Same but different. Some of the nicest musk perfumes there are: Glossier You and Diptyque Fleur de Peau.
Glossier You vs. Diptyque Fleur de Peau Perfume Comparison
Posted in Perfumes
Tagged Diptyque, Fleur de Peau, Glossier, Glossier You, Perfume Blog, Perfume Blogger
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Perfume Collecting
You’re allowed to collect.
And I feel like it needs to be said, because we’re coming out of an era of minimalism, of Marie Kondo-ing your life, of having sparsely furnished, insta-ready living spaces and I’m over it. It sometimes feels like people aren’t allowed to have things, but give yourself permission to be extra, to have pretty, beautiful objects, for no other reason than you wanting them.
But here’s a reminder that you do not have to justify your perfume collection to anyone. I mean, yes, be fiscally responsible, feed your kids, your pets, yourself, make sure you’re able to pay your bills, but also, everyone has a collection.
Here’s to beginning the year as you mean to go on – however you want.Happy new year!
Posted in Perfumes
Tagged Diptyque, Eau Lente, Fleur de Peau, Perfume Blog, Perfume Collection, Perfume Lover
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Lise Watier Neiges Perfume
As much as I love testing and testing new perfume, sometimes it’s great to spray on something familiar. Today, that’s Neiges by Lise Watier. Neiges has always been a mainstay on the Canadian beauty scene, and it was always a luxury that was just within reach.
It is a blend of clean florals over a 90’s white musk, and it’s immediately a throwback to grade school where teachers would inevitably get it for Christmas and would spray it right there in the classroom. Neiges was always easy to find in Canada and was so classic that it was easy to gift too. Spraying it today, I’m reminded of those times. While some of the 90’s were about fruity florals, let’s remember that there were some gorgeous musks that came from that time too, this being one of them.
The 90’s came back, but Neiges never left.
Serums In The Skincare Routine
Vegamour is now available in Canada, from Sephora! You can find it in store or order it online.
Routine update: some serums in the routine right now. Actually, these have been in the routine for the last little while, and I like them. The Vegamour Gro serum gets massaged in daily and it’s hard to say whether it’s working or if it’s the massage doing the work, but it can’t hurt. I also didn’t have sparse spots on my scalp but I massage close to the temples where I think hair growth just isn’t as much… I like it. Honestly, it’s an easy thing to add into your routine.
Tatcha Brightening serum. This has vitamin C and a bit of glycolic acid. It’s not a strong glycolic and I don’t feel any burning, so I’m continuing on with this. I use this in the morning and use gobs of sunscreen on top.
Moving on to the priciest of the bunch but also the most potent: Vivier serum for pigmentation. This has HQ in it which does help with melasma and hyperpigmentation. There are side effects through and you can’t use it forever because it then exacerbates pigmentation. Which means I’m putting it away at the end of January. I use this one at night time.
Remember the one rule of skincare: consistency is key. Choose what you’re going to add to your routine and stick to it! Either until it’s done or until the seasons change.
Posted in Skin Care
Tagged Hyperpigmentation, Melasma, Skincare Blog, Skincare Canada, Tatcha, Vegamour, Vivier
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A Late Post: Holt Renfrew Calgary’s Holiday Party
I went to the holiday beauty event at Holt Renfrew last month, but then I got sick, got busy, and never posted about it! The real celebration is that Maison Francis Kurkdjian perfumes are now available in Calgary, so if you’ve always wondered about BR540, you can go smell it in person. Personally, I’ve got my eye on Grand Soir by the brand, I’ve never smelled it and am due for a visit. No more blind buying!
Also, these events Holt Renfrew are FREE and open to EVRRYONE, and the perfume people are helpful and friendly (obvs, wearing perfume puts you in a better mood so of course they’re some of the nicest people). The Guerlain Extraits had just come out, and we took our time and smelled all of them. It was fun. I’ll keep my eye out for the next one, and if I end up going, and if you see me there, please say hello and let’s smell some perfume together.
Posted in More Than Beauty
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Diptyque Fleur de Peau eau de parfum
Diptyque Fleur de Peau – perfume but make it HR-friendly.
A blend of iris and musks. The musk starts like a clean laundry musk, but then the ambrette comes out, and the warmth of your skin makes this feel like a clean skin musk instead. People who smell you will smell that you’re approachable and unassuming, but really, this scent doesn’t have a lot of sillage or throw. It’s a skins scent, but with lasting power because musks tend to stick to your skin and stay there.
Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil Review
I’ve been convinced. The @olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil makes my hair so soft and smoother, and it’s light enough for my super fine hair to not be weighed down and looking greasy. I’ve finished a little mini and cracked open a full-sized bottle. In fact, the full-size has made it on to my counter solidifying top shelf status.
The Bonding Oil has been proven to tame frizz for up to 72 hours, and can heat protect hair for up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. It feels light and makes your hair shiny too. I find it easy to add into my routine, and often put it on my hair at night time so that I wake up with less frizzy hair.
Have you tried it? It’s actually good. Perfect to use as a pre-treatment too if you like to oil your hair before washing it so that it doesn’t get extra dry from shampoo.
Ledda 19 Vanilla Nera Perfume Review
The latest addition to the Ledda fragrance family: 18 Vanilla Nera. A very sweet vanilla with hints of spice, thanks to a touch of ginger and cardamom. It’s almost as if it’s holiday time and I’m eating a delicious spiced cake, but it’s store-bought so the spices are turned down and the vanilla is turned way up, but that’s ok because this is the dessert that’s mostly for the kids anyway.
Is this a grown up vanilla? I’d say, maybe, for the person who wants to pretend that they’re grown up because they can order their own perfume online, but for those of us actually paying taxes and packing lunches… this is a throw-back to when “grown-up” was a concept and not a reality.
The formula is intense, and super strong, and the presentation doesn’t disappoint. Of course, even Zara is packaging each perfume in heavy glass bottles now, but this juice doesn’t smell generic and there’s impressive longevity in each spray. A safe blind-buy if you like cozy sweet vanillas, but maybe Burberry Goddess had too much ambroxan for you, or you didn’t like the lavender note. Maybe Dolce and Gabanna Divine Devotion was too citrusy in the opening and that wasn’t your thing either. Maybe you like the impressive bottle and the idea of getting your hands on something not everyone has. Then 18 Vanilla Nera is for you.
Fenty Beauty Holiday Gifts
This cute case that dropped for Fenty Beauty’s holiday collection is already sold out, but the lipstick in Sorta Single is a mainstay. I love that the brand continues to offer super pigmented and bright colours – especially in their limited edition accessory drops, probably tapping into what their customers seem to be buying. Offering a lipstick that you have to buy a separate case for is an interesting choice for a brand and reviews on Sephora are all over the place – lots of people love them, and some find they’re too clunky. I’m in the love column. I like that you choose the case and the refill, although I don’t think that I’m ever going to run out of any of these lipsticks. The colours are great but the only ones I’ve ever finished are lipsticks that are sheer, glossy, and can be reapplied on the go without a mirror. Still, Sorta Single is a sorta red/magenta that is like a red when you don’t wanna red but it’s bright and yeah, there’s a sorta stain when it’s gone.
Although Sephora has next day shipping on things that are in stock in their stores, if you’re buying any of the gifts for yourself, you’re better off getting them from the Fenty website, where many are on sale. You won’t get them in time for Christmas, but probably the savings are worth it.
I’m also loving this new shade of the Fenty Beauty Cream Gloss in Dragonfly. It’s only available in the gift set, which is sold out at Sephora but available on the Fenty Beauty website. This set has a value of over $70 but retails for $55, so whether you keep the glosses for yourself or share them with someone, it’s a great value. Again, at this point, they may not arrive until after Christmas, but that’s ok.
Winter Cleansers
It’s been a while since I shopped for perfume (or anything!) at a real in-person physical store, and my experience at Diptyque was a good one. I wasn’t planning on buying anything but then I did, and a whole bunch of samples came with it, like this cute Eau de Sens body wash. Eau de Sens is green and fresh – it’s a petitgrain scent that’s unisex. Think delicate green stems and branches without the thick bark. Green leaves that smell like summer is coming. No heat, just optimism. The experience is luxurious and if you’re looking for a good gift idea for the holidays, then a bougie body wash is the perfect thing for a perfume lover. Even if it’s a scent they don’t love, it’s a luxury that they might not get for themselves and that’s what the best presents are.
After taking a picture of this, I had to take a picture of all the skincare I’ve been loving recently. The next picture is of the cleansers. Cerave Hydrating Cream to Foam Cleanser is a great one for people with normal or oily skin that maybe just feels a little parched in the winter. This is a more gentle cleanser but because it’s foaming it still washes clean.
The Tatcha Rice Wash is also a creamy foam and lovely. I thought that it would be more exfoliating because of the rice, but because there’s so much foam, there’s no scrubbing action to be found. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser is a cream cleanser that’s good for dry skin. No foam here, and it leaves skin hydrated. I sometimes use it as my first cleanse or as my only cleanse in the morning. Finally, Avene Micellar water, which smells amazing and I use on reusable cotton pads to soak off mascara. It’s lovely and comes in a huge bottle so that I can use lots and replace less frequently.
Changing cleansers in the winter could help with a dry skin situation, if that’s what you have going on. Try it.
Posted in Skin Care
Tagged Avene, CeraVe, Cleansing, Diptyque, La Roche-Posay, Skincare Canada, Skincare Reviews, Tatcha, Winter
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