When you don’t use Kerastase for a while and then come back to it, it’s easy to see why it’s such a luxurious product. I added the Kerastase Resistance Hair Masque to my routine again and it’s so buttery smooth. It really coats my hair and moisturizes it just like the nicest moisturizer would. My hair looks shinier and healthier after I use it, so I’m loving this mask.
Available at salons and online for $69.
Wow, it’s crazy that I’ve never dedicated a full review to this concealer considering that I’ve used it for years and want to continue using it. Check out the dent that I’ve made in it – it’s almost finished, and I think I posted about it last year because I really thought I would finish this bottle, but guess what? I haven’t. That’s because a little bit goes a long way.
I have it in the colour NC 42.
It’s almost the only concealer ever that comes in a little pump bottle and dispenses just the tiniest bit of concealer. That makes it perfect for blending into moisturizer, sunscreen, or primer to make your own cover product. It’s very pigmented, because it’s a concealer, and it’s long-wearing so it really just sticks to your skin.
It’s also a matte concealer so once it sets on your skin, you might even need to powder to set it and it’ll still stay. Once it sticks to your skin, you are good to go for a long time.
I have oily skin, so when the MAC Pro Longwear collection first came out, it was a perfect for me because it sticks to my skin and lasts a long time despite the oil. There’s nothing better than washing your face at the end of the day and seeing that your makeup is on the cleansing cloth that you’re using.
You can get this online or at the MAC counter for $29.
I opened this bottle of L’Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate today and was blown away by how good it smells. A mix of almond extract, and florals, this moisturizer smells so good and has a scent that just becomes a part of your skin scent.
The Almond Milk Concentrate is a smoothing body lotion that sinks into skin and leaves it moisturized. It’s not thick or overly rich which makes it perfect for applying in the morning before you get dressed. It’s refreshing.
The lotion contains almond oil and glycerine, as the main ingredients that take care of your skin. It comes in a beautiful glass jar.
$65 online and at L’Occitane boutiques.
My current favourite perfumes are less than $25 at the drugstore and they have been around for ages for a reason!
Yardley of London perfumes are one-note wonders. They’re available in Rose, Lavender, and Lily of the Valley. The formula is an eau de toilette, and because these are floral scents, the toilette isn’t very strong. You could spray liberally and have the scent last the entire day, but in a soft way, not in a way that’s over-the-top. I love that these are so fresh and not at all sweet.
My favourite is Rose, but Lavender works well as a night-time scent. These are perfect for Valentine’s Day if you want to pick up presents without breaking the bank.
Available at Shoppers Drug Mart.
This is probably my favourite nail colour of the summer – I cannot stop wearing it. It is so pretty, and such an unusual neutral that I atleast keep it on my toes for as long as I can. Essie Demure Vixen. Colour of the summer.
If you’ve seen the movie, then you’ll know what to expect – this is a great story about a girl who dies and keeps an eye on her family from up in heaven. She tells you how they cope with her death and how each of them deal with it in her own way. She of course, deals with her own loss since she’s up in heaven and has lost the gift of life and being able to share that with her family.
A friend of mine lent me this book, and it was a good edition because, at the end, there was an interview with the author, Alice Sebold. She said that she was inspired by a death that she witnessed in her own suburban neighbourhood when she was young. Though she was living in NYC when she wrote this novel, she remembered that death and wanted to capture how a community deals with someone leaving them, even if they didn’t know them that well.
If you’re a teenager, I think you’ll relate to this book quite a great deal, and it really is a fantastic read.
Get it here.
I continue with my Dior reviews with a bit on their Escale a Portofino which was released in 2008. I know it’s an older scent, but I was so smitten with Pondichery that I had to get this a sniff too, and overall I love the concept of these Escale series. I’ll definitely be more up-to-date when the next one comes out and I’ll have to smell it right away.
In any case, the Escale series focuses on scents in different parts of the world – this time, Portofino. All the Escale scents are very light eau de toilettes, and before you dismiss them, you should know that they have better lasting powers than you would think.
Portofino starts with lemony freshness, that’s quite sharp and acidic. That turns into an orange blossom top note. There’s a middle note of almond in here, which is mild very mild. The whole scent reminds me of orange blossom water mixed with lots of lemon but with so much more freshness, and in a very wearable delivery system. Like Pondichery, this is an airy scent that doesn’t overpower you with its notes. I would say that it’s definitely a unisex one as well, which is nice.
I also have to say that the packaging of the Escales is absolutely beautiful. The design is simple and that makes it even more attractive. The bottles are clear with silver tops. The glass is made to resemble one of Dior’s quilted handbags. The slim bottle fits easily into the palm of your hand, and allows for generous and easy spraying wherever you’d like. Because the bottle design is so simple, it looks elegant on a vanity and will go with whatever your decor is. I hate bottles that are bright pink or glittery or overly coloured because they seem childish and take away from a bathroom or bedroom, but that won’t be the case if you have the Escales on your dresser.
Some Jo Malones I have and love. Zara has a whole collection designed by Jo Malone so I got my originals out and took a pic. What do you think? Are you a fan? Are you shopping at Zara?
Flashback Friday: this Bobbi Brown palette came out in 2015 and these are still some of the most silky shadows around. They are so blendable and beautiful to wear. My fav is the silver on top of the dark brown.
After reading the latest New York Times Bestseller’s and other books that my friends had recommended, it was nice to come to something that was well-written. As much as I want to lose myself in a good story, one thing that is really important to me is good prose, and Michael Ondaatje delivers.
In The Skin of a Lion is a love story and takes place in Toronto during the earlier part of the 20th century. It was interesting to me because the writer rediscovers places that I am very familiar with, and I found myself wondering what restaurants and landmarks he was really talking about! As all good books do, this one begins and ends in medias res and so you’re left wondering about the characters and where they finally end up. It’s a sign of a good book (or movie, even) when you can’t put the story out of your head and keep thinking about it for a few days.
Pick this book up. It will show you why writing is an art, and what separates the good writers from the bad.
