Aveda Pure-Fume and Aveda Men Pure-Formance

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

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

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

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

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

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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Garnier Brightening Daily UV Fluid, Invisible and Glow

Also, it’s just a morning habit like brushing my teeth, so why would I break it just because of some rain? Today: Garnier Brightening Daily UV Fluid. This is a newish sunscreen that also comes in a glow version. They’re both different!

The Invisible version has vitamin C and E for added antioxidant support. The Glow version also has niacinamide and shimmer. Both have a very moisturizing base that feels hydrating and doesn’t pull with skincare.

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New: Atelier des Fleurs Sous Les Pins Review

June 18
I’m back from Paris and here to report that all the buzz about the Chloe Atelier des Fleurs line is well-founded. I tried the line at Duty-Free, and I loved how light and effervescent they all felt. They all felt like fragrances you could live in.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

After that introduction, I had to stop by the Chloe Atelier des Fleurs booth @perfumeweek and smell the new offerings. Sous Les Pins means “under the pines” and one would think that this would smell like a forest, but it’s more a forest in a Chloe kind of way. Done by Quentin Bisch, this is retains the airy feel that’s in all the Chloe Atelier des Fleurs line and smells like a forest in the middle of a mall. There’s a slight citrus that reminds me of fake lemon trees, the plump fruit hanging tantalizingly low. The suggestion of trees is there, a cool aromatic breeze seems to be coming from somewhere – maybe there’s a vent blowing air down. Forget the olfacto-realism of Lush or the spa-like vibe of Aesop. This is a Chloe forest, and everything is calibrated to perfection. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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New Beauty: Charlotte Tilbury, Vichy, and Canadian Grace

Some new skincare and beauty is here.

Charlotte Tilbury has a new concealer and it is so pigmented. Don’t cake it on – instead, feel free to skip foundation and instead just blend a few dots of this into completely moisturized skin. I actually think this is the right step for a brand when times are tough – this product can do double duty and will last a long time, as opposed to their other concealer which is sheer and can be used as a foundation but layered all over. Anyway, I’m using it and it has made it into the daily rotation.

Vichy has a new scalp serum. I need to get better and using it after I wash my hair but it’s on the counter…. The consistency is thin, water-like and not at all greasy, so there’s no excuse for me to not touse it.

Finally – Canadian Grace oils. I’m OBSESSED with them. Get the jojoba oil. It’s thin and light, and works on hair or skin. I use it pre-shampoo and even to melt my makeup off. They are unscented but the Castor oil smells super smoky – like Cade, so it might not be for everyone. It’s also very thick so more difficult to spread. A dab on my lashes is more than enough.

That’s it.

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Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Sticks

It’s the barely there eyeshadow. Makeup that looks natural, kind of. Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Easy Eyeshadow Stick in Oyster Twilight.I struggle with making these videos because, inevitably, I know that there’s lots of makeup artist content out there, and I’m not a makeup artist. I’m just a regular person who likes makeup, and I like it the way I do it. I know that a makeup artist would add contour and a liner, and it would look way better and take a bit longer, but I just don’t have time, and this is good enough! Honestly, I don’t wear eyeshadow every day, but once in a while I want to look a little sparkly, and this colour is it!

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