Skincare Benefits of Kaolin Clay + Charcoal with Vivo Per Lei!

*Thank you Vivo Per Lei for sponsoring this post on By Gillian Claire!*

What is it about face masks that are so fun? I just did a poll over on Instagram yesterday and it looks like I'm not the only one who loves them so much!

Face masks are one of my favorite ways to relax and feel like I'm really pampering my skin + giving it a deep clean. I'm partnering with Vivo Per Lei on this post to share my experience with one of their luxurious face masks!

I have really been digging charcoal masks lately so I was immediately drawn to this Mineral Mud Mask by Vivo Per Lei. (You can see another charcoal mask I've tried here!) 

The two main active ingredients in this mask are Kaolin Clay + Bamboo Charcoal. 

I'm already sold on the benefits of Charcoal in skincare. Bamboo Charcoal works to pull impurities and excess oil out of the skin like a magnet. (Kind of amazing, right??)

Kaolin Clay was a new skincare ingredient for me to learn about. I'm so glad I did some research because there are actually so many benefits to using Kaolin Clay in skincare! It is apparently a very gentle clay and suitable for all skin types. Similar to Charcoal, Kaolin Clay works to pull impurities from pores. Other benefits of Kaolin Clay are that it helps with oily skin, is exfoliating and can be used to tone and tighten skin as well!




How beautiful is this mask? It almost felt too pretty to dig my fingers into! It was a lot creamier and softer than I expected which I loved and it went on feeling very smooth, soothing + luxurious. 

I have very sensitive skin. I have definitely broken out in hives a few times after a face mask. The instructions said to leave this mask on for 15-20 minutes. I ended up leaving it on longer because I was working (I work from home, don't worry!) and lost track of time. 

Praise Jesus, my skin did not have any negative reaction to this mask! I loved that even though the mask did dry somewhat, it didn't cake up really hard like some do. 

It was so much more gentle and moisturizing than I expected from a mud mask! My face was a little pink after I washed it off but my skin immediately felt plump and hydrated! Have you ever used a skincare product and you just keep looking at yourself in the mirror that day like, dayyyum my skin looks good? (Haha, or is that just me??) Well, that's what I did after using this mask for the first time! My skin was absolutely glowing and looked so silky + youthful!


The first drugstore charcoal skincare product that I tried a couple years ago didn't wow me so I was kind of left thinking that the whole "charcoal hype" was a little overrated.

I have since found with more experimentation that if you find a good quality charcoal skincare product, it does work and it's actually pretty fascinating to see!

I have somewhat acne prone skin and my pores really get clogged up. (Ew.) After using this face mask for the first time, I had so many blackheads come straight to the surface. It also loosened up a lovely painful pimple I had on my chin... (thanks hormones!)

A little close up look of the Mineral Mud Clay Mask at work! 

These might honestly be the most hilarious set of photos of me to ever grace the blog!

Overall, I'm really impressed with this mask by Vivo Per Lei and I'm looking forward to many more skin detoxes in my future!

Have you tried any Charcoal or Kaolin Clay face masks yet? I'd love to hear your experience with them below!

Be sure to check out the Vivo Per Lei website to learn more about all of their products. You can also find them on Instagram: here!

xoxo,

Gillian

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2 New Skincare Products I'm Adding to My Routine!

*Thank you, OMG Botanicals for sponsoring this post on By Gillian Claire!*

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I'm so excited to share a new wonderful skincare company with you guys today!  

I am very picky about the beauty products I share with you all on my blog and I was really intrigued by OMG Botanicals, a start-up company dedicated to creating safe and natural products! I am always looking for ways to clean up my skincare routine. All of the skincare and aromatherapy products at OMG Botanicals are paraben, formaldehyde, phthalate and GMO free!

Upon learning more of OMG Botanicals' story and their "integrity, passion and love," for their customers as well as their commitment to safe ingredients, I fell even more in love with this company! Of course, I am really pleased with these products (which is why I'm sharing!) but having the opportunity to promote products that work and also come from a company that cares and is committed to wellbeing gives me all those, "I love blogging!" feelings!

My main skin concerns are dealing with breakout prone skin as well as finding anti-aging products that will keep my skin healthy and youthful! You know I have been on a journey to fighting breakouts for a while. I breakout the most around my mouth and chin as well as getting occasional cystic pimples that seem to be hormonal, as well as very painful!

For the past few months, I have been strictly using the oil cleansing method to wash my face. The oil cleansing method makes so much sense to me and I had hope that it would be a fix all cure for me! I have really loved using all natural oils to clean my face, but it hasn't been a miracle on my skin. In the past month, I've decided that I need to add something else to my cleansing routine.

I've added this Antioxidant Cleanser from OMG Botanicals to my routine and I'm really happy with my results so far! First of all, I love that this product uses safe, natural and non-toxic ingredients. The smell is very minimal and fresh, which is perfect for me. This cleanser is creamy and very soothing to the skin. I have extremely sensitive skin and haven't had any negative reactions or breakouts as a result of adding this to my skincare routine.

The OMG Botanicals Antioxidant Cleanser uses a blend of Olive Squalane Oil and superfruit extracts! I love that I'm adding another natural oil product to my routine and the superfruit extracts add amazing free-radical fighting benefits! This cleanser is intended for soothing breakouts and minimizing pores. I have noticed that adding this cleanser morning and night to my routine has given my face a deeper clean. Most importantly to me, it has helped to dry out previous breakouts gently without over drying and making my feel face stiff like Salicylic Acid products tend to do.



In conjunction with the Antioxidant Cleaner, I have added this OMG Botanicals Renewing Serum. This serum also contains Olive Squalane Oil as well as Hyaluronic Acid and Rose Hip Extract. I love using this serum after washing and drying my face morning and night. It feels so luxurious and hydrating!

The Renewing Serum is meant to plump, renew, hydrate and nourish your skin. If you aren't already familiar with Hyaluronic Acid, it's a great anti-aging ingredient that naturally occurs in our skin but declines as we age. I definitely see the plumping action of this product the morning after I use it which is my favorite aspect!




Overall I am so pleased with the two new OMG Botanicals products that I have added to my skincare arsenal! These two products are made to work together so it's a perfect duo for me to work on fighting breakouts while also adding back moisture and anti-aging defense to my skin! I will keep using them twice a day and am encouraged that I will continue to see improvements with breakouts and anti-aging. I will, of course, keep you all posted!

Be sure to check out OMG Botanicals and use code: OMG20 for 20% off your purchase!

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xoxo,
Gillian

Fitness in Your 30s!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and the Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #NourishOnTheGo #CollectiveBias

Fitness and health have always been a big part of my life in one way or another. Working out is just absolutely necessary for my wellbeing and I'm always trying to learn more about wellness and healthy living. This has seemed to come naturally to me but the last few years have made things a little more challenging. These recent years have definitely been the most stressful of my life and stress mixed with entering my 30s has given me some reasons to work a little harder at living a healthy lifestyle!

My metabolism is definitely different than it was and stress and medication seemed to work together to make me gain a little weight. This past year I've been able to refocus on my health and kick some bad habits. I wanted to share with you the 8 things that I try to work at everyday to reach my health + fitness goals. I hope you find them helpful if you are on a wellness journey of your own! These are basic things that I've kept in mind this year and they have helped me lose about 10-15 pounds! I'm excited that entering my 30s has pushed me harder and I'm looking forward to staying fit in this decade and beyond!

Odwalla and Safeway are partnering with me on this post and I'll be sharing how to incorporate a couple of their products into your healthy lifestyle. Who else is a huge Odwalla fan? I've been buying their drinks since high school!

Tips for Staying Fit in your 30s!

Drink Lots of Water

Drinking enough water is imperative for a healthy lifestyle! If you aren't already drinking enough water, here are some ways to work on it:

     Find a water bottle you love and keep it with you all day! (My favorite glass water bottles are from T.J.Maxx!)

     Download an app to easily track that you're drinking enough. (I like to use My Fitness Pal.)

     Drink water first thing in the morning while your coffee is brewing.

     Add lemon to your water for taste and to aid in digestion! 

Make Working Out a Habit 

Schedule gym time in your calendar just like you would anything else; make it a priority! I am a busy working mom and some days I seriously have to drag myself to the gym but I find that working out ends up giving me more energy to face the rest of my day.

Find an Accountability Partner 

One of my best friends and I are both on fitness and health journeys. It's really nice to have an accountability partner in my life to talk things over with. She has also given me some great ideas that have helped me out so much! Find a friend to talk fitness with and better yet workout with! (My friend sadly lives 1200 miles away or else we'd definitely be at the gym together!)


Try Something New

Don't ever feel like you are "too old" to try something new! I was a dancer and figure skater growing up and honestly in my 20s I really mourned not having that in my life anymore. I have recently been doing some yoga at home (Check out Mandy Reid!) and I am really looking forward to maybe starting yoga classes and embracing something new in my 30s! 

Be Prepared with Food

Being prepared with food goes a long way! One way I stick with healthy choices is by making a list of all the good foods that I know I'll eat and making sure to have them on hand!

Those of you who know me know how I feel about yummy drinks. Coffee is the way to my heart and I also love grabbing fun clean drinks like kombucha or juice smoothies at the grocery. I am obsessed with these Odwalla 100% Juice Smoothies. They are perfect to have on hand when I need a "treat" but still want to make smart choices. I also love that they are made with high quality non-GMO ingredients and have no sugar added!

I cannot stress enough that I do not enjoy cooking and if I don't have easy, ready to go food around me I cave! Another thing I love grabbing at the grocery is fresh cut fruit from Safeway! Having fruit already cut and prepared makes me twice as likely to grab it from the fridge! Does anyone else buy fruit and ends up letting it sit on the counter until it's not good anymore? 


Right now if you buy any two Odwalla drinks at Safeway you will get a $1 off coupon to use on your next purchase of in-store fresh cut fruit! 

Mix it Up

I'm not big on "diets" but in my 30s I've definitely found that I need to mix things up a little to see what works. I've tried counting calories this year for the first time (after my accountability partner suggested it!) and it really helped me to see how many unnecessary things I was eating in a day! 

Currently I am cutting out gluten and dairy, not to lose weight but because my chiropractor recommended it to see if it helps with my allergies. This has been another huge eye opener for me and I have been introduced to some new favorite healthy foods in the process! 

Move More

     Pick a parking spot in the back of the lot!

     Take a walk with your kids in the evening, or by yourself while listening to a podcast.

     Clean the house! Hey, vacuuming burns calories- win, win!

Above All Else: Treat Yourself with Kindness & Fall in Love with Your Body!

Being perfect is an unattainable goal and I'm practicing being kinder to myself which has not come naturally to me!

Allow yourself to indulge on your favorite foods sometimes or skip the gym during a stressful week. Be easy on yourself and recognize that each day is a brand new chance to make better choices!

Insecurities is so last decade, right? We're in our 30s, so lets rock our fitness goals while more importantly loving our bodies better than we ever have before!

Love you guys,

Gillian 

Fall-ing in Love with our Kitten.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MuseCleanPlate #CollectiveBias

Well, I'm already back with another kitten post! We have honestly been having a blast with our little Finn, who we affectionately have taken to calling Finney. He has added such positivity to our family life! Fall has been the perfect time of year to bring home a sweet kitten and I'm loving nothing more than sharing warm cuddles with him on chilly nights. Can you think of anything more perfect? We've already had our first big snowfall here in Colorado this week!

I was so excited to have the chance to partner with Purina® Muse® at Petco on this post! I mean Finn needs to know what it's like to live in a blogging family, right? I had so much fun visiting Petco to pick up the new Purina Muse cat food for Finn as well some other fun things to spoil him with and we have a great time bonding over this photoshoot. 

There has been a little bit of an adjustment to bonding with a new kitten with having kids. I didn't really anticipate that but my kids have had to learn a lot about how to care for a kitten and Finn has had to learn what living with two wild boys is like as well!

Asher has had to learn things like not to smother the cat and that he can't just drop him onto the ground. (Yep...) We all have had to learn about Finn's behavior and figure him out a little bit. Finn meows more than any cat I have ever met. At first, he just used one loud all encompassing meow and we always thought he was mad or upset about something. It took us a little time to understand that he is really just very expressive and likes to have little conversations with us!

I'm trying to be deliberate about spending time with Finn and helping the boys bond with him as well. Here are some ways that I've been making this happen: 

Through Play

I was very drawn to Finn's sweet, calm and sleepy demeanor at the shelter. His first couple days with us he spent in our arms like a little rag doll and I thought he was just the most "calm" cat I'd ever seen...

Well, I think he was just honestly dealing with the stress of a new home because his second night with us, he began to get more comfortable and has been exploring, jumping, meowing and running all over the house non-stop!

He loves to play and this has been a great way to encourage my children to bond with him. We picked up a bunch of new toys at Petco and Roman especially loves spending time on the living room rug playing with Finney. Roman said to me last night, "Mom I haven't been bored since we got a cat!" Score.


Through Food

We have quickly discovered that food is one of the ways to Finney's heart! He loudly meows at our feet whenever we are in the kitchen because he wants up on the counter to scrounge for people food. 

I've tried to make an effort to pick up a few fun surprises for him food wise since he shows such an interest in it! The boys and I love giving Finney a cat treat sometimes. We also picked up some of the new Purina Muse dry and wet food for Finn at Petco. I love that Purina Muse is made with all natural ingredients and that they offer so many fun flavors! I've never had experience with feeding a cat wet food but when we adopted Finn from the shelter, they explained to me how's it especially important to feed male cats a balance of wet and dry food. I've since also learned that this is important for all cats' dental and digestive health!

I chose the flavor: Natural Chicken Recipe in Gravy, for Finn's first wet food taste test and he was over the moon! I chose several other wet food flavors as well as the Sailing with Salmon dry food and I've noticed that Finn is much more excited about eating his food vs. ours! Purina Muse offers a Muse Clean Plate™ Guarantee and will give your money back if your cat turns up his nose! 

There will be a special Facebook live sampling event hosted by Budget Savvy Diva on Wednesday 10/19 at 9pm ET! Be sure to check it out for a chance to win free samples of Purina Muse!

Through Affection

Finn makes this one pretty easy because who doesn't love cuddling with a sweet little kitten?! Finn has a very affectionate personality and we have all loved spending time cuddling and petting him this fall. 

I also picked up a brush at Petco and have encouraged the boys to spend time brushing him. Finney loves brushing time and usually closes his eyes with happiness. He hasn't quite mastered cleaning himself yet and usually gets into something that gets all over in his fur!

 
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All in all, having a kitten has been just what our family needed. I feel like the boys are at the perfect ages (6 & 9) to learn the responsibility of having a pet and Finn has brought them both so much joy. We are looking forward to many more cozy fall days spent at home with our Finney!

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Look out for a new range of Masterpieces Dry Formulas coming in February of 2018!

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Making After School Count!

     

     I'm really trying to up my mom-game this school year. The past few years have felt like a lot of "going through the motions." Lately, I've really caught myself in that pattern and realized that I need to make a better effort to make more of these years of my boys being so young! It's easy to get caught up in the day to day tasks, especially being a working mom, but I truly want to take more time for the little things!

     One change I'm trying to make to set the tone for the day is making the after school transition a more deliberate time of connection. The bus stop is close to my house and my kids are old enough to walk home but I know that they still love when I meet them there. I'm trying to not fall into the selfishness of wanting those last minutes to myself and instead walk down to the bus stop to meet my little boys. I work from home and honestly getting outside for some fresh air is really good for me and helps perk me up anyway. I love seeing my boys run off the bus when they see me as well; it's one of those sweet heart filling moments that won't last forever. :)

     
     Another thing that I've been doing since day one of this school year is making sure I'm prepared with snacks after school. It's kind of crazy what a difference this has made. Don't get me wrong, I've always had food waiting for my kids after school but I notice that making a little bit of an effort in the snack department goes a long way. My kids are pretty ravenous after being gone at school all day and I feel like making sure they have good snacks to come home to is a way of showing them I care. I am not going full Pinterest-mom in any way here but I just make sure I have easy snacks stocked up and ready to go as well as some little surprises every once in a while!

     
     Rome and Ash were so excited to come home from school to this fun package from Welch's in honor of their new 100% juice with coconut water and I'm so happy to have them partnering with me on this blog post!

     I love that Welch's brand new juice has replaced regular water with coconut water which adds natural benefits while keeping the great taste of 100% juice with 30% less sugar! My kids can't tell that their juice is more nutritious and they love coming home to find juice in the fridge after school! 

     I have really noticed a difference with these small changes I've started putting into place during our after school routine. It's so important for me to take a few minutes to connect with my boys after they've been away at school all day and it seems like they really love being able to share their day with me! This time of connection is also a great time for me to empty out their backpacks to keep on top of the endless paperwork that seems to pour out of the public school system!

    It can be so tempting for me to want to pick up my phone or get right back to my never empty email inbox but I'm trying hard to take these moments to just be with these little boys whom I love more than anything! 

How do you connect with your kiddos after school! I'd love some more ideas on how to up my mom-game this school year!

Welch's is made right here in the USA with family farmers and Welch's grapes! Both of these flavors were winners with my little guys with their great taste and refreshing goodness: White Grape Mango & Tropical Berry Grape!

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6 tips for working *Better* from home

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DDIcedCoffeeToGo #CollectiveBias

     I've mentioned a few times here that I'm working from home now. It has been a huge transition for me! I feel very blessed to be back to working for myself, running my own online creative business ( + blogging part time! ) but I have to say that it has been a pretty rough transition. Along with feeling grateful for the opportunities that have come into my life, I been feeling overwhelmed with the unique difficulties that come with working from home!

I wanted to put together a list of the tips and tricks that I've learned during my 9 months of working for home that are necessary for me to stay focused and be more productive. I'm so excited to be partnering with Dunkin' Donuts® + Kum & Go® for this post because if you know me in real life, you already know that coffee is going to make this list!

6 Tips for Working Better From Home!

1. Make a Plan! Being scatterbrained and unorganized are huge struggles for me especially now that I'm working for myself. Making a plan for my day is crucial to staying focused. I like to use an actual paper planner because it helps for me to physically write things out and check them off as I go. I also find myself using the "notes" app in my iPhone to make lots of quick lists when I think of things that need to be done.

2. Take Coffee Breaks! Just because you aren't working in an office doesn't mean that you should forget about designated breaks! Sitting at a computer screen all day can literally make me feel a little batty especially since I don't have other coworkers around to chat with! One thing that I do every work day is run out to grab a coffee. Yes, I have a coffee maker at home and I use it to make coffee in the mornings, but taking a break to get out of the house and grab a little treat makes a big difference for me. At home I make hot coffee, but I always get iced coffees on my "coffee breaks". My new favorite is the Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee from Kum & Go. (French Vanilla is my go to but they also have Mocha, Original + Espresso!)

3. Listen to Music! After I posted this post and talked a little bit about my struggles working from home, a friend shared with me that listening to music through headphones can really help with focus. I have taken this to heart and it definitely helps me! My current favorite work music is the Indie Folk Revival Radio station on Pandora. :)

4. Create a Workspace! Ok, this is one that needs a little work on my part. I live in a 900 square foot condo with 4 people (including two crazy little boys) so when everyone is home, it is very difficult for me to stay focused on work. I eventually would like to get an actual desk and create a designated workspace in my bedroom but I haven't gotten there yet! This summer, I have been working on the porch which has been perfect! I can just shut the door and have my own little outside office space. (All of the photos in this post were taken on my porch!)

5. Find Support! Once again in my life, I have found that my alternative lifestyle is hard for other people to relate to. I have found some great Facebook groups that have helped me to network with people who do similar work and who are also working from home. Check out Facebook to see if you can find some good groups to join especially if you are in a creative field!

6. Get a Change of Scenery! This is another huge one for me. Guess what, you don't always have to work from home if you work from home! Mind blown? This is what God created coffee shops for! Ok maybe not but seriously, I try to get out of the house at least once a week and find another spot to do my work. This is crucial for me and sometimes if I have a heavy work week or extra hard time focusing I try to get out to work several days a week. Look for some cute coffee shops in your area, head to the library or even look into a local shared workspace! 

Be sure to check out the Kum & Go reward program so that you can save money on all those Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffees like me! :) 

I'd love to hear from YOU if you also work from home + learn your tips as well!  I can use all the help I can get right now on staying focused and getting organized!
. . xoxo, Gillian