My Night Time Routine Video

Here’s my night time routine right now and it’s really not that involved. No essences, no toners. Just double-cleanse and then retinol and moisturizer, if needed. Simple is better. Also, isn’t the Beautycounter Countertime packaging so pretty?

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B26xLwSAYpx/

What I use:

Beautycounter Countertime Cleansing oil.
Follow up with CeraVe foaming cleanser.
Then The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid which is watery and a good dose of hydration, and then my retinol.
I showed the Alumier MD Retinol in 1% but it is SUPER STRONG and might be too much for my skin so I’m alternating between that and the Reversa Retinol which is 0.3% so a bit more gentle.

What’s your night time routine?

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MAC Foundation Brush

This MAC Foundation brush is very thickly bristled and so soft. It’s a reminder that MAC has some of the softest brushes in the market which means that they’re soft on your face too. The density of hairs makes it easier to spread foundation around and put only a sheer layer on your skin. It’s now one of my favourite brushes.

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Halloween At MAC

I think that MAC is the only makeup counter that celebrates Halloween. Perhaps this is because they always tout themselves as the line that makeup artists actually use and so it’s fitting that they provide you with possible looks that their makeup products can create.

This season, like every other, there are a range of MAC face charts available to help you figure out how to do a unique and original makeup design. I picked one of my favourites (that looks relatively easy to do) and you can find the complete line of face charts at the MAC website.

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Worth the Hype? Nars Blush

Perhaps one of the questions that I get asked most is “should I get Nars blush?” Nars blush in Orgasm is perhaps the most hyped product in the beauty world. It makes every editor’s “must have” list and every magazine’s “best of” list. Add that to the fact that the packaging is unfailingly chic – a clean black box with a huge mirror inside and sparse white font that makes it a great addition to any makeup bag. Plus, Nars used to be a brand you couldn’t find everywhere – the ubiquitousness of Sephora has changed all that, but the hype remains.

My acquisition of the Nars Orgasm blush is what inspired the “Worth the Hype” series, actually.

I just got two new Nars blushes – Orgasm and Sin, pictured below. Orgasm is a pretty peachy pink, while Sin is a berry colour. Both blushes have a little bit of shimmer in them but are not overly shiny.

Orgasm has been said to work on every skin tone. I don’t normally buy peach blushes, but I really wanted to see if this was as good as everyone says it is. I had tried it in stores, but would this blush work for me at home?

So, I tried it for a week, and the first time I wore it, I really liked it. I can see why makeup artists love it so much – it’s sheer and because of that, it’s hard to make a mistake with it. I would say that if you have no clue what colour blush will work on you and just want something to wake your face up a little, go for the Orgasm. It is virtually goof-proof.

But I like the Sin colour more. I’m just a berry blush kinda gal, and Sin looks really pretty on me.

So is Nars blush worth the hype? I would say yes and no. If you’ve always wanted a Nars blush but have been holding back, go ahead and indulge yourself. But know that almost every single makeup line has equally good blushes, and if you’re worrying about making a mistake, you could get yourself a blush from the MAC Sheertone Blush line. Those blushes are also sheer, and the range has something for everyone.

But Nars blushes are nice and I like them a lot. They’re not too powdery so you never get too much product which means that you can layer colour up slowly and get the perfect amount. After loving the Sin, I really want a Nars blush that doesn’t have any shimmer in it. I know that they’re sheer enough that even the brightest colour will look natural and I guess that’s why they’re so hyped.

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September Favourites Video!

Had to make a quick video to show you guys my favourite products this September. Have a watch and tell me what you’ve been loving.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B3IrwWMB1fu/

Here’s what I mentioned:

MAC Cosmetics Pro-Longwear Concealer. I seriously love this stuff and keep mentioning it. Sorry, but it’s good!

The Inkey List Vitamin C. I finally figured out how to use this.

Beautycounter Countertime collection (need to review this fully) and the Tint Skin.

Bumble and Bumble Curl Style Prep. Awesome.

Enjoy!

What are you loving? What other videos would you like to see?

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Budget Lip Balm and Splurge-Worthy Lip Balm

I find that my lips don’t get too dry if I drink lots of water during the day, but one of my main problems is that I don’t like drinking water, and I LOVE drinking coffee… so… drinking water is a struggle.  But I’m working on it!

In any case, I’ve decided that a lip balm that doesn’t taste sugary sweet is the way to go if I want my lips to stay comfortable and soft because then I’m not constantly licking my lips.  I have two favourite lip balms right now… one that I’m willing to share and one that’s more of a splurge… but that I share anyway!

First, the budget-friendly lip balm: new Blistex Blissful Butters which are super smooth and immediately relieve surface dryness.  They have SPF 15 in them so they’re perfect for the ski slope or for any other time that you’re out and about during the day.  These are $4 and available at all drug stores, supermarkets and mass merchandisers nationwide.

My FAVOURITE lip balm of ALL TIME is the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. 

Even though it says that this is a mask you apply to your lips at night time, it’s really something that you can use any time that your lips are dry and it will make them soft and smooth in one application.  The instructions included recommend applying the mask liberally while you sleep and wipe it off in the morning.  The accompanying spatula helps you do that because it really does apply a nice thick layer on the lips.  My lips absorb all the moisture while I’m sleeping and there’s usually nothing to tissue off, but the idea would be that at that time any dead skin would come off with the excess lip balm. 

I will say that thanks to this lip balm, my lips are super soft and I’ve taken to using it right after I take my makeup off so that it can start doing its job.  My kids even use it during the day, (they just stick their little fingers into the pot and apply liberally on their lips,) and it’s helping their lips stay soft and smooth too.  

Here are the ingredients from the box:

For a lip  balm, this is a splurge at $26, but if you have chronically dry lips and want something that’s going to take care of that immediately, then this would be my recommendation.  The pot is generous and it will last you a long time.  The finish is shiny and glossy when you use it as a lip  balm, and it’s also slightly sticky which I think helps it stay on the lips instead of wearing off almost immediately.  Pick it up at Sephora stores. 

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My Favourite Lip Balm Brand Has an Ombre Lipstick

Lip balm season is here… and my favourite lip balm also has an ombre lipstick that I want to tell you guys about. Have you guys tried the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask?  It is seriously the best lip balm I’ve ever tried, so much so that I give it to my kids, but keep it out of their reach because I don’t want to waste any of it.  It goes on rich and creamy, with lots of shine, and lets you wake up to completely healed lips.  I mention it to everyone I know because it’s so amazing.

Korean brand Laneige has a lipstick that is just as moisturizing as its lip balm.  But there’s more.  The lipstick is a Two Tone Lipstick which combines a dark colour with a light one to create an ombre effect on your lips.  Truly, the lipstick works quickly and easily, and whether you do the darker colour on the outside or inside of your lips, you really get that gradient of light to dark pigment.

That said, my favourite way to wear these lippies is by mixing the two colours together, and wearing this as a traditional lipstick.  The finish is satiny smooth, and the formula is super moisturizing, so it leaves my lips feeling better than they were when I started.  Not only that, but the lipstick leaves a stain on your lips, so the final effect is soft moisturized berry stained lips, which not even a typical lip stain can achieve.

You can get Laneige products at Sephora stores or Sephora.ca.

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Replica Beach Walk Perfume Review

I am wearing Replica Beach Walk perfume today and I can’t get enough of it so I had to share!

Beach Walk is what you want the beach to smell like, instead of smelling just like suntan lotion.  There is just a hint of coconut in this fragrance and it’s not sweet either.  It just smells salty, fresh, and summery and it’s exactly how I want to smell all winter long because I want to remember the beach.

With notes of Bergamot and Heliotrope, this scent is modern yet nostalgic too. It evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and if you’ve spent any time at the beach growing up, you need to go smell this.  It smells almost sweaty but not hot.  So good.

This is the first Replica fragrance that I’ve smelled, and I’m going back for more.

$159 for 100mL.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged | 2 Comments

Kerastase Creme De La Creme Medium Hold Blow Dry Hair Cream

My hair basically needs a blow-dry cream instead of a spray because it’s so curly that a cream will give it more hold and make it smoother.

I’ve been adding Kerastase’s Creme de la Creme blowdrying cream to my regimen and I’ve got mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it did make my hair smooth and the smoothness lasted.

But on the other hand, because it was cream, I felt that it was a little bit more difficult to get the round brush though my hair so I didn’t like that. That’s generally what I find when I use a heavier blow-dry product. It’s got more stiffness so it’s not great with a brush, but if you’re just doing a rough blow-dry and then going in with a straightener, it works much better.

Like all Kerastase products, this one smells amazing and works as an almost-perfume for your hair too. I like the lasting scent, and this one is fresh and wearable. I definitely skip perfume on the days that I use Kerastase styling products in my hair.

Available in salons or online.

$43.

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Ingredients that Help You Get Rid of Acne Video

This isn’t everything, but it’s a lot. A list of some of the major ingredients that get rid of acne and how they work. I start by telling some of my history with acne, and this is what led to me trying so many things.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B2pxqB7AgjL/

Here’s what I mentioned and if I’ve done a full review, it’s linked!

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Mask which has Benzoyl Peroxide in it.

Neostrata Acne Clear lotion with 2% Salicylic Acid.

Glossier Solution.

Deciem Glycolic Acid Toning Solution

Differin Retinol Gel.

Vivier Exfoliator with Lactic Acid.

Deciem The Ordinary Niacinamide with Zinc.

Also, lots of people with acne-prone skin find that doing peels at home can help their skin, and I definitely find that these products leave my skin so much more glowy and clear.  So here’s a little video I made about my favourite peel products and why I love them.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/BupgFqWhK0J/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=dlfix

Also! I didn’t mention this but I really like Tea Tree oil for blemishes too and I’ve found it to be effective!

If you have anything that you love for taking care of our acne, let us all know in the comments!

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