Canadian Beauty

A Little About Me and My Favourite Mascara

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Henna

So, I’m back into being all about my workouts these days, and it feels so good! I feel healthier just because I’m doing something that’s good for me, and it makes the rest of the day so much better. Anybody else into the workouts like I am? Good music is key, and it just makes the workouts go so much quicker. It even makes my skin look better, because I’m convinced that all that sweating is good for making skin really glow.

I work out at home, so I’m not too concerned about having my makeup look good throughout a workout, but I have to say that Clinique’s latest new mascara will last through a workout and a swim and a shower! It’s not a waterproof mascara but one of those that just needs water to come off in little tubes. Does anyone remember the Blinc mascara that was so popular about 10 years ago? They used to sell it at Urban Outfitters and other small shops, and it was liked because it didn’t smudge at all and you didn’t even need soap to take it off. You just rubbed your lashes between your fingers and the mascara kind of just rubbed off in a big clump.

Well, Clinique’s new Lash Power Flutter-to-Full mascara does exactly that. It promises 24 hour wear (and it really can last even more than that) and needs just warm water to wash off. It’s not a real waterproof mascara, but it can resist water if you don’t rub your eyes. This mascara offers the ability to control how voluminous you want your lashes to look. Turning the barrel of the mascara wand either dispenses a little bit of mascara or a lot, and I always pick the “lots” option. The mascara is black so it makes for really dramatic lashes, and you have the ability to layer and define them before it dries. I wish it was easier to wash off, but I’m so glad that it doesn’t smudge at all during the day that I’ll be using this for a long time.

$28.

Posted in Search for the Perfect Mascara | Tagged Clinique, Mascara | Leave a comment

No-Weight Shine On Your Hair

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Henna

Shiny hair… it’s that one thing that we want and it’s just within our reach. A good wash and some light conditioning is really all you need, and less is more when it comes to putting styling products in your hair.

In the past, I’ve been a huge fan of Kerastase’s Elixer Ultime. It’s a serum that has oils in it and it makes your hair so smooth and shiny and nice to touch. If that was too heavy for you, then you need to try the Kerastase Elixer Ultime Bi-Phase Oil Mist. It’s a light version of the Elixer Ultime offering the same conditioning oils and light-weight hydration but without weighing the hair down quite as much. While I used the Elixer Ultime before styling my hair, I use the mist after styling to add some shine and take away any frizz that might be remaining. You can use it before styling too as a heat protector.

$56 at salons.

Posted in Styling Products | Tagged Kerastase | Leave a comment

Winter Favourites: Caudalie Hand and Foot Cream

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Henna

Oooh, yes, it’s definitely fall where I am and so I’m reaching more for my favourite hand and foot creams, in this case the Caudalie Foot Beauty Cream ($20), and the Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream ($22). Both have luxurious texture – watery at first, but then creamy and moisturizing without being greasy.

The key to these creams is that they’re water-based – which is why they initially feel so light – but they also have shea butter and grape oil – which help seal in the moisture. The inclusion of glycerin makes sure that hydration stays on the skin instead of vanishing into the air.

Pick them up at Caudalie.com.

Posted in For the Body | Tagged Caudalie | Leave a comment

The All-Natural Sunscreen

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Henna

…that doesn’t go on all white.

It’s pretty amazing, and I’m so glad that I found it because I use it on my kids all the time. Of course, it had to be a winner because the first I’m I used it on them, they said “this sunscreen smells so good!”

It’s the Rocky Mountain Soap Company’s Vanilla Coconut Natural Sunscreen. It’s an SPF 31 sunscreen that’s made with zinc dioxide and shea butter. It has a soft beige colour to it which is thanks to the addition of real vanilla.

This sunscreen, like many others, is slightly greasy once it’s rubbed in but it’s not too oily. You do feel it on your skin, which makes it best for using on your body rather than on your face.

$22 at Rocky Mountain Soap Company boutiques or online.

Posted in Sunscreen | Tagged Rocky Mountain Soap Company | Leave a comment

A Gorgeous New Brow Line from CBV

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Henna

When I was a teenager, I used to religiously go to Caryl Baker Visage in the mall closest to me to get my eyebrows done. They charged more than the lady working out of her basement, but I liked that I didn’t have to go to anyone house to get them done, and if I didn’t like how they were done, I could complain and book an appointment with someone different the next time. Truth be told, they’re still my go-to for a good brow, and they know they’re good. That’s why they’ve come out with a whole new collection of brow products this fall.

The collection has everything you would need for a flawless brow: a brow balm that fills in and tames stray hairs ($24); a pencil so that you can fill in arches without another tool ($27); brow ink that comes with the skinniest most spindly brush I’ve ever seen ($23); and a brow highlighter which is more convenient than highlighting your brows with your regular concealer ($23).

Truly, a pencil and brown balm are products I already had, but the brow ink and brow highlighter were so unique that they’ve become pretty much indispensable in my makeup. The super-fine brush of the brow ink makes it so easy to tidy up the brows, and I use the brow highlighter in the matte beige when I’m going out because it makes my brows pop just a little bit more.

Check out the entire collection at your local Caryl Baker Visage boutique. Find one near you here.

Posted in Fall 2016 | Tagged Brows, Caryl Baker Visage, CBV | Leave a comment

Nars Sarah Moon Eyeshadow Duo

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Henna

It’s holiday time, and this year, the Nars Sarah Moon Collection is going to be on every makeup lover’s wishlist. The packaging is beautiful and the colours are wearable and something special.

I’ll be talking about the collection as a whole later, but right now I’ve been using the Quai Des Brumes eyeshadow duo and it is everything. It makes for a lovely lavender smoky eye for day or night. What’s great about this duo is that there’s a shimmer and a matte shade. Yes, those are little bits of golden glitter in the matte eyeshadow, but for all intents and purposes, this goes on as a matte. If you’re into a more low-key smoky look, just wear the shimmer shade on the left with some eyeliner, and if you want to go all out, contour with the matte colour.

The shadows are buttery smooth with no fallout and they’re super easy to blend. My favourite way to apply them is with my fingertips.

Pick it up at narscosmetics.com or at the Nars counter for $44.

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

New NYX Sweet Cheeks Blush Palette

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Henna

I’ve been skipping the blush for the last little bit, simply because I got tired of what I had, but then this beautiful and well-made palette from NYX came my way and kind of inspired me.

Priced at $29.99, this palette has 8 blush options and costs less than even 1 high-end blush – the best part might just be that many of these blushes remind me of my favourite ones from Nars. I mean, doesn’t the bottom right hand corner one remind you of Angelika (without the shimmer), and the deeper pink next to it of Desire? Those have been my favourites in the past when I went more for bright blushes.

Nowadays, I find myself reaching more for the one above the Desire-lookalike and I gently tap it on to my cheeks for a subtle look. These are so pigmented that I don’t need very much, and they go on so smoothly without even any shimmer fall-out. They apply matte (except for the two very shimmery ones at the top) and blend so well.

Pick up the palette in stores now.

Posted in Fall 2016 | Tagged Blush, NYX | 2 Comments

Maybelline Color Jolts

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Henna

Finally, a drugstore equivalent to your favourite expensive Melted Lipsticks! Maybelline Color Jolts offer amazing colour payoff without breaking the bank. They come in neutral and super bright colours, most of which are surprisingly wearable and flattering. Cool bright colours always look great because they make your teeth look whiter.

I love using Stripped Down (it’s the perfect brownish pink) because it makes for a great neutral lip, but I also love using Orange Outburst or Talkback Red smudged on with my fingers to use as a stain. These last and last the whole day.

The applicator is very similar to the other melted lipsticks’ – it’s a felted tip that makes application smooth and yet precise because the lipstick isn’t sliding all over the applicator.

These are my go-to lipsticks right now for a night out – even though they’re not lipsticks – because they deliver such a punch of colour and make for a great dramatic look. Pick them up at drugstores now.

Posted in Fall 2016 | Tagged Maybelline | Leave a comment

Yes to Coconut!

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Henna

If you have oily skin, it can easy to think that you need to stay away from moisturizing products, but once you actually add them into your skincare routine, it can feel so refreshing!

I love washing my face with something more creamy because creamy cleansers really emulsify oils and makeup together and then wash everything clean. My latest discovery is the Yes to Coconut line – I’ve been using the cream cleanser and the ultra hydrating facial mask – both are super creamy and made with coconut and avocado oils. In fact, the ingredient list also includes Chia Seed oil, avocado oil, and apricot oil, meaning that this is truly a moisturizing and creamy cleanser.

The Ultra Hydrating Creme Cleanser really is for dry skin because it does leave a film on your skin when you wash it off. If you’re used to having your face be squeaky clean then you’ll have to follow up with something foaming. It feels like a thick rich cream going on and there’s a scrumptious coconut fragrance that goes along with it. The mask feels very much like the cream – I didn’t dislike it but it was too rich for me.

Check out both products at Shoppers Drug Mart stores near you.

Posted in Cleansers | Tagged skincare, Yes to coconut | Leave a comment

Moisturizer For the Fall: Vichy Aqualia Thermale Light

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Henna

Every kind of skin needs a moisturizer for the colder months, and if you’re looking for something truly light, it has to be from the Vichy Aqualia Thermale line. This moisturizer goes on feeling light and fresh but coats skin, locking in moisture.

Although I have oily skin, it can get a little dry in the winter and when I use retinol on it, so I like a light and fresh moisturizer during the day because it won’t clog pores.

It’s a pretty basic moisturizer with no fillers and also nothing fancy but it just feels so darn refreshing on dry skin and it literally feels as if my skin is drinking water when I put it on.

This is a fall must-have.

$39.95 online or in stores.

Posted in Moisturizers | Tagged Moisturizer, Vichy | Leave a comment