Lifestyle: Live the Lovely Life

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Celebrating National Lipstick Day with 4 Clean Beauty Lipsticks

July 29, 2022 · 1 Comment

Happy National Lipstick Day! Today we celebrate the expanding range of clean beauty lipsticks. Gone are the days that clean meant waxy formulations and weird shades. Now clean beauty includes pretty packaging, flattering shades and skin friendly ingredients. We look at 4 clean lippies seen on Style Chicks.

Madame Gabriela Beauty Clean Luxury High-Performance Ingredient Driven Lipsticks

Here are our findings on four clean beauty lipstick brands with flattering shades and sleek packaging!

Why Clean Lipstick

Many lipsticks contain chemicals you would not voluntarily ingest. But for years, most clean or natural lipsticks had hard, waxy textures and limited color selection. They generally were only found in natural health stores, and most of us felt much was to be desired.

Here are beauty brands who upgraded the clean beauty lipstick experience.

Viola Rouge

VIOLA ROUGE lipsticks come in 24 shades of satin or shimmer finish. We got to try two of them, Status Symbol and Blueberry Flower, as seen here:

Viola Rouge recommended these two shades for my skin undertone

The texture is silky, weightless, and glides on evenly and with precision. It contains Saffron flower extract to diminish hyperpigmentation and protect against UV radiation.

It also has Organic Blueberry Oil to minimize fine lines, and Black Cumin Seed Oil to lock in moisture.

This non-GMO formula is made without:

paraffin
gluten
mineral oil
nanoparticles
parabens
phthalates
sulfates
ureas
silicone D5

Read our full Viola Rouge lipstick review and ingredient analysis coverage here

Madame Gabriela

The Madame Gabriela range has three shades held in sleek packaging and magnetic push button base. The ingredient list is exceptional for what it does – and does NOT contain.

Rich color payoff and the sleek magnetic load lipstick bullet makes me feel like a Bond Girl.

It is an ingredient-driven lipstick that has a luxury lipstick look, texture and feel. Packed with hydrating Bamboo extract and Manuka honey, plus Sesame Seed, Avocado, Jojoba, Castor, Sunflower Oils, along with Shea and Cocoa butters, there are no fillers or chemicals. Even the vanilla scent is natural vanilla!

Read our full Madame Gabriela review with ingredient analysis here

This creamy nude imparts just enough warm pink to be a flattering shade even on fair skin tones

Caley Cosmetics

This clean beauty lipstick contains notable skin treating ingredients such as:

Abyssinian Seed Oil is high in linoleic acid which forms the lipid barrier to hold moisture in skin cells. This keeps lips hydrated.
Watermelon Seed Oil is rich in the unsaturated fatty acids linoleic and oleic acids. It has antioxidant activity and the vitamin E compounds protect the skin from oxidative stress and photo-aging. It also contains essential vitamins, and minerals to enrich lip skin. It absorbs quickly. [1]
Mango Fruit Extract is high in copper, which is fantastic for delicate lip skin! Copper builds Collagen, Elastin and increases Hyaluronic Acid production which keeps lip skin plump and springy.[2]

Read our full Caley Cosmetics Wave Lipstick review and ingredient analysis here

Pinch Of Colour

Pinch of Colour Matte Velvet Waterless Lip Colour has long-lasting coverage and a rich dimension to it’s a glam finish. Plus it is packed with lip-loving hydrating ingredients such as Jojoba, Mango Seed, and Rosehip oils.

You will note water is missing from the Pinch of Colour ingredient lists.

The colors range from muted to bright. They are quite vibrant and pigment intense, and the macadamia oil makes them especially nourishing and creamy.

Read our full Matte Velvet Waterless Lip Colour review

A crisp red perfect for late summer or early fall

Summary of Clean Beauty Lipsticks

There are more options than ever for those desiring lipsticks free of chemicals.

Interested in using fewer chemicals in your skincare routine? Then you may enjoy:

Our DEFINING BEAUTY Glossary of Ingredients to know what exactly is in your products
Our DISCONTINUED CLINIQUE PRODUCTS GUIDE
Skincare Industry Expert EndyMed Answers Questions About NEWA At-Home Skin-Tightening

References

Tarek A. El-Adawy and Khaled M. Taha (2001). “Characteristics and Composition of Watermelon, Pumpkin, and Paprika Seed Oils and Flours”. J. Agric. Food Chem. 49 (3): 1253-1259. doi:10.10217
Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:648108. doi:10.1155/2015/648108

MOBI FITNESS Smart Spinning Exercise Bike

July 15, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Spinning and Biking are excellent exercises to build core strength and stamina, work on cardio fitness, and burn calories. It also is an easy form of exercise in that you can watch a movie or talk on the phone to stay entertained. A stationary bike lets you get the benefits of biking year-round. The MOBI Fitness Exercise Bike is a sleek, elegant bike with high-end features typically found on professional gym equipment but is available for at-home use.

The MOBI FITNESS Exercise Bike is the quality of equipment typically found at a fitness center or gym but is an Indoor Cycling Bike for your Home Gym.

MOBI FITNESS Exercise Bike: Fitness Center Quality Bike for at Home Use

Why We Love the MOBI Fitness Bike

We felt this was the best bike for us because it is robust, sturdy, comfortable and has an adjustable bike seat.

QUIET: The bike is very quiet because it is magnetically controlled. I like that the bike is so quiet that I can use the bike early in the morning and not disturb others. It is also nice because the bike is so quiet I can watch a movie or talk in the phone while biking.

CONTROL: Another feature we love is that we can control the resistance through the app or manually by the control knob.

REALISTIC: The 26 pound flywheel gives a realistic biking experience – it feels much more like riding my bike outside.

SUBSCRIPTIONS-FREE: No subscription is required. It uses Bluetooth connectivity And measures Distance, Speed, Power, Cadence, Calories, and Heart rate.

ADJUSTABLE: There is both vertical and horizontal seat and handlebar adjustment. The seat can move forwards or backwards, up and down to get just the right placement for your legs whether you are short or tall.

It’s easy to cast the free classes in the app from my device to my TV.

Let’s take a look at some of the high-end bike features:

Features

The MOBI FITNESS Exercise Bike is an ergonomic stationary bike with high-end features such as:

Digital Control Dial: Intelligent One Touch Control Knob
Highly Elastic Seat Cushion
Sleek lines and an aesthetic exterior
32 Levels of Magnetic Resistance
Easy to adjust bikeseat and handlebar risers
Multifunctional Armrest
Aluminum Clad, front mounted flywheel
Multiple safety features
A stand to hold your phone or tablet
Ergonomic design
Mobifitness mobile app
Emergency stop button

Emergency Stop Button

Max weight of up to 330 pounds
Color screen
Bluetooth BLE4.2
No subscription is needed
It is silent

The Packaging

The bike comes in a very sturdy box with lots of Styrofoam packaging encasing the bike.

The box is delivered with these yellow sturdy cords that help to move the box

The bike is heavy, but there are durable plastic cords securing the box. Using these cords, we could easily pivot the box to rotate it end over end to get it inside. We put it on an area rug and slid it in.

Box Contents

It comes with everything you need to assemble the bike, even the tools!

bike frame
back stabilizer footers
front footers with wheels
handlebar riser
seat riser
Handlebar with the control knob
tablet or phone holder
Seat
pedals
Power adapter
All tools required for assembly
Quick Start Guide

Highly Elastic Seat Cushion Bike seat

Front leg with wheels

Handlebars

Device Holder and Power Control button

Power adapter

Adjustable handbar riser

Bike pedals with safety straps

Close up of stabilizer, wheel

Easy to Assemble Bike

The MOBI FITNESS Exercise Bike is easy to assemble! I am a small woman who is not particularly good at assembling things.

This took me under 30 minutes and it was very simple to assemble.

First I unpacked all of the pieces that were in the box and set aside the tools.
Then I consulted setup instructions in the Quick Start Guide and started to assemble the bike.

The toolkit has everything needed to assemble the bike

It also was surprisingly easy to put together with such useful instructions. Something I appreciated is that the user manual explains what each tool, screw, and gasket is and shows which tools you need to perform each of the six steps.

I placed the two legs on the floor and the appropriate distance apart, the leg with the wheels is the bike front.
Then I positioned the bike in place atop the legs. It is helpful, but not mandatory, to have someone stand there and steady the bike while I screwed the four screws in place.

There is a small note in the instructions to undo the screws on the bottom of the wheel, it is easier at this point than at the end.
The rest is pretty simple and you can do it by yourself:

Next insert the handrail riser and seat tube. Adjust the height and tighten the lock pin. It took a quick firm shove.
Connect the handlebar and front armrest and tighten the screws.
Install the bike seat riser. Now place the bike seat on the riser and tighten the screws.
Attach the pedals and finally connect the communication wires following the steps in the guide.

The bike is assembled and ready to use!

*Always check with your health care provider before starting any new exercise program.

The MOBI FITNESS BIKE Experience

Always check with your health care provider before starting any new form of exercise. Biking is a great exercise for beginners or seasoned athletes. Start slowly at your own pace and work up to the more vigorous workouts.

Adjust the seat tilt and riser heights and press the Intelligent One Touch Control Knob to begin. It is intuitive to touch, like a smartphone.

The Intelligent One Touch Control Knob

Bluetooth syncs up with the touch of one button and it is time to begin!

Select one of three programs or one of the seven free classes available through the app:

One of several free exercise classes available in the MOBI Fitness App

Comfort

The bike seat is comfortable and adjustable, it looks hard but there is a nice elastic “give” that is comfortable to ride upon.

I can ride longer on this bike than my old stationary bike because the seat has this comfortable, flexible give, and can be adjusted vertically and horizontally.

Modes

The MobiFitness app has three modes: quick start, workout, and competition.

Mobifitness App Benefits

The Mobifitness app is available for Android and iOS.

The Mobifitness app is available for Android and iOS.
There is Customizable Metrics And Training Plan
New courses are updating
Connect via bluetooth to select amongst the interactive features.
You can create custom workouts
There are free online competitions
Seven free classes are included
No subscription is required
It recommends customized programs based on your statistics and overall fitness goals

MOBI FITNESS APP INTERFACE

MOBI App Menu Options

My iPad on the tablet stand so I can view a free Mobi Fitness class on the app. I can also watch a movie while biking because the bike is so quiet

SOME OF THE FREE CLASSES

Some of the classes available in the app

There are also advanced classes such as the High cadence workout class

Conclusion

The bike is very quiet, and no subscription is required.

It was easy to assemble myself and it is very sturdy and comfortable.

The bike is good for spinning and an Immersive Cycling Experience.

I love having some high end bike features features at a viable price point!

Where to Buy It

Buy the MOBI FITNESS Exercise Bike at https://www.mobifitness.com/products/turbo-magnetic-exercise-bike

MOBI FITNESS Exercise Bike

Fitness Center Quality at Home

Questions? Comments?

Have any comments or questions about the MOBI FITNESS Exercise Bike?

The Style Chicks are here to answer them.

Beauty Benefits of Green Tea

July 12, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Green Tea is consumed as a beverage for health and beauty benefits. But it also works wonders when applied topically. An ingredient in many skin and hair products, this anti-aging superstar offers a host of beauty benefits.

Flowering Camellia Sinensis, the plant that makes tea leaves

Green Tea Skin Benefits

Green Tea feeds and moisturizes the skin, calms irritation, and is an excellent antioxidant. Topical Green Tea application can calm the irritation that aggressive topicals such as Retinol cause.

Green Tea on a compress or cotton pad can soothe inflammation from sunburn or angry cystic acne.

Drinking green tea has anti-aging benefits from polyphenols. It can reduce sun damage, decrease collagen breakdown and increase cell regeneration.

Green tea contains polyphenols that soothe skin while providing antioxidants. Polyphenols may improve sun-damaged skin. ^[1]

High in Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), Green Tea is a major player in skin health and appearance. EGCG is the potent antioxidant from green tea. It protects against environmental damage and neutralizes free radicals that prematurely age skin. Research shows EGCG reactivates dying skin cells. This shows promise for repairing sun damage and scar healing. ^[2]

Hair Benefits

Topical application of Green Tea reduces hair fall. Dermato-trichologists use green tea as an excellent scalp massage as it nourishes the scalp, soothes inflammation and dandruff. The Polyphenols in green tea are good for hair roots and follicles, promoting hair regrowth. ^[3]

Green Tea removes DHT from the scalp. DHT is a hormone that accumulates on the scalp and chokes out hair follicles, shrinking them until they no longer grow new hair. Green Tea can remove DHT from the scalp.

Choose a quality whole leaf tea to brew your own green tea for DIY beauty benefits, or choose from some of our favorite products that incorporate green tea in their ingredients.

Brew green tea for 2 hours and allow to cool. Pour into a squirt bottle to use as a 5 minute treatment on your hair and scalp in the shower.

Choosing Green Tea

Superior results come from full leaf tea that is fresh. Choose full leaf loose tea whenever possible, not the dust found in tea bags.

Adagio teas has loose leaf teas that are fresh and do not contain preservatives. Choose one without added sugars.
Local health stores may also have bulk loose leaf tea.

DIY Green Tea Treatment Ideas

Use brewed and cooled green tea as a soothing and nourishing face wash.
Rub your face with green tea ice cubes for a refreshing morning pick me up that makes skin glow.
Soak a muslin cloth in green tea and place in a Ziploc baggie in the refrigerator. Use as a cooling facial compress over a moisturizer or mask.
Add brewed green tea to bathwater or a foot soak.
Rinse washed hair with green tea for shine. Focus on a gentle scalp massage to remove DHT.

Recommended Beauty Products Featuring Green Tea

Some products we use that feature green tea in their ingredients include:

Haruharu Wonder Honey Green Brilliant Cream

Haruharu Wonder Honey Green Brilliant Cream is a lightweight gel like cream that absorbs quickly with no tacky dry down. It is lightweight enough for day use but packs the ingredients of a decadent treating night cream, including several synergistic fermented ingredients, such as fermented green and white teas, that promote collagen synthesis.

Haruharu Wonder Honey Green Brilliant Cream

ROIL LIFE SHAMPOO

Developed by celebrity hair stylist Amanda George, the ROIL Private Collection range features green tea in products such as their Roil Shine Shampoo and Roil Body Lotion.

ROIL Shine Shampoo has a decant lather and leaves hair clean yet hydrated. The Green Tea pairs well with Indian Gooseberry and Rosehip Oils.

BeautyStat

BeautyStat Universal C Refiner combines green tea’s EGCG with a stable Vitamin C for strong anti-aging protection. The green tea makes an excellent buffer so skin can tolerate the vitamin C.

emerginC Eye Serum

EMERGINC Scientific Organics Eyelight Serum combines green tea with Komucha, White Tea, Grape Stem Cells, Seaweed Extract and Yerba Mate. It depuffs eyes while treating signs of aging.

References

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, February 2015, pages 456-463
Journal of Pharmacol Exp Ther 2003 306: 29-34
Journal of Leukoc Biol. 2001; 69:719-726

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May 9, 2022 · Leave a Comment

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Strawberry Leopard Haircolor

January 14, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Strawberry Leopard is a vegan semi-permanent that leaves hair in better condition than it found it. It comes in an array of vivid hues for a bright pick me up without the damage typically associated with dying your hair dramatic shades.

Strawberry Leopard Vegan Conditioning Semi-Permanent Color

Meet Strawberry Leopard.

Love vibrant shades but hate the hair damage that often comes with it? Then check out Strawberry Leopard!

Strawberry Leopard in “Grapeful”

What It Is

A semi-permanent, Vegan, conditioning formula with bonding technology. Vivid color without hair damage.

Why It Is Special

It is super easy to use this cruelty-free formula and it leaves hair in better condition with several nourishing ingredients.

It leaves no colorful residue on the sink or shower tile.

There is no developer to mix, yet it deposits bright color, with the brightest results seen on pre-lightened hair.

To that end, Strawberry Leopard makes an excellent lightening kit with everything you need to get a good clean base for your bright colors to look their best.

We will cover the Strawberry Leopard Light Me Up Lightening Kit in a future post.

Strawberry Leopard Light Me Up Lightening Kit comes with everything you need to pre-lighten your hair for tipping, highlighting, or bleaching

How to Use It

Choose your shade or shades. Mix any shade with the Strawberry Leopard Pastel Mixer for more subtle results. Unlike traditional dyes, it smells like a fruity treat. It reminds me of strawberry candy!

Shake the bottle well. Then apply in a tint bowl and tint brush method to your clean, dry hair in quadrants. It is best applied in one-inch sections. No developer to mix, and no nasty smell! Leave on for 20 minutes.

You can use foil to do just a section of hair.

You can mix colors together to make a custom shade, or apply several colors.

Just rinse with cool water, no shampoo or conditioner afterward. The color lasts up to 8 weeks.

It is an easy to spread Gouache gel paint-like texture – not at all runny or drippy

Once the bottle is opened, it lasts for a year.

TIP: The Strawberry Leopard website says that a small amount of Strawberry Leopard Semi-Permanent Hair Color can be mixed with your daily conditioner to keep color vibrant between touchups.

Strawberry Leopard Shades

Strawberry Leopard comes in 17 shades and a Pastel Mixer. The Pastel Mixer lets you turn any shade into its’ pretty pastel counterpart.

Here are a few shades we got to try:

Loyal Blue

Strawberry Leopard Loyal Blue is a true blue shade, a crisp and highly pigmented crystal clear hue.

Strawberry Leopard Loyal Blue is a rich, creamy true blue hue.

The creamy gel consistency spreads easily without being runny.

Loyal Blue right out of the bottle

“Fingerpainting” with Loyal Blue shows the color. Leave on a full 20 minutes to see this shade on your hair, less for a more subtle effect. Highly pigmented, true blue shade

Grapeful

Strawberry Leopard Grapeful is an intensely purple shade. It looks almost black coming out of the bottle because it is so highly pigmented. It is similar to purple toning shampoo in an indigo purple intense color.

Strawberry Leopard Grapeful

Here is how the color looks when “fingerpainted” in indoor (top) and outdoor (bottom) light:

Grapeful in indoor lighting

Grapeful has a rich pigmented color. It is a creamy gel texture that spreads easily for applying as thin or thick as you desire

Bali

Strawberry Leopard Bali

Strawberry Leopard Bali is a pretty strawberry pink with a hint of bright coral. The result is a soft rose gold pink. Here is a close up:

Gray Hair: While it will leave some tint on gray hair, as always, gray is generally tricky. But this is a conditioning formula, so you have nothing to lose by experimenting! The darker shades leave more pigment on gray hair than the pastels.

Another thing that is special about Strawberry Leopard is how well it treats hair after it has been bleached. Bleached hair is often porous, dry, and damaged.

Take a look at some of the ingredients in this conditioning vegan formulation:

The Ingredients

Mango Seed Extract restores dry, damaged hair

Mango Seed Extract

Mango Seed provides a long-lasting emollient. Rich in fatty acids, it keeps hair hydrated and nourished.

Mango Seed Butter also contains Vitamins C, A, E, K, and B6.

Mango Seed Extract is high in copper, which supports healthy hair follicles.

Shea Butter

Shea Butter is protective and nourishing.

Panthenol

Panthenol (B5) is a humectant, emollient, and moisturizer.

Panthenol penetrates the hair shaft and locks in moisture. This makes hair look healthier by boosting shine and plumping the hair shaft. More volume gives even damaged or thinning hair a healthier appearance. ^[1]

For very porous hair, Panthenol behaves like a protein.

Rice Protein

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Hydrolyzed Rice protein is a secret hair weapon because it contains Inositol.

Inositol repairs hair breakage and damage. It penetrates deeply into the hair and helps repair the broken hair bonds.

Hydrolyzed Rice protein also contains Antioxidants, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, and amino acids.^[2]

Lavender

Lavender Flower

Lavender’s anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties keep the scalp healthy. It has soothing properties to calm any scalp imbalances such as inflammation or dry skin flaking.

The linalyl acetate in lavender enhances hair cell growth.

Tocopheryl Acetate

Vitamin E promotes scalp health.

This formula has a hydrating Sunflower Oil base combined with soothing, skin rejuvenating natural ingredients

This formula has hydrating Sunflower Seed

Sunflower Seed Extract

Sunflower Seed Oil retains moisture in brittle hair, thereby reducing hair breakage.

Ideal for coarse, colored, bleached, curly, or damaged hair because it penetrates the hair shaft to lock and retain moisture.

It contains Omega 9, an essential acid needed to stop breakage and stimulate hair growth.

The main component of sunflower oil is linoleic acid. Its other components include oleic acid and palmitic acid, lecithin, carotenoids, tocopherols, and numerous vitamins.

Flaxseed

Linseed Seed Extract

Linseed, AKA flaxseed, is high in fatty acid Omega-3s.

It is considered a hair “superfood” as it creates lush hair and reduces breakage.

About Strawberry Leopard

The Strawberry Leopard animal is a very rare colorful leopard.

Strawberry Leopard the hair brand believes in the uniqueness of each person and provides a range of non-damaging, vegan colors so each person can express their unique selves.

Where to Find It

Find the Strawberry Leopard range at Strawberry Leopard Hair and Sally Beauty

Strawberry Leopard Vegan Conditioning Semi-Permanent Color

QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS?

Have any comments or questions about these Strawberry Leopard products?

The Style Chicks are here to answer them.

References

Davis, M., Thomas, J., van de Velde, S., Boissy, Y., Dawson, T., Jr, Iveson, R. and Sutton, K. (2011), A novel cosmetic approach to treat thinning hair. British Journal of Dermatology, 165: 24-30. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10633.x
Rigo, L.A.; da Silva, C.R.; de Oliveira, S.M.; Cabreira, T.N.; de Bona da Silva, C.; Ferreira, J.; Beck, R.C. Nanoencapsulation of rice bran oil increases its protective effects against UVB radiation-induced skin injury in mice. Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 2015, 93, 11-17.

About This Post

The Style Chicks team personally tests, researches, and thoroughly evaluates each product before it is featured.

We received this product in exchange for our time and effort to form an opinion about this product.