Physician’s Formula Butter Collection x Weylie Hoang Palette Review

Guys, I really wanted to love this palette – the texture of these blushes, bronzers, and highlighters is kind of cool and unique.  That being said, the bronzer was quite powdery and one of the highlighters fell out on its own.  So this definitely isn’t a palette you could travel with or even take to work because it’s so delicate.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/CD2sEveJa8_/

I got lots of comments from people who said that they love this formula.  But someone also told me that they read the reviews online and a pan falling out seems to be common.

What do you think?

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Neostrata Correct Overnight Anti-Pollution Treatment

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have a lot of experience with PHA’s.  I mostly love glycolic acid which is an AHA, or salicylic acid which is a BHA.  PHA stands for poly-hydroxy acid which is a kind of acid that works on the upper layers of your skin.  This makes it especially good for getting rid of surface pigmentation and dealing with texture issues.  Adding a PHA into your routine will be great for really making your skin nice and smooth. Retinol helps your skin exfoliate too but it works on the deeper layers of your skin.  Salicylic Acid goes into the pores and combats oil, so it’s great for acne-prone skin.  So you can see why it might be good to incorporate all of these into your skincare routine, depending on what kind of skin you have and what skin issues you have.

PHA’s seem to be having a bit of a moment right now.  The new Ole Henrikson Banana Bright serum has 15% vitamin C and 5% PHA but I didn’t notice a whole lot of difference on my skin because of that PHA.

This Neostrata Correct Overnight Anti-Pollution Treatment has 8% PHA in it and it was concentrated enough that I could notice a difference on my skin.  My skin was noticeable smoother and better hydrated when I used this lotion nightly – I used it on nights that I didn’t use my retinol and I found that it was a good balance. It also works so well with vitamin C with not too much tingling or irritation when I used the two of them together.

You can find Neostrata at Shoppers Drug Mart or online. $58.

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European Pharmacy Buys

I bought these last year when I was in France for a few days.  I don’t know if they’re really that irreplaceable.

Biafine is good for hot skin if you’ve spent too much time in the sun. It has a cooling aspect to it. 

The Cicaplast Baume B5 is amazing for really dry skin and I would highly recommend it.  Both are elegant formulas, but you definitely don’t need to go abroad to find something comparable.  I really should have stocked up on sunscreen since the EU has more UV filters allowed than we have in Canada and the US.

 

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Tatcha The Water Cream Review

I got a mini of The Water Cream in a Christmas gift set, and I finally took it out when my skin was a bit dry. Usually my skin is oily but that doesn’t prevent it from being dehydrated, so I took out The Water Cream.

I love a mini and although Sephora is selling these separately, this cream comes in a regular size and a deluxe size too.  I haven’t used many things that I would repurchase, but after I posted a picture of this on Instagram, lots of people reached out and told me that they had purchased this cream multiple times.  So maybe the deluxe size of The Water Cream is what’s needed.

The Water Cream is moisturizing and hydrating without being heavy.  I’ve applied it in the middle of the night when my face felt tight and I’ve applied it under my sunscreen and it totally worked for that too. Check out the luscious texture – it worked so well on my skin.

The Water Cream worked great on my skin and I’m glad that I got to try it in the mini size.

$26 for the mini size (10ml), $89 for the standard size (50ml), $104 for the value size (75ml).

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Neutrogena SPF 110 Sunscreen Video Demo

SPF 110 is a thing you guys, and it is amazing. To be clear – you will have better sun protection from the sun but you need to keep re-applying every 2 hours so do not let this get you complacent.

Anyway, you need to see it on my skin to see what it looks like. Enjoy.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/CEa3Fm3p1Ua/

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Calvin Klein Free

Check out CK Free! for men.  It’s warm woody and fresh, and I immediately loved it because it has an absinthe note in it.  Absinthe is slightly sharp but fresh and adds a sparkling quality to the opening of this fragrance.

The drydown is a mix of patchouli and woods and it reveals itself slowly.  This is not a scent for those who are in a rush.  The scent is nothing groundbreaking, but it is a twist on the classic male scent.

50 ml retails for $57 this October.

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A Fragrance Just For You

Aromachology scentsYou can get bespoke fragrance. Introducing Aromachology, an art which blends perfume and personality into one customized aromatic experience.

Recognizing the need to reconnect consumers and revolutionize the artistic and scientific experience of creating, enjoying and wearing perfume, founders Kirsten Menkes and Ashlee Firsten created a brand that allows each customer to express their individual taste and personality by crafting an original fragrance. Aromachology is the first of its kind to offer custom fine fragrance on a mass level, blended and sold at point of purchase.

Here’s where the magic happens. Each consumer is asked to complete a 10 question ‘Scent Profile’ that places them into one of five different and distinct personality groupings. Each ‘personality’ comes armed with a specific character profile that communicates the differences between the five groupings and what it means to be a Sophisticated & Sensual Floral, a Totally Edible Gourmand, an Exotic Spicy Oriental, a Clean & Fresh, or a Bold & Brisk Woodsy.

The third and final step is choosing three out of 15 different notes to ‘top off’ your one-of-a-kind creation. Notes have been aligned with different attributes that Aromatherapy studies have proven to stimulate. Whether you top your fragrance off with words such as passionate, sexy, sensual, focused, open minded or creative, Aromachology gives you the opportunity to create a product that helps convey your identity proudly and aromatically.

The packaging is pretty stunning too. If you’re like me, there’s nothing quite like a lovely display of delicate perfume bottles arranged on an antique vanity. Aromachology thought of that too. The packaging is beautiful and of course personalized, check out the initial gem delicately placed among the ribbon.

For more information, visit www.myaromachology.com or give these lovely ladies a call at 416-669-0950.

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What to Use On Skin with Wrinkles, Breakouts, and Oil

I know what it can be like when your skin doesn’t fit into a specific category. You want a product that’s multi-purpose and will cure many ailments, but there doesn’t seem to be anything marketed towards you.

A common question women have is what they should use if they have wrinkles, acne, and oily or combination skin.

The answer is easy. Use a product with glycolic acid in it or get a retin-A cream from your dermatologist. Both products speed up the exfoliation process of the skin which gets rid of wrinkles as well as acne! It won’t stop your skin from being oily (nothing really will), but it will keep your pores really clean and won’t add oiliness to the skin.

Reversa, Neostrata, and Dermaglow all make excellent glycolic acid creams and toners. I prefer a toner by Reversa because then I can use it morning and night.

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Drama!

hypnose
Friends, the mascara that I’m loving right now is Hypnose Drama by Lancome. I find that it works so well for me, because I do love a mascara that provides a lot of volume and this definitely does. The formula is clump-free yet waxy so that you can layer the mascara on easily, and the wand makes it easy for you to get every little lash – even those pesky ones that are in the corner of your eye.

I also find that the wand reminds me a lot of Courbe Virtuose and that was one of my favourite Lancome mascaras to date – it also layered well and could get every single lash, so your eyelashes looked fuller but it also seemed as if you had more of them.

Love this mascara.

It is now available at the Lancome counter for $36.

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Ole Henriksen Glow2OH Toner

I just finished reading Caroline Hirons’ book on Skincare, and she recommends using an acid toner after cleansing, and wouldn’t you know, it’s a step that’s always been a part of my routine. It’s definitely a step that’s necessary for someone who has oily skin because an acid toner can help prevent breakouts from forming throughout the day.

Ole Henriksen’s Glow2OH toner is great paired with other treatments such as vitamin C and using a toner with actives in it leaves room in your routine to pack in sunscreen and nourishment without the danger of too many products pilling.

Ole Henriksen is calling this a “Dark Spot” toner and the addition of glycolic and lactic acids will help get rid of dark spots by gently exfoliating your skin over time. Truly, I saw a difference in my skin after using it for a couple of weeks and there was still tons of product left in the bottle at that time.

You can get this at Sephora in 3 sizes, $38 for the standard size, $21 for the mini, and $44 for a larger size.

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