New Dior Capture Totale Dream Skin Advanced Perfect Skin Creator

Posted on February 4, 2017 by Henna

Oh, how I wish that I had skin so good that all it needed was a little moisturizing, mattifying, glow, and that’s it.  Alas, I am a regular foundation user, and I just can’t quit using foundation. 

But, as it happens, Dior’s new Capture Totale Dream Skin Advanced Perfect Skin Creator is perfect for using as a primer too.  

Dream Skin tries to truly give you dream skin.  It works as a light moisturizer, smoothing skin and softening wrinkles.  It has superfine glowing pigments in it making skin appear brighter and more glowing, but without being shimmery or obvious.  Use it and your skin looks healthy and glowy – like it’s well-rested and moisturized even if it’s actually not.  

Best of all, it does all this and is weightless and easy to use.  You can use it under makeup as a primer or you can use it on top of made up skin, just patting on gently with your fingertips to refresh makeup.  

This is a best-selling Dior product and for $150, it’s a large pump bottle that will last a long time.  I normally don’t like to use a primer but I like the slightly shimmery finish this gives me under my makeup – it just enhances everything and makes my skin smoother before foundation.

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New MAC Lip Scrubtious Collection

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Henna

If you’re struggling with dry lips that peel off, then you need a lip scrub.  MAC Lip Scrubtious is five flavours of lip scrub made up of sugar, grape seed oil, and shea butter to help hydrate and get rid of dry flaky lips.  I don’t normally use a lip scrub, but I like using this before I apply a matte lipstick so that my lips are super smooth and soft.  

Flavours are Candied Nectar, Fruit of Passion, Summer Berry, Sweet Brown Sugar and Sweet Vanilla.  

$19 each.

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My All-Time Favourite Daytime Moisturizer

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Henna

I didn’t used to use moisturizer in the day, but when I started using sunscreen everyday, I would find that the sunscreen would actually be a little bit drying on my skin, so I’ve since switched to a moisturizer that contains sunscreen.  My favourite one is Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost gel cream with SPF 15.

This is a super light gel that has light reflecting particles in it (not glitter! but maybe a pinch of microfine shimmer) so it makes your skin look and feel all healthy and glowy.  The SPF 15 in it is the cherry on top, and it’s what keeps me reaching for this instead of the more expensive primer it sits next to in my bathroom.  

If you want a good basic and affordable sunscreen option that works well under foundation, then this would be my pick.

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Lancome ReDefines Mascara and Eyeliner

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Henna

People always ask me how to apply liquid eyeliner, and I always say “practice, practice, practice!” because the truth is that I’ve watched dozens of videos of famous makeup artists and Instagrammers applying eyeliner, and I don’t do it their way.  I do it my own way and it seems to come out fine but I’ve practiced lots and that’s the only way to really get a steady hand so apply a nice clean line. 

Nevertheless, Lancome has tried to make it even easier to apply liquid eyeliner by rethinking the wand applicator.  The Grandiose Liner ($40) has a wand that pivots in the middle so that you can apply eyeliner more intuitively.  You can bend it 35 degrees to adapt to your own eye shape and apply a perfect line.  I think the super-thin tip helps me more than anything, and the tip also has the perfect amount of bend so that you can create a cat eye with the eyeliner just so. 

The formula is gentle and smooth and it doesn’t flake or smudge throughout the day.  It stays put and washes off when you need it to, which is perfect if you have oily eyelids like I do.  

Pair it with the Grandiose Extreme Mascara ($36) which also lets you apply in different ways, and has a super long-lasting finish that doesn’t flake or smudge throughout the day.  

Both the Grandiose Extreme Mascara and the Grandiose Liquid Liner come in lots of colours – brown, blue, and purple in addition to the original black – which lets you play with your look.  I have the mascara in blue, and although it looks really bright out of the tube, it actually dries to almost-black which makes it easy to wear during the day.  I like the eyeliner in brown because it’s not as harsh as a regular black liner.

Both are available at Lancome counters now.

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Posted in Spring 2017 | Tagged | Leave a comment

New Video: Nars Wildfire Collection!

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Henna

Happy Friday, everyone!

The Nars Wildfire Collection is new for Spring 2017 and features colour for the eyes, and more subdued tones for the lips.  It’s a contrast to the light, pretty, floral-inspired makeup that we usually see this time of year, but it’s still on-trend – especially since aqua and teal shades of eyeshadow are back in style.  

My favourite products are the Thessalonique eye palette, because it has two colours that are quite wearable – an icy vanilla base, and a silver-infused taupe/violet.  I found that the silver glitter seemed to make it a little difficult to blend, but like most glittery shadows, this is best applied by tapping it on to your lid with your finger-tips.

The other shadow duo is called Chiang Mai Duo and is a contrast of shimmering sea blue and copper.

The Bumpy Ride powder blush is also something that I’m finding myself reaching for again and again.  It’s a shimmery coral colour that’s lighter than what I usually wear, but is great for brightening up any collection.  

The Asphalt Jungle Lip Gloss is described as a shimmering sangria, and the Aragon Lip gloss is described as red chestnut.  There’s also the Kiss Me Stupid Lipstick (burnt sienna) and the Breaking Free Lipstick (coral).  I love the shimmering lipgloss – it’s a deeper colour than I normally wear but it’s good for a more formal look.

Check out the full video if you’d like to see more swatches and such!

The collection is available right now at Sephora and Sephora.ca, and will be available at all other Nars retailers February 2017.

 

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New Make Up For Ever High Precision Lip Pencil

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Henna

Make Up For Ever has the Aqualip lip pencil, which glides on to your lips and then sets to a waterproof finish, but now they have a more traditional lip pencil as well which is called the High Precision Lip Pencil.  Available in a range of natural, completely wearable colours, this lip pencil is perfect for those people who want a natural lip under their lipstick.

My favourite is #20 which is a pretty bright pink – my lips but much better.  I use it to line my lips and then fill them in.  It’s a dry matte formula which make it sometimes difficult to put on very dry lips, but it lasts through breakfast, so that it’s still on when I go to work, so that makes it worth wearing daily.

This is a lip pencil that you need to sharpen, and that means that you can bring it to an exact point, hence the name high precision.  You can really get a fine line with this lip pencil, so if that’s how you’re going to use it then it will work well!

$22 at Sephora.

 

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Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Henna

You will have seen a lack of reviews on the popular cushion makeup that’s come out in recent years. You can find it at Sephora, the drugstore, or the department store, in the form of a usually watery foundation that’s housed in a compact with a built in cushion.  You tap the cushion and then apply foundation on your skin.  Because the formula is so watery, the foundation applies smoothly and looks like skin.  Honestly, I’ve been sent some samples but can’t seem to find a perfect match for my skin tone. 

Until now.  

Welcome Estee Lauder’s answer to cushion makeup – a Cushion Stick instead of a compact, available in their Double Wear Nude formula, which is the antithesis of cakey long-wearing makeup of the past. 

Because this Cushion Stick comes in 15 shades, I was able to get the perfect match to my skin – it’s so good that it doesn’t even look like I’m wearing makeup and I can even apply it only on areas that I want covered (typically under my eyes). The formula is weightless but not watery.  You take the cap off the tube, and then twist the bottom up until the foundation comes through on to the cushion.  It applies like a cream, and you can blend it into your skin using the cushion, or apply in dabs and then blend using the tool of your choice – I use my fingertips.  If you The makeup is radiant because it actually reflects light just like skin would – I powder on top to make it wear a bit longer, then go on my way.  At the end of the day, my foundation is still on my face, so I’m happy with the wear. 

If you’re worried about continually using the cushion to apply the foundation, you can twist it off, wash and dry it, and then twist it back on.  I only use it to dot the foundation on to my skin, so I’m not too worried about it being very dirty.

This foundation really works if you want natural-looking foundation without too much coverage – I like it so much that I’m almost done my tube.  

Pick it up at Sephora or Estee Lauder counters or online. $46.

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Live Clean’s Fresh Face Hero Products

Posted on January 10, 2017 by Henna

If you’re looking to change your routine to something that’s more plant-based and yet affordable, then check out Live Clean’s Fresh Face line (available at drug stores and mass merchandisers).  I’ve been using their Fresh Face Daily Foaming Cleanser and the Soothing Daily Moisturizer, and both seem perfect for people with combination or oily skin.

The Foaming Cleanser is truly something of a hero product – it dispenses as a foam but glides on almost like a gel, melting makeup and washing off clean but not drying.  I love rubbing it on my skin because of the amount of slip it has.

The Soothing Daily Moisturizer is light and easy to use.  It absorbs almost instantly and makes skin touchably soft.  I wouldn’t use it on anyone who has dry or even normal skin – in the cold winter months, you might find that this isn’t nourishing enough for your skin, but because I have oily skin, it worked quite well for me, because I could apply makeup afterwards and my skin felt smooth and comfortable.

Sometimes, basic is best.

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Dermablend Professional Comes to Canada

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Henna

If you’re looking for full-coverage foundations and more specialized coverage products – think acne scars or hyperpigmentation – then there’s a way to going above what’s just available at your local Sephora.  Dermablend – a professional makeup artist’s secret – is finally available in Canada.  The brand was created by an American dermatologist who saw a need for more heavy but wearable camouflage products.  The foundations and concealers are available in a large range of colours that are skin-true.  There are yellow-based shades available in the line, which is important these days, and a finely-milled setting powder that works for anyone and everyone.

Truth be told, even though I normally don’t use a setting powder (it’s something I save for special occassions), I’m now a fan of this one.  It’s very finely milled and makes my skin look completely matte!  It doesn’t stay matte throughout the day but that’s because I sweat and have very oily skin – but at least my mornings are shine free and the matte effect is quite natural looking and almost highlighting but without any glitter or shimmer.  The powder also comes in a cool beige shade and a saffron shade (which would be for darker skin tones) but the universal shade works for everyone and actually looks natural.

I’m also using their Liquid Concealer which already is a hit with me because I love concealers with wand applicators.  It makes it easy for me to dot on a little or a lot, and this one is so pigmented, that I actually blend it out with a bit of moisturizer to make it look even more natural.  It works well at covering under-eye circles, but is also easy to dot on to blemishes.  Let it set and then blend with a brush and you’ll have coverage for the whole day. The concealer comes in five colours and has a natural matte finish.

 

Why not start the new year with skin that really looks flawless?  Find your shade at Dermablend.ca or check out the line at Shoppers Drug Mart!

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Splurge or Save: Rose Face Masks

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Henna

Truly, the face mask trend sees no sign of fading, and as someone who’s been using masks for the past twenty years, I’m glad that they’re finally in the main stream.  One of my fondest memories is hosting girls night in nights where my guests try on different masks and sort through makeup and just chat.

One of the most luxurious masks that I’ve come across is Fresh’s Rose Face Mask, which has actual rose petals in it and smells absolutely divine. (Below is a travel size tub of it – the full-sized tub is much larger.)

You can see that the mask looks like a gel with bits of petals in it.  It’s a glycerine base, which turns out to be not that special – glycerine is readily available at the drugstore, but it’s quite stick on its own so one would never apply it directly to one’s skin.  However, it’s great at attracting moisture to the skin which is why it’s normally used in moisturizers.  Having it in a mask that you wipe off is great because the moisturizing properties seem to stay with the skin and make it touchable and soft if it’s dry.  It’s also something that’s fresh and suitable for all skin types.

Now, the mask above retails for $75 for 100ml.  Meanwhile, The Body Shop has a British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask which is similar, rose petals, lovely smell, and all.  Theirs is $28 for 75ml and is very similar.  If you’re into masks and want something moisturizing and relaxing aromatherapy-wise in your collection, then I suggest you take a trip to The Body Shop.

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