Canadian Beauty

In Case I Was Missing Summer…

Posted on August 30, 2016 by Henna

My favourite body wash and moisturizer duo comes in a delicate coconut scent, so that’s what I’m adding to my bath. It’s the Aveeno Skin Relief Gentle Scent™ Coconut Body Wash ($9.99) and the Aveeno Skin Relief Gentle Scent™ Coconut Lotion ($13.99). I keep a big pump bottle of the moisturizer on my bathroom vanity and my desk – it’s perfect for dry winter hands, and the scent isn’t overpowering, but just a little something different.

And the body wash is the extra dose of moisture that I need in the cooler months. It’s soap-free, and dye-free, and according to Aveeno, 95% of users with sensitive skins found that it was mild and gentle.

The moisturizer has dimethicone so it has a dryer slick feel, rather than feeling greasy on the skin. They’re just what I need right now.

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

The VMA’s Best Beauty Moment

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Henna

… this particular award has to be given to Naomi Campbell for wearing a glittery lip, thanks to Pat McGrath’s Lip Lust Kit. The kit launches in a few days and Campbell’s look shows every naysayer how wearable a glitter lip actually is – for a special occasion of course.

What do you think? Is this a trend you’d like to try?

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged Lip Lust, Pat McGrath | Leave a comment

I’m Back…

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Henna

… insert guilty-face emoji here…

So I’ve been on vacation for the past month, and despite taking my laptop with me, I confess I didn’t do anything other than reply to the most important emails.

But now I’m back, and in between unpacking and getting back into the swing of things, my social calendar is filling up quite nicely.

First up is a private shopping event at Holt Renfrew, where 10% of the proceeds will go towards Contemporary Calgary.

The event takes place on September 14th at 6:30, and will include bubbles, snacks, and a Fall Fashion Presentation. There will also be a live art auction.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here. Proceeds from the ticket sales go directly to Contemporary Calgary, and entrance to the event includes a membership to Contemporary Calgary.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Leave a comment

Happy National Lipstick Day

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Henna

In honour of National Lipstick Day, here are my favourite lipsticks! Share yours in the comments below.

Covergirl x Katy Perry Matte lipsticks. These lipsticks are a satin matte finish which means that they’re not too drying on the lips. This makes them easy to wear and if you moisturize underneath, the finish is even better! The coverage is almost-opaque and the colours available are on trend, which makes this capsule collection worth checking out.
Avon Perfectly Matte lipstick. This is another satin finish that has an almost-matte finish. The colours available are more classic, meaning there’s a holy grail red and pink in there for you!
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks. I love the Honeycomb colour in this line of citrus-scented lipsticks made up of ingredients you can eat!

Surprisingly, I’ve only covered THREE lipstick lines this year, and so that’s going to have to change, especially considering that I have lipstick on me ALL THE TIME!

What are your favourite lippies?

Posted in Summer 2016 | Tagged Avon, Bite Beauty, CoverGirl, lipstick | Leave a comment

Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Correct and Cover Pink Grapefruit Moisturizer Review

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Henna

Neutrogena’s Oil Free Acne Correct and Cover Pink Grapefruit Moisturizer is made for providing light coverage for acne-prone skin. It’s oil-free and made for people who are worried about clogging more pores. It’s great for evening out skin but because it’s water-based, it feels like nothing on. It has a refreshing feel when applied and the fresh smell of grapefruit is great for waking up the sense.

My only problem with this moisturizer is that it’s not very long before oil starts seeping through it. It has a satin matte finish at first, but acne-prone skin is usually oily and this moisturizer doesn’t do anything to really combat oil.

There is a small amount of salicylic acid in this, which would be great for those who are dealing with acne, but to see real results, you’ll have to pair this with stronger products either underneath or at night time. The directions do say to apply this moisturizer 1-3 times a day, but if you’re using it like makeup – meaning you’re applying powder, blush, etc. on top – then you will likely not reapply because this will mess all that up.

This is a great light tinted moisturizer for people who want something exceptionally light and easy to wear – definitely great for a daytime or weekend look.

Find it at drugstores now.

Posted in Summer 2016 | Tagged neutrogena | Leave a comment

Summer Skincare Tips!

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Henna

Ok, so it’s hot outside and you need to take care of the skin on your body so that it looks its absolute best. I’ve cracked the code on making your skin look amazing and here is what you need to use.

St. Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion. You want a golden brown hue but without incurring any skin damage and trust me when I say that using a self-tanner is a total game changer. I use it even though I’m naturally tan, and it just makes my skin look healthier and makes me look more svelte. A gradual tanner is key because it doesn’t ever get too dark, it doesn’t streak, and you have more control over the colour. St. Tropez’s In Shower Lotion is now available in a medium hue (if you want it to work quicker) and it takes the guess-work out of self-tanning. Just put it on in the shower with the water off, wait three minutes (I count to 180, put a mask on, scrub my feet) and then rinse if off. There’s actually no smell with this one!
Use a body oil. I love Zorah Cosmetics’ pure argan oil. It’s organic and made in Canada, and it goes on so smooth. I apply it to damp skin and let is soak in while I do my hair.
Use a body cream on top of your body oil. Sothys Paris After Sun Refreshing Body Lotion is unreal. It’s smooth and creamy and has a blend of glycerin and oils to help skin looking its best.

Don’t forget to use the sunscreen of your choice before heading out in the sun! Keep some right by the door so you don’t forget, or apply it first thing in the morning so that it becomes a habit!

Posted in For the Body, Self-Tanner | Tagged Sothys, St. Tropez, Zorah Cosmetics | Leave a comment

OPI Summer 2016 Infinite Shine Shades

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Henna

This summer OPI has released six new neutral shades of nail polish in their Infinite Shine formula, and they are everything!

Colours above (from left to right) are:

Don’t Ever Stop – Salmon

Hurry Up and Wait – tan

No Stopping Zone – dusky brownish rose

No Strings Attached – beige nude

Can’t Stop Myself – creamy peach

Staying Neutral on This One – light, slightly sheer, peachy pink

I’m a huge fan of neutral polishes because they take you everywhere. They’re on trend, can go from morning to night, and put the focus on hand jewelry instead of your polish. I definitely love wearing on-trend colours too, but sometimes I like the low-key elongating look of a good neutral polish.

The fact that OPI has six shades means that there are options for all skin tones. This polish won’t look just like your skin tone, but it’ll just be a natural nail colour option. I like the darkest shade (I wore it in this Youtube video and showed all the shades), and it’s still lighter than my skin tone.

All the colours apply evenly, and with someone of them, I could get opaque coverage with just one coat of nail polish. They last a long time if used with the Infinite Shine base coat and top coat, and the best part is that because they look so natural, you can barely see any grow out or chips, so your manicure looks flawless… even when it’s not!

They are $16.95 each, and available wherever OPI polishes are sold. No Stopping Zone is definitely a favourite of mine!

Posted in Summer 2016 | Tagged Infinite Shine, nail polish, OPI | Leave a comment

Wishlist: Drybar’s Baby Buttercup Blow Dryer

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Henna

Have you tried Drybar’s hair products? They are unreal – they all smell amazing and make your hair look SO good, thanks to having nourishing properties and hydrators. And now they have this cute little bright yellow hair dryer that seems all kinds of awesome.

Drybar is a chain on hair drying/styling salons out of L.A. (kind of like Blo, if you’ve heard of them), and so they know how to make good hair products.

This wee hair dryer is only $169! On to the wish list it goes!

What’s on your wish list right now?

Posted in Tools | Tagged Drybar | 2 Comments

Jump on Summer’s New Lipstick Trends

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Henna

This summer there are two brand new lipstick trends – jump on them now and they’ll take you into the fall season too.

The first is the ’90’s dark lip. Think dark eggplants, burgundy, deep chocolate brown, and even black and navy blue lipstick. The best way to wear these is matte and long-wearing.

The other new trend is metallic lip trend – also back from the 90’s. It’s might feel hard to get used to, but start with wearing colours you normally wear in just a metallic finish.

Jumping on new trends doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money thanks to NYX. Their new Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick is available in brand new trendy colours, and they also have a new Cosmic Metals Lip Cream. Each is $10.

What I love about the lip cream formula is that it doesn’t dry too fast. You apply it, have enough time to get it perfect, and then it sets to a long-wearing finish. Eating and drinking will take some of it off, but these lip creams really last and last. At the end of the day, they’re actually difficult to take off – you’ll need a wipe, makeup remover and then finally some soap. You need to get them on perfect and they stay on perfectly too.

The Suede lip creams are totally matte and feel soft on the lips. They are so easy to wear especially if your lips aren’t already dry.

The Cosmic Metals Lip Creams are not matte and actually finish to a glossy finish that’s a little sticky.

Pick them up at London Drugs for $10 each.

Posted in Summer 2016 | Tagged NYX | 2 Comments

New Live Clean Products for Men

Posted on July 16, 2016 by Henna

Live Clean is the brand that families love. They have awesome kids products, their hand soaps have a permanent place in my powder room, and now they have shampoos just for men.

Made with organic tea tree oil, organic peppermint oil, and organic jojoba oil, these shampoos not only clean the hair but leave it conditioned and smelling good too.

There are two options – classic clean, and a 2-in-1 (shampoo and conditioner).

I love that the formulas have astringent anti-bacterial properties (thanks to the tea tree oil) so that it helps take care of flakes and oil but without any unnecessary medications.

Give it a try – if you already love Live Clean products, this will be for you too.

Posted in Shampoo and Conditioner | Tagged Live Clean | Leave a comment