Category: Skin Care


Jun
2016

Makeup Most Wanted – June 2016

categories: Bath And Body, Makeup Most Wanted, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

June has been a hot one, but these products have been keeping me looking cool!

Lush Yuzu And Cocoa Shower Cream

Lush Yuzu And Cocoa Shower Cream – I wanted this from the second I smelled it! The orange scent drew me in and made me need it in my shower. It has the feel of a chocolate orange to me. There is even a little spiciness underneath it all to bring the whole scent together. In case you didn’t get it yet, I think It smells amazing! I don’t know if it’s just my bottle, but this shower cream is really thin. It still lathers up properly, but it just comes out of the bottle like it has been watered down. Like I said, it could just be my bottle. Either way, it doesn’t matter, I am in love!

Katy Kat Matte Lipstick By Covergirl

Katy Kat Matte Lipstick By Covergirl – Somehow I’m not surprised that I love  Katy Perry’s Covergirl collection lipstick. What makeup loving girl doesn’t look at pictures of Katy Perry with those cherry lips and get a bit jealous. If you’ve ever used Covergirl lipstick before, you know the wear and quality of the product. There is no surprise there. It was the colours that have me jumping through hoops.

katy perry lipstick

The purple ‘Cosmo Kitty’ is one of the coolest lipsticks I have ever worn. Yes, it’s purple, but it’s also so wearable in your everyday life any time of day. The ‘Cat Call’ pink is also hot, hot, hot! You have to head to the store to try out these shades. They are just what your summer is missing!

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Sephora 8 Hour Mattifying Moisturizer Sunscreen – I realized that I didn’t have a face moisturizer that I loved and then a few days later this little baby appears at my side. Thank you makeup gods! Not only does this ‘perfect for summer’ moisturizer have SPF 20, but it’s mattifying! Nothing is worse than putting on makeup and still have a shiny nose or forehead. Now I am starting from step one with a face that I can be happy with. It makes all of the makeup I apply feel that much better and last just a little longer.

faceshop-foundation

The Face Shop Oil Control Water Cushion – While we are talking about stopping oil, reducing shine and getting great matte skin, I have to mention this foundation. I tried the CC Intense Cushion first, but I didn’t like it. It was only when I switched to the Oil Control version that I liked this makeup. This cushion foundation makeup is so light. You will barely even feel it at all on your skin. It almost absorbs right away. The colour goes on a bit lighter than it looks, so try on each shade carefully before you buy. I was still happy with my light shade. The makeup goes on very lightly in a way that is perfect for hot summer days. I never want to wear heavy makeup in the summer and this is exactly the consistency that I need. I did find that for full coverage I needed to wear this along with my favourite concealer, but I would have done that with my other foundations too.

MadeInShade_Box

Dermaflage Made In The Shade Powder Foundation – Despite all of my many makeup escapades, I have never used a loose powder foundation. I just didn’t think that it would work properly. I had no faith that it could give me coverage that I trusted all day. This one by a collaboration of Hollywood SFX makeup artists and Dermatologists. I was shocked when I applied it. This powder covers pretty much everything on your face. It recommends applying concealer afterwards if needed, and I never needed it! I wear concealer every day, so for me to go without is a huge deal! Even though it gives great coverage, this powder still isn’t heavy or cakey. It wears very naturally. I might recommend  spraying a finishing spray over top to give it more lasting powder, but you can toss the rest of the makeup you aren’t happy with.


Jun
2016

Alba Botantica Sun Screen Lotion Spray

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Alba Botantica Sun Screen Lotion Spray

I want to start this review by saying this sunscreen works great! It’s a bit concerning to use natural sunscreen, because you want one that you can trust. I prefer a name that I already trust for my sunscreen most of the time, because you can’t mess around with things like that! This is one that you can believe in. The Sport version the sunscreen lasted for a full long bike ride in the beating sun with no burns at all!

My problem is with the spray bottle that this sunscreen comes in.

If you are going to make a spray sunscreen, make sure that it really sprays. This sunscreen shoots a thick lotion in one stream at your arm. It doesn’t spray it around at all. To get it on your arms or legs, you have to really aim carefully or you will miss them and shoot it across the room. It’s easier to just spray it in your hand and then spread it. There is also a regular style bottle, which I feel like is just as good.

The morale of the story is great sunscreen, bad spray bottle. Opt for the regular bottle and your summer will be great!


Jun
2016

Father’s Day Skin Care Most Wanted

categories: Gifts, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Father’s Day is this weekend and other than posting about the usual gifts, thought we’d make some skin care suggestions for the men in your life.
No7 Energizing Face Wash, Protect & Perfect Intense Serum and Moisturizer SPF 15 
No7 Men's line
While men are getting better at taking care of their skin, a lot of times we have to buy the products for them. No7 (available in Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart) have a great men’s selection and this grouping gives them everything they’ll need for great skin. These are all suitable for sensitive skin and the moisturizer has SPF in it. The serum and moisturizer have anti-aging properties while the face wash will give them a little boost in the morning.
Lush Smuggler’s Soul Shampoo Bar and Multi-Purpose Cream
Lush Smuggler's Soul line
While it’s nice for men to have their own products, it’s even nicer when they have stuff we can share. Lush’s Smuggler’s Soul line smells so good you’ll want it for yourself. With sandalwood, lemon balm and jojoba, the Multi-Purpose Cream can be used for face, body, hair, shaving and pretty much anything else. It also absorbs really quickly so nothing will get greasy. Pair this one with the matching scrub and anyone who uses it will have super smooth skin. The shampoo bar has a similar scent and gently cleanses hair while cocoa butter moisturizes. I would love for this line to stick around because I know a lot of guys (and girls) who are going to love it.


Jun
2016

Most Wanted Summer Skin Care – Alyssa’s Picks

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

My combination skin is pretty nuts and I have to change my products along with the seasons. Once summer hits, my skin gets oilier but the dry patches never fully go away, do I need to find products that are a little lighter that combat both issues. Add in the fact that I’m extremely pale and sunscreen gets it’s own post.
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths
cetaphil-gentle-skin-cleansing-cloths-all-skin-types
My skin isn’t as sensitive as I expect when it comes to skin care, except in summer when allergies are added onto all my issues. These cleansing cloths are the most gentle and effective way I’ve found to take off my makeup. They’re soap and fragrance free and do a better job getting my makeup off than most cloths. I get zero irritation around my eyes and it doesn’t leave a chemical taste in my mouth when I’m taking off matte lipstick. You don’t have to rinse after these and my skin doesn’t feel dried out. Just clean.
L’Oreal Hydra-Total 5 Ultra-Soothing Micellar Water
L'Oreal Hydra-total 5 ultra-soothing micellar water
I didn’t have a great experience when I tried the Hydra-Total Ultra-Even collection and it’s clear that I should’ve been using the Ultra-Soothing routine because my skin likes it so much better. This micellar water does a great job cleansing my skin. I wish the bottle was a little easier to squeeze but you don’t need much of this one anyways. It’s a great makeup remover but I’ll use something else to take off stubborn mascara first. Follow it up with the matching toner and you’re good to go.
L’Occitane Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Toner
loccitane Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Toner
I love toners. I find them refreshing and they’re an important part of balancing my skin out but finding a good one that’s alcohol-free is a challenge. L’Occitane’s Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Toner is a great addition to my arsenal. It gets a lot of stuff that cleansers leave behind while leaving my skin balanced and refreshed but not dried out. I don’t love the peony scent but it’s light enough that I can ignore it.
Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil
Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil
First off, I love anything rose. So a rose oil, with actual rose petals in it? Yes please! Luckily this oil actually does something other than look and smell pretty. The sun and heat really make my skin kind of dull and sunscreen build up makes it feel not so great sometimes. This oil really sinks into my skin and gives it a ton of hydration while brightening up my skin. It also doesn’t leave me great at all.
Philosophy Take A Deep Breath Oil-Free Oxygenating Gel Cream
Philosophy-Take-A-Deep-Breath Oil-free oxygenating gel cream
I usually switch to a gel cream moisturizer in the summer because they’re a lot more cooling and more suited to combination skin. Take A Deep Breath might be hitting my top five moisturizers ever. It absorbs almost instantly and leaves my skin really hydrated but feeling like there’s nothing on my face. My skin actually looks a lot better since I’ve been using it and this moisturizer smells amazing. I actually want to use it more often because I love the scent so much. I already have a travel size version of this one put away for my trip next month.


Jun
2016

Travel Makeup Most Wanted

categories: Bath And Body, Fragrance, Hair Reviews, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

I am off on vacation. I will be spending a few weeks in Europe with all of the sun, rain and exciting adventures of England to look forward to. Here are some of the products that have made the cut into my suitcase for my trip:

Sephora Blotting Papers

Sephora Collection Blotting Papers – On my vacation there will be a lot walking, so I’m going to keep these little sheets in my purse to keep myself looking great no matter what happens with the temperature. They weigh practically nothing, so they don’t take any space in your bags. If you want to look great in all of your vacation photos, these things are crucial.

Caprina Fresh Goat’s Milk Soap

Caprina Fresh Goat’s Milk Soap – This gentle soap is naturally moisturizing, so when we are away there won’t be any worry of dry skin. I don’t really want to have to pack lots of extra body moisturizers, so this soap is hopefully going to be my saviour.

Mereadesso Face + Neck Cleanser

Mereadesso Face + Neck Cleanser – The packaging on this cleanser is great for travel. The packs are small and take up almost no space. The opening is even flat. These would be perfect for a backpacking trip where you have almost no space at all. It comes with an all-in-one moisturizer for added face care no matter where you are in the world!

cake-satin-sugar-hair-body-refreshing-powder-for-darkest-hues

Cake Satin Sugar Dry Shampoo – Nowadays, I never travel for more than two days without my dry shampoo. It really is a lifesaver. This year, I’m taking this powder one from Canada’s cake. I always feel weird about packing aerosol cans for some reason, so I like that this is a powder shaker. The sweet smell is also perfect as a body powder for an added bonus.

Demeter Pick-Me-Up Cologne Spray

Demeter Pick-Me-Up Cologne Spray – These tiny little fragrances from Demeter are amazing for travel. Put them on your key chain to take them wherever you want. I got little 3 mL sprays of Linen and Laundromat fragrance to freshen up no matter where I go. It’s small enough to even take in your carry on so you can smell great after a long flight.


Jun
2016

Clarisonic Mia3 (Aria) Sonic Cleansing Device

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Clarisonic Aria Box
I’ve used a ton of skin care devices over the years and Stephanie has used even more. But somehow, I’ve never used a Clarisonic. We received the Mia3 (Aria) for our travel essentials series and I loved it so much that I decided it needed it’s own post. The Aria is a sonic cleansing device and to be honest, I don’t fully grasp what that means other than it’s supposed to cleanse your skin 6x better than using your hands.
Clarisonic Aria
The Aria comes with quite a few things, so let’s run those down first. In the box you get:
– the device
– sensitive brush head
– drying stand
– USB enabled Universal Voltage pLink® Charger
– wall adapter
– sample size cleanser
Charging the device it so easy (it takes 24 hours the first time!) and there are so many options for how you do it. I plugged mine to the wall and let it sit for a day. Once it’s charged, it’s supposed to stay charged for a long time and so far I haven’t needed to recharge it.
Clarisonic Aria Brush
Using the Aria is simple. Wet your face, wet the brush head, apply cleanser to either and go to town. It gives off a buzz every so often to remind you to move to a different part of your face. Make sure you take off every last bit of your eye makeup first because the water will drip and you’ll end up with a clean face with raccoon eyes. That’s talking from experience.
Clarisonic Aria With Cover
My favourite features are actually the stand, which makes it super easy to dry and store and the little cover that will help me travel with it without ruining the brush head.

Now most people are going to want to know if it’s worth paying over $200 when they could probably just use a washcloth. But in the time I’ve been using the Aria it’s worked better than anything I’ve used before, whether it be my hands, other devices or a washcloth. My face feels cleaner, I’m using less moisturizer and my constantly looks like it’s glowing. That said, it’s not a miracle worker. It’s not going to instantly banish all your blackheads or dry patches, but over time, it’s minimized mine. When it comes time to replace my brush head, I might grab a couple different ones to see if I get different results but the chances of me ever being without a Clarisonic from now on is slim to none.


May
2016

Travel Sets Most Wanted

categories: Bath And Body, Makeup Most Wanted, Makeup Reviews, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Hitting the road this summer? Heading off for a European vacation? No matter where you are going, try one of these convenient little sets that have everything you need!

Clean Rollerball Layering Collection

Clean Rollerball Layering Collection – It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the Clean scents. When I found out this little set existed, I was thrilled. These scents are perfect for travelling, because they are so… well, clean. You can mix and match the little rollerballs for a different scent every day. After keeping your clothes in a stuffy suitcase, the fresh scents are just what you need. They barely take up any space for endless possibilities. Added bonus, the White Woods scent is unisex and perfect for guys too!

Vita Liberata Tanning Travel Essentials

Vita Liberata Tanning Travel Essentials – Make the most of this set before your vacation. Get beach ready with this tanning set that includes a 2-3 week tan lotion, 4-7 day tan mousse and super fine skin polish. I love that there are two different length options, so that you can get a tan that will last for your entire vacation, no matter how long it is. I know these are travel sizes, but personally I don’t want to have to worry about tanning while I’m away. I will be perfecting that tan a few days before I go though, so that I am golden in all of my pictures.

Phyto Paris Deep-Down Repair Travel Set

Phyto Paris Deep-Down Repair Travel Set – Being on vacation doesn’t mean forgetting to care for your hair. This three product travel size set allows you to care for your locks on-the-go without feeling like you are bringing tons of products. There’s a shampoo, mask and leave-in thermal spray that repair and strengthen hair. It’s not going to take you a lot of extra time to use this set, which is great because I have places to be. My favourite thing is that the bottles are solid and strong. Unlike squeeze bottles, I don’t have to worry about these exploding with cream in my suitcase.

Quo Brow Kit – This little kit is great to pack in your suitcase to ensure that you have beautiful brows without a lot of stress. There are two brow powders in different shades of brown (so everyone can use this kit without the hassle of worrying about the right shade), a brow gel and a brush. It’s simple, foolproof and one less thing you don’t have to worry about.

Jack Black Jet Set Traveler

Jack Black Jet Set Traveler – Of course, I can’t forget about the guys too. If your house is anything like mine, I have to make sure that my husband has everything he needs to travel as well as managing my own toiletries. That’s why I like this set. It has a Daily Cleanser, Moisturizer and Shave Lather from a brand that I trust and he likes. Shaving cream is one of those things that is easy to forget, but important for him to stay vacation photo ready. Now I can check three things off of my list in one shot.


May
2016

Spring Cleaning Face Masks Most Wanted

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Spring cleaning isn’t just for your closet. Give your face a little TLC with these face masks that are just what you need.

lush-cup-o-coffee-face-and-body-mask

Lush Cup O’ Coffee Face And Body Mask

Bring your morning coffee into the shower with you courtesy of Lush. This new Face and Body Mask is amazing for revitalizing your skin. We already knew that coffee was great for increasing blood flow in the skin, so it’s no wonder that Lush would tap into this natural product. The main component is fresh coffee grounds, which is great for exfoliating. The addition of the agave syrup is sweet and moisturizing. It really makes my face feel and look amazing. It’s a huge added bonus that it smells like my morning cup of joe.

Acure_Facial_Mask

Acure Cell Stimulating Facial Mask

Freshen up that face the all-natural way with this great green mask from Acure. The main detoxifier in this little bottle is the green clay. It helps to pull out everything from your skin and leave it feeling full refreshed. This mask dries, but it doesn’t get so tight that it pulls or dries out your skin. Thanks to the addition of argan oil in the mask, my face feels moisturized after rinsed. My face feels oh so smooth. I didn’t even need to lather on moisturizer like I do after some masks. My face felt refreshed and looked perfect.

anti-wrinkle_oxygen_infusion_smoothing_mask

StriVectin Oxygen Infusion Smoothing Mask

Need a face mask that is undoubtedly different from anything you’ve ever used before? This Strivectin Oxygen Mask is so much fun to try. The foam goes on fairly smooth, but when it touches your skin the mask activates. The mask bubbles up against your skin and you can feel the little oxygen bubbles popping. It gives you a light exfoliation that leaves your face feeling very refreshed. There’s none of the drying out that you sometimes get with intensive masks. Just nice soft skin!

The Estee Edit Pink Peony Overnight Water PackThe Estée Edit by Estée Lauder Pink Peony Overnight Water Mask

If you love masks but hate waiting, an overnight mask might be a good idea. The Pink Peony Overnight Water Mask does everything you want a moisturizing mask to do. It soaks into your skin really quickly but instead of waiting ten minutes to take it off, you go to sleep and wake up with soft, hydrated glowing skin. It has pink peony to soothe your skin and a goji berry, blueberry, cranberry and hyaluronic acid combination gives your skin energy and a long lasting boost of moisture. It also smells as great as it works. Why do the work when you can get results from just sleeping?


Apr
2016

Most Wanted Dry Skin Relief

categories: Makeup Most Wanted, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

It’s almost the middle of April but in Toronto we still haven’t seen spring. Which means my skin is still a dry, itchy mess and hasn’t started it’s yearly transition into greasiness. I’ve come up with my five Most Wanted products that have made winter bearable for my skin.
Lotus Aroma Hand Soap in Pomelo Flower
Lotus Aroma Hand Soap Pomelo Flower
I wash my hands pretty constantly and while all anti-bacterial soaps are banned from my house, most regular soaps are still pretty drying. Lotus Aroma’s hand soap is almost gel like but lathers beautifully. It also cleans really well and doesn’t dry out my hands even a little bit. The Pomelo Flower scent is really light but still fruity and I really want to try the Jasmine and Grapefruit scent. There are so many good things in this soap, and all the bad has been taken out. But those lists are really long so if you’re interested, you can find out here.
Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Infusion De Rose Nourishing Creme
Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Infusion De Rose Nourishing Creme
We use so many things on our faces that usually they’re not quite as dry as the rest of us. But if you’re like me and get patchy areas, you need a really good face cream. Laura Mercier’s Nourishing Creme has Mango and Shea butters added into the cream to really get your face hydrated. The gorgeous rose scent is an added bonus.
Lush Dream Cream
Lush Dream Cream
I had somehow never used Dream Cream until this winter and now I’m hooked on this lightweight cult fave lotion. I was relieved that it doesn’t just smell like lavender and while it does take a while to absorb, I use this on my more sensitive skin areas, like my legs. This is one of those year round products that you’ll be able to use for any skin sensitivity like dryness or sunburns.
StriVectin Overnight Replenishing Moisture Mask
StriVectin Overnight Replenishing Moisture Mask
I love a good overnight mask and this new one from StriVectin is probably my favourite. While it dries pretty quickly, I usually apply it half an hour before I go to bed and I wake up with really soft skin. It also leaves me looking pretty radiant and it smells amazing. I love that I can get results when I’m sleeping.
L’Occitane Shea Ultra Rich Body Cream

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While anyone can use this cream, this is my hero product for anyone with super dry, itchy skin. Literally nothing else has worked as well for me. I was already a fan of L’Occitane’s Shea line (I went through the 150ml Shea Butter Hand Cream this winter alone) but I’d never tried the body cream. It fixed everything I put it on. Dry, scaly legs? Fixed. Rough Elbows? No problem. Any issue I could find with my skin, I could fix with this cream. And while it’s really thick, you only need a tiny little bit and it sinks in almost instantly. I’m going to start making sure I always have some in the house.

Hopefully spring shows up soon and gives our skin a break, but in the meantime at least we have some relief.


Apr
2016

Erborian Korean Skin Therapy

categories: Skin Care

erborian-scrub

Erborian Skin Therapy straight from Asia is a passion project of two Korean women. They sought out traditions and natural products from around the world and combined them with Korean tradition to make a line of products. Right now Erborian is made up all of skin care products that can be discovered by ingredient or routine.

If you’ve never tried any products from Korea, you don’t know what you are missing. Korean women take their skin care very seriously. Their products are innovative and cutting edge. A huge portion of the trends that we get here start in Korea, because they are always thinking up the next big thing.

Erborian+Cleansing+Creme

Erborian products are beautifully light on the skin. I tried a few different products and all of them were soft on my skin. Even the exfoliators are oh so gentle.  For cleansing, I tried the Cream and Cream Scrub, both which include seven herbs of Korea.

For a deeper clean and moisturizing, I tried the Bamboo Waterlock Mask. I had no idea that bamboo was so moisturizing, but this gel mask is soft and gentle.

Erborian Korean Skin Therapy bb creme

As a last step I used the BB Cream with ginseng. Unlike so many BB creams, this one feels like it really cares about your skin. It is skin care first and makeup second. It leaves you with smooth skin with a touch of colour to help even out the skin tone.

If you want to try something innovative and new give Erborian a look, you are sure to be pleasantly surprised.