Pantene Miracle Moisture Boost Collection

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Henna

I love rose perfumes, so it’s no surprise that this Moisture Boost Collection from Pantene was something I wanted to try. I’m sad to report that the Moisture Boost Collection doesn’t really smell like roses, but it does smell wonderfully floral.

Even though the scent isn’t want I expected it to be, I love this new collection for my hair.  The shampoo is sulfate free so it’s more gentle on all hair.  The conditioner makes your hair so moisturized and smooth, and this is a lovely collection of shampoo and conditioner that you can get at the drugstore.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in Shampoo and Conditioner | Tagged | Leave a comment

Kerastase Elixir Ultime Thé Imperial

Posted on June 3, 2020 by Henna

It’s quarantine time, so I dug out my old bottle of Kerastase’s Elixir Ultime Thé Imperial and I remember how much I like it.

Elixir Ultime is in some ways a regular serum.  You can use it on wet or dry hair and it really helps make your hair smoother and softer.  You can use it when you’re blow-drying your hair but I also use it to air dry my hair.  It just feels so soft and smooth when I use it, and it makes my hair so shiny.

Kerastase says that its original Elixir Ultime is a blend of oils, and here’s the ingredient list:

Cyclopentasiloxane ● Dimethiconol ● Zea Mays Germ Oil / Corn Germ Oil ● Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil ● Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil ● Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil ● Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil ● Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride ● Linalool ● Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone ● Limonene ● Coumarin ● Benzyl Alcohol ● Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract ● Tocopherol ● Parfum / Fragrance

There really are  wheat germ oil, argan oil, and other oils in the blend.  It smells amazing and nourishes your hair while you style it in the way that you expect to.

You can get this online for $60 or from your local salon.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in Styling Products | Tagged | Leave a comment

Fenty Gloss Bomb

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Henna

This gloss is now available in so many colours, and there were limited edition ones that came out in the holiday season, but this is the OG that you see here, almost finished.

I have to say that I thought that this gloss was incredibly over-hyped when it first came out. I thought that a gloss in one colour was kind of meh, but then I got it as a present and I was sold. This is SUCH a moisturizing lipgloss, and it makes lips feel so good. It’s also incredibly flattering on any and every skin tone that it’s easy to wear. It looks good on so many shades of lipstick and just makes your lips look comfortable and shiny. I also enjoyed the subtle vanilla-caramel scent but liked that it had no taste.

Now that this gloss is almost done, I’m probably going to have to replace it, but with a pinkish colour – maybe Fu$$y.

Available at Sephora.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in Make-Up | 2 Comments

Fenty Beauty Brow MVP

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Henna

I have used so many brow pencils but this has got to be one of my favourites – it’s the Fenty Beauty Brow MVP. Look at the unique brush at the end. It actually grabs on to hair and blends the pencil very nicely.


I liked it so much that I finished it… you can hear all about it in the video.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in Make-Up | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Henna

I used to purchase this leave-in conditioner all the time.  And it’s still available at Shopper’s Drug Mart, so if you want a good leave-in, check it out.

Curly hair can be difficult to style – you want it to look healthy and for the curls to be defined, but it can’t be heavy or greasy.  Bonus if it actually nourishes your hair instead of drying it out or coating it with tons of silicone which can leave your hair brittle and more prone to breakage.

One of my favourite products for curly hair is the Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner, and I’m writing about it again because I just noticed it at my local Shoppers Drug Mart.  This used to be one of those products that I’d order online or go into a special store for, but I’m so happy that I don’t have to do that anymore.

It also adds an incredible amount of shine to the hair and helps define curls as well so that they aren’t prone to frizz.

There’s another bonus, however, that far outweighs all the ones I mentioned above. The best part about this conditioner is that it somehow prevents hair from becoming overly tangled. Fewer tangles means that when you’re brushing your hair, less will fall out! For that reason alone, Mixed Chicks Leave-In is worth a try and has become a staple for me.

Because of this leave-in conditioner, the Mixed Chicks brand has become almost a cult favorite in the US.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in Styling Products | Tagged | 11 Comments

Today

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Henna

Hi everyone,

Like everyone else, I’ve been following the rioting, protesting, and the injustices that are taking place around the world at this time.  I truly feel unequipped to write anything thoughtful that will add to the discussion, partly because all of it has brought up my own trauma with racism expressed towards me throughout my life.  I have 2 little kids, and I definitely want to leave the world better than I came into it, and so I will do what I can to support this movement forward.

For right now, I’m reposting some content that features companies owned by black people. It’s not everything, but it’s something.

Keep well,

Henna

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in More Than Beauty | Leave a comment

Briogio Hair Care Review

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Henna

Briogio hair products are some of my most coveted ones.  This line has been doing some interesting work and a lot of their products are about repairing and really taking care of your hair.  Check out some reviews!

First up: the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask.  

The directions on this mask were to apply on wet hair and let it sit for a while.  Which I did.  It washed off like a regular conditioner but it did seem to moisturize my hair.  I didn’t feel like it was much different from any other deep conditioning mask I’ve used, but I will say that it’s nice and thick and super-conditioning, which is awesome.

I had less luck with the Farewell Frizz leave-in conditioning spray.  My hair is curly and frizzy and this wasn’t enough to take care of it on its own.  It was great for layering with other, heavier products, but ultimately it wasn’t essential to my hair routine.

I’m holding on to sample sizes of the two products, but you can find the full sizes and the entire Briogio line at Sephora.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in Hair | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Body Shop Hawaiian Kukui Rich Nurturing Body Cream

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Henna

I got this Body Shop Hawaiian Kukui Rich Nurturing Body Cream in a holiday gift set, and I finally pulled it out to use it. Like most Body Shop body creams, this is richly scented – overwhelmingly so at first. But it’s a gentle sweet floral scent that’s comforting and easy to get used to.

The cream is a blend of shea butter, cocoa butter, and the Kukui Oil. The result is a rich moisturizing cream that sinks into your skin and moisturizes for at least 12 hours.

You can see how thick and rich the cream is. I was happy to have this mini size, as the usual jar is 350mL and would last forever. Which isn’t a bad thing, because this cream really is lovely.

$36 for the regular size. Mini not sold separately at this time.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in For the Body | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Ren Overnight Glow Dark Spot Sleeping Cream

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Henna

Ren is a skincare brand that’s new to me – and I’m so impressed by some of their messaging and values. They are working towards making all their packaging recyclable, so the lid that you on this jar is made of recycled plastic and is also recyclable, so when you’re done using the Overnight Glow Dark Spot Sleeping Cream, you can recycle the lid with your plastics, and the glass with your glass recycling.

Besides that, I’m really loving using the Ren Overnight Glow Dark Spot Sleeping Cream. Have I seen that some of my dark spots (freckles, really) have disappeared. No. But I felt like I woke up with brighter skin the very first time that I used this cream.

The major ingredients in the Ren Overnight Glow Dark Spot Sleeping Cream are encapsulated Algae and Phytoglycogen, two natural ingredients that are proven to fight pigmentation in your skin, so this cream will lead to brighter skin over time. I use it in conjunction with whatever I’m already using on my skin because I see it as more of a brightening moisturizer. It seems to work well with my acid toners, especially.

Ren says that this cream is rich and hydrating but I didn’t find that to be true. If I was having a dry day with my skin, I found that I still woke up with dry skin in the morning, and I actually found that this cream was a little bit mattifying which I didn’t mind.

If you’re into that sort of thing, this cream is labelled as “Clean” at Sephora.

$64 at Renskincare.com.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in Moisturizers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

My Holy Grail of Primers

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Henna

I first tried Urban Decay’s Primer Potion (eye shadow primer) when I was at the airport. I figured that if it could hold up for an 8 hour flight, then it would be good for everyday too.

Well it didn’t let me down. I had often suffered from creasing eye shadow, especially on long days, and this is the only thing that’s stopped that, and trust me, I’ve already tried everything else out there.

Fast forward 11 years, and this is STILL the way that I prep my eyelids for shadow, liner, or whatever else is going on!  The fact is that it just makes my makeup better, and I like to think that I was using it before anyone else, but since this blog has united me with so many other beauty fans, I now know that EVERYONE loves this too!

Some people complain that the amount in the tube is too little, but I’ve found that a little goes a long way. You just take the wand and literally dab a smidge on each eyelid and then blend it using your finger. The potion doesn’t leave a colour and your eyeshadow will go on nicely afterwards and will even be more pigmented.

These days, I actually like to put some face powder as a base on top of the Primer Potion, and then go to my eyeshadow.  It blends better, and the colour is more subtle, which is what I’ve been enjoying more of lately.

Oh, and I use the original – I find that my shadow smudges and creases a bit more with all the others so this one is my favourite.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted in Make-Up | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments