Canadian Beauty

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

L’Occitane’s new Shea Butter Violet Collection

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Henna

I’ve been using L’Occitane’s shea butter hand cream for about ten years, and it remains one of my favourites. It’s a simple formula – 20% shea butter makes for a super moisturizing cream but one that’s easy to apply and feels almost like a cold cream on our skin.

I love that each year, L’Occitane brings out a new scent for their hand cream and this fresh floral one is one to collect.

If you find the hand cream too greasy, then you should check out the Ultra Soft Cream which comes in a tin and has just 10% Shea Butter. It absorbs more readily and is better for smoothing all over the body, not just on your hands.

The packaging of the creams is now in geometric prints in honour of the Burkinabé who harvest the shea butter as part of a sustainable fair trade partnership with L’Occitane. L’Occitane has had this relationship for 36 years – notable since the company has been around for just 40 years.

The collection includes:

Shea Violet Ultra Soft Body Cream: $28

Shea Violet Hand Cream: $12

Shea Violet Lip Balm: $12

Classic Shea Limited-Edition Hand Cream (the big tube in the image) (150ml): $32

Classic Shea Limited-Edition Hand Cream (30ml): $12

Classic SheaLimited-Edition Ultra-Rich Body Cream: $48

Classic Shea Limited-Edition Lip Balm: $12

Posted in For the Body, Hand Cream | Tagged hand cream, l'Occitane, Shea Butter | 2 Comments

New Gentle Care for Curly Hair from Kerastase

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Henna

If you have curly hair, you might know that it requires some special TLC. You need to make sure that it’s clean, but not dried out, and curls need moisture but not so much that they get weighed down.

Kerastase’s new Discipline Curl line of products might just be the products I use for LIFE. Seriously, I’ve never tried products that are gentle, but still leave my hair clean. I’ve never had such smooth defined curls that are still soft to the touch.

My favourite product from the whole line has to be the Curl Ideal Cleansing Conditioner ($69). It’s the best cleansing conditioner that I have EVER used, and I have them on the go regularly. What makes this conditioner special is that it’s got a super soft and light texture like a lotion, rather than a cream. It feels like conditioner going on to your skin, but because it’s like a lotion and a little more fluid, it’s easier to rub it throughout your hair, with a little water. The bottle recommends using about 4-6 pumps, and I’ve been getting away with just 4 and using it almost exclusively on my scalp. This cleansing conditioner is sulfate and silicone free so while it’s gentle on your hair and moisturizing, it also doesn’t add build-up, but it also manages to get my hair clean. It’s not as squeaky clean as it would be if I used a shampoo, but it looks nice and clean and shiny, and feels super soft.

While the shampoo sits and does its job in my hair, I use the Curl Ideal Masque ($66) on the length of my hair. This mask is super thick and perfect for hydrating my ends.

After shampooing and conditioning, I mix a bit of Elixer Ultime with the Oleo-Curl cream ($56). It also feels like a lotion and is super light, but I need a touch of the serum to really define my curls. I tried the Mousse ($46), but like most mousse products it had a slight cruch to it, so it’s not something that I find myself reaching for. If I need a touch more hydration, I’ll use a bit of coconut oil but otherwise, I just let everything air dry and I’m pretty happy with the look and feel of my hair the next day.

Of all the products, I’m loving the Oleo-Curl cream and the Curl Ideal Cleansing Conditioner because they seem to be way better than anything else I’ve tried. I like that the conditioner cleans but doesn’t dry out your hair. With most cleansing conditioners, I find myself reaching for a normal shampoo after about two days, because I can notice the build-up, but not with this one. I haven’t touched a foaming shampoo for weeks now and I may never go back.

If you have curly hair, check out this line at your nearest Kerastase salon or purchase online.

Posted in Hair, Shampoo and Conditioner, Styling Products | Tagged Kerastase | Leave a comment

New Favourite Foundation: Vichy Teint Ideal

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Henna

You know you’ve found your favourite foundation when you don’t even want to turn to anything else, and you decide to clear out your makeup stash so that there are no other foundations on the horizon. That’s how I feel about Vichy’s new Teint Ideal Fluid Foundation which is part of Vichy’s new line of coverage products. The collection includes a Fluid Foundation for combination or oily skin, a Cream foundation for dry skin, a Powder Foundation available in three colours, a highlighter, a concealer, and a bronzer.

The Fluid Foundation is what I most wanted to try and what I’ve liked the best so far. It’s available in five colours (I’m number 45, honey) and offers 14 hour wear with SPF 20. I have to say that it really does last for 14 hours, because if I use a wipe at the end of the day, I can see the foundation has come off on it. The coverage is light and this foundation definitely looks dewy on the skin thanks to a certain amount of light-reflecting particles in it. Yes, I’m going to call them light-reflecting instead of shimmer because shimmer would be too pronounced. This foundation just reflects light to make your skin seem super healthy without making it look oily. Unlike most long-wear foundations, this looks natural and feels comfortable which is key. You don’t know you’re wearing it until you see your radiant self in the mirror.

Aside from the long-wear of it, my other favourite part is that it is so radiant but also matte to the touch. In no way does this feel dewy. It goes on powdery matte, but looks like moisturized skin. It’s quite a feat and it really works. No highlighter needed for me, because of how amazing this actually looks.

There’s also the a thicker cream version of this foundation that is for oily skin – it’s more moisturizing but still sticks to the skin and looks natural. I like the look of both foundations, but the Fluid foundation is easier to blend into my face in the mornings. I use the cream only when I’m really concerned about dry skin or on the weekends.

The powder version of the foundation is similarly infused with light-reflecting particles so that it doesn’t look dull or obviously powdery.

There aren’t lots of colours available in the foundation, but the colours are quite forgiving because they let the skin shine through. Check it out at Shoppers Drug Mart.

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

Today’s Inspiration

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Henna

In case you’re looking for some inspiration, watch this interview with Wendy Rowe, who’s the lead makeup artist for Burberry makeup. She talks about how she developed her style and what she learned along the way. I loved watching this and love hearing stories like these!

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Posted in More Than Beauty | Leave a comment

Givenchy Gentlemen Only

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Henna

So the holidays are coming, and you’re wondering what to possibly get for that male in your life. It might be cliched but actually, after speaking to a few men, they do appreciate getting perfume as presents. It saves them a trip into the mall, and they’re getting something that at least one other person in their life likes the smell of.

I have to recommend Givenchy’s Gentlemen Only Parisian Break, which is a flanker that came out this summer. I love it because it has notes of vetiver in the dry down (and that’s one of my favourite notes ever) and opens with minty and lemony notes. There are also notes of amber in the base, which lends a nice warmness on the skin, but it’s not a note that’s too sweet or immediately apparent in the scent. The middle notes have sage in them which adds a powdery herbal touch before you smell the grassy fresh vetiver.

In case you’re interested: it’s actually a best-seller at the Hudson’s Bay and it was so popular in Calgary that it sold out immediately! It’s been restocked now, so go have a sniff and see if it’s for you or the man in your life!

$96.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Givenchy | Leave a comment