Canadian Beauty

What I’m Using: Spring Skincare Edition

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Henna

Here’s a peek on what’s in my bathroom right now. I tried to streamline this a while ago when I was using Universkin serums, but slowly some of my other serums made their way back one at a time, and I couldn’t help but leave them on my vanity because they’re that good.

Universkin Serums: if you want to know more, watch my video. It explains the process that I went through to get these made, including showing the dermatologist all my skincare, which he approved of but told me to get rid of nonetheless so that I could give Universkin a fair chance. Two months after the fact, I still love the serums, but didn’t find them potent enough so I’m going for a refill next week and will report back.

Philosophy Resurface The Microdelivery Dual-Phase Peel: see that bottle near the back that says Exfoliating in big letters? That’s part 2 of this peel. You scrub your skin with crystals and then add this on top for extra exfoliation. Ripped off by Goop and others, this is the original and it works to really refine your skin. I put it away for a while, but brought it back out recently because I wanted something to really smooth out my skin again and it’s working. It’s not really going to peel off your skin but it’s going to make it way smoother instantly. Love it.

The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2%. Honestly, I’m not finding this as strong or as effective as a regular 1% retinoid but it’s gentle so I like that. It’s a bit thicker than the Universkin serum, so I put it on top of that once that has absorbed, and my skin is slightly more moisturized and glowy in the morning.

Beautycounter Instant Makeup Remover. This is what I use every night to take off my makeup. I use a muslin and follow up with a foaming cleanser and it is all kinds of awesome.

It Cosmetics Confidence collection: Honestly, after all my actives, my skin doesn’t really need a cream, but I’ve added these to my routine to help brighten up my skin and it’s working. The cleanser for this collection is amazing, by the way, and I’ll post more information soon.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer: Amazing because it absorbs quickly and has SPF in it, so I’m using this daily on my face, neck, and hands. Love it and it’s one of my favourites!

That’s it! If you have any questions, leave them below!

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Beautycounter, It Cosmetics, neutrogena, Philosophy, skincare, Universkin | Leave a comment

Hourglass 1.5mm Eyeliner

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Henna

When I first tried this @hourglassmakeup pencil eyeliner, I thought it was the best thing ever, and 4 years later, I’m still on board. The Hourglass 1.5mm Mechanical Gel Eyeliner is a gel formula automatic pencil that’s super thin. The gel formula means that it glides on to your eyelid without tugging, and then sets and doesn’t budge.

When this first came out it was available in just the black, but now the liner is available in bronze, grey, navy and brown too. I love that there are more options, but the black is my favourite.

Because it’s a pencil and not actually a liquid, the line you get is carbon black – super dark with no fading or streaking. Because it’s so thin, it’s the perfect liner to use to tightline the eyes, or it’s even better on top of liquid liner so that it’s darker and stays put.

Really, if you want to see its magic, check out this picture from Instagram. That perfect cat eye is with a grey liquid liner pen, and this black Hourglass liner on top and it doesn’t get better than that.

You can get 1 for $21 or 3 for $55. I would get the 3… it’s the best deal and you won’t have to worry about running out like I did.

Posted in Spring 2018 | Tagged Eyeliner, Hourglass | Leave a comment

It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Collection

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Henna

You may have heard that @ItCosmetics has been taking the world by storm. The company has been bought by L’Oreal which means that it’s going to be easier to get your hands on the products, and if you go to their website, you can see tons of videos on how their foundations go on and how to use their products, and the star of the videos is none other than the founder of the company herself, Jamie Kern Lima, who I’ve gotten to be a little impressed by after watching her in so many videos. She really makes makeup and taking care of yourself seem so accessible and easy to do!

Their latest skincare collection is Confidence in a Cream. The title is a little misleading – this cream won’t cover anything so it might not give you more confidence. What it is full of is some light-reflecting ingredients, lots of antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid to help skin feel and look better. The texture of this cream is amazing. It’s light, but hydrating. It sinks into skin almost immediately, taking care of tightness, and it does moisturize for a long time.

Because it lacks any sun protection, I wouldn’t wear the cream during the day, but I like it for night time to layer on top of serums.

They also have a Confidence in an Eye Cream which is a good option for those with under-eye concerns. It helps de-puff the eye area, and reduce dark circles.

My favourite and most used product from the collection is the Confidence in a Cleanser. It’s foaming but gentle, and it has a serum in it which helps hydrate skin when you wash it. Not only does it go on smoothly on my skin, it also gets rid of all excess eye makeup, and then washes clean but doesn’t dry my skin out. Of course, I’m using this as a second step to removing makeup – the first step is a cleansing water or balm, but this does a great job as a second step because it really does get rid of everything.

If you want decent skincare with antioxidants, peptides, and gentle moisturizing, then this is a great line to check out. I’m interested in trying some of the It Cosmetics colour products because I haven’t tested those out in a while. I’m sure some of you readers have tried some great It Cosmetics products so let me know what you think in the comments!

Eye Cream – $48

Face Cream – $62

Cleanser – $36

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged It Cosmetics | Leave a comment

Dior DiorSkin AirFlash Spray Foundation

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Henna

This @DiorMakeup foundation is now a classic – not that it’s not available but because it’s been available for so long and it’s awesome.

Although it used to be available in just 4 colours, now it’s available in 11 with even a deep option. You literally need to press the spray for 2 seconds, and then you’re done. I buff the foundation out with a makeup brush, and gently wipe off my eyebrows with a q-tip. You could also spray it on the back of your hand or on your brush and then tap it on.

You just get more precision that way and you don’t run the risk of getting the foundation all over your clothes and your hair. I think that I’d like to use the Dior foundation in a similar way.

Once the foundation sets, and that’s pretty quick, it’s medium-full coverage and feels light and natural on my skin. It also lasts a long time, but it can still look natural. The best part? You could easily spray this on your body and get long-lasting natural coverage too.

$78.

Posted in Spring 2018 | Tagged Dior, Foundation | Leave a comment

Estee Lauder Idealist Skin Refinisher

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Henna

This new gem from Estee Lauder does it all – it makes your face feel silky smooth, absorbs oil throughout the day, and gives you that polished appearance that you crave – all with two pumps of Idealist Skin Refinisher.

Makeup primer this is not – it doesn’t have the typical silicone formulation or feel but it can be used before makeup and it can give you that same flawless look that most primers do. The difference is that it’s not as thick and instantly absorbs in the skin rather than sitting on top. This is a great product to have for those summer months and you could use it on its own to make your skin look pore-free.

$108.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Estee Lauder | 4 Comments

Smashbox Eyeliner Brush

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Henna

This one’s for the rookies. I tried Smashbox Arched Eyeliner Brush and was thoroughly impressed with it. I usually don’t use liquid eyeliner to line my eyes, and don’t line on top, so I really don’t have experience with the whole lining process, but when I used this brush nobody can tell. The problem that I have had when lining is that my brush is too long and bumps into the mirror as I go in close to see my eyes better. When I used this brush, I didn’t have that problem and the line went on thin and smooth. If you know someone who is new to makeup, give this to her – I can’t think of a better present to give to someone who’s still learning to put liner on.

Pair it with the Smashbox eyeliner (which is smooth and doesn’t budge) and you’re good to go!

At Smashbox counters for $25.

Posted in Accessories | Tagged Accessories, Eye Makeup, Eyeliner, Smashbox | 2 Comments

Maybelline Burgundy Bar Palette

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Henna

There used to be a time when a mega-pigmented drugstore eyeshadow palette was almost unheard of, but Maybelline’s Burgundy Bar Palette definitely don’t fall into that camp. The palette has a good mix of trendy burgundies and reds, but also some taupes, browns, and light matte shade to use as a base, as well as a matte contour shade, and a matte brown for some depth.

I love that there’s a mix of trendy colours and neutrals, and while I’m more into the neutrals, I also love to use the reds and purplish shade to mix into the golden browns.

$17.99 at drugstores or online.

Posted in Summer 2017 | Tagged Eyeshadow, Eyeshadow Palettes, Maybelline | 1 Comment

Beautycounter Now Has Instant Eye Makeup Remover

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Henna

My fav natural/gentle/mindful brand, Beautycounter, now has a bi-phase makeup remover that is completely mineral oil and paraben free but still takes all your waterproof mascara off.

It’s life-changing, especially if you throw away the cotton pads and use it like a cleansing oil. No, really, wiping your face with cotton pads and hoping everything is clean is just so ‘90s and there’s no reason to do that anymore.

Simply shake up this makeup remover and pour some into your palm like you would a cleansing oil. Then rub it all over and around your face and really emulsify your makeup. You can put this on your mascara too and it’ll just break it down and rub it around.

Then, take your muslin or cleansing cloth, wet it with warm water, and wipe all this off. Follow up with a foaming or cream cleanser depending on your skin type and you’re good to go!

A lot of natural makeup removers are not great at actually removing makeup, although they are super gentle, but this one is fantastic. Not only does it break everything down but it just glides on to skin and has a smooth slippery feel that really feels nice to massage on.

Get it onlinefor $30.

Posted in Cleansers | Tagged Beautycounter | Leave a comment

Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer

Posted on April 1, 2018 by Henna

So Paula Begoun reports that this moisturizer really does have a high amount of antioxidants in it, and she also says that the more moisturizing the formulation of this product, the more antioxidants. Regardless, I stuck to the one for combination skin, since that’s what I need.

I love this moisturizer. It doesn’t smell amazing because Clinique doesn’t put fragrance in their products, but in the end, I’d rather have a neutral smelling product than one filled with loads of perfume. The best part is that the moisturizer absorbs into my skin so quickly and leaves it very smooth and moisturized, and I know that it’s getting ingredients that are good for the skin. Seriously, this stuff is good and it’s now my moisturizer of choice. Try it for yourself – with three different formulations there’s something for every skin type.

Posted in Moisturizers | Tagged Clinique, Moisturizer | Leave a comment

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Review

Posted on March 31, 2018 by Henna

This moisturizer picks up where all the others left off. While some feel too heavy or too much like actual foundations, the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer literally melts into my skin when I was putting it on. The texture is that soft. The other thing that this tint has going for it is that it’s offered in many colours and they are all very skin-true shades – a definite bonus if you’ve had trouble finding one to match your skin. The colour match that I had was a little off but it blended into my skin so nicely that it was hard to notice. My face still looked flawless and healthy.

The moisturizer lasted the whole day and looked great as the day wore on. I sort of didn’t want to wash this off at the end of the day because my skin still looked so fantastic.

There’s a reason that this is a cult favourite – it combines coverage with moisture and just makes skin look better over time. It also comes in a oil-free version for those who need that.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged Foundation, laura mercier, Tinted Moisturizer | 3 Comments