Book Review: Perfumes The Guide

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Henna

If you love perfume, you need to have this book.  It’s really that simple!

Perfumes, The Guide is by Luca Turn and Tania Sanchez.  If you remember, Turin was the subject of Chandler Burr’s book Emperor of Scent, and knows his stuff when it comes to smelling.

The book does not describe different perfumes, nor is it an encyclopedia of all the perfumes that are out there.  This is basically just a listing of perfumes, their non-literal description, and a rating on them.  It’s a pretty excellent book if you want something that tells you good perfumes and why they are good.

I especially loved the lists at the back of the book that have the top 10 feminine perfumes, to 10 florals, top 10 masculines, top 10 feminine masculines, etc.  It’s given me a long list of scents to discover and has taught me what to look for in good perfume composition.  Of course, you’re not going to love all the top 10 scents, and I certainly didn’t but it’s a good starting point for finding the scent among all those that are released each year.

You can get it here.

 

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Flower By Kenzo La Cologne

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Henna

Kenzo, at one point in 2010, reformated their heady amber fragrance, Flower, into an Eau de Cologne format.

The La Cologne has me hooked, however, because I can use it more liberally and frequently and thus get an overall diffusion of scent rather than it being very concentrated in just one place.

The scent is a combo of citrus, rose, and neroli. The base is still a musky one and it’s so powdery that it almost reminds me of soap. The scent is clean throughout and retains true cologne-like qualities: it is super fresh at the beginning, the citrus notes die out within hours, and at the end of the day it is more of a scent memory than anything else.

This is sold in a 90 mL bottle that is wider and larger than the original Flower by Kenzo bottles and available throughout the summer.

$95 online.

 

 

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Glossier You Video Review

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Henna

You can’t smell anything in person, but this perfume was launched on the Internet and so you could only blind buy it. Incidentally, Glossier is now offering a sample of it with each purchase.

Affiliate link to save 10%: https://re.glossier.com/aedd3afb

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKkKpTQBPC8/

 

 

 

 

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L’Oreal Wonder Water Dream Lengths

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Henna

L’Oreal Dream Lengths Wonder Water is here, and credit to the Fat Mascara podcast for reaching out to the brand and asking what the difference is between this Wonder Water and the original.  The answer: the scent.

The price also: this one is $12.99 and the original is $9.96 on Amazon.  I still swear by this stuff and use it once a week.

 

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Rodial Instaglam Contouring Powder

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Henna

You know, here’s a blast from the past, and I think that it’s worth writing about because Rodial no longer makes this Instaglam Contouring Compact, but I know for a fact, that tons of makeup artists loved it and still use it. It’s the perfect colour for the hollows of your cheekbones because it’s a little bit grey so it looks like an actual shadow!

Now, I know that not everyone is into contouring, especially in these times, but I definitely am, and I love this compact. I’ve used quite a bit of it and you can see there’s a dent in it but I haven’t hit pan.  Somehow, I also managed to get a nail in it.  No worries, there’s lots of product in here for little old me.

The Instaglam Contouring Powder is pigmented yet blendable.  It’s not overly powdery and somehow in all the years of using this, I haven’t managed to pick up too many oils off my face and get them in the powder.  It still has a great texture.

I also loved the packaging.  It was solid and heavy with a big mirror inside.  It’s definitely a luxe product, and the line is still luxury and available at Shoppers Drug Mart so check it out when you can.

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Trend: Brow Pens

Posted on January 28, 2021 by Henna

I’ve noticed a real trend towards brow pens in the past few months and I kind of love it. They’re easy to use and make natural-looking strokes on your eyebrows. Below, you can see a pen by Annabelle cosmetics, and one by Benefit which actually has 3 nibs instead of just 1.

I like using them both, but I do find that both of them are great for doing one eyebrow, and then they kind of run out of ink.

Benefit is available at Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart, and TSC.ca. $33.

The Annabelle liner is available at Shoppers Drug Mart or online for $9.95.

 

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Bumble and Bumble Bb Glow Bond-Building Styler

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Henna

This is now the Bumble and Bumble Repair Styling Cream – same formula, new packaging. 

Here’s my favourite product from the Bumble and Bumble Bb Glow collection that came out in the fall of 2019 (seems like it was yesterday) – the collection also has a heat-protectant and a blow-dry accelerator, but I mostly let my hair air-dry so I’ve been using this and you can see by the bottle that I’ve already made a dent in how much product I’ve used!  This Bond-Building Styler is a thick cream that helps repair and smooth hair, and it really works.  Not only does it fortify hair, but it helps protect if from breakage.  I have super fine hair and so I don’t always like to put thick creams in it, but I find that this cuts down on the frizzies with just a little bit of product, so I’d rather use a bit of this than lots of anything else.

It’s also a bit shimmery – more than any other styling cream I’ve tried.  I found that it left a shimmer on my hands and there was also a shimmer on my hair when I looked at it in the sun.  I love the shimmer on my hair, so I was okay with this.  It looks so pretty.

You can find this in salons and online. $32.

 

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Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Crayon

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Henna

I’m still using the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Crayon.
This is the lippie of the moment. I can’t get enough of it, because the colour, 15 Lead the Way, is the best my lips but better shade. It goes on creamy but dries to a super-strong matte finish that sticks to your lips and doesn’t even come off on your coffee cup. Truly it’s such a pretty and wearable colour. I think you’ll like it too. I think everyone could wear this!

This is how it looks on me – but I put it on top of some clear lip balm so that it looks glossy and feels moisturizing. Of course it won’t last the whole day if you do this, but it’s nice to change up the colour once in a while. I love wearing it matte in the morning because it lasts on my lips all the way to lunch. It’s the best.

Available now.

$9.96.

 

 

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L’Oreal Paris Elnett Volume

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Henna

Guys, this really is the best hairspray, especially if you want something to set a blow-out and have it last longer. Usually, I use a texturizing spray, but lately, I’ve been using the Elnett Volume hairspray, and it is the best hairspray ever.

Available here for $16.94 – I have a travel-sized bottle and I don’t know where I got it, but the full-sized is cheaper than most salon brands.

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Kosas Tinted Face Oil Foundation

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Henna

Looking for something more natural on my skin and not so heavy, I’m turning to Kosas Tinted Face Oil Foundation which is not as oily as you might think.

Although this foundation is oil-based, where so many flaunt the fact that they’re oil-free, the Kosas foundation is based as a dry oil instead of a very thick heavy oil.  Because the oil is blended with kaolin, silica, and the tint, it actually feels powdery and comfortable on your skin. You shake this foundation before applying it so that you mix up the powders and the oil and then apply with your fingertips.  Instead of going on with an oily finish, it actually goes on with a matte finish which is what my skin likes.  And because it’s a powdery finish, I find that it lasts the whole day.

Coverage is light so it works with your own skin tone – and there are 12 shades to choose from.  I ended up being a shade 6, but I found that there was a huge difference between 6 and 7… and there’s no 6.5 available.

Overall, I was so impressed by this foundation.  I was pleasantly surprised that it works for even my oily skin. It would be good for dry skin too – if you want something that makes your skin feel comfortable during the day.  I would be wary if you have any dry spots on your skin because the powdery finish might make them stand out too much.

When this foundation first came out, it caused a stir, and I can see why.  Putting oil on your face was still new, and people couldn’t imagine putting it on your face as a foundation.  That being said, there are other foundations on the market that kind of have the same concept now – they’re dry-oil based and very moisturizing.  I’d reach for this more if there was SPF in it, but there’s not.  That means that I’m using a sunscreen, and then this foundation on top which is too many steps for me.  You’d also have to see if the foundation plays nicely and doesn’t pill with the skincare that you’re using, but you might use this on the day that you’re skipping skincare.

Available at Sephora, Holt Renfrew, and other retailers.

$55.

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