Too Faced Gift of Great Mascara

I love the little makeup ornaments that are coming out now because they give you a chance to gift some cult favourite products at really affordable prices.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara OrnamentIf you’ve always wanted to try the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara, you might be interested in picking up a Deluxe size of it for $18 as a Christmas ornament!

The mascara layers really well and makes for thick lush lashes.  One stroke deposits tons of luscious mascara – it’s a thick formula that really makes lashes look amazing.

Available on TooFaced.com.

 

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Matrix Total Results Color Obsessed Shampoo and Conditioner

If you can’t tell from just the main page on this blog, I’m a little obsessed hair color right now.  I think not having as much time as I used to have for upkeep means that I really care about preserving the quality of color on my hair and making sure that I keep fading to a minimal.

I’ve become obsessed with using something blue-based on a regular basis to preserve the ashy tones in my hair, but I’m also using a color-specific shampoo and conditioner to really make my hair look and feel healthier and shinier.

Matrix Color ObsessedI’m loving Matrix Total Results Color Obsessed Shampoo and Conditioner because they are so gentle on my hair and have been leaving it so soft!  The shampoo is nice and creamy but gives me a deep clean when I’m not using my cleansing conditioner.   The conditioner is super rich but not too thick so it’s not weighing down my hair too much.

If you’re looking for a shampoo and conditioner that’s gentle on your hair and very conditioner, this is a great one to try out without breaking the bank.

Availabls at salons for $12.50 for the shampoo and $13.50 for the conditioner.

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Pureology Hydrate Cleansing Conditioner

My hair is super dry – especially in the winter – and so cleansing conditioners are totally my jam.  I use them when my hair’s not super oily and just needs a light cleansing after a workout.  I’m really just trying to get out the salt and sweat at my roots but don’t want to dry out the rest of my hair.

Pureology Cleansing conditionerPureology’s Hydrate Cleansing Conditioner is what I’m reaching for these days.  It feels just like a conditioner, not a shampoo, but it definitely makes your hair cleaner and shinier – as if you’d just shampooed it.

Pureology has three kinds of cleansing conditioners: Hydrating, Strengthening, and Smoothing.  It goes without saying that they’re all super gentle on your hair and because they are so gentle, you can’t really go wrong with either one.

If you’ve never used a cleansing conditioner, know that they’re almost like a cream cleanser that you might use on your face.  They dispense as a cream, and you use a copious amount on your scalp to get rid of any dirt or grime.  They’re not usually volumizing or deep cleansing because they’re heavier than a regular shampoo, and they don’t usually lather a ton although some do lather a bit.  Wen is one of the better known cleansing conditioners and that brand really works for some people who have very dry hair.  They’re a fantastic option for controlling frizz and taming unruly hair without putting too much product in it.

For the record, I usually follow up with a regular conditioner – these days it’s the one that comes with my Perfect 10 hair color and it makes my hair even more shiny.

Pureology is always made for color-treated hair, and is one of the first lines to come out with sulfate-free products.  They are also 100% vegan.  All the formulas have an aromatherapy bent to them and so they smell amazing.

About $37 at salons.

 

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Current Winter Hand Care from Farmhouse Fresh

Farmhouse Fresh is a line of naturally-based products that are most often found at spas or speciality skincare stores.  They smell scrumptious and have lovely old-school packaging.

Farmhouse Fresh All-Purpose BalmThis winter, I’ve been turning to their All-Purpose Shea Butter Balm in the Plum Chiffon and Marshmallow Melt scents.  They smell amazing and give immediate comfort to dry skin.

The Shea Butter Balms have a texture that’s almost like coconut oil: they’re solid at room temperature but melt on contact with your skin and turn into an easy-to-spread oil.  Obviously, these are greasy on the skin, but I really love that they immediately relieve any sort of dryness and keep your hands feeling moist.  I use them every night before bed and find that they’ve cut down on painful hang nails (although my skin is still super dry because I forget to moisturizing during the day).

You can find Farmhouse Fresh at salons and spas near you, or online.

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CND Aurora Collection

This holiday season, I am all about the frosty and glittery nail polishes, and CND’s Aurora collection delivers on both those counts.

CND Aurora Collection Vinylux

These are available in Shellac and Vinylux formulas, and I’m loving all the colours but you have to check out Tundra which is the prettiest frosty mauve.

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Also, Glacial Mist is the prettiest glitter and different from what I would normally wear on my nails at this time of year.

The other colours are Winter Glow which is a pale pink that can be opaque after three coats, and Nordic Lights which is another glitter.

If you’re looking for long-wearing colour this holiday season, Vinylux and Shellac are the way to go – Shellac is available as an in-salon service only, and if your salon is a real Shellac salon then they’ll likely have this collection.

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Gift the Gift of Gentle Skincare from Burt’s Bees

Today’s gift idea is for those who need gentle skincare – they find soaps and traditional cleansers too irritating or have skin that really feels the burn of the cold winter wind.

Burt’s Bees is a great brand to check out at this time of year because their products are naturally formulated and always moisturizing thanks to the inclusion of beeswax.burt's bees

The Face Essentials gift set is not only naturally formulated, it’s affordable too!  It’s only $19.99 and includes cleansing wipes, a gentle face scrub, a cleansing cream, and their new coconut and pear lip balm.

You can find it in drugstores and grocery stores (check out their store locator), or order online directly from the Burt’s Bees website.

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Holiday Saving with Eos Holiday Pack

eos holiday gift packI know that many of you are fans of the eos lip balms, but they’re definitely not the cheapest ones around.  Their Holiday pack is a wonderful way to stock up on your favourites and it’s great value.  While one lip balm can sometimes cost $6 (depending on where you find it), this pack of three is retailing for $10.

The Holiday Pack contains three flavours: Sweet Mint, Pomegranate Raspberry, and a limited edition flavour Vanilla Bean.  The Vanilla Bean flavour, like all eos flavours is light and slightly sweet.  It’s totally inoffensive and easy to wear.

The Holiday Pack also comes with lots of stickers so you can make your eos lip balms look pretty!  It’s what makes the holiday packaging extra special and perfect for gift-giving.

Like all the eos lip balms, these are packed with Vitamin E and Shea butter and leave lips smooth and hydrated without being overly shiny.  They are also 100% natural and organic (which is why I let my kids use them!)

Pick it up at Indigo, Walmart, or Well.ca.

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New Soap and Glory Products

Soap and Glory scrub and moisturizer

If you’re looking for new skincare products for your regimen, Soap and Glory has just the ticket.  The British brand has come out with new packaging for their facial scrub and two new moisturizers.  One moisturizer is more hydrating and the other is formulated specially for oily skin because it helps absorb excess oils.  I love the old-school toothpaste like packaging which looks fresh and clean on my vanity.

My favourite product is the Scrub Your Nose In It Scrub.  It’s got super fine beads in it and they’ve even tinted it light blue so that it looks kind of like toothpaste.  It’s got a slightly minty feel to it which leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed, and because the beads are so fine, it’s gentle enough to use every day.

Pick them up at the drugstore.

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Melted Kisses and Sweet Cheeks from Too Faced

We love Christmas gift sets because they’re the perfect way to introduce our friends to new products.

too Faced Sweet cheeks and Melted KissesTake this Too Faced Melted Kisses and Sweet Cheeks set. It has three mini Melted liquid lipsticks and three mini Sweet Cheeks blushes. The lipsticks and blushes have become cult favourites – the Melted liquid lipsticks were one of the first to usher in the highly pigmented liquid lipstick trend that’s going on right now! Everyone from Anastasia Beverly Hills to Lise Watier is following with their own versions but the Melted lipsticks created the niche.

What I love about this set is that the lipsticks and blushes come in coordinating pairs, which makes them perfect for beginner makeup users or for pros. Plus, if you find a colour that you really love, you can then go out and purchase the full-sized version of the set!

The set is beautifully gift boxed which makes for easy wrapping!

$45 (but a $75 value!) and only at Sephora.

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A Wellness Gift from Escents

Today, we continue to focus on unique gifts, and this one is suitable as a hostess gift or to give to someone at work so they can put it in their office.
Escents Aroma Diffuser
It’s the Escents Aura Ceramic Aroma Diffuser. A humidifier, lamp, and aromatherapy diffuser in one, this Aroma Diffuser is very pretty and has a calming effect on anyone that sees it. The lamp changes colours, or can be set to any colour you want. If you want something less distracting, there’s also an option to turn the lamp off and just have a nice cool mist of air come from the diffuser.

Because this diffuser is meant to provide aromatherapy, it does so without any heat – that way any essential oils that you place in the diffuser don’t get effected by any heat.

The diffuser is said to provide aromatherapy for up to 500 sq. ft. of space, but I’ve found that it scents my whole house if I leave it on for a longer period of time. Because you’re placing drops of essential oils into the diffuser, along with some water, it’s very easy to control how strong you want your scent, and the stronger your scent, the further the aromatherapy seems to travel in the air. It has the capacity for 100 ml of water and with that it can run for 5-6 hours – that’s a big chunk of the day!

Pick it up at Escents stores or online. $85.

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