Canadian Beauty

Beautycounter’s Vitamin C Oil Brightens Your Skin

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Henna

I recommend some kind of oil to almost everyone I meet.

Ok, maybe it’s because I live in a very dry climate and meet a lot of people with topical dryness, and maybe it’s because my friends are of “an age” when they’re starting to add retinol to their skincare regimen, but people ask me about dry skin and skin dullness a lot and that’s what I recommend!

Oils nowadays have actual skincare ingredients in them – they’re not just grease for your skin – and Beautycounter has some of the best options available.

I really am loving their brightening Vitamin C oil. This oil is lightweight and absorbs into my skin in a matter of minutes. I apply it as the last step in my skincare regimen, after any exfoliators or treatments. It sinks in and adds some vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants help prevent environmental damage and can be used morning and night. So you could apply this in the AM as part of your routine, before sunscreen, or at night before you go to sleep. Makeup will glide on and you’ll have to powder if you want it to stay on. But it works and I love it.

Pick up Beautycounter online, and check out their options for oils. They function almost like serums but more hydrating which is nice. Once the weather gets really cold, you’ll really want to stock up because these are the best at getting rid of that tight feeling on your skin.

$68.

Posted in Moisturizers | Tagged Beautycounter, oil | Leave a comment

Rocky Mountain Soap Company Hydrating Outdoor Spray

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Henna

Summers for me include heading to a cottage out in Muskoka, and while we love being out and about while we’re there, the mosquitos don’t leave us alone.

We’ve stocked up on our DEET, but you wonder about spraying that stuff in the air and near your kids when they’re going to be breathing it in.

This year, I put Rocky Mountain’s Outdoor Spray near the back door and got everyone to use it. Even my 4 year old could use this spray bottle and because she’s 4, she sprayed it liberally. She even made sure to get behind her ears and at the ends of her hair. (Yep, I’m rolling my eyes even as I remember it.)

The long and the short? She didn’t get any bug bites this year. I got a few at night time, but after a while, I remembered that I had to just get this stuff on everywhere and it worked. Rocky Mountain Soap doesn’t say that this is bug spray or to use it instead of DEET, and I’m going to stick with them. Use it at your own risk, but my experience with it was a positive one.

Available online or at RMSC boutiques. $15.75.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged Rocky Mountain Soap Company | Leave a comment

Mornings Made Easier with Coffee Scrub

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Henna

Literally, whatever you’ve been using as a scrub won’t be as good as this one unless it already smells like a Vanilla Latte… which is what you get when you use this Lovefresh Coffee Sugar Scrub.

The one that I have smells like Coffee and Japanese Lime, but there’s also a version made with Vanilla which makes it smell so good too!

I also love that I can recognize all the ingredients in this scrub. Coffee? Check. Sugar? Check. Shea Butter? Check. And the list goes on to include even Honey, Sunflower Oil, and Coconut Butter, which are all amazing hydrators.

This scrub not only left my skin smooth, but it was hydrated and soft when I was done with it. Definitely, this has been one of my favourite summer finds.

Pick it up at Lovefresh for $34.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged LoveFresh | Leave a comment

Would You Pay $99 For This Moisturizer?

Posted on August 10, 2017 by Henna

Last year, I wrote about this moisturizer, which is supposed to have all the bells and whistles when it comes to making your skin healthier but it also has sunscreen in it, so that’s primarily what I’m using it for….

Now, I’ve finished two of these moisturizers and to be honest, I’m not sure it’s worth the $99. Sure, it has a ton of antioxidants in it, but I’m not sure I’ve seen much of a chance in my skin because of them. I think that a good vitamin C or retinol does more for my skin and I’d rather spend my money on those.

This is a great sunscreen – it has a thicker texture and I really like the dispenser, so if you were going to use it as a day cream, then it would be great.

Still available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

If it’s getting more chilly where you are, then it’s time to change up your moisturizing routine – namely by adding a better moisturizer to your skincare regimen, but without swapping out any of the sun protection you’ve been using.

I’m turning to Strivectin’s new Repair and Protect Moisturizer because it’s a super moisturizing base that even has SPF 30 in it. The SPF 30 is broad spectrum sunscreen which means that it can protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays – some SPF’s don’t have that, and we need both – along with antioxidants – for adequate sun protection. This moisturizer definitely feels more hydrating and thicker than my regular serum (my skin doesn’t do well with moisturizer in hot and humid weather), but it’s also making my skin so nice and smooth which I love.

This moisturizer also has loads of antioxidants, and patented NIA-114TM which can replenish the skin’s moisture barrier and help fight the signs of aging.

You can find Strivectin at Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques and at The Hudson’s Bay Company.

$99.

Posted in Sunscreen | Tagged StriVectin | Leave a comment

Anew Vitale Day Lotion SPF 25

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Henna

The sunscreen that I’m using on my face right now is this Anew Vitale Day Lotion in SPF 25. It’s so smooth that the first time I used it on my kids, even they said they liked the cream because of how smooth it felt. It offers SPF 25 broad spectrum sun protection in a formula that’s hydrating and feels comforting on your skin. I like it so much that I can skip the moisturizer and just reach for this without worrying that it’s going to be drying on my skin .

You can get it through your Avon retailer or online, and I should tell you that although summer is not over, and you should be wearing sunscreen year round anyway, but this sunscreen is on sale right now.

Posted in Sunscreen | 1 Comment

New Givenchy for Summer 2017

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Henna

Givenchy’s Summer 2017 products are a mix of luxury and trendiness, with packaging that feature real leather casing, and formulas that are long-lasting and interesting.

Definitely the coolest product to come out of this collection is Le Rouge Sculpt ($45), a two-tone lipstick that creates the effect of duotone lips.

Here’s No. 1, which is a mix of sheer black and red. You can see the application directions right on the box.

Here’s a swatch on my arm. You can see how sheer the black and the red are, so that they’re wearable if you want a more trendy look. The other colours are actually more wearable because they’re mixes of reds in different shades.

Then there’s the Noir Interdit Mascara ($38) which has a curved wand that bends back and forth. The truth is that even if there’s a great wand, the formula needs to be buildable and long-lasting and in that this mascara definitely delivers.

The entire collection is available at Sephora, and the mascara launches August 3.

Posted in Summer 2017 | Tagged Givenchy | Leave a comment

L’Occitane Adds to its Peony Collection

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Henna

L’Occitane is known for its shea butter skincare products for the body, but it also has great face care products including their Peony line which smells amazing.

Now, the Peony collection includes the Peony Petal Cleansing Oil ($40), and their reformulated Peony Perfecting Mist ($20). Both, smells amazingly floral.

Lets start with the Perfecting Mist. It’s great under moisturizer and on top of makeup to help it look more dewy and not as matte.

The Cleansing Oil has actual Peony petals in it! A little bit goes a long way with this cleanser, and it does a fantastic job of melting makeup and then washing completely clean when you add a bit of water.

Both of these are available at L’Occitane boutiques now and online.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged l'Occitane | 2 Comments

Yes to Cotton

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Henna

The Yes To brand expands their skincare collection with a line of products specially designed to moisturized. My favourite item from everything out there is the Yes to Cotton Micellar Water.

Let me just say that I can’t get enough of Micellar Water. It literally melts makeup off your skin but without being greasy and heavy and that’s why I like it. I know you need to use cotton pads with it and that can seem like a waste, but I just put it on a washcloth and use that to wipe off the makeup.

Micellar water is great because it doesn’t strip your skin as it cleans the makeup off, but I do like to follow up with another cleanser so that I can be sure that I got everything off.

The Yes to Cotton Micellar Water isn’t made with mineral oil – in case that matters to you – but there is a cotton seed oil in it to help break down the makeup and wipe it off. The Yes to Cotton collection is formulated for sensitive skin types and includes a moisturizer, mask, and makeup remover wipes and pads.

The Yes to Cotton Comforting Micellar Cleansing Water is $8.99 and available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Posted in Cleansers | Tagged Micellar Water, Yes to, Yes to Cotton | Leave a comment

Natural Shampoo Perfect for Camping!

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Henna

LOVEFRESH is a line of bath and body products made in Toronto. Not only is the packaging impossibly chic, but the products are natural but effective! Natural shampoos can some times get a bad rap: they don’t lather as well, can be greasy or they can strip hair of all moisture, leaving it dry and frizzy.

LOVEFRESH Lavender Tea Tree shampoo is none of these. It has a beautiful, gel-like, aloe vera type texture that feels slippery in your hands but lathers in your hair. It gets rid of product or build-up, rinses clean but doesn’t strip hair of anything. Truly, the smooth-feel of the shampoo is what keeps me using it and I follow up with my own conditioner.

The best part of this shampoo is that it’s going to fit your summer. Because it’s made with all natural ingredients, it’s not bad for the environment, so you can lather up wherever you are and not worry about the effect you might have on anything else.

You can get LOVEFRESH online or you can find a retailer near you. $32.

Posted in Shampoo and Conditioner | Tagged LoveFresh | Leave a comment

Skin Republic Bubble Purifying and Charcoal Mask

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Henna

Skin Republic is my favourite mask company because they make an amazing foot mask. It actually has tons of lactic acid in it so that it exfoliates all the dead skin off your feet. It looks gross as that happens – there’s really no other way to put it – but the final effect looks better than a pedicure, lasts longer, and is actually cheaper, considering the mask costs just $16 (you can order it here). I love it so much that I stock up on it if I’m ever at a Murale or Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique and it really works.

Sorry for that digression, but I just had to remind you about that mask – although it’s better to use it in the winter when your feet have less of a chance to seeing the sun.

Now, Skin Republic has a new mask, and it’s the Bubble Purifying and Charcoal Mask. It’s a black sheet mask that has cleanser on it that foams up when it’s exposed to air. As you let the mask sit on your face, it foams more and more, providing a relaxing tingling feeling to the skin as the tiny bubbles in the foam gently pop.

When you wash the mask off, you’re left with really clean, gently relaxed skin. It’s a nice relaxing mask to do, and one that’s great if you like to have your skin left clean, because the foam is essentially like a cleanser when you wash it off with water. I love that residue left from the sheet mask washes off so easily and actually helps me clean my skin – although I did wash off all my makeup before using this mask.

You can get it online, or at Murale or Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques for $9.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Skin Republic | Leave a comment