Jun
2018

The Body Shop Spas Of The World Most Wanted

categories: Bath And Body, Makeup Most Wanted, PR Sample, Reviews

Both of us recently had the chance to visit different Body Shop locations to get acquainted with their new products and to take some home to try out. Luckily both of us left with different products and it just so happened that we received items that both of us loved. Our most favourites so far are all in the ever growing Spas Of The World range, so we thought we’d do a post on our new Body Shop loves.

Alyssa’s picks

French Grape Seed Refining Body Scrub

I have really sensitive skin, so I’m always on the hunt for a good body scrub that will do the job and won’t tear up my skin. When I tried this scrub on my hand in the store I was amazed at how scrubby yet gentle it was. With a combination of French grape seed powder and sugar from Paraguay, you can really get that dead skin off without feeling like you scrubbed yourself raw. The scent, that I assume comes from the grape seeds, is amazingly fresh and because it’s got a creamy consistency, you can decide on the level of scrub you want. If I have a super dry area, I use a washcloth with the scrub to get really smooth skin. This is going to be a necessity for the next few months of shaving and waxing season and then in the winter when my skin gets flaky. One word of warning, this is way too strong for your face, so don’t try it.

Ethiopian Green Coffee Firming Body Cream

If you’re going to use a scrub, you’re going to need a good moisturizer after and this body cream is a match made in heaven with the French Grape Seed Scrub. I’m a coffee person, so I was already sold on this cream just by reading the name but it’s so much more than that. It’s a really lightweight cream that has Italian olive oil and Ethiopian green coffee that just melts into your skin and leaves you hydrated and smelling delicious but not greasy whatsoever. The consistency really surprised me because I usually find Body Shop moisturizers too heavy for me, but this one is absolutely perfect! It’s been a really long time since I’ve loved something from the Body Shop this month. I’ve already made a huge dent in the giant 350 ml tub and I already know I’ll be replacing it when it’s gone.

Stephanie’s picks

Tahitian Tiare Bath & Shower Oil-In-Gel

This body wash is so soft and silky. The oil-in-gel body wash is just the right consistency. Given the name, it’s understandable that you might worry that it would be too oily or even greasy. It’s just smooth on the skin. The scent is really faint and lush. There is a hint of florals, but I wouldn’t call it a floral aroma. There is coconut oil in it, but this isn’t another coconut body wash. After a couple of uses, I was surprised at how soft my skin was. It was undeniable.

Hawaiian Kukui Body Cream Moisturizer

This is the type of moisturizer that I associate with The Body Shop. It is thick and rich. In the past, body moisturizer from the body shop was always thick, but it didn’t absorb well into the skin. It always left some residue on my body. It feels like The Body Shop has corrected those mistakes with this cream. It still has the same thickness, but this time it really sinks into my skin. It works on even the toughest skin like elbows and knees.

Brazilian Cupuacu Exfoliating Scrub-In-Oil

I’ve used a lot of exfoliators, but none as gentle as this exfoliator. The sugar in this scrub is so fine that it works on everything from the sensitive parts to your rough spots. The oil is probably the most surprising part of this. It is better quality oil than a lot of the other drug store exfoliators that I’ve used. It leaves your skin feeling protected and highly moisturized. When paired with the other two products, it’s the perfect trio!


May
2018

R+Co Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion

categories: Hair Reviews, PR Sample

Toronto is starting it’s descent into humidity hell, otherwise known as summer and at this time of year, my fine, frizzy hair generally goes nuts and I give up and leave it up all summer. Even with my hair in a ponytail or bun, the frizz and fried ends need extra care or they poke through, so I’m always on the hunt for something that will make my life a little easier. Enter R+Co’s Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion. Made for fine to medium, long hair (me!); this super light lotion gives you intense moisture without leaving greasy, weighed down hair.

I use it on damp hair as a leave in conditioner/styler and on dry ends to throw some moisture back in my hair. Does it get rid of all my frizz? No. But it gets rid of a good chunk when I use it on damp hair and even more when I apply it to the frizzy areas on my dry hair. I really appreciate that someone gave us fine haired girls something that won’t turn our hair into a greasy mess when we use it on dry hair, because that’s the result of almost anything I put on my hair once it’s dry.

R+Co has a number of scents in their products (you can actually just buy the fragrance sprays) and this one in Waterfall is called Serious Gaze and it’s delicious. R+Co calls it a ‘bright Oriental essence’ and it has juniper berries, blood orange, rhubarb, leather accord, violet and dark woods. The combination of the lotion and the scent are going to make Waterfall one of my hair must haves this summer. And maybe I’ll let my hair down once in a while because of it.


May
2018

Coach Floral Eau De Parfum

categories: Fragrance, PR Sample, Reviews

Perfume is one of my favourite things and I change what I wear constantly depending on my mood. For spring and summer, I like lighter, more floral scents and this year Coach’s new Floral Eau de Parfum is leading my favourites list. Unlike a lot of designer fragrances, Floral isn’t heavy at all. It opens with pineapple, citrus and pink peppercorn notes that are followed by tea rose, sambac jasmine and gardenia and dries down to white musk, creamy wood and Indonesian patchouli.

At first sniff, I definitely get a hint of pineapple, followed by the tea rose. All the other notes combine to make a light, floral, fruity, slightly sweet scent that doesn’t overpower. The bottle itself is quite large at 90mL but the oval shape makes it easy to hold. The classic Coach tea rose charm that’s attached is a fun touch. I love that you can turn the nozzle to lock it and keep it from spilling or spraying accidentally.

I haven’t used a lot of Coach anything in the past but this fragrance was love at first sniff and has piqued my interest in other things from the brand.


May
2018

Revlon Spring Makeup

categories: Makeup Reviews

I’ve been experimenting with some of Revlon’s latest and greatest makeup this spring to get a look that is perfect for the office. Work makeup is one of those weird things that no ever thinks they are good at. We all look at someone else who looks more put together every day.

I am starting with the Revlon Photoready Insta-Filter Foundation. I like this foundation in theory. It’s light and thin. My only issue is that you need to use the attached sponge on top to apply it, like a beauty blender. After a few uses, the sponge gets dirty and I’m not sure I can clean it without getting water in the makeup. I wish that Revlon had just provided a separate sponge. The foundation itself gives good light, natural coverage.

I really like the Revlon Color Charge Liquid Illuminator. The Halo colour gives a great highlighting shine. It’s not sparkly or glossy, it is just highlighted. It also lasts for a long time, so my face stays looking highlighted.

The Revlon Colorstay Exactify Liquid Liner is one of the most interesting and innovative eyeliners that I have seen in a long time. It’s a regular liquid liner, but there is no regular brush applicator. Instead Revlon has made a little wheel. You roll this wheel across your eye lid to apply the colour. It’s actually very easy. My only issue is that it’s difficult to get thick, full lines. The makeup doesn’t always stick to the wheel, so you have to go over it three or four times. The black was fine, but the Mulberry shade was very light.

Finally, there was the for when I wanted to ramp things up. The sheer Holographic colour allowed me to wear it to work without being inappropriate. It has high shine. At night it would be great to add sparkle to any eye shadow.


May
2018

Too Faced Life’s A Festival Collection Review

categories: Makeup Collection

While it’s not the newest makeup collection in the Too Faced line, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t share my love for the Life’s A Festival Collection. With summer just around the corner, now is the time to live your best life with Too Faced makeup.

For a little eye shine, the Life’s A Festival Eye Shadow Palette has everything you want. The shadows are a mix of colour and a few colour changing hues that provide endless fun opportunities. I love looking at all of the inspiration for looks on Instagram, because these colours are seriously stunning.

Unfortunately, my Rainbow Strobe Highlighter broke in the mail, so I wasn’t able to take advantage of the beautiful rainbow shine with special Magic Rainbow Strobing Brush. Luckily there are other options for highlighting. I also had the Unicorn Horn Highlighting Stick. This creamy stick provides a sheer and glossy finish. I prefer the look of powder highlighters better, but this stick worked in the meantime. It’s nice that you can just really targeted highlighting with this stick versus a loose brush.

The Magic Crystal Lip Topper is probably the most surprising of everything I have. I didn’t expect such high shine on my lips with this glossy finish. This Holographic finish has serious metallic shine that can be added to any lipstick or worn solo. It changes everything I knew about lipstick and my favourite shades.

Last, but not least, my favourite product, Too Faced Unicorn Tears Bronzer. This shimmering bronzer is the perfect amount of colour and shine. The silver sparkle plays on your cheeks in just the right way. It’s even day time appropriate sparkle that I’ve been wearing to work. I could add on an extra layer though for evening sparkle.

So prepare for summer with more sparkle and a lot of Too Faced!


Apr
2018

Tarte Mermaid Collection Most Wanted

categories: Cruelty Free Makeup, Makeup Collection, Makeup Most Wanted, Makeup Reviews, Palettes, PR Sample, Reviews

Mermaid and unicorn makeup are everywhere right now and I totally get it. Between the pastels, metallics and all the colours in between; they’re just pretty and fun. Tarte’s new Mermaid collection is pretty big and has everything from an eyeshadow palette, tons of lip options, brushes and skin care and it’s all got mermaid themed packaging. It’s hard to cover a collection that large in one go, so these are my Most Wanted from the Mermaid collection.

Palettes are usually the focus of most collections and the Be A Mermaid & Make Waves collection is definitely a star. There are fourteen matte and metallic shades that range from neutrals to some pops of colour and the pigments are pretty great. Tarte’s shadows are generally my go to’s from day to day and this palette is definitely getting a spot in my routine.

Two of my favourite lippies from the collection are the Limited Edition Tarteist Quick-Dry Matte Lip Paint in Exposed and the Holographic Lip Gloss. Exposed is a gorgeous neutral pink that doesn’t leave your lips feeling dried out and while I don’t love lip gloss, the Holographic Lip Gloss isn’t sticky or tacky at all and so, so pretty.

Exposed, Holographic Lip Gloss, Gloss over Exposed

You can use these separately or layer the gloss over Exposed as a topper.

My absolute favourite from the entire collection is the Mermaid Skin Hyaluronic H2O serum. This vegan serum is packed with Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin B5, Algae and marine extracts and keeps your skin super hydrated and glowing. It doesn’t have a strong scent and literally melts into your skin. It’s on the watery side, so you have to be quick applying it but it’s so worth it. It feels so nice.

Now you’ll have to excuse me while I look into how to become a mermaid full-time.


Apr
2018

Bliss Mask-A’Peel’ Radiance Revealing Rubberizing Mask

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

I love a good weird treatment, but this Bliss Mask intimidated me. This mask turns into a rubber texture on your face and gets peeled off after it dries. I had visions of it getting stuck on my skin and not coming off. I would look at the box on a monthly basis and think nope, not yet.

When I finally decided to jump in, I read the instructions on the Bliss Mask box very closely. I wanted to make sure I got it just right. Since it was going from a powder to a paste to a rubber, I knew that I would have to work fast.

To activate and create the Bliss face mask, you have to add cool water into the powder cup and mix it. When you use the little spatula to spread it on your face, it’s going to be cooler than you expect. It is also a funny texture. That makes it a bit difficult to spread. It’s not going to be the same smooth perfect mask as on the box. Don’t worry about how it looks as long as you can spread it all around. Since you are using the whole cup in one use, it’s going to be thick. It comes off easier when it’s thick, so don’t skimp out.

This Bliss face mask stays cool on your skin while it dries. It was kind of nice, even though part of me wanted it to dry warm. It does get solid, even while cool. It definitely feels like rubber. It doesn’t get tight.

Peeling off the mask was the scary part for me. Because it doesn’t get tight, it doesn’t really stick to your skin and peel off. It is actually very easy to come off. I did wish it stuck to my skin more to clean out my pores. I have to admit that my skin does feel nice under the mask. It’s not damp and dewy or dry and tight. It’s the perfect feeling of clean and fresh.

So my fear was for nothing. While the rubber feel and peel is a fun gimmick, it’s really just another ace mask. I did like the results though, so bonus!


Apr
2018

Rimmel Insta Makeup Collection

categories: Makeup Reviews

Rimmel has added some perfecting and protecting makeup to their collection to ensure that you keep that perfect face for more hours during the day. I tried the Insta Fix & Go 2 In 1 Primer & Setting Spray, Insta Flawless Perfecting Radiant Primer and the Insta Fix & Matte Translucent Powder. As you can tell, there is makeup in the line for every stage of application.

I’m not crazy about primer, so I wasn’t surprised that I wasn’t crazy about the Rimmel product. It didn’t seem to add anything to my face. I am more a fan of primer that helps to do more to my face. The Rimmel primer might have added some shine, but it was subtle.

I love the Rimmel powder though. This powder is a multi-purpose makeup… is there anything better to hear? You can use it to stop shine, to make your skin look matte, to keep your makeup on longer and to fix any foundation issues. It’s great for makeup pros or novices because of how versatile it is.

Finally, the Fix & Go Setting Spray is one of those middle of the road products. I can’t tell yet whether it is a saving grace or an extra step. I have been noticing that my makeup is staying on longer, but I’m not sure if I can attribute that to the Rimmel spray or my foundation.

The Rimmel Insta line gets the thumbs up from me though and I can’t wait to try more from it. The contouring and highlighting makeup has been added to my wish list!


Apr
2018

Patchology Wink & A Kiss Flashpatch Hydrogels

categories: Skin Care

I love a good mask, but this set is one of my least favourite products that I’ve ever used. Patchology makes all kind of fun masks for your whole face, but I’m not a fan of the hydrogels. This set includes eye gels and lip gels. They smell amazing when you open the packages, but they are slimy. They are totally coated in serum making them tough to handle. When I placed the lip gels on my face they just kept sliding off. I couldn’t make them stay on my face at all. The eye gels were better, but still fussy. I ended up ripping one of them because I was trying to maneuver it. I don’t think I lasted the full 5 minutes with either of gels, so I can’t really speak to their effects. My lips were quite moisturized even after just a minute or two. I am hoping that my next Patchology experience is better.


Apr
2018

Pretty Vulgar Bury Them With a Smile Matte Lipstick Collection

categories: Cruelty Free Makeup, Makeup Reviews, PR Sample

With spring finally here and the weather in Toronto slowly becoming bearable again, I’ve started to come out of my winter hibernation ‘blah-mode’ and have gone into full blown ‘cute-mode.’ You know that mode, where everything pretty and girly and pink just speaks to you on a ‘that would be sooooooo cute – I totally need that’ kind of level.  That mode where you finally want to dress up in cute spring outfits, let your gorgeous locks fly and rock a smile-worthy lip colour. This is where Pretty Vulgar’s Bury Them With a Smile Matte Lipstick Collection comes to play.

Pretty Vulgar is a relatively new brand that has become well-known for their glamorous vintage inspired packaging that never fails to bring that wow-factor. No boring black tubes here, instead the packaging is laced with delicate details that give the collection a feeling of old-time enchantment.

Once I got past the adorable exterior and actually tried out the vegan and cruelty free matte lipstick line, I was impressed. The attention to detail the company puts into packaging definitely wasn’t lost on the lip colour’s formula itself. I thought the lipstick was delicate and creamier than your average brand and a little went a long way. My lips also didn’t dry out at all using this line, probably thanks to the mango seed butter, shea butter, and avocado oil in the ingredients list. Staying power was slightly above average but don’t expect these colours to last through a full meal or night of drinks.

So my Spring search for all things cute has started off with a successful huzzah. My favourite colour of the line is easily 11 – Mood Swing, it really adds an adorable and bright pop of pink to my look and gives me one more reason to smile.