TopBox and Ipsy July 2013

Hello Lovelies! I've been slacking I know. I'm sad to report that I had to cancel a few of my boxes given my current jobless situation. I hope to get back with them soon. There were only two monthly subscriptions that I thought were worth holding onto. Why? Let me show you :)

I decided to go with the Regular TopBox again this month and I'm happy with that choice. This month I received:(left to right)
KMS California Free Shape Quick Blow Dry Spray: I'm actually pretty impressed with this product. It did exactly as it claimed!
yaby Lip Colour in Hot Date: Its sitting in my Glam RX palette right now :)
Cuccio Colour Nail Lacquer in Make a Wish in Rome
Belvada Cosmetics One Moment Essential Day Cream: That's 24K gold flakes sitting in there. This also costs a pretty penny at $60/60 mL. I'm not entirely sure about this product. I mean the idea of smearing gold and pearls on my face doesn't sound like it would work. But I guess I'll have to see :)

Ipsy's theme this month is Beach Beauty. I received:
Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray: adds texture to hair for that beach look.
Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush: I have a newfound love for lip crayons! 
Coola mineral sunscreen for the Face, SPF 20
Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Mai Tai: I love the names of all their products! Meet me at the nail bar Lovelies!
BH Cosmetics California Collection sampler: The colours are Hollywood, San Francisco, and Malibu. 

Great Months again for both TopBox and Ipsy!

Stella & Dot Giveaway!

Hi Lovelies! Stella & Dot is giving one lucky Facebook Fan 10 pieces from their collection. Quick, enter here! Good Luck!

Cocoon Apothecary starter kit

Hello Lovelies! I would like to share with you my review of the Cocoon Apothecary Skin Care Starter Kit for normal, dry, sensitive, and mature skin types. (from their website)

Cocoon Apothecary is an artisanal skin care company that embraces the power of nature to deliver a luxurious product without compromise. Based in Kitchener, Ontario, we make skin and body care products that are as good for your skin as they are for the Earth.

oH Canada!
The best thing about this set: Roses! Real rose oils and extracts! I used this set for about a week and I think my nose was in heaven as well! It was also very user friendly. It was pampering even when you are on the go!

The Petal Purity Facial Cleanser is meant to be used on dry skin. It has a sort of cream consistency. I would say its kinda like a milk but thicker. You give yourself a little facial massage as you are gently cleansing your face. You can wipe off with a damp cloth. I usually prefer to just rinse with some warm water and pat dry. Either way, it gets the job done.

The Rose Dew Facial Toner is an immediate fix for rose lovers. To tone just spray on your face or a cotton pad and wipe down your face. Gently and moisturizing, it did not dry out my face. Sometimes I spray it on throughout the day for a little spritz!

The Rosey Cheeks Facial Cream should be applied to dry skin. It feels like a heavier cream but definitely goes on smooth and light. And of course, makes you smell like you had a lovely rosewater steam facial. The formula last morning til night and kept my face baby soft!

Overall, I was really impressed with these skin care products and would not hesitate to pick up this little set again! The packaging also has an elegance with nature combined to it. Check out Cocoon Apothecary.


I was sent these products for the purposes of review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are mine own. 

I'm a Stylist for Stella & Dot! Hear Me Roar! (Meow!)

Hello all my wonderful Lovelies! I have some exciting news for you! 
The bad news first: I recently lost my job. I cried, I moped, I got angry, but I'm ok. The job search has been less than successful. I had always had it in the back of my mind to try my hand at being a Stylist. So now with me being unemployed, why not be my own boss for a try? And Voila! A Stylist is born!
Stella& Dot is an upcoming jewelry and accessories company designed with the woman entrepreneur in mind. Not only is it great quality jewelry using only quality materials (sterling silver, bronze, semi-precious stones), it is also a great opportunity for women to have a run at their own business. This is my new baby :)
I invite all my lovelies to check out my webpage: www.stelladot.com/geniemckrow When you think of buying from Stella & Dot, think of me, your Stylist. You can shoot me a message or shop online right from my website. They ship anywhere in Canada for one low flat rate of $7.95. If you are in my area, let's have a trunk show! A trunk show is a pop-up boutique in your home that you can invite your girlfriends to for a fun night in. You get to touch and try on the jewelry and get styled from your own personal Stylist! Trunk show Hostesses also get rewards, such as free jewelry credits. And trunk shows are Fun! I had my own a few years ago and that is what made me fall in love with Stella & Dot. And I also thought, 'Hey I could do this!' So I have! I'm super excited for this next part of my life. Who knows what this story has in hold for me? 
I am still job hunting as science is my first passion but so far I am enjoying this! But this also means a little slow down here. Not too slow! Onyx and Mick are still prominent features and I will still be wanting to share my thoughts and opinions and any new beauty finds with all my Lovelies! We aren't going anywhere, but we will take a tiny step back. At least until I can smoothly integrate all this newness together! So please bear with me and thank you for your patience.
I look forward to styling all my Lovelies!
Yours in Style,
Gen

Please check out and like my new FB page as well!
www.facebook.com/StellaandDotGenie

Playing with My Hair: Hair OIls

One of the biggest trends I've noticed lately is the use of oils to restore your hair. Argan oil has made a name for itself in this field. In this post, I'd like to share with you my adventures with some different oil products. 

Let's start on the left and work our way right:

1. Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil
Rosemary is one of my favourite seasonings. So when I saw this product, I knew I had to sleuth it out! It smells exactly like rosemary should. This hair oil can also be used to treat the scalp. I applied this to my hair after a shower and left it in as a conditioner. You can also use it as a hair mask. Massage a good amount into the hair and cover with a shower cap. Leave on for forty minutes before rinsing it out. This oil has been formulated with organic  extracts of rosemary, clover blossoms, and burdock root.

2. Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment
This is one of the better known beauty brands for hair oil. And if you like the smell of macadamia nuts, this one's for you! I like to put it on my damp or dry hair and comb through. You can also add a few drops to your hair mask or leave-in conditioner. While it may sound kinda natural, the formulation does contain dimethicone and cyclomethicone (silicones that help in lubrication and coverage). 

3.Moroccan Hair Oil or Argan Oil from Gosh Cosmetics
Argan oil seems to have tons of uses! Facial oil, cuticle oil, and now hair oil. Argan oil adds a healthy shine to your locks. I like to massage this into my wet hair and just let everything air dry. I find my hair actually feels softer and silkier this way. The heat just kinda leaves a residue feeling, even though right on the bottle it says to blow dry for best results.

4. Mythic Oil by L'Oreal Professional
This is advertised as a nourishing oil. Yet this is probably the most synthetic smelling hair oil I've ever tried. It does a great job of nourishing hair as it says. I like to put this on dry hair. It makes my locks nice and smooth. Its the smell that both draws me in and throws me off. It smells quite fragrant, like a bottle of designer perfume. But therein lies my problem. I don't think hair oil should smell that way. At least I don't want my hair to smell that way all the time. I like hair oils that don't really have a scent to them. This was just over powering. I used this much less often then the others.

So Lovelies, what are your favourite hair oils? Are there any I should try?


I was given the Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil for the purpose of review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are mine own.

Tashodi Shower Creme and Body Scrub review

Who's that under the coffee table? Why its Onyx! What a sneeky little girl! This is her 'come pet my belly and receive claws' look. I fall for it all the time :( Today, I want to share with you my review of a few more Tashodi products. You may remember my review of Tashodi's Hand soap and cream. I have a few more products to share with you! 

This is Tashodi's Shower Cream in the scent pure lavender. Now I'm not the biggest lavender fan. Its not one of my top favourite scents. I mostly think its a little overpowering and it doesn't appeal to the olfactory in me. So when I received this for review, I was incredibly skeptical. But one shower later.....woosh! Wow! The cream is incredibly indulgent. My skin never felt that good after one wash. It must be the shea. And the scent. Well, my nose rather welcomed it. It was not strong at all, like I was in a lavender flower patch but not yet ripe for picking. I enjoyed using this shower cream. The only complaint I have is that the dispenser was too small for the bottle and the liquid's thickness. It took a long time to dispense the amount I wanted onto my shower poof.

This is Tashodi's Body Scrub in Ocean Minerals. This scrub was incredibly gritty. That's the way a scrub should be if you want the job done right. I also discovered this is a salt scrub. How did I discover? I accidentally got some in my mouth. It was salty! (and I'm not really sure how I got it in my mouth) I like to use a cloth with my scrubs to help exfoliate. This scrub was great in that it didn't leave a lot of oily residue on my skin or the bath tub walls. Followed up with some lotion and I was all set! Here is a close up of the scrub:

I enjoy Tashodi products and I hope you will check some out too! Tashodi



I was sent these products for the purposes of review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are mine own.

Kaia Naturals review

Happy Purrsday, Lovelies! Doesn't Mick look handsome? hehe

Lovelies, today I bring you an oH Canada review! Meet Kaia Naturals. Kaia Naturals specializes in making quality, all natural, organic, cruelty-free products in small batches. I had a chance to try a sampler of their skincare products.

The three products on the left are the Matte-finish products. The product on the right is a travel size packet with a juicy bamboo cleansing cloth inside. I used all these products for a week. I started my routine first with the Juicy Bamboo cleansing cloth. Juicy Bamboo cleansing cloths are alcohol, paraben and sulphate free. What's left? A blend of 8 essential plant-based oils, organic honey, and vitamins. I really love the smell of these wipes! I'm not entirely sure how to describe it but the scent is unique. I love putting it on my face. I don't think this is a great makeup remover though. I would use this after cleaning my make up off rather then the sole remover. I think it doesn't really work too well with makeup that is less than natural. This is great for just cleansing though. 
After cleansing I used the Booster serum. This serum is perfect for dry skin. It contains moringa oil. I was surprised to learn that moringa oil contains 6 times the amount of Vitamin C than a regular orange. 
After serum, I used the face cream. This cream contains both argan and moringa oil for a serious moisture punch. It also leaves a matte finish to your face so you are makeup ready!
Lastly, I dab eye cream under my eyes. This makes a great under-eye filler and helps any concealer stick better. 

Overall I was quite impressed with the Kaia Naturals products and will definitely need more Juicy Bamboo cloths! Please check out Kaia Naturals today!


I was sent these products for the purposes of review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are mine own.