Canadian Beauty

The Body Shop Satsuma

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Henna

Or: “What To Get Someone You Don’t Know Very Well” or also: “A Scent Kids Definitely Like”.

Ok, so truth be told, if I walk into a Body Shop location, the Satsuma range might not be what I’m finding appropriate for myself, if you know me, you know that I’m more of a Morrocan Rose kind of person, but I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like the smell of The Body Shop Satsuma range. It’s completely bright and fresh, and really does smell like fresh mandarin oranges, which happen to be in season right now, so smelling of Satsumas is completely appropriate.

I also love that the products in the range actually have cold-pressed Satsuma oil, as well as other moisturizers, in them, which makes them nourishing on the skin.

Shown above is the Satsuma Premium Gift Set which is only $45. It also comes in Strawberry, British Rose, coconut, shea butter, fuji green tea, mango, moringa, Wild Argan Oil, and other variations. Each is $45 and has different highlights from the collections – and for sure includes a body butter.

The Satsuma gift set includes:

This gift set includes:
• Satsuma Shower Gel 250ml
• Satsuma Body Butter 200ml
• Satsuma Body Polish 75ml
• Satsuma Body Mist 100ml
• Satsuma Hand Cream 30ml

Here’s the hand cream.

Plus, this Christmas, specially selected gifts (including this one) will help protect endangered species and restore 1 square metre of rainforest in Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia – you might be picking up a Body Shop gift set anyway, but this is also something that the receiver will feel good about.

Posted in Holiday 2016 | Tagged The Body Shop | Leave a comment

Gift Time Is Here

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Henna

Friends, it’s the holidays and my favourite gifts are now in store, like this Fresh Sugar lipbalm set. I love these sets because they let you try your favourite products without breaking the bank. This set is a $98 value and comes for $70. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve now tried all the Sugar shades, and my favourites are Petal (which absolutely a natural, nude pink), Tulip (brighter pink), and Poppy (more of a raspberry).

Pick it up at Sephora.

Posted in Holiday 2016 | Tagged Fresh | Leave a comment

Dior Holiday 2016 Splendor Collection Eyeshadow Palettes

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Henna

Dior’s Holiday 2016 is here, and it’s a supremely glam collection that incorporates lots of great detailing that puts you into the holiday spirit.

My favourite things have to be the eyeshadow palettes. Below is palette 776 which is a range of purples with a gold accent shade, and a shimmering white highlighting shade. Although all the colours are shimmering, the deeper two colours in this palette work well as contour colours. The sequin design is absolutely beautiful and probably one of my favourite Dior holiday designs. I really like using these shadows wet for a more intense colour payoff.

There’s also palette 66 which is greys that have a bronze centre as an accent colour. I love that there’s a black shade in this palette and it works well in the contour, or used with as an eyeliner colour.

$73 each at TheBay.com, Sephora, and other Dior counters.

Posted in Holiday 2016 | Tagged Dior, Holiday 2016, palettes | 2 Comments

Gift Your Favourite Hair Care

Posted on November 27, 2016 by Henna

Did you read my review of the Kerastase Discipline Curl line? I’m obsessed with it and I’m thinking that it’ll be perfect for every curly-haired gal in my life. Thankfully, Kerastase has it available as a gift set, along with the rest of their most popular hair care lines.

The Kerastase Discipline Curl Holiday Set includes the Cleansing Conditioner Curl Ideal 400ml, Crème Oléo-Curl 150ml, Mousse Curlissime 150ml for $125 (and it’s actually a $171 value).

All in a beautiful box.

Available in Kérastase salons and online at: http://www.kerastase.ca

Posted in Hair, Holiday 2016 | Tagged Holiday 2016, Kerastase | Leave a comment

Avon Anew AHA Refining Cream

Posted on November 27, 2016 by Henna

I’m happy to report that a good AHA cream doesn’t have to cost a lot, and nor does it have to leave your skin super dry. My latest find is Avon’s Anew AHA Refining Cream. It’s available online for $32, and has a super thick, almost greasy texture, but also has glycolic acid in it so that your skin will be noticeably brighter and smoother after using it – even after the first time, but especially after a week or so.

It’s the perfect cream for the winter months – my skin still needs the exfoliation of the glycolic acid, but because it’s a little dryer, I love this thick cream that makes my skin look and feel so hydrated and comfortable.

Pick it up at Avon.ca.

$32.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Anew, Avon, Glycolic | Leave a comment

The New Powder Foundation from Bare Escentuals

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Henna

Powder foundations have come a long way. Forget about being cakey and obviously powdery, today’s powder foundations are light-weight and actually leave the skin glowing instead of totally matte.

Bare Escentuals, the brand that really made its name with a powder mineral foundation, now has a new compact powder foundation, BarePro Performance Wear Powder Foundation. The foundation comes in a luxe clickable mirrored compact with a sponge inside. I rarely use a sponge to apply powder foundation but it does come in handy when you’re on the go and just need to tap on some product to control excess shine. I use my favourite kabuki brush or even a big fluffy brush to apply foundation on my skin after moisturizing. The effect is sheer but buildable and obvious spots and discolouration is smoothed away.

The finish of the foundation is matte, but not dull. It’s best for oily skins or very moisturized skin because that’s going to keep this foundation on. People who have dry skin will notice that dry patches become obvious, but that would happen with almost any foundation. The foundation wears very well throughout the day and just looks so natural on. It doesn’t absorb oil, but it lasts through oily skin and I think that’s saying something. Take it with you to do touchups on the go and you’ll find that your makeup might just look as good as it did when the day started.

This is one of the best powder foundations out there – and the colour range means that there’s something for almost every skin tone, with good options for very light and very dark skin tones.

Pick it up at Sephora stores.

$36.

Posted in Fall 2016 | Tagged Bare Minerals, Foundation, Review | Leave a comment

Your New Holiday Travel Essential: Solid Body Butter

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Henna

So solid body butter is a thing and I have to say that once I wrapped my head around it, I actually tried it and love it.

Mine is from Rocky Mountain Soap Company and is a blend of oils, beeswax, and cocoa butter. It glides on smoothly on to your skin and then you can just rub it in gently with your fingers. Because it’s oils and wax, no water or fillers, this body butter actually makes skin so much softer and keeps dryness away – it’s the best in cold winter months and I try to apply it daily before I go to bed.

It won’t leak or break open in a bag, and it also won’t get confiscated going through customs if you’re flying. It’s also 100% natural and toxin-free.

They come in a variety of scents, including a Rescue version for uplifting the spirits, Lavender to calm, and Vanilla Candy Cane which is out for the holidays.

Pick them up at Rocky Mountain Soap Company locations as well as online.

Posted in For the Body | Tagged Rocky Mountain Soap Company | Leave a comment

Nars Red Polishes – Nars x Sarah Moon

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Henna

This trio of red polishes is part of the Sarah Moon x Nars collection – one that focuses heavily on lots of red and pretty dramatic makeup on the whole.

I loved wearing these polishes – they applied so smoothly and gave me almost full coverage with one swipe. They were already shiny, but with a top coat, even more so.

Check out this image of the brightest of the bunch – Flon Flons.

The other colours are La Dame En Noir and Never Tamed. This is one day after application but you can see how amazingly shiny this polish is.

$25 each.

Posted in Holiday 2016 | Tagged Holiday 2016, Nars | Leave a comment

Trufitt & Hill Apsley Cologne

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Henna

Trufitt & Hill has just recently come on to my radar as a British brand with heritage and top notch men’s grooming products. Established in 1805, Trufitt and Hill is known for grooming so good, that it’s preferred by members of the British Royal Court.

Although they focus on men’s shaving creams and brushes, as well as providing services, they also have a line of men’s colognes, some of which have been around for 200 years or more. But this year, they launched the new Apsley Cologne for men.

The cologne is unlike most men’s colognes, in that along with the light citrus top notes, it also has smoky wood notes that have amazing lasting power. There’s woody vetiver along with a heart of cedar and patchouli – something that’s often not found in men’s fragrances. There’s also a powdery undertone of musk which makes the fragrance light and fresh instead of being weighed down by the more woody notes.

This scent is easy to wear – it warms up on the skin and doesn’t stay too powdery, but also doesn’t smell too citrusy like many men’s fragrances do.

Pick it up this holiday season for someone who appreciates fine cologne.

$120 for 100ml online or in stores.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Trufitt and Hill | Leave a comment

A Radiance Mask for Dry Skin

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Henna

Despite having a love for exfoliating (maybe even too much sometimes), without a doubt, it’s become clear to me that the kindest thing that we can do for our skin is moisturize it. Wrinkles soften, tone improves, and dark spots even seem to disappear just with the right moisturizer.

I’ve recently become a fan of moisturizing masks that you leave on your skin. They’re usually light so that you don’t clog your pores but also effective so that you end up with moisturized skin in the morning. Makeup will go on better, and any kind of product you use during the day will just sit better on your skin.

I want my routines to be super fast, and so I’m loving Paula’s Choice new Radiance Renewal Mask which is pumped full of antioxidants and moisturizers to that it does double duty on your skin. The formula is a silky smooth gel-cream that feels smooth on the skin and just locks moisture in. It’s formulated with glycerin and olive oil, so it attracts moisture to the skin and then locks it in. Antioxidants help reverse the damage that free radicals can do. You can use this mask every day or just when your skin needs some extra TLC. I’m rubbing it all over my hands too, and it’s doing a great job keeping my skin soft.

Paula’s Choice is a brand that was started by Paula Begoun, who used to write cosmetic review books that were actually based on science. After seeing all the skin care that she was reviewing, it only made sense for her to come out with her own line of products that perform the way that she would want them to.

You can get the Radiance Renewal mask online for $36.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Mask, Paula's Choice | Leave a comment