Cold weather saviors for your hair….@lorealpro Nutrifier with Glycerol and Coco Oil provides a bit of relief without weighing hair down. My fave is the blow dry cream which lets the brush slip through easily and still makes hair nice and smooth.
Available at your local salon.
I love the idea behind Beautycontrol Countercontrol collection because it’s meant to mattify the skin without drying it out. As someone with oily skin, I find that the more I try to mattify my skin, the dryer it looks and sometimes it actually because more oily as a result. My skin overcompensates for the intense dryness by actually producing more oil which is the opposite of what I want.
The three products I tried from the Countercontrol collection are the Instant Matte Toner ($36), the All Over Acne Treatment ($49), and the Matte Effect Gel Cream ($49). Of these, I have to say that my favourite was the All Over Acne Treatment. With 2% Salicylic Acid, this treatment is the perfect way to keep skin matte and clear. Salicylic Acid goes inside pores to actually help counter oil production and keep the pore clean. That’s how it works to minimize breakouts and I find that it’s the one product that’s easy to add into my skincare regimen that makes a difference on oil production and on acne.
The toner was great for getting rid of residue on my skin but I find that if I’m going to go to the trouble of using a toner, then I want it to be something that will actually have active ingredients in it which will hydrate or peel my skin. This toner has witch hazel and aloe juice which can be calming, but not what my skin needs. The Matte Effect Gel, unfortunately, wasn’t matte enough for me so there was no point in me using it. It was hydrating, but I’d prefer a lotion if that’s what my skin needs. The Matte Effect Gel is actually a little shiny and it even made my makeup glowy. Also, for some reason, I felt like I was oily very soon after I used it, so I don’t think that it even absorbed any oil or had an effect on how much oil my skin was producing.
I enjoyed using the toner, the All Over Acne Treatment, and then sunscreen on top as my go-to skincare regimen for the morning, and use retinol, as usual, for the night.
Beautycounter is sold through their website, or through Beautycounter representatives.
Here’s the short review of Tom Ford’s new fragrances, Fougère d’Argent and Fougère Platine: they smell like men’s fragrances. I’m thinking Hugo Boss, men’s counter at the Bay, your dad’s favourite toilette, the sharpness that lingered in the air after he left the house in the morning, or what you’d smell in his car.
Fougères are always earthy green scents, slightly herbacious in nature, often with citrus notes added to the openings for a blast of sour freshness.
Of the two, I like Platine better – the notes of cedar and tobacco help ground the fougère of the scent and make it more earthy than green. Fougère d’Argent smells similar to Platine with notes of lavender, coumarin, mandarin, ginger, and cistus. It smells typically of a perfume counter, and I like it but I can’t wear it. It’s not feminine enough for me, and it doesn’t warm up to my skin. Platine smells so similar to d’Argent and I can’t wear it either because of how strong it smells and how masculine it is.
Buy the Fougères for the men in your life or find dupes at more affordable perfume counters.
$275 at Holt Renfrew.
A good night for me always includes a time when I can get some self-care in. Self-care can mean going out, but if I’m staying in then I want a good body scrub and oil, and right now these two from Avene are it.
A good body skincare oil is a must-have in the winter time. I apply it directly after showering and then once it’s mostly absorbed I add a thicker body lotion or cream on top to really seal everything in.
The Avene Body Skin Care Oil ($30) has Safflower Oil, Camelina Oil, and shea butter in it, and those are the same ingredients that are in the Gentle Scrub ($25). I love the scrub because not only is it gentle, but the beads are made from wax so they either dissolve while you’re scrubbing with them or they will eventually dissolve in the water. Scrubbing and moisturizing are a sure way to make me feel like I’ve taken care of myself.
Available at drugstores and pharmacies.
In some way we live in the best of times. Trends like foundation shades in lots of different colours, and “boss babes” taking over the world means that the media is reflecting the real world back at us in a more authentic way, and we are here to be part of the revolution. That’s why it’s so inspiring to learn about indie brands – without big marketing budgets, a team of experts, or even seed money, these brands are making a mark in their industries.
Case in point is Sapphire Hair, which (full disclosure!) was started by my friends Monica and Neelam, seasoned beauty entrepreneurs from Calgary. They started offering their own hair and beauty services years ago, and their style became so admired that clients were asking them to teach lessons so that they could replicate their looks at home on their own. The classes were a huge success, but the sisters realized that they needed professional-quality tools that didn’t have to cost an arm and a leg – and they decided to make the tools themselves.
I’ve had a chance to check them out in person – not only are the flat irons, curling irons, and hair dryer beautiful, but they are all quick to heat up, easy to use, and have digital displays so you know exactly how hot or cool they are.
I even had some friends come over and try the hair straightener and they were duly impressed by how quickly and evenly they were able to straighten their hair and how shiny it was afterwards.
You can order Sapphire Hair styling tools online and they ship to Canada and the U.S. $160.
It’s Pumpkin Spice Latte time, but some days it feels like winter is closer than ever, and so I’ve been layering up the moisturizer. Starting with body oil and ending with a body butter.
When my skin is damp, I put on some Bio-Oil. It’s been around for age, and it works better than any other dry oil because it’s nice and thick and it really sticks to your skin. It basically seals in moisture, and I let it absorb as much as possible instead of towel drying.
And guess what? Body Butter goes really well on top of oil. It just slides on and really makes your skin feel comfortable. I’ve been turning to Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics Body Butter, which is 98% natural and is a blend of oils so it melts into your skin rather than just sitting on top of it and being tough to rub in.
I’m also reaching for my new Blistex Conditioning Lip Serum which is more like a heavy moisturizer for my lips than a traditional lip balm. Where lip balm can be waxy and just sit on top of my lips, this actually needs to be rubbed in and then really makes everything feel soft and smooth over time. I put it on after I’ve been wearing lipstick all day because it just repairs my lips after they’ve had a matte lippie on them.
I’m also loving a single serving of this Yes to Coconuts Moisturizing Mud Mask. Yes, you read that right, this is a mud mask that will absorb excess oil but won’t leave your skin feeling tight thanks to the addition of real coconut oil in it. It’s exactly as awesome as it sounds.
And after all that, I put on my pajamas and go to bed. Because the best way for all that treatment to really do a body good is if I get my rest too.
What are you loving this winter?
Matte lips will always be my favourite look to wear. The colour lasts longer, and it’s a true bonus if I can find a lippie that leaves a bit of a stain on my lips too. I like a lippie that I put on first thing in the morning and forget about until lunch. I don’t want smearing or smudging, I just want to be left with a nice lip. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with lip creams – they’re nice because they last a long time, but they definitely don’t look natural. I like my look to be a little undone.
These BuxomPillow Pout Creamy Plumping Lip Powders give lips a little tingle when you first apply them but then settle into a slightly undone matte finish. They are perfect for an undone lip look especially if you’re done with the tattoo-like lip cream trend.
Pick them up at Sephora. $26.
Time to change up the fragrance game and wear something a little warmer for fall. In my case, it’s Tom Ford’s Tuscan Leather which I just got. I’ve got Champaca, and Cafe Rose, and they’re my favourites, so the people at the counter suggested Tuscan Leather and although it has notes of amber and vanilla in it which I normally avoid, I love this scent now that the weather is cooling down.
Firstly – omg – the longevity. Rare is a scent that lasts all day on me, but goodness, this sticks to my skin and I’m liking that. I can still get a hint of it on my clothes at the end of the day and there’s nothing more delicious than walking into a closet that smells like Tuscan Leather.
Opening notes smell exactly of leather. Think, new car smell, opening up a new wallet, getting a new purse. It’s weird, but the leather scent is accurate. The middle notes – and what I smelled for the majority of the wear time – is smokier amber. It’s sweet but not cloying. It reminded me of s’mores – you know when your marshmallow catches on fire? That’s what this is but somehow the leather is still in the background so the overall effect is a refined memory.
Finally, the dry down is smoky balsam. It’s dry, woody, and what I can smell at the end of the day and that also reminds me of incense in the best way.
Pick it up at Tom Ford Counters – $175 for 30mL.
I’ve reviewed Confidence in a Cream before but the fact that I kept coming back to it and now it’s finished shows how much I really liked this moisturizer.
Confidence in a Cream absorbs quickly and makes your skin feel hydrated – and that’s a feeling that lasts. It’s thick and rich for a moisturizer, but works well on my oily skin thanks to the smooth almost-powdery finish. Minor irritations are cleared up and my skin is just happy when I use this moisturizer.
I mean, the brand says that it transforms your skin and that hasn’t been my experience, but I will say that the glowy finish and the yellow tone makes it absolutely perfect for layering foundation on top – it really makes it look natural and with a satiny smooth finish.
$62 at Sephora.
