clarins – Makeup Most Wanted

Tag: clarins

18
Aug
2016

Summer Sunscreen Most Wanted – Steph’s Picks

Biotherm Body Milk Sun Protection

Moisturizer meet sunscreen. With an SPF rating of just 15, this isn’t the kind of sun protection that you are going to wear on a trip out to the beach. For those days, we have stocked up on lots of serious sun protection. This is the super moisturizing body product that also happens to protect your skin while you’re out. I love it for work days when I will probably be indoors most of the time, but still want protection. It will also be great for the winter when you sometimes forget to wear sunscreen. It does have a tangy lemon scent that smells a bit like cleaning products, so be sure to have perfume ready if you aren’t crazy about lemons.

Clarins Sun Care Milk-Lotion Spray
Clarins Sunscreen Care Milk-Lotion Spray
I’ve had some bad luck with spray sun screen this summer. None of them have the right spray with the right power. Clarins is getting closer to perfection with their milk-lotion. The spray is a bit weird. It doesn’t spray evenly, so you have to spread it around. The SPF is also just 20, so it’s not strong enough for many people I know. That said, everytime I wore it my skin was totally protected. I didn’t burn anywhere and started to feel really confident in this sunscreen. It goes to show sometimes you have to give things a chance.

Garnier Ombrelle Sport Endurance Sunscreen
Ombrelle Endurance Sport Sunscreen
It’s been so hot this summer that you need a sunscreen that is going to last through everything. Garnier’s new sunscreen is not just water resistant, but also sweat resistant. I love how quickly it absorbs into my skin and it doesn’t leave any weird residue. My skin still feels like my skin.

Banana Boat Sun Comfort Sunscreen Lotion
Banana Boat Sun Comfort Lotion
Somehow I’ve made it this long without ever using Banana Boat sunscreen lotion. It might be one of my new faves now. I love the faint smell. I love how it makes my skin feel moisturized. I love how strong it is to protect me from the sun. I’m not sure how I feel about the claim that sand will brush off easily. While I’ve only used it at the pool, I doubt that this is true. Regardless it’s still my new favourite sunscreen.

28
Jul
2016

Clarins Summer 2016 Makeup

categories: Makeup Collection, Makeup Reviews

Clarins released a whole pile of new summer products that I am surprised to say, I am hooked on this season. I’ve never considered myself a huge fan of Clarins. I think that they have a reputation of being a bit older and more conservative, but this new round of products will make anyone smile. I don’t care how old you are.

clarins Bronzing & Blush Compact

My absolute favourite product in the Clarins makeup line is the Bronzing & Blush Compact. This oversized powder isn’t exactly what I would call compact. It’s large size makes it awkward to take on-the-go. I love this powder anyways. The four shades when blended together are the perfect summer shade for my skin. I get a beautiful bronze finish with a subtle shimmer that is suitable for day or night. I was torn on whether to put this in my favourites of the month or here, so know that it belongs in both places!

clarins Instant Light Lip Perfecting Base

Say hello to your new lipstick saver, the Instant Light Lip Perfecting Base! I put this little lip primer to the test with some of the lipsticks that are the worst culprits for disappearing after minutes. While it couldn’t beat them all, I noticed a huge difference in my reapply time. These lipsticks went from a one-hour affair to a full morning in style. I haven’t shared my new secret with anyone yet, so get it while it’s hot!

clarins_fix_make_up_30ml

The Fix’ Makeup-Up Spray has been my other secret weapon through summer’s hot spell. Forget losing my makeup to humidity and sweat. Thanks to a few sprays of this puppy my foundation, bronzer and blush looks just as good when I get home from work as when I left.

Clarins Hydraquench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase

I’ve been trying to jump on the serum bandwagon for a while, but have never found one that I like. The new Clarins Hydraquench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase has come the closest to making me a convert. I cannot express my love for how moisturizing it is. I actually think of it more as a moisturizer than a serum in my routine. It has a very faint smell and absorbs into my skin quickly leaving it feels newly hydrated. It is a bit tacky, but nothing that is troublesome. I have fairly oily skin, especially in the summer month, but this didn’t make me breakout at all. Bonus!!

065b5b5717834e7029a147944ed57a10 Waterproof Eyeshadow

At the bottom of my list is the Waterproof Eyeshadow. I’m not a fan of liquid or cream shadows, so this product didn’t stand a chance. I will always opt for a traditional powder and brush. I will admit that the metallic shades of eyeshadow are very cool. I might not have thought of them as summer shades, but they work perfectly with a bit of a tan.

02
Jun
2016

Makeup Most Wanted May 2016 : Alyssa’s Picks

categories: Makeup Most Wanted

I can’t believe this year is flying by and it’s already June (but it feels like July in Toronto). Here’s what I used the most in May.
Clarins Multi-Active Day and Night creams
Clarins Multi-Active Day-Night
I’ll be honest and say I don’t always follow the moisturizer day and night cream rules. I find them interchangeable for the most part and just go by what my skin feels like it needs. But the Clarins Multi-Active Jour (day) is just light enough for daytime while keeping my skin feeling really hydrated while the Multi-Active Nuit (night) is a little heavier for night but not as heavy as a lot of night creams are. Using both of them has really helped keep my combination skin moisturized while not letting it get greasy. These smell so amazing but if you have issues with scent, keep away.
Live Clean Multi Boost Shampoo and Conditioner
Live Clean Vitamin Multi Boost Shampoo
Spring is a weird time for my hair. It’s not as dried out, the humidity makes my frizz pop and my roots get a little oily. Live Clean’s Multi Boost line kept it looking healthy and it stayed pretty manageable. I would recommend this to someone whose hair falls into the normal category. It’s not quite enough for really dry hair and those with oily scalps might have some greasiness. I love that I can add vitamins to my hair though and that it’s sulfate and paraben free.
Clinique Pop Glaze Sheer Lip Colour + Primer in Sprinkle Pop
Clinique Pop Glaze Sprinkle Pop
I’ve been wearing most matte liquid lipsticks lately but on days when I don’t want to bother but still want a pop of colour on my lips, I reach for Sprinkle Pop. It’s a really pretty, medium bright pink that goes on super sheer but still leaves some colour. It’s not a traditional lipstick, more like a tinted lip balm that you apply like a lipstick. Even after the colour wears off, it leaves a slight hint of colour but tons of moisture. I can leave my lip balm at home when I put this one on. My lips are moisturized for hours.
Rimmel Clear Complexion Clarifying Powder
Rimmel Clear Complexio Clarifying Powder
With spring and summer come humidity and my skin ends up on the oilier end of the spectrum and I get seriously shiny. Rimmel’s Clear Complexion Clarifying Powder is one of the few powders I’ve tried that actually leaves me looking matte for a long period of time without getting cakey. I wish it came with some kind of applicator so I could throw it in my purse but even when I put it on before I leave the house I know I won’t look shiny for most of the day. It’s also supposed to minimize breakouts thanks to it’s Pureskin complex.
Maybelline Colour Tattoo Concentrated Crayon in Bronze Truffle

I love the original Colour Tattoo shadows but I hate applying them for my fingers. From the first time I tried the Concentrated Crayon, I was hooked. You get the same colour payoff and staying power as the pots but it’s so much less messy and you can throw it in your purse for touch ups. Bronze Truffle is a great shade that takes me from day to night. I use a little in the morning and layer on more at night for more intensity. I have a couple shades of the crayons and this one is by far my favourite.

01
Jun
2016

New Shower Most Wanted

categories: Bath And Body

I am upgrading my shower time with these new products right now!

Olay Moisture Outlast Body Wash

Olay Moisture Outlast Body Wash – I’ve never gone through a body wash as fast as this. Everyone in the house was obsessed with it the second it made its way into the shower. This Olay shower wash is jam packed full of moisturizer, which makes it perfect for dry skin any time of year. The creamy wash has a soft powdery smell. It seeps right in giving you the smoothest skin that you can ever imagine.

Hair Recipes Shampoo

Hair Recipes Shampoo, Conditioner & Treatment – I love the natural philosophy of Hair Recipes. It all stems from the idea that the best products for your hair are the ones that you can find in your own kitchen. Bringing in the philosophy of homemade hair products, these shampoos and conditioners feature ingredients like avocado, carrot and, the one I tried, egg yolk. This shampoo and conditioner combo left my hair feeling manageable no matter what I did with it after my shower. My favourite part was the Macadamia Oil that I received as well. No matter whether I used it on wet hair after my shower it left my hair feeling soft and looking amazing! It’s my new favourite secret weapon.

Nuxe Shower Oil

Nuxe Shower Oil – I love shower oils, but the name of this product is a bit deceiving. While it may be made of mostly oils, this body wash is more of a gel. While some people are going to hate the very perfumed scent of this oil, I am in love with it. The reason is that it reminds me of my grandmother and her bathroom when I was a child. I don’t know what this wash is scented with, and I don’t think I want to know. I love the mystery of it. It just smells like Grandma to me. It’s an added bonus that it also leaves my skin feeling so soft with a hint of that comforting smell. I lost my grandmother about a year ago, so this was a nice treat.

Clairol Nice ‘n Easy CC+ Colorseal Conditioner

Clairol Nice ‘n Easy CC+ Colorseal Conditioner – If you have ever dyed your hair at home, you have probably fallen in love with the little conditioner that comes in the box. For some reason, no other conditioner ever seems to compare to that tiny little tube. You always try to make it last as long as humanly possible. Well, stop trying to squeeze out the last drop! Clairol has finally packaged up something just like that little tube that you can buy all on its own. This CC+ Conditioner helps to seal in that colour while conditioning your hair to the ultimate softness. Thank you for listening to us all!

Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream

Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream – For something a bit different in the shower, I wanted to throw in this face exfoliator. This has been a staple in my shower for a few weeks. I love exfoliating in the shower. It’s the way that I know I can keep myself on a routine. This Clarins exfoliator is especially gentle on the skin. This is great for an everyday cleaner with an extra bit of power. You don’t have to wait to use it. I’m not crazy about the lotion-y smell, but it works enough that I can ignore it!

04
Mar
2016

February Makeup Most Wanted

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

Another month is gone, and even with one extra day February still seemed extra short this year. Regardless, I still found the time to discover a few hot new products that I am in love with!

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer – I have almost said good bye to foundation these last few weeks thanks to this new concealer. This concealer is made specifically for erasing those dark circles under the eyes. It’s perfect for that, but it also works at concealing any other annoying spots on your face with perfect precision. I find it incredibly hard to find a concealer that I love and can depend on. This one is simple and effective in all the right ways.

Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara – I have tried a lot of bad mascaras lately. I thought about writing a post about all of the bad ones, but instead I’m going to celebrate the one great one! This new mascara has been my new favourite. Imagine long, thick, curled lashes every single day. It’s max colour and volume that is perfect for day or night!

Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes

Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes – Who needs regular face wash when you have these towels on hand? These Pond’s wipes are everything you want in a regular face wash, without having to worry about water and rinsing. They give a great clean that leaves my face feeling refreshed. They are also surprisingly moisturizing. I shouldn’t be too surprised though… it’s Pond’s after all. I love their baby powder soft scent too for a before bed clean.

Dove Quench Absolute Hair Care

Dove Quench Absolute Hair Care – This line doesn’t technically hit shelves until next month, but I need to tell you now so that you can rush to stores in March!!! I have tried Dove hair products before, but they didn’t leave a lasting memory. This new line though shocked me. In the shower, this Dove shampoo and conditioner didn’t seem like anything special, it was only after it dried that I was impressed. Time after time, this Dove hair line left my hair soft and moisturized. My curls were bouncy, and that never happens! Frizz was a distant memory. I see a future of soft beautiful hair, hopefully not just for me, but you too!

vichy-normaderm-3-in-1-cleanser-scrub-mask

Vichy Normaderm 3 In 1 Cleanser + Scrub + Mask – I already loved the Normaderm line. It’s my favourite of all of Vichy’s skin care products. Imagine my glee when Vichy added to the collection with a product that isn’t just a cleanser. It isn’t just a scrub. It isn’t just a mask either. It’s gentle enough to be able to be used regularly. You can also leave it on your face as a pore cleansing mask. When budgets are tight, this is the kind of smart products that one needs!

12
Feb
2016

Easy Valentine’s Day Makeup

categories: Makeup Reviews, Uncategorized

Whether you’re going out with a significant other or hanging out with the girls, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean super complicated makeup. So we’ve come up with some great products that’ll make your life a little easier.
Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Vintage Vamp

Charlotte Tilbury makes her eyeshadow quads really easy for us. All the shades are colour co-ordinated, there’s a little diagram to show us where to use what shade and they pretty much work for any skin tone. I’m in love with The Vintage Vamp. I use the top two shades for every day and the bottom two for added drama. This pink, gold and plum palette goes on so smoothly that I barely need to blend. Plus it’s really pigmented so you can get away with one pass of a brush. The bonus is these shadows last for hours, so I’ve never had to use a shadow primer with them.
Yves Rocher Top Coat For Eye Makeup Fixing

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean you can’t glam up your makeup. These gels transform any old eye makeup into something with more wow factor. It’s easy to use! First you apply your makeup as usual. Second, choose your finish whether it’s glossy, metallic or pearly. Apply the gel using the applicator brush on your lids over your makeup. When I used it with powder shadow, I found that it wiped off my eye shadow. It worked best for me with liner or something that was stronger. The finishes are fun and perfect for any celebration look.
Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick in One Of A Kind

This winter I have been all about dark lipsticks this winter. I love them so much. My biggest decision has been red or purple lipstick. Rimmel’s new shade and formula is the perfect mix of both. This lipstick is a rich berry that will satisfy your need to go to the dark side, in a day appropriate way. The lipstick even smells like berries. If you see me around, expect to see the shade!
Clarins 3 Dot Liner

This liner is supposed to make applying the perfect eyeliner easier, but for someone who isn’t confident applying liner it’s terrifying. The three dot pen tip looks like I will just make more mistakes rather than less. Instead it’s easy to get a slick black line. My own line is a bit thicker than I would normally apply it, but it looks great, so I’m not going to complain. Anyone who is trying find their perfect black eye liner should give this innovative pen a try. If you are more skilled than I am, you might be able to create some amazing looks.
FLOWER Miracle Matte Translucent Finishing Powder

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I get a little shiny, so I love a finishing powder and FLOWER’s new Miracle Matte powder is fantastic. It’s really silky and easily blends into your skin. It gives you a great matte finish while covering up any imperfections and really does a good job minimizing my pores. It’s the perfect way to finish up the makeup process and it’s a really easy way to make your skin look amazing without a ton of product.

26
Jan
2016

Most Wanted Face Scrubs

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Obviously it’s important to exfoliate our skin all year round but with winter’s dryness comes dead skin, flaky patches and uneven skin tone. Luckily, I love a face scrub so I put together a list of my Most Wanted.
Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream With Microbeads

This gentle exfoliating cream gets the job done and takes it easy on your skin. You get a deep clean from the microbeads but Mimosa extract stops it from drying out your skin. It’s not too harsh for sensitive skin but I would use it less often than the twice a week they suggest.
Vichy Pureté Thermale Skin Renewing Screamy Scrub
Vichy Purete Thermale Skin Renewing Creamy Scrub
This is probably what most people expect from a face scrub. A cream with new environmentally friendly Jojoba beads. It’s extremely gentle but does a great job of exfoliating. This is the one you could probably use more often without irritating your skin.
Laura Mercier Face Polish
Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish
I was really expecting this to be a little too harsh for my sensitive skin, it’s really grainy. But I didn’t have any redness or irritation. It did such a great job of clearing out my pores, I found blackheads I didn’t know were there.
Lush Ocean Salt Face And Body Scrub
Lush Ocean Salt Face And Body Scrub
This is such a classic product that I’m pretty sure anyone who loves Lush has tried it at least once. The salt, lime and vodka combination are fantastic for clearing out your skin and the avocado and coconut stops it from drying out your skin. Just a tip for anyone with sensitive skin, try a patch test first to see if you’ll react, salt can be irritating.
StriVectin Oxygen Infusion Smoothing Mask

When this product was suggested to me as an exfoliator, I was hugely skeptical. I’ve heard of scrubby masks but this one isn’t scrubby at all. It’s also the coolest mask I’ve ever tried. You apply the cream to your face, watch it foam up and while it dries into a clear film you can feel it get all the crap out of your pores. This has become my most recent obsession and it does such a great job, I was glowing when I rinsed it off.

There are obviously tons of other face scrubs out there, but to get a really good exfoliation, these are my picks.

09
Oct
2015

Clarins Fall 2015 Collection Pretty Day + Night

categories: Makeup Collection

Instead of having a basic seasonal collection that’s basically just new shades for fall, Clarins has taken it one step further and introduced their Pretty Day + Night collection. There are two separate collections for day and night, the products we received are for night. We tried the Ombre Matte Cream-to-Powder Matte Eyeshadow in Carbon and the Kohl Eye Pencil in True Violet.

The shades are really great for fall. I don’t wear a lot of black eyeshadow, or purple eyeliner for that matter but these products are really easy to incorporate into a routine. The kohl liner wasn’t as great as the one I tried from the Aquatic Treasures collection. It’s not quite as creamy or pigmented but it didn’t drag on my eyes as much as it did on my hand when I was swatching. The colour lasts all day as well.

I love the Ombre Matte shadow, It’s smooth and easy to apply, I use my fingers and once it sets it’s there until you take it off. Carbon is a great black that can be used as a shadow or a liner and you really only need to use a tiny bit. The swatch is one swipe.

I love the idea of a collection that’s more about helping people figure out their makeup and really wish there were more of them.

07
Jul
2015

Clarins Sun Protection Collection

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

It’s time to start protecting myself from the sun while relaxing on the patio, so I tried three of Clarins’ sun protection products on my skin to stay safe.

I started with the Clarins Sunscreen Care Oil Spray. It’s weird using oil as sunscreen. You usually think of oiling up before you go out into the sun as a bad thing. This has an SPF of 30, so it’s pretty good for being out on the patio during the day. I didn’t really like the way it felt on my skin. All day my skin felt a bit greasy. I couldn’t shake the feeling of it on my skin. I am sure there are people who will love this spray oil sunscreen, but I prefer a cream version.

For your face there is the little Sunscreen Stick for Sensitive Areas. This sunscreen is great! I love how convenient it is. You can apply this stick in seconds on your face, throw it in your purse and go. It’s easy and effective leaving you no reason not to wear sunscreen.

Finally, we get to my favourite product, the After Sun Self-Tanning Moisturizer. A long day in the sun tends to dry out my skin and I am adamant about applying moisturizer afterwards. I like it that there is now a moisturizer made especially for these times. It’s even better that it also helps to enhance any tan or glow I got from all of the sunshine. It really does help any bronzing look richer.

11
Jun
2015

Clarins Aquatic Treasures Summer ’15 Collection

categories: Makeup Collection

I love a good summer makeup collection because they usually have shades I would never think to wear. Clarins’ Aquatic Treasures collection definitely falls into that. Most of new colours are shades of green and while I wear green eyeshadow and maybe a dark green eyeliner, I’ve never worn green mascara. We received the Ombre Iridescente Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadow in Aquatic Rose, Waterproof Eye Pencil in Aquatic Green and Truly Waterproof Mascara in Aquatic Green.

If nothing else, these shades look fantastic together and it’s a great summer look that doesn’t take a ton of product. The shadow is a lot more pigmented than I was expecting and is extremely creamy but lasts forever. I usually don’t like using my fingers for eyeshadow but with this one, it’s the only way I’ll apply it. The eye pencil is smooth and doesn’t drag and the pop of colour really brightens up my eyes.

The mascara is the star though. I don’t know what I was expecting but I’m completely in love with this mascara. It gives me great definition and volume but isn’t clumpy and while it’s green, you can’t really tell because it’s pretty dark but not quite black. The added green just makes my eyes really stand out.

There are so many things I love about these products together but the biggest thing is that all together they’re completely waterproof, which for summer is a necessity. And with only three steps I can get my eyes done in under a minute and it’ll last me all day.