L’Oreal Professionel Serioxyl Denser Hair Treatment

In an age when hair extensions have gotten popular and even “normal” in some circles, the quest for denser hair isn’t that out of the world.  I’ve got naturally fine hair, and the maintenance and, ahem, price of extensions doesn’t appeal to me, but denser hair is something that I’m always on a quest for.  

L’Oreal Professionnel Serioxyl line is specially formulated to create the illusion of denser hair.  With a clean-rinsing and minty invigorating shampoo and conditioner, a densifying gel and serum, the entire product line is made to add texture to hair fibers so that it looks as if there is more of them, making your hair look denser.

My favourite products from the entire line are the shampoo and conditioner.  Both are minty, but I especially love giving my scalp a good scrub with it.  The minty sensation helps invigorate the scalp and helps stimulate blood flow helping hair grow.  It might seem like a gimmick, but using mint to help blood flow has actually been around for centuries so it’s not an idea that hasn’t been tried before.  The shampoo is also clear and clean-rinsing so it leaves your scalp really clean, making it an ideal environment for hair to grow.

The conditioner smooths hair, but isn’t overly heavy so it won’t weigh down fine hair making it easier to obtain a look that’s most volumized.

You can find Serioxyl at salons that sell L’Oreal Professionnel products.

Everything comes in 2 formats – regular and for coloured hair.  $29.50 for the shampoo, $32 for the conditioner, $74 for the Denser Hair Serum (Thickening Treatment), $74 for the Thicker Hair Serum (Fiber Thickening).

 

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Purple Tree Coconut Miracle Balm

So many of the popular balms that are on the market right now are actually just based with petroleum jelly and that’s fine.  It’s actually good on chapped lips because it’s a great barrier which means that it prevents moisture escaping your skin.

Purple Tree Skincare is out of England but available in drugstores here and it is as good as any balm/ointment that’s petroleum-based.Petroleum jelly with coconut oil and coconut aroma combine to make a mixture that’s both plush and smells nice. The tube is pretty large and it’s a good combo of soothing ingredients. I share this with the littles too.

 

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CoverGirl Lash Blast Flourish Mascara

Having a little bit of a moment with this new mascara from CoverGirl.  It’s Flourish by Lash Blast, and it comes in the same kind of tube as the original Lash Blast mascara.

If you’ve used Lash Blast, or many other Covergirl mascaras, then you know that they don’t flake, or smear, and if you layer them on, you can really make them look amazing.

Flourish is no different in that respect, but it is enriched with avocado and coconut oils so it seems to make my lashes really soft when it’s on, and even when I’ve washed it all off. It’s kind of amazing because it looks so nice but also wears really well.

What can be bothersome about Lash Blast is that you really need to be patient with the application.  It takes many coats to make my lashes look thick and volumized, but if you don’t like that much drama on a regular basis, then that might not bother you at all, and really, it doesn’t bother me either, because I’m so happy with the end product.

Pick up Flourish by Lash Blast in drugstores and mass merchandisers now.

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Why is Kids’ Sunscreen so Annoying?!

#SorryNotSorry for not being around… I’ve been living life, and using a ton of sunscreen as I’ve been out and about, both on myself and on my kids.  

So I have to vent about sunscreen that’s meant just for kids.  Has anyone else found that it’s usually goopy, thick and very difficult to blend into their skin?  And it has a noticeable white cast, which means that my kids don’t end up looking that great in pictures.  I mean, they’re protected from the sun, yes, but what about the memories.

That said, I’m keeping their kids’ sunscreens on hand and they get coated in them daily.

Mainly, my go-to right now is the Vichy Ideal Soleil SPF 50 for kids.  It’s for face and body, and even has a “Recognized Sun Protection” seal from the Canadian Dermatology Association.  The Mexoryl XL keeps the ingredients stable longer.

It’s always a toss-up in my house for who’s going to apply the sunscreen.  It makes your hands all sticky and it’s hard to smooth on, but it gets the job done and you can see exactly where you’ve applied it and where you haven’t.  

Available online or at drugstores. $29.95.

 

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Maybelline Total Temptation Empty!

Ok, eyebrows are my new thing that you’d never really notice about me.  I fill them in.  It’s a daily thing.  It’s to the point that I have a backup eyebrow pencil in my purse in case I’ve in so much of a hurry that I forgot to.  That’s happened once or twice.  More often than not, I perfect my technique once I’m in different lighting, close to a mirror, etc.

And when I run out of an eyebrow product, it’s because I’ve loved it so much that I’ve used it.  In this case, it’s the Maybelline Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil is unreal.  It’s slanted, so it makes lines that are nice and slanted too.  It’s not too heavy or dark, and the colour gentle blends into your brows without being obvious.  See the end in my picture?  There’s a little spoolie that makes it easyto blend the pigment and make your makeup look seamless.

I have dark hair, but I don’t use the darkest shade.  I use the colour medium brown and it’s perfect.

I’ll be getting this again.

Available at drugstores and mass merchandisers, or online for $11.99.

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Avon Anew Ultimate Gold Peel-Off Mask

There’s getting to be a problem with Instagram beauty is that it can often be overdone so that it doesn’t even seem real anymore, and that’s definitely the case when you see people masking or applying drops of highlighter on themselves before covering themselves up with foundation, powder, and whatever else it might take to look good.

Avon’s Anew Ultimate Gold Peel-Off Mask gives us a gold mask at an affordable price: $24.99, and promises to hydrate and nourish skin.

It has some hydrators in it, but really this mask didn’t do anything for myself, and it’s actually one of the rare Avon products that I tried and didn’t like.  What I realized when I applied this mask was that you need a ton of product to get it to really peel off nicely, and when you apply a ton of product on your skin, it takes forever to dry, so 20 minutes into using this mask, I didn’t like how it felt anymore, and it was time to take it off, which I did via washing it the old-fashioned way.

I tried again with a thinner layer, and it was ok, but still not great.

Skip on this for now.

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Sothy’s Summer 2018 Collection

A light grey eyeliner, bronzer, and an orangy-red lip makes for a simple summer statement.  You don’t even need the focus to be on the skin, which is perfect for the summer, when the humidity and high temperatures mean that it’s difficult to maintain a base anyway.

That must have been the thought behind Sothy’s summer collection for 2018.  

The Calligraphy eyeliner is a keeper – a dark grey that makes the perfect cat eye without even any practice.  The grey colour keeps it simple without adding too much drama, and with an eyelid primer, the colours lasts and lasts.  

The lipstick is a Mat Velvet formula – it wears just like it sounds.  It’s completely matte but velvety not dry, so it goes on your lips smoothly and then just stays put, even leaving behind a hint of a stain as it wears.  It’s not a budge-proof lipstick but the stain means that you can wear it though a meal without it needing to be touched up.

The colour is 330 – Orange Escapade Velours.  Although it’s not red and so it feels a bit less formal, it’s still a bright colour that adds tons of punch to your look.  It actually goes perfectly with the grey eyeliner.

You can get this collection wherever Sothys products are sold – click here to find a salon near you.

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Pastel Punk Nailpolish Collection by Miracle Gel

Check out the prettiest colours for the summer.  This is the Sally Hansen Pastel Punk collection by Miracle Gel.  I hadn’t used Miracle Gel nail polish in so long, and I am pleasantly surprised by how creamy and rich all these colours are.  Two coats are needed for opaque coverage, but that’s no big deal since two coats is what I need to have the colours last longer.

The shades are After Altar, I Lava You, Shell-ebration, (top row, left to right) Ocean Daze, Golden Glow, and Just Maui’d (bottom row, left to right).

The colours are so pretty and super wearable.  Here’s a picture of I Lava You, which is a pretty shimmery pink.  Pink is not usually my colour, but I got so many compliments on this when I wore it, so I guess it’s a keeper. 

 

Golden Glow is also really pretty and shimmery.  The shimmer was easy to take off and didn’t stick to my nails like some shimmer does.  

I have to say that I’m not a huge fan of the Miracle Gel top coat.  It takes forever to dry and I like to do my nails at night time, but if I used this top coat, I would have dents in my nails in the morning.  Instead, use whatever other top coat you might have, and that might be better.

$9.97 at drugstores and mass merchandisers.

 

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#GoBeyondClean with Neutrogena Deep Clean

If you’ve grown up struggling with acne, then you’d be familiar with the Neutrogena Deep Clean cleanser, which originally came in an orange and white tube.  I first heard about it from my cousins who used it all the time, and they always said that the minty tingly feeling meant that it was working.

Well now, there are a host of new products in the Deep Clean lineup, including a mask, a Purifying gel scrub, a mask/cleanser, micellar water, and wipes.

Of everything available, the Micellar Water and the Deep Clean Wipes are my favourite.  I’m a sucker for products that get a lot of makeup off and don’t leave a residue, and they’re refreshing to use, which is such a plus in the summer!

Look for these in drugstores now.  $9.97 each.

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Yes To Single Use Masks

I know that paper masks are not new, but now you don’t have to buy a whole package of paper masks of the same type.  You can just get the masks that you want to try out and then invest in a full package when you’re sure that the mask is for you.  This has been the case at Sephora for a long time – a lot of their masks have been available in single use packages for a while, and it’s a great way to see if that’s even something that appeals to you, but now you can get Yes To masks in single use packages too!

Check out all the masks they have available.  There’s a huge variety for almost every skin condition.  

Personally, I think that papers masks are best for hydration and getting that well-rested glow.  You put them on and your skin just bathes in the serum for 10-15 minutes, and then you massage it into your skin for the night.  The result is a benefit for your skin. The mud masks are better for oily skin types and are best used at the beginning of the day.  They often leave a film on your skin that continues to soak up the oil as the day goes on, and they just make your skin look so good.

The masks are $3.99 each and available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, and Rexall locations.

 

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