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January Future Self Yogi Surprise box!

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I think this January Yogi Surprise box has won my heart! The jewelry box to be specific… why you may ask? Well, this box contained the most yummiest organic Vegan truffles from Missionary Chocolates I have ever had. I would buy this box over and over again just to have these truffles! Seriously that worth it!

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One was a salted caramel truffle, and the other dark chocolate. The point is, they were both so tasty I almost forgot there was jewelry in this box too and not just chocolate treats! I received a beautiful rose quartz pendant and matching bracelet. This bracelet was one of the most beautiful and delicate pieces I have got in the box. It was so pretty I put it on immediately and even forgot to take it off before bed, haha! SO pretty!

This months box theme focused on “Future Self” providing the tools to refresh our spirit by detoxifying, purifying, healing, and renewing both the body and mind. What a perfect start to the new year! Especially with BATH STUFFZ! Loved this Pacifica ‘Lotus garden’ soap! It is all natural and look at how gorgeous the bar is! It looks like little sparkle flakes embedded into this clear bar.

I also found some Pacifica Detox wipes, in such a lovely scent. Kale, cucumber & mangosteen infused! Now that is a scent I have never heard of before, but it is so refreshing! these will come in handy for yoga classes and traveling! I also got a wrist compression sleeve which is great for when you do handstand or arm balances a lot. If you find you have weak wrist and have to warm them up a lot before doing arm balances then this sleeve is probably a good idea. It keeps your wrist in place and almost ‘together’ while you practice!

Next up is from one of my favourite skin care brands DERMA-E <3 I discovered this brand through Yogi Surprise actually when I received an amazing eye cream. These products are incredible and 100% vegan! All natural stuff goes into this face cream and it smells so yummy too, like cucumbers. FRESH! I have been using this every night and it has a unique tightening feeling. It is very thin which I like but VERY hydrating. I know it says night time cream but I have actually been using this DAY & NIGHT because it is just that thin and hydrating. It really does pull your skin and make it tighter too! My dry, fine wrinkles are already disappearing, it’s like magic, really! SUPER RECOMMEND THIS CREAM TO EVERYONE!!!

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I have been building up my yogi books collection and so far Yogi Surprise has given me two wonderful books! My first from them was “The Little Red Book Of Yoga Wisdom” which was such a cute and fast read. The Book I received in Januarys box is more informative – “The Good Living Guide to Medicinal Tea”. I’m not much of a tea drinker but this book actually focuses on more than just the benefits of herbs for tea. You really get to know more about each plant and the benefits it has to the body, a lot of these herbs are things you can cook with too so it is always good to know just what you are putting in your body and how amazing it is for you!

Always love my Yogi Surprise box! I heard February is going to be exceptional too! 😉

Use the code YOGILOVE to get 15% off a purple Yogi Surprise box at yogisurprise.com !!! You won’t regret it!

 

Fit Booty Body – Cocoa Scrub

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There’s nothing better than a shower after a long, intense workout. One of my favourite shower items has to be a body or face exfoliant of some sort. I love exfoliating at least once a week to scrub off dead skin and it leaves me feeling light and fresh after a sweaty workout. Sometimes I will use a harsher exfoliant like a special towel, but every now and then I will treat myself to a creamier scrub.

I tried out Fit Booty Body Cocoa scrub and loved how sugary and oily the crystals felt. It was like smoothing a cream with beads over my skin and it just melted in making it nice and easy to scrub my skin. Sometimes I find exfoliants are a bit harsh but this one feels like melted butter with sugar crystals on your body. I would say it’s even great for kids who would find most coffee scrubs very hard to handle on the skin.

Fit Booty Body would be perfect for someone who has sensitive skin! The ingredients are natural and it’s a very nice light exfoliant. I also can’t help but want to eat the scrub LOL! It smells so fragrant of cocoa and just looks like I could use it as an ingredient to bake with!

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Check out their website which is launching soon with products! They also have a Fit Booty Body giveaway happening where you can sign up to win a free sample of FBB scrub!!

Check out their Instagram feed for some more inspiration!

The most buttery cream ever

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I’m talking about handcrafted Parkdale Butter from Toronto! This stuff was a serious lifesaver on my last trip to Prague and Germany. I wrote a recent blog post about my MUST HAVE travel products, and I was right about Parkdale Butter being absolutely mandatory.

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My skin was so dry when I landed, I plopped a tiny bit of my absolute favourite Espresso Face Balm and it immediately absorbed into my skin in the most silky way. The Vitamin E in the soy butter helps to regenerate skin cells, and heal any visible abrasions. I had a few tired wrinkles and they immediately disappeared after hydrating with this delicious face balm. For real, I say delicious because the Espresso flavour really wakes you up in the best way possible! It just looks like a buttery coffee treat… but it’s not – don’t eat it 😉

LOOK HOW CREAAAAMYYY

This is my top recommendation for Parkdale Butter, if you are placing an order – MAKE SURE THIS IS IN YOUR CART!!!! I actually don’t think I can live without this stuff. I use it daily. Before I put on my makeup and sunscreen. After a shower. Before I got to sleep. The best part is that it’s so buttery you only need a tiny bit to moisturize your entire face. My skin is honestly glowing every time i apply this balm.

The CocoaNut body butter had it all! Moisture and SPF. This was so incredible to apply before heading out for long walks. The tan on my legs was brought out more by the thin shiny coat of chocolate and coconut. The best way to apply this was to put a small amount in the palm of my hand and let it melt a bit. It turns more into an oil this way and is much easier to smooth out. the coconut is a solid cream so it needs a bit of heat to let it go back to its oily state. You can apply it directly on to super dry skin and let it warm up there for more moisture.

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Sometimes I felt like my skin had a bit too much of a frying session outside and I needed something even more soothing like Aloe to help with the redness. The Mocha Tightening Lotion was super thick and did wonders for my tired skin after a long day. This stuff is good to apply a couple of hours before heading to bed. It’s a bit too thick to put on right before bed, you will definitely feel ALL the moisture. But absorbs fully in an hour or so. I put it mainly on my elbows and knees, and they become brighter overnight.

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Last was my cute little tin of organic Peppermint lip butter. ERMAGERD this stuff saved my lips on the flight!! I felt them getting dry about 2 hours into the flight and was so happy I packed this as one of my ‘easy reach’ plane items. It sat beside me the whole trip.

So far these have been my every day go to items.  Seriously, go check out Parkdale Butter.

And if there is one thing you must get, its the Espresso face Balm. FAN FOR LIFE!

Prague – Dresden – Vienna Travel Essentials

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I love travelling, but unfortunately I absolutely HATE flying! The one thing that helps me keep calm and carry on is making sure I pack properly so that i don’t leave anything behind. This trip was going to be different than the rest I have been on though, simply because I do yoga now so I really wanted to practice in new and amazing environments.

I was packing up all my things and I just had to snap a pic of these wonderful Euro trip must haves!

These are a few of my favourite things! When the dog barks, when the bee st… ok I’ll stop.

Laid out above on my mandala round from Yellow tree Company – you will see pictured my amazing Yoga Paws, TKEES flip flops, Way of Will essential oils, Parkdale Butter, Herban Essentials Towelettes, Ray-Bans, Le Specs, Tangle Teezer brush, Kiehls Sunscreen, NEUlotus, EOS, and jewellery from Miansai, Links of London and Kate Spade! Yeah, that’s quite a mouthful, but honestly these things all made it into my suitcase and carry-on and I am loving every second of having these things handy.

The Yoga Paws, were the most obvious to bring along. I knew I would be practicing outside so it was amazing to have a grippy mat stuck to my hands and feet at all times. I actually carry these everywhere with me in Toronto so I made sure to pack them first. I would have been devastated had I forgotten them. (OK, that’s a bit dramatic)

Herban Essentials Orange towelettes came in handy on the germ plane ride… before, during, after – all the time! I carried the Tangle Teezer in my carry on too, it came in handy as we were landing. I never usually carry a hair brush, I hate bringing them on trips because mine is a heavier bamboo one and it is just not fun to lug around. This brush is PERFECT!!! It untangles major knots instantly and it is so light to carry. I highly recommend it, go get one NOW. Another carry on essential was my NEUlotus which will make for a comfy butt pillow on the plane ride! It also will help keep circulation flowing much better than sitting directly on the uncomfortable plane seats. If you want one too make sure to use the discount code asanavanessana10 on your next order for 10% off NEUlotus!!!

I have to say, Way of Will is killing it. The Frankinscense + Borane Sensitive Skin oil is amazing. It absorbs into my skin right away and is perfect for day time. It is a soft silky finish and you don’t feel oily after applying it. It comes in a really cool bottle too. I also packed along my refreshing Blackspruce + Rosemary face spray for those hot, hot, hot Prague days.

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Sunglasses are a must of course! My Ray-Bans keep it casual while the Le Specs really pop! These are both really great brands for a budget too, especially the Le Specs which are relatively less expensive than most brands.

Kiehls SPF 50 face sunscreen for sensitive skin! This had to be packed along. The strong sun rays in Prague are super harmful and I did not want to get my face burned. I hate wearing face sunscreen, it usually gets so oily, but this face cream is incredible. It is light and absorbs super quickly into my skin. It is kind of more expensive than I would usually pay for sun screen, and such a small bottle – but I haven’t felt anything as light and protective as this, so quality over quantity is what I keep telling myself haha.

Last worth mentioning is my incredible Parkdale Butter set. The Espresso face Balm is OMG so incredibly creamy and delicious (don’t eat it though). It is like actually applying butter to your face, but with the benefits of not applying actual butter to your face! I also brought along my CocoaNut Body butter and Peppermint Lip Balm. I know my skin gets super dry after a long sunny day and I need something that will replenish and hydrate my skin overnight. This stuff is just that. I put it on after my shower and feel super soft all night and wake up with glowing skin. I need to write a separate review on these because there is more to talk about – maybe with an update on how my skin does in Europe with these yummy creams from a familiar place, my hometown, Toronto!

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I laid these all out on this amazing mandala roundie from Yellow Tree Company. It will come super handy for picnics and yoga in the parks! Can’t wait to try it out! The pattern and colours are so beautiful too.

Hope you like my travel essentials!