Canadian Beauty

Fragrance Review: Byredo Super Cedar

Posted on September 29, 2018 by Henna

It’s always always a good sign when you’re wearing a perfume, and you get asked what IS that. The first time this happened to me when I was wearing Byredo’s Super Cedar, I immediately wondered if I had put too much on. One spray doesn’t seem like much especially when you’re going to be out and about, but you never know.

I love Super Cedar because it’s intensely dry and fresh. Like a winter day in the woods, but without going outside. Usually, I save scents like these for the summer, but I’m finding that it’s working really well this fall too. I like to smell how I like to smell.

Super Cedar smells like intense Cedar at first spray, and then dries down to what smells like Cedar and Vetyver and musk. It’s not at all warm or sweet which is just fine with me because I like my scents to warm up on me, not in the bottle. It’s very long-lasting, and I can usually smell it on my clothes at the end of the day.

Overall, this isn’t the most interesting or complex of scents, but its simplicity is what makes it work, for me, and I like that it’s intensely cedary but without being woodsy. It’s so fresh and that’s just what I want right now.

Byredo is available at Holt Renfrew. $220 for the 50mL bottle.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Byredo, Perfume | Leave a comment

Kerastase Soleil Collection

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Henna

The summer might be almost over (still hanging on to it over here), but the sun is still going to be on your hair, and it might be worth it to explore the Kerastase Soleil collection which was new this year. Kerastase knows that summer hair is light and easy, so the products in this collection are light on moisture so they don’t weigh down your hair, but they’re still gentle.

I love every part of this collection, but especially the shampoo ($45) and conditioner ($66). The shampoo is clear but moisturizing. There’s nothing I love more than a clear shampoo because it makes your hair really clean and doesn’t leave much of a residue. The conditioner is also super light. It absorbs into hair almost instantly, helping detangle but not leaving much after it’s washed out.

The Soleil Micro Voile Protecteur ($48) is like sunscreen for your hair – it’s great for protecting it but light on hold and on frizz-fighting. It enhances shine and helps hair look and feel healthier.

Available online and in salons.

Posted in Hair | Tagged Kerastase | Leave a comment

Fragrance Friday: New, Calvin Klein Women

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Henna

New from Calvin Klein this month is their perfume Women. Check out the bottle: functional artistry, this bottle is at once glamorous but simple, which matches the Calvin Klein aesthetic.

The scent is also a contrast. The opening is a fruity floral with the notes of orange petal flowers, and a touch of eucalyptus keeps things fresh but not minty. The heart of jasmine, orange blossom, and magnolia which is feminine. A drydown of Alaskan cedarwood is soft and woodsy, and still unexpected. Amber and white musk add a sweet soapiness that is pleasant with the cedarwood.

The fragrance is unique but not too strong, so it layers well and can be added to as you wear it. I love the cedarwood in it, and that’s my favourite single note right now, so this is what I’m loving for the fall.

$52 for 50mL.

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Noctuelle, from Sothys

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Henna

If you’re a fan of skincare, you should know that Noctuelle, Sothy’s line of night-care products has gotten revamped. The Noctuelle line is for night time – products made especially to destress both the skin and the mind so that you can wake up feeling and looking more rested.

The entire line includes

Detox Resurfacing Overnight Cream

Relaxing Pillow Mist

Chrono-Destressing Sleeping Mask

The best thing about all the products is that they smell so good. They’re pleasant and relaxing to smell and once you start associating the scent with bedtime, it’s so much easier to fall asleep.

The Detox Resurfacing Overnight Cream is the hero product: infused with vitamin C, which is great for preventing environmental damage, this cream is also moisturizing. While it leaves your skin glossy, the final effect is one of brighter skin when you wake up.

The Relaxing Pillow Mist smells the same as the night cream, and the Destressing mask is a lighter option but still intense when it comes to hydrating the skin and making it look and feel refreshed, and softer and smoother.

All the products are available at fine spas where Sothys products are sold.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Night Care, Night Cream, Sothys | Leave a comment

Biodegradable Wipes are Here

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Henna

Did you know that most wipes are not biodegradable? In fact, they are only biodegradable if it’s written on the package, and even then you would have to double check with your city’s compost policy because the chemicals on many wipes interfere with the composting that they do.

But Beautycounter has changed that. Their new wipes are compatible with most composting systems, so you can throw them into your household compost pile. Moreover, they actually work at taking off makeup. I found that one wipe was enough to do a good job on taking off my face makeup, but I need another wipe to take off just my mascara – because there’s that much of it. But the wipes are super wet and they stay wet with a makeup remover that works – but are compatible with the environment.

Also, I don’t usually post ingredient lists, but I’ll post this one because I love how short it is:

Aqua/Water/Eau, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water*, Undecane, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Tridecane, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Allantoin, Glycerin, Betaine, Phenethyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol. *Organic/Biologique

The wipes are oil-free, with no added fragrance, and are hydrating thanks to the Aloe Juice, and Glycerin.

These wipes are more expensive – $20 for 30 wipes, but if you’re a regular user of wipes, these might be worth switching to.

Available online.

Posted in Cleansers | Tagged Beautycounter, makeup remover, Wipes | Leave a comment

St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Henna

It’s been a summer of ups and downs, but today I’m holding on to my tan thanks to St. Tropez. The new St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist is literally the most easy-to-use tanner around. They recommend using it on your face because you can wear it on top of moisturizer or makeup. Simply mist it on like a setting spray, and the self-tanner ingredients do their magic throughout the day. You can apply it everyday if you find that you like more of a tan, or just a couple of times a week if you like a lighter tan.

While it smells fresh and clean, because it’s on your face, once it starts working and you actually start getting a tan, you’ll find that you can actually smell it. No matter. I like that it’s doing what it says it’s going to do and I mist it on my face, neck, the tops of my hands and on other skin that’s showing to get a nice gentle tan that I don’t have to rub in.

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart for $39.

Posted in Self-Tanner | Tagged Self-Tanner, St. Tropez | Leave a comment

New Nia24 Products at Shoppers Drug Mart

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Henna

It’s that time of year where you’ve been taking care to protect your skin from the sun, but perhaps you’re also ready to repair some of the damage that the sun may have caused. For that there are new NIA24 products available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Nia24 is a line of anti-aging products. The active ingredient in all Nia24 products is what they call Pro-Niacin, which is a form of Vitamin B3, which actually has shown to reduce hyperpigmentation and smooth out skin. This in turn, helps skin look more refined and clear, and it can even product less oil resulting in fewer breakouts and then less scarring.

The NIA24 Age Recovery for Décolletage and Hands ($60) contains the Pro-Naicin but in a formula that’s super moisturizing which is what my hands definitely need all year round. The Pro-Niacin will help get rid of age spots, but the Squalene, Olive, and Borage oils will give lots of relief to dry skin.

There’s also the Sun Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 ($54) that’s out this month. It’s a mineral sunscreen, but pretty sheer so light to fair skin tones will probably be able to use it without any flashback or white cast. I, on the other hand, found it to be bluish-white and I found that I was rubbing it in so much that it ended up giving me questionable coverage. I always say that the best sunscreen is the one that you want to use, and you want to use lots, so I wouldn’t reach for this one to use on myself simply because of the white cast. It has a super smooth, silky finish that made it easy to wear so it the tint isn’t showing up on you then this is a great option!

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart this September.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Nia24, Niacin | Leave a comment

Kiss Press-On Nails

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Henna

Check out my nails. They’re press-on. Specifically, they’re Kiss Gel Fantasy Ready-to-Wear Nails and I’ve written about them before here. For whatever reason, press on nails don’t last long on me. I think I’m too used to using my nails for every little thing and I’m pretty hard on them. I also have little kids, and I’m in the kitchen a lot so I wash my hands tons. That means that water and soap makes the glue looser than you would expect, and so the nails don’t stay on as well.

But these look really good for a girl’s night out, and that what I had them on for, and I got tons of compliments on them! And all-in-all, if I’m not on a computer, I love having long nails because I talk with my hands a lot!

If you want these to stay on, keep your hands out of the water as much as you can, and apply the nails right before you go out so that you don’t loosen or damage them while you’re still at home.

You can find them for about $10.99 at most drugstores, including London Drugs.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged Gel Nails, Kiss, Nails, Press on Nails | Leave a comment

Aveeno Positively Radiant Body Cream

Posted on August 28, 2018 by Henna

If it’s hot and sunny outside, then I’m applying sunscreen all over first thing in the morning – and the same goes for my kids. That way, if we go outside, we’re covered, and if we’re outside for longer than an hour, then more sunscreen goes on. AT that rate, guess what? I’m going through a bottle of sunscreen a week, especially if it’s creamy because then I’m applying tons.

Hence all these sunscreen reviews, which are going to keep on coming.

Aveeno’s Positively Radiant Body Cream has SPF 15 in it, and comes in a convenient 59mL bottle so it’s going into my purse for reapplication. It’s soft and creamy, so I even like putting it on my hands throughout the day.

Does it improve the look of dark spots? I haven’t seen a difference, but there’s a tiny amount of golden shimmer in which helps make your skin look glowing and pretty.

$9.47 at drugstores and mass merchandisers.

Posted in For the Body | Tagged Aveeno, Body Lotion | Leave a comment

Nars All Day Luminous Powder Foundation

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Henna

It’s summer, so cream foundations have gone to the wayside, and mostly, my focus these days is sunscreen. That being said, I’ve been finding that it’s kind of nice to atleast powder your face mid-day before stepping out for lunch or to see a friend, and so I’ve turned back to this powder foundation. I apply it dry with a big powder brush and just tap tap tap it over my face, concentrating on the nose, forehead, and chin. The latest in powder technology means that you can get light to full coverage from a powder while still looking like you’re wearing little to no makeup. The latest powder foundations are not cakey and although they have no shimmer, they have pearlescent particles that reflect light in a natural dull way instead of a bright and shiny way. Thus, skin looks like skin even when you’re wearing powder foundation.

That’s why I love Nars’sAll Day Luminous Powder foundation. You can wear it dry for a luminous finish, or damp for a more matte finish. Either way, the coverage is light to medium and buildable. Best of all, it look so natural.

The foundation comes in 13 shades

Siberia

Light with neutral balance of pink and Medium

yellow undertones

Mont Blanc

Light with pink undertones

Deauville

Light with a neutral balance of pink and

yellow undertones

Fiji

Light with yellow undertones

Punjab

Medium with golden, peachy undertones

Vallauris

Medium with pink undertone

Santa Fe

Medium with peachy undertones

Stromboli

Medium with olive undertones

Barcelona

Medium with golden, peachy undertones

Syracuse

Medium-dark with brown undertones

Tahoe

Medium-dark with caramel undertones

Cadiz

Medium-dark with caramel and red undertones

Macao

Medium-dark with yellow undertones

I found that Barcelona wore a little lighter than it normally does, so it’s nice to test these out before purchasing. Barcelona is more of a winter colour for me than a summer colour. The staying power is amazing, especially if you have oily skin like I do, but you will need touch-ups after 4 hours or so. Easy enough to do and pretty typical of most foundations, at least for me.

If you have dry skin, this foundation may still be for you because it does look super natural and not as dry as most powder foundations. The benefit is also that you can apply it damp which means that it goes over especially dry areas a little more smoothly. It’s actually a fantastic foundation for layering on after sunscreen or moisturizer.

This foundation also has SPF 25 and has ingredients that help cell turnover, which then helps reduce hyperpigmentation and fine lines. It is fragrance, oil, alcohol, and talc free.

Pick it up at Nars counters now for $55.

Posted in Make-Up | Tagged Foundation, Nars | Leave a comment