CND’s Nail Treatment Works!

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Henna

CND RescuerxxI’ve never bought that nail polishes which claim to repair damaged nails really work, but I do have a finger that has a persistently peeling nail so I’ve tried almost everything out there and truly nothing ever worked.  I think it’s the combo of the inherently unhealthy ingredients in a nail polish base that negates any possibly good ingredients that might be in there.

When CND came out with RescueRxx Daily Keratin Treatment, which is actually an oil and not a nail polish, I was still skeptical.  I mean, I used their Solar Oil on my cuticles and it worked great, but did I really need another oil on my nails?  If they really had some great ingredient for my nail, could they have just put it in my Solar Oil?

But of course, I finally triedRescueRxx and um, I have to say that I’m totally BLOWN AWAY by the results.  Do you know people with naturally strong beautiful nails?  You know how the ends are whiter, thicker, and stronger?  Well, that’s what RescueRxx gave me.  In fact, I saw results from the very first treatment.  You’re supposed to apply the product on bare nails every day, but of course, I forgot after day one, and then couldn’t figure out why my nails looked so good on day two and three.

It was the new CND product, and now I’m hooked.  If I’m not wearing nail polish, it’s RescueRxx on my nails and they look better for it.

The formula has keratin in it and they promise that it will give you results in one week – like I said, I noticed the difference in one day, and a week of use means that the healthy look of my nail is sustained.

Pick up the treatment at a salon that does Shellac services.

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MAC N Collection

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Henna

Here’s a MAC collection that I loved when it came out. Neutrals. It’s from 2008, but I think we’re going to go back to these colours because things are going to be subdued. The industry might want to go towards colours that are long-lasting instead of things that are short-term. Think of how quickly we can get bored of bright colours.

What do you think? Are the days coming where we’re going to want something bright or something neutral?

The MAC N Collection is just the thing for the season. If you’re familiar with the Spring 2008 looks then you know that there was the appearance of almost no makeup. Unsurprisingly, the look needs to be flawless and thus, products are needed. It is likely that this collection will offer at least some of what you need.

These Mineralize Skinfinish/Naturals are repromotes. You can wear them just like your regular foundation.

PAINT POT
Soft Ochre Yellow beige
Quite Natural Dirty chocolate brown
Groundwork Mid-tone Neutral taupe (repromote)

Many readers ask me whether Paint Pots are greasy and no, they are not at all! Think of them as a stay-put shadow, much like the MAC Paints. I love these and I will be wearing Bare Study this spring.

SMALL EYESHADOW
Nanogold Sheer Yellow beige with pink pearl
Modest Tone Neutral dirty tan
Neutral Pink Dirty mid-tone blue pink
Rich Flesh Neutral warm brown
Remotely Grey Dirty grey brown
Dark Edge Dirty chocolate brown
LIPGLASS
1N Creamy white tan
2N Creamy neutral yellow pink
3N Neutral brown with gold and pink pearl
4N Light chocolate brown with red pearl
LIPSTICK
1N Light frosted gold with pink pearl
2N Creamy light pink
3N Milky pastel pink
4N Mid-tone creamy brown
5N Plummy sheer brown

The lipsticks are Lustre finishes, with the exception of 1N which is a glaze, but that means that they go on sheer, which is great. You can tone down your natural lip colour or have the lipsticks work with it. I can’t wait to try these.

NAIL LACQUER
N Colour Creamy beige
Demi-Blanc Gold beige with green pearl
Naturally Rich Milk chocolate

If you’re wondering where nail trends are going, wonder no more. The only thing that makes sense after 2 years of blacks, blues, and purples, is neutrals.

La piece de resistance. Mineralize Skinfinishes. I can’t stop looking at these pictures, I love the Skinfinishes and they are wonderful highlighters. This season, we have the Light Flush and Warmed respectively, and I’m sure there will be one you like.

Officially, the collection also includes brushes, mascara, liners, and charged waters.

 

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Happy Birthday to Me!

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Henna

Today’s my birthday! What did I get for my birthday, you ask?

For the past few years, every year around my birthday I get a new perfume. I don’t know how it started or why, but I like the concept of every year having a particular scent associated with it.
It all started when I got Ralph Lauren Blue a couple of years ago. Some think that this fragrance smells very “average” and label it decidedly “department store” (not a good thing, I am to understand), but I love the jasmine note in it. It’s fresh and light and not at all intimidating or overpowering. Blue is a very wearable scent and I got a lot of compliments on it so I consider it a winner. I think that it just worked really well with my body chemistry.

Last year I got Narciso Rodriguez For Her. It’s a decidedly more mature fragrance and can be overpowering if you apply more than two sprays (and even that’s toeing the line). With heavy musk notes, this fragrance definitely isn’t for everyone but I love it nonetheless. It’s a distinctive fragrance and the type of scent that you could recognize anywhere. Because this scent is so warm it’s definitely one to wear in the winter. I’ve worn it in the summer before, and though I like how it smells, the sweetness in it really comes out and starts to get slightly cloying.

In 2007, my choice is Jo Malone’s Pomegranate Noir . This is another distinctive choice. Unfortunately Jo Malone only makes colognes rather than parfums or eau de toilettes, so the staying power of most of her scents is minimal. That said, Pomegranate Noir probably has the most lasting power and I can wear it for at least 6 hours without reapplying it. The “noir” part of this cologne is what makes it stands out. Though the top notes are tartly fruity, the scent dies down to a leathery woody smokiness that’s so unusual. The scent is perfect for April – a dark and rainy time peppered with reminders of the sunshine soon to come.

8 years ago, I got Tom Ford Champaca.

This year, I’m not sure which perfume I’m going to get.

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Full Face Care from Spectro

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Henna

Everyone wants to know what kind of cleanser they should be using and I guess it makes sense. Although switching your cleanser shouldn’t really make a huge change change in the condition of your skin, it is a product that you use atleast once a day and so using a good one is a good idea!

I’ve talked about it before, but I like to wash my face twice. Once with a gentle cleanser, or cleansing oil, and then another time with something more soapy. This isn’t for everyone, but it really works well for me.

If you have very dry skin or sensitive skin, or if you don’t wear any makeup, you should probably just stick to using a gentle cleanser, and there’s nothing better than Spectro Gel. Whether you use the kind for combination skin or the kind for sensitive skin, Spectro Gel is a mild gel cleanser without any foam or harsh chemicals in it. It also doesn’t have any fragrance or oil.

Because it’s so mild, it can be applied and then tissued off, or it can be rinsed.

For those who are already fans of Spectro Gel, there are now also Spectro HydraCare moisturizers that you can use to follow up your skincare routine. Like the Spectro Gel, the moisturizers are light and are fragrance free. They won’t irritate the skin, and they can calm dry skin.

The Spectro products can be found easily at most drugstores, and they are loved by many dermatologists because they are so gentle.  It’ll be a change from your harsh foaming face wash, but one that your skin will appreciate even if you don’t.

You can find both products at your local drugstore!

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Make Your Own Beauty Products

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Henna

Every once in a while a friend will suggest that we have some kind of get together where we make beauty products. You’ve seen the kits that help you make your own lip products and the like and you could make your own scrubs and even moisturizers if you wanted to.  And now, there are tons of tutorials and things online suggesting that this is one of the things we can do to keep busy during the pandemic.

But I’m just not interested. I’d rather just buy the products and not worry so much about making the product in my own kitchen. The time that it would tale me to find the ingredients that I need and put them all together just doesn’t make it worth it.

Have you ever made a beauty product yourself?  Are you interested in trying it?  Lemme know in the comments!

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Lancome La Base Pro

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Henna

If you find that your foundation doesn’t go on as smoothly as you’d like, then what you need is a makeup primer!  While some can be mattifying, there’s Lancome’s version, called La Base Pro, which is more of an intense oil-free moisturizer that makes skin velvety soft and fresh-looking all at the same time.

It not only helps makeup glide over dry rough spots but also helps it stay out of fine lines.  I use it in place of my regular moisturizer and even love mixing it with a dab of foundation to create my own tinted moisturizer.

Available online. $55.

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Should I Use a Top Coat for My Nail Polish?

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Henna

Should you use a top coat on your nail polish?

Short answer: yes!

A top coat can make your nail polish last longer and makes it look shiny and professionally applied. For best results, use a thin coat after allowing the coloured polish to dry completely. Reapply mid-week for a fresh looking manicure. You’ll see that the top coat also prevents your nail polish colour from fading so it always looks fresh and true.

I really love an OPI Top coat and I like OPI Nail Envy as a base coat.

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My Favourite Retinols Video

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Henna

Here are my favourite retinols, but what can I say, I never met a retinol or peel I didn’t like.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B-K6y_VpzKl/

I mentioned Alumier, and Skinceuticals in the video which are both available at aesthetician or dermatologists’ office.  I also loved the Reversa retinol because it has hyaluronic acid in it which is amazing for your skin.  Hydrating but also with retinol.  I’d love to try some vitamin C and retinol products that are available out there.

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Retinol Reviews

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Henna

I’ve tried a bunch of retinols over the past few years, and here are the reviews:

A313. This is a French retinol that is over-the-counter. Don’t be fooled by the pomade texture. It is pretty strong. You can get it on Amazon!

Paula’s Choice 1% Retinol Booster. This is a retinol that they’re saying you can mix into other creams, but why take the chance and lessen its efficacy? I use it on its own.

The Ordinary Retinol in Squalene. I loved using this but because of the large molecules of oil, it’ll mostly sit on top of your skin instead of sinking in. So not my top pick but great for people with dry skin.

Alumier MD 1% Retinol Resurfacing Serum. Kind of a powdery silicone finish and dry to the touch but it works. Comes in different percentages.

Skinceuticals Retinol. Also comes in different percentages and also a bit of a powdery finish. Great formula though. This is the one that got me on the retinol bandwagon.

Differin Gel. Prescription only in Canada but it’s a great formula without any bells or whistles. I have the 0.1% but it also comes in a 0.3%. Way stronger than over-the-counter formulas.

Reversa Retin[A]List 0.3 Retinol Cream. Loved this formula because it has hyaluronic acid in it. This is probably my favourite formula but I wish it was stronger.

Pixi Collagen and Retinol Serum. Not strong at all. If it doesn’t say the percentage on the bottle then it’s probably not that strong.

Beautycounter Countertime Collection. Uses Bakuchiol which is an alternative that can help lessen wrinkles. It’s not like retinol but has some of the same effects. But so do lots of other things. *shrugs*. These products are very nice. But they’re not retinol. But I did like them.

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Prescription vs. OTC Retinols

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Henna

Should you go get a retinol prescription or just buy something over-the-counter?  It depends.  Watch this video and I explain it all…Thoughts, comments?  Leave them below!

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B-ITNe8JT4w/

 

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