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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here’s a blast from the past this morning – Dior no longer has these eye palettes and has redone it’s Backstage Pro collection but this palette was classically great.
This spring, Dior released its own version of the neutral eyeshadow palette. Called Eye Reviver Illuminating Neutrals, this is a group of shimmery taupe/grey shades of eyeshadows that can be used to create a host of looks. The palette steps it up from others available by including a black gel eyeliner so that you really can create an entire look with just this palette.
The palette has classic Dior touches: the compact is slick and shiny, the shadows have raised D lettering on them, there’s a full-sized mirror inside, and one dual-ended brush, along with an eyeliner brush.
All the eyeshadow shades have amazing pigmentation. A little bit goes a long way, and they are silky smooth so they blend quite easily, especially if you use the lightest shade as a base and layer the other shades on top. The third shade from the left really reminds me of MAC’s Satin Taupe which was a limited edition smoky shade that came out a while ago, but remains a collector’s item to this day.
I’ve gone through almost every other neutral palette out there, but I can tell you that this one has staying power in my makeup kit – and that’s simply because of the size. It fits in my makeup drawer compartments without taking up too much extra space, and that’s a definite plus for me. I can throw it in a travel kit without it taking up too much space, and this has every shade I’d need for a neutral daytime look or a smoky evening look, so it’s great for touch-ups too.
Available at The Bay for $63.
Here’s the palette after I’ve made a dent in it – you can see how much the eyeliner is used. I honestly didn’t love using it because it wasn’t as smooth as a liquid liner. I also didn’t use the lightest shades that much.
Here’s a swatch on my hand. You can see that the light shades didn’t show up that well, but I could definitely pat them on if I wanted to use them as a base… which I almost never did.
If you’re into products that exfoliate the skin, you need to check out Reversa, the Canadian brand that specializes in glycolic products for the face and the body.
I’ve got a few of their products, but first for me to review is their 3-in-1 Mild Gel Cleanser – it has no scents or sulfates, which means that it doesn’t foam. What it does do is dissolve makeup and then washes it away with water. Although it’s a good cleanser, it doesn’t take off waterproof makeup but it’s not creamy either, so that’s probably why. I find that if I’m trying to get a deep clean, I put this on dry skin and rub it in. It does slowly dissolve all the makeup and then I wipe it off with a wet washcloth. Then I do a cleanse again with it on wet skin and it really leaves my skin squeaky clean.
This cleanser is perfect if you have dry skin and want something gentle on your skin. It won’t dry your skin out and will make it feel comfortable after washing, instead of tight and dry.
Because I use this cleanser as part of a two-part cleansing routine, I don’t mind that there’s a bit of residue or mascara left over after I use this once. I use it again to get everything off, and wiping if off with a wet cloth means that everything really gets off. I use a toner afterwards, and there’s literally nothing on it when I wipe it across my face. That’s a sign that this really works!
And I love the pump bottle! It means that getting product into your hand is super easy and convenient.
Pick it up at Shoppers Drug Mart for about $23 or you can order it online from Reversa.ca.
I’ve known that Kenzo Flower is the best in the market since it came out, and it’s an absolute classic. I just felt that I had to try both Amour and Flower to see the difference in them both.
Just from reading the description of Amour, I knew that it would be one that I’d like. It’s a true oriental and has strong base notes of incense and vanilla. It’s an oriental for those who love orientals. It’s strong and you can catch a whiff of it as the day goes on.
I absolutely love it and if you like deep dark smoky fragrances, you will too!
