I have to admit when I first cut out meat I was only doing it for the animals. I didn't even bother to research health benefits or ease into the transition. I woke up on the 1st of January two and a half years ago and decided I would never eat meat again.

Fast forward to now and I haven't touched meat once. I have fish occasionally, for health reasons, but that is only about 3-4 times a year. I just wanted to create a post about what I've noticed since changing my diet and share how I fit in all the nutrients our bodies need.

Iron, Protein, and Omega-3

First things first, the I, P and O that we all need in our life. There is sometimes a misconception that when you cut out meat your iron levels will drop drastically. Personally, my iron levels were lower when I was eating meat in contrast to now. For some reason, my body responds a lot better to plant sources, which is amazing!

There are so many other sources of iron, protein, and omega-3. I wanted to list a few options for you all and I ensure to eat something from a few of these categories every single day.

Iron

• Legumes - this is my main source. I eat a lot of lentils, chickpeas and occasionally tofu.
• Grains - I have oats every single morning.
• Nuts & Seeds
• Vegetables - leafy greens

Also, if you are really low you could have iron supplements but I definitely recommend eating real food over that if you can.

Protein

• Protein powder - so easy to add into your breakfast or a smoothie. I buy mine from Tropeaka. It is important to not rely on protein powder as your only protein source though!
• Beans and Legumes
• Dairy - if you choose to eat it! I have cheese or yogurt occasionally
• Tofu & Soy
• Nuts & Seeds
• Eggs

Omega-3

• Chia Seeds - AMAZING!! Chia seeds have so many health benefits.
• Flaxseed
• Walnuts
• Seaweed - I add spirulina into smoothies
• Leafy greens - Spinach, kale and broccoli
• Berries
• Mango

Superfoods

Vegetarian or vegan superfoods are constantly popping up that I can't keep track. I've only incorporated a handful into my diet and I always make sure they have multiple health benefits suited to what my body needs. I'm not talking about vegetables like kale here, I'm talking about spirulina, maca root powder and so on.

These are a few staples that I incorporate regularly:

• Spirulina - a source of protein, B1, B2, B3 vitamins, copper, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Has anti-inflammatory properties (good for the skin!!) and anti-cancer properties.
• Maca Root Powder - can increase energy, fertility (helpful if you have PCOS like me) and it is highly nutritious.
• Tumeric - Anti-inflammatory (again, great for those of us with acne), prevents cancer, heart and brain diseases, immunity booster (helped out with my tonsillitis issue).
• Coconut oil - contains fatty acids, good for skin, hair and dental health, reduces inflammation, prevents heart disease, cancer prevention, boosts immunity and increases energy.
• Raw cacao powder - full of antioxidants to absorb free radicals, another source of iron, contains magnesium and calcium and a natural mood elevator. 

You will notice that all the superfoods I opt for have similarities of issues I'd like to address. I wouldn't typically consume all of these daily, I switch them out and only use what is relevant. For example, I only have maca root powder at the moment to aid with managing PCOS.

A few key things I look for in a superfood is: energy boosting, iron/protein source, anti-inflammatory (to help out my skin), boosts immunity and helps prevent serious illnesses. 

Keep in mind, these superfoods are in addition to real food. They do not replace fruit or vegetables in any way. You also don't have to be vegetarian or vegan to incorporate them into your diet. I've just discovered them since going vegetarian.

Kale and Spinach - A love affair

I feel like these leafy greens deserve their own section. If I had to recommend two green vegetables to opt for then these are it. They can easily be added into any dish or smoothie and provide so many benefits. I dabble with a variety of vegetables throughout this journey but these two have stuck with me right through and I won't go a day without one or the other. 

TMI but if I am ever feeling constipated OR like I really need to detox my body I will eat these veggies and I always feel so much better.

These two leafy greens are pretty similar, with kale being a slightly better option, but I love them equally. 

Kale

• High in fiber and vitamin A
• Souce of vitamin C and K and iron
• Prevents cancer
• High in beta-carotene

Spinach

• Source of iron and fiber
• Contains vitamin A, C, and K
• High in folate
• Helps transport oxygen around the body

Evident Changes

Since choosing a more plant-based diet there are health benefits or physical changes that I have noticed. Starting with the biggest change, I feel a lot better. Internally it feels like my insides are healthier, I digest food better, I have more energy, I don't ever feel bloated or have that weird gurgly feeling I used to get when I ate meat cooked with oil. It is like my insides feel clean. 

Also, since beauty is from the inside out I have noticed my skin starting to clear up. Typically in the non-hormonal areas, although my hormonal break-outs are less cystic. Now, I do also see a naturopath to help manage my PCOS but diet definitely also plays an important role in clearing acne. Diet can also help out with other PCOS symptoms.

2017-2018

Going off the clearer skin change, I have also noticed my skin is less dry and inflamed looking. I do still get dry patches and red where active acne is but other than that, it is a lot better. I know 99.9% of people say drinking a lot of water will clear your skin but I am a very small person and drinking 3+ litres of water makes my kidneys overwork to the point I have to pee every 3 minutes. What these people fail to say is that you get water from other sources, you don't have to just drink it all. So many fruits and vegetables contain water and they count towards your water intake! This is something I have learnt since choosing a vegetarian diet and explains why I rarely feel dehydrated even if I don't drink 2L of water. Drinking water is still definitely important! Everyone has their own amounts they should consume daily as it goes by weight and height. There are lots of calculators online that can help you determine how much your body needs.

Another big change that happened quite quickly was that I had tonsillitis and colds a lot less. This could also be due to me cutting down on the processed and refined foods in my diet. I still do believe that having more fruits and vegetables has increased my immune system drastically.

It's safe to say that I have finally found the perfect "diet" for me and my body. I find it easy to not eat meat as I am very passionate about animals, but I also never enjoyed the texture or taste of meat. I don't miss it and am super happy that my iron levels are higher than before being vegetarian! 

I have collected a lot of trash in between March and now. It is good to see I am completing a lot of products, especially makeup now that I am undertaking a no-buy. Let's jump in since it is another long blog post about trash.

Since it is another long one I will include a contents list so if you're only interested in specific products you can ctrl-f and search for them without having to scroll.

• Teami Green Tea Detox Mask
• Queen Helene Julep Masque
• Kopari Beauty Coconut Crush Scrub
• Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Face Wash for Acne
• Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation in Warm Peach
• Beenigma All in One Face Cream
• Australis Primer (original)
• Inika Long Lash Mascara
• Ultrabland facial cleanser
• Freeze Frame Lip Injection
• Lash Prescription
• Antipodes Skin Brightening Serum
• NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream
• Sierra Bees Lip Balm
• Body Crystal Roll On Deodorant
• La Mav Gradual Tanning Moisturiser
• The Body Shop Fiji Green Tea Body Butter
• NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder
• Boho Balm
• Wedderspoon Raw Manuka Honey
• Inika Organic BB Cream
• Brite Organix Hair Masque
• Colourpop Ultra Glossy Lip
• Josie Maran Argan Oil
• Adorn Cosmetic Hydrating Cream
• Antipodes Immortal SPF 15 Moisturiser
• Weleda Sports Shower Gel
• Kate Somerville ExfoliKate
• CROP Natural Liquid Foundation

Teami Green Tea Detox Mask

This was a gift from one of my pals and I am very grateful I got to experience this mask. I love green tea and I love masks so it was a perfect duo. I never really know how to review masks because companies claim they will banish acne or clear your skin but that doesn't happen for me do to my situation. I will say that it did leave my skin feeling clean and detoxed and was a joy to use. I can't tell you if it reduces my amount of breakouts because they pop up for different reasons but it definitely reduced the size of any current ones I had. Overall, I definitely would recommend this mask if you're into detox clay masks that you don't need to make up yourself. All you need is clean fingertips, a clean face, apply and sip on tea 👌

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

Another green mask for you all. After using this mask I can see why they recommend it more for oily skin. Although they do include acne prone in the recommendation. It was a little more drying than the previous mask so I only used this one on my actual pimples. For me, using it all over would dehydrate my skin and I didn't want to create more problems. I wouldn't repurchase only because it doesn't suit my skin type.

Kopari Beauty Coconut Crush Scrub

Firstly, this was sent to me by the company and I wouldn't repurchase it due to the price and the fact that I usually exfoliate with a mitt over a product. BUT, if you enjoy actual scrubs then this is a good one. It smells good and left my body hydrated because of the coconut oil which was great because I'm bad at moisturising my body after showers. I did enjoy using it but I am also happy sticking with my exfoliating mitt for now.

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Face Wash for Acne

Another great product if you have oily skin. I didn't use this on my face because it was too drying but I used it on my chest and back if those areas ever were congested and broke out. It worked well and I am unsure if I would repurchase. If I had an issue with chest or back acne then I would like to have it handy in the shower but for the time being, I don't have a purpose to repurchase. It is a good, affordable tea tree wash.

Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation in Warm Peach

I really loved this powder, more than any other mineral powder I have tried. If you keep up with my project pan you would have known this was going to be included in my trash talk and you'd also know it is the last loose powder in my collection (that is my current shade). I am thinking that I will keep the packaging and source another brand that sells refills rather than repurchase this and create more waste with another plastic case. I still definitely recommend this powder 1000%.

P.S. I love this powder because of its minimal ingredient list and it being natural. It is also 10g for $29 which is super affordable considering other powders tend to come with fewer grams but cost more. If I cannot find a refill alternative that has a short, natural or organic ingredient list then I would buy this again.

Beenigma All in One Face Cream

A super luxurious face cream. When I put this on my skin I could tell it has good ingredients just by the way it felt, smelt and absorbed into the skin. It was a really good cream that worked amazingly with my drier skin but could easily work well with any skin type. Another bonus is that it comes in a glass jar (luxe I know) so it can be recycled or repurposed!

Australis Primer (Original)

A great staple primer. If I wasn't making the switch to greener brands and products I would repurchase this. I've gone through multiples and it is just a really nice base for any foundation. It doesn't clog pores, it is hydrating but not greasy and becomes sort of tacky so makeup stays on your skin.

Inika Long Lash Mascara (vegan)

My current all-time favourite mascara, clean or conventional. It is lengthening, voluminising and just amazing!! At the start, it is a bit of a wet formula which could result in clumping but after a few uses, it was perfect. I could definitely see myself repurchase this when I run out of my only current mascara. Whenever I wore this my lashes touched my eyebrows and I never had to reach for falsies (although I rarely wear them anyway).

Ultrabland Facial Cleanser

Back in the day, I dedicated an entire post to this product and to this day it is still my most popular posts (or at least one of them). My opinion has changed after repurchasing it and trying it a second time. It was a little too balmy and thick for my skin and the only way I could remove it and remove my makeup properly was to use a towel and kind of scrape it off. Due to this I wouldn't buy it again and have opted for Olive Oil as my makeup remover instead.

Freeze Frame Lip Injection

Fuller and smoother lips without a needle? This will be your friend! If you want to add a noticeable plumping appearance to your lips but not make them 2 times bigger than they are then this is a great product. I am not sure if the ingredients stimulate your lips resulting in blood coming to the surface and that is why they look more full but it does work. It won't be noticeable like lip injections are, obviously because there is no product going inside your lips but it is a pain-free alternative to enhance your natural lips a little. They include a pretty funny comparison on their site which makes it look like this product literally gives you a new set of lips so don't be fooled by that. It still definitely works and will make a noticeable difference but not anything dramatic like the image below shows (taken from their website). 

Lash Prescription

I naturally have pretty long lashes but this product still made them appear longer or at least more full. I think if you have short lashes you'd see more of a result and enjoy this product. Personally, I think my natural lashes are fine exactly how they are so I don't see a need to repurchase or use a lash serum.

Antipodes Skin Brightening Serum

I have an entire post dedicated to this so I won't go into it. Especially since it is also my second bottle and I love it!! I share a before and after in this post so you can see how this product works with reducing acne scarring.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams in Tokyo & Instanbul

I love this formula from NYX. They're probably my all time favourite lip formula and it will be something I will search throughout my transition to non-toxic beauty. It is matte but mousse-like, creamy and just amazing. It also smells soo good. They have a lot of shades in the range and I definitely recommend them as they're cruelty-free, affordable and just all round good lip products for every day or even a night out. 

My favourite shades are Instanbul (pink) and Stockholm (nude).

Sierra Bees Organic Creme Brulee Lip Balm

Affordable as comes in a pack of 8 for $5.38, organic, moisturising, fabulous formula and smells amazing, there is nothing more you could ask for with this lip balm. I love it and highly recommend it!

Body Crystal Botanica Roll-On Deodorant

A healthier alternative to your typical deodorants and affordable. I have been using this deodorant ever since I begun having to use deodorant. I've never experienced a conventional one so I can't compare if this performs the same but it always worked so well I never felt the need to use a toxic one. I am currently using one from WooHoo Body so I don't need to repurchase for the time being but I probably would in the future. Especially since it is sold at Woolworths so it is accessible and it really works well.

Here is a little more about it: "The Body Crystal deodorant's special crystal mineral salt composition helps eliminate odour caused by bacteria, leaving you naturally fresh all day."

• Natural mineral salts
• Sensitive skin friendly
• Alcohol free
• Not tested on animals

La Mav Gradual Tanning Moisturiser

Compared to other non-toxic gradual tanners this doesn't contain coconut oil which I was happy about! Coconut oil tends to break my chest, neck and back area out for some reason but not my legs or arms? I only had a sample so I applied it once and it actually made a difference to my skin tone which wasn't expected. I have it in the shade light and it helped match my chest and neck to the rest of my body (those areas are naturally lighter thanks to living in turtlenecks. When I finish off a few other samples and green beauty tans I think I would purchase the full size of this. I applied it with a tanning mitt just in case it stained my hands and the mitt helped spread it evenly anyway. I really liked this moisturising tan and I'm curious to see how the medium shade works in comparison.

The Body Shop Fiji Green Tea Body Butter

A green tea lovers dream cream. This smelt amazing every time I opened it or whenever I applied it. It provided my skin with hydration without leaving a tacky residue afterwards. I am definitely a fan of The Body Shop's body butters.

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder - dark brown

I've included this not because I used up the whole thing but because it is pretty old. It was my first ever eyebrow and makeup product. I hit pan on both the shades and have pretty large dips so I thought it was time to let it go. It is my favourite eyebrow product to use as it always looks natural and lasts all day. Highly recommend if you're after an affordable but good brow powder.

Boho Balm

You all probably know about my love for this product. I have a post all about it so I won't go into detail here. But it is my favourite multi-purpose balm that I have ever tried and I already have back up's. After using up the entire tub I love it even more than I did at the beginning. I literally used it for everything you could think of from my feet to my face and it lives on my bedside table.

Wedderspoon Raw Manuka Honey

Some of you may be wondering why honey is in my empties. I actually used this as a face wash and mask. It was recommended to me by my naturopath as manuka honey has a lot of benefits for the skin. When it comes back in stock I need to repurchase it as I think it is a staple for my skincare routine. Especially for those of us that have active acne!!

Inika Organic BB Cream

One of the first organic base products I tried. Don't let the name BB cream fool you, it offered a lot of coverage for its sheer claims. This BB cream has a very thin formula and dried down a little more matte than glowy in my experience. I liked it but I didn't end up loving it. I think when my skin clears up and has less dry patches/texture I will try it out again.  After reading a few other reviews I think it is a little better suited to those with combination or oily skin so that may be why I didn't fall in love with it.

Brite Organix Hair Masque

I used up the dry hair one (mango) and strengthening hair one (tea tree & mint) this time around. This mask is often in my trash talks so I won't say much but they are really great ready-made masks. I am able to get around 4 uses out of the packets which is amazing as they are budget-friendly and natural.

Colourpop Ultra Glossy Lip in Weho

Uhh, I don't know why Colourpop got rid of this shade because it is such a gorgeous nude!! It is on the browner side which I enjoyed and I also liked the formula. It was in the cream range so I'd recommend any other shades too.

Josie Maran Argan Oil

I feel like Argan Oil is Argan Oil. You don't have to spend $70 for 50ml. You could easily find the same thing on iHerb and it would work the same. Argan Oil has multiple uses and benefits but I personally prefer Rosehip or Jojoba. If you don't like those then definitely try this out (just not this ridiculously expensive one!)

Adorn Cosmetics Hydrating Cream Foundation - light

If you're not going to wear foundation for long periods of time then this is a great option. I really enjoyed the product and it sat nicely on my dry, textured skin. I would consider repurchasing it as it really was a lovely product to use.

Antipodes Immortal SPF 15 Moisturiser

This was one product from Antipodes that didn't blow me away. For some reason it made my face itch so I put off using it. Although it didn't break me out in any way or even give me a rash so maybe an ingredient just caused me to itch? I did use half the tube and it was a good moisturiser but didn't pair well with makeup, in my experience. Probably would not purchase this due to the itching sensation.

Weleda Sports Shower Gel

I would recommend this to anyone that works out a lot, is very active or plays a sport. It gives off a nice clean scent. Even if you like the scent of rosemary and lavender I still recommend it for you. At $14.36 for 200ml it is a really good shower gel! 

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate

This was a nice exfoliator but I wouldn't spend $124 on it. Mainly because the ingredients aren't natural or organic so why spend that much on a mix of chemicals?! I don't have any amazing things to say about it and I can't say it's worth the price tag. It worked just as well as my Palmer's exfoliator which is a lot more affordable and natural.

CROP Natural Liquid Foundation

Finally at the end of another long trash talk. I believe this product is discontinued so I can't link it or recommend it if I wanted to. The foundation offered light-medium coverage and applied best with a sponge. It wasn't my favourite because of the pink undertone and coverage but it was ok. I am sure there are a lot of other amazing natural foundations out there just waiting for me to test out and review.

That's all I have for you today! I really need to make regular Trash Talks to prevent them from being so long but I hope the contents list was helpful and you still enjoyed my post. Thank you for reading and I'll check in next week!

Disclaimer: I always ensure to recycle or repurpose what I can and I am mindful of the waste I am creating. These products are already in my collection and when I make new purchases I consider the packaging to reduce my footprint.

Another day, another pan.

Eye Shadow - Bh x Carli Bybel (original)

I think it is safe to say that I am the type of person that pans eyeshadows pretty quickly! Prior to the project I would have never thought this would be my strength as I rarely even wear shadow. From the last update until now I reached all my goals for the BH X Carli palette. I hit pan on an additional two shades - the matte cream and the shimmer in the first row. I have also learnt I have a type and it has occurred to me that I only hit pan on the same shades. But pan is pan and I can switch this out for another palette!

I let you all vote over on my Instagram on which palette should be included next. The Zoeva Cocoa Blend won by quite a lot and majority of you voted I should also hit pan on 3 shades. I have to admit my goals are automatically to hit pan on Bitter Start and Substitute for Love (typical, I know) but for the third, I think I would like to challenge myself. I rarely reach for dark shades so I'd love to attempt to pan Beans are White. Other than that, I'm going to try and push myself to be more creative with the palette overall and make it look used and loved.

Bronzer/Highlighter - Urban Decay Naked Flushed

The is definitely the most popular product people enjoy keeping up with! I pretty much have completed the highlighter in this trio. There is a very slight bit on the edges but it mixes with the blush so I am calling it done. I am also making pretty good progress with the bronzer and at this point, I am getting really excited since it's almost done. I feel confident that I could be finished by next update??

Brows - Chi Chi Brow Pomade (blonde)

Steady progress with the pomade. I am learning that I don't find a pomade practical for every day use and am missing my powders or a pencil. I still want to push myself to use it but I might take it out of my project eventually and switch in my only remaining eyebrow powder. I just find powder or a pencil to be a lot quicker in the mornings and softer. It is a really good affordable pomade if you're after one though. It hasn't dried out at all!

Blush - Nudestix Bare Back

This is one of the products I'd thought I would make more progress on. Well, at least more progress than I have. I do have to admit that when my cheeks are breaking out, which they often are, I don't use this product to give my skin a break in that area. So that could be why the progress is slow and minimal in my mind. I am still enjoying it and love the product, it is just that my skin isn't cooperating as well as I would like it to.

Foundation
I set myself a goal to use up two foundations this past month and I may have been a little optimistic. I easily finished my Lily Lolo Mineral Powder which was bittersweet because that was my daily go-to. I now don't own any powder foundations in my current shade so I have struggled a little without it. Especially because I came to love loose powder foundations over liquids. Since I am on my no-buy I won't repurchase it yet but at the end of the year, I will purchase this again (or another brand, who knows).

I made progress on the SCOUT Cosmetics foundation but wasn't able to complete it like I thought. It is getting closer and completing one out of the two is still great! I've now used up 2 out of my grand total of 5 for the year.

Lips

Lips are my favourite products but SO hard to use up. I've focused a lot on Vintage Rose and it is still going. Due to this, I didn't use the gloss as much but I will continue to use both and hopefully, the lipstick will be done by next update.

3INA Eyeshadow Pencil

Another product that wasn't used as much as I would have liked to. I did use it a lot when I wanted to pan the shimmer shade in the BH palette but since doing that I've either forgotten or don't want shimmery lids. I am not in any rush to finish this product because I do want to enjoy it and not force myself to use it if I don't feel like it. You may see this in my project for a while and that is ok, I still have 6 months till it ends.

Added in

You already know I have added in the Cocoa Blend palette but to replace my UD highlighter I've decided on Colourpop Lunch Money. It is a super shock cheek and I don't typically enjoy the formula due to application reasons but it is a lovely shade and sits nicely on my skin. I am not sure if I plan to hit pan, I am more focused on creating a significant dip for now. Judging however long that takes I may set a goal to hit pan or not.

Update on the super shock highlighter (because I added it in pretty early on).

That is all I have to share with you this update. If you are doing a project pan I'd love to hear about it! Comment below or message me on Instagram.

Reached goal on 9 items

- Tartelette in bloom flower child (used up)

- Tartelette in bloom smarty pants (hit pan)
- Tartelette in bloom charmer (hit pan)

- Colourpop ultra glossy lip in Weho (used up)
- Inika Organic BB cream (used up)

- BH x Carli Bybel light brown shade (hit pan)

- BH x Carli Bybel matte cream shade (hit pan)

- BH x Carli Bybel 1st row shimmer shade (hit pan)

- Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation (used up)

Lost or decluttered 3 items

- Colourpop Oh Snap (decluttered)

- Chi Chi O.M.NUDE!! lipstick (lost)

- 3ina Lip Oil (lost)

I saw so many my dog picks my makeup videos that I just had to put my puppy to the test. Now, most dogs barely paid any interest in selecting products but my 8-month German Shepherd loves stealing and running off with things any chance she can get.

*Warning* This post includes A LOT of puppy photos, so if you love dogs, you will love my post! Also, can we just appreciate how she puts her paw on me in the above photo😭😍😭😍

I started off this little challenge by laying the products out on the floor, as every youtuber I've seen does it. When Shiva stole my foundation which caused me to chase her around our backyard for 20 minutes I knew I had to do it differently. She was a fabulous participant as she chose each product as soon as I said the "ok go" command. Lucky for me she is a pro at waiting and only doing something until I give her permission. Still needs work on dropping something clearly! Although our little chase was lots of fun in her eyes and put her to sleep shortly after.

You will notice I left out a few categories as I only own one mascara and I don't usually use powder or eyeliner etc. Let's see what she chose...
Foundation: Saavy Perfect Base Liquid Foundation

Concealer: LA Girl Pro Concealer

Brows: Chi Chi Brow Pomade (she has my back with my project pan)

Bronzer: Urban Decay Naked Flushed (again helping me out with my project pan!)

Blush: NYX High Definition Blush in Amber

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked 2

Lips: Inika Organic Lip Glaze in Blossom

The final look...

For a puppy that literally chose whatever she felt like chewing on, I thought the look came together pretty well. I'm normally always natural with my makeup style anyway so I did gravitate towards the neutrals in the eyeshadow palette. These days Naked 2 is not a palette I reach for but it was good to bring it out again.

As my highlight I used Bootycall (UD N2) which turned out to be really pretty! On my eyes, I used the shades Foxy, Tease and Half Baked. For my mascara, I used the Eye of Horus Goddess mascara (the only one I own).