence Organic Sweet Almond Oil 🍁
I thought this would come in a spray bottle, but it came with a pipette.
I wanted to try using this as a body moisturizer, only on specific areas... specifically my legs.
They have been very dry, due to my lack of moisturizing. It's been so dry that tiny spots
have been cracking and bleeding... :( Nothing major, but you can definitely see it.

3. LaVigne Organics Mayan Magic Balm 🍁
Apparently this balm is great for people with eczema, so it must be a fairly
good healing/moisturizing balm. It also has a nice natural scent, even though
they say it's unscented... I mean, any natural product will have a scent :p

♡ Personal Hygiene ♡

4. Green Beaver Frosty Mint Toothpaste 🍁
A more affordable natural toothpaste on the market, while also being biodegradable.
It has a light texture, which others may not like, but I'm happy with this toothpaste :)

5. Dr. Brite Whitening Mineral Toothpaste
I love this toothpaste! It's expensive, so I normally would not buy this.
It has a mousse-like texture and the flavour reminds me of spearmint gum.
The consistency is not too thin or thick. It feels great in the mouth :p

6. Organ(y)c Sanitary Pads
This is a brand from Italy! They make biodegradable and organic cotton pads :)
Why organic cotton!? We come in contact with cotton everyday and it's one of the
most chemically treated plant in the world. Some of the chemicals are extremely toxic,
therefore not only affecting the water, environment, but also the people who work on a cotton farm.

7. Organ(y)c Organic Cotton Pads
For the same reasons above :) and I have a habit of using cotton pads for my face,
when applying facial toner. This is not a necessity.

♡ Food ♡

8. Bob's Red Mill Organic Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats
I need to eat too! This will be my breakfast for the next month :p
I like my oatmeal with 1 tbsp of any nut butter, little bit of honey, banana slices
and a dash of cocoa/coconut hemp seeds! yum.

9. Central Roast Organic Raw Cashews 🍁
I love raw cashews! It's one of my favourite nuts.
I also like almonds and pistachios :)
Unfortunately, I do not like the plastic packaging :(

10. Yellow Superfood Organic Nutritional Yeast 🍁
If you've never tried nutritional yeast, then you are missing out!
It honestly reminds me of fish food flakes though.
If you are a vegan, this is a great source of vitamin B12 :)
It has a super mild nutty taste, but becomes creamy and subtly cheesy when cooked.
I love adding this to my pasta and on top of my omelette.

♡
Thank you for reading! and Thank you Well.ca for choosing me!

ILIA Tinted Lip Conditioner ♡ Crimson & Clover

I have been wanting to try the ILIA tinted lip conditioners for over a year now.

When Sephora had their annual end of year sale, I knew I had to pick up a couple!

I couldn't really justify the original retail pricing, because I don't wear lip products

often, other than lip balm, so this was a great alternative! It's super moisturizing and pigmented!

I also picked up the colour in Shell Shock, but I'll focus my review on the Crimson & Clover.

It's my favourite of the two and I'm in love with it!

The retail price can range from $26-32. I purchased mine on Sephora when they had a $20 off sale.

I ended up getting the lip conditioners for $21 each. That's a pretty good deal :p

What I love:

♡ The case is made with recycled aluminum

♡ Their products are made with certified organic ingredients
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Beeswax (Cera Alba)*, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax,
Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf*,
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Wax, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil*.
May contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide CI77891, Black Oxide CI77499, Yellow Oxide CI77492, Red Oxide CI77491, Red 7 CI15850, Red 28 CI45410,
Yellow 5 CI19140. *Certified Organic Ingredients.

♡ From Vancouver, BC :) A Canadian product

♡ There's jasmine oil in this lip conditioner. I love jasmine!

♡ It leaves a lovely stain and doesn't dry out my lips

♡ I don't have to reapply. It leaves a stain and gradually
fades into a lovely pink shade on my lips :)

Here is a swatch of the colour. You can easily build up the colour from something

more sheer, to bold. I love wearing it both ways. It also leaves a lovely stain and is not

easily rubbed off when eating. I just had an apple and the colour is pretty much intact.

 My photos don't do it justice! It looks so much better in person on my lips :p

It's more red in real life and has this bright "punch" to the colour, my camera can't capture.

The colour of the lipstick on their website is actually quite close.

Not the swatch, but the photo of the whole lipstick with the colour in the tube :)

♡

The colour 'Jump' is on my wishlist :p

Have a great weekend!

Cosmic Pasta Salad Recipe ♡

Hello everyone! This is going to be a super random recipe post,

but I wanted to share this delicious pasta salad recipe with you all!

But I am truly sorry if it does not turn out well. I am a very inexperienced cook.
My palate is quite refined and I don't like to season my food too much.
I can taste the sweetness of a raw almond and the spiciness of a piece of celery.
If your tastebuds are like mine, then I hope you'll enjoy this recipe :p

♡ Please note that the ingredients I use are completely organic and suitable for vegans ♡
This recipe serves only 1 person :p

You will need:
♡ 1 cup cooked brown rice pasta (Tinkyada's Brown Rice Spirals)

♡ 1/3 cup cooked black beans (Eden Foods' Black Beans)

♡ 1 avocado with a sprinkle of lemon juice

♡ 1/3 cup nutritional yeast

Mix all the above ingredients, then add the salad on top.
You can also add the avocado in slices, separately with the salad.

♡ Cosmic salad blend (Kind Organics Cosmic Blend)
This salad is a blend of lettuces, kale, pea shoots, asian greens, arugula, chard,
beet greens, corn shoots, parsley, dill, fennel, basil, lovage, cosmos, nasturtiums,
marigolds, dahlias, dianthus, carnations, roses

♡ Himalayan sea salt, black pepper & Italian seasoning for taste

This will also taste great with some vegan herbed feta sprinkled on top!

Enjoy! :)

Green Beaver Boreal Body Lotion ♡

I will be reviewing my current body lotion in this post!

Introducing the Green Beaver Boreal Body Lotion :)

♡ Ingredients ♡

Aqua/Water/Eau, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Glycerin,

Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Calendula Officinalis Extract*, Coco-Glucoside, Cetyl Palmitate,

Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Glyceryl Caprylate, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil*,

Ledum Groenlandicum Water*, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*,

Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Water*, Comptonia Peregrina Water*, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax,

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil*,

Cinnamomum Zeylanicum (Cinnamon) Bark Oil*, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate,

Tocopheryl Acetate | * ingredients from Organic Farming

I bought this body lotion to relieve the itchiness on my legs in the evenings, after a hot

shower. I realize that a super hot shower is not good for the skin, but I cannot break the

habit just yet. If your skin gets itchy from lack of moisture, you may want to try this!

What I like about this body lotion:

♡ It's not sticky and when it's absorbed, it feels nice on the skin

♡ It has just the right amount of thickness, and because it is more natural based,

you need to work it into the skin for a little bit. Check out my circle swatches above!

♡ It smells really good! I can definitely smell the cinnamon and I have no idea what

Labrador Tea is, but this lotion smells warm and cozy :)

♡ I can still feel it on my skin the next morning. It makes my legs feel soft and smooth.

♡ It helps the itching.

I find myself barely scratching throughout the night when I have this on.

♡ It's GMO free and made in Canada :)

It's difficult to find skincare products that are free of genetically modified organisms (GMO).

It's everywhere, especially in the foods that we eat. I would like to avoid it.

This body lotion retails for about $15, but you can always find it on sale!

I purchased mine here from Well.ca :)

♡ Primal Pit Paste! ♡

Okay, so I've wanted to make a blog post/review of the Primal Pit Paste

deodorant since last year... literally. I even took photos of the product

last Autumn, but I never got around to it.

So enjoy my review! :)

I finally have the day off this week! :p

 I got the Light, Unscented version because I don't like fragrances in deodorant.

I've read other reviews regarding their Regular deodorant being a bit too strong,

as in itching and so forth, so I opted for the Light version, knowing how sensitive

my skin can get with skincare products. They also have other scents, such as

Lavender, Orange Creamsicle, Lemonade and more :)

I love this because:

☆ Fragrance free, no scent

☆ Leaves my pits smelling odour-free

☆ Keeps my pits dry for a good 3-5 hours

(it really depends on the weather and how much I am running around/stressing)

☆ In a jar, where I can get every last bit of the product
☆ It's a solid and melts when in contact with your skin
☆ It's in a glass jar, making it reusable/recyclable

I wish it:

☆ Controlled perspiration... I mean it helps a bit but definitely not for

someone who perspires a lot during the hot summer days

*This is a deodorant and not an antiperspirant so I can't really say much :\

Important Note!

☆ Make sure you exfoliant, wash your armpits at the end of the day.

The baking soda/acids may darken your pits over time if you don't take care of the area!!!
☆ Don't overdo it, it might leave a white cast if you put too much.
I recommend about 1-2 pea sized amounts for each side :)

Ingredients (Organic*)
Organic Shea Butter, Arrowroot Powder*, Coconut Oil*, Non-Aluminum Baking Soda

The jars are $8.95 each, which is quite affordable, but since I'm Canadian,

I had to pay a bit more for shipping which was about $10. I would still purchase it again.

You can get a trial sized jar for about $3.95 on their website.

and I redid my nails last night! Aren't they cute? :p

I can't believe I changed the shape of my nails, in order to do these heart tips ♡

I'm wearing Bio Seaweed Gel's Sweet Pea! It's like a light purple/blue/periwinkle :p

Hope you're all having a nice weekend :)

Scotch Naturals

These are just some of the colours I like from their line =]

Non-toxic, water based nail polish =]
They range from $10-15 depending on where you get them and if you can find them on sale.

They also have a line for kids, called Hopscotch Kids
www.scotchnaturals.com and www.hopscotchkids.com =]

Pai Skincare!

I'm always looking for new organic skincare brands. Pai is a skincare brand targeted for sensitive skin types. I believe they originate from the UK. They currently have a small skincare line for all skin types and I'm hoping to see more from them in the near future =]

I don't plan on getting anything from them yet because I still have quite a bit of stuff to finish. I am mainly interested in their Geranium & Thistle Moisturizer and their Bergamot Orange Lip balm.

www.paiskincare.com
The shipping is very affordable, but you can get free shipping if you spend over $60. If you don't like your item, you can return it within' 30 days with your money back along with the shipping costs =]

Honeybee Gardens Lipstick

I'm sure many of you may or may not have heard of this brand. They are natural and paraben free. They have a line of cosmetics, lip care, hair care, body care, and more =] I have been trying to hunt down swatches online but it's really rare to find some good reviews on these lipsticks. I think this video will give you a good idea of what they look like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itdLZVh7a64

I love 'Valentine' in the video above ^ but not sure if it would show up on my lips lol. So I'm also interested to see 'Soft Kiss' because it's lighter but it seems a bit more sheer based on swatches I've seen online >< you can purchase these online at www.goodearthbeauty.com or eBay. If you live in the United States, you can probably find them in organic/herb stores.

These can range from $8-11 USD. They are around $14/15 CAD ><

Priti Polish Galore!

Well, well, well look what we have here! =] I recently ordered some Priti Polishes from www.goodearthbeauty.com some 2 weeks ago (I requested for 3 other colours that wasn't available on the website, so it took a bit longer but so worth it! Karen, the owner is extremely nice). I got the package this morning and was sent out some time last week, so not bad =]

Left-Right:
- Fairy Thimbles
- Bluestar (very similar to China Glaze's 'For Audrey' but lighter)
- September Charm (similar to OPI's 'Coney Island Cotton Candy')
- Ballerina Peony (I adore this colour)
- Ruffled Velvet Iris

are the names not beautiful/cute or what!? =]

I ordered 4 more colours, but I am going to sell them because they're colours I either already have or don't see myself wearing =p

Prince Charming, Chelsea Star, Blue Moon Clematis (very similar to OPI's 'Significant Other Color"), and Dorothy Palm.

I thought Prince Charming would be a lot lighter, but it reminded me of China Glaze's 'Flipflop Fantasy'... which the 2 aren't alike at all but they are both very bright. Flipflop Fantasy is more peachy (neon)

I am wearing Priti Polish in 'September Charm'