Canadian Beauty

Maybelline Tattoo Studio Brow Gel Review

Posted on March 1, 2018 by Henna

It’s no secret that I’ve been loving me some Maybelline products recently, and this new Tattoo Studio Brow Gel is no different. The package says thatthis brow filler can last up to 48 hours and doesn’t come off.

I can attest to the fact that it does a great job of filling in your brows and it’s totally waterproof. You won’t get the most natural look, but if you use your own brow brush then you can work it in with gentle hair-like strokes that are customized to your own look.

Now, if you wash your face with just soap and water, or with a wipe that lets you select where you’re washing your face, then this will be easy to leave on your face. But, if you’re like me and pull out the big guns every night – some kind of greasy makeup remover – then this will take your Tattoo brow gel off, and you’ll have to be ok with that.

I do love this brow gel though and I like using it even though I know that I’m going to be taking off at the end of the night. It would be great for the pool so take it with you if you’re going on vacation!

Available at drugstores and mass merchandisers for $9.96.

Posted in Spring 2018 | Tagged Brows, Maybelline | 1 Comment

New L’Occitane Cleansing Water

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Henna

Have you tried a micellar water before to clean your face? It’s essentially water that has microparticles of oil in it, so as you remove your makeup, some of the oil stays on your face helping to moisturize your skin. It’s maybe one of the easiest ways of removing makeup because it really does work even though you have to use lots of product to get all the makeup off. Usually people douse cotton pads with the micellar water and then wipe their face with them.

Normally, French pharmacy brands use mineral oil as their oil of choice in cleansing waters, but now L’Occitane has a Cleansing Water, and you can bet that theirs does not have mineral oil in it. Instead, this is a blend of glycerine, water, and shea butter extract to help wipe off makeup and moisturize skin.

This cleansing water really does work – makeup comes off so easily and quickly and even mascara is not safe. I wet a towel or even a muslin to get all the makeup off quickly and effectively but then follow up with another cleanser so that I can be sure that there’s no residue left.

$29 online or at L’Occitane boutiques.

Posted in Cleansers | Tagged Cleansing Water, l'Occitane | Leave a comment

Dry Shampoo is Still a Must-Have

Posted on February 27, 2018 by Henna

Today was a dry shampoo day and I’m not afraid to say it. Seriously, nothing beats a salon blow-out and I needed to make it last as much as I could, so I turned to Revlon’s new UniqOne Dry Shampoo which saved the day.

Truthfully, it goes on a little whitish, which is easy for me to notice because my hair is so dark, but it brushes in instantly, and then leaves your hair matte and fresh. The look is completely natural, which I love, and it’s easy to pull off.

The best way to work with dry shampoo is to spray it on the roots and in little bursts. Work with one section of the hair at a time – spray a puff, brush or rub it in, and then part your hair in another way, and continue to spray bursts. Don’t just spray it on your hair all over – you will end up with a mess or with too much product, and it’ll be hard to brush it out.

Available at Chatters.

Posted in Shampoo and Conditioner | Tagged dry shampoo, UniqONe | Leave a comment

Product Overload?

Posted on February 10, 2018 by Henna

I had to resurrect this article from the archives… because we’re still in the trend of product overload and we don’t need to be…

This article has been the talk of the ‘net ever since it was published. Nicky Taylor decided to conduct an experiment wherein she stopped using any products, stopped showering, and stopped brushing her teeth for 40 full days. She also restricted her wardrobe to a basic outfit for everyday, a workout outfit, and a summer dress for nights out.

Why? Because She was sick of it all. Sick of all the products, of the whole “routine”, sick of being high-maintenance.

What followed was her initial irritation with her self, followed by a lack of self-esteem when going out in public, and jealousy when ever she heard the shower being used in her house. Of course, plaque built up on her teeth and her hair just became greasier and greasier. She didn’t smell bad but described herself as looking scruffy.

It seems that people generally didn’t notice that there was anything changed in her appearance – most probably they all just assumed that she was having an off day, a rough week, a hectic month. But when she told her friends that she had stopped showering, they wrinkled her nose at her and moved further away.

The other change that Nicky saw was that her complexion was glowing and her skin did better than ever.

Still, she hated going out in public to the point that she avoided doing so as much as possible. Her self-esteem was at an all-time low and she was glad when her 40 days were finished.

She said that she would never do the experiment again, but pared down the products that were on her “need” list to moisturizer, soap, and shampoo.

Interesting concept and a likely antidote to the product overload that plagues us all from time to time. Sometimes we all need a break but taking it to the extreme like Nicky did may not be the answer. It might be a better idea to employ such an experiment when one is on vacation or is going through a time when social activities are limited to trips to the grocery store. Moral of the story: simplicity is best.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Leave a comment

Graydon Matcha Mint Shampoo

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Henna

I’m a huge fan of lines that are #madeinCanada. From what I’ve seen, they’re often focussed on efficacy and sourcing local ingredients, and it’s better for your community no matter where you are to use products that support the local economy. Graydon Skincare is one of those brands. Not only do they believe in sourcing ingredients locally, but they’re also interested in creating products that are plant-based – they believe that what goes on you goes in you – not something that I’m sure of, but I do believe in quality products sourced locally. You vote with your dollars, and when you choose to spend more money on a niche brand, you’re saying that you support the values of a small business and that can be important.

I’ve recently tried their Matcha Mint shampoo, and wow, the scent alone reminds me of my favourite green tea latte. Created with a blend of matcha, chia seed extract, hemp oil, and sunflower seed extract, this shampoo lathers but is gentle on your hair. It also has cacao seed butter, and oat kernel oil, but is missing any silicones so while your hair will be clean and fresh, it won’t be weighed down by anything more.

Pick it up online for $12, or click here to find a stockist near you.

Posted in Shampoo and Conditioner | Tagged Graydon, Made in Canada | Leave a comment

New Vichy Neovadiol Rose Platinum Cream

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Henna

Vichy’s Neovadiol line is created for women who are menopausal or post-menopausal, because that demographic can have more dry skin and the Neovadiol line is more moisturizing.

That said, you don’t have to be menopausal or post-menopausal to enjoy the beautiful scent of the new Neovadiol Rose Platinum cream. If you believe in self-care, and I certainly do, then massaging a lovely-scented cream can do wonders for your mood. Neovadiol Rose Platinum is a gorgeous shimmery rose colour which helps even out and brighten the complexion. It also has beeswax, calcium, and Vichy Thermal Spring Water to help nourish and plump the skin. It moisturizes and also seals the moisture into your skin.

It also smells amazingly like fresh roses which makes me want to reach for this every night.

$56.96 on Vichy.ca and in pharmacies.

Posted in Moisturizers | Tagged Vichy | Leave a comment

Skinceuticals H.A. Intensifier

Posted on February 6, 2018 by Henna

Anyone else have a lovely collection of bottles with droppers in their skincare collection. Usually these are some of my favourite products in my skincare routine because they actually work. My latest addition is the Skinceuticals’ H.A. Intensifier.

As we age, our skin starts to have less and less Hyaluronic Acid in it which can cause it to not be as plump as it once was. One way to take care of this temporarily is to put some Hyaluronic Acid on the skin so that it absorbs into your skin and it gets plumped up.

Skinceuticals H.A. Intensifier is a mixture of hyaluronic acid, licorice root extract, and binders to actually help these ingredients stay on the skin. The dark bottle ensures that the ingredients don’t get damaged by any sun exposure, and the formula is a light gel that absorbs into your skin so easily and immediately relieves any dryness. I follow up with an oil or with my vitamin C serum if I’m using it in the morning. It’s so light that it doesn’t interfere with anything.

The Hyaluronic Acid immediately makes skin look plump and diminishes any fine lines that may be there due to dryness.

Pick it up online or at your local dermatologist or skin spa.

$120.

Posted in Moisturizers | Tagged Skinceuticals | 2 Comments

New Maybelline Total Temptation Line

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Henna

We loved the Gigi x Maybelline collection and now I’m loving their new Total Temptation line – especially the eyeshadow quad.

But first, check out the packaging. I mean, don’t the peach tones remind you of the blush tones of the Gigi collection?

Total Temptation products shown above are an eyeshadow pencil, a mascara, and an eyeshadow palette. I’ll get right to the point and say that the eyeshadow pencil gets used daily, the mascara smudges all over the place, and the eyeshadow palette is nice.

Here are swatches of the eyeshadows!

As you can see, the black is not very pigmented and I found that I couldn’t use it as a liner. It worked well to shade and define the crease but not as a liner, unless I wanted a diffused shadow under the eye.

I really loved all the other colours – my favourite feature of this palette is that there’s a good mix of matte and shimmer shades, and the glittery purple is maybe my favourite shade of all time. I’m finding that I’m reaching for this palette again and again, dipping my fingertips right into the glitter and gently patting it on my lids. It’s the easiest and prettiest pick me up.

Posted in Spring 2018 | Tagged Maybelline | Leave a comment

Empty: Neostrata Acne Clear Clarifying Solution

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Henna

Do I use a toner? I often get asked this.

The answer is yes, I do, but only if I know for sure that there are active ingredients in it, which is why I’ve loved using this NeoStrata Acne Clear Clarifying Solution.

The blend of 2% Salicylic and 10% glycolic acid means that pores remain clear, and dead skin is exfoliated on a regular basis. I used this just once a day – anymore and I found that my skin was too sensitive to really be able to tolerate it well.

You can read my original review of the Neostrata Acne Clear Line here and here.

I’ve had this bottle since the summer and I would put it to the side and then go back to it later, only to find that my skin was significantly smoother when I used it. I think that my skin really likes a blend of salicylic and glycolic acid and my skin was so smooth that it was almost glowy because of how much light it was reflecting.

Definitely try this is you have any major skin concerns. Use it every other day to start, and then once a day before you apply any other actives on your skin.

$29.50 online and in drugstores.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Empty, Neostrata | 1 Comment

Rifle Paper Co for L’Occitane

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Henna

This is the prettiest collection to come out this year – imagine, a collection of seriously moisturizing body products all dressed up in Rifle Paper Co’s signature floral prints.

This year, L’Occitane has paired up with the brand to design some packaging for their hand creams, body butters, and gift sets. The collection includes soap and hand cream sets, and even some standalone soaps and hand creams, all in the pretty packaging.

One of my favourites is this trio of soaps ($24) that’s great for gifting, or this trio of hand creams ($29) in a package that’s too pretty to even open.

You can check out the entire collection online or in stores.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged l'Occitane, Rifle Paper Company | Leave a comment