Summer 2026 Sunscreen Update

Posted on July 16, 2026 by Henna

My camera’s smudged with sunscreen for the next few weeks, so here’s what I’ve been using so far and a cottage shelfie, because why not?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Banana Boat Kids’ sunscreen is one that I buy every summer because you can use it on your face and it doesn’t smudge into your eyes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Coppertone Sport because it was on sale, and I just feel like a sports sunscreen is so versatile. It’s water-resistant, so you can just jump into the water and not worry about it lasting. I do notice that it dries as a whitish powder and needs to be rubbed in very well, but if you’re just lounging by the pool or the lake, that might not bother you. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Neutrogena UltraSheer – honestly, I’m reading “No More Tears” right now, and I will not buy a Johnson’s and Johnson’s product ever again, including Tylenol. Thank you to the person who recommended that book to me!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Cerave Night Cream is a fantastic all-purpose moisturizer, but they’ve recently brought out their Facial Moisturizing Lotion in SPF 50 (it was SPF 30 before), and it is fantastic. In terms of sun-protecting ingredients, this is a hybrid of chemical and physical sun filters, so it has a tiny bit of a white cast, but that doesn’t bother me. Under makeup or even on its own, I feel like it gives a bit of skin-perfecting coverage.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The Biore UV Aqua Rich spray sunscreen is one that I picked up in Asia. Honestly, I think I bought it by mistake because I do not trust the coverage of a spray sunscreen. I basically hosed myself down with this so that I could make sure that I didn’t miss a spot, and so I used almost the whole bottle in one day. I don’t recommend any kind of spray sunscreen unless you have money to burn. Half of it flies away into the air, and who knows if the other half is enough protection? I did not get burned, but I tried to stay out of the sun.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Chanel Paris-Edimbourg Perfume Review – Les Eaux de Chanel

Posted on July 15, 2026 by Henna

July 8

All of the Chanel Eaux are so sunny, happy, perfect for summer vacation, perfect for crating new memories with.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

They all start with citruses and then veer off into their own directions. Paris-Edimbourg is the most green of the bunch but it’s a fresh sparkly green, like pieces of glass. The aromatics remind me of a spa or a hotel lobby, or a spa inside a hotel, where the air conditioning is blasting and everything looks pristine.

The Eaux get a bad rap. They’re said to be short-lived and need reapplying but there’s a perfect combo of musks that support all the aromatics. They smell clean and fresh especially on your clothes.

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New Beauty

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Henna

No matter what time of year it is, wear sunscreen.

Remember that the snow reflects the sun too, so you need your sunscreen in the winter and the summer. This skincare is taking me through the whole month. The Vichy vitamin C is at a concentration of 16% and the texture is watery so it melts into your skin and feels like almost nothing. The sunscreen is a runny lotion that feels lighter than most and works well under makeup or on its own. If you’re in Canada or Europe, know that this sunscreen contains Mexoryl, an ingredient that helps it stay stable longer, which might be a reason to choose this face sunscreen over others on the market. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Chanel released a new version of No. 5 EDT this year, and it’s not the same as earlier versions of the perfume, but it’s similar enough that it’ll feel familiar. Really, this is an aldehydic floral that, for most people, smells like “perfume”, so if you know, you know. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Clue Perfumes Review: Dandelion Butter and Warm Bulb

Posted on July 8, 2026 by Henna

Feb. 4
One of the great joys of collecting, reviewing, and thinking about perfume is finding something that smells different than anything else you know. When you find something different, years into the hobby, it comes as a revelation, as a new way to go through life. Now, you’re going to go through and smell like “this”. “This” will scent all my new memories, I think to myself, “this” will be the smell of my vacation, my tough days, my joyful moments, it’s going to be “this”. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

That’s how I felt when I wore Clue Warm Bulb, more evocative of a hazy Instagram filter than an actual thing, capturing that moment in time when you turn on a lamp and smell the dust burning on it as you search through an old photo box. It’s right before the moment you find what you’re looking for, even before the moment that you’re about to give up and move on. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Dandelion Butter is something else – and kudos to the perfume, Laura Oberwetter, for giving us what Gap Grass doesn’t. This is an ideal childhood moment in a bottle. It’s running through grassy fields, dandelion crowns, lying under a tree, catching your breath, letting a caterpillar crawl onto your finger so that you can put it in a jar and feed it leaves. There’s a sappyness that reminds me of tearing low-hanging branches off trees, swatting at flies that got into my way. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

In smelling these, I’m letting the nostalgia come over me in waves and enjoying every second of it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Aveda Pure-Fume and Aveda Men Pure-Formance

Posted on July 8, 2026 by Henna

Keen to be green. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

June 28

I’ve pulled out my old bottle of Aveda Men Pure-Formance to go with the rest of the Aveda skincare I’ve been using (gifted). You can see this bottle is half-used so it’s been loved, and of course, it’s now discontinued. Imagine every green aromatic – mint, basil, eucalyptus, rosemary, anise, fennel – and it’s all in this men’s perfume. Today, it would be niche and unisex, and would fit right in with anything from Aesop. If you want to smell like a spa, or smell a spa, you go into the Aveda store in the mall, drink the herbal tea, and come out feeling refreshed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Vichy Collagen-Filler 17 Haircare

Posted on July 8, 2026 by Henna

June 18
You can’t fill your hair with collagen, but that doesn’t mean that Vichy’s new Collagen-Filler 17 line doesn’t work. You CAN apply peptides, amino acids, and proteins to your hair to smooth it down. The Collagen-Filler 17 line also has citric acid in it, which helps lower the pH of the product in order to close the hair cuticle, making your hair smoother. The science in these bottles makes a lot of sense.

I love that this line includes a pre-shampoo treatment that you apply to wet hair, leave it on for 5 minutes before going in with a shampoo. If you have dry and frizzy hair, applying a treatment to the lengths before shampooing is always a good idea. If you don’t have the Collagen-Filler product, even a conditioner or a hair oil will be worth trying, but if you want the smoothing capabilities of keratin, then the Vichy Collagen-Filler 17 pre-shampoo treatment is a great option.

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Niche Perfume at Shoppers Drug Mart

Posted on July 6, 2026 by Henna

June 18
Canada’s biggest drugstore chain – @shoppersbeauty now has some new perfumes – most notable is the Mugler line of perfumes.

For a while, these were gone from Canada and the US, but last year in China, I ran into the Mugler scents everywhere, so I knew they were out there. The one that gets the most hype – and rightfully so – is Over the Musk. This is a clean but slightly dirty warm musk. Musk perfumes of this kind can be polarizing if they’re new to you, but there’s something addictive in smelling something that shouldn’t be there. You just want to smell more of it. I couldn’t leave the counter before spraying some on my wrist. I’m glad I did because I got to experience it the whole day, and it’s one that I’ll go back for. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The Margiela Replica line has been at Sephora stores for a while, but these are still worth checking out if you’re new to the line. My favourite is Beach Walk for the summer, but I love all of them. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Clive Christian, at one point, came out with “the most expensive perfume in the world” but they’ve since expanded their offerings. Blond Amber gets a lot of hype. It’s a bit too masculine for me, but if you’ve always wanted to smell it before spending the cash, the testers are there. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Balmain came out with their high-end line a couple of years ago, and Sel d’Ambre was on my wishlist after trying it last year.

I never got it because of the price, but I did put some on my skin to remind myself of what enraptured me. It’s a great patchouli amber, and maybe I’ll want it in the winter.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

They also have the Versace luxe line, but I wasn’t familiar with anything and didn’t have time to smell them all. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

See anything you like? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Oily Skin Recommendations

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Henna

The weather’s warmer, and maybe you’re noticing that your skin is shinier than usual. As someone with oily skin, here are some things I love. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

June 18

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1. Niod Ethylated L-Ascorbic Acid 30% Network. It’s a mouthful and a slightly oily formula that somehow doesn’t feel greasy when you apply it. Perfect for oily skin. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

2. The ACM Azelaic Acid you see here is maybe unfair to include, but if you’re in Europe, bring some of this back for me! The formula is at a concentration that is prescription-strength here. The cream is matte and seems to regulate oil production… so that it seems like there’s not so much of it. It’s perfect under makeup too. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

3. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo is a treatment and moisturizer. It’s a treatment because of the .5% salicylic acid in it. It won’t be enough to dry out your skin but again, it could help if you’re prone to having congested skin in the summer. This is the moisturizer I like to use at night – the morning is for sunscreen as the moisturizer. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

4. Danessa Myricks Blurring Balm. This is one of the few foundations I’ve rebought. It looks like a cream, goes on like a balm and sets to a powder. It can even continue to absorb oil throughout the day and can be reapplied over makeup without making your skin look cakey. If you don’t like more coverage, try it in the clear formula, which is also good. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you’re still reading this, the best thing for your sanity is to accept your skin the way it is and always wear sunscreen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Creed Event at Holt Renfrew

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Henna

June 18
Olivier Creed, perhaps perfumery’s most infamous marketer, master perfume evaluator, passed away last week so maybe there’s no better time to post some pictures from the last Creed event I went to.

Pairing symphony with scent, this event, hosted by Holt Renfrew Calgary, helped perfume lovers understand the vibe of the Creed scents. It was an enjoyable evening, with drinks and snacks that disappeared before I managed to get pictures .

I finally got to smell Wild Vetiver, which is actually a sharp rose perfume. The event was impeccably organized because each guest got a labelled scent strip for each perfume. Gone is the need to dig around in your purse for a pen to label all the paper that accumulates during a sniff session. What’s always interesting at these events is the opportunity to buy discontinued and one-off scents.

This time it was Tubereuse Indiana, which (checks notes), is currently available at discounters but was also available at the Creed counter that night. Last time, they had Royal Mayfair, which I liked for its minty geranium and did consider picking up. My favourite Creed right now has to be Wood and Spice, and I might be on the hunt for a bottle since vetiver season is upon us. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Also, after the event, I checked out the cute niche perfume space at Holt Renfrew in Calgary. A little table and chair, lots of Amouage, DS & Durga, Initio and other brands were on display. All they need is blotters, pens and pencils so people can smell and take notes! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Creed Wild Vetiver Perfume Review

Posted on July 2, 2026 by Henna

New from Creed is Wild Vetiver and it’s Creed pulling a Le Labo by naming their perfume Wild Vetiver and making it smell like roses. Where is the vetiver here? It’s lost in the dry down, maybe used as a fixative, or it’s been turned into a wild feminine rose. Imagine plunging your hands into cool dirt and unearthing a rose bubble that pops as soon as it sees the sun.

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